Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

This is one of the most famous discourses of the Buddha, his very first formal teaching, which is recited frequently for it's profound power and deep wisdom teachings.

The Buddha taught the 'Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta' ('Setting in Motion the Unsurpassable Wheel of Dhamma') on the full moon of Āsāḷhā (July) to his first five disciples, known as the 'Pañca-vaggiya' ('Group of Five').

He expounds the Middle Way ('Majjhima Paṭipadā') and the Four Noble Truths. While the discourse is being spoken, the most senior of the Group of Five, Ven Aññākondañño, realizes Stream Entry ('Sotāpatti'), the first stage of enlightenment. The devas utter an exclamation of joy that reverberates throughout the universe, up to the highest heavens.

During our Āsāḷhā Full Moon program at Dhammagiri, we recited the sutta in the original ancient Pali language, the language spoken by the Buddha himself. Ven Niddaro is leading the chanting, with a large group of laity joining in. Additionally, we play the Amaravati version in the background via loudspeaker, to achieve a particular voluminous, rich and smooth sound.

The text of the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta can be found on page 2 ff in the Amaravati Chanting Book, both in Pali and in English translation, here:

https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/30/Chanting-Book-Vol-2-Web.pdf

Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on the deep meaning of this discourse in a live podcast here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1pkA2OCADRFcYfHH3OMoMe

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Āsāḷhā Pūja, also known as Dhamma Day, is one of Buddhism's most important festivals, celebrating the Buddha's first formal teaching, the "Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta" in the Deer Park ('Migadāya') at Sarnath near Vārāṇasī.  

This Sutta on “Setting into Motion the Supreme Wheel of Dhamma”is rightly one of the most famous in the whole Pali Canon. The Buddha opens by expounding the Middle Way  ('Majjhimā Paṭipadā') of avoiding the extremes of sensual indulgence and  self-mortification. He then proceeds to explain the Four Noble Truths:

Next, the Buddha elucidates three aspects of each  Noble Truth. Only after his knowledge and vision of things as they truly  are was completely purified in respect of the Four Noble Truths in  their three aspects, did he proclaim supreme awakening.

In his reflections, Ajahn Dhammasiha places particular emphasis on the duty connected with each of the Noble Truths. The Dhamma is not just an idea, or some idealistic thought system of philosophie. It is and eminently practical, pragmatic, teaching. It is 'opanāyiko', applicable to our life, to be implemented in all our thoughts and actions throughout every day of our life.

https://www.dhammagiri.net

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When we sit down to meditate, we often start with an attitude of trying to get something. To attain Samādhi. To get enlightened. Not surprising that we often run into trouble and difficulties in our efforts!

Instead, we better direct our mind to simply try to see what's really going on, to watch, to observe mindfully, to understand wisely. In particular, we notice various forms of clinging and grasping manifesting. We mindfully recognize how the grasping and attachment inevitably results in some form of disappointment, 'dukkha', suffering.

Once we clearly understand that the clinging and attachment results in pain and suffering, our mind quite naturally lets go. And again, we mindfully observe how the letting go leads to the abandonment, or at least the weakening, of pain and suffering.

This process we repeat again and again in our meditation, until it becomes ever clearer to our mind. Understanding that letting go gets us out of suffering, we naturally incline more and more to letting go, until one day the heart can let go comletely of everything.

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The Buddha taught that kindness and geneorsity will bring joy and happiness. However, we do not have to simply believe that out of faith. The Buddha encouraged us to always investigate and find out for ourselves.  

Feed some carrots to the horses - how does it make you feel?  

With mindfulness, we can notice how the simple act of giving some food to an animal is already enough to bring some joy to our heart.  

How much more joy to feed a human being?  

How much more joy to feed the Sangha and support them in their spiritual practice?  

Once we know in our own experience: "Yes, the Buddha is actually right, generosity really makes me feel happy!", then we gain faith that other teachings of the Buddha will be correct just as well.  

How much happiness will I experience from keeping precept, practising virtue?  

How much happiness will meditation, bhāvanā, bring to our heart?  

Let's just try it out!

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Metta, Loving Kindness, is also known as 'Appamañña-Vihāra', a limitless abode, an unrestricted, unlimited dwelling place for our mind. We develop it to all beings throughout the universe without any distinction, discrimination, conditions or expectations of getting anything  in return.

However, we ourselves are also living beings, and to make our practice of metta complete and successful, we have to include ourselves in our unconditional good will. Although we ourselves are only one of trillions of beings throughout the universe, that doesn't mean that we give only one trillionth of our Mettā-Energy to ourselves. Instead, it may be helpful to start by spreading Mettā equally between ourselves and others, with a ratio of 50/50.

Later, we can vary the proprtions as required, until we're finally don't even distinguish anymore between 'me' and 'others', and just radiate mettā universally.

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In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to cultivate Loving Kindness (Mettā) to both ourselves and others in a balanced way. 

