Imagine a person hovering over the water, surrounded by an endless ocean stretching in all directions. As you come closer, you realize that this person does not really hover over the water. In fact, it is falling towards the water….
The most difficult part in insight meditation is to realize that your mind always takes a stand. Otherwise it could not exist. If you see, you took a stand on a sight, a see-sensing, a seeing, a see-feeling If you…
Or: What does sankhara mean? There is quite a deal of confusion regarding this important Buddhist term. Some of the translations run as follows: volitional formations mental formations fabrications, etc. etc. However, a translation for sankhara is quite easy 🙂…
For those interested in understanding how insight leads to enlightenment, probably the best contemporary resource is venerable Ñāṇananda’s texts. This venerable monk, currently residing in Sri Lanka, combines a deep understanding of the Pali canon — not just in theory…
Here comes another very beautiful story from the ancient days of early Buddhism. Enjoy: At that time in the Mahāvihāra lived a monk named Tissabhūti, who was currently studying the books of monastic discipline. One early morning while he was…
Don’t you love this: ”Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃ paṭipanno hoti – ‘no cassa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati, yadatthi yaṃ bhūtaṃ taṃ pajahāmī’ti upekkhaṃ paṭilabhati. Here, o monks, a monk does train himself thus: – “Had…
Buddhist Channel had an article today about the topic of Buddhist Christians or Christian Buddhists having to practice in secrecy :-). Well, they do not fear angry Buddhists but somehow their own Christian fellow believers. Why is that? Monotheistic wrath?…
…I would encourage you to read this post first. Otherwise you will have a hard time understanding what is said next: Now, interpreting “iti pajanati” directly as a way to meditate, even Buddha’s 4 noble truths become themselves a theme…
Or: How can I desire Nibbana if it is supposed to be the end of desires? Part of mainstream Buddhism and supported by a notion from the late Mahayana school of thought is the proposition that you cannot achieve Nibbana…
Or: The meaning of samyojana The Buddha defined four stages during the emancipation from Samsara: The stream enterer – someone who realized nibbana (magga-phala) through insight meditation for the first time with a remainder of 7 lives left in samsara…