Peace Beyond Suffering
  • Welcome
  • About
  • Index
  • The Collection
  • Pilgrimage
  • New Talks & Meditations
  • Q & As
  • Chanting
  • Zoom
  • Galleries
  • Video
  • Dhamma Books
  • Anandagiri

Keep In Touch

News and updates to students and Dhamma practitioners

Contemplating the Buddha’s Life and Enlightenment on Pilgrimage.

30/10/2014

 
The initial Renunciation and heroic striving - 
(talk given on Pilgrimage in Bodhgaya)

The final and Complete Cessation of Suffering - 

(talk given on Pilgrimage in Kusinara)

Picture
I am happy to now be able to share two more edited talks which were given at the Buddhist Holy Sites whilst on Pilgrimage in India last December.  Both of these talks contain colourful and informative readings which are excerpts from suttas as well as rich commentarial texts contained in Bhikkhu Nyanamoli’s “Life of the Buddha.” 

The first talk which was given in Bodhgaya covers the grand Renunciation of the Bodhisattva Prince as he leaves the palace, as well as his inspiring, utterly sincere and arduous striving for Enlightenment. In contrast the second talk covers the final chapter of the Enlightened Buddha’s life where he utters his last teaching and enters Maha-Parinibbana, thus demonstrating personally the profound fact that complete and utter cessation from every type of suffering is possible. 

The Maha-Parinibbana is often miss-understood even by well-practiced Buddhists, yet the principle illustrated by the “parinibbana” is well worth understanding. It is important to consider that Nibbana is not extinction and to understand that the Lord Buddha did not teach a nihilistic doctrine. This means that when the body dies, the liberated mind must remain liberated. Considering deeply the meaning of final nibbana is in fact very profound and valuable, not so as to understand it intellectually, but rather for developing confidence in the true meaning of nibbana, as well as for learning to trust deeply in the future experience of this genuinely liberating goal... a liberation that even death cannot touch! So many beings cried when the Buddha’s body passed away, but wouldn’t it be more suitable to rejoice with this – the absolute consummation of Lord Buddha’s complete and utter Liberation?  

For enlightened beings who have realised the “Unconditioned” and the “Deathless”… and who have uprooted the causes of future rebirth in any conditioned realm… what is the experience when the body dies?... Once greed, hatred and delusion are destroyed, what then remains?...  Indeed what is a liberated mind?...  As practitioners we might develop more confidence in and joy about “the goal” if we challenged the current limitations of our imagination with these very poignant questions. Of course it is impossible to really understand the subtlety of such a complete enlightened liberation intellectually. But on the heart level we can train ourselves to dis-believe our doubts and fears and train ourselves to trust in the minds true potential. For the fact that it is possible for all of us who practice well to experience an “Un-Dying, Unshakeable Peace” is truly most encouraging.

Let us all keep practicing so that we may come to realise this Unshakeable Peace.

Ajahn Achalo

Picture

Comments are closed.

    Subscribe -

    Receive notifications when a new talk, guided meditation or other teachings are added.

    Picture

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    The official ‘Ajahn Achalo Bhikkhu’ YouTube channel to share links with Dhamma friends
    Picture
    There is also another YouTube channel 'Peace Beyond Suffering'
    Picture

    Archives -

    December 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

Privacy Policy
The Forest Sangha
Enquiry Form

Welcome - Overview - All Teachings Index - Collection 01 - Collection 02 - Collection 03 - Collection 04 - Collection 05 - Collection 06 - Collection 07 -
​ Collection 08 - Collection 09 - Archive - More Talks & Meditations - Questions & Answers - Devotional Chanting - Formal Pali Chanting - Galleries - India Pilgrimage Gallery - An Experience Shared - Alms-round Gallery - Photo Album - Video - Zoom gatherings - Dhamma Books - Anandagiri - Chedi Project - Chedi Development - Chedi Slideshow - Final Relic Enshrining - Chedi Article - Monastery Symbol - Support Anandagiri
- The Forest Sangha -​ Enquiry Form - Subscribe Updates
​En Français - ​Note du Traducteur - ​Contenu - ​Les Collections - ​Pèlerinage en Inde - ​Chant rituel - ​Questions et Réponses - Les Traductions
Picture

Creative Commons License | Privacy Policy | Spectral Mirror Web Design 
- 
Copyright 2021 © All rights reserved
  • Welcome
  • About
  • Index
  • The Collection
  • Pilgrimage
  • New Talks & Meditations
  • Q & As
  • Chanting
  • Zoom
  • Galleries
  • Video
  • Dhamma Books
  • Anandagiri