Old News Archive
November-December 2004

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  • [2004.12.29] From the Samyutta Nikaya
    • Kula Sutta (SN 42.9) — Families {S iv 322; CDB ii 1345} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. A questioner challenges the Buddha: "If you're so supportive of familial harmony, then how can you justify accepting alms from poor families in times of famine?"
    • Maniculaka Sutta (SN 42.10) — To Maniculaka {S iv 325; CDB ii 1346} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. A questioner asks the Buddha: "Are monks allowed to use money?"
  • [2004.12.28] From the Samyutta Nikaya... ...and a request:
    • Over the years, a number of texts from Access to Insight have been translated into other languages (French, Spanish, Czech, Russian, and Mandarin, to name a few) and posted elsewhere on the web. I'd now like to put together a list of these websites but, alas, I haven't been keeping track of them. Can you help me? Do you know of any sites that offer non-English (and non-Pali) translations of materials from ATI? If so, I'd be grateful if you'd let me know. Thanks!
  • [2004.12.21] 2005 Uposatha calendar
    • The 2005 calendar of uposatha observance days is now available.
  • [2004.12.2] From the Samyutta Nikaya...
    ... and from the Theragatha:
    • Thag 11. Sankicca {vv. 597-607} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. A young arahant monk reflects on his life in the wilderness.
  • [2004.11.30] From the Samyutta Nikaya
    • Gilana Sutta (SN 35.74) — Ill (1) {S iv 46; CDB ii 1157} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. An ailing monk attains stream-entry when the Buddha engages him in a dialogue about not-self.
    • Gilana Sutta (SN 35.75) — Ill (2) {S iv 47; CDB ii 1159} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. An ailing monk attains arahatship when the Buddha engages him in a dialogue about not-self.
    • Khana Sutta (SN 35.135) — The Opportunity {S iv 126; CDB ii 1207} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. This human realm — neither too pleasurable nor too painful — is the best place to practice Dhamma.
  • [2004.11.29] Wings to Awakening — PDF edition
    • Over the coming months you'll be seeing more books and articles from Access to Insight available in Adobe's Portable Document Format, the de facto standard for online books. This will make it easier than ever for you to make high quality print editions of these books.

      To download a PDF edition of a book, just click on the PDF icon. For more info about using PDF files, see "Working with PDF documents".

      To inaugurate this new feature:

      [pdf icon]   The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon, translated and explained by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Barre, Mass.: Dhamma Dana Publications, 1996).
  • [2004.11.28] From the Samyutta Nikaya Thanissaro Bhikkhu has provided translations of all 11 suttas from the Avyakata ("Undeclared") Samyutta. These suttas concern the speculative questions that the Buddha always chose to leave unanswered. The translator has also written a helpful Introduction to this samyutta.
  • [2004.11.26] Heedfulness (two suttas and one essay):
    • Patitthita Sutta (SN 48.56) — Established {S v 232; CDB ii 1698} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. Heedfulness: the cornerstone upon which all other skillful qualities are based.
    • Nandiya Sutta (SN 55.40) — To Nandiya {S v 397; CDB ii 1826} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. On what it means to live with heedfulness.
    • "The Practice in a Word," by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2004; 7k/2pp.) Appamadena sampadetha! — such was the dying Buddha's parting instruction, which has often been translated as "Practice diligently!" But a wider reading in the suttas reveals that that crucial word appamada has a far more nuanced and significant meaning. The Buddha's real message, argues the author, was, "Don't be complacent. Watch out for danger. Protect the mind's good qualities. Don't let your guard down."
  • [2004.11.25] From the Samyutta Nikaya
  • [2004.11.23] Short essays by the late Ven. Nyanaponika Thera
    • Buddhism and the God-idea: Mystics from all the world's great religions have reported extraordinary meditative experiences that theists often attribute to the experience of God itself. But is it necessary to invoke the God-idea to explain these experiences?
    • Courageous Faith: A short reflection on the Buddhist view of faith (saddha).
    • Devotion in Buddhism: On the role of devotion in Buddhist practice.
    • Kamma and its Fruit: An exploration of the subtle nature of kamma, and of the ultimate importance of cultivating wholesome kammic actions so that we may arrive at liberation — the final ending of kamma itself.
    • Seeing Things as They Are: What it means to see things as they really are — namely, in terms of the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and not-self.
    • Why End Suffering?: On how the resolve to bring a skillful end to one's own suffering (dukkha) simultaneously works to diminish the suffering of others.
  • [2004.11.10] From the Samyutta Nikaya
  • [2004.11.09] From the Samyutta Nikaya
  • [3 Nov 2004] Ten suttas from the Samyutta Nikaya (Okkanta Samyutta) In this samyutta the Buddha explains the kinds of conviction and understanding that are required for the attainment of stream-entry. These short suttas share an identical structure, with each one focusing on a different aspect of experience (including the six senses, the six elements (dhatu), and the five aggregates).
    • Cakkhu Sutta (SN 25.1) — The Eye {S iii 225; CDB i 1004} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of the six senses can lead to stream-entry.
    • Rupa Sutta (SN 25.2) — Forms {S iii 225; CDB i 1004} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of sense objects can lead to stream-entry.
    • Viññana Sutta (SN 25.3) — Consciousness {S iii 226; CDB i 1005} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of sense consciousness can lead to stream-entry.
    • Phassa Sutta (SN 25.4) — Contact {S iii 226; CDB i 1005} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of contact can lead to stream-entry.
    • Vedana Sutta (SN 25.5) — Feeling {S iii 226; CDB i 1005} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of feeling can lead to stream-entry.
    • Sañña Sutta (SN 25.6) — Perception {S iii 227; CDB i 1006} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of perception can lead to stream-entry.
    • Cetana Sutta (SN 25.7) — Intention {S iii 227; CDB i 1006} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of intentions can lead to stream-entry.
    • Tanha Sutta (SN 25.8) — Craving {S iii 227; CDB i 1006} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of craving can lead to stream-entry.
    • Dhatu Sutta (SN 25.9) — Properties {S iii 227; CDB i 1006} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of the six elements (earth, liquid, fire, wind, space, and consciousness) can lead to stream-entry.
    • Khandha Sutta (SN 25.10) — Aggregates {S iii 227; CDB i 1006} [Thanissaro Bhikkhu, trans.]. How conviction in, and understanding of, inconstancy of the five aggregates can lead to stream-entry.