394. Culadasa (John Yates)

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There is some controversy surrounding Culadasa. Here’s a message from the organization he headed: Important Message from the Dharma Treasure Board of Directors

His 33-page response and much discussion can be found on this Reddit board.

Culadasa (John Yates, Ph.D.) was the director of Dharma Treasure Buddhist Sangha in Tucson, Arizona and author of The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness. A meditation master with over four decades of experience in the Tibetan and Theravadin Buddhist traditions, Culadasa also taught physiology and neuroscience for many years. He combines the original teachings of the Buddha with an emerging, scientific understanding of the mind to give students a rich and rare opportunity for rapid progress and profound insight.

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded 4/1/2017

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 – Interview with Culadasa (John Yates)
00:03:36 – The Path of a Truth-Seeker
00:08:21 – From Catholicism to Eastern Religions
00:13:32 – Ananda Bodhi and the Recognition of Tulku
00:18:23 – Traditional vs Modern Meditation Techniques
00:22:44 – The Mechanics of Meditation
00:27:44 – The Two Ways of Knowing
00:32:29 – Focusing during Meditation and Alluring Objects of Attention
00:36:46 – Training the Mind’s Attention
00:40:18 – Unifying the Mind through Meditation
00:44:02 – The Blissful State of Samatha
00:48:34 – The Neurophysiology of Meditation
00:52:51 – The Radical View of Consciousness
00:57:17 – The Unique Information Exchange in the Mind
01:01:31 – Accessing the Field of Consciousness
01:05:27 – The Continuation of Spiritual Evolution
01:10:10 – Tapping into Collective Wisdom and Past Lives
01:13:46 – The Mistake of Choosing the Wrong Child
01:18:04 – Subtle Extensions of Consciousness
01:21:50 – The Rigpa and the Clear Light of the Mind
01:26:15 – Fallen Awakened Teachers and the Mind System Theory
01:30:02 – Awakening and Changes in Behavior
01:33:48 – The Relationship Between Compassion and Wisdom
01:37:36 – Neurological Transformation and Compassion
01:41:11 – Buddhism’s View on God and Atheism
01:46:24 – The Mystery of Existence
01:49:44 – Vertical Dimensionality of Creation
01:53:52 – The Importance of Openly Communicating Attainments and Enlightenment
01:58:04 – Theoretical Possibility of EEG Test Development
02:01:55 – Exploring the Mind and Teaching Offerings
02:05:37 – Thanking Culadasa