From: https://youtube.com/watch?v=8p1K-uXcFIA

Context: Throughout this transcript, Bhante Vimalaramsi is the speaker unless otherwise indicated.

[Music]

you

ok today we're going to do suta number

26 of the noble search thus if I heard

on one occasion the blessed one was

living at Swati and jeta's grove

anathapindika's park then when it was

morning the blessed one dressed and

taking his bowl and outer robe went into

Sawatdee for alms

then another number of monks went to the

venerable Ananda and said to him friend

Ananda it is long since we heard a talk

on the Dhamma from the Blessed ones own

lips it would be good if we could hear

such a talk friend Ananda then let the

venerable ones go to the brahman rama

cos hermitage perhaps you will get to

hear a talk on the Dhamma from the

Blessed ones own lips yes friend they

replied then when the blessed one had

wandered for alms in Swati and had

returned from his alms round after his

meal he addressed the venerable Ananda

Ananda let us go to the eastern part the

Palace of Majora's mother for the day's

abiding yes venerable serd the venerable

Ananda replied then the Blessed One went

with the venerable Ananda to the eastern

park the palace of Megara 'he's mother

for the days abiding Megara 'he's mother

is her name was actually be Sokka and

she was the foremost female supporter of

the

Budda very very wealthy she built the

palace for monks and she fed whatever

monks were there she gave them medicine

if they needed it she gave them robes

and basically just took care of the

Sangha as I understand it that palace

had something like 400 rooms in it so it

was really quite spectacular then when

it was evening the Blessed One rose for

meditation and addressed the venerable

Ananda Ananda let us go to the eastern

bathing place to bathe this is a place

that's still around today and you can

get up on a hill and look down and

that's where people are pleasing

themselves that's where they're washing

and things

yes venerable sir the venerable Ananda

replied then the Blessed One went with

the venerable Ananda to the eastern

bathing place to bathe when he was

finished he came out of the water and

stood on a robe drying his limbs then

the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed

One venerable sir the Brahmin ramicus

hermitage is nearby that hermitage is

agreeable and delightful of the

venerable sir it would be good if the

Blessed one went out of compassion the

Blessed One consented in silence that

basically just means he shook his head

yes then the Blessed one went to the

Brahmin Romana's hermitage now on that

occasion a number of monks were sitting

together in the herb

discussing the Dhamma the Blessed one

stood outside the door waiting for their

discussion to end when he knew that it

was over he coughed and knocked and the

blessing and the monks opened the door

for him the Blessed one entered sat down

on a seat made ready and addressed

amongst us

monks for what discussion are you

sitting together here now what was your

discussion that was interrupted the

venerable sir our discussion on the

Dhamma that was interrupted was about

the Blessed One himself then the Blessed

one arrived good monks it's fitting for

you

clansmen to have gone forth from the out

of faith from the home life into

homelessness to sit together to discuss

the Dhamma when you gather together

monks you should either do two things

hold discussion on the Dhamma or remain

maintained noble silence monks there are

two kinds of search the noble search and

the ignoble search and what is the noble

search here's someone being himself

subject to birth seeks what is also

subject to birth being himself subject

to aging he seeks what is also subject

to aging being himself subject to

sickness he seeks what is also subject

to say

this being himself subject to death he

seeks what is also subject to death

being himself subject to sorrow he seeks

what is also subject to sorrow being

subject to defilement he seeks what is

also subject to defilement and what may

be said to be subject to birth wife and

children are subject to birth men and

women slaves goats and sheep fowl and

pigs elephants cattle horses and mares

gold and silver are subject to birth I

haven't figured out how birth is subject

a gold is subject to birth yet but we'll

see these acquisitions are subject to

birth and one who is tied to these

things infatuated with them and utterly

committed to them being himself subject

to birth seeks what is also subject to

birth and what may be said to be subject

to aging wife and children are subject

to aging men and women slaves goats and

sheep fowl and pigs elephants cattle

horses and mares

are subject to aging these acquisitions

are subject to aging one who is tied to

these things and fatted with them and

utterly committed to them being himself

subject to aging seeks what is also

subject to aging and what may be said to

be subject to sickness wife and children

are subject to sickness men and women

slaves

goats and sheep fowl and pigs elephants

cattle horses and mares are subject to

sickness these acquisitions are subject

to sickness and one who is tied to these

things and fatted with them and utterly

committed to them being himself subject

to sickness seeks what is also subject

to sickness and what may be said to be

subject to death wife and children are

subject to death men and women slaves

goats and sheep fowl and pigs elephants

cattle horses and mares are subject to

death these acquisitions are subject to

death and one who is tied to these

things and fatted with them and utterly

committed to them being himself subject

to death seeks what is also subject to

