First Sesshin Retreat at Houn Ji

Bringing two strands of Dharma together

The World Needs Buddhism

Renovation

The building consists of what were formerly two small terraced houses. The larger of the two is in quite good repair while the smaller one is mostly derelict. Renovation has started. Across the top of the two houses there is a single open roof space

The Birth of Houn-ji

The move to Ainay le Château is now complete and renovation work is underway to turn the old house, by stages, into a functioning private temple.

Grenier Hondo/Zendo Progress

The roof space - grenier - above the house is approximately 60 square metres. There is a wooden floor in need for some repair, which is now underway. A first layer of insulation has been installed under the tiles. We must now seek permission to inser

Number 10

The removal to the house in Ainay le Château is now complete. It is convenient and welcoming. Originally it was two houses. One of these is comfortably habitable and the other is semi-derelict. Renovations are now under way. The first steps are to in

MN18 MADHUPINDIKA The Honey Cake

024/ MN018 Madhupindika

We've now reached Sutra 18 in the Majjhima Nikaya, and this is called the Honey Cake Sutta. And I'd say it certainly is a honey cake for all students of Buddhist psychology: there are some important Buddhist psychological prin

MN16 & MN17 CETOKHILA & VANAPATTHA Wilderness Within & Without

023/ MN016-017 Cetokhila & Vanapattha
 

In this podcast, I'd like to deal with the next two sutras in the Majjhima Nikaya, numbers 16 and 17, the Cetakila and the Vanapata. These two sutras are about making progress on the spiritual path. In differe

MN15 ANUMANA The Bhikshu Patimoksha

022/ MN015 Anumana

 The Anumana Sutta is spoken by Moggallana, one of the leading disciples of the Buddha. It's sometimes also called the Bhikshu Pratimoksha Sutra. Pratimoksha is the name given to the rules for Buddhist monastics.

But prati means to

MN13 & MN14 DUKKHAKKHANDA - Dukkha Skandha

021/ MN013-014 Dukkhakkhandha
 

We've now reached suttas 13 and 14 in the Majjhima Nikaya. These are the greater and lesser dukkha skandha suttas.

Dukkha, first of the noble truths.

Skandhas, well the skandhas appear in connection with the four n

MN12 MAHASIHANANDA The Lion's Roar Larger Sutra

020/ MN012 Mahasihanada

We've now reached the Maha Sihanada Sutta, which is number 12 in the Majjhima Nikaya. This is the larger Lion's Roar Sutra. This sutra includes the Buddha talking about his supernatural powers and also about his past practic

MN11 CULASIHANANDA The Lion's Roar Smaller Sutra

 019/ MN011 Culasihananda

The eleventh Majjhima Nikaya Sutta is the Culasihanada Sutta, the shorter lion's roar discourse. This sutra is quite short, but it's quite complicated. The gist of it is that the Buddha declares that the special and unique f

MN10 SATIPATTHANA The Mindfulness Sutra

 014/ MN010 Satipatthana Part 1

Part One: The Title

So in this series we've reached sutta number 10, which is the Satipatthana. Well, we should firstly say something about this title, Satipatthana, because this is the intention of the teaching. Sati,

MN9 SAMMADHITTI Right View

 013/ MN009 Sammaditthi

Sutra number nine is the Sammaditthi, the sutra on right view. It's not given by the Buddha himself, it's a teaching by the Buddha's disciple, Shariputra. Shariputra gives a series of 16 different ways of understanding what

MN8 SALLEKHA Effacement

 012/ MN008 Sallekha

 Sutra number eight in the Majjhima Nikaya is the Sallekha. This is the sutra on effacement. Effacement we can say is non-ego.

In this sutra the Buddha makes a distinction between effacement and pleasant abiding. Clearly he regar

MN7 VATTHUPAMA: The Simile of the Cloth

 009/ MN007 Vatthupama Part 1

The seventh sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya is the Vatthupama. This is the simile of the cloth. The basic point of this sutta, this teaching given by the Buddha himself, is an analogy with the dyeing of a cloth.

The Buddhis

MN6 AKANKHAYYA Good Conduct

 008/ MN006 Akankhayya

Sutta number six in the Majjhima Nikaya is the Akankhaya, and I can imagine the Buddha giving this talk. One can only try to imagine what may have preceded it.

He talks about the importance of the bhikkhus, the monks in the ord

MN5 ANANGANA: Without Blemish

007/ MN005 Anangana

The fifth sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya is the Anangana sutta. Angana means, or is translated in the Ñanamoli and Bodhi translation of the Majjhima Nikaya as, blemishes. So Anangama means without blemishes.

Now this sutta is actu

MN4 BHAYABHERAVA: Fear & Dread

004/MN004A Bhayabherava Part 1

The fourth sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya is the Bhayabherava Sutta, the Sutta on Fear and Dread. Now this is an important sutta. It contains a summary of several important aspects of the Buddha's teaching.

It has a cen