Sutta Meditation Series

By Sutta Meditation SeriesReligion & Spirituality Buddhism

Sutta Meditation Series episodes

September 12, 2021PORN, SEX ADDICTION AND THE GREED PATH - Dhamma Q&A
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
A question received in relation to our examination of the Four Nutriments and Going the Four Wrong Ways:
“My son is addicted to sex and regularly watches porn. What is the Buddha’s advice for lay people when it comes to porn and sex? Monks and nuns are celibate as they have the Vinaya rules, but for lay people it’s clearly different as we have relationships and families. The precept we take is to refrain from sexual misconduct. Does the Buddha discourage lay people from indulging in porn and sex, and if so why?”
The key to answering this question is about CORRECTING OUR MISAPPREHENSION OF THE BODY (Physical Nutriment) - at the view level, thoughts and perceptions.
To answer the question we :
— examine the importance of seeing the body (physical nutriment) correctly through correcting the perversion or corruption in the mind of attractive in the unattractive
— examine the Greed Path insight pathway that takes an agreeable object and results in painfulness in change (a copy of this is published and pinned to the Sutta Meditation Series Telegram channel)
— look at what happens when we become addicted to porn, sex and anything sex-related
— highlight the importance of moral shame and sense restraint
— link to the insight path in the Karaniyametta Sutta
— take a look at celibacy vs non-celibacy and the Buddha's words
— confirm our understanding of sexual misconduct as a precept
— look at the benefits of when we have right view and virtue.
Some of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to:
— Āhāra Sutta (SN 12.11)
— Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33)
— Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9)
— Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10)
— Gaṇḍasutta (AN 9.15)
— Vijaya Sutta (Snp 1.11)
— Vipallāsa Sutta (AN 4.49)
— Suttatthasamuccayabhūmi (Pe 6)
— Ādittapariyāya Sutta (SN 35.28)
— Māgaṇḍiya Sutta (Snp 4.9)
— Tayodhamma Sutta (AN 10.76)
— Saṁvara Sutta (SN 35.98)
— Janapadakalyāṇī Sutta (SN 47.20)
— Iṭṭhadhamma Sutta (AN 10.73)
— Channa Sutta (AN 3.71)
— Karaṇīyametta Sutta (SN 35.28)
— Saṁkhittūposatha Sutta (AN 8.41)
— Tissametteyya Sutta (Snp 4.7)
— Nakulapitu Sutta (AN 6.16)
— Paṭhamasañcetanika Sutta (AN 10.217)
— Kāmesumicchācāra Sutta (SN 56.73)
— Duccaritavipāka Sutta (AN 8.40)
— Kimatthiya Sutta (AN 11.1)
Bohoma pin to the person that asked this question.
A VIDEO of this DHAMMA Q&A with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwiqMMBO9W8 AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai.
59 min
September 12, 2021MENTAL VOLITION AS NUTRIMENT & GOING THE WRONG WAY DUE TO FEAR - Part 4 - The Third Unprofitable Direction
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
We continue with our examination of "all sentient beings are sustained by nutriment" (sabbe sattā āhāraṭṭhitikā) in the Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33) In this session (PART 4), we will examine the Third Unprofitable Direction how we go the Wrong Way due to Fear (bhaya agatigamanaṃ) when we crave Mental Volition as Nutriment (manosañcetanāhāro).
All the nutriments are linked, so we build on what we covered in the session on the Physical Nutriment and Going the Wrong Way due to Desire & Contact as Nutriment and Going the Wrong Way due to Hate.
What we cover in this session:
— look at how craving for Mental Volition as Nutriment activates dependent origination
— highlight the importance of understanding and abandoning the 3 kinds of craving and the link to the arising and passing away of the 5 aggregates
— apply the "swinging monkey analogy"
— go line by line to understand the process of how we go the wrong way due to fear driven by the perception of me-and-mine and wrong view(s)
— examine how our perceptions get sick and deceive us, so we keep hold of wrong view(s)
— revisit the Buddha's simile of the man being dragged to a charcoal pit
— go through some examples of this process
— examine the Story of a Brahmin to understand the link between craving, sorrow and fear — tips for learning and developing this meditation
Most of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to in this session:
— Āhāra Sutta (SN 12.11)
— Paṭiccasamuppāda Sutta (SN 12.1)
— Puttamaṁsa Sutta (SN 12.63)
— Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33)
— Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9)
— Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141)
— Samādhi-bhāvanā Sutta (SN 22.5)
— Aññatarabrāhmaṇa Vatthu (Dhp 216)
— Vipallāsa Sutta (AN 4.49)
— Upādāna Sutta (SN 45.173)
— Yoga Sutta (SN 45.172)
— Gantha Sutta (SN 45.174)
— Ānantarikasamādhiñāṇaniddesa (Ps 1.1.32)
— Ogha Sutta (SN 45.171)
— Paṭhamaagati Sutta (AN 4.17)
Bohoma pin to the person that requested this talk.
A VIDEO of this segment has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y1nviizNN8 AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai
56 min
September 11, 2021HOW DO WE RUIN OR OBSTRUCT WEALTH?
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
This Dhamma talk is linked to the earlier talk on "What is a person's best wealth?" - (https://bit.ly/2Yx3C4A).
In this session we examine what ruins or obstructs wealth. For some, the teachings the Buddha offers on this topic may be surprising. But as always, it is on the wholesome or skilful side that one doesn't lose wealth, but rather gains and retains wealth.
We look at some suttas that highlight the holes where wealth leaks out, the qualities that enable wealth to be squandered, the value of virtue and wholesome conduct and the link back to conviction in the Buddha and his teachings. Both mundane and supramundane paths are examined.
Some of the suttas covered directly or indirectly in this session:
— Tayodhamma Sutta (AN 10.76)

