Epstein Secrets

p could hardly be called friends. 6. When free joining up to talk and eat together. When the wise have free time they come together to discuss the Dhamma and to clear up their doubts (not to gossip about the neighbours). 7. Reflection on Dhamma and Getting Down to Earnest Practice. This is one of th

tep, you cannot call it true association. Also, if you do none of the first six but do the seventh one, it is as good as true association, because Dhamma always has the same flavour — it always gives rise to self discipline [sEla]: it always gives rise to concentration [samAdhi]: and it always gives

mmediate environment or neighbourhood- but the more distant environments of his locality or country also have a part to play. A.1 Amenability in Dhamma practice The sort of location to be examined in this Blessing is the location amenable to refining the mind or put another way, the location that

Fundamental Precepts for the bhikkhus (i.e., the PAEimokkha). Observing that the bhikkhus remained silent, Kapila said, 'There is no such thing as Sutta, Abhidhamma or Vinaya..lt makes no difference whether you listen to the PAEimokkha or not' and left the congregation. He had taught the Dhamma to

nities pass you by, to train yourself spiritually. A3 Three Characteristics of the reckless The usual way in which a person's recklessness in the Dhamma expresses itself is to overlook the importance of putting in the appropriate effort in order to get the hoped-for results. Here are some examples o

ail of this particular Blessing, let us examine the nature of the Dhamma, so that we can orientate ourselves in a non-reckless way towards it. The Dhamma can be compared to the spire of a pagoda. A flag attached to the top of the pagoda of the Dhamma could be marked 'non-recklessness' or equally well

ich you maintain the whole of the time. It is also like being constantly 'awake' to one's proper priorities. B.2 Importance of non-recklessness in Dhamma as a whole We have already mentioned the preciousness of opportunities to cultivate oneself — and the Dhamma, or teaching of the Buddha, is the s

is only upon the foundation of security in life achieved in the first half of the Blessings of Life, that one can go on, in the second half of the Sutta to cultivate purity of mind in earnest by following Blessings nine- teen to thirty-eight. When we come to the start of the sixth group- ing we are c

transform that theory into practice allowing you to earn your living. If you have learned Dhamma theory, you have to transform that knowledge into Dhamma practice. It is like someone who reads a manual of swimming who can memorize every page of the manual. He knows how many types of swimming styles

ver, the Brahmin didn't know how to pay respect to the Dhamma which seemed more abstract.The Buddha replied that if you want to pay respect to the Dhamma, you should pay respect to those who are learned in the Dhamma. The Brahmin asked around to find which of the monks was the most learned and every

est things is to find a teacher who will give the necessary encouragement to bring one's studies to fruition. The Buddha taught in the SilgalovAda Sutta that successful studies are es- tablished on the base of reciprocal duties that a student practices towards his teacher and that a teacher practise

noticeable from the way a monk's accommodation is furnished (excessive luxury or with a television or radio — which are not for helping to practice Dhamma — and accumulating lot of things in their kuti beyond any already outlined for academic teachings in Blessing Seven §E. [The Learning Process]). In

n (A.i.61) what is in fact not the case." This is in addition to what has already been men- tioned in Blessing Three (§D.2) about joking about the Dhamma; 3. to acquire wisdom: Dhamma discussions are in- tended as a way of cultivating wisdom. Above all other things the Buddha praised `wisdom'. Most p

oving-kindness, compassion and the thought to help others, that sort of teaching is pure. In addition to these basic skills, according to the KesE Sutta (A.ii.I 12ff.) different approaches are required for training different types of people in the Dhamma — some disciples need to be taught gently by