The Buddha’s Wisdom Podcast

This episode is a narration of the 39th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahāassapura Sutta, which translates as “The Longer Discourse at Assapura ”. In this discourse the Buddha encourages the monks to live up to their name, by actually practicing in a way that meets or exceeds the expectations people have for renunciants. This translation of the Mahaassapura

This episode is a narration of the 38th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta, which translates as “the Longer Discourse on the Ending of Craving”. In this discourse the Buddha teaches dependent origination, showing that consciousness arises dependent on conditions. The Buddha does this to counter the wrong view that a self-identical co

This episode is a narration of the 37th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta, which translates as “the Shorter Discourse on the Ending of Craving”. In this discourse one of the Buddha’s chief disciples, Venerable Maha Moggallāna visits the heaven of Sakka, the lord of gods, to see whether he really understands what the Buddha is t

This episode is a narration of the 36th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Mahasaccaka Sutta, which translates as “the Longer Discourse with Saccaka”. In this discourse the Buddha and Saccaka discuss the difference between physical and mental development. The Buddha gives a long account of the various practices he did before awakening, detailing the astonishing l

This episode is a narration of the 35th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷasaccaka Sutta, which translates as “the Shorter Discourse with Saccaka”. In this sutta the Buddha is challenged by a debater named Saccaka who challenges the Buddha to a contest. Despite Saccaka’s bragging about how superior he is at debating, the Buddha is not at all perturbed. T

This episode is a narration of the 34th Sutta of the Middle Discourses of the Buddha, The Cūḷagopālaka Sutta, which translates as “the Shorter Discourse on the Cowherd”. In this sutta the Buddha draws parallels between a cowherd guiding his herd across a dangerous river and crossing over to Awakening. The Buddha presents the various kinds of enlightened disciples who cross

This episode is a narration of the 33rd Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Mahāgopālaka Sutta, which translates as “the longer discourse on the cowherd”. In this sutta the Buddha enumerates eleven reasons a cowherd is not able to properly look after a herd. The Buddha then compares this to the spiritual growth of a mendicant. This translation of the Mahāgopālaka Sutta is by

This episode is a narration of the 32nd Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Mahāgosiṅga Sutta, which translates as “the longerer discourse at Gosinga”. In this sutta several senior monks, reveling in the beauty of the night, discuss what kind of practitioner would adorn the park. They take their answers to the Buddha, who praises their answers, but gives his own twist. This tr

This episode is the 31st Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Cūḷagosiṅga Sutta, which translates as “the shorter discourse at Gosinga”. In this sutta the Buddha comes across three mendicants practicing diligently and harmoniously, and asks them how they do it. Reluctant to disclose their higher attainments, they explain how they deal with the practical affairs of living toge

This episode is the 30th Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Cūḷasāropama Sutta, which translates as “the shorter simile of the Heartwood”. In this teaching, following an incident with Devadatta, the Buddha cautions the monks against becoming complacent with superficial benefits of spiritual life and points to liberation as the true heart of the teaching. This translation of