— Hirīottappa Sutta (AN 7.65)

— Najīrati Sutta (SN 1.76)

— Iṭṭhadhamma Sutta (AN 10.73)

— Sigālovāda Sutta (DN 31)

— Parābhavasutta (Snp 1.6)

— Sappurisadāna Sutta (AN 5.148)

— Kula Sutta (AN 4.258)

— Kāmabhogī Sutta (AN 10.91)

— Macchari Sutta (SN 1.49)

— Pañcamacchariya Sutta (AN 5.254)

– Vatthūpama Sutta (MN 7)

— Gaṇṭhibhedakacora Vatthu (Dhp 63)

— Pañcaverabhaya Sutta (SN 12.41)

— Kammanidāna Sutta (AN 10.174)

— Duccaritavipāka Sutta (AN 8.40)

— Vitta Sutta (SN 1.73)
Bohoma pin to the person who requested this talk.
A VIDEO of this DHAMMA Q&A with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLJ236sQ2RQ AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai
44 min
September 11, 2021THE STORY OF THE TWO PICK-POCKETS - Dhammapada Verse 63
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
In today's session, we look at Dhammapada Verse 63 - THE STORY OF TWO PICK-POCKETS and how one was able to enter the stream while the other continued to steal (even at the monastery where the Buddha was giving a teaching).
This story and saying of the Buddha links back to our examination of wealth. Important to recognise that the fruit or result of taking what is not given or stealing is loss of wealth (both in the mundane and supramundane sense) or a bad destination. We also touch on right livelihood (mundane and supramundane path)
The Buddha's words:
Yo bālo maññati bālyaṁ,
paṇḍito vāpi tena so;
Bālo ca paṇḍitamānī,
sa ve “bālo”ti vuccati.”
“A fool who considers himself foolish is,
in this, like a sage;
But a fool who is proud of his cleverness
is truly called fool.”
Other suttas that are mentioned directly or indirectly in this talk:
– Kammanidāna Sutta (AN 10.174)

– Adinnādāna Sutta (SN 56.72)

– Pañcaverabhaya Sutta (SN 12.41)

– Parikkamana Sutta (AN 10.175)

– Kammapathapeyyāla (AN 3.163–182)

– Sallekha Sutta (MN 8)

– Anumāna Sutta (MN 15)

– Vatthūpama Sutta (MN 7)

– Duccaritavipāka Sutta (AN 8.40)

– Rukkha Sutta (SN 45.152)
To read the full chapter Bāla Vagga (Dhp 60–75) of the Dhammapada - https://suttacentral.net/dhp60-75/en/feldmeier
The video of this talk has been published to the Sutta Meditation YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8dufBd7LDM AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai
23 min
September 06, 2021WHAT IS A PERSON'S BEST WEALTH?
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
In today's session we examine WEALTH - what we consider as wealth and how we gather, store, try to increase and protect our wealth vs what the Buddha considers as wealth and what is the best kind of wealth.
Very timely for all the changes, challenges and fears we have regarding our skills, assets and wealth.
We go through some of the stories from the time of the Buddha, particularly some wealthy or rich people, and the wise counsel and teachings of the Buddha helping us to discern what is true wealth. How is it possible to convert our wealth into something wholesome and meritorious? And what is the wealth we can never lose to natural disasters, theft, trickery or corruption?
Some of the suttas covered directly or indirectly in this session:
— Mahaddhana Sutta (SN 1.28)

— Ānandaseṭṭhi Vatthu (Dhp 62)

