Dhamma Talk Video 151: Existence in Samsara

May 10, 2025 • Ajahn Subharo

Here’s a 55-min recorded Zoom video (194MB .mp4 - Tip: tap-and-hold to “Download link”, or right click to “Save Link As…“).

Topics:

Theravada Buddhism, existence across lifetimes, rebirth, the Pali terms bhava, bhāvanā, and bhavana; on desire, attachment, obsession, and these obsessions hardening up into an identity, a sense of self

Pāḷi References:

bhava: 1. be!; you must be!. 2. being; becoming; existence. 3. state of existence; form of becoming. 4. state of existence; form of becoming. 5. well-being; prosperity; development.
bhāvanā: 1. developing; cultivating; meditating; lit. “causing to be” 2. honour; reverence; status; reputation.
bhavana: 1. home; dwelling place; lit. “being” 2. state of existence; realm. 3. existing; living.

Other References:

“The Curse of Knowing How, or; Fixing Everything” - article which exemplifies the process and evolution of bhava really well. Has a recommendation to “Let Go” and restrain at the end, which is actually a very Buddhist thing to say.
The Diderot quotation came from this Youtube video.

Camera-roll photos:

at Pixelfed - Monks, laypeople, flowers, a cat, etc.

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License:

My work (the video above): Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)