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Buddhism in a Nutshell
by Narada Mahathera

An excellent introductory overview of the fundamental principles of the Buddhist doctrine, this book covers many topics such as the life of the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Four Noble Truths, the Law of Kamma, Rebirth, Dependent Origination, Anatta, and Nibbana. Some of the chapters include: "The Dhamma: Is it a Philosophy?," "Is it a Religion?," "Is Buddhism an Ethical System?," and "Rebirth."

Free download here:
https://static.sariputta.com/pdf/tipitaka/222/nutshell_pdf.pdf
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Dhammapada Verses 227, 228, 229 and 230
Atula Upasaka Vatthu

Poranametam Atula
netam ajjatanamiva
nindanti tunhimasinam
nindanti bahubhaninam
mitabhanimpi nindanti
natthi loke anindito.

Na cahu na ca bhavissati
na cetarahi vijjati
ekantam nindito poso
ekantam va pasamsito.

Yam ce vinnu pasamsanti
anuvicca suve suve
acchiddavuttim medhavim
pannasilasamahitam.

Nikkham jambonadasseva1
ko tam ninditumarahati
devapi nam pasamsanti
brahmunapi pasamsito.

Verse 227: It is not new, O Atula! It has always been done from ancient times. They blame one who is silent, they blame one who speaks much, they blame one who speaks little. There is no one in this world who is not blamed.

Verse 228: There never has been, there never will be, nor is there now, anyone who is always blamed or always praised.

Verses 229 - 230: If the wise praise him day after day, knowing him to be truly faultless, wise and endowed with knowledge and virtue, who would blame him, who is like a nikkha of pure gold? The devas praise him; he is praised even by the great Brahmas.

1. nikkham jambonadasseva: like a nikkha of jambonada gold. Jambonada gold which comes from Jambu river is the finest gold. A nikkha can be a weight-unit of gold, an ornament or a coin.

The Story of Atula the Lay-disciple

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (227) to (230) of this book, with reference to Atula and his companions.

Once, Atula and his companions numbering five hundred, wishing to listen to words of dhamma, went to Thera Revata. The thera however was very aloof like a lion; he did not say anything to them. They were very much dissatisfied and so they went to Thera Sariputta. When Thera Sariputta learned why they had come, he expounded exhaustively on the Abhidhamma. He also was not to their liking, and they grumbled that Thera Sariputta had been too lengthy and too profound. Next, Atula and his party approached Thera Ananda. Thera Ananda expounded to them the bare essentials of the Dhamma. This time, they remarked that Thera Ananda had been too brief and too sketchy. Finally they came to the Buddha and said to him, "Venerable Sir, we have come to listen to your teaching. We have been to other teachers before we come here, but we are not satisfied with any of them. Thera Revata did not bother to teach us and he just kept silent; Thera Sariputta was too exhaustive and the Dhamma he taught us was too difficult for us. As for Thera Ananda, he was too brief and too sketchy. We do not like any of their discourses."

To them the Buddha said, "My disciples, blaming others is not something new. There is no one in this world who is never blamed; people would blame even a king, or even a Buddha. To be blamed or to be praised by a fool is of no consequence; one is truly blamed only when he is blamed by a wise man, and truly praised only when praised by a wise man."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 227: It is not new, O Atula! It has always been done from ancient times. They blame one who is silent, they blame one who speaks much, they blame one who speaks little. There is no one in this world who is not blamed.


Verse 228: There never has been, there never will be, nor is there now, anyone who is always blamed or always praised.


Verses 229 - 230: If the wise praise him day after day, knowing him to be truly faultless, wise and endowed with knowledge and virtue, who would blame him, who is like a nikkha of pure gold? The devas praise him; he is praised even by the great Brahmas.

At the end of the discourse Atula and his companions attained Sotapatti Fruition.


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Buddha dharma teachings channel:

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Free Buddha Dharma ebook

A Still Forest Pool: The Insight Meditation of Ajahn Chah

Compiled by Jack Kornfield and Paul Breiter

Ajahn Chah spent many years walking and meditating in the forest monastery of Wat Ba Pong, engaging in the uncomplicated and disciplined Buddhist practice called dhudanga. A Still Forest Pool reflects the quiet, intensive, and joyous practice of the forest monks of Thailand. Achaan Chah’s humble words, compiled by two Westerners who are former ordained monks, awaken the spirit of inquiry, wonderment, understanding, and deep inner peace.

Free download available:
https://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN164.pdf
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Dhammapada Verses 231, 232, 233 and 234
Chabbaggiya Vatthu

Kayappakopam rakkheyya
kayena sambyuto siya
kayaduccaritam hitva
kayena sucaritam care.

Vacipakopam rakkheyya
vacaya samvuto siya
vaciduccaritam hitva
vacaya sucaritam care.

Manopakopam rakkheyya
manasa samvuto siya
manoduccaritam hitva
manasa sucaritam care.

Kayena samvuta dhira
atho vacaya sambuta
manasa samvuta dhira
te ye suparisamvuta.

Verse 231: Guard against evil deeds, control your body. Giving up evil deeds, cultivate good deeds.

Verse 232: Guard against evil speech, control your speech. Giving up evil speech, cultivate good speech.

Verse 233: Guard against evil thoughts, control your mind. Giving up evil thoughts, cultivate good thoughts.

Verse 234: The wise are controlled in deed, they are controlled in speech, they are controlled in thought. Indeed, they are perfectly self-controlled.

The Story of a Group of Six Bhikkhus

While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (231) to (234) of this book, with reference to a group of six bhikkhus.