— Byasana Sutta (AN 5.130)

— Aputtakaseṭṭhi Vatthu (Dhp 355)

— Metta Sutta (AN 7.62)

— Velāma Sutta (AN 9.20)

— Vitthatadhana Sutta (AN 7.6)

— Samādhi-bhāvanā Sutta (SN 22.5)

— Sekha-pāṭipada Sutta (MN53)

— Vitta Sutta (SN 1.73)

— Sādhu Sutta (SN 1.33)

— Mahadhanasetthiputta Vatthu (Dhp 155-156)

— Cūḷakammavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 135)

— Duccaritavipāka Sutta (AN 8.40)

— Tayodhamma Sutta (AN 10.76)

— Hirīottappa Sutta (AN 7.65)
Bohoma pin to the person who requested this talk.
A VIDEO of this DHAMMA Q&A with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvtwENwUhCk AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai
1 hr 4 min
September 03, 2021HOW DOES SADNESS ARISE FROM SENSUAL PLEASURES? - Dhamma Q&A
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
A question received in relation to our examination of the Four Nutriments and Going the Four Wrong Ways:
“From the recent video on sadness, I can recognize sadness associated with having been born and subject to old age, sickness and death. What I want to understand more is the process that happens to create more sadness through turning to sensual pleasures. Is it possible to explain this process in more detail? Is there a meditation for this?”
To answer the question we :
— go into a helicopter view of greed, hatred and delusion to understand the process results in sadness arising

— take a deeper dive using more of the Four Nutriments, hindrances to understand this process better
Some of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to:
— Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9)

— Āhāra Sutta (SN 12.11)

— Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2)

— Vipallāsa Sutta (AN 4.49)

— Nibbuta Sutta (AN 3.55)
Bohoma pin to the person that asked this question.
A VIDEO of this DHAMMA Q&A with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6QHUm3qe7I AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai.
34 min
September 03, 2021 Do I really understand anicca (impermanence)?
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
Examining whether we really understand Buddha's teaching on anicca by posing a question to challenge ourselves.
Anicca meaning unlasting, impermanent, ephemeral. Nicca meaning lasting, constant, permanent.
By doing so, this enables us to see how the Noble Eightfold Path can really develop when we have right view that can be triggered by our correct understanding of anicca.
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai
23 min
September 02, 2021HOW CAN WE OVERCOME SADNESS & LONELINESS? - Dhamma Q&A
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
A question received in relation to our examination of the Four Nutriments and Going the Four Wrong Ways:
“I am troubled a great deal by what I consider mental heaviness or pain. It was there before the pandemic – a general sense of melancholy and sadness – it’s present even when I’m busy, when things seem to be going ok, or not okay, and in the spaces in between. With the pandemic it feels like this mental heaviness is getting heavier. Part of it could be also loneliness despite living with people. Either way, no matter what I do to try to overcome it, I can’t seem to lift this feeling. What would the Buddha advise?”
To answer the question we examine:
— Recognising the fruit of our actions (vipaka-kamma) is to experience sadness

— Understanding why sadness and loneliness arises (samudaya), and how it passes away (atthangama)

— Importance of not creating more sadness through trying to fix this dukkha

— Reminder that all feelings result in dukkha and the meditation that helps to see that

— Value of training ourselves to bear with conditions and the resultant feelings

— Going over the link between the physical nutriment and contact as nutriment to try to fix dukkha and sadness

— Highlighting and explaining different tools from our meditation toolkit to reduce sadness and not create more sadness (e.g. generosity, sense restraint, gratitude and more)

— Gentle reminders to lift the mind, brighten it with the wholesome - to withstand difficulty and help others as well
Some of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to:
— Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta (SN 56.11)

— Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (DN 22)

— Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141)

— Suttatthasamuccayabhūmi (Pe 6)

— Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9)

— Ādittapariyāya Sutta (SN 35.28)

— Āhāra Sutta (SN 12.11)

— Samādhi-bhāvanā Sutta (SN 22.5)

— Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhāna Sutta (AN 5.57)

— Nibbuta Sutta (AN 3.55)

— Sekha-pāṭipada Sutta (MN53)

— Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33)

— Karaṇīyametta Sutta (Snp 1.8)

— Pamādavihārī Sutta (SN 35.97)

— Saṁvara Sutta (SN 35.98)

— Kummopama Sutta (SN 35.240)

— Vipallāsa Sutta (AN 4.49)

— Akusalarāsi Sutta (AN 5.52)

— Puttamaṁsa Sutta (SN 12.63)

— Cunda Sutta (Ud 8.5)

— Dutiyasamugghātasappāya Sutta (SN 35.32)

