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The Visuddhimagga / The Path of Purification
Buddhaghosa - Translated by Bhikkhu Γanamoli
The Visuddhimagga
or The Path of Purification, is a Theravada Buddhist commentary written
by Buddhaghosa approximately in 430 CE in Sri Lanka. It is considered
the most important Theravada text outside of the Tipitaka canon of
scriptures. The Visuddhimagga is a systematic examination and
condensation of Buddhist doctrine and meditation technique. The various
teachings of the Buddha found throughout the Pali canon are organized in
a clear, comprehensive path leading to the final goal of nibbana, the
state of complete purification. Originally composed in the fifth
century, this new translation provides English speakers insights into
this foundational text. In the course of this treatise full and detailed
instructions are given on 40 subjects of meditation aimed at
concentration, an elaborate account of Buddhist Abhidhamma philosophy,
and explicit descriptions of the stages of insight culminating in final
liberation.
The Path of Freedom / Vimuttimagga
Arahant Upatissa
The Vimuttimagga
- Probably written in Pali in Sri Lanka during the first century AD,
the Vimuttimagga survived only in Chinese translation, from which the
present rendering has been made. Ascribed to the Arahant Upatissa, the
work is a meditation manual similar to the Visuddhimagga, but less
analytical and more practical in its treatment of meditation. The work
is compiled in accordance with classical Buddhist division of the path
into the three stages of virtue, concentration, and wisdom,
culminating in the goal of liberation. It is widely believed that the
Vimuttimagga may have been the model used by Buddhaghosha to compose
his magnum opus, the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), several
centuries later. The older work is marked by a leaner style and a more
lively sense of urgency stemming from its primarily practical
orientation.
Mindfulness of Breathing
…Bhikkhu Nanamoli…
This
is a useful anthology of important and pragmatic source material from
the Pali Canon and Commentaries on the technique of Anapana, or
breath-awareness meditation. It includes the Discourse on
Respiration-Mindfulness from the Majjhima Nikaya, commentary from the
Vishuddhimagga (Path of Purification), and analyses of other passages
and suttas.
The Buddha and His Teachings
…Narada Mahathera…
This
is one of the clearest and most detailed introductions to the
fundamental teachings of Buddhism available in English. In simple and
lucid language the author explains the doctrines and concepts which form
the common bedrock of Buddhism as they have been preserved by the
Theravada school. The first part of the work is devoted to the life of
the Buddha. The remainder of the book explains in detail the Buddha’s
teachings, the final chapter showing the relevance of Buddhism to the
problems of modern life.
Life
of the Buddha
…Narada Mahathera…
As
a royal child Prince Siddhattha no doubt received a good education,
although the books give no details about his schooling. Being a
scion of the warrior race, he must have been specially trained
in the art of warfare. At the early age of sixteen, he married his beautiful cousin Princess
Yasoodharaa,[9] who was of equal years. After his happy marriage,
he led a luxurious life, blissfully unaware of the vicissitudes of
life, outside the palace gates.
A Introductory Course in Early Buddhism
…Bro. Chan Khoon San…
This new book entitled
βBuddhism Courseβ is a carefully researched and upgraded version. It
contains 17 chapters dealing with most of the relevant topics on
Buddhism, such as: Life of the Buddha, Four Noble Truths and Eightfold
Noble Path, Dependent Origin, Law of Kamma, Death and Rebirth, Five
Destinations, World Cycles when Buddhas Appear, Ten Bases of Meritorious
Action, Buddhist Vipassana Meditation, Recollection of the Buddha,
Dhamma and Sangha and the Three Baskets (Tipitaka) in Buddhism.
The
Five Precepts
… Dr. Sunthorn Plamintr…
There are three fundamental modes of training in Buddhist
practice: morality, mental culture, and wisdom. The English word
morality is used to translate the Pali term sila, although the Buddhist
term contains its own particular connotations. The word sila denotes
a state of normalcy, a condition which is basically unqualified and
unadulterated. When one practices sila, one returns to one’s own
basic goodness, the original state of normalcy, unperturbed and unmodified.