death and what may be said to be subject

to sorrow wife and children are subject

to sorrow and in women slaves goats and

sheep fowl and pigs elephants cattle

horses and mares are subject to sorrow

these acquisitions are subject to sorrow

and one who is tied to these things and

fatted with them and utterly committed

to them being himself subject to sorrow

seeks what is also subject to sorrow and

what may be said to be subject to

defilement wife and children are subject

to defilement men and women slaves goats

and sheep foul and bigs elephants cattle

horses and mares

gold and silver are subject to

defilement these acquisitions are

subject to defilement one who is tied to

these things infatuated with them and

utterly committed to them being himself

subject to defilement seeks what is also

subject to defilement this is the

ignoble search and what is a noble

search here's someone being himself

subject to birth having understood the

danger and what is subject to birth

seeks the unborn supreme security from

bondage nirvana being himself subject to

aging having understood the danger in

what is subject to aging he seeks the

unhe geing supreme security from bondage

nirvana

being himself subject to sickness having

understood the danger and what is

subject to sickness he seeks the UH

nailing supreme security from bondage

nirvana being himself subject to death

having understood the danger and what is

subject to death he seeks the deathless

supreme security from bondage Nibbana

being himself subject to sorrow having

understood the danger and what is

subject to sorrow he seeks the sorrow

less supreme security from bondage

Nibbana being himself subject to

defilement having understood the danger

and what is subject to defilement he

seeks the undefiled supreme security

from bondage nirvana

this is the noble truth are the noble

search infused me monks before my

awakening while I was still only an

unawakened Bodhi sat i to being subject

to birth sought what was also subject to

birth being subject to aging sickness

death sorrow and defilement I sought

what was also subject to aging sickness

death sorrow and defilement then I

considered thus why being myself subject

to birth do I seek what is also subject

to birth why being subject to aging

sickness death sorrow and defilement

do I seek what is also subject to aging

sickness death sorrow and defilement

supposed that being myself subject to

birth having understood the danger in

what is subject to birth I seek the

unborn supreme supreme security from

bondage nirvana suppose that being

subject to aging sickness death sorrow

and defilement having understood the

danger and what is subject to aging

sickness death sorrow and defilement I

seek the UH nading an ailing deathless

sorrow 'less and undefiled supreme

security from bondage Nibbana later

while still young of black-haired

man endowed with the blessings of youth

in the prime of life though my mother

and father wished otherwise and wept

with tearful faces I shaved off my hair

and beard and put on the yellow robe and

went forth from the home life into

homelessness having gone forth monks in

search of what is wholesome seeking the

supreme state of sublime peace I went to

Alaric a lama and said to him friend

Kalama I want to lead the holy life in

this dhamma and discipline

Alaric a lama replied the venerable one

may stay here the Dhamma is such that a

wise man can soon enter upon and abide

in it realizing for himself through

direct knowledge his own teachers

doctrine I soon quickly learned that

Dhamma as far as mere rib lip reciting

and rehearsed and and rehearsal of his

teaching teaching went I could speak

with knowledge and assurance and I

claimed I know and see and others did

likewise

Bader's Vedas I'm not sure I could be I

considered it is not through merely live

through mere faith alone that alaric a

Lama declares by realizing for myself

with direct knowledge I enter upon and

abide in this Dhamma certainly alaric a

Lama abides knowing and seeing this

Dhamma then I went to a Laura column and

asked him friend Kalama in what way do

you and declare that by realizing for

yourself with direct knowledge you enter

upon and abide in this Dhamma and reply

he declared the base of nothingness now

the interesting thing about this right

now is that just about everybody thinks

that he taught jhana but he was talking

about the four different states of the

unrep Adriana the Buddha is the one that

came up with the jhana first jhana

second jhana third jhana fourth jhana

and that was the fast way to get into

the Aruba jhanas and that's what you're

seeing right now a lot of you are in the

Aruba jhana is because you've already

gone through the four jhanas okay and

he's going to the base of nothingness I

considered not only alaric a lama has

faith energy mindfulness concentration

and with

now he was teaching one-pointed

concentration for this method I to have

faith energy mindfulness concentration

and wisdom suppose I endeavored to

realize the Dhamma that alaric a lama

declares he enters upon and abides and

by realizing for himself with direct

knowledge I soon quickly entered upon

and abided in that Dhamma by realizing

for myself with direct knowledge then I

went to Laura Kalama and asked him Fran

Kalama is it in this way that you

declare that you enter upon and abide in

this dhamma by realizing for yourself

with direct knowledge that is the way

friend it is in this way friend that i

also enter upon and abide in this dhamma

by realizing for myself with direct

knowledge it is a game for us friend it

is a great game for us that we have such

