In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he prepares his Students for his own death. As a
Fully Perfectly Enlightened Buddha, he was well aware of his pending death and knew
when it would occur.
Three months prior to his death, in this Teaching he notifies his Students that “The
Tathāgata’s final passing will not be long delayed. Three months from now The Tathāgata
will take his Final Nibbāna (Final Enlightenment)”. Final Nibbāna or Final Enlightenment is
when someone has attained Enlightenment during their life and then there is death of the
physical body, the separation of the body and the mind, the breakup of the physical body
and, thus, the mind is no longer attached to the physical body.
The Buddha encourages his Students to “strive on untiringly” being determined,
dedicated, and diligent in their continuous pursuit to Enlightenment. Through “guarding
your minds with well-collected thought” “he who, tirelessly, keeps to the guidance and
Teachings” will “leave birth behind will put an end to sorrow and despair” no longer
experiencing any discontentedness and eliminating The Cycle of Rebirth.
Old and “ripe I am in years. My life-span’s determined. Now I go from you, having made
myself my refuge” The Buddha’s mind is fully protected and will no longer experience any
more existence in The Cycle of Rebirth.
He delivers what he feels to be the core Teachings that one needs to actively learn to
ensure his Teachings continue long into the future “for the benefit and peacefulness of
heavenly beings and humans”. The Teachings he declares as essential are “The Four
Foundations of Mindfulness, the four Right Efforts, the four bases of mental power, the
five spiritual faculties, the five mental powers, The Seven Factors of Enlightenment, The
Noble Eight Fold Path”.
All of these Teachings are deeply explained and shared in the book “Developing a Life
Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1) and through the remaining
books in this book series. With guidance from a Teacher, you can learn and progress on
The Path to Enlightenment.
The Teachings of “the four bases of mental power, the five spiritual faculties, and the five
mental powers” are not shared in great detail within this book series as these are
cultivated automatically as part of practice of the other Teachings. With The Buddha’s
layering of Teachings and overlapping discourses that ensure one develops the mind on
The Path to Enlightenment, there is nothing additional one needs to learn, reflect, and
practice to develop these aspects of the mind.
Instead, focusing on the core and central Teachings of The Path to Enlightenment will
ensure one is cultivating “the four bases of mental power, the five spiritual faculties, and
the five mental powers”.
I suggest one focuses on The Three Universal Truths, The Four Noble Truths, The Eight
Fold Path with a well developed meditation practice, and The Five Precepts with the
additional Teachings interconnected to these as detailed in the book “Developing a Life
Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1) and through the remaining
books in this book series.
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As a Prince named Siddhartha Gotama who eventually becomes Gotama Buddha upon
his Enlightenment and lifetime of work, he left the royal riches of being the next in line for
the throne as the King of his father’s Kingdom. Though having wealth and every material
possession he might desire available to him, none of that led to his peacefulness of mind
and Enlightenment.
One might wonder why does a Buddha dedicate their life to sharing Teachings into the
world if there is no inherent benefit to a Buddha himself as he has already attained
Enlightenment? Why not just go back to life as a member of the royal family living a life of
luxury?
Here in this Teaching, The Buddha briefly touches on his purpose for sharing The
Teachings as he did for his entire life. A Buddha shares their Teachings into the world for
only one reason. Not fame or fortune but instead “out of compassion for the world”.
Compassion is concern for the misfortunes of others.
A Buddha has already made a complete end to their discontentedness and deeply
understands exactly what it took to eliminate their own discontentedness through
independent discovery of The Teachings. They have penetrating wisdom that is profound
and beyond that of the average human being. They want nothing, desire nothing, and
crave nothing. They “are freed from sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair” and
have only one goal.
To help the world.
Seeing the sea of discontentedness among unEnlightened beings, a Buddha has the
answers to solve the discontentedness of the entire world. But, he is only one man and it
is his last life. A Buddha is determined, dedicated, and diligent in his efforts to share The
Teachings into the world that will rid it of all discontentedness - all sorrow, grief, pain,
displeasure, and despair can be entirely eliminated as each individual chooses to learn,
reflect, and practice The Teachings.
While the objective of a Buddha to share their Teachings into the world comes with
extensive work and effort, they are tireless in their journey to help other beings while at
the same time doing so without craving/desire/attachment (mental longing with a strong
eagerness).
So, they work and apply effort to plant and grow trees so that the world will become a
better place. But they will never, themselves, experience the enjoyment of the shade of
those trees as their work cannot be accomplished in just one lifetime. It is the entire
community of Practitioners that remain, to include all Enlightened beings, who continue to
“strive on” sharing The Teachings of a Buddha into the world so that one day the entire
world is cooled, calm, and peaceful.
Seeing the world’s misfortunes, a Buddha humbly does their work “out of compassion for
the world”.
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To learn and practice The Teachings of a Buddha is to take part in improving the condition
of your own mind and in doing so, you are improving the world. It is through your own
determination, dedication, and diligence to developing your own mind that you will
significantly reduce and eliminate any harm you are causing in the world. This is the most
compassionate thing you could ever do for others is to improve the condition of your own
mind through developing your life practice to eliminate the unwholesome qualities and
cultivate wholesome qualities.
In some respects, we are individually making efforts to improve our corner of the world
and through each individual doing that, the world becomes a better place. But, one must
focus on improving their own mind without craving to “fix the world”. Each individual
needs to come to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings on their own. It is not
possible to force someone to attain Enlightenment. Nothing in these Teachings will work
through force.
So, if you have “compassion for the world” you are encouraged to learn, reflect, and
practice these wholesome Teachings to improve the condition of your mind and your life.
In doing so, you can make a complete end to discontentedness and experience the ease
and enjoyment of no longer experiencing any discontent feelings ever again while no
longer experiencing existence through The Cycle of Rebirth.
Final Nibbāna
Final Nibbāna, or Final Enlightenment, is when someone attains Enlightenment and dies.
This is referred to as Final Enlightenment.
During one’s life, the mind can be trained to attain Enlightenment. The mind will reside
peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently. The mind will no longer
experience any mental pain associated with unwelcomed emotions, thoughts, ideas, or
any sort of discontentedness of mind. All discontentedness such as sadness, anger,
frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fears, boredom, loneliness, shyness,
jealousy, resentment, stress, anxiety, etc., will be completely eliminated from the mind.
However, a being is unable to completely transcend physical pain while in the human
form. This is impossible. While the mind can be developed to not react with anger,
sadness, hostility, aggression, or other discontent feelings upon experiencing physical
pain, nonetheless, physical pain will still be experienced by the mind.
The mind can eliminate all cravings/desires/attachments while in the human form and
during this life to experience Enlightenment. But while still alive, a being cannot eliminate
the connection between the body and the mind. The mind is still connected to the
physical body during life. Therefore, the mind will still experience physical pain but the
mind will experience it differently in the Enlightened mental state versus in the
unEnlightened mental state.
In the unEnlightened mental state, when the mind experiences physical pain, one can
become angered, frustrated, irritated, annoyed, hostile, aggressive, resentful, fearful, and
experience other discontent feelings. This is due to the mind craving permanent health,
permanent comfort, and permanent pleasant feelings from the body. It is impossible for
the body to experience permanent comfort due to The Universal Truth of Impermanence.
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The pain associated with the physical body is an important aspect of the mind that needs
to exist in order for a being to function in the world. If a being did not experience physical
pain, they would be unable to remove the physical body from harm when too close to a
heat source or if another problematic situation arose. The sensation of physical pain
experienced by the mind helps a being understand, potential damage will occur or has
occurred and therefore, seek a remedy to the physical pain. This is why we choose to
step away from a heat source. The mind is alerted that the physical body is experiencing
pain and the being takes action to resolve the situation. This is beneficial and needed
during life.
In these situations, an unEnlightened mind will oftentimes experience discontentedness
associated with the craving for permanent comfort of the physical body. When there is
physical pain, the unEnlightened mind becomes discontent.
An Enlightened mind has been deeply trained to the point that it understands physical
pain is impermanent, and that allowing the mind to become discontent due to physical
pain, does not help to eliminate the physical pain.
Discontentedness at times of physical pain could actually make the situation worse.
For example, if one was bitten by a poisonous snake and became agitated, overactive,
and uncalm, this would increase respirations of the lungs and heart functions creating
conditions for the poison to more rapidly move through the body causing more significant
injury and damage with an increased risk of potential death. Through training the mind to
reside unagitated and calm, an individual can decrease the harm to the body and improve
their ability to survive an injury such as a snake bite because the poison will not permeate
in the body as rapidly when the mind is calm. Through the mind remaining calm during
physical injuries, a being increases their ability to resolve the situation with a positive
outcome.
When an Enlightened mind experiences physical pain, the mind can continue to reside
peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy despite the physical injury, damage, or pain.
This is an added benefit experienced by an Enlightened mind producing improved
outcomes in situations where physical pain is experienced.
Nonetheless, there is still physical pain for an Enlightened being but it is just that the mind
will not react to the pain and instead, respond to resolve the situation finding a solution.
The physical pain associated with existence will continue for the remaining time of
existence even for an Enlightened being. But, they will not experience mental anguish or
any type of discontentedness associated with the physical pain. The Enlightened mind
does not relate to the pain in the same way as the unEnlightened mind which will
oftentimes become discontent due to physical pain.