Chanting
in Buddhism
… Bhikkhu Dhammasami…
Chanting
is very common to any religion. Buddhism is no exception in this
regard. However, the aim and purpose of chanting is different from
one religion to another. Buddhism is unique in that it does not
consider chanting to be prayer.
The
Buddhist Holidays
…BuddhaNet.net…
There
are many special or holy days held throughout the year by the Buddhist
community. Many of these days celebrate the birthdays of Bodhisattvas
in the Mahayana tradition or other significant dates in the Buddhist
calendar. The most significant celebration happens every May on
the night of the full moon, when Buddhist all over the world celebrate
the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha over 2,500 years
ago. It has become to be known as Buddha Day.
Early
Buddhist Ceremonies
…Bhaddanta
Silanandabhivamsa…
Buddhism is unique among religions in that it knows
no ceremonies comparable to those in other religions. Ceremonies
and rituals, elaborate and tiresome in performance, have no room
in Buddhism. We do not find any instance in the Pali Canon where
the Buddha lays down the rules and methods for the performance of
ceremonies for the laity. It is left to the individual whether or
not to perform them. He has only one thing which he must take into
consideration, that is his performing of ceremonies does not clash
with the teachings of the Buddha.
Buddhism
and Vegetarianism
…Compiled by Binh Anson…
There are differences of opinion between Buddhists
on this issue so we will attempt to present the arguments of those
who believe that vegetarianism is necessary for Buddhists and those
who do not.
Do
Buddhists believe in God?
…Kusala Bhikshu…
Why
is it… The Buddha never talked about the One God of the desert,
the Judeo-Christian God? Does this mean that all Buddhists are
atheists and donβt believe in God? Did the Buddha believe
in God?
Do
Buddhists go to Heaven?
…Kusala Bhikshu…
But,
do Buddhists even go to Christian heaven or hell in the first place?
Or do Buddhists have their own afterlife, complete with heaven
and hell?
The
Problem With Sex in Buddhism
…Kusala Bhikshu…
It
seems these days in Los Angeles, it’s OK to do or be anything you
want sexually… And if you’re lucky enough to find your true sexual
identity, you will be happy and fulfilled the rest of your life.
A
Buddhist Approach to Health Care
…Kusala Bhikshu…
Over
the years many commentaries have been written to add clarity and
understanding to his teachings. Buddhist monks and nuns have taught
and still teach his Dharma (Truth). New schools of Buddhism based
on culture and meaning arose in every part of the world spreading
his message, βSuffering is Optional.β
The
Buddhist Concept of Impermanence
…hinduwebsite.com…
Early
Buddhism dealt with the problem of impermanence in a very rationale
manner. This concept is known as anicca in Buddhism, according
to which, impermanence is an undeniable and inescapable fact of
human
existence from which nothing that belongs to this earth is ever
free.
…Buddhist
Suttas and Sutras…
A
Map Showing the Major Divisions of the Tipitaka.
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when practicing deeply
the Perfect Wisdom clearly saw that all five Skandhas are empty and
passed beyond all suffering… Sariputra, form does not differ from
emptiness: Emptiness does not differ from form. Form then is emptiness.
Emptiness
then is form.
Sensation, perception, volition, and consciousness, are also like
this.
Metta is the highest need of the world today, indeed
it is more needed than ever before. Because in this new world, there
are sufficient materials, money and brilliant wise men and scientists.
In spite of these, there is no peace and happiness. It shows that
something is lacking, That is Metta.
I heard thus. Once the Blessed One,
while wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of
bhikkhus, entered
a town of the Kalama people called Kesaputta. The Kalamas who were
inhabitants of Kesaputta: “Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son
of the Sakyans, has, while wandering in the Kosala country, entered
Kesaputta.
