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Old News Archive
October 1999
© 1999

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- [27 October 1999]: New talks from Ajaan Lee
  - Starting Out Small: A Collection of Talks for Beginning Meditators, by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 114k/33pp.) This collection of fourteen short talks provides an excellent introduction to Ajaan Lee's approach to breath meditation. Although the talks make for great reading, they make for even better listening. If you meditate with a group of friends, try arranging for one member of the group to read a passage while the others are meditating. In that way you can best recreate the context for which the talks were originally intended.
- [26 October 1999]: Poems on non-clinging, from the Sutta Nipata
  - A complete translation of the Atthaka Vagga, the fourth chapter of the Sutta Nipata, is now available. These sixteen poems, on the theme of non-clinging, were originally composed for an audience of wandering, homeless monks. Even so, these poems offer valuable lessons for lay people as well, particularly when the passages referring directly to the homeless life are read as symbolic of a state of mind (see Thanissaro Bhikkhu's Introduction for details).
- [24 October 1999]: Etiquette and duties for monks (and laypeople, too)
  - Vatta Khandaka (Cv 8) — Collection of Duties. This chapter from the Vinaya concerns the duties that govern the day-to-day life of the bhikkhus (monks). Many of the duties outlined here are more subtle than the strict rules laid out elsewhere in the Vinaya, and call on the bhikkhus to cultivate a respectful and well-mannered sensitivity to others in the monastic community. Although this text is principally intended for monks, laypeople will find in it many useful hints for the mindful cultivation of good habits and manners, even in the midst of a busy lay life.
- [23 October 1999]: Two important notes:
  - The Handful of Leaves CD is coming in December The Handful of Leaves CD-ROM should be back in print (as version 2.0) and ready for mailing by 10 December. If you'd like a copy, and you haven't yet sent in your request, now is a good time to do so .

    Over the next couple of weeks I'll be making the final corrections and additions to the website before making the CD. So as you browse through the website, please let me know of any bugs or errors — large or small — that you find. With your help, together we can make the website — and the CD — better than ever!

  - Download the entire website You don't have to wait for the CD in order to have your own copy of the Access to Insight website on your PC. You can now download and install an up-to-date copy of the entire website in bulk onto your computer.
- [20 October 1999]: Anthology of Ajaan Lee
  - The Eye of Discernment: An Anthology from the Teachings of Phra Ajaan Lee Dhammadaro, selected and translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. This anthology serves as an excellent starting point for newcomers to Ajaan Lee's teachings.
- [20 October 1999]: New suttas:
  - Haliddakani Sutta (SN 22.3) — To Haliddakani. Ven. Maha Kaccana explains to a householder what it means to live as a monk, free of society, free of sensual passion, free of yearning, and free of quarreling.
  - Two tiny gems from the Theragatha: Thag 1.26 and Thag 1.39.
- [18 October 1999]: A new talk and a new Study Guide
  - Stop, Look, and Let Go, by Upasika Kee Nanayon, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 21k/7pp.) A talk covering a variety of topics, all concerning the need for being observant in watching over the mind. Memorable quote: "People who are intelligent and discerning prefer criticism to praise. Stupid people prefer praise to criticism."
  - Beyond Coping: The Buddha's Teachings on Aging, Illness, Death, and Separation (a Study Guide).
- [9 October 1999]: Teachings by Ajaan Suwat
  - A Fistful of Sand, by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 120k/40pp.) Ajaan Suwat, an elder Thai forest monk, has been an important presence over the past two decades in bringing the teachings of the Thai forest tradition to the United States. These Dhamma talks and question-and-answer sessions were recorded during a two-week meditation retreat he taught at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts in 1990. This event marked a rare opportunity for an elder Thai ajaan to speak directly to Westerners in their home environment. With a disarming ease and clarity, Ajaan Suwat here illuminates a number of vital points of Dhamma that will help the reader develop the proper attitude towards the practice of meditation.
- [6 October 1999]: A new home for Access to Insight
  - In case you hadn't noticed, Access to Insight has a new URL: http://www.accesstoinsight.org. Be sure to update your bookmarks accordingly. If you're interested, you can read more about the name change.

    In making this change, I had to rearrange a few files in the website. If you find any bugs, please let me know.

- [6 October 1999]: Three new book offerings:
  - The Bhikkhus' Rules — A Guide for Laypeople: The Theravadin Buddhist Monk's Rules Compiled and Explained, by Bhikkhu Ariyesako This book provides a very readable summary of the bhikkhus' (monks') rules, with a particular emphasis on giving laypeople a better understanding of the monks' way of life. Included also are questions-and-answers concerning the proper etiquette for laypeople when in the company of monks (how and when to bow, how to offer food or other requisites, etc.), examples of the particular customs and rules of etiquette that apply at specific Theravada monasteries, and a wealth of other valuable information.
  - The Book of Protection (Paritta), translated and explained by Piyadassi Thera. An ancient anthology of paritta (protection) suttas translated into English: discourses of the Buddha commonly recited for protection against fear, illness, and misfortune. An introductory essay explains the value of paritta recitation for physical and mental health.
  - The Way of Mindfulness: The Satipatthana Sutta and Its Commentary, by Soma Thera. A translation of the Satipatthana Sutta, the Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness, together with its classical commentaries. This handbook contains a wealth of essential source material for the practice of insight meditation.