Study And Practice What A Buddha Taught
Dhamma Articles And Talks By Topic
Articles And Talks Archive - Newest First
For New Visitors - An Introduction To The Dhamma
Jhana Meditation - Right Meditation
Vipassana - Introspective Insight Into Anicca, Anatta, and Dukkha
True Refuge - The Ratana Sutta
Becoming Explained - The Loka, Bhava, and Mula Suttas
Nothing Personal - A Buddha’s Analysis Of Self
Right Mindfulness And Authentic Dhamma
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta - The Buddha's First Discourse
Magga-Vibhanga Sutta - Analysis of The Eightfold Path
Satipatthana Sutta - Four Foundations Of Mindfulness
Anapanasati Sutta - Breath-Mindfulness Meditation
Anicca, Anatta, Dukkha - Three Marks Of Existence
Four Noble Truths Articles and Talks
Eightfold Path Articles and Talks
Refined Mindfulness Articles And Talks
Five Common Hindrances To Be Mindful Of
Modern Buddhism - A Thicket Of Views
Dependent Origination, Anatta, And The Myth Of Non-Duality
Dhammapada - Concise Instruction
Theragatha and Therigatha - Poems Of Awakened Monks and Nuns
Truth Of Happiness Dhamma Study Talks
Dhamma Articles And Talks Archive
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Vipassana – A Structured Study
This is the schedule for our sixteen-week, thirty-two class study of the Buddha’s meaning of Vipassana – introspective insight into three specific fabricated common human characteristics…
The Greater Discourse On Dukkha – Maha Dukkhakkhanda Sutta
In the Maha-Dukkhakkhandha Sutta the Buddha teaches that it is the profound and liberating understanding of the true nature of – Dukkha …
The Personal Experience Of Ignorance – Dukkha Sutta
These three forms of stress referred to are rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths and Three Marks Of existence resulting in fabricated (corrupted) wrong views…
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…
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…
Anatta Lakkhana Sutta – The Not-Self Characteristic
The Not-Self Characteristic and The Five Clinging-Aggregates
The Buddha’s Second Discourse…
Cittavagga – A Well Restrained Mind
The Cittavagga teaches the suffering that follows from a mind rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths and the peaceful mind developed through the Eightfold Path…
Nothing Personal – A Buddha’s Analysis Of Self
This most profound sutta relieves the fear and aversion that arises from the desire for continued self-establishment in impermanent objects, events, views, and ideas fabricated from ignorance of Four Noble Truths. ..
Dukkha – Three Suttas
This is a category page displaying three suttas on the meaning of Dukkha…
The Lesser Discourse On Dukkha The Cula Dukkhakkhanda Sutta
In this sutta, the Buddha teaches his cousin Mahanama that the common manifestation in individual human beings of stress is greed, aversion, and deluded thinking…
Analysis of Four Noble Truths – The Sacca-Vibhanga Sutta
In the Sacca-Vibhanga Sutta, one of the Buddha’s chief disciple, Sariputta presents a complete analysis of the Four Noble Truths including a simple and direct explanation of the Eightfold Path…
Three Governing Principles For Vipassana – Adhipateyya Sutta
Rather than treating vipassana as a hybrid meditation practice, in the Adhipateyya Sutta, the Buddha teaches Jhana meditation as one factor of a complete Eightfold Path…
Cula-Saccaka Sutta – A Fearless And Independent Dhamma
In the Cula-Saccaka sutta the Buddha is challenged to debate by Saccaka, a follower of Nigantha Nataputta, the local leader of a Jain sect….
Dependent Origination – The Paticca Samuppada Vibhanga Sutta
Dependent Origination is the Buddha’s teaching on how ignorance of Four Noble Truths results in confusion, delusion, and ongoing suffering -Dukkha…
Sister Vajira Confronts Mara – The Vajira Sutta
This sutta describers I-making and impermanence. Mara represents the conditioned grasping-after constant self-establishment of a mind conflicted by its own ignorance. ..
