Logic and Analysis: Buddha teaches in Magga-vibhanga Sutta — Analysis of the Noble Eightfold Path
Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
The heart of Buddha's teachings is the Eightfold Path — a prescription for our own personal path to realizations based on positive karmic conduct. That does not stop the Buddha from analytical logic and debate. After the first ...
A Theravadan monk explains how Buddhist mindfulness and clinical therapeutic mindfulness are complimentary — but not the same
Buddhist Living, Dharma, Theravada
By Sanathavihari Bhikkhu (Bio at bottom of feature.) Sanathavihari Bhikkhu As a Buddhist monk, I have some misgivings about the way in which mindfulness is understood and used today. My biggest concern is the misunderstanding of mindfulness, which ...
The Five Strengths and Powers or pañcabalā in Buddhism — the qualities conducive to Enlightenment: faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom
Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
The Five Strengths (Sanskrit, Pali: pañcabalā) in Buddhism — critical to our progress on the path to enlightenment — are: faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. They are one of the seven sets of Bodhipakkhiyadhamma ("qualities conducive to enlightenment"). You may wonder ...
“It is I, Rāhula”; “I see,” said the Buddha — the story of Buddha’s son whose name means “shackle”
Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
As the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha's life story has been retold and reimagined countless times. But what about his only son, Rāhula? Born between 34 BCE and 451 BCE, Rāhula was the son of Prince Siddhartha ...
Why happiness and laughter are actual Buddhist teachings. The Sutra on Happiness, the Tathagata’s teaching “This is the great happiness!”
Buddhist Living, Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
We often see monks of all Buddhist traditions laughing. Rinpoche's, monks, nuns, teachers, the Dalai Lama — they all have a ready belly laugh. Are they just happy? Or, is happiness itself, the teaching? In the "Sutra on ...
Ehipassiko: encouraging investigation — Buddha taught logic to give us confidence in Dharma — not perpetual doubt
Buddhist Practices, Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
Buddha didn’t endorse a perpetual pursuit of knowledge, to the point of creating doubt — but he did teach the path of logic and investigation. The goal of an inquiring mind is discriminating wisdom — not perpetual doubt. ...
Dependent Co-Arising Answers Most Arguments with Impeccable Logic: The Great Causes Discourse Maha-nidana Sutta
Dharma, Rebirth / Reincarnation, Scientific Buddhist, Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
In almost any "Buddhist" philosophical argument — for instance, "why should I meditate?" or "Is there a soul?" or "what happens after death?" or even, "what is the true nature of self?" — the impeccable logic of Dependent ...
“To attain the highest state of bliss, which is Nirvana, we must follow the Blessed One” Kevaddha’s story in Pali Sutta
Buddha, Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
In Pali sutta there is the wonderful story of Kevaddha, a Braham priest, who longed for "peace of heart and was anxious to reach Nirvana." Because he could not understand how it was possible in the "flesh" to ...
9 ways Buddha taught us to transform anger — and put an end to negative cycles
Buddha, Buddhist Living, Dharma, Mindfulness, Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
Why do we meditate on impermanence? Why does Buddha speak so often in Sutras, on the "poison" of anger? Why do we see so many "angry" or even demonic Enlightened Buddhas in Mahayana and Vajrayana? In this feature, ...
Peacemaking Buddhism: importance of Ahimsa “Non-Harm” in Buddhism — “Nonviolence is the weapon of the strong.”
Buddhist Living, Dharma, Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
“Monks, even if bandits were to sever you savagely limb by limb with a two-handle saw, he who gave rise to a mind of hate towards them would not be carrying out my teaching” — Shakyamuni Buddha [4] ...
One Sutta to rule them all — Buddha’s most important sutta on Mindfulness: The Satipatthana Sutta “The Only Way”
Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
Of all the Suttas, one of the most important taught by the Buddha is the Satipatthana Sutta — The Discourse on The Only Way. Although this discourse on Arousing Mindfulness is considered to be the main method of ...
Assu Sutta: Tears of suffering in Samsara greater than the “ocean of the four great oceans.” Buddha Sutra
Sutras & Sutta, Theravada
In the Assa Sutta — apparently one of the saddest of the teachings — Buddha teaches us to drive our mission to escape Samsara by remembering our endless tears through our countless lives. (Full Sutta below in English.) ...