Here’s an 50-min recorded video Dhamma Talk (89MB .mp4).

Topics:

  • Simile of well water, simile of spiritual fires, which do and do not have logs and grass as fuel, Samadhi, faith, saddha, saddhā, shraddha, Covid-19, mindfulness, sati, satī, sampajanna, sampajañña, recollectedness


Sutta References:

  • MN 99 - “With Subha”

    Student, there are these five hindrances. What five? The hindrances of sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. These are the five hindrances. Pokkharasāti is caged, trapped, covered, and engulfed by these five hindrances. It’s not possible for him to know or see or realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.

    There are these five kinds of sensual stimulation. What five? There are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. There are sounds known by the ear … smells known by the nose … tastes known by the tongue … touches known by the body that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation.

    Pokkharasāti enjoys himself with these five kinds of sensual stimulation, tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape. It’s not possible for him to know or see or realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.

    What do you think, student? Which would have better flames, color, and radiance: a fire that depends on grass and logs as fuel, or one that does not?”

    “If it were possible for a fire to burn without depending on grass and logs as fuel, that would have better flames, color, and radiance.”

    “But it isn’t possible, except by psychic power. Rapture that depends on the five kinds of sensual stimulation is like a fire that depends on grass and logs as fuel. Rapture that’s apart from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities is like a fire that doesn’t depend on grass and logs as fuel.

    And what is rapture that’s apart from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities? It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. This is rapture that’s apart from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities.

    Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. This too is rapture that’s apart from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities.

  • AN 5.15 - To be Seen (on the 5 powers)

    “Bhikkhus, there are these five powers. What five? The power of faith, the power of energy, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, and the power of wisdom.

    1. “And where, bhikkhus, is the power of faith to be seen? The power of faith is to be seen in the four factors of stream-entry.

  • SN 12.41 Five Fearful Animosities (on the four factors of stream-entry)

    “What are the four factors of stream-entry that he possesses? Here, householder, the noble disciple possesses confirmed confidence in the Buddha thus: ‘The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’

    “He possesses confirmed confidence in the Dhamma thus: ‘The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.’

    “He possesses confirmed confidence in the Sangha thus: ‘The Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way, practising the straight way, practising the true way, practising the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals—this Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.’

    “He possesses the virtues dear to the noble ones—unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unmottled, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, leading to concentration.

    “These are the four factors of stream-entry that he possesses.

Other References:

  • Saddha, as defined at Wisdom Library
  • 5 Powers (indriyas): faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom
  • 5 Hindrances: sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt

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