Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Just came across this quote, ascribed to the Buddha in the Theranamo sutta:

"Let go of what is past. Let go of what is not yet. Observe deeply what is happening in the present moment, but do not become attached to it."

As a Thanissaro fanboy it's quite interesting to me, because I think I've heard several Thanissaro talks where he tells the story of the Buddha telling a monk that this is one way to meditate, but he has a better way. (Would be grateful for any references to a Thanissaro talk where he tells this story, or to the sutta he's referring to. I listen to an awful lot of Thanissaro.) So I'm curious about the provenance of this sutta.

Hello five bells,

I may be incorrect, but I think this might be from the Chinese Samyukta-Agama.

With metta,
Chris

Hmm I don't recall that at the moment, but I do remember him saying something about the Buddha did not talk about the "present moment", does anyone remember that one?

Burn up what's before,
and have nothing for after.
If you don't grasp
at what's in between,[8]
you will go about, calm.
8. Nd. I: "Before," "after," and "in between" = past, future, and present.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

I suspect this is what he would be getting at in that talk you are looking for though:
"What this means is that, as a meditator, you can't treat everything in the present moment in the same way. You can't simply stay non-reactive, or simply accept everything that comes. If moments of stillness and ease arise in the mind, you can't just note them and let them pass. You should learn to develop them into jhana"
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... gling.html

fivebells wrote: think I've heard several Thanissaro talks where he tells the story of the Buddha telling a monk that this is one way to meditate, but he has a better way. (Would be grateful for any references to a Thanissaro talk where he tells this story, or to the sutta he's referring to.

"But how do you live alone and extol the virtues of living alone?"

"Lord, alone I enter the village for alms, alone I return, alone I sit withdrawn [in meditation], alone I do walking meditation. That is how I live alone and extol the virtues of living alone."

"There is that way of living alone, Elder. I don't say that there isn't. Still, listen well to how your living alone is perfected in its details, and pay close attention. I will speak."

"As you say, lord," Ven. Elder responded.

The Blessed One said: "And how is living alone perfected in its details? There is the case where whatever is past is abandoned, whatever is future is relinquished, and any passion & desire with regard to states of being attained in the present is well subdued.[2] That is how living alone is perfected in its details."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

“But how, Elder, are you a lone dweller and how do you speak in praise of dwelling alone?”

“Here, venerable sir, I enter the village for alms alone, I return alone, I sit alone in private, and I undertake walking meditation alone. It is in such a way that I am a lone dweller and speak in praise of dwelling alone.”

“That is a way of dwelling alone, Elder, I do not deny this. But as to how dwelling alone is fulfilled in detail, listen to that and attend closely, I will speak.”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

“And how, Elder, is dwelling alone fulfilled in detail? Here, Elder, what lies in the past has been abandoned, what lies in the future has been relinquished, and desire and lust for present forms of individual existence has been thoroughly removed. It is in such a way, Elder, that dwelling alone is fulfilled in detail.”

http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/connecte ... husamyutta

Thanks, everyone.

It looks like it might be from the verses in Bhaddekarattasutta (Majjhima Nikaya 131), repeated also in sutta 132-134.

http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pit ... tta-e.html

.

Its also worth having a look at SN 1.10 and MN 2 for comments about letting go of the past and future.