Dhamma Audio

Ignorance. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi Sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘ignorance, ignorance.’ What is ignorance, venerable sir, and in what way is one immersed in ignorance?” “Bhikkhu, not knowing suffering, not knowing the origin of suffering, not knowing the cessation of suffering, not knowing the way leading to the cessation of suffering:...

The Benefits of Training. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato “Mendicants, this spiritual life is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its overseer, with freedom as its core, and with mindfulness as its ruler. And how is training its benefit? Firstly, I laid down for my disciples the training that deals with supplementary regulations in order to inspire confidence in those without it and to...

Three failures and three accomplishments. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato “Mendicants, there are three failures. What three? Failure in ethics, mind, and view. And what is failure in ethics? It’s when someone kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and uses speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. This is called ‘failure in ethics’. And what is failure in mind? It’s...

Palokasutta, Depopulation. Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.56. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi Then a certain affluent brahmin approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “Master Gotama, I have heard older brahmins who are aged, burdened with years, teachers of teachers, saying: ‘In the past this world was so thickly populated one would think there was no space between people. The villages, towns, and capital ci...

Diligence, Appamādasutta AN 6.53. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato Then a certain brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: “Worthy Gotama, is there one thing that, when developed and cultivated, secures benefits for both this life and lives to come?” “There is, brahmin.” “So wh...

Paṭhamalokadhammasutta AN 8.5 Worldly Conditions. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, these eight worldly conditions revolve around the world, and the world revolves around these eight worldly conditions. What eight? Gain and loss, disrepute and fame, blame and praise, and pleasure and pain. These eight worldly conditions revolve around the world, and the world revolves around these eight world...

Dukkhatāsutta SN 45.165, Suffering. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, there are these three kinds of suffering. What three? Suffering due to pain, suffering due to formations, suffering due to change. These are the three kinds of suffering. The Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these three kinds of suffering, for the full understanding of them, for their utter de...

Devadattasutta AN 4.68 Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain, not long after Devadatta had left. There the Buddha spoke to the mendicants about Devadatta: “Possessions, honor, and popularity came to Devadatta for his own ruin and downfall. It’s like a banana plant, or a bamboo, or a reed, all of which bear fruit to their own r...

Antarāmalasutta Iti 88, Inner Stains. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard. “Mendicants, there are these three inner stains, inner foes, inner enemies, inner killers, and inner adversaries. What three? Greed, hate, and delusion. These three are inner stains, inner foes, inner enemies, inner killers, and inner adversaries.” The Buddha spo...

Mettāsutta AN 11.15, Good Will. Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu “Monks, for one whose awareness-release through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken, eleven benefits can be expected. Which eleven? “One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. One is dear to human beings, dear t...

Dutiyasaṅgāmasutta, Battle (2nd) SN 3.15. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato Then King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, mobilized an army of four divisions and marched to Kāsi to attack King Pasenadi of Kosala. When King Pasenadi heard of this, he mobilized an army of four divisions and marched to Kāsi to defend it against Ajātasattu. Then the two kings met in battle. And in that ba...

Paṭhamasaṅgāmasutta, Battle (1st) SN 3.14. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato At Sāvatthī. Then King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, mobilized an army of four divisions and marched to Kāsi to attack King Pasenadi of Kosala. When King Pasenadi heard of this, he mobilized an army of four divisions and marched to Kāsi to defend it against Ajātasattu. Then the two kings met in battle....

Sevitabbasutta AN 3.26, To be Associated With. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, there are these three kinds of persons found existing in the world. What three? There is a person who is not to be associated with, followed, and served; a person who is to be associated with, followed, and served; and a person who is to be associated with, followed, and served with honor and respect. “And what k...

Purisasutta SN 3.2. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato At Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha, “Sir, how many things arise inside a person for their harm, suffering, and discomfort?” “Great king, three things arise inside a person for their harm, suffering, and discomfort. What three? Greed, hate, and delusion. These three thi...

Aññatarabrāhmaṇasutta, Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.53. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi Then a certain brahmin approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “Master Gotama, it is said: ‘A directly visible Dhamma, a directly visible Dhamma.’ In what way is the Dhamma directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise?” “Brahmin, one excited by lust, ov...

Gandhajātasutta AN 3.79. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, there are these three kinds of fragrance that spread only with the wind, not against it. What three? The fragrance of roots, heartwood, and flowers. These are the three kinds of fragrance that spread only with the wind, not against it. Is there a ki...

Kimatthiyasutta AN 11.1. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato SO I HAVE HEARD. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, what is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics?” “Ānanda, having no regrets is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics.” “But what is the...

Cakkavattirājasutta SN 55.1. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato “Mendicants, suppose a wheel-turning monarch were to rule as sovereign lord over these four continents. And when his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm, in the company of the gods of the thirty-three. There he entertains himself in the Garden of Delight, escorted by a band of nymphs, and supplied and...

Paṭhamachiggaḷayugasutta Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.47. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, suppose a man would throw a yoke with a single hole into the great ocean, and there was a blind turtle which would come to the surface once every hundred years. What do you think, bhikkhus, would that blind turtle, coming to the surface once every hundred years, insert its neck into that yoke with a single hole?...

Pītisutta Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.176. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika, escorted by around five hundred lay followers, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Householders, you have supplied the mendicant Saṅgha with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But you should not be content with just this mu...

Dutiyahatthakasutta Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.24. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Āḷavī at the Aggāḷava Shrine. Then Hatthaka of Āḷavī, accompanied by five hundred lay followers, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him: “Your retinue is large, Hatthaka. How do you sustain this large retinue?” “I...

Saṅgahasutta Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.32. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, there are these four means of sustaining a favorable relationship. What four? Giving, endearing speech, beneficent conduct, and impartiality. These are the four means of sustaining a favorable relationship.” Giving, endearing speech, beneficent conduct, and impartiality under diverse worldly conditions, as is suitable to fi...

Vitthatasutta Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.14. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, there are these five powers. What five? The power of faith, the power of energy, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, and the power of wisdom. “And what, bhikkhus, is the power of faith? Here, a noble disciple is endowed with faith. He places faith in the enlightenment of the Tathāgata thus: ‘The Blessed O...

Nivesakasutta, Support. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Ānanda, those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to—friends and colleagues, relatives and family—should be encouraged, supported, and established in three things. What three? Experiential confidence in the Buddha: ‘That Blesse...

Suppabuddhakuṭṭhisutta, Udāna 5.3. The Discourse about the Leper Suppabuddha. Translated by Bhikkhu Ānandajoti THUS I HEARD: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Rājagaha, in Bamboo Wood, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. Then at that time the leper known as Suppabuddha Wide Awake was in Rājagaha, a poor man, a wretched man, a miserable man. Then at that time the Gracious One was sitting...