a venerable one for our companion in the

holy life so the Dhamma that I declare I

enter upon and abide in by realizing for

myself with direct knowledge is the

Dhamma that you entered upon and abided

in by realizing for yourself with direct

knowledge and the Dhamma that you enter

upon

and abide in by realizing for yourself

with direct knowledge is the Dhamma that

I declare I enter upon and abide in by

realizing for myself with direct

knowledge so you know the Dhamma that I

know and I know the Dhamma that you know

as I am so are you as you are so am I

come friend let us lead this company

that community together

thus a lama

alaric a lama my teacher placed me his

pupil on an equal footing with himself

and awarded me the highest honor but it

occurred to me this Dhamma does not lead

to disenchantment to dispassion to

cessation to peace to direct knowledge

to awakening to Nirvana but only to the

reappearance of the base of nothingness

not being satisfied with that Dhamma

disappointed with it I left now this

what he was practicing was one pointed

concentration and he still felt that

there was tensions and tightness 'as in

his head that he wasn't recognizing

that's as far as no he wasn't he knew

that there was other teachers that were

teaching one step higher and that's what

they called the supreme right that's as

far as he knew how to teach that happens

you know stillinger in search monks of

what is wholesome seeking the supreme

state of sublime peace I went to Dhaka

Rama puta and said to him friend I want

to lead the holy life in this dhamma and

discipline rama puta

means son of rama okay and we're going

to be talking about rama but he had

already died and Budokai rama putas took

over the venerable one may stay here

this Dhamma is such that a wise man can

soon enter upon and abide in it himself

realizing through direct knowledge his

own teachers doctrine I quit

soon quickly learned that Dhamma as far

as mere lip reciting and rehearsal of

his teachings went I could speak with

knowledge and assurance and I claimed I

know when I see and there were others

that did likewise intellectual knowledge

be careful of that it's real slow

compared to direct knowledge I

considered it is not through merely let

breeze through excuse me through faith

alone that Rama

declared by realizing for myself with

direct knowledge I entered upon and

abided in this Dhamma certainly Rama

abided knowing and seeing in this Dhamma

so he went to Dhaka Rama puta and asked

for the instructions in the meditation

but who Dhaka Rama puta just knew what

the instructions were he didn't practice

it he didn't like the idea of getting

into neither perception nor

non-perception because you get to see

much more clearly and closely that there

is no God and he didn't like that idea

so he just went to the realm of

nothingness and stopped but he knew how

to teach what his father had taught then

I went to Dhaka Rama puta and asked him

friend in what way did Rama declare that

by realizing for himself with direct

knowledge he entered upon and abided in

this Dhamma in reply Hudock Arama puta

declared the base of neither perception

nor non-perception i considered not only

Rama had faith energy mindfulness

concentration in wisdom I too have faith

energy mindfulness concentration and

wisdom suppose I endeavor to realize the

Dhamma that Rama declared he entered

upon and abided and by realizing for

himself with direct knowledge I soon

quickly entered upon

abided in that Dhamma by realizing for

myself with direct knowledge then I went

to Dhaka Rama puta and asked him friend

was it in this way that Rama declared

that he entered upon and abided in this

Dhamma by realizing for himself with

direct knowledge that is the way friend

it is in this way friend that I also

enter upon and abide in this Dhamma by

realizing for myself with direct

knowledge it is a game for us friend it

is a great gain for us that you have

that we have such a venerable one for

our companion in the holy life so the

Dhamma that Rama declared he entered

upon and abided and by realizing for

himself with direct knowledge is the

Dhamma that you enter upon and abide in

by realizing for yourself with direct

knowledge and the Dhamma that you enter

upon and abide and by realizing for

yourself with direct knowledge is the

Dhamma that Rama declared he entered

upon and abided in by realizing for

himself with direct knowledge so you

know the Dhamma that Rama knew and Rama

knew the Dhamma that you know as Rama

was so are you as you are so was Rama

come friend now lead this community the

Sudama roodaka Rama puta my companion in

the holy life placed me in the position

of a teacher and accorded me the highest

honor but it occurred to me this Dhamma

does not lead to disenchantment to

dispassion to cessation to peace to

direct knowledge to awakening to jnana

but only to the reappearance in the base

of neither perception nor non-perception

not being satisfied with that Dhamma

disappointed with it I left so he

realized that he didn't have that

personality change that was needed by

letting go of craving still enter in

search monks of what is wholesome

seeking the supreme state of sublime

peace I wandered by stages through the

magadhan country until eventually I

arrived at Ravello there I saw an

agreeable piece of ground the delightful

drove with a clear flowing river with

pleasing and smooth banks and nearby a

village for own resort I considered this

is an agreeable place of a piece of

ground this is a delightful Grove with

clear flowing river and a pleasant

smooth banks and a nearby village for

resort this will serve for this driving

of a Klansman and

