Dhamma Audio

The Discourse on Living Happily This was spoken by the Blessed One, spoken by the Arahant; thus have I heard— “Monks, a bhikkhu endowed with two qualities lives happily in this very life, unafflicted, undismayed, unfeverish; with the breaking up of the body, after death, a good destination is to be expected. Which two? Guarding the doors of the senses, and knowing moderation in food. Monks, a bhik...

The Way. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, whether for a layperson or one gone forth, I do not praise the wrong way. Whether it is a layperson or one gone forth who is practising wrongly, because of undertaking the wrong way of practice he does not attain the method, the Dhamma that is wholesome. And what, bhikkhus, is the wrong way? It is: wrong view, wrong intention, wrong spee...

Adhamma Sutta “Unrighteousness, bhikkhus, is to be known, and what is unbeneficial; righteousness is to be known, and what is beneficial. Having known unrighteousness and what is unbeneficial, and having known righteousness and what is beneficial, one should practice in accordance with righteousness and what is beneficial. “And what, bhikkhus, is unrighteousness and what is unbeneficial? Wrong vie...

“Monks, there are these five ways of removing ill will, by which a monk should completely remove any ill will that has arisen. Which five? Monks, if ill will arises towards a certain person, one should cultivate loving-kindness towards that person; in this way, ill will towards that person should be removed. Monks, if ill will arises towards a certain person, one should cultivate compassion toward...

“Bhikkhus, being alert and mindful, develop concentration that is measureless. When, alert and mindful, you develop concentration that is measureless, five kinds of knowledge arise that are personally yours. What five? The knowledge arises that is personally yours: ‘This concentration is presently pleasant and in the future has a pleasant result.’ The knowledge arises that is personally yours: ‘Th...

At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, develop concentration. A bhikkhu who is concentrated understands things as they really are. “And what does he understand as it really is? He understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering.’ He understands as it really is: ‘This is the origin of suffering.’ He understands as it really is: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’ He understands as it really is: ‘This is the way...

The Discourse on the Youngsters THUS HAVE I HEARD: At one time the Bhagavā was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, many youngsters were catching fish between Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Grove. Then the Bhagavā, having dressed in the morning, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. The Bhagavā saw those many youngsters catching fish between Sā...

The Sutta on Debt “Is poverty, bhikkhus, suffering in the world for one who enjoys sensual pleasures?” “Yes, Bhante.” “That a poor, destitute, and unfortunate person takes a loan—is taking a loan, bhikkhus, suffering in the world for one who enjoys sensual pleasures?” “Yes, Bhante.” “That a poor, destitute, and unfortunate person, having taken a loan, agrees to interest—is interest, bhikkhus, suff...

Impermanent At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, form is impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ When one sees this thus as it really is with correct wisdom, the mind becomes dispassionate and is liberated from the taints by nonclinging. “Feeling...

The Spiritual Life. “Bhikkhus, this spiritual life is not lived for the sake of deceiving people and cajoling them; nor for the benefit of gain, honor, and praise; nor for the benefit of winning in debates; nor with the thought: ‘Let the people know me thus.’ But rather, this spiritual life is lived for the sake of restraint, abandoning, dispassion, and cessation.” The Blessed One taught the spiri...

Trainings. “Monks, these four types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The one who practices for his own benefit but not for that of others. The one who practices for the benefit of others but not for his own. The one who practices neither for his own benefit nor for that of others. The one who practices for his own benefit and for that of others. “And how is one an...

The Discourse on Abusive Speech At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Ground. The brahmin Akkosaka Bhāradvāja heard, “It seems that a brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan has gone forth from home into homelessness in the presence of the ascetic Gotama.” Angry and displeased, he went to where the Blessed One was; having approached, he abused...

The one-way path for the purification of beings. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesali in Ambapali’s Grove. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir!” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this: “Bhikkhus, this is the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the passi...

Giving. Translated by John D. Ireland “Bhikkhus, if beings knew, as I know, the result of giving and sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would they allow the stain of meanness to obsess them and take root in their minds. Even if it were their last morsel, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared it, if there were someone to share it with. But, bhikkhus, as be...

The Layperson’S Proper Practice Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One…. The Blessed One said to him: “Householder, a noble disciple who possesses four qualities is practicing the way proper to the layperson, a way that brings the attainment of fame and leads to heaven. What four? “Here, householder, a noble disciple serves the Saṅgha of bhikkhus with robes; he serves the Sa...

Impossible. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, if anyone should speak thus: ‘Without having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of suffering as it really is, without having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of the origin of suffering as it really is, without having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of the cessation of suffering as it really is, without having made the breakt...

The Siṁsapa Grove. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambi in a siṁsapa grove. Then the Blessed One took up a few siṁsapa leaves in his hand and addressed the bhikkhus thus: “What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more numerous: these few siṁsapa leaves that I have taken up in my hand or those in the siṁsapa grove overhead?” “Venerable sir, the siṁsapa le...

The Discourse on Teaching This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I heard: ‘‘Bhikkhus, there are two discourses on Dhamma given by the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, in due course. Which two? ‘See evil as evil’—this is the first discourse on Dhamma; ‘Having seen evil as evil, become disgusted with it, dispassionate towards it, and liberated from it’—t...

The Four Noble Truths. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, there are these Four Noble Truths. What four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering. “And what, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering? It should be said: the five aggregates subject to c...

The Inscription. “Bhikkhus, these three types of individuals exist, are found in the world. Which three? The individual like an inscription on rock, the individual like an inscription on earth, the individual like an inscription on water. And which, bhikkhus, is the individual like an inscription on rock? Here, bhikkhus, a certain individual frequently gets angry. And that anger of his persists fo...

Dhanañjānisutta — The Discourse to Dhanañjāni Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. Now at that time, a brahmin woman named Dhanañjāni, of the Bhāradvāja clan, had firm faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. Then the brahmin woman Dhanañjāni, while serving food to the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan, s...

Non-Decline. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who possesses four qualities is incapable of decline and is in the vicinity of nibbāna. What four? Here, a bhikkhu is accomplished in virtuous behavior, guards the doors of the sense faculties, observes moderation in eating, and is intent on wakefulness. “And how is a bhikkhu accomplished in virtuous behavior? Here, a bhikkhu is virtuou...

The Seed. Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu “When a person has wrong view, wrong resolve, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration, wrong knowledge, & wrong release, whatever bodily deeds he undertakes in line with that view, whatever verbal deeds… whatever mental deeds he undertakes in line with that view, whatever intentions, whatever...

Harmless. Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato At Sāvatthī. Then the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Harmless 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, “I am Harmless, worthy Gotama, I am Harmless!” “If you were really like your name, then you’d be Harmless. But a truly harmless person does no harm by way of body...

Ignorance. Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi THUS HAVE I HEARD . On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this: “Bhikkhus, ignorance is the forerunner in the entry upon unwholesome states, with shamelessness and fearlessness o...