Sutta Meditation Series

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast . Today we look at Dhammapada Verse 178 and THE STORY OF KALA, SON OF ANATHAPINDIKA, who tried to avoid the Buddha and his teachings but was eventually enticed by his father, which eventually led to very wholesome results. In this saying of the Buddha, he raises the fruit of stream entry above the worldly and divine. It is a strong encouragement...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This session was conducted on POYA (26 April 2021) on the ADVICE TO LAY PEOPLE ON STREAM ENTRY, specifically looking at the Veḷudvāreyya Sutta (SN 55.7) and supporting teachings. Suttas covered directly or indirectly in this session: – Anīvaraṇa Sutta (SN 46.38) – Nakhasikha Sutta (SN 13.1) – Paṭhamasāriputta Sutta (SN 55.4) – Dutiyasāriputta Su...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This is the first part of a series looking into "What the Buddha Taught", based on a teaching by Venerable Sariputta in the Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33) - Reciting Together - an extended collection of the Buddha's teachings grouped by numerical sequence. In examining this sutta in a gradual way, it offers a different approach to learning the Dhamma. We...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast . This is a GUIDED MEDITATION ON THE FIVE FREQUENT CONTEMPLATIONS. The Buddha's teaching in the Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhāna Sutta (AN 5.57) underpins this meditation. It's useful to request the blessings of the Triple Gem before doing this meditation.  As a guided meditation - please remember it is only a guide drawing on the Buddha's words...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast . Today we look at Dhammapada Verses 7 and 8 - Mahakalatthera Vatthu about two brothers who, after hearing a teaching of the Buddha, ordain into the Sangha with different intentions, practice and outcomes . It is in The Chapter about Pairs (Yamaka Vagga). In this saying, the Buddha highlights:  specific bad qualities (contemplating the pleas...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This Part 2 of our look into "Who Are Our Role Models" - one of the monk disciples (bhikkhu) of the Buddha, Bhikkhu Mahākaccāna, who was declared by the Buddha foremost among those explain in detail the meaning of what has been stated in brief (saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajantānaṁ) - AN 1.197 You can access the AUDIO for Part 1...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. Role models play an important part in all of our lives, whether we seek them out or not. And whether we walk the Buddhist Path or not, they can have the power to shape the direction we take and the ability to influence the decisions that follow on from there.   For Buddhist practitioners,  the Buddha is our most eminent role model...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast . Today we look at Dhammapada Verse 203 - Eka Upasaka Vatthu about a poor young man who realised the fruit of stream entry after listening to a teaching given by the Buddha . It is in The Chapter about Happiness (Sukha Vagga). In this saying, the Buddha highlights that "hunger is the greatest illness" as an explanation for why he ensured the youn...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This Dhamma talk examines the Buddha's teaching on how we search (for lasting happiness), but we go about it the wrong way. The Buddha makes the distinction between the ignoble (anariya) search and the noble (ariya) search.    This sutta we delve into is the Pariyesanā Sutta (AN 4.255) and it complements what we recently looked at - th...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This talk was given to a Meditation Group via zoom as one segment of a complete Dhamma session on 8 April 2021, that included meditation practice and sutta study. It gives AN ENCOURAGEMENT TOWARDS THE BUDDHA'S FIVE FREQUENT CONTEMPLATIONS with a short explanation on each of the contemplations. Suttas that are mentioned directly or indirectly in...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. In this session, we examine the Buddha's teaching on FIVE SUBJECTS WE MUST FREQUENTLY CONTEMPLATE .  The session is broken into the following sections: Introduction to Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhāna Sutta (AN 5.57) Finding support for this teaching - various suttas that support or intersect with this teaching “Deep dive” into the five contemp...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast . This is a GUIDED MEDITATION ON EMBRACING OUR PARENTS - that contemplates our attitudes and actions towards them; the importance of their role and responsibilities, especially in our formative years; how we respond as they grow older; and how we can repay the debt. The Sabrahmaka Sutta (AN 3.31) on how parents should be respected like Brahmā and...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast . In this segment, we look at the question that has been asked "CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SUTTA MEDITATION AND THE MORE TRADITIONAL FORMS OF MEDITATION SUCH AS ĀNĀPĀNASATI MEDITATION, INSIGHT MEDITATION ETC.?"   