Download the Friday talk "Does not the Blessed One dwell in compassion for all living beings?" "Indeed, headman, the Tathagata does dwell in compassion for all living beings." "Well then, Lord, does not the Blessed One teach Dhamma in full to some, but not so fully to others?" "I will reply to this question, headman, with another. Answer as seems proper to you. What do you think? Suppose a peasant farmer has three fields, one excellent, one middling, and one poor, sandy, salty, with bad soil. Tell me: when the farmer wants to sow his seed, which field would he sow first: the excellent one, the middling one or the poor one that is sandy, salty and with bad soil?" "Lord, the farmer who wanted to sow his seed would sow the excellent field first. Having done that, he would sow the middling field next, and the one that was poor, sandy, salty, with bad soil he might or might not sow. Why? Well it might do for cattle-food."... Read the entire sutta on AccessToInsight. to lean the Buddha's explaination, or Download the Friday talk. Download the Dhamma Talk While out collecting his morning food, a farmer basically tells the Buddha that if he wants to eat he should grow his own food. The Buddha responds with a deep Dhamma teaching. From SN 7:11 Kasi Bharadvaja the farmer: Thereupon the brahman addressed the Blessed One in a stanza: 1. "You profess to be a plowman, yet your plow we do not see; asked about your plow and the rest, tell us of them that we may know." [The Buddha:] 2. "Faith is my seed, austerity the rain, wisdom my yoke and plow, modesty is the pole, mind the strap, mindfulness is my plowshare and goad. 3. "Controlled in speech and conduct, guarded in deed and speech, abstemious in food,[1] I make truth my weed cutter; arahantship, my deliverance complete. 4. "Exertion, my team in yoke, draws me to Nibbana's security, and on it goes without stopping, wither gone one does not suffer. 5. "Thuswise is this plowing plowed which bears the fruit of Deathlessness; having plowed this plowing one is freed from every ill." Read the whole sutta on AccessToInsight.org Download the talk From MN 12. Mahāsīhanāda Sutta: The Greater Discourse on the Lion’s Roar “...Sāriputta, there are these five destinations. What are the five? Hell, the animal realm, the realm of ghosts, human beings, and gods. (1) “I understand hell, and the path and way leading to hell. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. (2) “I understand the animal realm, and the path and way leading to the animal realm. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in the animal realm. (3) “I understand the realm of ghosts, and the path and way leading to the realm of ghosts. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in the realm of ghosts. (4) “I understand human beings, and the path and way leading to the human world. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear among human beings. (5) “I understand the gods, and the path and way leading to the world of the gods. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. (6) “I understand Nibbāna, and the path and way leading to Nibbāna. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, by realising for himself with direct knowledge, here and now enter upon and abide in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints...." To learn more, Download the talk (right click to save) To read the entire sutta, go to Wisdom Publications. Download the talk On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Then Queen Mallikā approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: "Bhante, why is it that some women here are (i) ugly, ill formed, and unsightly; (ii) poor, destitute, and indigent; and (iii) lacking in influence? And why is it that some are (i) ugly, ill formed, and unsightly; but (ii) rich, with great wealth and property; and (iii) influential? And why is it that some women here are (i) beautiful, attractive, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion; but (ii) poor, destitute, and indigent; and (iii) lacking in influence? And why is it that some are (i) beautiful, attractive, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion; (ii) rich, with great wealth and property; and (iii) influential?" Want to hear the answers? Download the talk (right click to save) |