on striving now what happened here was

this was where he discovered I guess the

links of dependent origination he's been

a long time figuring this out but when

he when he went through all of the links

of dependent origination that was only

intellectual knowledge he had to realize

it for himself so it took him a while

longer to do the meditation so that he

prepared himself and I sat down there

thinking this will serve for striving

there's other stories about what

happened while he was there but I'm not

gonna go into that tonight then monks

being myself subject to birth having

understood the danger in what is subject

to birth seeking the unborn supreme

security from bondage nirvana I attained

the unborn supreme security from bondage

nirvana being myself subject to aging

having understood the danger and what is

subject to aging seeking the UM aging

supreme security from bondage nirvana

I attained the unheeding supreme

security from bondage nirvana being

myself subject to sickness having

understood the danger and what is

subject to sickness seeking

the UH nailing supreme security from

bondage Nibbana I attained the UH

nailing supreme security from bondage

Nibbana being subject to death having

understood the danger and what is

subject to death seeking the deathless

supreme security from bondage Nibbana I

attained the deathless supreme security

from bondage Nibbana being myself

subject to sorrow having understood the

danger and what is subject to sorrow

seeking the sorrow LS supreme security

from bondage nirvana

I attained the sorrow as supreme

security from bondage in Ivana being

myself subject to defilement having

understood the danger and what is

subject to defilement seeking the

undefiled supreme security from bondage

nirvana I attained the unns

undefiled supreme security from bondage

nirvana the knowledge and vision arose

in me my deliverance is unshakeable this

is my last birth now there's no renewal

of being I considered this Dhamma that I

have attained is profound

hard to see and hard to understand

peaceful and sublime unattainable by

mere reasoning subtle to be experienced

by the wise but this generation delights

in attack

takes delight and attachment rejoices in

attachment it is hard for such a

generation to see this truth namely

specific conditionality dependent

origination and it's hard to see this

truth namely the stilling of all

formations the relinquishing of all

acquisitions the destruction of craving

dispassion cessation Nibbana if I were

to teach the Dhamma others would not

understand me

and that would be wearying and

troublesome for me there there upon

there came to me spontaneously this

stanza never heard before

enough with teaching the Dhamma that

even I found hard to reach for it will

never be perceived by those who live in

lust and hate those died in those died

in lust wrapped and darkness will never

discern this obtrusive dama which goes

against the worldly stream subtle deep

and difficult to see considering thus my

mind inclined to dis action rather than

to teaching the Dhamma then monks the

Brahma some hoppity knew with his mind

the thought of my mind and he considered

the world will be lost the world will

pare

since the mind of the target

accomplished and fully awakened inclines

to an action rather than to teaching the

Dhamma then just as quickly as a strong

man might extend his flexed arm or his

flexed extended arm the Brahma some

hoppity vanished from the Brahma realm

and approached before me he arranged his

upper row bunch on one shoulder and

extending his hands and reverential

salutation towards me said venerable sir

let the blessed one teach the Dhamma let

the sublime one teach the Dhamma there

are beings with little dust in their

eyes who are wasting through not hearing

the Dhamma there will be those who will

understand the Dhamma the Brahma somehow

potty spoke thus and then he said

further in Magadha there have appeared

excuse me in magadha

there have appeared till now impure

teachings devised by those still stained

open the doors of the deathless let them

hear the Dhamma that the stainless one

has found just as one who stands on a

mountain peak can see below the people

all around so oh wise one all-seeing

sage ascend the palace of

Alma let the sorrow last one survey this

human breed engulfed in sorrow overcome

by birth an old age arise Victoria's

hero Caravan leader deathless one and

wandered in the world let the Blessed

one teach the Dhamma there will be those

who will understand now I listened to

the brahmana pleading and out of

compassion for beings I surveyed the

world with the eye of the Buddha

surveying the world with the eye of the

Buddha I saw beings with little dust in

their eyes and with much dust in their

eyes with keen faculties and with dull

faculties with good qualities and bad

qualities easy to teach and hard to

teach and some who dwell seeing fear and

blame in the other world just as in a

pond of blue or red or white lotuses

some lotuses that are born and grow in

the water thrive immersed in the water

without rising out of it and some other

lotuses that are born and grow in the

water rest on the water's surface and

some other lotuses that are born and

grow in the water rise out of the water

and stand clear unwedded by it so to

surveying the world with the eye of

Buddha's beings with little dust in

their eyes and with much dust in their

eyes with keen faculties and with dull

faculties with good qualities and bad

qualities easy to teach and hard to

teach and some who dwelt seeing fear and

blame in others world then I replied to

the Brahmin somehow potty and stanza

open for them are the doors of the

