Dhamma Articles And Talks Archive

This is the complete archive of all Dhamma articles and talks on Becoming-Buddha.com, organized with most recent class’ first.

Click On Title For Full Article And Talk

Shunyata – Three Discourses on Emptiness

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)…

Khanda Sutta Five Clinging-Aggregates

The Five  Clinging-Aggregates are the Buddha’s description of the ongoing personal experience of ignorance of Four Noble Truths and the stress and suffering that follows this initial condition. 

Dhamma-Viharin Sutta – Dwelling In The Dhamma

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…

Simsapa Sutta A Handful Of Leaves

“This is what I teach. I teach these things because they are related to my Dhamma and they support the principles of a life integrated with the Eightfold Path. These things that I teach lead directly to disenchantment, to dispassion…

Hindrances To Awakening – Two Suttas

Another word for hindrances is obstacles. These five hindrances are self-imposed obstacles commonly employed in a subtle and often unnoticed (strategically ignored) internal strategy to continue to ignore ignorance of Four Noble Truths…

Rahogata Sutta – Ending Fabrications Through Jhana

In the Rahogata Sutta, the Buddha teaches that feelings of pleasure, pain, or ambivalence, when perceived through a mimd rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths will fabricate what is experienced in a way that reaffirms ignorance and continues stress…

Becoming Explained – The Loka, Bhava, and Mula Suttas

There is much confusion as to the meaning of “becoming.” Due to this confusion, great license is taken in interpreting what is meant by becoming as taught by the Buddha. This confusion and the following misapplication of the Dhamma can be avoided by simply looking at the Buddha’s own words from the following three sutta’s…

Ratana Sutta – True Refuge

Nearly all schools of Buddhism refer to “The Triple Refuge” or taking refuge in “The Three Jewels.” Refuge is a place or state of mind that is a source of comfort and peace…

How We Teach And Practice Dhamma

OUR SUGGESTED DHAMMA PRACTICEContinuing Right Effort We suggest two Jhana meditation sessions a day using the recordings linked below  to continually reinforce the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as your Jhana practice. Please keep in mind, two Jhana sessions per day...

Current & Upcoming Dhamma Class Suttas / Topics

 Current Dhamma Review: Dhammapada, Concise Dhamma Instruction Shunyata - Three Discourses On Emptiness Begins June 20   Wise Restraint - Understanding Dispassion Review Begins Jul 4 Vipassana - Introspective Insight Review Begins August 22  John's Books...

Truth Of Happiness Dhamma Study

Below is the complete text of The Truth Of Happiness Dhamma Study, a companion study of Becoming Buddha - Becoming Awakened. Also below are audio recordings from our past Truth of Happiness Dhamma Studies.  Prior to each week’s class, participants in our study read...

The Nidana Sutta – Ending The Defilements

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”…

Three Trainings For Liberation – The Sikkha Sutta

The Sikh Sutta teaches the the Eightfold Path is a path that incorporates the three aspects or trainings necessary for becoming Rightly Self-Awakened as the Buddha instructs. The Eightfold Path is a training in developing heightened virtue, heightened concentration, and heightened wisdom…

Sustenance For Awakening – Ahara Sutta

Rather than avoid responsibility for these hindrances through modern “dharma” practices, the Buddha taught the why and how of applying the Dhamma in specific direct, skillful, and highly effective Eightfold Path. I..

The Nagara Sutta – The Buddha Describes His Awakening

The Nagara Sutta is remarkable in its simplicity in describing Dependent Origination in a practically applied way. In this sutta the Buddha clearly shows how ignorance of Four Noble Truths and of The Three Marks of existence “originates” the process that all manner of disappointment, unsatisfactoriness, distraction, and suffering – in a word Dukkha – is “dependent” on…

Vimala – A Courtesan Unbound

This poem describes the nun Vimala’s awakening, gaining full human maturity. Through developing the Eightfold Path, [2] Vimala, abandoned all self-referential views rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths [3] and gained release from self-imposed suffering…

Kuta Sutta – A Good Roof

In the Kuta Sutta, the Buddha teaches Anathapindika the importance of protecting one’s mind through restraint. Anathapindika was a wealthy businessman and early benefactor of the Buddha and the original Sangha…

Dhammika – Pure Protection

In this poem, the awakened monk Dhammika shows the importance of a well-practiced and authentic Dhamma practice and the protection from worldly entanglements provided….