Thus, using his way eye, he regarded the world and
saw that his deceased mother had been born among the hungry ghosts,
having neither food nor drink, she was but skin and bones. Mahaudgalayana
felt deep pity and sadness, filled a bowl with food and went to provide
for his mother. She got the bowl, screened it
with her left hand, and with her right hand made a fist of food.
But, before it entered her mouth, it turned into burning coals which
could not be eaten.
The
Book of Protection which is an anthology of selected discourses
of the Buddha compiled by the teachers of old, was originally meant
as a handbook for the newly ordained novice. The idea was that
those novices who are not capable of studying large portions of
the “Discourse Collection” (sutta pitaka) should at least
be conversant with the Book of Protection. Even today it is so.
Discourses
of the Ancient Nuns
The growing interest in women’s spirituality has led
to a renewed focus upon the Therigatha, the Verses of the Elder Nuns,
as the oldest existing testament to the feminine experience of Buddhism.
Despite this recent attention to the Therigatha, however, it seems
that all but a few scholarly commentators have overlooked a short
chapter in the Samyutta Nikaya that serves as an important supplement
to the larger work.
The
Turning of the Wheel Sutta
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One
was dwelling at Baranasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. There the
Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus of the group of five thus:
The
Eightfold Path: Pali & English
A Factorial Analysis of the Noble Eightfold Path
The
Shorter Exposition of Kamma
You want: long life, health, beauty, power, riches,
high birth, wisdom? Or even some of these things? They do not appear
by chance. It is not someone’s luck that they are healthy, or another’s
lack of it that he is stupid. Though it may not be clear to us now,
all such inequalities among human beings (and all sorts of beings)
come about because of the kamma they have made individually.
Once
in the Jurassic about 150 million years ago, the Great Sun Buddha
in this corner of the Infinite Void gave a discourse to all the
assembled elements and energies: to the standing beings, the walking
beings, the flying beings, and the sitting beings–even the grasses,
to the number of thirteen billion, each one born from a seed, assembled
there: a Discourse concerning Enlightenment on the planet Earth.
…Buddhist
History…
Was
invented in 1880 by an American, Colonel Henry Steele Olcott.
The horizontal bars signify peace and harmony between all races
throughout the world while the vertical bars represent eternal
peace within the world.
A
Buddhist Timeline
…History of Buddhism…
Life of Siddhartha Guatama, the historical Buddha:
conventional dates: 566-486 B.C.E. (According to more recent research,
revised dates are: 490-410 BCE).
Buddhist Pilgrimage / New Edition 2009
…Bro. Chan Khoon San…
The idea of a pilgrimage originated from
the Buddha twenty-five centuries ago! Before he passed into
Mahaparinibbana, the Buddha advised pious disciples to visit four holy
places the sight of which will arouse faith and religious urgency after
He was gone, namely: Lumbini, Buddhagaya, Sarnath and Kusinara.
Theravada
Buddhism
…Dr. V. A. Gunaserkara…
Generally three main schools of Buddhism have been
identified. These are Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. While this
threefold classification is useful it does not encompass the totality
of schools and approaches that one encounters in Buddhism, both in
the historical past as well as today.
The
Buddhist Councils
…Ven. Dr. Rewata Dhamma…
King Ajatasattu sponsored the First Council. It was
convened in 544 B.C. in the Satiapanni Cave situated outside Rajagaha
three months after the Buddha had passed away. A detailed account
of this historic meeting can be found in the Cullavagga of the Vinaya
Pitaka.
The
Edicts of King Asoka
…Ven. S. Dhammika…
Asoka’s
edicts are mainly concerned with the reforms he instituted and
the moral principles he recommended in his attempt to create a
just and humane society.
How
Buddhism Was Reincarnated
…Leslie
Schivener…
By
rights, Tibetan Buddhism should have faded like the dying light
in a thousand butter lamps before a thousand knowing Buddhas. But
something extraordinary happened after the Dalai Lama rode a mountain
pony into exile in 1959, disguised as a soldier, his glasses in
his pocket: Tibetan Buddhism found a new incarnation.
