Ven. Robina Courtin - How Attachment Pervades Our Lives (Part 1 of 4) (2015)

What are referred to in the Mahayana Buddhist literature as the “eight mundane concerns” or the “eight worldly dharmas” are, in fact, simply primordial levels of attachment that exist virtually as assumptions in our minds. We constantly crave happy feelings, getting nice things, hearing pleasant words with our name in them, and having people approve of us, and desperately crave to be free of the opposite. In fact, the more we look into our minds – be our own therapists, as Lama Yeshe wisely put it – the more we see that these attitudes inform most of our decisions in daily life, thus causing us so much confusion and pain. Reversing these attitudes – so radical! is the essence of spiritual practice. With her unparalleled dynamic and very practical teaching style, Venerable Robina helps us really understand what it means to “renounce this life” (which refers to a state of mind) and that, as gloomy as it may sound, can be the key to real happiness. These teachings include meditation, lecture, and discussion. They are appropriate for those new to Buddhism and those who wish to deepen their spiritual understanding and practice.