1 00:00:00,908 --> 00:00:04,443 Hello Bhante, which meditation method do you recommend the most? 2 00:00:04,603 --> 00:00:05,848 From which sutta is this? 3 00:00:06,210 --> 00:00:06,551 Thanks. 4 00:00:08,098 --> 00:00:11,391 Very easy question with a very simple answer. 5 00:00:12,434 --> 00:00:33,953 practice that I recommend the most, almost exclusively, is the practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which is found in three general places, I mean other places as well, but most explicitly. 6 00:00:33,933 --> 00:00:45,287 In the Dīgha Nikaya number 10, no, Dīgha Nikaya, no, no, Majjhima Nikaya number 10, Dīgha Nikaya number, I want to say 12, but I can't remember. 7 00:00:46,007 --> 00:00:47,770 It's a shameful thing that I can't even remember. 8 00:00:47,810 --> 00:00:48,530 No, it's not 12. 9 00:00:49,371 --> 00:00:51,154 Where is the Maha Satipatthana Sutta? 10 00:00:51,534 --> 00:00:54,217 16 is Parinibbana Sutta. 11 00:00:54,237 --> 00:00:54,898 Oh, I'm terrible. 12 00:00:54,918 --> 00:00:55,699 I don't even remember. 13 00:00:55,719 --> 00:00:56,800 22, is that it? 14 00:00:56,820 --> 00:00:58,903 I can't remember what number it is. 15 00:00:58,923 --> 00:00:59,684 My mind is going. 16 00:01:00,425 --> 00:01:02,387 And here I was bragging about having a good memory. 17 00:01:03,025 --> 00:01:04,931 Anyway, I remember what the sutta is all about. 18 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,145 Why am I getting those mixed up, no? 19 00:01:11,373 --> 00:01:12,717 Anyway, Majjhima Nikaya number 10. 20 00:01:12,777 --> 00:01:16,309 And the third place is in the Sanyuta Nikaya, the Satipatthana Sanyuta. 21 00:01:16,559 --> 00:01:36,272 the group, a whole group of discourses based on the Satipatthana Sutta, based on the four Satipatthanas, the four foundations of mindfulness and these are the body, the feeling, feelings, the mind and Dhammas which are 22 00:01:37,855 --> 00:01:58,092 I asked my teacher about the Dhammas recently, because he was still using the English, it's one of the few English words that he knows is the translation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and the translation they've given him is the usual mind objects, which doesn't at all encompass what is meant by these, by it in this context. 23 00:01:58,072 --> 00:02:25,412 as a mind object is only Dhamma Ramana the objects of thought so the sixth sense which is thinking so when you think about something the object of your thought that's a mind object that's called Dhamma Ramana but the Dhammas here are my teacher said things that support you 24 00:02:26,810 --> 00:02:35,486 things that support you, that keep you from falling into evil. 25 00:02:36,487 --> 00:02:40,955 Because dharma comes from dar, which is to hold. 26 00:02:41,536 --> 00:02:45,483 Dharmas are those things that hold you up, keep you from falling. 27 00:02:46,405 --> 00:02:48,649 So these are the 28 00:02:48,629 --> 00:02:53,860 Another way to translate it is those things that exist in reality. 29 00:02:53,900 --> 00:02:55,804 So reality is a good translation. 30 00:02:56,425 --> 00:03:00,152 Anyway, the fourth one, the problem is it has many groups in it. 31 00:03:00,453 --> 00:03:03,820 And it looks to me very much like it's simply talking about teachings. 32 00:03:04,702 --> 00:03:08,329 The various aspects of the Buddha's teaching. 33 00:03:08,730 --> 00:03:10,333 Things that are important. 34 00:03:10,313 --> 00:03:38,312 dharmas in the sense of things that will help will carry you through to enlightenment teachings that will carry you through to enlightenment anyway that's the teaching the four foundations of mindfulness there's an excellent book out there that everyone should read called the way of mindfulness and it's simply a translation of the the Mahasatipatthana Sutta with a translation of most I think or some at least 35 00:03:38,292 --> 00:03:43,279 of the commentary to the Satipatthana Sutta and even some of the sub-commentary. 36 00:03:44,100 --> 00:04:00,183 So it's an excellent look at how the ancient teachers, 2000 years ago, 1500 to 2000 years ago, were teaching and were interpreting the Satipatthana Sutta. 37 00:04:00,203 --> 00:04:05,430 It's an excellent book, excellent resources, got lots of neat stories in it and insights in it. 38 00:04:05,410 --> 00:04:10,897 But even the sutta itself is a great place to start to learn about meditation. 39 00:04:12,159 --> 00:04:13,721 So very, very much worth reading. 40 00:04:14,943 --> 00:04:29,001 I mean, on the other hand, it may not be a perfect place to start because of course the suttas are coming from a whole other era, designed for a whole other audience in India. 41 00:04:29,121 --> 00:04:30,323 So it's sometimes difficult. 42 00:04:30,503 --> 00:04:34,168 And then they're in a whole other language, completely different from English. 43 00:04:34,148 --> 00:04:38,699 So sometimes difficult to really understand what's being said. 44 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:49,744 But if you take what I'm passing along in tandem with that study, I think it would be indispensable. 45 00:04:49,724 --> 00:04:51,026 those two things together. 46 00:04:51,386 --> 00:04:55,271 I'm not bragging about my own teaching, but I'm talking about the teaching that has been passed on to me. 47 00:04:55,872 --> 00:05:03,581 You take that teaching and it's basically an explanation in modern terms of the Satipatthana Sutta. 48 00:05:04,222 --> 00:05:05,103 Take those two together. 49 00:05:05,143 --> 00:05:08,588 In this tradition that is indispensable. 50 00:05:09,268 --> 00:05:15,276 Of course, every tradition has its own explanations, but in this tradition 51 00:05:15,256 --> 00:05:19,381 I would say that's where I get it from. 52 00:05:19,501 --> 00:05:32,758 So if you're looking for something, some sort of source, go there and really take these two things together, the teachings that are modern and the teachings that they come from, the Satipatthana Sutta. 53 00:05:32,778 --> 00:05:36,302 And also read the Sannyuta, the Satipatthana Sannyuta. 54 00:05:36,322 --> 00:05:41,989 It's an excellent sort of additional resource, something very much worth reading.