Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Where we gather to focus on a single discourse or thematic collection from the Sutta Piṭaka (new selection every two weeks)
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mikenz66
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Khaaan,
khaaan wrote:If it's not too much trouble, could you include a link to a Pali version of the sutta?
The Access to Insight translations have links to the Pali versions (see the "PTS" links at the top of each sutta). Another good resource is http://www.suttacentral.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; which gives access to Pali and translated versions.

:anjali:
Mike
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mikenz66
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by mikenz66 »

daverupa wrote:I would like to recommend some Digha Nikaya II/III. I thought it might be interesting to explore, given that this section of the Nikayas is largely considered to be later.

What are we to make of the fantastic nature of it? What did the original hearers of the Sutta likely think? Is there doubt about Suttas with fantastic elements? &c.
Sure, though some of the more interesting ones don't have very good on-line translations.

:anjali:
Mike
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Samvega
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by Samvega »

Hello all,

I've currently begun reading Analayo's seminal work Satipatthana: The direct path to realization

I realized quickly after having so many 'ah ha!' moments that I needed somebody that I could discuss it with. I haven't been able to generate much interest locally for a book study group, but perhaps I could host one on Dhammawheel. Would it be possible to start a book study for this book on the forum? I would be glad to host it and set the "due dates".
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Beneath the Wheel
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by Beneath the Wheel »

What timing - I just got that same book myself, and I would love to have some folks to go through it with. I don't feel like I'll be able to fully appreciate it on my own.

Consider me very interested.
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mikenz66
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Samvega,

Thank you very much for the suggestion and offer. I'm not certain if this forum, or the meditation forum, is the best place for such a discussion. However, since this forum is called "Study Group", not "Sutta Study Group" we might as well get started here and we could always move it if it seemed that somewhere else was more appropriate. It would be great if you could try to think out some structured way of approaching it, and give some guidance. An obvious approach would be to discuss it chapter by chapter.

I would advise not being in too much of a rush. Looking at each chapter over a couple of weeks would be the sort of speed I'd recommend. That would give interested readers time to think, and locate references.

Something useful you (and others) could do would be to locate on-line versions of the footnotes as we go through, and give links and extracts.
Many suttas, the Satipatthana Commentary http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... wayof.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and the Visuddhimagga, are on http://www.accesstoinsight.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.suttacentral.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; can be really helpful because it links not only A2I, but also MettaNet http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and some on-line BPS publications: http://www.bps.lk/onlinelibrary_wheels.asp#trans" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:anjali:
Mike
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octathlon
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by octathlon »

I recently got this book and haven't started on it yet, so I would be interested in following along with you, although I may not be able to contribute much.
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Ytrog
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by Ytrog »

I have a small question: how best to study a Sutta posted here? I was trying recently and I realized I was completely wrong in my interpretation here. :anjali:
Suffering is asking from life what it can never give you.
mindfulness, bliss and beyond (page 8) wrote:Do not linger on the past. Do not keep carrying around coffins full of dead moments
If you see any unskillful speech (or other action) from me let me know, so I can learn from it.
Neufing
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Re: Study Group Schedule

Post by Neufing »

Hello,

one general question: Is this a life study group? Whan does it start? I'm from Germany; UTC +1 is my time zone.

Thank you so much

Wolfgang
Best wishes
[color=#BF0000][b]Wolfgang [/b] [/color]
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mikenz66
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Re: Study Group Schedule

Post by mikenz66 »

Welcome Nuefing,

The "study group" is not a real-time gathering. It is just a forum where someone (me at the moment) posts a sutta, or related material, each week, and members are free to discuss it. I lock the topics after about two weeks.

If someone would like to discuss a particular sutta, then either let me know, and I can post it, or simply start a thread yourself in the "General Theravada" forum.

:anjali:
Mike
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by starter »

May I suggest that we study the suttas in a more systematic manner: we select and study all the important suttas concerning one topic and focus on this topic until it's well understood. For instance, we can start with dana, and study one (or more if similar) sutta per week until we finish all the important suttas on dana, and have a relatively complete overview and understanding of dana: what's exactly the "dana" that the Buddha's taught us to do, why it should be done, how it should done, ...

I also suggest that we study the topics systematically according to the sequence of the path/practice. In order to achieve this, an outline of the sequence needs to be made and discussed, for instance:

dana/caga -- sila -- bhavana ... (it should be much more detailed than this).

Please excuse me if similar suggestions have been made, I've to admit I didn't read all the 44 suggestions on this thread.

Metta to all!
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mikenz66
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Starter,

That's a good suggestion, in fact it is in line with what we've been doing (though it might not always seem like that). We started back in 2009 going through some of the MN suttas in the sequence that Bhikkhu Bodhi used for his talks on the MN, and his ordering of topics in "In the Buddha's words". http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... =345#p3354

After that, among other things, we worked through the Sutta Nipata. I took over towards the end of that. http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 345#p86854

For the past three years we have been working through the Samyutta Nikaya, using Bhikkhu Bodhi's suggested sequence: http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 345#p88300
We have almost finished Part V, which is to do with the fourth Truth. We are now on the last Samyutta, specifically about the Four Noble Truths.

In this time I alternated the SN thematic suttas with other suttas, and left the threads open for two weeks. Sometimes the alternating suttas are in the theme of the SN suttas, as with this week's sutta on the Noble Truths http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18086 Sometimes they are a contrast.

I have SN 56 and other suttas on the Four Noble Truths in my notes for about the next six weeks. That leaves the "minor" chapters that don't fit into Bhikkhu Bodhi's thematic sequence.

My plan is to alternate some of those suttas with suttas from the Anguttara Nikaya, using the thematic sequence that Bhikkhu Bodhi has devised in his new translation:
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha
Thematic Guide PDF

That should keep us going for a while...

:anjali:
Mike
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by starter »

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your clarification and the info on thematic sequence. May I suggest that the theme/topic of a sutta be added to the title so that it's easier to look for the suttas on a topic?

Metta,

Starter
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mikenz66
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Starter,

Thank you for the suggestions. I am not sure if it is practical to put themes in titles. I often have trouble fitting the title into the space available. I will continue to post in the schedule thread which theme we are up to though and I'll try to remember to put in links so that the sections can be located.

:anjali:
Mike
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by starter »

mikenz66 wrote:I am not sure if it is practical to put themes in titles. I often have trouble fitting the title into the space available. ...Mike
I also have such trouble from time to time. I wonder if a bit longer title can be allowed? :thinking: If so, then the title of a sutta can be something like:

4NT(1): MN 141 Saccavibhanga Sutta

It'll greatly facilitate the finding of a group of relevant suttas of interest.

Thanks and metta!
ricebowl
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Re: Suggestions, Comments and Feedback for the Study Group

Post by ricebowl »

Tried to search the entire forum regarding the below sutta that took rather long, within the study group section itself it is yet to be introduced as yet

"Samatha Sutta: With Regard to Tranquility" (AN 10.54), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight, 21 April 2011, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html . Retrieved on 27 September 2013.
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