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Old News Archive
September 1997
© 1997

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- [21 Sept 97] Suttas from the Anguttara Nikaya (Sevens), added and indexed:
  - Bhikkhu-aparihaniya Sutta (AN 7.21) — Conditions for No Decline Among the Monks. The Buddha describes the seven conditions that lead to the long-term welfare of the Sangha.
  - Saññoga Sutta (AN 7.48) — Bondage. The Buddha explains how dwelling on one's sexual identity only leads to greater suffering.
  - Dana Sutta (AN 7.49) — Giving. The Buddha describes some of the motivations that one might have for being generous. The karmic fruits one reaps as a result of giving depends heavily on one's motives.
  - Kimila Sutta (AN 7.56) — To Kimila. So, you say you want Buddhism to thrive in the West? In this sutta the Buddha explains to Ven. Kimila what is required of those who wish to see the Dhamma last a long, long time.
  - Pacala Sutta (AN 7.58) — Nodding. Do you sometimes nod off during meditation? Here the Buddha catches Ven. Maha Moggallana nodding off, and offers him a graduated prescription for overcoming drowsiness.
  - Kodhana Sutta (AN 7.60) — An Angry Person. The Buddha describes seven dangers of giving in to anger. Be careful!
  - Dhammaññu Sutta (AN 7.64) — One With a Sense of the Dhamma. Do you want to be worthy of other people's respect? Here the Buddha describes seven qualities that make up a respectable and honorable individual.
- [15 Sept 97] Suttas from the Anguttara Nikaya, added and indexed:
  - Lokavipatti Sutta (AN 8.6) — The Failings of the World (The Eight Worldly Conditions). The Buddha explains the difference between an ordinary person and an Awakened one, in terms of their response to the inevitable ups and downs of life.
  - Sankhitta Sutta (AN 8.63) — In Brief (Good Will, Mindfulness, & Concentration). The Buddha describes the practices of the four Brahma-viharas and of the four frames of reference (foundations of mindfulness) as forms of concentration practice.
  - Kusita-Arambhavatthu Sutta (AN 8.80) — The Grounds for Laziness & the Arousal of Energy. Are you familiar with these excuses for putting off your meditation: "I'm too hungry!"; "I'm too full!"; "I'm too tired!"; "I'm too sick!" ? In this sutta the Buddha addresses these and other excuses, and offers advice for overcoming this kind of laziness.
  - Abhasita & Neyyatha Suttas (AN 2.23,25) — What Was Not Said/A Meaning to be Inferred. Two short suttas with reminders for us all not to misquote or misrepresent the Buddha's teachings.
- [9 Sept 97] Another batch of suttas from the Samyutta Nikaya, added and indexed: On giving:
  - Aditta Sutta (SN 1.41) — (The House) on Fire. A deva visits the Buddha and recites a lovely verse on the urgency of giving.
  - Kindada Sutta (SN 1.42) — A Giver of What. The Buddha explains to a deva the true value of various kinds of gifts.
  On relinquishing attachment to the six senses:
  - Upasena Sutta (SN 35.69) — Upasena. Ven. Upasena, mortally wounded by a venomous snake, remains perfectly composed as he utters his dying words to Ven. Sariputta, and reveals that he has thoroughly freed himself from any identification with the body.
  - Suñña Sutta (SN 35.85) — Empty. The Buddha explains to Ven. Ananda in what way the world is devoid of anything that can rightly be called "self".
  - Punna Sutta (SN 35.88) — To Punna. What would you do with your mind while you're being beaten and stabbed? In this sutta the Buddha instructs Punna on abandoning delight in the six senses. The Buddha then quizzes Punna, to see if his patience and self-control are sufficiently developed to dwell in Sunaparanta, a place reknowned for its fierce inhabitants.
  - Samadhi Sutta (SN 35.99) — Concentration. The Buddha recommends concentration practice as a way to develop discernment of the inconstancy of the six sense doors.
  - Na Tumhaka Sutta (SN 35.101) — Not Yours. Do you usually think of "grass" or "leaves" as being "you"? Of course not. In the same way, the sense of "self" cannot be found anywhere within the realm of the senses.
  - Marapasa Sutta (SN 35.115) — Mara's Power. The Buddha explains that once one completely frees oneself from chasing after sense pleasures, one is then finally out of reach of Mara, the embodiment of evil.
  - Kamma Sutta (SN 35.145) — Action. The Buddha explains how "old" kamma (the actions we performed in the past) and "new" kamma (the actions we perform in the present) are both experienced in the present.
  - Kotthita Sutta (SN 35.191) — To Kotthita. Ven. Sariputta explains to Ven. Maha Kotthita that our problem lies neither in the senses themselves nor in the objects to which the senses cling; rather, suffering comes from the desire and passion that arises in dependence on both.
  - Kumma Sutta (SN 35.199) — The Tortoise. If we guard the senses wisely, as a turtle guards against attack by withdrawing into the safety of its shell, we are safely out of Mara's reach.
