Teachings of a Buddhist Monk - Softcover

Sumedho, Ajahn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0946672237 ISBN 13: 9780946672233

Publisher: Buddhist Publishing Group, 2001

Synopsis

Containing the modern practical teachings from one of the oldest Buddhist traditions, this collection of Sumedho's wisdom and humor bring readers into the heart of Buddhist meditation. (World Religion)

About this title

Review:

Teachings of a Buddhist Monk is just what it says. Suggestions for practice by a practising Buddhist monk based on his long experience. -- Buddhism Now, November, 2001

It addresses the reader directly with humour and simplicity. -- Buddhism Now, November, 2001

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

The Buddha’s teaching is all about understanding suffering—its origin, its cessation, and the path to its cessation. When we contemplate suffering, we find we are contemplating desire, because desire and suffering are the same thing.

Desire can be compared to fire. If we grasp fire, what happens? Does it lead to happiness? If we say: ‘Oh, look at that beautiful fire! Look at the beautiful colours! I love red and orange; they’re my favourite colours,’ and then grasp it, we would find a certain amount of suffering entering the body. And then if we were to contemplate the cause of that suffering we would discover it was the result of having grasped that fire. On that information, we would, hopefully, then let the fire go. Once we let fire go, then we know that it is something not to be attached to. This does not mean we have to hate it, or put it out. We can enjoy fire, can’t we? It is nice having a fire, it keeps the room warm, but we do not have to burn ourselves in it.

When we really contemplate suffering, we no longer incline towards grasping hold of desire, because it hurts, is painful, there is no point in doing it. So, from that time on, we understand, ‘Oh! That’s why I’m suffering; that’s its origin. Ah! now I understand. It’s that grasping hold of desire that causes me all this misery and suffering, all this fear, worry, expectation, despair, hatred, greed, delusion. All the problems of life come from grasping and clinging to the fire of desire.

About this edition

• Publisher: Buddhist Publishing Group
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0946672237
• ISBN 13: 9780946672233
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 148
• Editor: St Ruth Diana
• Illustrator: Hanselaar Marcelle