Teachings and Brahmanism
… Thich Nhat-tu…
as a new philosophical way of life, emerges as a counter-movement
against ethical and metaphysical doctrines of Brahmanism.
Buddhism being a naastika completely rejects the authority
of the Vedas and disproving the Brahmaa as the lord of
all creatures.
and Mahayana the Difference
…Wapola Rahula…
us discuss a question often asked by many people: What
is the difference between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism?
To see things in their proper perspective, let us turn
to the history of Buddhism and trace the emergence and
development of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.
Place of Buddhism in Indian Thought
…Ananda W.P. Guruge…
the Buddha assumed the role of a re-discoverer rather than
that of an original path-finder. What he meant by this
statement is subject to interpretation and has given rise
to a controversy among students of Buddhism and Indian
philosophy.
…Special Interest…
Mindfulness
in Plain English
A “how to” book on Buddhist Meditation!
…Ven. Henepola Gunaratana…
The subject of this book is Vipassana meditation
practice. Repeat, practice. This is a meditation manual, a nuts-and-bolts,
step-by-step guide to Insight meditation. It is meant to be practical.
It is meant for use.
Learn
Pali
The Language of Early Buddhism
…Five e-Books in PDF…
From the introduction: This book is chiefly intended
for those who study the Buddhist teachings through the medium of
the English language, but wish to familiarize themselves with some
of the original Pali terms of doctrinal import. They are in the same
position as a student of philosophy or science who has to know the
terminology of his field, which for common parlance is mostly not
less ‘unfamiliar’ than are the words of the Pali language found in
the Dictionary.
The
Eightfold Path
…Bhikku Bodhi…
One of the best explanations of the Eightfold path
in print today… The present book aims at contributing towards a
proper understanding of the Noble Eightfold Path by investigating
its eight factors and their components to determine exactly what
they involve. Bhikkhu Bodhi is concise, using as the framework for
his exposition the Buddha’s own words in explanation of the path
factors, as found in the Sutta Pitaka of the Pali Canon.
Eightfold
Path for the Lay Person
…Jack Kornfield…
“A
series of ten talks, transcribed from audio tape, on the practice
of the Eightfold Path, particularly geared to householders. There
is a talk on each of the eight path factors, plus two concerning
the five mental hindrances.”
A
Buddhist Approach to Dreams
…Rev. Heng Sure…
We
know how the Buddha and certain Indian Buddhists in the past dealt
with their dreams because detailed writings still exist in the
scriptures and commentaries. This article will present a section
from a particular Buddhist scripture, The Sutra on the Junti Bodhisattva
Dharani, Spoken by the Mother of Seven Kotis of Buddhas (T.1077),
which lists specific dream images.
Bowing
as Contemplation
…Rev. Heng Sure…
Contemplating
the nature of mind is a hallmark Buddhist occupation. The Buddha
called the mind βa monkey,” and “a wild horse.” The
monkey mind calculates and schemes, chases thoughts of self and
others, clings to rights and wrongs, and quarrels over me and mine.
Death,
Dying, and Health in Buddhism
…Articles, Books, and eBooks…
Good
health is simply the slowest way a human being can die.
Good
and Evil in Buddhism
…Bhikkhu P.A. Payutto…
Because
kamma is directly concerned with good and evil, any discussion
of kamma must also include a discussion of good and evil. Standards
for defining good and evil are, however, not without their problems.
What is “good,” and how is it so? What is it that we
call “evil,” and how is that so?
The
Five Spiritual Powers
…Sarah
Doering…
The
assumption underlying all his teaching is that we donβt
have to be the way we areβthat all the sorrow and pain
and grief and fear that we all know is not necessary. It
can be eliminated.
The
Word of the Buddha
…Ven. Nyanatiloka…
The Word of the Buddha, published originally in German,
was the first strictly systematic exposition of all the main tenets
of the Buddha’s Teachings presented in the Master’s own words as
found in the Sutta-Pitaka of the Buddhist Pali Canon.