deathless let those with ears now show

their faith thinking it would be

troublesome

Oh Brahmin I did not speak the Dhamma

subtle and sublime then the Brahmin some

Hypatia thought the Blessed One has

consented to my request to teach the

Dhamma and after paying homage to me

speaking they're keeping me on his right

he thereupon departed at once I

considered to whom should I first teach

the Dhamma who will understand this

Dhamma quickly then it occurred to me

allora columnas wise intelligent and

discerning his long head little dust in

his eyes suppose I taught the Dhamma

first to Alaura Kalama he will

understand it quickly then Davers

approached me and said venerable sir

allora Kalama died seven days ago and

the knowledge and vision arose in me

allora Kalama died seven days

go I thought allora columnas loss is a

great one if he had heard this Dhamma he

would have understood it quickly I

considered thus to whom should I first

teach the Dhamma who will understand

this Dhamma quickly then it occurred to

me who da Kurama puta is wise

intelligent and discerning he has long

had little dust in his eyes

suppose I taught the Dhamma first to DA

Kurama puta he will understand it

quickly then deities approached me and

said venerable sir o docker Rama puta

died last night and the knowledge and

vision arose in me you docker Rama

Buddha died last night I thought who da

Murano butas loss is a great one if he

had heard this Dhamma he would have

understood it quickly I can I consider

thus to whom should I first teach the

Dhamma who will understand this Dhamma

quickly then it occurred to me the monks

of a group of five who attended me about

upon me while I am gauged in my striving

and were very helpful they stuck with

him through all of his ascetic practices

which were I won't read about the

ascetic practices is really disgusting

some of the things he did but and he

started cutting down on his food until

it was only taking one grain of rice a

day

and he was getting very close to death

and then he decided nobody could go any

further than I've gotten and this is not

the path so he started eating again

and those five monks that were attending

him they really didn't like the fact

they said oh you've given up the path

because they thought this kind of

ascetic practice was the way to attain

nirvana

so they got upset with him and they left

that gave him the space to come and and

actually attain nirvana without any of

anybody else distracting him suppose I

taught the Dhamma first to them then I

thought where are the monks in the group

of five now living and with a divine eye

which is purified and surpasses the

human I saw that they were living in

Banaras in the deer part of Ecbatana

then monks when I had stayed at roville

as long as I chose he wound up staying

there for 49 days and he hadn't had

anything to eat since his Awakening

experience and he started thinking about

the group of five and thought that it

would be a good idea to go towards them

as he started walking there were some

merchants that were coming through and

they saw that he he was not carrying a

bowl or

he just had his robes and he might need

some food so they asked him if he needed

food and he said yes I haven't eaten for

a long time and then they were just

going to put it on a food on a plate and

give it to him and the Buddha said you

can't do that it has to be offered in a

bowl but he there was no bowls available

so the Devas got together and they had

their their bowls that they ate out of

they were made of crystal and they put

four of these bowls together and then

offered it to the to the to the Buddha

but he else they also offered it to the

the merchants so they could put the food

in there now they got a huge amount of

merit for feeding the Buddha especially

the first meal after he'd become

awakened and then the book the merchants

took off and the Buddha started on his

journey now the story is in Burma that

it was and Burmese merchants that first

offered the food to but if you go to

Thailand

although Thailand was much more rural at

that time they were the ones that were

the first ones to offer yeah okay I set

out to wander by stages to Banaras

between gaya and the place of awakening

the og vodka who pakka saw me and the

road and said friend your faculties are

really clear the color of your skin is

pure and bright under whom have you gone

forth who is your teacher whose Dhamma

do you profess I replied to a Jivaka

kupaka

in stanza now imagine you're on the road

and just see somebody and they got all

glowing

features and such and you ask them these

questions think what went into his mind

when he hears this answer I am one who

has transcended all a knower of all

unsullied among all things renouncing

all by craving ceasing freed having

known this all for myself to whom should

I point to it as teacher I think about

him saying I figured this out myself

I have no teacher and no one like me

exist nowhere in all the world with all

its gods because I have no person for my

counterpart

I am the accomplished one in the world I

am the teachers supreme think what this

man is he's hearing this and he's

starting to go well will ya

okay I alone am a fully awakened one

whose fires are quenched and

extinguished I now go to the city of

kasi to set the motion of the wheel of

dhamma in a world that has become blind

i go to beat the drum of the deathless

by your claim friend you ought to be the

universal victor the victors are those

like me who have won to the destruction

of the taints i have vanquished

vanquished all evil states I therefore

Opaka

am a victor when this was said that [ __ ]

