Words of the Buddha

Namakāra Gāthā Araham Sammā-Sambuddho Bhagavā, Buddham Bhagavantam abhivādemi. Svākkhāto Bhagavatā Dhammo, Dhammam namassāmi. Supaṭipanno Bhagavato sāvaka-sangho, Sangham namāmi. The Blessed One is the Arahant, the Perfectly and Fully Awakened One; I pay homage to the Buddha, the Blessed One. The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One; I pay homage to the Dhamma. The Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples has practiced well; I pay homage to the Saṅgha.

July 9, 2024 SN 4.8 Nandatisutta: He Delights Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. Then Mara the Evil One approached the Blessed One and recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: “One who has sons delights in sons, One with cattle delights in cattle. Acquisitions truly are a man’s delight; Without acquisitions one does not delight.” The Blessed One: “One who has sons sorrows over sons, One with cattle sorrows over cattle. Acquisitions truly are a man’s sorrow; Without acquisitions one does not sorrow.” Then Mara the Evil One … disappeared right there. === Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel: https://t.me/dhammapadas ===

Dhammapada Verses 54 and 55 Anandattherapanha Vatthu Na pupphagandho pativatameti na candanam tagara mallika va satanca gandho pativatameti sabba disa sappuriso pavayati. Cadanam tagaram vapi uppalam atha vassiki etesam gandhajatanam silagandho anuttaro. Verse 54: The scent of flowers cannot go against the wind; nor the scent of sandalwood, nor of rhododendron (tagara), nor of jasmin (mallika); only the reputation of good people can go against the wind. The reputation of the virtuous ones (sappurisa) is wafted abroad in all directions. Verse 55: There are the scents of sandalwood, rhododendron, lotus and jasmin (vassika); but the scent of virtue surpasses all scents.

July 8, 2024 SN 5.4 Vijayāsutta: Vijaya At Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Vijaya dressed … she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding. Then Mara the Evil One, desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in the bhikkhuni Vijaya, desiring to make her fall away from concentration, approached her and addressed her in verse: “You are so young and beautiful, And I too am a youth in my prime. Come, noble lady, let us rejoice With the music of a fivefold ensemble.” Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Vijaya: “Now who is this…? This is Mara the Evil One … desiring to make me fall away from concentration.” Then the bhikkhuni Vijaya, having understood, “This is Mara the Evil One,” replied to him in verses: “Forms, sounds, tastes, odours, And delightful tactile objects— I offer them right back to you, For I, O Mara, do not need them. “I am repelled and humiliated By this foul, putrid body, Subject to break up, fragile: I’ve uprooted sensual craving. “As to those beings who fare amidst form, And those who abide in the formless, And those peaceful attainments too: Everywhere darkness has been destroyed.” Then Mara the Evil One, realizing “The bhikkhuni Vijaya knows me,” sad and disappointed, disappeared right there. === Words of the Buddha channel: https://t.me/wordsofbuddha ===

Free Buddha Dharma ebook The Buddha’s Teachings An Introduction By Thanissaro Bhikkhu A short introduction to the basic concepts and values underlying Buddhist practice, with special attention to clearing up common misinterpretations about what the Buddha taught. Free download available: https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/BuddhasTeachings_251113.pdf ===

Free Buddha Dharma ebook The Buddha’s Teachings An Introduction By Thanissaro Bhikkhu A short introduction to the basic concepts and values underlying Buddhist practice, with special attention to clearing up common misinterpretations about what the Buddha taught. Free download available: https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/BuddhasTeachings_251113.pdf ===

It’s when a mendicant—gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut—sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and establishes mindfulness in their presence. Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. Breathing in heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing in heavily.’ Breathing out heavily they know: ‘I’m breathing out heavily.’ When breathing in lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing in lightly.’ Breathing out lightly they know: ‘I’m breathing out lightly.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in experiencing the whole body.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out experiencing the whole body.’They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in stilling the physical process.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out stilling the physical process.’ As they meditate like this—diligent, keen, and resolute—memories and thoughts tied to domestic life are given up. That’s how a mendicant develops mindfulness of the body. Partial excepts from MN 119 : Kāyagatāsatisutta

July 7, 2024 MN 119 From… Kāyagatāsatisutta: Mindfulness of the Body …Anyone who has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body includes all of the skillful qualities that play a part in realization. Anyone who brings into their mind the great ocean includes all of the streams that run down into it. In the same way, anyone who has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body includes all of the skillful qualities that play a part in realization. When a mendicant has not developed or cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra finds a vulnerability and gets hold of them. Suppose a person were to throw a heavy stone ball at a mound of wet clay. What do you think, mendicants? Would that heavy stone ball find an entry into that mound of wet clay?” “Yes, sir.” “In the same way, when a mendicant has not developed or cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra finds a vulnerability and gets hold of them. Suppose there was a dried up, withered log. Then a person comes along with a drill-stick, thinking to light a fire and produce heat. What do you think, mendicants? By drilling the stick against that dried up, withered log, could they light a fire and produce heat?” “Yes, sir.” “In the same way, when a mendicant has not developed or cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra finds a vulnerability and gets hold of them. Suppose a water jar was placed on a stand, empty and hollow. Then a person comes along with a load of water. What do you think, mendicants? Could that person pour water into the jar?” “Yes, sir.” “In the same way, when a mendicant has not developed or cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra finds a vulnerability and gets hold of them. When a mendicant has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra cannot find a vulnerability and doesn’t get hold of them. Suppose a person were to throw a light ball of string at a door-panel made entirely of hardwood. What do you think, mendicants? Would that light ball of string find an entry into that door-panel made entirely of hardwood?” “No, sir.” “In the same way, when a mendicant has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra cannot find a vulnerability and doesn’t get hold of them. Suppose there was a green, sappy log. Then a person comes along with a drill-stick, thinking to light a fire and produce heat. What do you think, mendicants? By drilling the stick against that green, sappy log on dry land far from water, could they light a fire and produce heat?” “No, sir.” “In the same way, when a mendicant has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra cannot find a vulnerability and doesn’t get hold of them. Suppose a water jar was placed on a stand, full to the brim so a crow could drink from it. Then a person comes along with a load of water. What do you think, mendicants? Could that person pour water into the jar?” “No, sir.” “In the same way, when a mendicant has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra cannot find a vulnerability and doesn’t get hold of them. When a mendicant has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, they extend the mind to realize by insight each and every thing that can be realized by insight; and they are capable of realizing those things, since each and every one is within range.… === Vajrayana Tantrayana Buddhism channel: https://t.me/tantrayanabuddhism Tibetan Buddhism - Vajrayana, Tantrayana and esoteric Buddhism channel: https://t.me/tibetanbuddha ===

