The Buddha’s Wisdom Podcast

This episode is a narration of the 49th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Brahmanimantanika Sutta. In this sutta the Buddha ascends to a high heavenly realm where he engages in a cosmic contest with a powerful divinity, who had fallen into the delusion that he was eternal and all-powerful. This translation of the Brahmanimantanika Sutta is by Bhikkhu Sujato and was sourced from Sut...

This episode is a narration of the 48th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Kosambiya Sutta, which is about the mendicants of Kosambi. Despite the Buddha’s presence, the monks of Kosambi fell into a deep and bitter dispute. The Buddha taught the reluctant monks to develop love and harmony, reminding them of the state of peace that they sought. This translation of the Kosambiya Sutta...

This episode is a narration of the 47th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Vīmaṁsaka Sutta, which translates as “The Inquirer”. While some spiritual teachers prefer to remain in obscurity, the Buddha not only encouraged his followers to closely investigate him, but gave them a detailed and demanding method to do so. This translation of the Vīmaṁsaka Sutta is by Bhikkhu Sujato and wa...

This episode is a narration of the 46th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahadhammasamādāna Sutta, which translates as “The Great Discourse on Taking Up of Practices”. In this sutta the Buddha explains that, whilst we all want to be happy, we often find the opposite happens. The Buddha explains why. This translation of the Mahadhammasamādāna Sutta is by Bhikkhu Sujato and was sour...

This episode is a narration of the 45th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷadhammasamādāna Sutta, which translates as “The Shorter Discourse on Taking Up of Practices”. The Buddha explains how taking up different practices may have harmful or beneficial results. The memorable simile of the creeper shows how insidious temptations can be. This translation of the Cūḷadhammasamādāna...

This episode is a narration of the 44rd Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷavedalla Sutta, which translates as “ The Shorter Elaboration ”. This discourse the layman Visākha asks the Awakened nun Dhammadinnā about various difficult matters, including some of the highest meditation attainments. Afterwards, the Lord Buddha fully endorses her answers. This translation of the Culaved...

This episode is a narration of the 43rd Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahāvedalla Sutta, which translates as “ The Great Classification ”. This discourse involves a series of questions and answers between the Venerable Sariputta and the Venerable Mahakotthita examing various aspects of the teachings. This translation of the Mahavedalla Sutta is by Bhikkhu Sujato and was sourced...

This episode is a narration of the 42nd Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Verañjaka Sutta, which translates as “ The People of Verañja ”. This sutta is very similar to the previous sutta. Here the Buddha explains the conduct leading to rebirth in higher or lower states, including detailed explanations of the ten core practices. This translation of the Veranjaka Sutta is by Bhikkhu...

This episode is a narration of the 41st Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Sāleyyaka Sutta, which translates as “ The People of Sālā ”. In this discourse the Buddha explains to a group of brahmins the conduct leading to rebirth in higher or lower states, including detailed explanations of the ten core practices which lay people should undertake, and which also form the basis for lib...

This episode is a narration of the 40th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷaassapura Sutta, which translates as “ The Shorter Discourse at Assapura ”. In this discourse the Buddha explains how the labels of being a spiritual practitioner don’t just come from external trappings, but from sincere inner change. This translation of the Culaassapura Sutta is by Bhikkhu Sujato and was...

This episode is a narration of the 39th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahāassapura Sutta, which translates as “ The Longer Discourse at Assapura ”. In this discourse the Buddha encourages the monks to live up to their name, by actually practicing in a way that meets or exceeds the expectations people have for renunciants. This translation of the Mahaassapura Sutta is by Bhikkhu...

This episode is a narration of the 38th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta, which translates as “the Longer Discourse on the Ending of Craving ”. In this discourse the Buddha teaches dependent origination, showing that consciousness arises dependent on conditions. The Buddha does this to counter the wrong view that a self-identical consciousness transmigrates...

This episode is a narration of the 37th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta, which translates as “the Shorter Discourse on the Ending of Craving ”. In this discourse one of the Buddha’s chief disciples, Venerable Maha Moggallāna visits the heaven of Sakka, the lord of gods, to see whether he really understands what the Buddha is teaching. This translation of t...

