Words of the Buddha

July 15, 2024 SN 17.2 Baḷisasutta: A Hook At Sāvatthī. “Possessions, honor, and popularity are brutal, bitter, and harsh. They’re an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. Suppose a fisherman was to cast a baited hook into a deep lake. Seeing the bait, a fish would swallow it. And so the fish that swallowed the hook would meet with tragedy and disaster, and the fisherman can do what he wants with it. ‘Fisherman’ is a term for Māra the Wicked. ‘Hook’ is a term for possessions, honor, and popularity. Whoever enjoys and likes arisen possessions, honor, and popularity is called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants. So brutal are possessions, honor, and popularity—bitter and harsh, an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. So you should train like this: ‘We will give up arisen possessions, honor, and popularity, and we won’t let them occupy our minds.’ That’s how you should train.” === Buddha dharma teachings channel: https://t.me/lorddivinebuddha ===

On the way up to the top of Borobudur temple, world largest lava stone stupa, Java island, Indonesia.

July 14, 2024 SN 5.5 Uppalavaṇṇāsutta: Uppalavaṇṇa At Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Uppalavaṇṇa dressed … she stood at the foot of a sal tree in full flower. Then Mara the Evil One, desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in the bhikkhuni Uppalavaṇṇa, desiring to make her fall away from concentration, approached her and addressed her in verse: “Having gone to a sal tree with flowering top, You stand at its foot all alone, bhikkhuni. There is none whose beauty rivals yours: Foolish girl, aren’t you afraid of rogues?” Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Uppalavaṇṇa: “Now who is this…? This is Mara the Evil One … desiring to make me fall away from concentration.” Then the bhikkhuni Uppalavaṇṇa, having understood, “This is Mara the Evil One,” replied to him in verses: “Though a hundred thousand rogues Just like you might come here, I stir not a hair, I feel no terror; Even alone, Mara, I don’t fear you. “I can make myself disappear Or I can enter inside your belly. I can stand between your eyebrows Yet you won’t catch a glimpse of me. “I am the master of my mind, The bases of power are well developed; I am freed from all bondage, Therefore I don’t fear you, friend.” Then Mara the Evil One, realizing, “The bhikkhuni Uppalavaṇṇa knows me,” sad and disappointed, disappeared right there. === Free Buddhism books, teachings, podcasts and videos from Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions: https://t.me/buddha_ebooks ===

Free Buddhism dharma ebook The A, B, C of Buddhism BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU “Friends! I know that you are interested in studying and seeking the Buddhist way of giving up all the problems of life, which may be summed up as the problems of birth, decay, disease and death. I would like to help you to understand this topic, as well as I can. But I must tell you in advance that my knowledge of English is not complete. It is childish English that is self-taught and self-learned. Thus, you must think carefully; try to understand and know what I mean to say. Since we cannot have a classroom lecture, my talk today must be more like a private conversation. You have heard that the Lord Buddha, in his enlightenment, discovered the Dhamma... I would like to talk about that Dhamma, that which the Buddha discovered at his enlightenment. That Dhamma may be called the ‘law of idappaccayatā.’ It is the law of nature or the natural law of cause and effect...” Free download available: https://www.suanmokkh.org/system/books/files/000/000/123/original/Buddhadasa-Abc-of-buddhism-20190929.pdf ===

Free Buddhism dharma ebook The A, B, C of Buddhism BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU Free download available: https://www.suanmokkh.org/system/books/files/000/000/123/original/Buddhadasa-Abc-of-buddhism-20190929.pdf ===

July 13, 2024 MN 19 Dvedhāvitakkasutta: Two Kinds of Thought “…Suppose, bhikkhus, that in a wooded range there was a great low-lying marsh near which a large herd of deer lived. Then a man appeared desiring their ruin, harm, and bondage, and he closed off the safe and good path to be traveled joyfully, and he opened up a false path, and he put out a decoy and set up a dummy so that the large herd of deer might later come upon calamity, disaster, and loss. But another man came desiring their good, welfare, and protection, and he reopened the safe and good path that led to their happiness, and he closed off the false path, and he removed the decoy and destroyed the dummy, so that the large herd of deer might later come to growth, increase, and fulfilment. “Bhikkhus, I have given this simile in order to convey a meaning. This is the meaning: ‘The great low-lying marsh’ is a term for sensual pleasures. ‘The large herd of deer’ is a term for beings. ‘The man desiring their ruin, harm, and bondage’ is a term for Māra the Evil One. ‘The false path’ is a term for the wrong eightfold path, that is: wrong view, wrong intention, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong concentration. ‘The decoy’ is a term for delight and lust. ‘The dummy’ is a term for ignorance. ‘The man desiring their good, welfare, and protection’ is a term for the Tathāgata, accomplished and fully enlightened. ‘The safe and good path to be traveled joyfully’ is a term for the Noble Eightfold Path, that is: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. “So, bhikkhus, the safe and good path to be traveled joyfully has been reopened by me, the wrong path has been closed off, the decoy removed, the dummy destroyed. “What should be done for his disciples out of compassion by a teacher who seeks their welfare and has compassion for them, that I have done for you, bhikkhus. There are these roots of trees, these empty huts. Meditate, bhikkhus, do not delay or else you will regret it later. This is our instruction to you.” That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words. === Ajahn Chah, Buddhist teacher of Thai forest meditation of Theravada Buddhism channel: https://t.me/ajahnchah_buddhism ===

