I nteresting stories and examples that inspires one to practice and high-lights important concepts of the Dhamma including the arising of the cause of suffering and cessation of suffering. Important concepts taught with clear and simple examples that hold the attention of the reader.

Venerable Sudassana captures the essence of the Teaching of all Buddhas with clear examples and draws the reader into the full practice of the teachings. This talk gives a glimpse of the magnificence of the Buddha’s teaching and the deep teachings that will follow.

This translation is not a separate talk given by Venerable Sudassana. It was taken from “Teaching of the Buddhas” given in Australia and inserted as a separate talk as Venerable Sudassana often begins his talks by emphasizing the importance of attentive listening to Dhamma. Instead of repeating the material in each of the talks I have inserted it as a separate talk so that readers can, as required, refresh their memory before reading any of the talks.

At times rebirth and even kamma (cause and effect) have been given very little importance in the West. Many practicing Westerners that I have spoken to have quoted the Kalama Sutta and indicated that as they cannot see the operation of rebirth they are not going to accept samsara and rebirth. While everyone is entitled to believe and accept what they want, I would like to bring the reader’s attention to the last lines of the Kalama Sutta, “As praised by the Wise”. When in doubt it is prudent to heed the advice and emulate the confidence and sraddha of the wise monks of the past and the present such as Venerable Sudassana.

Venerable Sudassana’s talks are for serious practitioners who are striving towards realizing Effects of the Path (Marga Pala) in this very life. The goal of the Buddha’s teaching is cessation of decay, death, sorrow and lamentation. The Buddha has shown us very clearly via the Dependent Origination that the immediate cause of decay, death, sorrow and lamentation is birth. Even the Buddha experienced decay and death in his final birth. We are all striving with effort at eliminating samsara and decay death, sorrow and lamentation resulting from (future) birth. Whilst there are many benefits in this very life, such as development of skillful mind states, tranquility and wisdom our ultimate goal is the cessation of suffering resulting from birth. May these talks result in confidence in the Buddha Dhamma and Right Effort in your Practice so that you can achieve your spiritual goal in this very life.

Noble Path

Noble Path Part 1, 2, and 3 are three parts of a single three hour talk given by Venerable Sudassana. As such they should be read sequentially. This three part talk, takes the essence of the Buddha’s deep teaching and simplifies it so that great Truths are revealed in an interesting and stimulating manner. Venerable Sudassana holds the reader’s attention throughout the three talks and uses a graduated method to introduce deep Dhamma.

Noble Path Part - 1 gives a clear and concise analysis of the Dependent Origination and brings to light the cause and cessation of suffering and the operation of the Law of Cause and Effect. It also links the Dependent Origination to the Four Noble Truths and shows that they are one and the same.

Noble Path Part - 2 systematically analyses the cause of suffering – “not- knowing” (avijja) and illustrates the dangers of not-knowing. It then takes you to “knowing” (vijja) and the requirements for knowing to arise in the mind. It simplifies this deep teaching by consolidating and bringing it all to one point of focus.

Noble Path Part - 3 reveals where “not- knowing” is hiding and gives the method and the path for over throwing “not-knowing” so that “knowing” can arise in our mind with clear examples. It concludes with a succinct summary that identifies the enemy “not-knowing”, reveals where it is hiding, provides the weapons for overthrowing the enemy and shows how it needs to be done.

Venerable Sudassana gives an enlightening talk on virtue that shows us the difference between virtue and Noble Virtue. This talk links virtue to the Four Noble Truths and shows the cause of protecting virtue and the cause of the breaking of virtue. It then focuses on eliminating the cause of the breaking of virtue and cultivating the cause of the protecting of virtue. This talk encourages the reader in cultivating virtue to the point of Nibbana. The Questions and Answers in Part II reinforces virtue and takes the reader deeper into the essence of the Dhamma in a gradual manner.

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