The Buddha’s Noble Search For The Noble Path – Ariyapariyesana Sutta
The Ariyapariyesana Sutta is one of the most significant suttas in the Sutta Pitaka. It provides continual guidance on establishing and maintaining an authentic, practical, and effective Dhamma practice…
Vipassana – Introspective Insight
The Buddha’s intended purpose of the Buddha’s entire teaching career is to resolve ignorance through introspective insight into the clinging relationship between impermanent phenomena and individual ignorance and the stress and suffering that follows…
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…
Brahmanavagga – Culmination Of The Path – Dhammapada 26
The Brahmanavagga provides clear and profound guidance on how to distinguish between ordinary abstract views and confusing and contradictory “dharmas” rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths and useful and authentic Dhamma practice…
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…
Of Stained and Pure Cloth – Vatthupama Sutta
In the Vatthupama Sutta, the Buddha uses the simile of a dirty or clean cloth to teach the importance of abandoning magical, mystical, and fabricated views …
Wise Restraint – Bhikkhuvagga – Dhammapada 25
The Bhikkhuvagga is the twenty-fifth chapter of the Dhammapada. This chapter teaches wise restraint as the defining characteristic of the wise Dhamma practitioner. ..
The Sabbasava Sutta
In the Sabbasava Sutta the Buddha teaches the ending of mental fermentations from the refined mindfulness developed through the Eightfold Path…
The Waste-Water Pool – Jambali Sutta
The Jambali Sutta is another sutta on the proper use of meditation – to engage with Jhana [1] meditation to increase concentration. Jhana means meditative absorption…
Abandon Craving – Tanhavagga – Dhammapada 24
In this way, the Tanhavagga describes in practical detail the scope and purpose of the Buddha’s Dhamma. The Buddha taught a single path, the Eightfold Path, to develop a profound understanding of Four Noble Truths so to recognize and abandon all views rooted in ignorance of these Four Noble Truths and live free of the stress of constant craving…
Atthakanagara Sutta – The Single Quality For Awakening
In the Aṭṭhakanāgara Sutta, the householder Dasama inquires of Ananda if there is a single quality taught by the Buddha that would result in release from all views ignorant of Four Noble Truths…
Sariputta Sutta And Cessation Of Ignorance
In the Sariputta Sutta, Sariputta is questioned by Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin, and attendant. Ananda is confused about a fundamental aspect of the Dhamma.
Wisdom Of Restraint – Nagavagga – Dhammapada 23
The Nagavagga is the twenty-third chapter of the Dhammapada. The Buddha uses the metaphor of a well-trained elephant to describe the wisdom of developing wise restraint if one is to develop the Eightfold Path and a calm and well-concentrated mind..
Jhāna Sutta – Meditative Absorption – Mind And Body United
The four levels of Jhana are impermanent and are developed from engaging in Jhana meditation as taught by the Buddha and so should not be viewed as meditative achievement. ..
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…
Right Speech And True Compassion – Abhaya Sutta
Right Speech is always compassionate speech as it is speech informed by the wisdom of Four Noble Truths developed through the Eightfold Path…
Hell And Nibbana – Nirayavagga – Dhammapada 22
The Nirayavagga is the twenty-second chapter of the Dhammapada. It describes the living hell that follows ignorance of Four Noble Truths and the release from greed, aversion, and deluded thinking develop through the Heartwood Of The Dhamma…
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.”…
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. ..
Greater And Lesser Happiness – Pakinnkavagga – Dhammapada 21
The Pakinnakavagga is a broad presentation of the Buddha’s Dhamma with a common emphasis on recognizing and abandoning unskillful “dharmas”…
Agantuka Sutta: For All Who Reside In The Dhamma
In the Agantuka Sutta, the Buddha uses the metaphor of a common residence to show that the Eightfold Path is a true refuge for anyone seeking to develop the profound understanding of the nature of stress and suffering,..
Maggavagga – The Eightfold Path – Dhammapada 20
The Maggavagga, the twentieth chapter of the Dhammapada is remarkable in its clarity and directness of the Buddha’s words and his singular path to the cessation of craving rooted in ignorance of Four Noble Truths. ..
An Admirable Sangha – Upaddha Sutta
The Upaddha Sutta provides guidance on an underlying theme running throughout the Buddha’s Dhamma – wise associations.
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…
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..
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My Dhamma articles and talks are based on the Buddha's teachings (suttas) as preserved in the Sutta Pitaka, the second book of the Pali Canon. I have relied primarily on Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s excellent and insightful translation of the Pali generously made freely available at his website Dhammatalks.org, as well as the works of Acharya Buddharakkhita, Nyanaponika Thera, John Ireland, Maurice Walsh, Hellmuth Hecker, and Sister Khema, among others, as preserved at Access To Insight.
Also, I have found Bhikkhu Bodhi's translations from Wisdom Publications Pali Canon Anthologies to be most informative and an excellent resource.
I have made edits to the suttas from these sources for further clarity, to modernize language, to minimize repetition, and maintain contextual relevance to Dependent Origination and Four Noble Truths.
Becoming-Buddha.com and Dhamma articles and recordings by John Haspel are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