Six bhikkhus wearing wooden sandals, and each holding a staff with both hands, were walking to and fro on a big stone slab, making much noise. The Buddha hearing the noises asked Thera Ananda what was going on, and Thera Ananda told him about the six bhikkhus. The Buddha then prohibited the bhikkhus from wearing wooden sandals. He further exhorted the bhikkhus to restrain themselves both in words and deeds.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 231: Guard against evil deeds, control your body. Giving up evil deeds, cultivate good deeds.


Verse 232: Guard against evil speech, control your speech. Giving up evil speech, cultivate good speech.


Verse 233: Guard against evil thoughts, control your mind. Giving up evil thoughts, cultivate good thoughts.


Verse 234: The wise are controlled in deed, they are controlled in speech, they are controlled in thought. Indeed, they are perfectly self-controlled.

End of Chapter Seventeen: Anger (Kodhavagga)


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Words of the Buddha channel:

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Wat asokaram Buddhist white temple, Tambon Thai Ban, on Sukhumvit road, Bangkok, Thailand. Phra Ajahn Lee Dhammadaro is enshrined in this temple.

Free Buddha Dharma ebook

The Basic Method of Meditation
By Ajahn Brahmavamso

The Basic Method of Meditation by Ajahn Brahm is a classic introduction and overview introducing new meditators to the terrain of the mind that they will encounter as they develop the successive stages of meditation.

Free download here:

https://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN179.pdf


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Dhammapada Verses 235, 236, 237 and 238
Goghatakaputta Vatthu

Pandupalasova danisi
yamapurisapi ca te upatthita
uyyogamukhe1 ca titthasi
patheyyampi ca te na vijjati.

So karohi dipamattano
khippam vayama pandito bhava
niddhantamalo anangano
dibbam ariyabhumim2 upehisi.

Upanitavayo ca danisi
sampayatosi yamassa santikam
vase te natthi antara
patheyyampi ca te na vijjati.

So karohi dipamattano
khippam vayama pandito bhava
niddhantamalo anangano
na punam jatijaram upehisi.

Verse 235: You are now like a withered leaf; the messengers of death are near you; you are about to set out on a long journey; (yet), you have no provisions (for the journey).

Verse 236: Make a firm support for yourself; hasten to strive hard, and be wise. Having removed impurities and being free from moral defilements you shall enter the abodes of the Ariyas (i.e., Suddhavasa brahma realm).

Verse 237: Now you are of advanced age; you are going to the presence of the King of Death and you cannot stop on the way; (yet) you have no provisions (for the journey).

Verse 238: Make a firm support for yourself; hasten to strive hard, and be wise. Having removed impurities and being free from moral defilements you will no longer be subject to rebirth and decay.

1. uyyogamukhe: lit., about to set out on a long journey, i.e., the journey of samsara.

2. dibbam ariyabhumim: the celestial plane of the ariyas. The reference is to the Suddhavasa brahma realm or the Pure Abodes which are exclusively inhabited by tbe anagamis (the Never-Returners).

The Story of the Son of a Butcher

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (235) to (238) of this book, with reference to the son of a butcher.

Once in Savatthi, there was a man who had been a butcher for fifty-five years. All this time, he slaughtered cattle and sold the meat and everyday he took meat curry with his rice. One day, he left some meat with his wife to cook it for the family, and then left for the riverside to have his bath. During his absence, a friend coaxed his wife to sell that particular piece of meat to him. As a result, there was no meat curry for the butcher on that day. But as the butcher never took his meal without meat curry, he hurriedly went to the back of his house, where an ox was standing. He promptly cut off the tongue of the ox and baked it over a fire. When having his meal, the butcher had a bite of the tongue of the ox, but as he did so his own tongue was cut off and fell into his plate of rice. Thus the ox and the butcher were in the same plight, both of them having had their tongues cut off. The butcher was in great pain and agony, and he went about agitatedly on his knees, with blood dripping profusely from his mouth. Then the butcher died and was reborn in the Avici Niraya.

The butcher's wife was greatly disturbed and she was anxious for her son to get away to some other place, lest this evil should befall him too. So she sent her son to Taxila. At Taxila, he acquired the art of a goldsmith. Later, he married the daughter of his master and some children were born to them. When their sons came of age he returned to Savatthi. The sons were endowed with faith in the Buddha and were religiously inclined. They were anxious about their father, who had grown old with no thought of religion or of his future existence. So one day, they invited the Buddha and the bhikkhus to their house for alms-food. After the meal they said to the Buddha, "Venerable Sir, we are making this offering to you today on behalf of our father. Kindly give a discourse specially for him." So the Buddha said, "My disciple! You are getting old; but you have not made any provisions of merit for your journey to the next existence; you should now find a support for yourself."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 235: You are now like a withered leaf; the messengers of death are near you; you are about to set out on a long journey; (yet), you have no provisions (for the journey).


Verse 236: Make a firm support for yourself; hasten to strive hard, and be wise. Having removed impurities and being free from moral defilements you shall enter the abodes of the Ariyas (i.e., Suddhavasa brahma realm).


Verse 237: Now you are of advanced age; you are going to the presence of the King of Death and you cannot stop on the way; (yet) you have no provisions (for the journey).


Verse 238: Make a firm support for yourself; hasten to strive hard, and be wise. Having removed impurities and being free from moral defilements you will no longer be subject to rebirth and decay.

At the end of the discourse the father of the donors of alms-food (i.e., the son of the butcher) attained Anagami Fruition.


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Words of the Buddha channel:

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