Buddha Series-5: The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha (My favorite suttas)

03 Jan 2024,

Houston, Texas

• Taken from Pg 582, Kitagiri Sutta: Sutta 70 from 
  • The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha_ A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya
  • (Teachings of the Buddha)-Wisdom Publications (1995)
  • - Bhikkhu Nanamoli, Bhikkhu Bodhi

This is my favorite sutta, how beautiful it is elucidated by the blessed one. Buddhist scriptures are always structured so analytically and Buddha breaks down everything to its root cause. This is one of my favorites!

Memorizing the dhamma & scrutinizing & respecting the teacher are very critical aspects of this sutta.

I put it in a flow chart manner for my working and memorizing it, I thought I would share it with other folks here too!

22. "Bhikkhus, I do not say that final knowledge is achieved all at once. On the contrary, final knowledge is achieved by gradual training, by gradual practice, and by gradual progress. [480]

23. "And how does there come to be gradual training, gradual practice, gradual progress? Here one who has faith [in a teacher] visits him; when he visits him, he pays respect to him; when he pays respect to him, he gives ear; one who gives ear hears the Dhamma; having heard the Dhamma, he memorizes it; he

examines the meaning of the teachings he has memorized; when he examines their meaning, he gains a reflective acceptance of those teachings; when he has gained a reflective acceptance of those teachings, zeal springs up in him; when zeal has sprung up, he applies his will; having applied his will, he scrutinizes; having scrutinized, he strives; resolutely striving, he realizes with the body, the ultimate truth, and sees it by penetrating it with wisdom?

24. "There has not been that faith, bhikkhus, and there has not been that visiting, and there has not been that paying ofrespect and there has not been that giving ear, and there has not been that hearing of the Dhamma, and there has not been that memorizing of the Dhamma, and there has not been that exam-nation of the meaning, and there has not been that reflective acceptance of the teachings, and there has not been that zeal, and there has not been that application of will, and there has not been that scrutiny and there has not been that striving. Bhikkhus, you have lost your way; bhikkhus, you have been practicing the wrong way. How far you have strayed, misguided men, from this Dhamma and Discipline!