Dhamma-Vinaya Patipadā Podcast

A Dhamma discussion based on the question... "Could you please say something about the preciousness of human rebirth. According to the scriptures it is very rare to be born in the human realm and we are very fortunate to be so. What are the causes of such a rebirth and what should we do to ensure that if we don’t reach awakening in this life, to be reborn again into the human realm."

This ovāda discusses developing resilience by cultivating both rational and intuitive faith.

A Dhamma discussion based on the question (punctuation and line breaks added)... Bhagyawathun Wahansa said, "Let go of the past—because it has already happened. Let go of the future—since it has not yet arrived and is full of uncertainty." So, this means we only have the present moment to come to and practice Dhamma (Sutha, Dhatha, Wachasa Parichitha). And also, Bhagyawathun Wahanse said, "Sankith...

This ovāda explores the practice of finding balance and skillfulness in various situations. It discusses how to navigate the intersection of what's right—the rules and guidelines that apply in a given context—with what's true -- the broader principles of the Dhamma.

A Dhamma discussion based on the question (paraphrased)... 'Suffering is an underlying attitude of resistance to the way things are / wanting things to be different which again leads to disappointment, frustration, more bad feeling?

Our life is made up of many moments that lend significance and give us a sense of time. These milestones can include things like the first day of school, winning an award, getting a first job, receiving a promotion, getting married, and so on. These events and their significance form what we might call the background of our life. However, when a person begins to practice the Dhamma and devotes mor...

A Dhamma discussion based on the question (paraphrased)... 'How can I see clearly which lifestyle or hobbies or engagement as a lay person is not harming to others or oneself on a very subtle level?'

This ovāda compares 'bhava' or 'becoming' to a cyst. It’s something that starts small but grows and spreads. This is one of the meanings of the word 'papancha'—expansion or proliferation. In our meditation practice, we sometimes need to act like surgeons, removing the cyst of becoming. We take out what is harmful and leave behind what is good. Ultimately, however, our skills as surgeons must lead...

In Sri Lanka, there is a strong cultural memory of the existence of large numbers of arahants. There is a folk tale that so many arahants used to fly through the sky at a monastery in the south of Sri Lanka that farmers found it hard to grow crops in the vicinity. The existence of large numbers of Sinhalese arahants is now a thing of the past. What caused the loss of living arahants in ancient Sri...

India was the birthplace of the Buddha. It gave rise to the Buddhist religion. The Buddha and his greatest disciples lived and taught there. How did Buddhism disappear from its homeland? What can we learn from Buddhsim's fate in India? In this talk, we will explore these questions to find out what lessons history holds for our own practice.

In some cases, one needs to practice with difficulty in order to progress. In fact, these situations can be among the most important for advancement in the path. However, it's important to know the difference between practice that is painful and advancing, and practice that is painful and heading towards an injury. In this discussion, we address some of the issues around progressing with pain.

The Buddha taught a path of renunciation. To create space in the mind, one must give things up. To achieve the highest goals of one's practice, one must be prepared to relinquish everything.

A Dhamma discussion with the Dhamma Vijaya community, given on the weekend of Poson Poya in Sydney, Australia.

A Dhamma discussion based on the question .. "How should one practice the Paramis ( also a way to develop wholesome mind states I would think). Should one concentrate on a few of them and develop say a couple throughout life or try and fulfill all ten of them in one go. I like to practice dana and mettā, which resonates with me."

This ovāda discusses how practice can build through consistent effort. At a certain point, however, acute effort may be required. If one puts forth intense effort at the right times, one can gain significant breakthroughs in one's practice.

A Dhamma discussion based on the question (paraphrased)... "How does the intellectual framework of the Four Noble Truths apply to practice?'

This ovāda compares the use of different meditative strategies to different types of warfare. In particular it contrasts, meditation techniques and stately warfare with rules, with total warfare and the skills that experienced meditators are required to develop.

A Dhamma discussion based on the question (paraphrased)... "What's the best way to give dāna?"

This ovāda discusses the importance of developing contentment in a balanced way

A Dhamma discussion based on the question (paraphrased) ... "How can I overcome a fear of ghosts?"

This ovāda discussion the importance of associating with others to develop a lifestyle.

This talk discusses finding a good place to practice and the qualities one should aim to develop in going there

A Dhamma discussion based on the question... "How does one discern when to listen to those (anxious) thoughts, and when to just ignore them. For there may be instances that require one to act on those thoughts. So in a way, it becomes a fear of not making the right decision in regards to those thoughts."

A discussion based on the question (paraphrased and generalized)... 'How do I stop escalating negative mental behaviors from tipping over to the point where they make it hard to function?'

This ovāda discusses strategies for taking on the larger dirty areas in one's mind