The Saddhamma Sutta – False Dhamma’s

The intense desire to alter the dhamma to fit confused views rooted in ignorance of The Four Noble Truths has persisted until today. This has resulted in many contradictory “Buddhist” religions that together present a confusing “dharma.”…

Acting To Awaken – Karma Sutta

Karma (Pali: Kamma) is the central theme of the Dhamma. It is the abstract definition of the practical experience of Five Clinging-Aggregates within Thee Marks Of Existence…

Tissa Sutta: Uncertain

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…

Welcome To BBCRMC – What The Buddha Taught And Why

Approximately two thousand six hundred years ago a human being, Siddharth Gotama, realized a profound and penetrative path to understanding the cause and underlying condition of all human discontent, stress, and disappointing life experiences: Ignorance of Four Noble Truths.

The Sabbasava Sutta

In the Sabbasava Sutta the Buddha teaches the ending of mental fermentations from the refined mindfulness developed through the Eightfold Path…

Released From Affliction – Khajjaniya Sutta

The Khajjaniya Sutta is a profound teaching on the confusion and suffering that follows from clinging to speculative views rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths. The Buddha’s described the personal vehicle for ongoing stress and suffering as “Five Clinging Aggregates.”

Knowing True Refuge – Three Suttas

​ These are the most recent talks on this subject. As of December, 2019, There are more than 600 Dhamma talks on this and other teachings of the Buddha in my audio and video archives: [maxbutton...

Fire Discourse Attachments to Passion

About one month after the Buddha’s first two discourses, he presented The Fire Discourse to approximately 1,000 followers. Upon hearing this short discourse, most of those in attendance awakened…

The Culavedalla Sutta

“Clear knowing (true insight) lies on the other side of ignorance. And, Visakha, with clear knowing comes release (from clinging). From release from clinging comes complete unbinding.”….

Timeless Wisdom – Three Suttas

The three suttas linked below example the profound wisdom of an awakened human being. Siddartha Gotama describes the quality of an awakened mind in the Bahiya Sutta. The Arahant Sutta describes “awakening” from a Rightly-Self-Awakening Human Being’s Right View....

The Mindfulness of Bahiya

The Buddha was serene, at peace. Bahiya placed himself at the Buddha’s feet and asked: “Teach me the Dhamma Awakened one. Teach me the Dhamma for my long-term welfare and lasting happiness…

The Sambodhi Sutta – The Wings of Self-Awakening

The Sambodhi Sutta teaches the very specific “vipassana” or insight that the Buddha teaches. It is insight into Three Marks Of Existence. These three “marks” or common human characteristics define a person’s life when their minds are rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths…

BBCRMC Teaching Staff and Training

The Dhamma Teachers on this page have successfully completed their BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Training and continue to maintain their certification by teaching the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma.↓ BBCRMC Dhamma Teacher Training ↓ John's 2020 New Years Message An...

Vipassana – A Structured Study Introduction

Vipassana - A Structured Study Anicca, Anatta, and Dukkha Resolved Introduction Part One Introduction Part Two ↓ INTRODUCTION PART ONE Vipassana means insight. In the context of the Buddha’s Dhamma, vipassana is not merely a popular hybrid meditation method or a...

Foundations Of The Buddha’s Dhamma Retreat Book

Foundations Of The Buddha's Dhamma Retreat Talks Coming Soon   These are the most recent talks on this subject. As of December, 2019, There are more than 600 Dhamma talks on this and other teachings of the Buddha in my audio and video archives: ...

Reconciling The Dhamma With Other Practices

This is a talk from our Thursday Dhamma class. A common challenge when developing the Dhamma as the Buddha taught is reconciling the Dhamma with other wholesome practices such as Yoga. One of our staff teachers, Jen, teaches that by maintaining fidelity to the Dhamma...

