The Buddha began his explanation of the first noble truth—the truth of suffering—not with a definition but with a list of common examples: the suffering of birth, aging, and death; […]
For many people at present, the four noble truths are among the first things they learn about Buddhism. This is ironic, because the Buddha himself often found that he first […]
The Buddha saw that every truth expressed in words is instrumental, a means to an end. This is in line with the fact that all words are fabricated by the […]
“Now what, friends, is the noble truth of stress? Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful; not getting what is […]
The Pali word for discernment, pañña, is often translated as “wisdom.” However, there are two connected reasons for translating it as “discernment” instead: The Buddha taught that discernment begins by […]
The word “kamma” has two meanings, depending on context. Primarily, it means intentional actions in thought, word, and deed; secondarily, the results of intentional actions—past or present—which are shaped by […]
The sublime attitudes, are attitudes of goodwill, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity that you spread to all beings, without limit. Each of these attitudes is an antidote for mental states that […]
The Three Jewels / The Three Treasures / Triratna (Sanskrit) One of the oldest ways of expressing faith in Buddhism is by taking refuge in the three jewels which are […]
The most basic form of address is “Tan” for junior monks and “Ajahn” for senior monks. Sāmaṇera (Pāli) / Nehn (Thai): A novice monk. Most Thai sāmaṇeras are young boys, as men older […]