A
Sketch of the Buddha’s life
…from The Pali Cannon…
This modest selection of excerpts from the Pali Canon
provides a rough sketch of the life of the Buddha. I hope you will
find enough in this rather sparse selection to gain at least an inkling
both of the range of the Buddha’s teachings and of the sweeping trajectory
of his extraordinary life.
Non-Violence
in Early Buddhism
…from The Pali Cannon…
In this short autobiographical passage, the Buddha
describes his sense of dismay at the violence in the world, together
with his important discovery: that the only escape from violence
is to remove the causes of violence from one’s own heart.
Metta-
Universal Love in Buddhism
…Acharya Buddharakkhita…
Metta makes one a pure font of well-being and safety
for others. Just as a mother gives her own life to protect her child,
so metta only gives and never wants anything in return.
Gemstones
of the Good Dhamma
…Ven. S. Dammika…
The discourses of the Buddha and his direct disciples
have been collected together into a huge body of literature known
as the Sutta Pitaka. Made up of both prose and verse, much of this
literature is little known to the average Buddhist because of its
great size and also because in both style and content it is highly
philosophical.
The
Discourse on Right View
…Bhikkhu Γanamoli…
The Sammaditthi Sutta, the Discourse on Right View,
is the ninth sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, the Collection of Middle
Length Discourses. Its expositor is the Venerable Sariputta Thera,
the Buddha’s chief disciple and the foremost of the Master’s bhikkhu
disciples in the exercise of the faculty of wisdom
The
Five Hindrances and their Conquest
…Nyanaponika Thera…
Unshakable
deliverance of the mind is the highest goal in the Buddha’s doctrine.
Here, deliverance means: the freeing of the mind from all limitations,
fetters, and bonds that tie it to the Wheel of Suffering, to the
Circle of Rebirth.
Meditation
Alters Brain Structure
…Sharon Begley…
But
although the Buddhists and scientists who met for five
days last month in the Dalai Lama’s home in Dharamsala,
India, had different views on the little matters of reincarnation
and the relationship of mind to brain, they set them aside
in the interest of a shared goal. They had come together
in the shadows of the Himalayas to discuss one of the hottest
topics in brain science: neuroplasticity.
The
Jhanas in Theravada Buddhism
…Ven. H. Gunaratana…
The Buddha says that just as in the great ocean there
is but one taste, the taste of salt, so in his doctrine and discipline
there is but one taste, the taste of freedom. The taste of freedom
that pervades the Buddha’s teaching is the taste of spiritual freedom,
which from the Buddhist perspective means freedom from suffering.
A
Study Guide: The Four Noble Truths
…Thanissaro
Bhikkhu…
The four noble truths are the most basic expression
of the Buddha’s teaching. As Ven. Sariputta once said, they encompass
the entire teaching, just as the footprint of an elephant can encompass
the footprints of all other footed beings on earth.
A
Study Guide: The Ten Perfections
…Thanissaro
Bhikkhu…
Thus, historically, there have been two major ways
of following the path to full Buddhahood: following guidelines gleaned
from the early canons, and following the traditions set in motion
by the experiences of visionaries from the beginning of the common
era. The materials in this study guide take the first course.
Jhanas,
Concentration, and Wisdom
…Thanissaro Bhikkhu…
The role of jhana as a condition for transcendent
discernment is one of the most controversial issues in the Theravada
tradition. Three basic positions have been advanced in modern writings.
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Part Part 2: The Doctor’s Diagnosis Part Part Part
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…Articles & Prose…
e-Learning
…Ven. Pannyavaro…
There is a new era of technological innovation sweeping
the world, which has spawned a new medium - the Internet’s world
wide web, a very powerful communications network and learning environment.
The Internet should not be seen as just a new way to disseminating
or repackage the Buddha’s teachings but potentially as a base for
an innovative online dharma community - a Cyber Sangha, that offers
alternative social and spiritual values.
Working
with Anger
…Michelle McDonald…
Anger seems to be an emotion that
people have a lot of difficulty with, so I’d like to talk about
how to deal specifically
when such an emotion occurs. Say you’re sitting and anger appears
and you think, “Oh no - anger!” - that’s resistance.
