Sutta Meditation Series

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

A question received following the Esala Poya Dhamma Session on the Four Noble Truths:  

“From the Stream Entry talk and subsequent Q&A, I think I understand what is meant around “not clinging to virtue and observances” – that virtue does not definitively lead to ultimate liberation, the Noble Eightfold Path does. My question is to do with the four developments and the Noble Eightfold Path, that you outlined in the Four Noble Truths talk. It seems that the virtue we are encouraged to cultivate on this Path has something to do with this. Can you please go over this again?”

Most of us in Dhamma understand the overall framework and component parts of the Noble Eightfold Path, however, not many are able to explain what the Buddha means by fully developing the Noble Eightfold Path (through development of body, virtue, mind and wisdom) and how it all comes together as the Path to Liberation, which is, the way leading to the end of the whole mass of suffering. If you understand this, then you begin to understand what is bhāvanā (what we call "meditation") that is taught by the Buddha.

To listen to the ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION - https://tinyurl.com/24yd5drz

**This session is for anyone who sincerely wants to follow Gautama Buddha's original  teaching of the Four Noble Truths**

Some of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to: 

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=38h-jnFp19Y

A VIDEO of this ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riuNy43Ke2g AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

Role models play an important part in all of our lives, whether we seek them out or not. And whether we walk the Buddhist Path or not, they can have the power to shape the direction we take and the ability to influence the decisions that follow on from there.   For Buddhist practitioners,  the Buddha is our most eminent role model, teacher and the Perfectly Enlightened One. And there are also many noble and great disciples of the Buddha.  

Today we will focus on lay disciples of the Buddha, and two in particular, Nakula's Father and Mother, who were declared foremost among those of the Buddha's lay disciples who are trustworthy (vissāsikānaṃ) - Sattama Vagga (AN 1.257), (AN 1.266). After receiving a teaching from the Buddha, they both realised stream entry.  

The story of Nakula's parents is very inspirational for their upright qualities, their good example shows us how to develop more ease around our relationships with our partners (and this can be extended to our other relationships), and understanding the support for developing Path and Practice together.  

Some of the suttas mentioned in this talk include: 

In learning about such noble beings, we can delight in their lives and accomplishments;  recognise the importance of seeing them as worthy role models; and use it as inspiration towards progress on the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path.  

Bohoma pin to the person who requested this talk.  

The VIDEO with slides has been uploaded to the Sutta Meditation Series podcast channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WOgI1rBj1E AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

A question received following the Esala Poya Dhamma Session on the Four Noble Truths:  

“Meditating on old age, sickness and death doesn’t seem like an uplifting meditation. Is there any upside to the meditation, other than the obvious of penetrating truth? I feel that once you see the truth, you don’t need to do this particular meditation any more. There are other meditations to focus on that will really lift the mind and make it happy. Am I missing something?”  

The Buddha's words remind us the five frequent recollections “should often be contemplated upon by woman or a man, by a householder or one gone forth”. Aging, sickness and death are part of those five. And there's good reasons for it, which will be expanded on when we look to answer the question.

To listen to the ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION - https://tinyurl.com/24yd5drz

**This session is for anyone who sincerely wants to follow Gautama Buddha's original  teaching of the Four Noble Truths**  

Some of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to: 

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=UgFdBvvBDYU

A VIDEO of this ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riuNy43Ke2g AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

A question received following the Esala Poya Dhamma Session on the Four Noble Truths:  

“When we contemplate birth and then aging, you mentioned that the link between the two is important and meditating on this is like a test. Please can you explain this further?”  

In answering this question we examine the birth to aging link, dependent origination, the tests we face in our meditation, intoxication with youth, conventional challenges and conditioning, how we have the wrong view about what is lasting or permanent (nicca), the link between "me and mine" and permanency (atta-nicca), and misapprehending the physical nutriment. In a nutshell, we have the wrong view that we carry from birth to birth that "we can fix this" whenever we experience sadness (domanassa) and suffering (dukkha).  

To listen to the ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION - https://tinyurl.com/24yd5drz 

**This session is for anyone who sincerely wants to follow Gautama Buddha's original  teaching of the Four Noble Truths**  

Some of the suttas that are directly or indirectly referred to: 

Bohoma pin to the person that has 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=GF76pR5nW9c

A VIDEO of this ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riuNy43Ke2g AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

A question received following the Esala Poya Dhamma Session on the Four Noble Truths:  

“I need help with the contemplation of death meditation. As you said in the talk it’s difficult to even come to try to do this meditation. I find myself becoming physically sick when I start to do the steps, and most times I get as far as picturing a dead body and then I can’t seem to go on. Do you have any advice on how to overcome this? How have other meditators who have been successful overcome fears or blocks? Most grateful for any help.”  

To listen to the ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION - https://tinyurl.com/24yd5drz

**This session is for anyone who sincerely wants to follow Gautama Buddha's original  teaching of the Four Noble Truths**  

When you make effort towards this meditation, remember that the Buddha said this: “Mendicants, when mindfulness of death is developed and cultivated it’s very fruitful and beneficial. It culminates in the deathless and ends with the deathless.” - Paṭhamamaraṇassati Sutta (AN 6.20)  

If you get this meditation right, you will enter the mental absorptions - the mind experiences joy and happiness after the bodily and verbal formations cease, the body really begins to settle and go tranquil and the mind then gets very concentrated and unified.  

