Practice Makes Perfect

(Fire Sermon with Introduction and Commentary)

Greetings Fellow Practitioners,

Please excuse my recent absence. I've been quite busy here at Anandagiri with our Chedi Project which is now reaching a critical point approaching the final stages where care and attention are greatly needed. This included a recent trip to the Kathmandu valley to study similar structures in the historical town of Bhaktapur… figuring out exactly how to taper of Chedi spire elegantly. (I've not done this before this lifetime.) Even so, I do have a good number of things in the pipeline that I am looking forward to sharing with you all in the coming months. Follow up Compassion meditations as well as some more Journal Writing form a recent pilgrimage to the Buddhist Holy Sites in India and related slideshow. But on this occasion I decided to share a classic formal teaching instead that was given in Malaysia last year. (There are five ore talks and two meditations from the retreat in Malaysia which I plan to share throughout the year)

Although The Fire Sermon, the 3rd of the 'Three Cardinal Suttas' and commentary can already be found on my website in at least two other places, I have decided to share yet another version, why? Basically every time that I give a commentary upon this central teaching I will give a different introduction and commentary, and so revisits can be very helpful. I hope that I am getting better at presenting these things over the years as well. In any case, the central and basic Teachings are always relevant, especially this sutta which aided in liberating 1000 fire worshipping ascetics all in one go back in ancient India! I have added an entertaining preface as a way to make the teaching more relatable to us doubting and scattered modern folks. I gave these teachings in a retreat which I taught in the Cameron Highlands back in December last year. 

The true goal of Buddhist practice and the actual process of mental purification is often misunderstood even by Buddhists. These are subtle matters. This central Teaching of the Buddha helps in orienting us correctly. I have endeavoured to present it as clearly and simply as possible.
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I hope that some of the content is helpful to you and your practice.

With metta and every good wish

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Ajahn Achalo Bhikkhu

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Listen to the talk - Practice makes perfect

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