dedicated to a peaceful & just society
grounded in contemplative & spiritual practice
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Midwestern Dhamma dedicated to a peaceful & just society grounded in contemplative & spiritual practice |
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Oak Park, ILWhat guides our meditation & daily practice of Dhamma? Right Understanding guides the path and itself arises from study & reflection. Consequently, Liberation Park encourages wise study of the Buddha's teaching as found in the Pali Suttas.
Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, p. 577ff.
This sutta appears among an interesting string of suttas (late 60s thru 70s) that largely deal with topics that modern 'lay practitioners" (not that we want to overdo that distinction) easily over look. Here, the Buddha starts with the practice of abstaining from eating at night. Is this just a monastic practice or should we inquiry more carefully? From there he considers the relationship between feelings (pleasant, unpleasant, and neither) and whether wholesomeness or unwholesomeness follows them. Then he surveys a range of spiritual maturities, most of which have more work to do.
He concludes with a summary of the gradual training he advocates and how a faithful disciple relates to that training. Like many suttas, this one is addressed to monks. To what degree may non-monastics apply it to their own lives, seemingly so distant in time, space, and lifestyle?
We discussed drafts of Buddhism in All Aspects, a new translation that Santikaro is working on. The core of this new book is Ajahn Buddhadasa's explanation of what he takes to be the original paticca-samuppada (dependent co-origination) teachings of the Buddha. The next session investigates the details of how we release from egoistic concoting and suffering.
Comments from friends in Chicago and elsewhere have helped
I'm working on a new study program for friends in Lawrence, KS. It will include new and old talks, readings, and references to other web resources. For now, its focus is Practicing with the Four Noble Truths. If interested, you can follow along here.
