Citta: Recent Episodes
Sankalpa Chakma
I guess, I’m a Buddhist through and through. So, in this podcast, I talk about Buddhism, what I understand about it and how I practise it, hoping that it will also help others. Let us all be free from suffering. Let all beings be happy and wise.
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The Buddha tells us about the ‘footprints’ which lead us to the ultimate truth, that until we reach the real destination, we must not totally believe in the ‘footprints’. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN27.html
In this discourse, the Buddha talks of two kinds of ‘searches’: ignoble and noble. Also, he mentions his own spiritual journey and speaks of the drawbacks of falling for the strings of sensuality. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN26.html
In the MN 25, the Buddha uses the analogy of a poison-grass sower to show how we might be derailed from the right path and make mistakes. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN25.html Twitter: @thesuttaweekly
This sutta highlights the point that the sole purpose of Buddhism is to end our suffering, not anything else. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN24.html
In this sutta, the Buddha reminds us strongly of the dangers of grasping his teachings wrongly. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN22.html
In this sutta, the Buddha reiterates to us to practice kindness and compassion even when other people are being bad to us. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN21.html
The Buddha sorts thinking into two types - thinking imbued with sensuality, ill will and harmfulness, and thinking imbued with renunciation, non-ill will and harmlessness. We must follow the latter and abandon the former for the benefit of us and the world.
In this sutta, the Buddha talks about papañca, the mental tendencies that erupt into outer violence.
In this sutta, the Buddha talks about the importance of experiencing meditative bliss in order to escape sensuality, the drawbacks of sensuality, and also the futility of practising asceticism.
In this sutta, the Buddha speaks about the allure, drawbacks and escape from sensuality, forms and feeling. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN13.html
In this sutta, the Buddha speaks of his various faculties that rightly make him the Tathagata. His teachings aren’t hammered out of logical reasoning but from direct penetration of the ultimate truths. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN12.html
In the MN 11, the Buddha highlights the importance of perfectly comprehending clinging, for failing to understand it leads us to the unskilful views of either becoming of non-becoming. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN11.html
A very important discourse in which the Buddha provides us instructions on how to practice mindfulness. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN10.html
In this sutta, Venerable Sariputta explains the different aspects of right view. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN9.html
In this discourse, the Buddha speaks about the importance of doing away with the defilements. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN7.html
In this sutta, the Buddha lists the importance and merits of maintaining the precepts. Although, the precepts in discussion are those for the monks, patimokhha, I think, the Buddha also indirectly tells us lay folks of the advantages of following our five precepts. References: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN6.html https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pāṭimokkha https://tricycle.org/magazine/the-five-precepts/
In this discourse that takes place between Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Mahamogallana, we learn about the importance of self-awareness. Even if we are doing the right thing, we need to be aware of it and keep it up. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN5.html
The Buddha speaks about the qualities we need to be able to live and meditate in the wilderness. Also, he recalls his way to unbinding, the three knowledges he attained. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN4.html
Effluents, or ‘asavas’ as they are called in Pali, generate karma and bind us to more suffering. To be completely free from the clutches of suffering, we have to do away with the effluents. So, the Buddha gives us seven ways to do so. https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN2.html
In this sutta, the Buddha explains why it’s not appropriate to apply the root principle to the Dhamma. They lead us to clinging to views, which is one of the reasons behind our suffering. Check out https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN1.html for the full sutta.
I’ve decided to revamp the podcast, changing the podcast title and style of episodes. Starting from now, I’ll be making summaries of the suttas from the Pali Tipitaka every week. The source of my references will be the https://www.dhammatalks.org Bhante Thanissaro is the best monk I’ve ever heard. You can find his sutta translations, articles and lectures there in the link.
In this episode, I talk about the significance of having the right perspective about things. The way we see the world determines our actions. So, it’s important that we see things the right way.
Buddhism is for everyone, even for those of us who aren’t actively seeking liberation. The Buddha gave us some practical advises to lead better lives.
In this episode, I give an overview of the MN 13 sutta, in which the Buddha explains why it’s a bad idea to cling on to sensuality, forms and feelings for our happiness. To read the whole text itself, you can go to https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN13.html
Climate change is arguably the biggest issue at the moment. In this episode, I talk about what Buddhism might have to say about it.
Pattica-samupadda or dependant co-origination is the fundamental block of Buddhism. In this episode, I talk about how it applies to our suffering.
Science is held as the unquestionable authority on things, but is it really all right? I don’t think so. In this episode, I put forward my arguments against the scientific method and also talk about the difference between science and Buddhism.
Right effort is central to practicing the Noble Eightfold Path. It comprises of four kinds: abandoning the unskilful, preventing the unskilful from arising, arising the skilful, and maintaining the skilful.
We often unknowingly do a lot of unskilful things. So, it’s necessary that we exercise more mindfulness to help us recognise our bad behaviours.
In this sermon, the Buddha talks about the priority of right view, how it leads us towards practicing the Noble Eightfold Path. To read more in detail about the sutta, check out https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN117.html.
Almost all of us have some regrets in life. We can’t help but wonder ‘what if’ and plunge into negativity. How do we deal with it?
Violence is never justified. Unfortunate, the way things are unfolding in Ukraine. Let’s hope peace somehow finds its way.
As an INFP, I think, I have certain strengths that help me practice Buddhism better. But, also some weaknesses which tend to let me down.
So, I changed the name of the podcast. It was ‘It’s Not Any Way, It’s Wu Wei’ before. Now, it’s ‘Citta’, a word quite central to Buddhism. I even changed the artwork. Hope it’s more minimal and aesthetic now. Hehe.