It is not until the physical body dies, described by Gotama Buddha as “the breakup of the
body”, that the body and mind completely separate. From that point, not only has one
transcended discontentedness their entire life due to the attainment of Enlightenment, but
the being will then experience the complete elimination of all pain including physical pain.
This is referred to as Final Enlightenment or Final Nibbāna.
Enlightenment is experienced during life and the mind has transcended all emotional pain
and suffering. But, the physical pain will remain, because it is needed to make wise
decisions concerning the physical body during times of injury. The Enlightened mind will
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have physical pain but will have acquired an improved way of responding to the physical
pain rather than reacting to it so there is no mental pain.
Once a being has attained Enlightenment and dies, there is no longer any physical pain
because the separation of the body and mind has occurred, therefore one has attained
Final Enlightenment. All pain both mental and physical has been completely eliminated -
permanently.
It is possible for an unEnlightened being to experience Enlightenment and Final
Enlightenment at the time of death. The being would have experienced discontentedness
their entire life but at the time of death, they would immediately experience Enlightenment
and Final Enlightenment no longer experiencing rebirth through The Cycle of Rebirth.
What happens once one attains Enlightenment and dies experiencing Final Enlightenment
is an undeclared Teaching of Gotama Buddha. He did not teach what is next other than
an Enlightened being will not experience any further existence in The Cycle of Rebirth.
There are other Teachings from Gotama Buddha in this book series related to how to
ensure The Teachings of a Buddha are sustained in the world. Chapters 33 and 34 in the
book “Foundation in The Teachings” (Volume 3) provides these Teachings and an
explanation of these Teachings.
What Happens at Death?
After we die does the body become soil to the earth or after death what remains?
Isn’t there spirit or energy which exist inside our body? Isn’t there some sort of
energy?
No, at the time of death the body and mind separate and then there is "break up of the
body".
The body was described by Gotama Buddha through The Four Elements of Earth, Wind,
Fire, and Water.
Essentially, the physical body is described and classified into these Four Elements.
Earth: The solids of the body. (hair, teeth, nails, bones, etc.)
Wind: The movement of bodily functions. (Circulation, movement of bile, etc.)
Fire: The temperature of the body.
Water: The liquids of the body. (urine, saliva, blood, pus, tears, etc.)
The physical body is nothing more than these four elements coming together with a mind
or consciousness. The joining of the body and the mind creates a person.
Once the body and mind separate, the body will deteriorate remaining as these four
elements but without a mind or consciousness.
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What you are looking at when you see the body is a unique collection of these four
elements that is always in a state of change and upon death, the body will continue that
change and configuration but it will still be just these four elements.
The body will progressively deteriorate and depending whether there is burial or
cremation, will determine how quickly the process of change occurs.
Through burial, the process is much slower. Cremation accelerates the process of change
of these four elements.
What happens to the mind upon death?
If the mind is not yet Enlightened, (i.e. the mind has not yet attained Enlightenment), then
there is rebirth into one of The Five Realms.
Heavenly Realm
Human Realm
Afflicted Spirits Realm
Animal Realm
Hell Realm
Heavenly, Afflicted Spirits, and Hell realms are formless realms. (i.e. there is no physical
form).
Human and Animal realms are form realms, (i.e. there is physical form).
Rebirth is not instantaneous and upon rebirth there is a completely new existence with a
new form or formless existence and a new consciousness, (i.e. a new mind).
The new mind will have residual memories of past lives and unextinguished craving/
desire/attachment from past lives. The residual memories of past lives may potentially be
recalled as the mind awakens towards Enlightenment more and more.
If someone attains Enlightenment what happens to the mind? Does it disappear?
If the mind has experienced Enlightenment during the human or heavenly existence or at
death, (i.e. Enlightenment can be attained during an existence in the human or heavenly
realm or at death in those realms but not in the lower realms), the body and mind
separate and what happens next is an "undeclared" Teaching.
To attain Enlightenment, the mind needs to get to the point where there is no craving/
desire/attachment (i.e. mental longing with a strong eagerness) to know what is next.
An Enlightened mind is experiencing so much peace, calm, serenity, and contentedness
with joy that is permanent, the mind is not going to care what is next.
An Enlightened mind has already extinguished all fears including the fear of death,
therefore, the mind is so peaceful and does not fear death so what happens next, the
Enlightened mind does not care.
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Having attained Enlightenment, you will know that you are already experiencing complete
and utter peacefulness so if there is something next after death for an Enlightened being,
it is either as good as you are currently experiencing or better.
And, if there is nothing next, then, ok, you are "done".
Either way, the mind needs to "let go" of wanting to know what is next and just focus on
learning and practicing The Teachings with guidance on The Path to Enlightenment to
experience Enlightenment in this life now that you are human.
Is the mind or soul/spirit the same thing?
No they are not.
There is no Teaching from The Buddha that there is or is not a soul/spirit. This is not a
Teaching he shared. He left The Teaching on a soul/spirit as “undeclared".
How Did The Buddha Die?
Author: Venerable Dr Mettanando Bhikkhu
Published: 15 May 2001 - Bangkok Post
(This article was partially edited by the author of this book series to improve the formatting
and readability, however, the primary content of the article was not edited. Dr Mettanando
Bhikkhu was a physician before becoming an Ordained Practitioner. He was based at Wat
Ratchaorasaram Ratchaworawihan, Thailand at the time that this article was published.)
During Vesak Day, we are informed that it is also the day The Buddha attained Final
Enlightenment. But not many know how The Buddha died. Ancient texts weave two
stories about The Buddha's death. Was it planned and willed by The Buddha, or was it
food poisoning, or something else altogether?
Here’s an account [to help you better understand how The Buddha died].
The Mahaparinibbana Sutta, (Reference: DN 16) from the Long Discourse of The Pāli
Canon, is without doubt the most reliable source for details on the death of Siddhattha
Gotama (BCE 563-483), The Buddha. It is composed in a narrative style that allows
readers to follow the story of the last days of The Buddha, beginning a few months before
he died.
To understand what really happened to The Buddha is not a simple matter, though. The
sutta, or discourse, paints two conflicting personalities of The Buddha, one overriding the
other.
The first personality was that of a miracle worker who beamed himself and his entourage
of Monks across the Ganges River (D II, 89), who had a divine vision of the settlement of
gods on earth (D II, 87), who could live until the end of the world on condition that
someone invite him to do so (D II, 103), who determined the time of his own death (D II,
105), and whose death was glorified by the shower of heavenly flowers and sandal
powder and divine music (D II, 138).
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The other personality was that of an aged being who was failing in health (D II, 120), who
almost lost his life because of a severe pain during his last retreat at Vesali (D II, 100), and
who was forced to come to terms with his unexpected illness and death after consuming
a special cuisine offered by his generous host.
These two personalities take turns emerging in different parts of the narrative. Moreover,
there also appear to be two explanations of The Buddha's cause of death: One is that the
Buddha died because his attendant, Ānanda, failed to invite him to live on to the age of
the world or even longer (D II, 117). The other is that he died by a sudden illness which
began after he ate what is known as "Sukaramaddava" (D II, 127-157).
The former story was probably a legend, or the result of a political struggle within the
Buddhist community during a stage of transition, whereas the latter sounds more realistic
and accurate in describing a real life situation that happened in The Buddha’s last days.
A number of studies have focused on the nature of the special cuisine that The Buddha
ate during his last meal as being the agent of his death. However, there is also another
approach based on the description of the symptoms and signs given in the sutta, which
modern medical knowledge can shed light on.
In another mural painting at Wat Ratchasittharam, The Buddha is approaching death, but
he still takes time to answer questions put forth by the Ascetic Subhadda, his last convert
who, after being admitted to the Buddhist Order, became an Arahant (An Enlightened
Being).
What We Know
In the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, we are told that The Buddha became ill suddenly after he
ate a special delicacy, Sukaramaddava, literally translated as "soft pork", which had been
prepared by his generous host, Cunda Kammaraputta. The name of the cuisine has
attracted the attention of many scholars, and it has been the focus of academic research
on the nature of the meal or ingredients used in the cooking of this special dish.
The sutta itself provides details concerning the signs and symptoms of his illness in
addition to some reliable information about his circumstances over the previous four
months, and these details are also medically significant.
The sutta begins with King Ajatasattus’ plot to conquer a rival state, Vajji. The Buddha
had journeyed to Vajji to enter his last rainy-season retreat. It was during this retreat that
he fell ill. The symptoms of the illness were sudden, severe pain.
However, the sutta provides no description of the location and character of his pain. It
mentions his illness briefly, and says that the pain was intense, and almost killed him.
Subsequently, The Buddha was visited by Māra, the Evil One, who invited him to pass
away. The Buddha did not accept the invitation right away. It was only after Ānanda, his
attendant, failed to recognize his hint for an invitation to remain that he died. This piece of
the message, though tied up with myth and supernaturalism, gives us some medically
significant information. When the sutta was composed, its author was under the
impression that The Buddha died, not because of the food he ate, but because he already
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had an underlying illness that was serious and acute-and had the same symptoms of the
disease that finally killed him.