  - Chappana Sutta (SN 35.206) — The Six Animals. The Buddha explains how training one's own mind is like keeping six unruly animals tied together on a leash.
  On facing one's own physical pain and death:
  - Patala Sutta (SN 36.4) — The Bottomless Chasm. The Buddha teaches that by meeting intense physical pain with mindfulness, we can spare ourselves from falling headlong into the bottomless pit of anguish and distress.
  - Sallatha Sutta (SN 36.6) — The Arrow. When shot by the arrow of physical pain, an unwise person makes matters worse by piling mental anguish on top of it, just as if he had been shot by two arrows. A wise person feels the sting of one arrow alone.
  - Gelañña Sutta (SN 36.7) — The Sick Ward. The Buddha visits a sick ward, and offers advice to the monks on how to approach death with mindfulness.
- [3 Sep 97] Buddhist Publication Society has a new website . The BPS, a major publisher of books on Theravada Buddhism, now has its own website in Sri Lanka. The site includes the current international mail-order catalog of books. If you had any bookmarks pointing to Access to Insight's temporary site for the BPS, you should update them now. The new URL for the BPS is: http://lanka.com/dhamma/bpsframe.html
- [1 Sept 97] Suttas from the Samyutta Nikaya added and indexed: On the Noble Eightfold Path:
  - Avijja Sutta (SN 45.1) — Ignorance. The Buddha explains that ignorance is the cause of wrong view, wrong resolve, wrong speech, etc., whereas clear knowing gives rise to right view and all the factors of the eightfold path.
  - Upaddha Sutta (SN 45.2) — Half (of the Holy Life). In this famous sutta the Buddha corrects Ananda, pointing out that having "admirable people" as friends is not half but the whole of the holy life.
  On the 7 factors for Awakening:
  - Himavanta Sutta (SN 46.1) — The Himalayas. A summary of the 7 Factors for Awakening.
  - Gilana Sutta (SN 46.14) — Ill. The Buddha instructs Maha Kassapa, who is very ill, on the 7 Factors for Awakening.
  - Ahara Sutta (SN 46.51) — Food (for the Factors for Awakening).The Buddha describes how we can either "feed" or "starve" the wholesome and unwholesome tendencies in the mind according to how we apply our attention.
  On mindfulness:
  - Sukunagghi Sutta (SN 47.6) — The Hawk. The Buddha uses a lovely parable — that of a hawk catching a quail far outside the quail's familiar hunting ground — to reveal the need for keeping the mind in its proper territory: the four frames of reference.
  - Makkata Sutta (SN 47.7) — The Monkey. The Buddha recommends keeping the mind in its proper territory — the four frames of reference — to prevent it from becoming ensnared, like a monkey in a tar trap.
  - Suda Sutta (SN 47.8) — The Cook. The Buddha explains how progress in meditation depends upon noticing clearly what leads the mind to concentration and what does not, and on adjusting one's practice accordingly, just as a good cook adjusts the spices of his dishes.
  - Sedaka Sutta (SN 47.19) — At Sedaka (1: The Acrobat). Is meditation a selfish endeavor? Using a lovely simile of two acrobats, the Buddha resolves this question decisively.
  - Sedaka Sutta (SN 47.20) — At Sedaka (2: The Beauty Queen). How solid is your concentration? Try this test, proposed by the Buddha: Can you keep a glass of oil balanced on your head while your favorite movie star is singing and dancing right in front of you?
  - Satipatthana-vibhanga Sutta (SN 47.40) — Analysis of the Frames of Reference. A summary of the four Frames of Reference, and how they are to be developed.
  On the five faculties:
  - Indriya-vibhanga Sutta (SN 48.10) — Analysis of the Mental Faculties. A summary of the five mental faculties: conviction, persistence, mindfulness, concentration, and discernment.
  - Pubbakotthaka Sutta (SN 48.44) — Eastern Gatehouse. The Buddha and Ven. Sariputta discuss conviction, and whether it is present in those who have seen the Deathless. They concur that until one experiences the Deathless for oneself, one can only take its existence on faith.
  On the four bases of power (Iddhipada)
  - Brahmana Sutta (SN 51.15) — To Unnabha the Brahman. Ven. Ananda explains to Unnabha that the path of Dhamma is one with a definite goal — the abandoning of desire — which can only be attained by developing a strong desire to end desire.
  - Iddhipada-vibhanga Sutta (SN 51.20) — Analysis of the Bases of Power. The Buddha explains how the four Bases of Power are to be developed.
  On physical pain:
  - Gilayana Sutta (SN 52.10) — Illness. Ven. Anuruddha explains to the other monks how he keeps the pain of his physical illness from invading the mind.
  A handful of leaves...
  - Simsapa Sutta (SN 56.31) — The Simsapa Leaves. The Buddha compares the knowledge he gained in his Awakening to all the leaves in the forest, and his teachings to a mere handful of leaves. He then explains why he didn't reveal the remainder.