But what about, “Oh, great, anger!”? Do you see the difference?
We are usually very accepting of the moment when the bird sings,
but with anger it is more difficult.
The
Elimination of Anger
…Ven. Piyatissa…
The ultimate goal of Buddhism is the deathless condition
of Nibbana, the sole reality. Hence, one who aspires to that state
should renounce mundane pursuits and attachments, which are ephemeral,
for the sake of that reality. But there are very few who are sufficiently
mature to develop themselves to achieve that state in this very
life.
Living
in the World with Dhamma
…Ajahn Chah…
Most people still don’t know the essence of meditation
practice. They think that walking meditation, sitting meditation
and listening to Dhamma talks are the practice. That’s true too,
but these are only the outer forms of practice.
The
Four Nobel Truths
…Ajahn
Chah…
The teaching I will present to you
today is a way to solve problems in the present moment, in this
present life.
Some people say that they have so much work to do they have no
time to practice the Dhamma. “What can we do?”
Buddhist
Cosmology
…Tri Ratana Priya…
The topic of my Dharma talk today is Buddhist cosmology,
a term which does not occur in everyday conversation. What then,
is cosmology? The dictionary defines it as a branch of philosophy
dealing with the origin, processes and structure of the universe.
The
Five Aggregates
…Peter Santina…
In this chapter we will look at the teaching of the
five aggregates–form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness.
In other words, we will look at the Buddhist analysis of personal
experience, or the personality.
Kamma
on the Social Level
…Bhikkhu
P.A. Payutto…
In
practical terms it can be said that the human world is the world
of intentional action. Human beings have a very sophisticated
level of intention, which, in conjunction with their
thought processes, allows them to achieve things which would be
impossible for other animals.
Buddhism
in Modern Life
…Dr. Ananda Guruge…
Then let us look at what Buddhism is. What do we
understand by Buddhism? It can mean many things to many people.
To someone it can be only life of the Buddha; the example that
the Buddha and his immediate disciples set -that glorious feat
of a man, who stood before men as a man and declared a path of
deliverance.
Going
for Refuge
…Thanissaro
Bhikkhu…
The act of going for refuge marks the
point where one commits oneself to taking the Dhamma, or the Buddha’s
teaching,
as the primary guide to the conduct of one’s life. To understand
why this commitment is called a “refuge”, it is helpful
to look at the history of the custom.
No-Self
or Not-Self?
…Thanissaro Bhikkhu…
One of the first stumbling blocks that Westerners often
encounter when they learn about Buddhism is the teaching on anatta,
often translated as no-self. This teaching is a stumbling block for
two reasons.
Giving
Dignity to Life
…Bhikkhu Bodhi…
To ask what it means to live with dignity may sound
strange in an age like our own, when our frantic struggle to make
ends meet hardly allows us the leisure to ponder such weighty matters.
The
Not-Self Strategy
…Thanissaro Bhikkhu…
Books on Buddhism often state that the Buddha’s most
basic metaphysical tenet is that there is no soul or self. However,
a survey of the discourses in the Pali Canon — the earliest extant
record of the Buddha’s teachings — suggests that the Buddha taught
the anatta or not-self doctrine, not as a metaphysical assertion,
but as a strategy for gaining release from suffering
Meditating
on NO-Self
…Sister Khema…
In
Buddhism we use the words “self” and “no-self,” and
so it is important to understand just what this “no-self,” anatta,
is all about, even if it is first just an idea, because the essence
of the Buddha’s teaching hinges on this concept. And in this teaching
Buddhism is unique.
Tolerance
and Diversity
…Bhikkhu Bodhi…
Today all the major religions of the world must respond
to a double challenge. On one side is the challenge of secularism,
a trend which has swept across the globe, battering against the most
ancient strongholds of the sacred and turning all man’s movements
towards the Beyond into a forlorn gesture, poignant but devoid of
sense.
