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Old News Archive
April-June 2004
© 2004

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- [29 June 2004] From the Anguttara Nikaya (Nines):
  - Kotthita Sutta (AN 9.13) — With Kotthita {A iv 381} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. The holy life is lived, not with the purpose of altering the results of past actions, but with the purpose of gaining direct knowledge of the four noble truths.
  - Ananda Sutta (AN 9.37) — With Ananda {A iv 426} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. On subtle states of concentration in which the sense spheres are present to one's awareness, but one is not taking mental note of them.
  - Naga Sutta (AN 9.40) — The Tusker {A iv 433} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. With gentle humor, the Buddha tells how to allay the itch in your mind.
  - Karaniya Metta Sutta (Snp I.8; Khp 9) — The Buddha's Words on Loving Kindess [The Amaravati Sangha, trans.]. Over the years, this popular translation of the Buddha's famous discourse on loving-kindness (metta) has appeared widely in print and on the Internet, although usually without due credit being given to its translator: the community of monks and nuns at the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery (UK). Now, properly attributed, it joins the company of four other translations of this sutta (Buddharakkhita, Ñanamoli, Piyadassi, Thanissaro). Taken altogether, these translations shed a revealing light on the original Pali text.
- [16 June 2004] From the Anguttara Nikaya (Sevens):
  - Udakupama Sutta (AN 7.15) — The Water Simile {A iv 10} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. In a beautiful progression of metaphors, the Buddha illustrates the various levels to which people allow their grasp of Dhamma to take them. How far are you willing to go?
  - Mitta Sutta (AN 7.35) — A Friend {A iv 31} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. What is a true friend?
  - Nagara Sutta (AN 7.63) — The Fortress {A iv 105} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Seven qualities that must be developed for the truest kind of homeland security.
- [13 June 2004] From the Anguttara Nikaya (Sixes):
  - Khema Sutta (AN 6.49) — With Khema {A iii 357} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Having abandoned all sense of self, arahants don't regard themselves as better than, worse than, or equal to anyone else.
  - Siti Sutta (AN 6.85) — Cooled {A iii 434} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Six qualities required to achieve Awakening.
  - Anisansa Sutta (AN 6.97) — Rewards {A iii 440} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Six rewards of stream-entry.
  - Anodhi Sutta (AN 6.102) — Without Exception (1) {A iii 442}
    Anodhi Sutta (AN 6.103) — Without Exception (2) {A iii 442}
    Anodhi Sutta (AN 6.104) — Without Exception (3) {A iii 442} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. What six things motivate a monk to see for himself each one of the three characteristics of anicca, dukkha, and anatta?
  - More answers to Warder: John Kelly has expanded his "Answer Key to Warder's Introduction to Pali" to include answers to exercises in the first eighteen chapters of Warder's Pali textbook.
- [9 June 2004] From the Anguttara Nikaya (Sixes):
  - Darukakhandha Sutta (AN 6.41) — The Wood Pile {A iii 340} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. If you ever wanted to know how psychic transformation works, here's a brief primer.
  - Nagita Sutta (AN 6.42) — To Nagita {A iii 341} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. The Buddha, while staying in a forest grove, speaks in praise of modesty, contentment, unentanglement, and seclusion in the wilderness.
  - Sanditthika Sutta (AN 6.47) — Visible Here-&-Now {A iii 355} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. A few of the more obvious ways in which the Dhamma is visible here-&-now.
  - Seeking software technical assistance:

    I am considering putting together another free CD-ROM edition of this website. To make it even more useful than earlier editions, I would like to include a search engine right on the disk. Do you have any experience designing search engine software that could work on a CD-ROM? Requirements for the software include:

    - Platform-independent: it can run on Macintosh, Windows, and Unix/Linux operating systems.
    - Efficient: it is easy to use and reasonably fast.
    - Inexpensive: it has a very low (preferably zero) per-unit licensing cost.

    If you have any ideas as to where I might find such software, or if you might be interested in writing it (for free), let's talk!

- [6 June 2004] From the Anguttara Nikaya (Sevens and Eights):
  - Sañña Sutta (AN 7.46) — Perceptions {A iv 46} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Seven inner reflections that are well worth pursuing.
  - Avyakata Sutta (AN 7.51) — Undeclared {A iv 67} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Why does doubt not arise in the mind of a stream-enterer?
  - Arakenanusasani Sutta (AN 7.70) — Araka's Teachings {A iv 136} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Seven beautiful similes on the brevity of the human lifespan. Use your short time here well!
  - Ajañña Sutta (AN 8.13) — The Thoroughbred {A iv 188} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Eight praiseworthy qualities that a good monk possesses.
- [22 May 2004] From the Khuddaka Nikaya:
  - Excerpts from the Milindapañha. The Milindapañha ("The Questions of King Milinda") is a collection of Dhamma debates between the arahant Nagasena and the Bactrian Greek king Milinda (Menander). Although this work post-dates the Buddha himself by several centuries, students of Buddhism around the world have long held it in high esteem as an authoritative text that sheds a helpful light on some of the more difficult points of Dhamma. This sampling of passages from the Milindapañha, translated from the Pali by John Kelly, gives a taste of what the text offers.
  - I have revamped the Khuddaka Nikaya page and added my recommendations for print editions of English translations of each of the books in this Nikaya.
- [9 May 2004] From the Majjhima Nikaya
  - Alagaddupama Sutta (MN 22) — The Water-Snake Simile {M i 130} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Using two famous similes, the Buddha shows how the development of right view calls for the skillful application both of grasping and of letting-go. The sutta concludes with one of the Canon's most important expositions on the topic of not-self.
- [3 May 2004] From the Anguttara Nikaya, Tens
  - Samadhi Sutta (AN 10.6) — Concentration {A v 7} and Sariputta Sutta (AN 10.7) — With Sariputta {A v 8}
    [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Two descriptions of the concentration in which the mind is inclined towards the Deathless.
  - Ariyavasa Sutta (AN 10.20) — Dwellings of the Noble Ones {A v 30} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Qualities of mind in which noble ones are at home.
  - Kosala Sutta (AN 10.29) — The Kosalan {A v 59} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Like supremacy in the human and deva worlds, exalted states of mind — even experiences of all-encompassing white light and non-dual consciousness — are all subject to change and aberration. Some people criticized the Buddha for showing the way to freedom from this change and aberration. In this sutta the Buddha offers a series of contemplations for inducing disenchantment and dispassion for even the most supreme things in the cosmos.
  - Kathavatthu Sutta (AN 10.70) — Topics of Conversation (2) {A v 129} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Right speech is most praiseworthy when you embody the good things you talk about.
- [6 April 2004] From the Anguttara Nikaya, Nines
  - Samiddhi Sutta (AN 9.14) — About Samiddhi {A iv 382} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Where do thoughts and intentions come from?
  - Ganda Sutta (AN 9.15) — A Boil {A iv 384} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Nine good reasons not to get enchanted with the body.
  - Sañña Sutta (AN 9.16) — Perceptions {A iv 386} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Nine useful perceptions.