To answer this question we   - delve a little into how modern Buddhist meditation has evolved;   - ref...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This talk is part of a multi-part series titled "Unlocking the Buddha's Code", examining the importance of meditating on suttas, or the Buddha's specific instructions contained in the suttas. We look into the Buddha's instructions before he passed away; what he foretold when it comes to the decline and disappearance of the teachings; the unique...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This talk is part of a multi-part series titled "Unlocking the Buddha's Code", examining the importance of meditating on suttas, or the Buddha's specific instructions contained in the suttas. We look into the Buddha's instructions before he passed away; what he foretold when it comes to the decline and disappearance of the teachings; the unique...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This session was conducted on POYA (28 March 2021) for a YOUNGER AUDIENCE (and their parents and grandparents) on the STRENGTH OF WAKEFULNESS (jāgariyaṃ). We mainly focused on how to develop, train and maintain wakefulness, including understanding that it is an "active practice" to cleanse of hindrances and defilements (enemies of wakefulness) a...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. In this segment, we look at the question of " HOW CAN I DEVELOP METTĀ IN DAILY LIFE TO COMPLEMENT MY FORMAL MEDITATION PRACTICE OF KARAṆĪYAMETTA SUTTA? CAN YOU GIVE SOME TIPS ? " Suttas mentioned in this segment: – Karaṇīyametta Sutta (Sn1.8) Bohoma pin to the person/people who asked this Dhamma question. A VIDEO of this Metta Q&A segment wi...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast . This is a GUIDED MEDITATION on TAPPING INTO GRATITUDE & GOODNESS . We may currently be weighed down with frustration with our present situations, maybe financial burdens, hardship, difficulties and ever-challenging situations. This guided meditation seeks to tap into a source of wholesome and good. A reminder that there are moments of bless...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. In this segment, we look at the question of " IS IT EASIER FOR A MONASTIC TO MEDITATE THAN FOR A LAY PERSON (SUCH AS IN THE CASE OF CULTIVATING METTĀ)? AND IF SO, ARE THERE THINGS THAT LAY PEOPLE NEED TO FOCUS ON (MORE THAN FOR MONASTICS) DUE TO THIS ? " Suttas mentioned in this segment: – Karaṇīyametta Sutta (Sn1.8) Bohoma pin to the person/peo...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast . This is a GUIDED MEDITATION on having the courage to practise and manifest the Buddha's teachings on the Noble Eightfold Path in a world that is becoming increasingly polarised, hateful and divisive. The emphasis is on kusala or wholesome, with a focus on steering away from hateful/harsh and divisive speech, being cautious around information, i...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. In this segment, we look at the question of "WHY IS SENSE RESTRAINT SO IMPORTANT FOR METTA? CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THE LACK OF SENSE RESTRAINT IS CONSIDERED DANGEROUS, AND WHY THE BUDDHA USES THE SIMILE OF BURNING WHEN DESCRIBING THIS?" by:  - reviewing how sense restraint fits into the training for higher virtue, higher thought and higher wis...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. Role models play an important part in all of our lives, whether we seek them out or not. And whether we walk the Buddhist Path or not, they can have the power to shape the direction we take and the ability to influence the decisions that follow on from there.    For Buddhist practitioners,  the Buddha is our most eminent role mode...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. In this segment, we look at the question of " CAN WE BE TOO KIND & CARING THAT IT OBSTRUCTS DAILY LIFE? " by:  looking at how the practise of metta results in a refinement of one's virtue (body, speech and mind);  revisiting how it's important to cultivate the ten skilled states (dasakusala)  providing another way of contempla...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. In this segment, we look at the question of " I have a good practice of sense restraint (indriya samvara), but what happens when I am attacked? " Bohoma pin to the person/people who have asked this Dhamma question. A VIDEO of this Metta Q&A segment with presentation slides has been uploaded to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - ht...

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. In this segment, we look at the question of "CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE BRAHMAVIHARAS, WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW THEY ARE DISTINCT FROM EACH OTHER?"   Suttas mentioned in this segment:  Karaṇīyametta Sutta (Sn1.8)  Vatthūpama Sutta (MN7)  Suttavebhaṅgiya (Pe 9)  Uposatha Sutta (AN 4.190)  Paṭhamaāghātapaṭivinaya Sutta (AN 5.16...