BBCRMC True Vipassana Retreat Book

These are the most recent talks on this subject. As of December, 2019, There are more than 600 Dhamma talks on this and other teachings of the Buddha in my audio and video archives:  Becoming Buddha Cross River...

Local Knowledge – Uncommon Dhamma

The title “Local Knowledge – Uncommon Dhamma” refers to the profound depth of knowledge that supports the useful and skillful understanding that is developed by those with “local knowledge” of what the Buddha actually taught.

Dependent Origination And Conditioned Mind

All of human life is anicca, impermanent and uncertain. Life in the phenomenal world is ultimately unsatisfactory, dukkha, due to life’s inescapable qualities of impermanence and uncertainty. Arising from a wrong view of life in the phenomenal world, an impermanent and insubstantial “self” is formed…

Salvation-Free Buddhism

Why An Awakened Human Being Abandoned Religion For a complete understanding of the Buddha's Dhamma referenced herein within the scope and context intended, please read "Foundations Of The Buddha's Dhamma" on our Home Page: Becoming-Buddha.com. Clinging to a belief in...

Poems From The Heartwood

Haiku and  Free-Form Poetry From John and The Becoming Buddha Cross River Meditation Center Sangha (Click On Title)   My Friend Sid True Refuge Ig-Noble Truths Tough (Self)-Love Four Personal Space Becoming (Awakened Bahiya Something Horrible, Something Wonderful...

BBCRMC Class Recordings

CROSS RIVER MEDITATION CENTERAUDIO / VIDEO RECORDINGS ARCHIVE ↓ 800+ Audio Recordings ↓↓ 600+ Video Recordings ↓ ↑ Back To Top...

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THE ASSUTAVA SUTTA SAMYUTTA NIKAYA 12.61 The Buddha was at the Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery. There he addressed the assembled monks: “Monks an uninstructed ordinary person might grow disenchanted with their body composed of the four great...

Online Forum Comments

These are comments of mine from online Buddhist forums. My intent here is not to disparage other dharmas. My intent is to provide clarity to what an awakened human being actually taught as preserved in the second book of the Pali Canon, the Sutta Pitaka…

Foundations of the Buddha’s Dhamma BBCRMC Retreat Book

Foundations of the Buddha;s Dhamma Retreat Book June 29 To July 3, 2022Won Dharma Center, Claverack, New York Profound Contentment Retreat Reservations →Profound Contentment Retreat Practical and Logistical Information →Profound Contentment Retreat Book PDF Version...

Rahula – The Buddha’s Son – Two Suttas

These are two suttas referencing Rahula, the Buddha’s son, who was born just before Siddhartha he left his home seeking understanding. Now seven years later, the Buddha teaches his seven-year-old son a profound lesson in mindfulness. The second sutta has Rahula describing the results of his own awakening some years later.

Becoming Buddha 2019 Retreats

These are pictures videos, and Dhamma Talks from our Becoming Buddha Immersion In The Dhamma residential retreat held at the Won Dharma Center in Claverack, NY. We were in residence from May 16 to May 19, 2019. ..

The ‘Miracle’ Of The Dhamma – The Kevatta Sutta

As shown in this sutta, and the supportive linked suttas, it is clear that a “dharma” practice that encourages self-identification in conceptual, speculative, and suppositional realms was something the Buddha continually cautioned against, but sadly continues and is encouraged by most modern Buddhism By Common Agreement groups…

Devadatta Sutta – A Monks Greed

Devadatta was driven by the need to be acknowledged as an enlightened being rather than actually develop the Dhamma. He wanted to introduce his own “dhamma” and gain recognition with his peers material wealth, and power. Devadatta plotted to have the Buddha killed so that he could take over the Sangha…

Upacala Defeats Mara

Upacala teaches how she has overcome suffering by establishing refined mindfulness and gaining insight into impermanence, not-self, and suffering through developing to its culmination the Eightfold Path…

Subhuti – A Comfortable Abode

This poem is from the Theragatha. The Theragatha preserves 264 poems of elder monks and is the eighth section in the Khuddaka Nikāya.
Here, the monk Subhuti describes in concise and profoundly sublime detail the quality of an awakened mind…

Sona – A Mother Of Ten Awakens

In this poem, Sona comes to the Dhamma late in life and quickly develops a profound understanding of key elements of the Dhamma including Five Clinging Aggregates, Three Marks Of Existence, restraint at the Six-Sense-Base, meditative absorption, and a penetrative understanding of Four Noble Truths..