The Timing
[The] Theravada Buddhist tradition has adhered to the assumption that the historical
Buddha passed away during the night of the full moon in the lunar month of Vesak (which
falls sometime in May to June). But the timing contradicts information given in the sutta,
which states clearly that the Buddha died soon after the rainy-season retreat, most likely
during the autumn or mid-winter, that is, November to January.
A description of the miracle of the unseasonal blooming of leaves and flowers on the sala
trees, when The Buddha was laid down between them, indicates the timeframe given in
the sutta.
Autumn and winter, however, are seasons that are not favorable for the growth of
mushrooms, which some scholars believe to be the source of the poison that The Buddha
ate during his last meal.
Diagnosis
The sutta tells us that The Buddha felt ill immediately after eating the Sukaramaddava.
Since we do not know anything about the nature of this food, it is difficult to name it as
the direct cause of The Buddha's illness. But from the descriptions given, the onset of the
illness was quick.
While eating, he felt there was something wrong with the food and he suggested his host
have the food buried. Soon afterward, he suffered severe stomach pain and passed blood
from his rectum.
We can reasonably assume that the illness started while he was having his meal, making
him think there was something wrong with the unfamiliar delicacy. Out of his compassion
for others, he had it buried.
Was food poisoning the cause of the illness? It seems unlikely. The symptoms described
do not indicate food poisoning, which can be very acute, but would hardly cause diarrhea
with blood. Usually, food poisoning caused by bacteria does not manifest itself
immediately, but takes an incubation period of two to 12 hours to manifest itself, normally
with acute diarrhea and vomiting, but not the passage of blood.
Another possibility is chemical poisoning, which also has an immediate effect, but it is
unusual for chemical poisoning to cause severe intestinal bleeding. Food poisoning with
immediate intestinal bleeding could only have been caused by corrosive chemicals such
as strong acids, which can easily lead to immediate illness. But corrosive chemicals
should have caused bleeding in the upper intestinal tract, leading to vomiting blood. None
of these severe signs are mentioned in the text.
(NOTE from author of this book series: Chemicals were not yet invented during the
lifetime of The Buddha.)
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Peptic ulcer diseases can be excluded from the list of possible illnesses as well. In spite
of the fact that their onset is immediate, they are seldom accompanied by bloody stool. A
gastric ulcer with intestinal bleeding produces black stool when the ulcer penetrates a
blood vessel. An ulcer higher up in the digestive tract would be more likely to manifest
itself as bloody vomiting, not a passage of blood through the rectum.
Other evidence against this possibility is that a patient with a large gastric ulcer usually
does not have an appetite. By accepting the invitation for lunch with the host, we can
assume that The Buddha felt as healthy as any man in his early 80s would feel. Given his
age we cannot rule out that The Buddha did not have a chronic disease, such as cancer
or tuberculosis or a tropical infection such as dysentery or typhoid, which could have
been quite common in The Buddha’s time.
These diseases could produce bleeding of the lower intestine, depending on their
location. They also agree with the history of his earlier illness during the retreat. But they
can be ruled out, since they are usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as
lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, growth or mass in the abdomen. None of these
symptoms were mentioned in the sutta.
A large hemorrhoid can cause severe rectal bleeding, but it is unlikely that a hemorrhoid
could cause severe abdominal pain unless it is strangulated. But then it would have
greatly disturbed the walking of The Buddha to the house of his host, and rarely is
hemorrhoid bleeding triggered by a meal.
Mesenteric Infarction
A disease that matches the described symptoms-accompanied by acute abdominal pain
and the passage of blood, commonly found among elderly people, and triggered by a
meal-is mesenteric infarction, caused by an obstruction of the blood vessels of the
mesentery. It is lethal. Acute mesenteric ischemia (a reduction in the blood supply to the
mesentery) is a grave condition with a high rate of mortality.
The mesentery is a part of the intestinal wall that binds the whole intestinal tract to the
abdominal cavity. An infarction of the vessels of the mesentery normally causes the death
of the tissue in a large section of the intestinal tract, which results in a laceration of the
intestinal wall.
This normally produces severe pain in the abdomen and the passage of blood. The
patient usually dies of acute blood loss. This condition matches the information given in
the sutta. It is also confirmed later when The Buddha asked Ānanda to fetch some water
for him to drink, indicating intense thirst.
As the story goes, Ānanda refused, as he saw no source for clean water. He argued with
The Buddha that the nearby stream had been muddied by a large caravan of carts. But
The Buddha insisted he fetch water anyway.
A question arises at this point: Why did The Buddha not go to the water himself, instead
of pressing his unwilling attendant to do so? The answer is simple. The Buddha was
suffering from shock caused by severe blood loss. He could no longer walk, and from
then to his death bed he was most likely carried on a stretcher.
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If this was indeed the situation, the sutta remains silent about The Buddha’s traveling to
his deathbed, possibly because the author felt that it would be an embarrassment for The
Buddha. Geographically, we know that the distance between the place believed to be the
house of Cunda and the place where The Buddha died was about 15 to 20 kilometers. It
is not possible for a patient with such a grave illness to walk such a distance.
More likely, what happened was that The Buddha was carried on a stretcher by a group of
Monks to Kusinara (Kushinagara).
It remains a point of debate whether The Buddha really determined to pass away at this
city, presumably not much larger than a town. From the direction of The Buddha's
journey, given in the sutta, he was moving north from Rajagaha. It is possible that he did
not intend to die there, but in the town where he was born, which would have taken a
period of three months to reach.
From the sutta, it is clear that The Buddha was not anticipating his sudden illness, or else
he would not have accepted the invitation of his host.
Kusinara was probably the nearest town where he could find a doctor to take care of him.
It is not difficult to see a group of Monks hurriedly carrying The Buddha on a stretcher to
the nearest town to save his life.
Before passing away, The Buddha told Ānanda that Cunda was not to be blamed and that
his death was not caused by eating Sukaramaddava. The statement is significant. The
meal was not the direct cause of his death. The Buddha knew that the symptom was a
repeat of an experience he’d had a few months earlier, the one which had almost killed
him.
Sukaramaddava, no matter the ingredients or how it was cooked, was not the direct
cause of his sudden illness.
Progression of the Disease
Mesenteric infarction is a disease commonly found among elderly people, caused by the
obstruction of the main artery that supplies the middle section of the bowel-the small
intestine-with blood. The most common cause of the obstruction is the degeneration of
the wall of the blood vessel, the superior mesenteric artery, causing severe abdominal
pain, also known as abdominal angina.
Normally, the pain is triggered by a large meal, which requires a higher flow of blood to
the digestive tract. As the obstruction persists, the bowel is deprived of its blood supply,
which subsequently leads to an infarction, or gangrene, of a section of the intestinal tract.
This in turn results in a laceration of the intestinal wall, profuse bleeding into the intestinal
tract, and then bloody diarrhea.
The disease gets worse as the liquid and content of the intestine oozes out into the
peritoneal cavity, causing peritonitis or inflammation of the abdominal walls. This is
already a lethal condition for the patient, who often dies due to the loss of blood and
other fluid. If it is not corrected by surgery, the disease often progresses to septic shock
due to bacterial toxins infiltrating the blood stream.
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Retrospective Analysis
From the diagnosis given above, we can be rather certain that The Buddha suffered from
mesenteric infarction caused by an occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. This was
the cause of the pain that almost killed him a few months earlier during his last rainy-
season retreat.
With the progress of the illness, some of the mucosal lining of his intestine sloughed off,
and this site became the origin of the bleeding.
Arteriosclerosis, the hardening of the vessel wall caused by aging, was the cause of the
arterial occlusion, a small blockage that did not result in bloody diarrhea, but is a
symptom, also known to us as abdominal angina.
He had his second attack while he was eating the Sukaramaddava. The pain was
probably not intense in the beginning, but made him feel that there was something wrong.
Suspicious about the nature of the food, he asked his host to have it all buried, so that
others might not suffer from it.
Soon, The Buddha realized that the illness was serious, with the passage of blood and
more severe pain in his abdomen. Due to the loss of blood, he went into shock. The
degree of dehydration was so severe that he could not maintain himself any longer and he
had to take shelter at a tree along the way.
Feeling very thirsty and exhausted, he got Ānanda to collect water for him to drink, even
though he knew that the water was muddied. It was there that he collapsed until his
entourage carried him to the nearest town, Kusinara, where there would have been a
chance of finding a doctor or lodging for him to recover in.
It was probably true that The Buddha got better after drinking to replace his fluid loss,
and resting on the stretcher. The experience with the symptoms told him that his sudden
illness was the second attack of an existing disease. He told Ānanda that the meal was
not the cause of his illness, and that Cunda was not to blame.
A patient with shock, dehydration and profuse blood loss usually feels very cold. This was
the reason why he told his attendant to prepare a bed using four sheets of ifsanghati nf.
According to Buddhist monastic discipline, a ifsanghati nfis a cloak, or extra piece of
robe, very large, the size of a bed sheet, which The Buddha allowed Ordained
Practitioners to wear in winter.
This information reflects how cold the Buddha felt because of his loss of blood. Clinically,
it is not possible for a patient who is in a state of shock with severe abdominal pain, most
likely peritonitis, pale and shivering, to be ambulatory.
The Buddha was most likely put into a lodging, where he was nursed and warmed,
located in the city of Kusinara. This view is also confirmed with the description of Ānanda
who, weeping, swoons and holds onto the door of his lodge after learning that The
Buddha was about to pass away.
Normally, a patient with mesenteric infarction could live 10 to 20 hours. From the sutta we
learn that The Buddha died about 15 to 18 hours after the attack. During that time, his
attendants would have tried their best to comfort him, for example, by warming the room
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where he was resting, or by dripping some water into his mouth to quench his lingering
thirst, or by giving him some herbal drinks. But it would be highly unlikely that a shivering
patient would need someone to fan him as is described in the sutta.
Off and on, he may have recovered from a state of exhaustion, allowing him to continue
his dialogues with a few people. Most of his last words could have been true, and they
were memorized by generations of Monks until they were transcribed. But finally, late into
the night, The Buddha died during a second wave of septic shock. His illness stemmed
from natural causes coupled with his age, just as it would for anyone else.
Conclusion
The hypothesis outlined above explains several scenes in the narrative of the sutta,
namely, the pressuring of Ānanda to fetch water, The Buddha’s request for a fourfold
cloak for his bed, the ordering of the meal to be buried, and so on.
It also reveals another possibility of the actual means of transportation of The Buddha to
Kusinara and the site of his death bed. Sukaramaddava, whatever its nature, was unlikely
to have been the direct cause of his illness. The Buddha did not die by food poisoning.
Rather, it was the size of the meal, relatively too large for his already troubled digestive
tract, that triggered the second attack of mesenteric infarction that brought an end to his
life.
Author’s Thoughts
Due to their importance, The Words of The Buddha book series have the last words of
The Buddha in multiple places throughout the book series.
You can investigate these chapters, which some of them are the same. There are basically
two different chapters being repeated throughout the book series in all of these books
and chapters.
Volume 2 - Chapter 45
Volume 3 - Chapter 97
Volume 9 - Chapter 47
Volume 10 - Chapter 46
Volume 12 - Chapter 48
In all of these locations within the books series, I have inserted the last words of The
Buddha and shared what one encounters upon death. This will help you to understand
and gain the wisdom of, what transpires for a being as part of the process of dying and
death itself.
A Student who reads this article titled “How Did The Buddha Die?” and is unEnlightened
may perceive the depiction of how The Buddha died as being an extremely painful death.
That it was painful for The Buddha during his last moments of life. But, that is without the
wisdom of what an Enlightened being experiences as a result of having attained
Enlightenment and then having issues in the physical body to include death.
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I suspect that the author of the article may not be aware of how an unEnlightened and
Enlightened being experience pain differently. Therefore, when describing what The
Buddha experienced, he described it in graphic terms of, his own frame of reference and
lifetime experiences with physical and mental pain - as being severely painful.
An Enlightened being does not experience severe physical pain but instead, it is
significantly diminished or muted. An Enlightened being does not experience any mental
anguish whatsoever.
When I read this article, I know that The Buddha, while experiencing a medical condition
that led to his ultimate death, had a peaceful mind during the entire time leading all the
way up to and including death. He would not have been in agonizing pain as one might
think who has not experienced physical pain while at the same time experiencing the
Enlightened mental state.
An Enlightened being will experience physical pain but, it would be very minimal
compared to what an unEnlightened being would experience in the same circumstances.
An Enlightened being would experience some physical pain but, they will not experience
the mental anguish associated with the physical pain. An Enlightened being’s mind will
continue to reside peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy, despite any and all
physical pain. In this way, the physical pain experienced by an Enlightened being is
insignificant and a mere fraction of that which would be experienced by an unEnlightened
being given the same exact situation.
For further understanding of physical and mental pain in the unEnlightened and
Enlightened mental state, you might choose to investigate The Teachings in Volume 8 -
Chapter 40 titled “Transcending Physical Pain by Avoiding Mental Pain”. This will help you
to understand how an unEnlightened being experiences physical pain versus, an
Enlightened being.
Detailed explanation of Transcending Physical Pain by Avoiding Mental Pain is available in
this same book series found in Chapter 40 of the book “The Foremost Householder”
(Volume 9).
You can also gain an appreciation and the wisdom of this topic through understanding
The Teachings of The Buddha when he shares “The Simile of The Saw” in the
Kakacūpamasutta Sutta (Reference: MN 21) available in Volume 3 - Chapter 84 of this
same book series.
The Buddha shares, “Monks, even if criminals were to sever you savagely limb by limb
with a two-handled saw, he who gave rise to a mind of hate towards them would not be
practicing my Teachings”.
The Buddha shares this Teaching because his own mind, experiencing Enlightenment,
would not experience mental anguish in this exact scenario or any others. It would be
impossible for an Enlightened being to experience hatred towards anyone for any reason,
even if being sawed “limb by limb”. Therefore, The Buddha was well aware that if a
Student’s mind experienced hatred in this situation or any other, the mind would be
unEnlightened. He emphasizes this in this Teaching.
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This Teaching directly from The Buddha, and others, can provide you further insight to
understand how an Enlightened being would not experience any “agonizing pain” during
the process of dying or at death.
Detailed explanation of Training a Mind Filled with Loving-Kindness,
without Hostility or Ill Will is available in this same book series found in Chapter 84 of the
book “Foundations in The Teachings” (Volume 3).
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Chapter 46
One Who Sees The Teachings Sees Me
Enough, Vakkali!
Why do you want to see this foul body?
One who sees The Teachings sees me;
one who sees me sees The Teachings.
For in seeing The Teachings, Vakkali,
one sees me; and in seeing me,
one sees The Teachings.
Monks, even if a Monk, taking hold of my outer robe, were to follow right
behind me, placing his feet in my footsteps, yet if he were to be craving for
sensual pleasures, strong in his passions, evil in mind, corrupt in his decision
making, his mindfulness muddled, unalert, uncentered, his mind scattered,
and his sense bases uncontrolled, then he would be far from me, and I from
him.
Why is that?
Because he does not see The Teachings. Not seeing The Teachings, he does
not see me.
But even if a Monk were to live one hundred leagues away, yet if he were to
have no craving for sensual objects, were not strong in his passions, not evil
in mind, uncorrupt in his decision making, his mindfulness established, alert,
centered, his mind at singleness, and his sense bases well-restrained, then
he would be near to me, and I to him.
Why is that?
Because he sees The Teachings. Seeing The Teachings, he sees me.
(Reference: SN 22.87)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how one who is learning, reflecting, and
practicing The Teachings can “see him”.
This is a Teaching that was delivered upon people being saddened by The Buddha’s
pending death understanding that they would no longer see him, those who were not yet
Enlightened with craving/desire/attachment would have been sorrowful of the news of his
pending death.
The Buddha attempts to calm his Students and delivers a Teaching to help them.
“Why do you want to see this foul body?” because he had already spent 45 years sharing
The Teachings with countless people that they did not need his physical body to learn,
reflect, and practice The Teachings to experience the results of an Enlightened mind. All
they needed, he had already given them - The Teachings.
During The Buddha’s lifetime, he was not only sharing The Teachings but he was also
deeply practicing The Teachings. In order to provide guidance to others on The Path to
Enlightenment, a Teacher needs to be a deep Practitioner of their Teachings - a role
model. The Buddha makes that clear when he says “one who sees me sees The
Teachings”.
Being a deep Practitioner of his own Teachings helps others to observe The Teachings
being practiced in real life through another being’s well developed life practice and can
assist Students in developing their own practice. Parents who practice these Teachings
closely can be a real life example and role model for their children to learn, reflect, and
practice these Teachings creating a peaceful home and family environment. Employers,
community leaders, and others can create a wholesome environment for those close to
them to more readily practice these wholesome Teachings leading to a more peaceful
environment. Those around you will look to you as a role model just by the nature of your
position and their relationship with you.
Having learned, reflected, and practiced The Teachings one will have deep wisdom to
understand what are The Teachings that lead to Enlightenment. Having deeply
understood The Teachings “one who sees The Teachings sees me”, thus, The Buddha
shares “why do you want to see this foul body?”.
The Buddha’s physical body was not needed as if one deeply understood The Teachings
through practicing The Teachings, they would be close to him observing him everywhere
around them as these Natural Laws of Existence are observable in the world.
If one does not practice The Teachings there would “be craving for sensual pleasures,
strong in his passions, evil in mind, corrupt in his decision making, his mindfulness
muddled, unalert, uncentered, his mind scattered, and his sense bases uncontrolled, then
he would be far from me, and I from him”.
But for those who deeply understand and are practicing The Teachings, there would be
“no craving for sensual objects, were not strong in his passions, not evil in mind,
uncorrupt in his decision making, his mindfulness established, alert, centered, his mind at
singleness, and his sense bases well-restrained, then he would be near to me, and I to
him”.
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You do not need to guess or just believe if this man, Master Teacher Gotama Buddha,
lived and existed or not. As you learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings on The Path to
Enlightenment improving the condition of the mind, more and more you will see The
Teachings everywhere around you as they are observable through the natural world
around us. As you observe discontentedness caused by craving/desire/attachment, a
Practitioner practicing loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity,
generosity, etc. and seeing the wholesome results experienced you will “see The
Teachings. Seeing The Teachings, he sees me”.
We do not need The Buddha’s physical body to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings.
Having spent 45 years to share The Teachings into the world, one only needs to seek
guidance to discover the same truths as The Buddha acquiring wisdom to liberate the
mind. Through the hard work with determination, dedication, and diligence of a Buddha,
The Buddha points the way towards Enlightenment and all others must strive.
Upon death, a Buddha’s work is complete and it is up to the remaining Community to
continue to share The Teachings into the world with all those who choose that they are
finished with discontentedness and The Cycle of Rebirth being interested in laying down
the burden to no longer experience the sorrow and displeasure of the unEnlightened
mind.
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Chapter 47
One Who Resides in The Teachings
Here, a Monk learns The Teachings - the discourses, mixed prose and verse,
explanations, verses, inspired spoken phrases, quotations, birth stories,
amazing accounts, and questions-and-answers - but he does not pass the
day [solely] in learning The Teachings. He does not neglect seclusion but
devotes himself to internal serenity of mind. It is in this way that a Monk is
one who resides in The Teachings.
Thus, Monk, I have taught the one absorbed in learning, the one absorbed in
communication, the one absorbed in recitation, the one absorbed in thought,
and the one who resides in The Teachings.
Whatever should be done, Monks, by a compassionate Teacher out of
compassion for his disciples, aspiring for their welfare, that I have done for
you.
These are the feet of trees, Monks these are empty huts.
Meditate, Monks, do not be complacent, lest you regret it later.
This is my instruction to you.
(Reference: AN 5.71)


189

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how one can learn The Teachings but to
fully and deeply understand a Practitioner needs to spend time alone “devoted to internal
serenity of mind”.
All too often, the discontent unEnlightened mind wants to fill its time with people,
activities, and things to occupy it ensuring there is no boredom or loneliness setting in.
Instead, The Buddha is suggesting that one spends time alone reflecting and developing
“serenity of mind” including meditation.
If one only ever learned The Teachings intellectually but failed to reflect and implement
The Teachings into a life practice, they would not be “residing in The Teachings”. A
Practitioner needs to step away from time-to-time allowing what they learned to deeply
soak into the mind, while using the acquired wisdom to practice The Teachings to acquire
more wisdom, in the application of these Teachings in daily life.
Gotama Buddha encourages Students to “not be complacent” as in doing so, one would
“regret it later”.
Gotama Buddha never used guilt, shame, or fear to encourage people to learn and
practice his Teachings. His Teachings are to eliminate guilt, shame, and fear among other
discontent feelings, so he would not be interested to produce guilt, shame, and fear in the
mind of his Students.
He humbly accepted invitations to teach based on people’s interest to host him in their
village or home. He held regular talks people could attend at Temples to learn and then
apply The Teachings in their daily life.
He explains that he shared these Teachings “out of compassion for his disciples, aspiring
for their welfare”.
What I feel he might be pointing to here as “regret it later” is that if one lacks the
determination, dedication, and diligence to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings to
include meditation, a Practitioner could surely “regret this later” through continuing to
experience discontentedness and being reborn.
Here he is providing clear guidance that one needs to meditate in order to attain
Enlightenment. One would not be able to attain Enlightenment without meditation. But,
one would not be able to attain Enlightenment with only meditation either. A Practitioner
will need to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings in daily life to be able to “reside in
The Teachings”.
It is when the mind is fully soaked into The Teachings that a Practitioner can readily apply
The Teachings in daily life and experience the results.
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Can you explain complacency and how to eliminate it from the mind?
Complacency is a hindrance to Enlightenment and will obstruct an individual from
attaining this mental state.
Complacency is experienced in the mind where it is dull, lethargic, and unmotivated, it will
hinder a Practitioner from the attainment of Enlightenment.
Complacency includes: being disinterested to learn and practice The Teachings of The
Buddha. This can be experienced as a disinterest to read books, come to classes, seek
guidance from a Teacher, meditate, etc. The Buddha describes complacency to the point
where, if the mind experiences an unwholesome thought/idea/feeling and the Practitioner
does nothing about it, then the mind is complacent. What a Practitioner is taught to do on
The Path to Enlightenment is to “cut off and let go” of all unwholesome thoughts/ideas/
feelings, therefore, if one does nothing about an unwholesome thought/idea/feelings, the
mind is complacent.
Again, this will hinder an individual from the attainment of Enlightenment, which is a
purification of the mind.
If the mind is unEnlightened, then there is the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as
ignorance (unknowing of true reality) still in the mind. A Practitioner does not understand
things as they truly are, the mind lacks wisdom of The Natural Laws of Existence. This is
an all encompassing pollution of mind and is the last one that will be eliminated from the
mind prior to Enlightenment.
As long as one’s mind is unEnlightened, it does not have the needed wisdom to attain
Enlightenment because it is not yet practicing The Teachings (i.e. The Natural Laws of
Existence), thus, there is ignorance, confusion, misunderstanding, misperception, a lack
of wisdom, or “the unknowing of true reality” still in the mind. Ignorance is eliminated
through learning, reflecting (i.e. independently verifying), and practicing The Teachings of
The Buddha to acquire wisdom. Wisdom is just the opposite of “the unknowing of true
reality” and will eradicate the mind’s fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as ignorance.
While ignorance is involved in all the fetters/taints/pollutions, the fetters that are directly
involved in complacency are “Doubt” and “Sensual Desire”.
The mind doubts The Teachings of The Buddha and their ability to guide an individual to
Enlightenment. And, the mind is having sensual desire, in that, it is holding on to certain
things with craving/desire/attachment being unmotivated to learn and practice The
Teachings while also indulging in unwholesome thoughts/ideas/feelings.
Doubt (Elimination of doubts about The Teachings and the ability of them to attain
Enlightenment. Confidence in The Buddha, The Teachings, The
Community, your Teacher, and your own ability to attain Enlightenment.)
Sensual desire (Elimination of the desire for pleasures from The Six Sense Bases: eyes,
ears, nose, tongue, body, and the mind.)
There is a remedy, or solution to eliminate complacency, that can be implemented to
ensure the mind is able to overcome this obstacle and continue its journey to
Enlightenment.
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The solution is to practice The Eight Fold Path to include, the Enlightenment factors of
investigation, energy, and joy from The Seven Factors of Enlightenment. The
Enlightenment factors of investigation, energy, and joy are just the opposites of the
dullness, lethargy, and lack of motivation that exists in the mind during the time of
complacency. Some older texts use the phrase “sloth and torpor” for complacency but,
“complacency” is a much better way to understand this aspect of the unEnlightened mind
with language we use today.
Investigation: (Dedicated examination, exploration, research, study, and questioning to
learn The Teachings.)
Energy: (Effort, determination, ambition, initiative, motivation, vigor, and enthusiasm;
willingness to do something.)
Joy: (Pleased and delighted not associated with any specific object; unconditioned
gladness; the Practitioner is not attaining it by craving/desire/attachment.)
Meditate, Monks, do not be complacent, lest you will regret it later. This is my instruction
to you. (Reference: SN 43.1)
You can learn more about complacency and its remedy using these resources.
Volume 1 - Chapter 3 and the recorded classes where I teach The Five Hindrances, this is
one of those.
Free Books - The Words of The Buddha
https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks
The Five Hindrances & The Seven Factors of Enlightenment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t6VKPshUn0
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Chapter 48
One Who Has Attained Nibbāna in This Very Life
Monk, if one teaches The Teachings for the purpose of fading away of strong
feelings towards aging-and-death, for its fading away and elimination, one is
fit to be called a Monk who is a speaker on The Teachings.
If one is practicing for the purpose of fading away of strong feelings towards
aging-and-death, for its fading away and elimination, one is fit to be called a
Monk who is practicing in accordance with The Teachings.
If, through fading away of strong feelings towards aging-and-death, through
its fading away and elimination, one is liberated by non-clinging, one is fit to
be called a Monk who has attained Nibbāna (Enlightenment) in this very life.
(In the case of birth, existence, clinging, craving, feeling, contact, The Six
Sense Bases, name-and-form, consciousness, volitional formations (choices/
decisions), and ignorance (unknowing of true reality), the discourses are
identical except for the reference to each of the conditions of Dependent
Origination.)
(Reference: SN 12.16)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares that one practicing with the purpose of
“fading away of strong feelings” towards each of the conditions of Dependent Origination
which explains the sequence of events that lead to birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, grief,
pain, displeasure, and despair - essentially discontentedness - will be liberated by non-
clinging.
Through training in these Teachings one unravels the chain of events that leads to birth,
sickness, aging, and death. Not only has one eliminated discontentedness from the mind
but they have also escaped The Cycle of Rebirth.
If one practices these Teachings and attains Enlightenment, “one is liberated by non-
clinging” - essentially the elimination of craving/desire/attachment leads to the elimination
of discontentedness. All mental longing with a strong eagerness is eliminated from the
mind through training the mind. The unraveling of Dependent Origination has been
successful and there is no longer any discontentedness or rebirth.
One who is “liberated by non-clinging” is one “who has attained Nibbāna” or
Enlightenment.
Detailed explanation of Dependent Origination is available in this same book series found
in Chapter 14 of the book “The First Stage of Enlightenment (Stream-Enterer)” (Volume 5).
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Chapter 49
Three Urgent Tasks
Monks, there are these three urgent tasks of a farmer.
What three?
First, the farmer swiftly yet thoroughly plows the field and swiftly yet
thoroughly harrows it. Next, he swiftly sows seeds. And then he swiftly
irrigates and drains the field. These are the three urgent tasks of a farmer.
This farmer has no psychic potency or spiritual might [by which he could
command]: Let my crops start growing today! Let them mature tomorrow!
Let them bear grain the day after tomorrow! But, with the change of seasons,
there comes a time when the crops grow, mature, and bear grain.
So too, Monks, there are these three urgent tasks of a Monk.
What three?
The undertaking of the training in the higher virtuous behavior (moral
conduct), the undertaking of the training in the higher mind (mental
discipline), and the undertaking of the training in the higher wisdom. These
are the three urgent tasks of a Monk.
This Monk has no psychic potency or spiritual might [by which he could
command]: Let my mind be liberated from the taints by non-clinging today,
or tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow! Rather, as this Monk trains in the
higher virtuous behavior (moral conduct), the higher mind (mental discipline),
and the higher wisdom, there comes an occasion when his mind is liberated
from the taints by non-clinging.
(Reference: AN 3.92)


During Gotama Buddha’s lifetime, many of his Students were very familiar with farming so
we see many analogies he shares in The Teachings that can relate to a common person
during that time in history. Not only does he use stories from the farming life but also
training a horse and various stories related to animal life.
These are relatable references that his Students would easily understand and help them in
learning and retaining The Teachings, so they could apply The Teachings in their daily life.
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares the development of the mind related to
the development of crops on a farm. A farmer would plow the field creating trenches or
194


“harrows” that would receive the seeds. Next, the farmer would “sow seeds” or plant the
seeds. Lastly, a farmer would “irrigate” or water the field helping the crop to grow.
The Eight Fold Path, which is The Path to Enlightenment, is categorized into three (3)
unique sections. While there are eight (8) individual steps to learn, reflect, practice and
master to attain Enlightenment, these can be categorized into three (3) distinct sections.
The Eight Fold Path
Gotama Buddha refers to these three (3) categories of wisdom, moral conduct, and
mental discipline as the “three urgent tasks”. “Training in the higher virtuous behavior
(moral conduct), the undertaking of the training in the higher mind (mental discipline), and
the undertaking of the training in the higher wisdom” is The Buddha referencing The Eight
Fold Path.
Just like a farmer will develop and cultivate their fields, a Practitioner of these Teachings
will need to develop and cultivate the mind in these three categories of The Eight Fold
Path - The Buddha’s core and central Teaching.
He explains just like a farmer cannot instantly grow a crop to bring results “today, or
tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow”, a Practitioner will need to dedicate time, effort,
energy, and resources to gradual training, gradual practice, and gradual progress.
While the translation of this Teaching uses the word “urgent” there is no such thing as
“hurry up and get to Enlightenment”. It is not running The Path with The Buddha nor
crawling The Path with The Buddha, but instead, walking The Path with The Buddha.
A sluggish approach to learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings would not
produce the results of an Enlightened mind. But also, approaching and pursuing The Path
to Enlightenment with craving/desire/attachment with the expectation or wanting
immediate results would cause the mind to be discontent.
So, the solution is to train the mind towards Enlightenment by practicing “the middle way”
where there is no sluggish complacency and no longing with a strong eagerness but
instead motivation, determination, diligence, and enthusiasm with Enlightenment as a
goal, interest or objective. Progressing in this way will produce results.
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Chapter 50
The Tathāgata Resides Compassionate Towards
All Living Beings
‘Venerable Sir, doesn’t The Perfectly Enlightened One resides compassionate
towards all living beings?’
Yes, Headman, The Tathāgata resides compassionate towards all living
beings.
‘Then why is it, Venerable Sir, that The Perfectly Enlightened One teaches
The Teachings thoroughly to some, yet not so thoroughly to others?’
Well then, Headman, I will question you about this. Answer as you see fit.
What do you think, Headman? Suppose a farmer here had three fields: one
excellent, one of middling quality, and one inferior-rough, salty, with bad
ground. What do you think, Headman? If that farmer aspires to sow seed,
where would he sow it first: in the excellent field, in the field of middling
quality, or in the field that was inferior, the one that was rough, salty, with bad
ground?
‘If Venerable Sir, that farmer aspires to sow seed, he would sow it in the
excellent field. Having sown seed there, he would next sow seed in the field
of middling quality. Having sown seed there he might or might not sow seed
in the field that was inferior, the one that was rough, salty, with bad ground.
For what reason? Because at least it can be used as fodder for the cattle.’
Headman, just like the field that is excellent are the male and female
Ordained Practitioners to me, I teach them The Teachings that are good in
the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right
meaning and phrasing; I reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and
pure.
For what reason?
Because they reside with me as their island, with me as their shelter, with me
as their protector, with me as their refuge.
Then, Headman, just like the field of middling quality are the male and female
Household Practitioners to me.
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To them too I teach The Teachings that are good in the beginning, good in
the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing: I
reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and pure.
For what reason?
Because they reside with me as their island, as their shelter, with me as their
protector, with me as their refuge.
Then, Headman, just like that field that is inferior, rough, salty, with bad
ground are the Ascetics, Brāhmins, and wanderers of other communities to
me. Yet to them too I teach The Teachings that are good in the beginning,
good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and
phrasing; I reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and pure.
For what reason?
Because if they understand even a single sentence, that will lead to their
welfare and peacefulness for a long time.
(Reference: SN 42.7)


Here again, we have another story connected to The Buddha’s Teachings from the life of
a farmer that the average person would understand during the lifetime of The Buddha. He
is asked a question from a “Headman” or leader of a village, town, city, or community.
The Headman is curious why The Buddha shares Teachings with different groups of
people in different ways. Rather than just give him an answer, The Buddha uses questions
to help the Headman see the approach he uses is the same as him tapping into the
Headman’s existing wisdom so the Headman could essentially teach himself.
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how he is compassionate towards all
beings Teaching all those who are interested to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings.
But he does see a distinction in the groups of people and how thoroughly he chooses to
share The Teachings.
A Buddha would be interested in the objective of ensuring his Teachings continue in the
world, upon his death, with the guidance of well learned and knowledgeable individuals
who are dedicated to see The Teachings continue. He viewed the Ordained Practitioners
as the most dedicated to this goal. After all, they have made the biggest commitment to
learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings through leaving the household life and
entering the lowest livelihood to be a roaming and wandering Ascetic. This was a clear
sign to Gotama Buddha that they were committed to progress on The Path to
Enlightenment.
Next, he viewed the Household Practitioners as the “middling quality” or middle quality.
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While Household Practitioners did attain Enlightenment during the lifetime of The Buddha
and after his death, Household Practitioners have many obstacles to overcome. During
the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, Household Practitioners were very occupied with
countless tasks just to sustain life. To acquire the needed food, water, clothing, shelter,
and medical care required much effort which left little time for learning, reflecting, and
practicing The Teachings.
Today, we exist during a time where modern conveniences have made it easier for us to
acquire the needed supplies to sustain life. While Household Practitioners still have
obstacles to overcome, so do Ordained Practitioners. While there is one set of benefits
and challenges to the ordained lifestyle, there is another set of benefits and challenges
associated with the household lifestyle. Today, in my opinion, it is much more likely for a
Household Practitioners to attain Enlightenment than even during the lifetime of Gotama
Buddha due to our ability to more readily acquire the needed supplies to sustain life, thus,
providing more time to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings.
Lastly, The Buddha viewed “the Ascetics, Brāhmins, and wanderers of other
communities” as the lowest quality Students as their dedication and commitment was not
to attaining Enlightenment through The Teachings he shared but instead to other
communities outside of The Buddha’s Community that he was cultivating with these
Teachings.
There were others during his lifetime that felt it was their Teachings that would lead to
Enlightenment. As we know, it was The Buddha’s Teachings that have stood the test of
time and now 2,500 years later we are still preserving his Teachings for the world.
Gotama Buddha also shared that if one were to “understand even a single sentence, that
will lead to their welfare and peacefulness for a long time” as he knew his Teachings are
those that lead to complete liberation of mind, to Enlightenment, because he was
experiencing the results of an Enlightened mind clearly understanding exactly what it took
to attain the same mental state.
He shared these Teachings with countless people and left them with individuals who took
care to ensure these Teachings were preserved, in such a way, that they are now reaching
you.
Why did he dedicate his lifetime to such an ambitious goal?
He shares that with us as he opened the conversation with the Headman, “The Tathāgata
resides compassionate towards all living beings”. As a wise Practitioner interested to
attain Enlightenment, you should also reside compassionate towards all living beings.
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Chapter 51
Four Observable Benefits for One Who
Learned The Teachings by Ear
Monks, when one has learned The Teachings by ear, recited them verbally,
examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view, four
benefits are to be observed.
What four?
Here, a Monk masters The Teachings: discourses, mixed prose and verse,
expositions, verses, inspired spoken phrases, quotations, birth stories,
amazing accounts, and questions-and-answers. He has learned those
Teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and
penetrated them well by view. He passes away muddled in mind and is
reborn into a certain group of heavenly beings. There, the happy ones recite
passages of The Teachings to him. The arising of his memory is sluggish, but
then that being quickly reaches distinction.
This is the first benefit to be observed when one has learned The Teachings
by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated
them well by view.
Again, a Monk masters The Teachings: discourses, mixed prose and verse,
expositions, verse inspired spoken phrases, quotations, birth stories,
amazing accounts, and questions-and-answers. He has practiced those
Teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and
penetrated them well by view. He passes away muddled in mind and is
reborn into a certain group of heavenly beings. There, the happy ones do not
recite passages of The Teachings to him, but a Monk with psychic potency
who has attained mastery of mind teaches The Teachings to an assembly of
heavenly beings. It occurs to him: This is The Teachings and discipline in
which I formerly lived the spiritual life. The arising of his memory is sluggish,
but then that being quickly reaches distinction.
Suppose a man were skilled in the sound of a kettledrum. While traveling
along a highway, he might hear the sound of a kettledrum and would not be
at all confused or uncertain about the sound; rather, he would conclude: That
is the sound of a kettledrum. So too, a Monk masters The Teachings … The
arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches
distinction.
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This is the second benefit to be observed when one has followed The
Teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and
penetrated them well by view.
Again, a Monk masters The Teachings: discourses, mixed prose and verse,
expositions, verses, inspired spoken phrases, quotations, birth stories,
amazing accounts, and questions-and-answers. He has learned those
Teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and
penetrated them well by view. He passes away muddled in mind and is
reborn into a certain group of heavenly beings. There, the happy ones do not
recite passages of The Teachings to him, nor does a Monk with psychic
potency who has attained mastery of mind teach The Teachings to an
assembly of heavenly beings. However, a young heavenly being teaches The
Teachings to an assembly of heavenly beings. It occurs to him: These are
The Teachings and discipline in which I formerly lived the spiritual life. The
arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches
distinction.
Suppose a man were skilled in the sound of a conch. While traveling along a
highway, he might hear the sound of a conch and he would not be at all
confused or uncertain about the sound; rather, he would conclude: That is
the sound of a conch. So too, a Monk masters The Teachings ... The arising
of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction.
This is the third benefit to be observed when one has learned The Teachings
by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated
them well by view.
Again, a Monk masters The Teachings: discourses, mixed prose and verse,
expositions, verses, inspired spoken phrases, quotations, birth stories,
amazing accounts, and questions-and-answers. He has practiced those
Teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and
penetrated them well by view. He passes away muddled in mind and is
reborn into a certain group of heavenly beings. There, the happy ones do not
recite passages of The Teachings to him, nor does a Monk with psychic
potency who has attained mastery of mind teach The Teachings to an
assembly of heavenly beings, nor does a young heavenly being teach The
Teachings to an assembly of heavenly beings. However, one being who has
been spontaneously reborn reminds another who has been spontaneously
reborn: Do you remember, dear sir? Do you remember where we formerly
lived the spiritual life? The other says: I remember, dear sir. I remember…
The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches
distinction.
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Suppose there were two friends who had played together in the mud. By
chance they would meet one another later in life. Then one friend would say
to the other: Do you remember this, friend? Do you remember that, friend?
And the other would say: I remember, friend. I remember. So too, a Monk
masters The Teachings… The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that
being quickly reaches distinction.
This is the fourth benefit to be observed when one has learned The
Teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and
penetrated them well by view.
These are the four benefits to be observed when one has learned The
Teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and
penetrated them well by view.
(Reference: AN 4.191)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, we can observe the method of learning during The
Buddha’s lifetime. “When one has learned The Teachings by ear, recited them verbally,
examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view” is how Students would
learn with him over 2,500 years ago.
Gotama Buddha shared The Teachings orally and nothing was written down during his
lifetime. It was not until later, after his death, that it was decided to capture The Teachings
in written format.
An Enlightened mind has such a high degree of memory that all the Enlightened beings
who had attained Enlightenment during Gotama Buddha’s lifetime were committed to
recite what they remembered and to document The Teachings for future generations.
The spoken words of The Buddha were recited by his more developed Students and
captured for the ultimate development of what we refer to as The Pāli Canon or The Pāli
Text.
“The Words of The Buddha” book series is comprised of those spoken words that came
from the mind of Gotama Buddha, into the minds of his Students, produced countless
Enlightened minds, remembered for the duration of The Buddha’s lifetime, then recited
and captured to eventually end up in The Pāli Canon and into your hands at this moment.
These Teachings have been preserved throughout history because they work. These
Teachings in the format of this book series provides a method of learning that was not
available during the lifetime of The Buddha. Today, you have access and we can distribute
these Teachings worldwide in an instant with the ability to reference these Teachings
throughout your life as you develop your life practice.
Today, recitation of The Teachings “word for word” is not needed. Instead, one needs to
learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings for deep understanding.
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Gotama Buddha shared this same method of learning during his lifetime.
1.) Learn: “when one has learned The Teachings by ear, recited them verbally”.
2.) Reflect: “examined them with the mind”.
3.) Practice: “penetrated them well by view”.
While today we have books, videos, podcasts, and other methods of sharing The
Teachings, it is important to also learn directly with a Teacher in an environment where a
Teacher can verbally explain The Teachings and you have the opportunity to ask
questions for clarification.
It would be impossible for someone to read a book, watch videos, listen to a podcast,
and/or use other resources in a way that would produce an Enlightened mind without any
interaction with The Community to include a Teacher.
There are many questions and points of clarification that are needed along The Path to
Enlightenment. There are many challenges and having a relationship with a Teacher will
allow you to gain insight through seeking guidance.
As one does, they come to develop the mind in this life and have an improved ability to
attain Enlightenment experiencing the life changing results of developing one’s life
practice with guidance from a Teacher.
If one applies effort towards learning and does not attain Enlightenment, like those
described in this Teaching, then there is an improved rebirth for one’s next existence.
The goal is to attain Enlightenment as an Arahant and to no longer experience rebirth into
a new existence. But, should that not occur, one will have gained the benefits of learning,
reflecting, and practicing in this life. In fact, you may have learned, reflected, and
practiced in a previous life and this is now part of your continuation of The Path to
Enlightenment in this current life.
In this Teaching, The Buddha is describing four unique situations where one who has
been learning, reflecting, and practicing yet the mind is still “muddled” having not
attained Enlightenment, died, and was reborn into the heavenly realm. But the heavenly
realm is not the goal of this path as Enlightenment is the goal where one has escaped The
Cycle of Rebirth. If one is reborn into the heavenly realm, there is still existence and one
has the potential to then fall down into another realm from the heavenly realm.
Each of the situations described in this Teaching involves a being who learns, reflects,
and practices The Teachings during a human birth, is reborn into the heavenly realm,
continues their learning in the heavenly realm, and then with “the arising of his memory
[being] is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction” or in other words,
quickly reaches Enlightenment from the heavenly realm.
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Now that you have completed reading (Volume 2) of this book series and may decide to
read this book multiple times, I would like to take a moment to personally “thank you” for
your determination, dedication, and diligence to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings
of The Buddha on The Path to Enlightenment.
The time, effort, energy, and resources that you devote to this path are serving to help you
and countless other beings. As you choose to learn and practice these Teachings, you will
significantly reduce then eliminate any harm that you are putting into the world through
your unknowing of true reality. The unEnlightened mind does not understand what it does
not understand.
You are now applying time, effort, energy, and resources to improving the condition of the
mind, the condition of your life, and, thus, the condition of the world through investigating
The Teachings to acquire wisdom. The world becomes a better place when we each
individually choose to improve our own life practice taking responsibility for our own
intentions, speech, actions, and livelihood while improving our wisdom and mental
discipline.
I admire individuals who choose to walk towards harmlessness. I admire individuals who
choose to realize there is a better way of life and create that better way of life for
themselves through seeking guidance. And, I admire individuals who do not shrink back
from the struggle to move the mind towards Enlightenment when the natural tendency
might be to remain complacent.
Why have I chosen to share these Teachings with you?
“That it may be for the benefit and peacefulness of the multitude (many people), out of
compassion for the world, for the benefit and peacefulness of heavenly beings and
humans”. (Gotama Buddha)
“Because if they understand even a single sentence, that will lead to their welfare and
peacefulness for a long time”. (Gotama Buddha)
May you discover the freedom associated with a mind that is peaceful, calm,
serene, and content with joy permanently - the Enlightened mind.
As you need help to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings, you are welcome to
seek guidance which is available openly and freely to “all beings”.
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Author
David Roylance is a dedicated Practitioner and Teacher of Gotama Buddha’s
Teachings who has been part of the Thai community since 2001. He visited
Thailand for the first time in 2002 and brought the Traditional Thai Healing
Arts back to the United States of America to share with people in the
Western World.
His Traditional Thai Healing Arts centers, located in the Washington DC area,
provided traditional Thai healing arts to clients and educational opportunities
to Students to explore the Thai healing arts, Thai culture, and The Teachings
of Gotama Buddha. David is a published author with books on the topics of
Traditional Thai Healing Arts and The Path That Leads to Enlightenment.
David has taught Gotama Buddha’s Teachings since 2005 in the United
States of America. In 2015, he closed his businesses and relocated to
Chiang Mai, Thailand to be closer to the Thai culture and the Thai
Community of Buddhist Practitioners.
