In this episode I am once again joined by Leigh Brasington, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of “Right Concentration, A Practical Guide to the Jhanas”.

This episode begins with a brief comment from Leigh about his appearance in “Ep329: Enlightened Politics” in which he explored the relationship between Buddhism and political ideology.

After that we discuss Leigh’s new book “On the Way to the Far Shore”, his commentary on the Pārāyanavagga, chapter five of Suttanipāta, one of the earliest sutta collections in the Pali canon. The text takes the form of a question and answer session with the Buddha himself and evidences nascent forms of the doctrines of the four noble truths and the path of gradual training.

Leigh considers the pros and cons of formal study of the Pali language, explains the ways in which English translations can be misleading, and muses on why so few Buddhist converts read their own scriptures.

Leigh also reveals how his Dzogchen practice helped him understand early Buddhist doctrine, gives advice about how to internalise intellectual ideas through meditation practice, and shares how a profound experience of the nature of mind changed his life forever.

…

Video version: www.guruviking.com

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro

01:17 - Can there be an enlightened tyrant?

02:49 - Anyone can perform enlightened activity

04:20 - Why Leigh wrote On the Way to the Far Shore

08:13 - Wrestling with the Pali sutta

09:07 - Leigh’s training the the Pali language

11:18 - Struggles to learn foreign languages

12:37 - Is training as a scholar worth it?

14:36 - 4 categories of Pali suttas

17:05 - Why Leigh won’t pursue a PhD

19:17 - Why don’t Buddhists read the Pali canon?

23:14 - Diving into the the Pārāyanavagga, book five of the Suttanipāta

27:50 - Vedanā and āsava - don’t believe the English translations

29:44 - Literal vs meaning translations + implications of grammar

33:40 - Q&A with the Buddha

36:20 - Questions the Buddha refuses to answer

37:46 - Experiencing the world raw

42:27 - The most important insight

44:22 - How to really gain insight

45:24 - Leigh’s Dzogchen practice

46:14 - Leigh’s mind blowing experience of the nature of mind

51:28 - After effects of Leigh’s epiphany

53:56 - Integrating vs losing an insight

55:04 - How to keep an insight fresh

56:31 - How to regard the world so you are not seen by the King of Death

59:17 - How to become “ever mindful”

01:01:30 - This is a different kind of book

01:02:41 - The roots of the Four Noble Truths and the gradual training

01:05:13 - Will Leigh start a Pali sutta discussion group?

01:07:14 - Man in the Light of History of Religion

01:10:02 - Scripture as literature or an instruction manual?

01:12:32 - Leigh’s advice for approaching difficult books

01:13:46 - What do the suttas say about the brahmavihārās?

…

Previous episodes with Leigh Brasington:

- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=brasington

To find our more about Leigh Brasington visit:

- http://www.leighb.com/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- https://www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James