Discovering and Practicing the Middle Way to Enlightenment

Greetings fellow practitioners,

On the last 9 day retreat that I led, rather than simply give a reading and commentary on the First Sermon (Dhammacakkapavattana sutta – Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma) as I usually do, I decided to try and give a more thorough talk with both a broader and also more relevant context. And so, this is a rather thorough and educative talk. I am pleased that I managed to squeeze it all into just 45 minutes though!

We start with the Bodhisattvas practice before he discovered the Middle Way, as this helps us to see what an incredible discovery that it was. And also leads to the arising of the useful and wholesome emotions of gratitude and respect. The 'Middle Way' is also an important principle that we need to learn to apply in many areas of our life.

After considering the discovery of the Middle Way, there is a reading and commentary on the First Sutta, which describes the profound insights into the Four Noble Truths and subsequent Liberation and Enlightenment that diligently practicing the Middle Way, now spelled out more clearly as The Eightfold Path, led to / leads to.

Lastly, I have also tried to describe how we practice mindfulness and meditation in accordance with the Middle Way, trying to develop both mindfulness and samadhi (concentration) according to our own level of ability in this current age.

I trust that something in this talk might may be useful to you.

With Loving – Kindness

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Ajahn Achalo Bhikkhu

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Listen To the Talk

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