THANISSARO BHIKKHU

Take Good Aim January 9, 2016 The Buddha compares the discernment that comes from meditation to the skills of being

The End of the World November 30, 2016 As Ratthapala said in his Dhamma summaries, “The world is swept away.”

Ajaan Suwat’s Gift April 5, 2017 The Thai phrase, “Don’t be selfish,” literally means, “Don’t look after yourself,” as opposed

Spread Goodness Around December 29, 2016 There’s a Pali word puñña, which doesn’t get much good press in the West, largely because

The Lessons of Good Kamma April 14, 2016 We look around us and we see a lot of people who

Turning Anxiety into Heedfulness November 20, 2016 There’s something of a tension in the chants we repeat in the evening

Respect for the Precepts January 29, 2015 Several years ago I was taking part in a discussion on the precepts,

Wisdom for Dummies Revisited February 4, 2017 We like to think of Buddhist wisdom as something subtle and abstract. And

Defilements Are Real February 14, 2017 A lot of people don’t like the word “defilement.” This is true not just

Insight Is a Judgment Call September 29, 2016 When the great ajaans were practicing in the forest, they were out

The Train Trestle December 30, 2016 Put aside the world outside for a while and focus on the world inside.

The Burning House May 4, 2016 We focus on the present moment so that we give the mind a sense

Breath vs. Distraction January 28, 2016 Just sitting here with nothing to do is very ordinary. It’s so ordinary that

Centered January 24, 2017 The Pali word samadhi is usually translated as concentration. I know at least one teacher, though, who objects

Tapping into the Breath July 17, 2017 Time and again, I say—when you’re focusing on the breath—to remember that the

What Is One July 13, 2017 In the Canon, there’s a brief catechism called the Novice’s Questions. It’s a list of basic

Remorse August 30, 2016 When you sit down to meditate and settle down with the breath, the mind becomes very