Joseph Goldstein – Insight Hour – Ep. 115 – Papanca: Craving, Conceit, and Wrong View

In this Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein guides us through craving, conceit, and wrong view, which are the three proliferating tendencies of the mind also known as Papanca.

This dharma talk was originally published on Dharma Seed 
Papanca: Craving, Conceit, and Wrong View

Joseph introduces the concept of Papanca, which are the proliferating tendencies of the mind. He talks about how the Buddhist notions of craving, conceit, and wrong view contribute to our belief that there is a ‘self’ at the center of our being. Ultimately, it’s crucial to unpack this notion of self, and understand the different ways it manifests and causes suffering in our lives. 

“These Papanca, these proliferating tendencies, build our experience of the world based on the mistaken view of self. These very deeply rooted tendencies in the mind are constructing our lived experience based on a mistaken idea.” – Joseph Goldstein

Raghu Markus and Ralph De La Rosa discuss intelligent self-inquiry in Mindrolling Ep. 388
Craving and Self (19:35)

Joseph helps us understand how each of these three tendencies works and are differentiated from one another. He digs deeper into the proliferating tendency of craving, how craving is born from the notion of self and claiming ownership of our bodies, our thoughts, and our feelings. Joseph touches on the craving for becoming, which often arises in meditation practice.

“We really begin to experience for ourselves the ease of that non-reactivity, the ease of non-craving, the ease of coming out, or disentangling, from this particular Papanca, or proliferating tendency.” – Joseph Goldstein

Joseph Goldstein explores the end of craving in Insight Hour Ep. 77
Conceit and Wrong View (36:40)

Joseph examines the other two proliferating tendencies, conceit and wrong view. He explores how conceit reinforces the sense of ‘I am,’ and how this notion is connected to judgment and the comparing mind. For wrong view, Joseph talks about how the deeply embedded view that there is a self can condition the way we move in the world. 

“Generally, this Papanca of conceit is so deeply rooted and so pervasive, it’s really the backdrop of how we interpret our experience in the world. And it’s just so common we don’t even pay attention to it.” – Joseph Goldstein

Joseph Goldstein digs deeper into wrong view in Insight Hour Ep. 24

Art via @Micomaco