Some of the suttas that are referred to: 

Bohoma pin to the person that has 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=RVywqneHZ8I

A VIDEO of this ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riuNy43Ke2g AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

A question received following the Esala Poya Dhamma Session on the Four Noble Truths:  

“I’ve been through the Dhamma session on the Noble Truth of Suffering. My question is what’s the best way to approach meditating on this first noble truth? Are there different meditations that should be done one-by-one? Or is there just a big meditation in terms of all aspects that have been defined by the Buddha?”  

To listen to the ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION - https://tinyurl.com/24yd5drz 

**This session is for anyone who sincerely wants to follow Gautama Buddha's original  teaching of the Four Noble Truths**  

When you do this meditation methodically and completely, you come to know and understand why Buddha sees Dukkha or Suffering as a Noble Truth, and not simply the experience or feeling of something disagreeable of painful in everyday life. After realising this knowledge or understanding, the question then arises in a genuine sense - "How do I not construct another birth?"

Some of the suttas that are referred to: 

Bohoma pin to the person that has 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=P30r3Zmd70k

A VIDEO of this ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riuNy43Ke2g AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

One of the questions from yesterday's Esala Poya Dhamma Session on the Four Noble Truths, and specifically the contemplation of death (maranasati)  

"Do I need to take a step further with the contemplation of death if I already see a very vivid account in meditation of my deceased body? Do I need to extend this meditation? I am not interested in seeing past births. But I’d like to know, if it is necessary to see past births?   

To listen to the ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION - https://tinyurl.com/24yd5drz 

**This session is for anyone who sincerely wants to follow Gautama Buddha's original  teaching of the Four Noble Truths**  

When you see the foulness (asubha) of the body through the contemplation of death (maranasati), one begins to understand the 1st Noble Truth, that this is predicament is dukkha. The body is impermanent or unlasting (anicca), subject to change (viparinama dukkha) and not worth taking as me and mine (anatta). If you have DIRECT INSIGHT in your meditation through an expanded mind, what you really see directly for yourself, if you deepen this meditation, is the dependent origination link of birth to aging-and-death over and over, particularly with past rebirths and this continual re-linking following death. Then you know that you need to abandon any craving (tanha) and walk the Noble Eightfold Path.  

Some of the suttas that are referred to: 

Bohoma pin to the person that shared their meditation and 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=Pz-SNx5McQQ

A VIDEO of this ESALA POYA FULL DHAMMA SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riuNy43Ke2g AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

This is the FULL DHAMMA SESSION conducted on ESALA POYA (23 July 2021) via zoom on "THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS", with particular focus on learning and practising the contemplations on the 1st NOBLE TRUTH OF SUFFERING (Dukkha).  

**This session is for anyone who sincerely wants to follow Gautama Buddha's original teaching of the Four Noble Truths**

Esala poya is an auspicious day as we celebrate and honour a number of significant events such as Prince Siddhartha leaving lay life and going forth in search of the truth; the birth of Prince Rahula, his son; the Buddha's first teaching on the Four Noble Truths and the setting in motion the wheel of Dhamma; following the Buddha's parinibbana, the 1st convocation of the monastic Sangha; and the day after Esala poya the annual start of the rains retreat (vassa).  

In this Dhamma session we: 

Some of the suttas covered directly or indirectly in this session: 

To read the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta  (SN 56.11) - https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/bodhi

A VIDEO of this FULL SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riuNy43Ke2g

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

Role models play an important part in all of our lives, whether we seek them out or not. And whether we walk the Buddhist Path or not, they can have the power to shape the direction we take and the ability to influence the decisions that follow on from there.   For Buddhist practitioners,  the Buddha is our most eminent role model, teacher and the Perfectly Enlightened One. And there are also many noble and great disciples of the Buddha.

Today we will focus on monk disciples (bhikkhu) of the Buddha, and one in particular, Bhikkhu Soṇa Koḷivisa, who was declared by the Buddha foremost among those who are energetic (āraddhavīriyānaṁ) - AN 1.205  

The story of Bhikkhu Soṇa Koḷivisa is particularly beneficial in helping us to understand the importance of balancing energy in daily life and in cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path;  and finding the evenness in the development of our spiritual faculties when practising the Buddha's meditations.

Other suttas mentioned in this talk include: 

In learning about such noble beings, we can delight in their lives and accomplishments;  recognise the importance of seeing them as worthy role models; and use it as inspiration towards progress on the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path.

The VIDEO with slides has been uploaded to the Sutta Meditation Series podcast channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzMUIBNpQ-M AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

In today's session we look at Dhammapada Verse 280 and THE STORY OF THERA TISSA, THE IDLE ONE, who was prone to indolence, didn't exert himself at the right time and had difficulty cultivating the Path.  

In this saying of the Buddha, he encourages rousing energy, not allowing the mind to go into unskillful states and become tired and indolent, so as to ensure one learn and practice in order to make progress on the Noble Eightfold Path.  

The verse in Pali: 

“Uṭṭhānakālamhi anuṭṭhahāno, 

Yuvā balī ālasiyaṁ upeto; 

Saṁsanna saṅkappamano kusīto, 

Paññāya maggaṁ alaso na vindati.”  

Other suttas that are mentioned directly or indirectly in this talk: 

To read the full chapter (Magga Vagga) of the Dhammapada - https://suttacentral.net/dhp273-289/en/feldmeier 

The video of this talk has been published to the Sutta Meditation YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=val32oUrZC4 AND on Spotify as a video podcast

 Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai