Showing posts with label Thanissaro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanissaro. Show all posts
Monday, 22 February 2016
Saturday, 16 May 2015
Mindfulness Defines by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/mindfulnessdefined.html
What does it mean to be mindful of the breath? Something very simple:
to keep the breath in mind. Keep remembering the breath each time you
breathe in, each time you breathe out. The British scholar who coined
the term “mindfulness” to translate the Pali word sati was
probably influenced by the Anglican prayer to be ever mindful of the
needs of others—in other words, to always keep their needs in mind. But
even though the word “mindful” was probably drawn from a Christian
context, the Buddha himself defined sati as the ability to remember,
illustrating its function in meditation practice with the four satipatthanas, or establishings of mindfulness.
“And what is the faculty of sati? There is the case where a monk, a
disciple of the noble ones, is mindful, highly meticulous, remembering
& able to call to mind even things that were done & said long
ago. (And here begins the satipatthana formula:) He remains focused on
the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting
aside greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains
focused on feelings in & of themselves... the mind in & of
itself... mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, &
mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world.”
— SN 48.10
Tuesday, 10 June 2014
Dhamma: Genuine Teachings of the Buddha and His Noble Disciples
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmYlkMQuFlfqxgXP9mvrcow
Dhamma: Genuine Teachings of the Buddha and His Noble Disciples
Forest Sangha, Ven Sumedho, Thanissaro BhikkhuTuesday, 6 May 2014
Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html
Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Translator's Introduction
This discourse is one of the masterpieces of the Pali canon. At heart, it is a comprehensive portrait of the Buddhist path of training, illustrating each stage of the training with vivid similes. This portrait is placed in juxtaposition to the Buddhist view of the teachings of rival philosophical teachers of the time, showing how the Buddha — in contradistinction to the inflexible, party-line approach of his contemporaries — presented his teaching in a way that was pertinent and sensitive to the needs of his listeners.Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Kamma/Karma by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
In the article “Karma,” Thanissaro explains what the Buddha actually taught and shows how timeless, practical, and liberating the true teaching on karma is:
Click to download “Karma” by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Thanissaro Bhikkhu's web site
Downloadable Dhamma Talks & Writings of Thanissaro Bhikkhu of Metta Forest Monastery (Wat Metta)
http://www.dhammatalks.org/
This website is an incredible treasure-trove of talks and writings by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. You’ll find dozens of PDFs and other documents, and literally hundreds of wonderful talks in the MP3 format.
http://www.dhammatalks.org/
This website is an incredible treasure-trove of talks and writings by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. You’ll find dozens of PDFs and other documents, and literally hundreds of wonderful talks in the MP3 format.
Wings of Awakening
http://mettarefuge.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/the-wings-to-awakening.pdf
Wings to Awakening—An Anthology from the Pali Canon
For the student who wants to dig deeply into the Buddha’s teachings, “Wings to Awakening” is one of the best anthologies available because of its very specific focus on the “how” and “what” of the Buddha’s Awakening. As Thanissaro Bhikkhu writes in the Preface:
Wings to Awakening—An Anthology from the Pali Canon
For the student who wants to dig deeply into the Buddha’s teachings, “Wings to Awakening” is one of the best anthologies available because of its very specific focus on the “how” and “what” of the Buddha’s Awakening. As Thanissaro Bhikkhu writes in the Preface:
“Many anthologies of the Buddha’s teachings have appeared in English, but this is the first to be organized around the set of teachings that the Buddha himself said formed the heart of his message: the Wings to Awakening (bodhi-pakkhiya-dhamma).
The material is arranged in three parts, preceded by a long Introduction. The Introduction tries to define the concept of Awakening so as to give a clear sense of where the Wings to Awakening are headed. It does this by discussing the Buddha’s accounts of his own Awakening, with special focus on the way in which the principle of skillful kamma (in Sanskrit, karma) formed both the “how” and the “what” of that Awakening: The Buddha was able to reach Awakening only by developing skillful kamma—this is the “how”; his understanding of the process of developing skillful kamma is what sparked the insights that constituted Awakening—this is the “what.”
Click to Download “The Wings to Awakening”
Sangha, Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/sangha.html
Sangha
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/sangha.html
Sangha
In the suttas the word sangha (lit. "group, assembly") is usually used in one of two ways: it refers either to the community of ordained monks and nuns (bhikkhu-sangha and bhikkhuni-sangha) or to the community of "noble ones" (ariya-sangha) — persons who have attained at least stream-entry, the first stage of Awakening.
The definition (ariya-sangha)
"The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well... who have practiced straight-forwardly... who have practiced methodically... who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types [of noble disciples] when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types — they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world."
— AN 11.12
"Four types of noble disciples..."
"In this community of monks there are monks who are arahants, whose mental effluents are ended, who have reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who are released through right gnosis: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of the first set of five fetters, are due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that world: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of [the first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, & delusion, are once-returners, who — on returning only one more time to this world — will make an ending to stress: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of [the first] three fetters, are stream-winners, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening: such are the monks in this community of monks."
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of the first set of five fetters, are due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that world: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of [the first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, & delusion, are once-returners, who — on returning only one more time to this world — will make an ending to stress: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total ending of [the first] three fetters, are stream-winners, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening: such are the monks in this community of monks."
— MN 118
"...the eight when taken as individual types"
"Just as the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as whales, whale-eaters, and whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nagas, and gandhabbas, and there are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred... three hundred... four hundred... five hundred leagues long; in the same way, this Doctrine and Discipline is the abode of such mighty beings as stream-winners and those practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry; once-returners and those practicing to realize the fruit of once-returning; non-returners and those practicing to realize the fruit of non-returning; arahants and those practicing for arahantship... This is the eighth amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline."
— Ud 5.5
Worthy
"A monk endowed with eight qualities is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, an incomparable field of merit for the world. Which eight?
[1] "There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults.
[2] "When given food, whether coarse or refined, he eats it carefully, without complaining.
[3] "He feels disgust at bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct, at the development of evil, unskillful [mental] qualities.
[4] "He is composed & easy to live with, and doesn't harass the other monks.
[5] "Whatever tricks or deceits or wiles or subterfuges he has, he shows them as they actually are to the Teacher or to his knowledgeable companions in the holy life, so that the Teacher or his knowledgeable companions in the holy life can try to straighten them out.
[6] "When in training he gives rise to the thought, 'Whether the other monks want to train or not, I'll train here.'
[7] "When going, he goes the straight path; here the straight path is this: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
[8] "He dwells with his persistence aroused, [thinking,] 'Gladly would I let the flesh & blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if I have not attained what can be reached through human steadfastness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing my persistence.'"
"Endowed with these eight qualities, a monk is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, an incomparable field of merit for the world."
[1] "There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults.
[2] "When given food, whether coarse or refined, he eats it carefully, without complaining.
[3] "He feels disgust at bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct, at the development of evil, unskillful [mental] qualities.
[4] "He is composed & easy to live with, and doesn't harass the other monks.
[5] "Whatever tricks or deceits or wiles or subterfuges he has, he shows them as they actually are to the Teacher or to his knowledgeable companions in the holy life, so that the Teacher or his knowledgeable companions in the holy life can try to straighten them out.
[6] "When in training he gives rise to the thought, 'Whether the other monks want to train or not, I'll train here.'
[7] "When going, he goes the straight path; here the straight path is this: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
[8] "He dwells with his persistence aroused, [thinking,] 'Gladly would I let the flesh & blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if I have not attained what can be reached through human steadfastness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing my persistence.'"
"Endowed with these eight qualities, a monk is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, an incomparable field of merit for the world."
— AN 8.13
"Monks, this assembly is free from idle chatter, devoid of idle chatter, and is established on pure heartwood: such is this community of monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly that is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, an incomparable field of merit for the world: such is this community of monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly to which a small gift, when given, becomes great, and a great gift greater: such is this community of monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly that it is rare to see in the world: such is this community of monks, such is this assembly — the sort of assembly that it would be worth traveling for leagues, taking along provisions, in order to see."
— MN 118
A community supreme
"Among whatever communities or groups there may be, the Sangha of the Tathagata's disciples is considered supreme — i.e., the four types [of noble disciples] when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as persons. Those who have confidence in the Sangha have confidence in what is supreme; and for those with confidence in the supreme, supreme will be the result."
— Iti 90
Recollecting the Sangha
"At any time when a disciple of the noble ones is recollecting the Sangha, his mind is not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, based on the Sangha. And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the noble ones gains a sense of the goal, gains a sense of the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed experiences ease. In one at ease, the mind becomes concentrated."
— AN 11.12
"When you recollect the Sangha, monks, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned."
— SN 11.3
See also:
- Refuge: An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
- Into the Stream (Study Guide)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/sangha.html
An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha, Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html
An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha
Refuge
The readings on Dhamma form the core of the book, organized in a pattern — called a graduated discourse (anupubbi-katha) — that the Buddha himself often used when introducing his teachings to new listeners. After beginning with the joys of generosity, he would describe the joys of a virtuous life, followed by the rewards of generosity and virtue to be experienced here and, after death, in heaven; the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, even heavenly ones; and the rewards of renunciation. Then, when he sensed that his listeners were inclined to look favorably on renunciation as a way to true happiness, he would discuss the central message of his teaching: the four noble truths.
My hope is that this introduction will help answer many of the questions that newcomers bring to Buddhism, and will spark new questions in their minds as they contemplate the possibility of developing within their own lives the qualities of refuge exemplified by the Triple Gem.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html
An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha
Refuge
An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha
by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate formats: ![[PDF icon]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vA8meg--POh1AWgGwtyvA_5p9-CO5Czvv_mpK6sx9u9CWF83CtqGklMeRdd3pRVwQWq21lMHIqdDbwF_-bn0hypOMxeYX3LPEqPh5PVmFcpmkZKQ=s0-d)
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To request a printed copy of this book, please write to: Metta Forest Monastery, P.O. Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082, USA.
To request a printed copy of this book, please write to: Metta Forest Monastery, P.O. Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082, USA.
They go to many a refuge,
to mountains, forests,
parks, trees, and shrines:
people threatened with danger.
That's not the secure refuge,
that's not the highest refuge,
that's not the refuge,
having gone to which,
you gain release
from all suffering and stress.
But when, having gone for refuge
to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha,
you see with right discernment
the four Noble Truths —
stress,
the cause of stress,
the transcending of stress,
and the Noble Eightfold Path,
the way to the stilling of stress:
That's the secure refuge,
that, the highest refuge,
that is the refuge,
having gone to which,
you gain release
from all suffering and stress.
— Dhammapada, 188-192
Preface
This book is a short introduction to the basic principles of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dhamma (his teachings), and Sangha (the community of his noble disciples), also known as the Triple Gem or the Triple Refuge. The material is divided into three parts: (I) an introductory essay on the meaning of refuge and the act of going for refuge; (II) a series of readings drawn from the earliest Buddhist texts illustrating the essential qualities of the Triple Gem; and (III) a set of essays explaining aspects of the Triple Gem that often provoke questions in those who are new to the Buddha's teachings. This last section concludes with an essay that summarizes, in a more systematic form, many of the points raised in the earlier parts of the book.The readings on Dhamma form the core of the book, organized in a pattern — called a graduated discourse (anupubbi-katha) — that the Buddha himself often used when introducing his teachings to new listeners. After beginning with the joys of generosity, he would describe the joys of a virtuous life, followed by the rewards of generosity and virtue to be experienced here and, after death, in heaven; the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, even heavenly ones; and the rewards of renunciation. Then, when he sensed that his listeners were inclined to look favorably on renunciation as a way to true happiness, he would discuss the central message of his teaching: the four noble truths.
My hope is that this introduction will help answer many of the questions that newcomers bring to Buddhism, and will spark new questions in their minds as they contemplate the possibility of developing within their own lives the qualities of refuge exemplified by the Triple Gem.
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Metta Forest Monastery
Valley Center, CA 92082-1409
U.S.A.
Metta Forest Monastery
Valley Center, CA 92082-1409
U.S.A.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html
Study Guides, Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/index.html
The Study Guides below are anthologies of readings that focus on a particular topic or theme, and are designed as aids for individual or group study. The texts are drawn from the Pali canon, teachings of the great Thai forest ajaans, and other sources. Unless otherwise indicated, they were prepared and introduced by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Another useful collection of study materials may be found in Piya Tan's collection of "Sutta Discovery" essays and translations.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/index.html
The Study Guides below are anthologies of readings that focus on a particular topic or theme, and are designed as aids for individual or group study. The texts are drawn from the Pali canon, teachings of the great Thai forest ajaans, and other sources. Unless otherwise indicated, they were prepared and introduced by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Another useful collection of study materials may be found in Piya Tan's collection of "Sutta Discovery" essays and translations.
- Beyond Coping: The Buddha's Teachings on Aging, Illness, Death, and Separation, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(1999; ??pages/1KB)
- Body Contemplation: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2003; 47pp./142KB)
- An overview of the Buddha's teachings on contemplation of the body, and its role in the development of mindfulness, jhana, and discernment.
- The Five Aggregates: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2010; 43pp./129KB)
- This anthology of short readings from the suttas explains how the teachings on the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha) — form, feeling, perception, mental fabrications, and consciousness — function in the Buddhist path to liberation.
- The Four Noble Truths: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(1999; 33pp./100KB)
- An introduction to the Four Noble Truths, the basic framework on which all the Buddha's teachings are built.
- Into the Stream: A Study Guide on the First Stage of Awakening, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2012; 79pp./167KB)
- The sutta readings in this guide are organized around the four factors that lead to the attainment of stream-entry and address questions of interest to all meditators, whether or not their practice aims all the way to Awakening. [Formerly two separate study guides: "The Way to Stream-entry" and "Stream-entry and After".]
- Kamma: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2000; 48pp./144KB)
- An overview of the Buddha's teachings on kamma (karma; intentional action).
- Merit: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2005; 61pp./184KB)
- Often misunderstood in the West as quaint and irrelevant to serious practice, the Buddha's teachings on puñña (merit) actually play an essential role in the development of a wise sense of self. This anthology explores the meaning of merit and how it functions to instill in the practitioner the qualities necessary to carry him or her to stream-entry and beyond.
- Noble Conversation: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2003; 58pp./174KB)
- An exploration of right speech, based on the Buddha's list of ten ideal topics for conversation.
- Non-violence: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2001; 38pp./114KB)
- Recognizing the Dhamma: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2004; 50pp./151KB)
- In an age when the marketplace is teeming with spiritual books and teachings of every description, it is reassuring to know that the Buddha left behind clear guidelines by which we can judge the validity of a spiritual teaching. These eight principles, sometimes called the "Constitution of Buddhism," show us that any teaching must finally be judged by the results that come from putting it into practice.
- The Ten Perfections: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2010; 49pp./170KB)
- The ten paramīs (perfections) are skillful qualities that develop — perhaps over many lifetimes — as one follows the Buddha's path of practice. This study guide includes readings both from the Pali canon and from the teachings of Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo.
- A Meditator's Tools: A Study Guide on the Ten Recollections, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(1999; 77pp./231KB)
- The ten anussati (recollections) are a set of practical tools for meditators to use when confronted with particular challenges or unskillful states of mind that may arise in the course of practice.
See also:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/index.html
Noble Conversation , A study Guide, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, 2003
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/conversation.html
The first passage included here, in addition to listing the ten ideal topics, also lists topics that monks and serious meditators should avoid, ranging from politics and food to theories about the creation of the world. The Commentary qualifies this list, saying that if one discusses these topics in a way connected with Dhamma — for example, pointing out the ephemeral nature of political power so as to engender a feeling of dispassion for it — then that would count as right speech, and an aid to the liberation of the mind.
Contents
- Introduction
- Modesty
- Contentment
- Seclusion
- Non-entanglement
- Persistence
- Virtue
- Concentration
- Discernment
- Release
- Knowledge & Vision of Release
Introduction
"This is the purpose for conversation, this is the purpose for consultation, this is the purpose of apprenticeship, this is the purpose for lending ear: the liberation of the mind through non-clinging."
This quotation from chapter 12 of the Parivara, the appendix to the Vinaya, is obviously not talking about ordinary conversation. It's talking about the ideal type of conversation among meditators, the very opposite of idle chatter:
Abandoning idle chatter, one abstains from idle chatter. One speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, & the Vinaya. One speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal.
Several passages in the Canon list ten ideal topics for such conversation: modesty, contentment, seclusion, non-entanglement, arousing persistence, virtue, concentration, discernment, release, and the knowledge & vision of release. The purpose of this study guide is to illustrate each of these topics with passages from the Canon, and to provide meditators with the incentive to integrate conversation of this sort into their practice. There is some overlap between the topics listed here and those listed in two other study guides: Recognizing the Dhamma and The Ten Perfections. Thus some redundancy has been inevitable, but wherever possible I have also included material unavailable in those two guides.The first passage included here, in addition to listing the ten ideal topics, also lists topics that monks and serious meditators should avoid, ranging from politics and food to theories about the creation of the world. The Commentary qualifies this list, saying that if one discusses these topics in a way connected with Dhamma — for example, pointing out the ephemeral nature of political power so as to engender a feeling of dispassion for it — then that would count as right speech, and an aid to the liberation of the mind.
§ 1. I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Now at that time a large number of monks, after the meal, on returning from their alms round, had gathered at the meeting hall and were engaged in many kinds of bestial topics of conversation: conversation about kings, robbers, & ministers of state; armies, alarms, & battles; food & drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, & scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women & heroes; the gossip of the street & the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, the creation of the world & of the sea; talk of whether things exist or not.
Then the Blessed One, emerging from his seclusion in the late afternoon, went to the meeting hall and, on arrival, sat down on a seat made ready. As he was sitting there, he addressed the monks: "For what topic of conversation are you gathered together here? In the midst of what topic of conversation have you been interrupted?"
"Just now, lord, after the meal, on returning from our alms round, we gathered at the meeting hall and got engaged in many kinds of bestial topics of conversation: conversation about kings, robbers, & ministers of state; armies, alarms, & battles; food & drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, & scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women & heroes; the gossip of the street & the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, the creation of the world & of the sea; talk of whether things exist or not."
"It isn't right, monks, that sons of good families, on having gone forth out of faith from home to the homeless life, should get engaged in such topics of conversation, i.e., conversation about kings, robbers, & ministers of state... talk of whether things exist or not.
"There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten? Talk on modesty, contentment, seclusion, non-entanglement, arousing persistence, virtue, concentration, discernment, release, and the knowledge & vision of release. These are the ten topics of conversation. If you were to engage repeatedly in these ten topics of conversation, you would outshine even the sun & moon, so mighty, so powerful — to say nothing of the wanderers of other sects."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/conversation.html
Then the Blessed One, emerging from his seclusion in the late afternoon, went to the meeting hall and, on arrival, sat down on a seat made ready. As he was sitting there, he addressed the monks: "For what topic of conversation are you gathered together here? In the midst of what topic of conversation have you been interrupted?"
"Just now, lord, after the meal, on returning from our alms round, we gathered at the meeting hall and got engaged in many kinds of bestial topics of conversation: conversation about kings, robbers, & ministers of state; armies, alarms, & battles; food & drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, & scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women & heroes; the gossip of the street & the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, the creation of the world & of the sea; talk of whether things exist or not."
"It isn't right, monks, that sons of good families, on having gone forth out of faith from home to the homeless life, should get engaged in such topics of conversation, i.e., conversation about kings, robbers, & ministers of state... talk of whether things exist or not.
"There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten? Talk on modesty, contentment, seclusion, non-entanglement, arousing persistence, virtue, concentration, discernment, release, and the knowledge & vision of release. These are the ten topics of conversation. If you were to engage repeatedly in these ten topics of conversation, you would outshine even the sun & moon, so mighty, so powerful — to say nothing of the wanderers of other sects."
— AN 10.69
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