vacas kupaka said may it be so friend

shaking his head and he took a bi path

and departed I'm not gonna walk with him

but actually later after the Buddha had

started to have more and more disciples

he went and became a monk under under

the Buddha and attain our hardship then

monks wandering by stages I eventually

came to Banaras to the Deer Park at

isipatana and I approached the monks of

the group of five the monk saw me coming

in the distance and they agreed among

themselves friends here comes the

Rekluse Gautama who lives luxuriously

who gave up his driving and reverted to

luxury we should not pay homage to him

or rise up for him or receive his bowl

and outer robe but a seat may be

prepared for him if he likes he may sit

down however as I approached the monks

found themselves unable to keep their

pact one came to greet me and took my

bowl in outer robes another prepare to

seat another set out water for my feet

however they addressed me by name and as

friend thereupon I told them monks do

not address the target by name or his

friend the tatata is an accomplished one

a fully awakened one listen the

deathless has been attained

I shall instruct you I shall teach you

the Dhamma practising as you are

instructed by realizing

yourself here and now through direct

knowledge you will soon enter upon and

abide in the supreme goal of the holy

life for the sake of which clansmen

rightly go forth from the home life into

homelessness when this was said the

monks of the group of five answered me

this friend Gautama by the conduct the

practice and the performance of

austerities that you undertook you did

not achieve any superhuman states any

distinction and knowledge and vision

worthy of the noble ones since you now

live luxuriously having giving up your

striving and reverting to luxury

how will you have achieved any

superhuman states any distinction and

knowledge worthy envision worthy of the

noble ones when this was said I said

that the target does not live

luxuriously nor has he given up his

striving and reverted to luxury the

tatata is an accomplished one a fully

awakened one the deathless has been

attained a second time the monks of the

group of five said to me friend Gautama

and they went through the whole spiel

again how will you have a trained in

attained achieved any superhuman states

any distinction and knowledge and vision

worthy of the noble ones a second time I

told them that the target does not live

luxuriously a third time the monks of

the group of five said to me friend

Gautama

how will you have achieved any

superhuman states of distinction and

knowledge and vision worthy of the noble

ones when this was said I asked them

monks have you ever known me to speak

like this before no venerable sir monks

the target is an accomplished one of

fully awakened one listen monks the

deathless has been attained

I shall instruct you I shall teach you

the Dhamma practicing as you are

instructed by realizing for yourself

here and now through direct knowledge

you will soon enter upon and abide in

the supreme goal of the Holy life for

the sake of which clansmen rightly go

forth from the home life into

homelessness I was able to convince the

monks of the group of five then I

sometimes instructed two monks well the

other three monks went for homes and the

six of us lived on what those three

monks brought back from the homes round

sometimes I instructed three monks while

the other two went for alms and the six

of us lived on what those two monks

brought then the monks of the group of

five thus taught and instructed by me

being themselves subject to birth having

understood the danger and what is

subject to birth seeking the unborn

supreme security from bondage

I attained the unborn Supreme securely

from bondage Nibbana being themselves

subject to aging sickness death sorrow

and defilement having understood the

danger and what is subject to aging

sickness death sorrow and defilement

seeking the on aging on ailing deathless

Arliss and undefiled supreme security

from bondage Nibbana they attained the

on Aging on ailing deathless Arliss and

undefiled supreme security from bondage

Nibbana the knowledge and vision arose

and then our deliverance is unshakable

this is our last birth there is no more

renewal of being monks there are these

five cords of sensual pleasure what are

the five forms cognizable by the eye

that are wished for desired agreeable

and likeable connected with sensual

desire and inviting lust sounds caught

by cognizable by the ear that are wished

for desired agreeable and likeable

connected with sensual desire and

inviting lust odors cognizable by the

nose that are wished for desired

agreeable and likeable connected with

sensual desire and inviting lust flavors

cognizable by the tongue that are wished

for desired agreeable and likeable

connected with sensual desire and

inviting

lest tangibles cognizable by the body

that are wished for desired agreeable

and likeable connected with sensual

desire and inviting lust these are the

five cords of sensual pleasure as to

those recluses and brahmins who are tied

to these five cords of sensual pleasure

infatuated with them and utterly

committed to them and those who use them

without seeing the danger in them or

understanding the escape from them it

may be understood of them they have met

with calamity met with disaster the evil

one may do with them as he likes suppose

a forest deer who was bound lay down on

a heap of snares it might be understood

of him he has met with calamity met with

disaster the hunter can do with him as

he likes and when the hunter comes he

cannot go where he wants so - as those

recluses and brahmins who are tied to

these five cords of sensual pleasure it

may be understood of them they have met

with calamity met with disaster the evil

one may do with them as he likes as to

those recluses and brahmins who are not

tied to the five cords of sensual

pleasure who are not infatuated with

them or utterly committed to them and

who used them seeing the danger and then

and understanding the escape from them

it may be understood of them they have

not met with calamity not met with

disaster the evil one cannot do with

them as he likes suppose a forest deer

who has unbound who was unbound down on

a heap of snares he might be understood

of him he has not met with calamity not

met with disaster the hunter cannot do

with him as he likes and when the hunter

comes he can go where he wants so too as

those recluses and brahmins who are not

tied to those five cords of sensual

pleasure it may be understood of them

they have not met with calamity not met

with disaster the evil one cannot do

with them as he likes suppose the forest

deer is wandering in the forest wilds he

walks confidently stands confidently

sits confidently lies down confidently

why is that because he is out of the

hunters range so to quite secluded from

sensual pleasures secluded from

unwholesome States a monk enters upon

and abides in the first jhana which is

accompanied by thinking and examining

thought with joy and happiness born of

seclusion this monk is said to have

blindfolded Mara to have become

invisible to the evil one by depriving

eyes of its opportunity again with the

stilling of thinking and examining

thought a monk enters upon and abides in

the second jhana which has

self-confidence and stillness of mind

without thinking and examining thought

with joy and happiness born of

collectiveness this monk is said to have

blindfolded Mara to have become

invisible to the evil one by depriving

Mara's eyes of opportunity again with

the fading away of joy a monk enters

abides an equanimity mindful and fully

aware still feeling happiness with the

body he enters upon and abides in the

third jhana on account of which noble

ones announce he has a pleasant abiding

who has equanimity and is mindful this

monk is said to have blindfolded Mara

again with the abandoning of pleasure

and pain with the previous disappearance

of joy and grief a monk enters upon and

abides in the fourth jhana which has

neither pain nor pleasure and purity of

mindfulness due to equanimity this monk

is said to have blindfolded Mara so we

this is one of the first teachings of

the Buddha after the first setting the

wheel

it I've read and some commentaries that

there the second discourse by the Buddha

was to the realm of the Davis and there

was thousands and thousands of them

that's a car according to mozzie say

Dada the second discourse to these monks

was the anata Lakhan a suit and it's a

suit on the impersonal nature of

everything this is not me this I am NOT

this is not my self

sound familiar and again with the

complete sorrow and these are called

superhuman states because they are

beyond the ordinary understanding of

people that don't do any meditation

there still can be some paint

it's called meditation paint ok and

that's that as I've told you before the

meditation pain arises it is a hindrance

and as because of past actions at some

point this lifetime or before and it

comes up as your teacher now the letting

go of pleasure and pain is talking about

getting into the lower jhanas where you

do let go of pain and grief but once you

get to the 4th jhana you have more

balance in your mind again with the

complete surmounting of gross

perceptions of form with the

disappearance of gross perceptions of

sensory impact aware that space is

infinite a monk enters a bond and abides

in the base of infinite space this monk

is said to have blindfolded Mara again

by completely surmounting the base of

infinite space aware that consciousness

is infinite a monk enters upon and

abides in the base of in

consciousness this monk is called is

said to have blindfolded Mar excuse me

again by preserves our mounting the base

of infinite consciousness aware that

there is nothing monk enters upon and

abides in the base of nothingness this

monk is said to have blindfolded Mara

again by completely surmounting the base

of nothingness a monk enters upon and

abides in the base of neither perception

nor non-perception this monk is said to

have blindfolded Mara too they have

become invisible to the evil one by

depriving Mara's eyes of its opportunity

again by surmounting the base of neither

perception nor non-perception a monk

enters upon and abides in the cessation

of perception feeling in consciousness

and his taints are destroyed by his

seeing with wisdom this monk is said to

have blind blind folded Mara to have

become invisible to the evil one

depriving Mara's eyes of its

opportunities and to have crossed beyond

attachment to this world he walks

confidently stands confidently sits

confidently lies down confidently why is

that because he is out of the evil ones

range that is what the Blessed One said

the monks were satisfied and delighted

in the Blessed

once words so that gives you the pretty

good story of how the Buddha went

through some of his trials and

tribulations and wasn't satisfied with

the way meditation was being taught he

knew that there was something missing in

the way he was doing the practice and

what was missing is his recognition of

craving what craving is and how to let

craving go I don't do that I let you

know what craving is because this is

what the Buddha started teaching at a

later time

at first it was it was teaching the the

five monks were very very virtuous in

that they kept their precepts very

closely so when they started hearing

what the Buddha was saying about his

teaching and how to practice the first

dhamma talk that the buddha gave had the

Eightfold Path in it and he talked about

not getting caught up in ascetic or

indulging but going the middle way and

that's what the men they a full path is

it is the middle way every time you six

are you are practicing the entire

Eightfold Path okay you're purifying

your mind

and the more you purify your mind the

longer you stay with your object of

meditation and more clear everything

becomes so it's a real important aspect

that quite frankly is not being taught

very much these days just like the Noble

Truths everybody knows about the Noble

Truths but in such a general term and

such a general way that it's just like

yeah yeah yeah that's the Four Noble

Truths but they don't have it explained

to them how truly important the Four

Noble Truths are it's more like I've

been hearing this my whole life and it's

not a big deal so it is a big deal

especially right effort there's an awful

lot of people that are practicing

meditation that don't know anything

about right effort when I was doing the

straight deposit of practice I was

noting everything until it went away and

then I immediately came back to the

breath but that's not the instruction of

mindfulness of breathing or the sati

putana sorta it has exactly the same

instructions and it's only four

sentences it's real simple

but we don't like simple so much

we like complicated how many times have

I heard that this is too simple just

today yeah I've tried to keep it as

simple as I can I ran across a book it

was a reader's digest of all the books

and it had this one little blurb right

underneath the story whatever the story

was I have no idea and the headline was

that you understand more clearly when

you use words that aren't big and to

prove it it did a whole sentence of

words that weren't any longer than four

letters and when I read that I

understood it completely I mean there

wasn't any ambiguity with it this I saw

also thing in the about the different

people that are running for office and I

was talking about their language and the

way they used language and Trump he uses

the simplest language it's like a fourth

grade level language that he uses and

everybody really understands him but as

they were more quote educated and such

and they got up to Bernie Sanders and he

is the equivalent of a junior in college

with his language so he uses a lot of

words but not many people understand so

I took that to heart because it was so

easy to understand and it's simple

so people that start writing things I

try to get them to use words no less

than eight letters or no more than eight

letters I should say because it keeps it

easy to understand and the easier it is

to understand the easier it is to follow

the directions and there are starting to

be some very successful meditators here

because you're following the directions

and it's easy to see it and it's real

important and that's that's one of the

things I've noticed with a lot of monk

teachers that they try to use more

complicated language and they're always

throwing in Pali words you don't hear me

use many Pali words because I have to

define them and when you when I have to

do that then we get into all kinds of

problems because this person said that's

not right and this is more clear if you

use this word

so I try to keep things as simple as

possible

the thing that about the Eightfold Path

is I don't use the same words that other

people use to describe the Eightfold

Path it's it's kind of ridic rigid and

harsh and when they say write this and

write that it also implies that there's

wrong this and wrong that and that means

that all life is black and white and

it's not and I do get criticized for

this but I use the word harmonious and

the first noble truth is they say right

view that's even the name or one of the

suit is here but I call it harmonious

perspective and what does that mean

it means that everything is part of an

impersonal process everything in the

world including you and your bodies as

part of an impersonal process it is a

process it is not something to be taken

personally although we do and we get

caught up in that and that causes all

kinds of suffering the second fold of

the Eightfold Path they call it right

thought bhikkhu bodhi and as later

translations and the middle link sayings

he says right intention and I really

don't agree with that that's way too

limited a

definition I call it harmonious imaging

when you hold an image of the way you

are I'm always broke okay I'm always

poor I never have any friends what kind

of an image are you holding on there of

yourself change your image

I'm always greedy I always want more I

want to be wealthy all of these kind of

thoughts are images that you don't

really believe in and you you're not

very successful with them I hold an

image of being prosperous and prosperity

to me does not necessarily mean material

things

I'm prosperous because I have a lot of

friends I have people that love me all

over the world I can't get any more

prosperous than that I don't think they

love me so much that they take me away

from America for six months a year and

drive ride me all the way around the

world

come over here oh you have to leave to

some but that's the kind of image that I

hold for myself not a greedy image not a

wanting image because those kind of

things they're bad images to hold me

because mostly they don't work what kind

of an image do you want for yourself

kind helpful generous

you see what I'm saying about the image

that you old I have friends in Missouri

they always say they don't have enough

and you know what they don't they

sabotage themselves so all we have to do

is change your image start thinking

about yourself in a prosperous way not

necessarily in a greedy way but picture

yourself how much do you help other

people don't you like yourself when you

do that isn't it fun image yourself as a

fun person as a happy person

as a person that is willing to help

other people overcome their suffering

that's the kind of image you want to

hold being kind being gentle those are

the kind of images that really mean

something now if you are serious about

changing your image it takes about a

month of reminding yourself every day

this is the way this is your image of

yourself kind helpful intelligent you

hold those kind of images and you will

become that but it has to be positive it

has to be uplifting I have some friends

that they they have the image that

they're rich

but life is more important than money

it's much more important there is a

saying in Buddhism that when you take

care of dama dama takes care of you okay

it's really true now what does that mean

that means you keep your precepts

without breaking them it means you

practice your generosity and all

different kinds of ways in in ways that

help other people overcome their

suffering and sometimes it's just a few

words sometimes it's just radiating

loving kindness to somebody you want to

hold an image of being compassionate

that's a good one it's up to you

you hold an image of being happy that's

a good one and again that's up to you so

harmonious imaging is a real important

aspect of the Eightfold Path and when

you practice the six ARS we mature you

holy

craving free happy uplifted helpful nice

images the next part of the Eightfold

Path or the next fold of the fold path

they call it right speech and I really

don't like that definition I call it

harmonious communication who do you talk

with more than anybody else in the world

yourself right

how much do you beat yourself up is that

harmonious communication how much can

you cause yourself suffering and have

repeat thoughts over and over again

because you think you made a mistake and

you just get out the boxing gloves

because you're gonna be beating yourself

up for a long time well is that

harmonious communication no any negative

thought that you hold on to is

unwholesome you're identifying with it

and you're causing yourself more and

more pain why do you think I push

forgiveness so much because you wind up

having a whole lifetime of beating

yourself up because you're not as

perfect as you think you should be and

there's no such a thing as a perfect

being even the Buddha made mistakes oh

that was sacrilege

but he did some monk would make some do

something and another month would go

tell the Buddha okay he did this and the

Buddha would say well we're gonna make a

rule that you don't do that and then

other monks would find out about this

rule and they'd go to go to the Buddha

and say wait this isn't good what it's

not practical it's not the way we should

actually have do these things and then

the Buddha would say okay then we'll

take that that rule off you have to be

willing to make mistakes if you're gonna

learn but you can't beat yourself up

because you made the mistake you have to

be kind to yourself you have to be

gentle with yourself you have to learn

how to forgive yourself for not being

perfect or forgive yourself for causing

pain having an uplifted mind and being

kind to yourself

that's our moaning is communication and

the thing with keeping the precepts is

there's a lot about speech in that so

you keep your precepts and you follow

the Eightfold Path and what happens

tamo takes care of you because you're

taking care of dama and you're helping

yourself and you're helping others one

of the things I don't particularly like

about the way loving-kindness is being

taught in this country is that it's

selfish loving kindness and it's a

mental loving kindness when it should be

a feeling loving kindness and a gentle

loving kindness and a helpful loving

kindness it's about practicing your

generosity in all ways with loving

kindness sometimes you don't even have

to say something to somebody else just

reading it a happy feeling to them

that's harmonious communication in it so

the more you can do that the more you

affect the world around you in a

positive way and Dhamma will take care

of you you don't always get what you

want but you always get what you need

always I mean it wasn't that long ago

that I'd be walking down the street

someplace here in America and somebody

would come up beside me in a car and

stop and say I want to give you a ride

I wasn't thumbing I was just walking and

it was it's pretty amazing to see that

sort of thing I was getting tired my

legs were hurting my feet hurt and I had

the thought boy it would be nice to have

a ride back to where I need to go and it

happened

dhama took care of me complete stranger

well that's amazing

you get amazed more and more as you keep

your precepts without breaking them for

longer and longer periods of time you

start to see the wonder of the world not

focusing on the suffering of the world

okay

okay let's America these suffering ones

be suffering free and the fear struck

fearless be me the grieving shed all

grief and may all beings find relief may

all being shared this merit that we've

thus acquired for the acquisition of all

kinds of happiness may beings inhabiting

space under Davis of Nagas of mighty

power long protect the Buddha's

dispensations

[Music]