Association
with the Wise
…Bhikkhu Bodhi…
The Maha-Mangala Sutta, the Great Discourse on Blessings,
is one of the most popular Buddhist suttas, included in all the standard
repertories of Pali devotional chants.
Buddha,
Dharma, Sangha
… Ajahn Sumedha…
When people ask ‘What do you have to do to become a
Buddhist?’ we say that we take refuge in Buddha Dhamma Sangha and
to take refuge we recite a Pali formula
A
Look at the Kalama Sutta
…Bhikkhu Bodhi…
But does the Kalama Sutta really justify such views?
Or do we meet in these claims just another set of variations on that
egregious old tendency to interpret the Dhamma according to whatever
notions are congenial to oneself — or to those to whom one is preaching?
The
Heart of Fundamentalism
…Tenzin Sherab…
Why are people “fundamentalists”?
They don’t see themselves that way. It’s a label we give to others
whom we fundamentally
disagree with. Fundamentalism is in our hearts–all our hearts. Once
we recognize that, we can start to come to terms with it.
The
Healing Power of the Precepts
…Thanissaro
Bhikkhu…
The
Buddha was like a doctor, treating the spiritual ills of the human
race. The path of practice he taught was like a course of
therapy for suffering hearts and minds.
Buddhist
Enlightenment vs Nirvana
…Rev. Kusala…
When
I first started reading books on Buddhism back in the late 1970βs,
I had trouble understanding *Nirvana and Enlightenment. These two
words were often used interchangeably by authors writing on the
*Theravada and *Mahayana traditions. Sometimes though, the meaning
seemed to change depending on who was doing the writing.
Bowing
as Contemplation
…Rev. Heng Sure…
Contemplating
the nature of mind is a hallmark Buddhist occupation. The Buddha
called the mind βa monkey,” and “a wild horse.” The
monkey mind calculates and schemes, chases thoughts of self and
others, clings to rights and wrongs, and quarrels over me and mine.
The wild horse mind loves to run away into fantasies and false-thoughts,
to wander far without warning and to return when it pleases. It
is difficult to break the wild horse mind to the saddle of mindfulness
and discipline.
An
Overview of the Tipitaka Scriptures
…Narada Bhikkhu…
Although
the Master has left no written records of His Teachings, His disciples
preserved them, by committing to memory and
transmitting them orally from generation to generation.
The
Living Message of the Dhammapada
…Bhikkhu Bodhi…
The
Dhammapada is a work familiar to every devout Buddhist and to every
serious student of Buddhism. This small collection of
423 verses on the Buddha’s doctrine is so rich in insights that it
might be considered the perfect compendium of the Dhamma in its
practical dimensions.
The
Five Skandhas and the New Millennium
…Martin Goodson…
It may be because we are coming to the end of one millennium
and about to enter another that there is a great interest in news
stories that signal the end of the world. In 1998, a new film was
released called ‘Deep Impact’. It was about a comet colliding with
Earth.
An essay on breath meditation
…Bhikkhu Sona…
As
the title suggests, there is a significant puzzle to be solved by
any meditator or scholar who tries to clearly understand the
qualities of experience which accompany the transition from mere attention to
respiration to the full immersion in jhanic consciousness.
Instructions
for Entering Jhana
…Leigh
Brasington…
These
instructions have been taken from a nine-day retreat offered by
Leigh Brasington at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in April
of 2002. The Pali word jhana (Sanskrit dhyana) is sometimes simply
translated as βmeditation,β but more accurately refers
to an βabsorptionβ into a very focused, very stable
state of concentration. In the classical tradition there are several
stages of jhana, each one more focused than the previous
The
Path of Concentration and Mindfulness
…Thanissaro Bhikkhu…
Many
people tell us that the Buddha taught two different types of
meditation; mindfulness meditation and concentration meditation.
Mindfulness meditation, they say, is the direct path, while concentration
practice is the scenic route that you take at your own risk because
it’s very easy to get caught there and you may never get out.
UrbanDharma Β© 2013