Kumma Sutta: The Tortoise

These short sutta shows the importance of restraint in the Dhamma. The Four Noble Truths show that all manner of disappointment and suffering arises from craving and clinging. ..

Bhikkhuvaga Sutta – To a Monk

In the Bhikkhuvaga Sutta, the Buddha teaches the importance to develop the virtuous factors of the Eightfold Path of Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood to recognize and abandon unskillful thoughts, words, and deeds…

Pamadaviharin Sutta: Dwelling in Mindfulness

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…

When Dhamma Practice Is Stressful

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…

Rohitassa Sutta – Inner Mindfulness

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…

Precepts and Paramitas

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…

Becoming Buddha 2018 Retreats

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…

Becoming Buddha Progressive Web App

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.

Sariputta and Moggallana – The Buddha’s Chief Disciples

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. ..

Five Hindrances to Awakening

Hindrances or distractions will arise. They will have no permanent effect on your practice if you persevere. Hindrances are recognized mind states to be aware of. Be with them as dispassionately as possible. As long as you continue with your practice, hindrances will arise and subside until they no longer are a part of your conditioned thinking…

Karma and Rebirth

This is an article and talk on Karma and Rebirth. Karma and Rebirth are misunderstood and misapplied key teachings…

Wisdom and Right Intention – Nagasena Answers King Milinda

As wisdom and understanding develop, Right Intention is seen as the essence of the Dhamma, and of mindfulness. As the Dhamma’s purpose is to develop understanding of dukkha and experience the cessation of the origination of dukkha, clinging, Right Intention is the intention to abandon all forms of clinging. Right Intention also informs the proper application of intelligence and developing wisdom…

The Meghiya Sutta

In the Meghiya Sutta, the Buddha teaches Meghiya five qualities that bring awakening or full human maturity…

The Buddha Taught Happiness

I believe it is wrong speech to misrepresent the Buddha’s Dhamma. Cultural influence, individual views, and a lack of thorough inquiry has led to a “thicket of views” within Buddhism…

Fear, Meditation, Anatta

Fear arising during meditation, particularly shamatha-vipassana meditation, is a subject that comes up often. When meditation is practiced within the framework of the Eightfold Path the context of the Four Noble Truths brings understanding and guidance…

Maha-Assapura Sutta

In the Maha-Assapura Sutta the Buddha teaches the assembled monks and nuns that being known as “contemplatives” and identifying as contemplatives does not fully describe the qualities of one following the Eightfold Path…

Unanswered Questions The Khema Sutta

The Buddha did not make a definitive declaration or left unanswered, questions that could not be answered as the declaration or direct answer would likely develop additional confusion or distraction…

Akankha Sutta Wishes Granted

In the Akankha Sutta the Buddha addresses the  assembled sangha on the wish to be helpful to others.  He teaches that having a mind inclined to compassion and wisdom is noble…

Going Forth

The Buddha called himself the “Tathagata” which means “one who has gone forth and” and has through his own efforts awakened to the truth of reality…

A Dhamma of Mindfulness

Throughout the Buddha’s teaching he emphasized mindfulness. Mindfulness is the quality of mind that brings insight to the Buddha’s teaching…

Dispassion – Freedom From Desire

The Buddha taught that conditioned states of mind have definite and direct causes. This is often referred as the law of conditionality or the law of “if this occurs then that results”…

Modern Buddhism – A Thicket of Views

What I have found through my own direct experience and inquiry is that the attempt to protect a particular modern lineage or to insist on a one-size-fits-all reconciliation of all the modern Buddhist “Dharmas” leads to a confusing and, again in my experience, an ineffective “thicket of views.” The term thicket of views are the words the Buddha used 2600 years ago to describe what would occur by craving for an adapted form of Dharma practice…