— Sīlavanta Sutta (SN 22.122)
Bohoma pin to the person that asked this question.
A VIDEO of this DHAMMA Q&A with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpA3TNhzy_w AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai.
1 hr 7 min
August 30, 2021HOW DO YOU APPLY THE BUDDHA’S TEACHING TO FOOD OBSESSIONS & EATING DISORDERS? - Dhamma Q&A
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
A question received in relation to our examination of the Four Nutriments and Going the Four Wrong Ways:
“I’m a bit of a foodie and I was wondering how big of a problem this can be when it comes to the Physical Nutriment. When we went through the Buddha’s teaching on how we should view food in the Son’s Flesh Sutta and then more recently the process of craving, it really made me look at my relationship with food. Do you have any advice on applying the Buddha’s teachings to food obsessions and even eating disorders?”
The key to answering this question is about CORRECTING OUR MISAPPREHENSION OF FOOD (Physical Nutriment) - at the view level, thoughts and perceptions.
To answer the question we examine:
— and revisit the process of craving food

— the process of going down the first unprofitable direction and the "bigger picture" of our predicament, not seeing the decay, and the danger of misapprehending food and creating habits and tendencies with the wrong view

— the Buddha's four key terms of how we should consider food in the Puttamaṁsa Sutta

— highlight the importance of the perception of the repulsiveness of food (ahārepaṭikūla)

— run through a key meditation to help penetrate this Dhamma
Some of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to:
— Āhāra Sutta (SN 12.11)

— Paṭiccasamuppāda Sutta (SN 12.1)

— Samādhi-bhāvanā Sutta (SN 22.5)

— Sekha-pāṭipada Sutta (MN53)

— Vipallāsa Sutta (AN 4.49)

— Puttamaṁsa Sutta (SN 12.63)

— Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9)

— Atthirāga Sutta (SN 12.64)

— Saṁvara Sutta (SN 35.98)

— Kummopama Sutta (SN 35.240)

— Asubha Sutta (AN 4.163)

— Stories of Hungry Ghosts (Petavatthu)
To listen to the talk on Moderation in Eating (episode 26) as something to be developed in the Sekha-pāṭipada Sutta - https://bit.ly/3sVhJfb
Bohoma pin to the person that asked this question.
A VIDEO of this DHAMMA Q&A with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSmL4boZsfg AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai.
51 min
August 28, 2021CONTACT AS NUTRIMENT & GOING THE WRONG WAY DUE TO HATE - Part 3 - The Second Unprofitable Direction
Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.
We continue with our examination of "all sentient beings are sustained by nutriment" (sabbe sattā āhāraṭṭhitikā) in the Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33)
In this session (PART 3), we will examine the Second Unprofitable Direction how we go the Wrong Way due to Hate (dosa agatigamanaṃ) when we crave Contact as Nutriment (phassa āhāro).
All the nutriments are linked, so build on what we covered in the session on the Physical Nutriment and Going the Wrong Way due to Desire.
What we cover in this session:
— look at how craving for Contact as Nutriment activates dependent origination
— revisit the Buddha's simile of the flayed (or skinned) cow
— highlight the importance of the greed, hatred and delusion meditation that confirms all feeling leads to dukkha (need to understand this to overcome craving for Contact as Nutriment)
— go line by line to understand the process of how we go the wrong way due to hate
— go through an example of this process and apply other suttas to further explain
— discuss how much we much depend on feeling to fix things, then personalise it - taking it as me-and-mine, and how we don't understand the poison wedged in our mind that it's not sukha, but dukkha
— tips for learning and developing this meditation
Most of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to in this session:
— Āhāra Sutta (SN 12.11)
— Paṭiccasamuppāda Sutta (SN 12.1)
— Atthirāga Sutta (SN 12.64)
— Puttamaṁsa Sutta (SN 12.63)
— Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9)
— Pālileyya Sutta (SN 22.81)
— Ādittapariyāya Sutta (SN 35.28)
— Hāliddikāni Sutta (SN 22.3)
— Vipallāsa Sutta (AN 4.49)
— Upādāna Sutta (SN 45.173)
— Yoga Sutta (SN 45.172)
— Gantha Sutta (SN 45.174)
— Ānantarikasamādhiñāṇaniddesa (Ps 1.1.32)
— Ogha Sutta (SN 45.171)
— Paṭhamaagati Sutta (AN 4.17)
— Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33)
Bohoma pin to the person that requested this talk.
A VIDEO of this segment has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y1nviizNN8 AND on Spotify as a video podcast
Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai
56 min

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How to study the Buddha's Teachings and meditate on the insight pathways from the Theravada suttas.

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