by John Haspel
This poem directly shows the wisdom of understanding the reality of human life and the inevitable conclusion for every life. When understood in the context of Dependent Origination and Four Noble Truths, this poem contains the wisdom of a Buddha…
by John Haspel
It is mindful restraint at the Six-sense base that develops awakening or full human maturity. The Six-sense base is our five physical senses and interpretive thinking. In this way, the teachings on restraint directly relate to Dependent Origination in a very practical way…
by John Haspel
In this poem, the nun Mittakali recounts her going forth still affected by continued clinging to wrong views ignorant of Four Noble Truths. ..
by John Haspel
The Dhammannu Sutta is similar to the Dhamma-Viharin Sutta. [1] In both suttas the Buddha describes in detail what it means to have developed a well-integrated Dhamma practice..
by John Haspel
In the Dhamma-Viharin Sutta, the Buddha is teaching that engaging with the Dhamma through intellectual study alone will not develop cessation of craving after and clinging to views ignorant of Four Noble Truths, and the confusion and suffering that follows…
by John Haspel
In the Nidana Sutta, the Buddha focuses on recognizing and abandoning the Three Defilements of greed, aversion, and deluded thinking. All three of the defilements are rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths and the resulting ongoing self-referential “I-making”…
by John Haspel
by John Haspel
This is an article and talk on Karma and Rebirth. Karma and Rebirth are misunderstood and misapplied key teachings…
by John Haspel
Tissa is a cousin of the Buddha and a monk in the original Sangha. Tissa’s mind is still troubled from continued clinging to wrong views rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths…
by John Haspel
These are recordings of our end-of-year classes at Cross River Meditation Center in Frenchtown New Jersey On December 26, 28, and 30, 2017…
by John Haspel
Often “Buddhist” practice is initially engaged with as a response to the unsatisfactory nature of life. This begins to develop Right View but meditation and Dhamma practice should not create additional stress…
by John Haspel
In this sutta, the Buddha teaches five strengths to be developed and maintained that directly support integration of the Eightfold Path…
by John Haspel
Rohitassa Sutta – Mindfulness of what occurs is an article and talk on the Rohitassa Sutta where the Buddha answers Rohitassa’s question regarding the possibility of awakening by seeking outside of himself in an actual or figurative sense…
by John Haspel
Jiddu Krishnamurti often said “Look at the lives you are living.” He was stressing the importance of being mindfully present in thought, word and deed in our interaction with others and with ourselves…
by John Haspel
In this sutta the Buddha teaches that actions are the outward expression of either foolishness originating in ignorance, or wisdom originating in understanding…
by John Haspel
The difficulties of not losing the way as far as maintaining a Dhamma practice has always been a challenge. Dhamma practice is likely even more difficult today…
by John Haspel
These are pictures videos, and Dhamma Talks from our Becoming Buddha Foundations of Mindfulness and Meditation 2018 residential retreat held at the Won Dharma Center in Clavarack, NY. We were in residence from May 17 to May 20 2018…
by John Haspel
This brief sutta uses a simile to emphasize mindfulness as the Buddha teaches mindfulness. …
by John Haspel
The Satthusana Sutta is a concise sutta presented to a monk well-versed in the Buddha’s teachings. He has developed understanding of Dependent Origination and Four Noble Truths…
by John Haspel
The Becoming Buddha App can be added to your home screen from your mobile device browser:
On your Android/Chrome device click the triple dot menu at the top right of your screen and on IOS/Safari click the share icon at the top right of your screen.
Navigate to “Add To Home Screen.”
Peace.
by John Haspel
Shortly before Siddartha Gotama, the future Buddha’s birth, Upatissa and Kolita were born on the same day in neighboring towns. They would become two of the most accomplished and important members of the original Sangha becoming known as Venerable Sariputta and Venerable Moggallana. ..
by John Haspel
The Pali Canon consists of three distinct collections. It is often referred to as “The Tipitaka” or the three baskets. The first collection is the Vinaya Pitaka…
by John Haspel
Shunyata – Three Discourses on Emptiness is an article on the Buddha’s teachings on emptiness. I will cite three suttas where the Buddha teaches the meaning and application of emptiness, shunyata (Pali: Sunnata)…
by John Haspel
I do not answer these questions as they are not fundamental with the goal. They do not develop disenchantment, dispassion, with calming, with unbinding, with direct knowledge, with awakening…
by John Haspel
“Vaccha, the notion that ‘the cosmos is eternal’ is a thicket of views, as are all these views. These views are a wilderness of views. These views distort reality. These views are fetters…