Once Nigantha Nataputta, a spiritual teacher and leader of the Niganthas, hatched a plan to embarrass the Buddha. He said to Prince Abhaya, “Prince, I have a plan to make you famous far and wide as the man who showed that Gotama is a fraud. Go to him and ask, ‘Do Awakened Buddhas ever speak … Continue reading Scenes from the Life of the Buddha 2

I was a spoiled youth. My father had lotus ponds dug for me with lotuses of all colors. My clothes and sandalwood were imported from Kāsī. A servant held a white umbrella over my head day and night to keep from from heat or rain. I had three cottages: one for summer, one for winter, … Continue reading Scenes from the Life of the Buddha 1

Once while staying at Anathapindika’s Forest Park, the Buddha was visited by a beautiful deva whose radiance lit up the forest grove. The deva asked, “How did you ford the raging river?” The Buddha replied, “I did not stop, and I did not struggle .” “But why?” “When I began to stop, I would sink. … Continue reading Nibbana 2

Stand like a guard, vigilantly watching the doors of the 6 senses. When you see something, do not become entranced by it. If you have no control over where you look, you can easily be overwhelmed by unhelpful states of mind. Have self-control over your eyes, your ears, your nose, tongue, body, and thoughts. Pay … Continue reading Sutta Topics 2

If you long for a devoted crowd of disciples, it corrupts your heart and makes deep meditation difficult. Respect can be a dart, difficult to remove. -KN Thag 18.1 Sāriputtattheragāthā While this teaching is good and helpful, do not cling to it. Don’t treat it like a precious possession to be guarded and treasured. Always … Continue reading Teaching and Learning

There is a place that is uncreated, unborn, and unsupported. If there were not such a place, there would be no escape. -KN Udana 8.4 Catutthanibbana Sutta You cannot reach the end of the world by walking But to achieve the goal of the holy life You must reach the end of the world A … Continue reading Nibbana 1

There is nothing you could see, hear, smell, taste, touch, or think that could adequately describe the state of the Buddhas of the past, those who were fully Awakened, never to be born again, free from all suffering. -AN 35.8.83 Phaggunapañhā Sutta Show me the path that leads to Liberation. I will inevitably get there, … Continue reading Understanding

Would a fully enlightened arahant say things like, “I do this” or “They do that”? Yes, an arahant might well say, “I do this” or “They do that.” But they would only say such things as a manner of speaking. They would not be fooled. -AN 1.3.25 Arahanta Sutta When you deeply see the nature … Continue reading Wisdom 2

You should take time to be alone. If you spend time alone you will come to understand: this is suffering, this is the cause of suffering, this is the end of suffering, this is the way to end suffering. You should take time to be alone. If you spend time alone you will come to … Continue reading Wisdom 1

If you tie a dog to a post, it will keep running in circles all day. In the same way, a person who hasn’t learned the Dhamma will keep running in circles, obsessed with things, with feelings, with perception, choices, and consciousness. They are not free! -SN 22.10.99 Gaddulabaddha Sutta There are three kinds of … Continue reading Suffering

Once Vacchagotta the Wanderer said to the Buddha, “I hear that you teach that people should only give alms to you and your monks, nobody else. That giving to others doesn’t make merit. Is that true?” “No, that is not true,” replied the Buddha. “Giving is always a good thing, and anyone that says different … Continue reading Kamma

As a Buddhist monk, I went to a graveyard. There I saw the body of a dead woman, Covered in worms. Although most people would find it disgusting, I was filled with lust. I fled faster than The time it takes to cook rice. I went to a quiet place, To practice my mindfulness. I … Continue reading Lust

When going and coming, a monk should be fully aware and mindful. When looking here and there, a monk should be fully aware and mindful. When moving the arms and legs, be fully aware and mindful. When wearing robes, using a bowl, eating, drinking, pissing, shitting, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, getting up, speaking, or … Continue reading Mindfulness

When training, the mind persistent, distracting thoughts sometimes arise. Distracting thoughts are thoughts of desire, or hate, or confusion. Here are five tools for dealing with distracting thoughts. When these kinds of thoughts arise, try turning the mind instead to wholesome thoughts. This helps the mind become peaceful, quiet, and concentrated. Like a skilled carpenter … Continue reading Meditation 5

If you learn to practice self-control over the things you see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think, then you will keep your mind pure. When your mind is pure, joy arises. When you are joyful, the body naturally becomes relaxed. A relaxed body leads to bliss, and bliss leads to samadhi. And for one with … Continue reading Meditation 4

Once Ānanda asked the Buddha, “Is it possible to achieve a state of meditation where you no longer experience any physical sensation, any space, any consciousness, nothingness, perception, anything in this world or any other world? And yet still there is still experience?” “Yes,” the Buddha replied. “But how is that possible?” “Ānanda, when a … Continue reading Meditation 3

What are the five things that are the hallmarks of deep meditation, of jhana? When a spiritual seeker completely withdraws from sense pleasures they enter the first stage of jhana. They are filled with bliss and happiness but are still returning again and again to the subject of meditation. Their entire body is filled with … Continue reading Meditation 2

I know of nothing that can arouse desire more than a thing of beauty. If you fixate on such a thing without wisdom, your desire will only grow. The best way to overcome desire is to focus your attention on something ugly rather than the object of your desire. If you can move your attention … Continue reading Meditation 1

There are these subconscious habits:* a desire for pleasure* disgust* opinions* doubt* arrogance* a desire to be reborn* ignorance -AN 7.2.11 As if you have been struck by a sword, as if your hair is on fire, mindfully set out to overcome lust, to overcome the belief, “I am.” -SN 2.2.16 Vāsudattasutta Make good spiritual … Continue reading Practice

Like fish in a rapidly drying pond wildly attacking each other, driven mad by fear, violence is all around. Once, I wished only for some small sanctuary in this world of conflict, but this world is empty, filled with violence. There is no safety anywhere. -KN Sutta Nipata 4.15 Attadaṇḍa Sutta The deva Subrahmā said … Continue reading Negative Emotions