I apologize for introducing this idea without a citation, but I cannot seem to locate the place it was stated. Rhys Davids at one place discussed the meaning of 'suttanta' as 'end (anta) of the suttas', meaning 'a compilation', and points out that the suttantas are found mainly in the Digha and Majj...

Hello Ihr, I have a two-sided answer to your question as to what is Dhamma: My recommendation for study is to focus on the Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta and Anguttara Nikayas to the exclusion of every other practice (even the Vinaya, which I definitely hold to be a valid source, but one better put off t...

Hello again ihr, I would draw the line at where any source, from footnotes to overt commentary, touches on interpretation of Dhamma. Back-stories are harmless but also not really necessary to comprehension of the Dhamma. That's what you need to master first. There will come a point when you have see...

Hello ihr, I would advise not taking notes on anything you read. I would also advise not reading the vissudhimagga or any other secondary works on the Dhamma. The Buddha states again and again that the way he has taught dhamma is well done. If you want to study what this man taught you need to trust...

Hello ihr, You are talking to a person who compulsively took notes for years. I had such brilliant insights that it was a crime for me not to write them down for the benefit of the world. One or two were cleverly worded enough to have stuck in my mind. I would definitely recommend not taking notes. ...

Hello You have received a number of good suggestions for approaching your Dhamma Study. I have another for you to consider based on the idea that most, if not all suttas are much deeper than will be perceived upon an initial reading. It is a common experience to find that beginners reading in the su...

This is a very good question in that 'upadana' is one of the more obscure terms in the Paticca Samuppada. Essentially it is 'fuel' (per bhikkhu Thanissaro) 'food' or 'sustenance'. But what is that fuel? It is that which causes the initial appearance of thirst (tanha) to blaze up into such a state as...

Hello Phil, You might find this page dealing with understanding the Nivaranas interesting: http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/nivarana.htm These are suttas of interest: http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/an/05_fives/an05.051.hare.pts.htm http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/p...

But perhaps we could get back to helping K... Hello Mike, I believe I fully responded to Kabouterke's question. He has apparently decided to let it pass and to me the next worthy goal is to clarify the questions raised by the subsequent discussion. I think my suggested test and conclusions are not ...

Hello Mike, A couple more references: A list of the 40 Kasinas, plus some further references. http://obo.genaud.net/dhammatalk/bd_dhammatalk/sitting_practice/40_kasinas.htm Warren's translation of the Visuddhi-Magga on the subject: http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/bit/bit-60.htm Warren't translat...

Hello Mike, On the instability of kasinas. Not a citation, but how about: Sabba Sankhara Anicca? All own-made things are unstable. Or if you don't like 'own-made' as a translation for sankhara, 'constructed'. But I don't think this needs anything more than observation. Fire moves. Wind moves. Percep...

Hello Kabouterke, I would just like to assure you that my response to your post derived directly from your post. I thought about it all day yesterday and through the night and the thinking was always focused on the ideas in that post and this was more or less verbatim the thinking that occurred to m...

Discussion split from: http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=22101 If the aim is a deep jhana state, then the object has to be something very stable. The "concept" of the breath ... a kasina object, metta, etc, are stable objects. The detailed sensations associated with breathin...

Yes. Somewhat short. This sort of error is new to me (I have been typing/writing all my life) and been happening more frequently (the wrists and fingers are getting old and tired) and I have not quite yet got into the habit of looking for them.

I was speaking about myself.