Metaphysical Views as Skillful Means

Joseph Goldstein is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society (where he is one of the resident guiding teachers) and the Barre Center for Buddhist studies, both in Barre, Massachusetts.  He is the author of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, A Heart Full of Peace, One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism, Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom, and The Experience of Insight: A Simple and Direct Guide to Buddhist Meditation (Shambhala Dragon Editions). He has also coauthored books with Sharon Salzberg and Jack Kornfield. Joseph has studied and practiced meditation since 1967 under the guidance of eminent teachers from India, Burma, and Tibet and he leads Insight Meditation retreats around the world. Summary and Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 11/23/2013. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Joseph Goldstein: Insight Meditation and the Enlightened Mind 00:03:22 - The Nature of the Mind 00:06:25 - The Purpose of Skillful Means 00:09:08 - The Hindu View of Enlightenment 00:12:15 - Stages of Awakening and Mistaking Preliminary Enlightenment 00:15:31 - The Reassurance of Being Done with Spiritual Practice 00:18:13 - Levels of Ignorance and Obstructive Forces 00:21:10 - The Effort and Investigation of Awakening 00:23:45 - The Importance of a Teacher and Study in Spiritual Practice 00:26:55 - Recognition and examination of the mind 00:30:08 - The Role of Monastics in Deepening Practice 00:32:57 - The Manifestation of Awakening in Behavior 00:35:22 - The Importance of Traits and States of Consciousness 00:38:06 - The Universal Experience of Enlightenment 00:41:13 - The Correlation Between Ethical Behavior and Enlightenment 00:44:08 - Wrathful Compassion and Ethical Grey Areas 00:46:27 - Manifestation of Compassion in Different Ways 00:49:28 - The Power of Mindfulness 00:51:49 - What is Mindfulness? 00:54:31 - Mindfulness as an Ethical Dimension 00:56:54 - The Analogy of the Changing Images 00:59:37 - The Unmanifest Quality 01:02:51 - The Purpose of Mindfulness 01:05:39 - The Effort and Nature of Mindfulness 01:07:45 - Mindfulness and the Effortless Approach 01:09:40 - Balancing Effort and Relaxation 01:12:18 - The Buddha Boy and the Atman-Anatman Debate 01:14:35 - Tathagata and Tattvamasi: Exploring the Difference 01:17:26 - Compassion as the Manifestation of Non-Clinging 01:20:34 - The Power of Bodhicitta and Awakening for the Benefit of All 01:23:23 - Conclusion and Next Week's Interview