This episode is a narration of the 36th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahasaccaka Sutta, which translates as “the Longer Discourse with Saccaka”. In this discourse the Buddha and Saccaka discuss the difference between physical and mental development. The Buddha gives a long account of the various practices he did before awakening, detailing the astonishing lengths he took to mo...

This episode is a narration of the 35th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷasaccaka Sutta, which translates as “the Shorter Discourse with Saccaka”. In this sutta the Buddha is challenged by a debater named Saccaka who challenges the Buddha to a contest. Despite Saccaka’s bragging about how superior he is at debating, the Buddha is not at all perturbed. This translation of the Cū...

This episode is a narration of the 34th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷagopālaka Sutta, which translates as “the Shorter Discourse on the Cowherd”. In this sutta the Buddha draws parallels between a cowherd guiding his herd across a dangerous river and crossing over to Awakening. The Buddha presents the various kinds of enlightened disciples who cross the stream of transmigra...

This episode is a narration of the 33rd Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Mahāgopālaka Sutta, which translates as “the longer discourse on the cowherd”. In this sutta the Buddha enumerates eleven reasons a cowherd is not able to properly look after a herd. The Buddha then compares this to the spiritual growth of a mendicant. This translation of the Mahāgopālaka Sutta is by Bhikkhu Sujato and was s...

This episode is a narration of the 32nd Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Mahāgosiṅga Sutta, which translates as “the longerer discourse at Gosinga”. In this sutta several senior monks, reveling in the beauty of the night, discuss what kind of practitioner would adorn the park. They take their answers to the Buddha, who praises their answers, but gives his own twist. This translation of the Mahago...

This episode is the 31st Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Cūḷagosiṅga Sutta, which translates as “the shorter discourse at Gosinga”. In this sutta the Buddha comes across three mendicants practicing diligently and harmoniously, and asks them how they do it. Reluctant to disclose their higher attainments, they explain how they deal with the practical affairs of living together. But when pressed by...

This episode is the 30th Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Cūḷasāropama Sutta, which translates as “the shorter simile of the Heartwood”. In this teaching, following an incident with Devadatta, the Buddha cautions the monks against becoming complacent with superficial benefits of spiritual life and points to liberation as the true heart of the teaching. This translation of the Culasaropama Sutta i...

This is the 29th Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Mahāsāropama Sutta, which translates as “the longer simile of the Heartwood”. In this teaching, following an incident with Devadatta, the Buddha cautions the monks against becoming complacent with superficial benefits of spiritual life and points to liberation as the true heart of the teaching. This translation of the Mahāsaropama Sutta is by Bhik...

This is the 28th Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Mahahatthipadopama Sutta, which translates as “the longer discourse on the Elephant’s Footprint”. The Buddha’s chief disciple, Venerable Sāriputta gives an elaborate demonstration of how, just as any footprint can fit inside an elephant’s, all the Buddha’s teaching can fit inside the four noble truths. This offers an overall template for organizin...

This episode is the 27th sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Culahatthipadopam Sutta which translates as “The Shorter Discourse on the Elephant’s Footprint”. In this sutta the Buddha cautions against swift conclusions about a teacher’s spiritual accomplishments, comparing it to the care a tracker would use when tracking elephants. He presents the full training of a monastic. This translation of the...

This episode is the 26th sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Pāsarāsi sutta which translates as “The Noble Search”. This sutta is one of the most important biographical discourses, telling the Buddha’s experiences from leaving home to the realization of Awakening. This translation of the Pāsarāsi sutta is by Bhikkhu Sujato and was sourced from Sutta Central. The Buddha's Wisdom Podcast is part of th...

This episode is the 25th sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Nivapa sutta which is listed on Sutta Central with both the translated English titles of “Fodder” and also “Sowing”. In this sutta, The Buddha compares getting trapped by Māra with a deer getting caught in a snare, illustrating the ever more complex strategies employed by hunted to get free from the traps set by the hunter. This translatio...