“Mendicants, brahmins and householders are very helpful to you, as they provide you with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines. And you are very helpful to brahmins and householders, as you teach them the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And you reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. That is how this spiritual path is lived supporting each other in order to cross over the flood and make a complete end of suffering.” “The home-dweller and the mendicants, supporting each other, find success in the true teaching, the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. The homeless receive requisites from the home-dwellers: robes and lodgings to shelter from harsh conditions. Relying on the Holy One, home-loving layfolk place faith in the perfected ones, meditators of noble wisdom. Having practiced the teaching here, the path that goes to a good place, they delight in the heavenly realm.” Itivuttaka 107 : Bahukarasutta

July 6, 2024 AN 4.15 Paññattisutta: Proclamations “Bhikkhus, there are these four proclamations of the foremost. What four? (1) “The foremost of those with bodies is Rāhu, lord of the asuras. (2) The foremost of those who enjoy sensual pleasures is King Mandhātā. (3) The foremost of those who exercise authority is Māra the Evil One. (4) In this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, among this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One is declared foremost. These are the four proclamations of those who are foremost.” Rāhu is the foremost of those with bodies, Mandhātā, of those enjoying sense pleasures; Māra is the foremost of rulers, blazing with power and glory. In this world together with its devas above, across, and below, as far as the world extends, the Buddha is declared foremost. === Buddha dharma teachings channel: https://t.me/lorddivinebuddha ===

If no-one else is found in front or behind, it’s extremely pleasant to be dwelling alone in a forest grove. Come now, I’ll go alone to the wilderness praised by the Buddha. It’s pleasant for a mendicant to be dwelling alone and resolute. When will I dwell alone, without a companion, in the great wood, so delightful, my task complete, free of defilements? This is what I want to do: may my wish succeed! I’ll make it happen myself, for no-one can do another’s duty. Fastening my armor, I’ll enter the forest. I won’t leave without attaining the end of defilements. As the cool breeze blows with fragrant scent, I’ll split ignorance apart, sitting on the mountain-peak. In a forest grove covered with blossoms, in a cave so very cool, I take pleasure in the Mountainfold, happy with the happiness of freedom. I’ve got all I wished for like the moon on the fifteenth day. With the utter ending of all defilements, now there’ll be no more future lives. Partially excerpted from Thag 10.2 Ekavihāriyattheragāthā

July 5, 2024 SN 4.9 Paṭhamaāyusutta: Life Span (1st) So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “Mendicants, the life span of humans is short. You must go to the next life. So you should do what is skillful, you should practice the spiritual life. No-one born is immortal. A long life is a hundred years or a little more.” Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse: “The life of humans is long! A true person wouldn’t scorn it. Live like a suckling babe, for Death has not come for you.” The Buddha: “The life of humans is short, and a true person scorns it. They should live as though their head was on fire, for Death comes for everyone.” Then Māra … vanished right there. === Free Buddhism books, teachings, podcasts and videos from Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions: https://t.me/buddha_ebooks ===

Ogoh-ogoh is a Balinese tradition held to welcome Nyepi (the day of Silence). This tradition is part of the Tawur Kesanga procession, a ritual aimed at neutralizing negative forces in the surrounding environment and "appeasing" beings from the lower realms before the turn of the New Year. During the Pangrupukan parade, ogoh-ogoh symbolizes the evils of human nature or negativity in the universe. Therefore, after the parade ends, ogoh-ogoh is eventually burned as a representation of eliminating those negative traits. The burning usually takes place in the village cemetery field.

Free Buddha dharma ebook Peace From Within By Ajahn Kalyano (Sr) On the occasion of my 60th birthday, I received some requests from the monastic Sangha and the lay supporters of Buddha Bodhivana Monastery who wished to know more about my life and practice as a monk. In response, it seems like a good idea to commit some of my various recollections to paper before they become lost through the passage of time. This book includes some of my personal recollections and insights from my life in the robes, rather than providing lengthy explanations of the Buddha’s teachings. The language used is simple and without too much reference to many of the Pali technical terms that we use daily as we talk about the Buddha’s teachings. Free download here: https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/28/Peace-From-Within-The-Life-And-Dhamma-Practice-of-Ajahn-Kalyano.pdf ===