Post Election Mindfulness

Post Election Mindfulness is an excerpt from our Saturday morning Dhamma class at Cross River Meditation Center in Frenchtown, New Jersey, on February 4, 2017. A question was asked regarding the turbulence following the recent presidential election about maintaining a calm and well-concentrated mind during these quickly changing times…

The 12 Causative Links of Dependent Origination

This is a Dhamma talk on the twelve observable causative links of Dependent Origination. This talk was recorded on January 31, 2017. Dependent origination is what the Buddha awakened to and shows that from ignorance of Four Noble Truths, all manner of confusion, delusion, and suffering arises…

Right Intention Right Thinking

Right Intention is being mindful, holding in mind, the intention to recognize and abandon clinging to objects, events, views, and ideas. The Buddha’s original and direct teachings show that the common problem of dukkha, the unsatisfactory nature of life that gives rise to all manner of confusion and suffering, originates in clinging rooted in ignorance…

Metta Intentional Meditation

This is a recording of Metta Intentional Meditation. Metta means Goodwill or Lovingkindness. Metta is both an aspiration of those developing the Eightfold Path and the ongoing expression of an awakened, fully mature human being….

The Eightfold Path – A Complete Practice

A Complete Practice was originally presented as a three-part series of dhamma articles and talks. I have combined these articles and talks into one coherent post. The Buddha taught and Eightfold Path that is often diminished in effectiveness through adaptations and accommodations made to allow for individually and culturally influenced views of what “Buddhism” should be…

Mara & Metaphor

The Buddha, (and the recorders of the Canon) often used metaphor when referring to thoughts and thought-constructs (fabrications)…

Samadhi A Non-Distracted Mind

The Buddha taught Samadhi in numerous Suttas, always describing the result of Samadhi. What is clear in all these teachings is the quality of mind the Buddha describes. These are qualities of an awakened mind fully present moment-by-moment in the phenomenal world…

The Four Noble Truths

At the Buddha’s very first teaching he presented The Four Noble Truths to the five wandering ascetics he had previously befriended on their search for enlightenment. He described awakening in very simple and direct terms. He would spend the next forty-five years teaching the Dhamma always in the context of these truths…

A Prince Becomes a Buddha

Siddartha Guatama was born into a royal family of a small kingdom, the Shakyan republic. His hometown, Kapilavastu was in what is now southern Nepal on the Indian border…

The Karaniya Metta Sutta

The Karaniya Metta shows that the most loving and compassionate action that anyone can take is to engage wholeheartedly with the direct teachings of the Buddha and awaken…

The Five Clinging Aggregates

Dependent Origination describes the impersonal process resulting in confusion and suffering founded in ignorance. The Five Clinging-Aggregates describe the impersonal nature of the perception

The Jhanas – Meditative Absorption

The Buddha described four levels of meditative states that are known as “jhanas.” These are not to be taken as mind states to achieve. The jhanas are simply an explanation of different levels of concentration. Much is made in the commentaries regarding the importance of achieving these states and the intense effort needed to reach the more “advanced” levels. There is no relative importance to any of these states except to point to the experience of deepening concentration…

Paradox and the Dhamma

Engaging in the dhamma and taking true refuge in the dhamma does not begin with recognizing the paradox of attempting to “save all sentient beings” but with the realistic and achievable goal…

Right Mindfulness

Mindfulness in the context of The Four Noble Truths is to abandon the distraction of stress arising from craving clinging, and remain focused on The Eightfold Path…

Jhana Meditation And The Four Noble Truths

This is a talk on Jhana meditation practiced within the context of The Four Noble Truths. The Buddha taught Jhana meditation as one factor of the Eightfold Path. Jhana is primarily used to develop the profond concentration necessary to develop understanding of The Four Noble Truths…

BBCRMC Retreats Cancellation Confirmation

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GIRIMANANDA SUTTA – TEN UNDERSTANDINGS ANGUTTARA NIKAYA 10.6 On one occasion the Buddha was staying in Savatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monestary. Venerable Girimananda was sick and distressed. Ananda went to the Buddha and asked if he would visit...

Mahākāla – The Corpse

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…

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