Curiously, we often neglect to radiate Loving Kindness (Mettā) to ourselves. We are all living beings and just on that account we qualify for full and unconditional Mettā, whatever shortcomings we may have.

There are trillions of living beings in the universe, and thus we sometimes may feel that only a tiny proportion of our Loving Kindness should go to ourselves, and the vast majority to those countless other beings. However, Mettā meditation is not quite so mathmatical. For starters, it may be a good idea to rather deivide it 50/50: 

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With so much negative news about wars and crises reching us all the time, it is easy for our mind to become dejected. But a dejected mind is an obstruction to ourselves, and of no benefit to anyone. Ajahn Dhammasiha recommends to develop 'Muditā' (Sympathic Joy - Rejoicing in other's good actions) and 'Mettā' (unconditional loving kindness to all beings) to raise our mind our of dejection and negativity.  

Even with all the bad things happening, there are still countless examples of good, beautiful and admirable persons and actions. 

We have a choice what we pay attention to ('manasikāra'): We can focus on wars and frustating events, or we can focus on the Noble qualities of the Buddha. Either is possible to do, but the second will result in a much brighter and happier mind.  

Ajahn also points out the importance to include ourselves in our loving kindness.  

There are so many beings in the universe, that we may feel like only a tiny proportion of our loving kindness should go to ourselves - after all, we're only one of countless beings. But that's not how it works. In practical terms, it can be helpful to devote full 50% of our effort and energy in mettā meditation to ourselves, and the other 50% to all other beings!  

Once we can feel, really experience, loving kindness to ourselves, then we can increase the proportion devoted to others. But as long as we can't really feel Mettā to ourselves, we unlikely to succeed in sending mettā to everyone. Our own welfare is the very foundation of any service or help we can do to others.  

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In the material world, if we want anything, it usually takes two things:  

If we really want some material object, but we have no money at all, we're unlikely to get it. But even if we have plenty of money, we would still not acquire it, if we prefer to spend our available  money on something else instead.  

Karma is similar.

Our future is determined by two things:

If we want to be attractive, rich, successful, healthy and long lived, we're not going to get that if we're lacking good karma, however much we desire it. But even if we have plenty of good karma, we should be careful how we "spend" it:  

Is being rich, good looking, famous and so on really the most beneficial way of "spending" one's good karma?  

Is it not much more important to rather be virtuous, calm, generous, compassionate and wise?  

Therefore, whenever we make good karma, we should accompany it with a resolution: "May this good karma support my development of virtue, samādhi and wisdom; may it be a cause for my attainment of Nibbāna!"  

Otherwise, whatever good karma we have may get wasted on natural, subconcious desires for excessive beauty, wealth and fame, which are spiritually unimportant or even obstructive. Much better to channel our good karma towards wholesome qualities in our mind, that support our practice of the Noble Eightfold Path and help us to attain release.

https://www.dhammagiri.net

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Ajahn Dhammasiha explains that we need to build up an emotional response to our meditation object.

For example, if we practise Buddhānussati (Recollection of the Buddha), by repeating the Mantra "Bhagavā Arahaṃ Buddho", our meditation will progress more smoothly if we have a feeling-response each time we repeat the Matnra.

Ajahn gives the simile of a huge, heavy bell: If the bell is massive, it will sound very loud and for a long time with each single stroke. On the other hand, a tiny, tinny bell will produce only a weak sound, that fades away fast.

Similarly, if we have built up strong faith and devotion to the Buddha, and know a lot about his qualities, each time we repeat the Mantra "Bhagavā Arahaṃ Buddho" we will have a strong and long lasting emotional resonance in our mind.

https://www.dhammagiri.net

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJw

https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

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Ajahn Dhammasiha discusses a text from Saṃyutta Nikāya / Connected Discourses, 35 Saḷāyatanasaṃyutta, Sutta #95 "Mālunkyaputta".

An elderly monk asks the Buddha for personal meditation instruction. He receives the same advice like in the famous 'Instructions to Bāhiya'. He composes some spontaneous poetry, expressing his deep understanding of the very condensed and cryptic teaching of the Buddha.

The Buddha fully agrees with his interpretation, even repeating it literally himself, and thus turning it into 'Buddhavacana' = Word of the Buddha:

Unmindfully he sees a form

that he regards as beautiful.

And with infatuated mind

he relishes the feeling which

he gets from that beloved form.

He latches onto it so strong

that his poor heart is overwhelmed

by lust and loathing before long.

Therefore he builds up suffering -

Nibbāna remains far from him.

He doesn't get obsessed with forms

as he maintains firm mindfulness.

The feeling can't exite his heart

as he's not holding on to it.

When seeing fair and ugly forms,

when he is feeling joy and pain,

Right then his mindfulness kicks in

and he lets go and doesn't cling.

Thus he dismantles suffering -

Nibbāna is right next to him.

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