Tag: sutta

  • Four Kinds of Persons Adorn the Saṅgha

    Here is a discourse from the Anguttara Nikaya (translated by Bhante Bhikkhu Bodhi) that explains how the word “Saṅgha” refers to more than just the community of monks.AN 4.7 They Adorn “Bhikkhus, these four kinds of persons who are competent, disciplined, self-confident, learned, experts on the Dhamma, practicing  in accordance with the Dhamma, adorn the…

  • Bojjha’nga – Seven Factors of Awakening

    This is one of my favourite themes in the suttas. The Bojjha’nga show a progression of dependence in various wholesome states arising from attending to bhikkhus who are accomplished in virtue, concentration, wisdom, liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation.  I believe it is also possible to do this in our imaginations in a virtual way.…

  • Gain, Honour and Praise

    S17.5 Laabhasakkaarasa.myutta, Connected discourses on Gains and Honour translated by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi At Saavatthii. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise, bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Suppose there was a beetle, a dung-eater, stuffed with dung, full of dung, and in front of her was a large dunghill. Because…

  • Striving for the Breakthrough

    S13.1 Abhisamayasa.mutta, Connected Discourses on the Breakthrough, translated by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi(ATI translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) Thus I have heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Saavatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anaathapi.n.dika’s Park. Then the Blessed One took up a little bit of soil in his fingernail and addressed the bhikkhus thus:  “Bhikkhus, what…

  • Lower Fetter – Adherence to Rules and Observances (Sa.myojana Siilabattapaaramaasa)

    There are ten sa.myojana – fetters binding beings to sa.msaara – the round of rebirths. The first stage of bodhi-enlightenment is sotapanna-stream entry. This stage is marked by the elimination of the first three fetters with one of these being siilabattapaaramaasa – the fetter of clinging to rules and observances. The other two lower fetters…

  • Six principles of cordiality and a seven-point test for stream-entry

    Majjhima Nikaya M48 Kosambiya Sutta [โกสัมพิยสูตร] [translation by Sister Upalavanna] I paraphrased this sutta using Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and Ven. Nanamoli’s English translation. Six principles of cordiality that create love and respect and conduce to cohesion, to non-dispute, to concord, and to unity. 1.  Maintain bodily acts of loving-kindness both in public and private towards…

  • Advantages of hearing the Dharma or thinking on the Dharma even when suffering great pain

    A6.56 Phagguna Sutta [Piya Tan’s translation as a PDF] paraphrased by MK from The Book of the Gradual Sayings (Anguttara Nikaaya) vol. 4, translated by F.L. Woodward [translation by Sister Upalavanna] [ผัคคุณสูตร] Ven. Phagguna is very sick and is visited by the Blessed One and Ven. Aananda. The sutta says that Ven. Phagguna was already…

  • Listening to the Dhamma can suppress the hindrances

    Sa.myuttanikaaya S46.38 Without Hindrances (อาวรณานีวรณสูตร นิวรณ์ ๕ เป็นอุปกิเลสของจิต) When bhikkhus, a noble disciple listens to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, directing the whole mind to it, on that occasion the five hindrances are not present in him; on that occasion the seven factors of enlightenment go…

  • Benefits from regular observance of eight precepts

    A10.47 Sakya Sutta (The Sakyans and the Eight Precepts) paraphrased from The Book of the Gradual Sayings (Anguttara Nikaaya) vol. 2, translated by F.L. Woodward by MK.   [Thanissaro Bhikkhu‘s translation] [Sister Upalavanna’s translation] [สักกสูตร] The Blessed One asks some Sakyans at Kapilavatthu whether they practice the eight precepts every Uposatha Day. [The Sakyans are a…

  • If you pentetratively study the Dharma but die confused….

    [Sotaanugata sutta paraphrased from The from The Book of the Gradual Sayings (Anguttara Nikaaya) vol. 2 (Anguttara Nikaaya) vol. 2, translated by F.L. Woodward.  This is an old translation. I am looking forward to the forthcoming new translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi of the entire Anguttara Nikaaya. So many good suttas in the Anguttara Nikaaya!  The…