Big Buddha Taiwan, Fu Guang Shan monastery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

July 12, 2024 SN 22.63 Upādiyamānasutta: When You Grasp So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.” “When you grasp, mendicant, you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One.” “Understood, Blessed One! Understood, Holy One!” “But how do you see the detailed meaning of my brief statement?” “Sir, when you grasp form you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One. When you grasp feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One. That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.” “Good, good, mendicant! It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of what I’ve said in brief like this. When you grasp form you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One. When you grasp feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One. This is how to understand the detailed meaning of what I said in brief.” And then that mendicant approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Then that mendicant, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.” And that mendicant became one of the perfected. === Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel: https://invite.viber.com/?g2=AQBLD6phsgvP%2F061YjEM3K%2BNeH1Yb372b9mtfQX2EmuBpgoLUoc99BDMfzHghrme ===

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, when the night had advanced, a certain devatā of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: “There is no affection like that for a son, No wealth equal to cattle, There is no light like the sun, Among the waters the ocean is supreme.” The Blessed One: “There is no affection like that for oneself, No wealth equal to grain, There is no light like wisdom, Among the waters the rain is supreme.” SN 1.13 Natthiputtasamasutta: None Equal to That for a Son

July 11, 2024 SN 5.7 Upacālāsutta: Upacala At Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Upacala dressed … she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding. Then Mara the Evil One approached the bhikkhuni Upacala and said to her: “Where do you wish to be reborn, bhikkhuni?” “I do not wish to be reborn anywhere, friend.” “There are Tavatiṁsa and Yama devas, And devatās of the Tusita realm, Devas who take delight in creating, And devas who exercise control. Direct your mind there to those realms And you’ll experience delight.” The bhikkhuni Upacala: “There are Tavatiṁsa and Yama devas, And devatās of the Tusita realm, Devas who take delight in creating, And devas who exercise control. They are still bound by sensual bondage, They come again under Mara’s control. “All the world is on fire, All the world is burning, All the world is ablaze, All the world is quaking. “That which does not quake or blaze, That to which worldlings do not resort, Where there is no place for Mara: That is where my mind delights.” Then Mara the Evil One, realizing, “The bhikkhuni Upacala knows me, sad and disappointed, disappeared right there. === Words of the Buddha channel: https://invite.viber.com/?g2=AQAFqzqlj7FmI061PX17rxWMAtZ%2BRuso%2FH2KmHKZSgnv7v9DD8X0bDkKnZDr9JDq ===

Free Buddha Dharma ebook The Message of Peace and Universal Friendliness By Bhikkhu Nanadassana The "Message of Peace and Universal Friendliness," in the context of Buddhism, refers to the teachings on loving-kindness (Metta) and universal friendliness, often found in the Karaniya Metta Sutta. Bhikkhu Ñāṇadassana, in his talks and writings, emphasizes the cultivation of virtue, meditation on loving-kindness, and its progression towards enlightenment, or Nibbana, as a path to peace and universal friendliness. Free download here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zs-6vqhuxqNvF3AQjq5BdJZH3OdNuNsN/view?usp=drive_link ===

Free Buddha Dharma ebook The Message of Peace and Universal Friendliness By Bhikkhu Nanadassana The "Message of Peace and Universal Friendliness," in the context of Buddhism, refers to the teachings on loving-kindness (Metta) and universal friendliness, often found in the Karaniya Metta Sutta. Bhikkhu Ñāṇadassana, in his talks and writings, emphasizes the cultivation of virtue, meditation on loving-kindness, and its progression towards enlightenment, or Nibbana, as a path to peace and universal friendliness. Free download here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zs-6vqhuxqNvF3AQjq5BdJZH3OdNuNsN/view?usp=drive_link ===

Swayambhunath, Kathmandu, Nepal.

July 10, 2024 Dhp 337 From… Taṇhāvagga I say this to you, good people, all those who have gathered here: dig up the root of craving, as you’d dig up grass in search of roots. Don’t let Māra break you again and again, like a stream breaking a reed. === Buddha dharma teachings channel: https://invite.viber.com/?g2=AQAKw1y3rv%2F6sk61PI2W4izuIiaEZj8YZujhY1tSzL%2B07s7rFnVFDAd0bAYFaMLw ===