David shares Gotama Buddha’s Teachings with Household Practitioners and
Ordained Practitioners in Chiang Mai, Thailand and around the world through
courses, retreats, and special events providing guidance to help people
attain Enlightenment - a peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy.
For more information on participating in courses, retreats, special events or
to invite these Teachings to your learning venue, use the contact information
below:
Teacher - David Roylance
hello@buddhadailywisdom.com
www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com
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Restoration of The Buddha’s Teachings
The Path to Enlightenment
The Buddha taught over 2,500 years ago. He taught The Path to
Enlightenment guiding countless beings to a mental state that is peaceful,
calm, serene, and content with joy that is permanent, where the mind has
eliminated 100% of all discontent feelings such as sadness, anger,
frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fears, boredom, loneliness,
shyness, jealousy, resentment, stress, anxiety, etc.
Immediately following the death of The Buddha (i.e. Gotama Buddha), The
Teachings were shining in the world continuing to guide countless people to
Enlightenment. But, over the course of many generations, just as Gotama
Buddha predicted, people’s understanding of his Teachings gradually
diminished due to modifications and adjustments made by people after him.
The modifications made to his Teachings, handed down through oral
transmission, have made it increasingly difficult for human beings to attain
Enlightenment.
The goal of David’s Teachings is to root the learning and practice he
shares in “The Words of The Buddha” based on The Teachings that
existed during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, so that countless beings
can now attain Enlightenment based on the original Path to
Enlightenment discovered and declared by Gotama Buddha.
David does this through connecting what he teaches to the largest most
complete source of Teachings from Gotama Buddha - The Pāli Canon. The
Pāli Canon is the original source text of The Teachings from Gotama Buddha
as spoken by him during his lifetime.
David has spent countless hours dedicated to restoring The Words of The
Buddha by updating a significant portion of the translations of Gotama
Buddha’s Teachings from The Pāli Canon. He now offers several resources
for Students to learn, reflect, and practice The Path to Enlightenment to
experience the results of an Enlightened mind.
David offers books, audiobooks, videos, podcasts, online learning programs,
personal guidance, and retreats without any requirement for financial
support. All the work that is being done is offered openly and freely for all
beings without any requirement to provide any financial support. David
accepts donations but Students are not required to provide donations for
any work that he does in supporting them on The Path to Enlightenment.
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David does not request donations and instead, just accepts whatever is
offered to him, if anything at all.
His dedication to sharing these Teachings is not motivated by finances. He
shares openly and freely with everyone who has a sincere interest in learning
and practicing The Path to Enlightenment.
Ultimately, David plans to preserve The Teachings of The Buddha in a format
that is easily, readily, and openly accessible to anyone in the world while
offering support to learn, reflect, and practice to experience the results of the
Enlightened mind.
His plan is to guide countless people to Enlightenment during his lifetime
and leave a Community of Enlightened beings who can continue to share
The Teachings long after his death. Through developing a Community of
Enlightened beings and preserving The Path to Enlightenment in resources
that are easily, readily, and openly accessible to anyone in the world, David is
revealing the hidden Teachings of Gotama Buddha and doing the best he
can to remove any obstacles one might have to learn, reflect, and practice
these Teachings, allowing countless people to experience the results of an
Enlightened mind.
Upon his death, David predicts that his closest Student, his son and a
continued lineage of Teachers, will share these same Teachings continuing to
support and grow The Community of Enlightened beings long into the future
- for the next 1,000 years.
These efforts will culminate into restoring The Path to Enlightenment back
into the world so that all of humanity can experience Enlightenment evolving
the human species to one where every being has the opportunity to attain
Enlightenment creating “heaven on earth”.
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The Goal
An Entire Species of Enlightened Beings
Having experienced Enlightenment and knowing the peace, calm, serenity,
and contentedness with joy that comes with having attained Enlightenment,
a Buddha’s goal is to share his Teachings worldwide so that “all beings” can
experience Enlightenment.
The Enlightened mind no longer experiences any discontent feelings such as
sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fears,
boredom, loneliness, shyness, jealousy, resentment, anxiety, stress, etc.
All discontent feelings have been eliminated 100% from the Enlightened
mind (i.e. all suffering is eliminated).
An Enlightened mind will have loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic
joy, equanimity, and generosity among many other wholesome qualities.
Can you imagine an entire world where all human beings have liberated
their mind to no longer experience these discontent feelings and are
practicing wholesome qualities of mind at all times?
With “The Buddha” (Gotama Buddha) having attained this permanent mental
state of Enlightenment on his own as The Perfectly Enlightened Buddha, he
would have known that through his dedicated and persistent pursuit to
Enlightenment, he had acquired the wisdom needed to guide “all beings” to
this same mental state.
However, his teaching career of 45 years would not be enough time to share
his Teachings worldwide. He knew, that it would require many centuries for
his Teachings to reach all parts of the world. During his lifetime, travel of
people and information was limited based on several constraints.
Today, we are in a unique time in history where these same constraints have
been eliminated. A time when people and information are able to travel
around the world in an instant.
Not only can information travel quickly but all of humanity is slowly coming
to the point where there is a common language spoken around the world -
the English language.
Criteria exist today that did not exist during Gotama Buddha’s lifetime that
make now the perfect time for all of humanity to gradually attain
Enlightenment realizing a better existence.
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- People can travel worldwide.
- Information can be shared worldwide in an instant.
- Commonly spoken language among a large percentage of the worldwide
population and this is only growing.
These criteria did not exist during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha and it is
only now that the world has come into an age where his original goal is
realistically possible.
But, during Gotama Buddha’s lifetime it seems they had something that we
may not have….
The people during Gotama Buddha’s lifetime had perseverance and
dedication to learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings to realize the
results of experiencing the Enlightened mind. They were not afraid of hard
work.
With our modern day conveniences, I am unsure how many people are
willing to apply their determination, dedication, and diligence with time,
effort, energy, and resources towards The Path to Enlightenment with the
goal to experience the Enlightened mind.
When a being decides they are finished with the sadness, anger, frustration,
irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fear, boredom, loneliness, shyness,
jealousy, resentment, etc., that is the time when one can turn towards The
Teachings and goal of experiencing Enlightenment.
Through each individual deciding to learn and practice The Teachings of
Gotama Buddha, as a collective world, our species will gradually evolve. We
evolve to a higher consciousness where we train the mind to not harm others
through our intentions, speech, nor actions.
Through each individual deciding to learn, reflect, and practice The
Teachings of Gotama Buddha, each person benefits and we all benefit as
there will be less and less harm in the world.
Through individuals deciding to focus on developing a comprehensive
approach to learning and practicing The Teachings of Gotama Buddha with
guidance from a Teacher, your life drastically improves and the entire world
improves essentially creating “heaven on earth”.
We do not need to “fix” the world. That is not the problem. The problem is
the unEnlightened mind does not understand The Natural Laws of Existence
and it is quite a struggle to live in a world that one does not understand.
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Through learning and practicing The Teachings of Gotama Buddha, a
Practitioner comes to deeply understand The Natural Laws of Existence to
acquire wisdom that will end the struggles and misery one may face on a
regular basis.
Are you ready to apply determination, dedication, and diligence with time,
effort, energy, and resources towards The Path to Enlightenment with the
goal to experience Enlightenment?
If one enjoys anger, sadness, boredom, loneliness, resentment, etc., there is
nothing to do.
But, if you are interested to eliminate these unwelcomed feelings from the
mind, then I suggest you turn towards The Path to Enlightenment and apply
your dedication and diligence to learning, reflecting, and practicing The
Teachings of Gotama Buddha.
And then, as all of humanity gradually experiences Enlightenment we will
have accomplished “the goal”.
“An entire species of Enlightened beings”.
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Why Have I Decided to Teach The Path to
Enlightenment as Taught by Gotama Buddha?
I have chosen to share these Teachings out of compassion for the world.
Compassion (Pāli: karuṇā) is concern for the misfortunes of others.
And due to this compassion, it is important to share Teachings that are
based in wisdom, not belief.
There are countless traditions and ways of sharing those traditions
throughout the world. All of these, in one form or another, are essentially
sharing to cultivate and practice 1.) Universal Love for All Beings 2.) Do No
Harm and 3.) Be a Good Moral Person.
However, the way each tradition is shared and the clarity of those teachings
is unique to each tradition.
The Path to Enlightenment as taught by Gotama Buddha (“The Buddha”)
over 2,500 years ago as documented in The Pāli Canon, is the most clear,
concise, and precise Teachings I have ever encountered that leads exactly
where he said they do, to Enlightenment.
The Enlightened mind is peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy -
permanently. The Enlightened mind will no longer experience any discontent
feelings such as sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt,
shame, fears, boredom, loneliness, shyness, jealousy, resentment, stress,
anxiety, etc.
This is accomplished through not believing The Teachings of The Buddha but
instead, through learning, reflecting, and practicing to discover the truth. The
mind can be trained to eliminate all the conditions that are causing it to be
stuck in the unEnlightened state. Through eliminating the pollution of mind
by training the mind, one can experience liberation of mind, freedom from
strong feelings, peace, Enlightenment.
The Buddha’s Teachings are the only Teachings that I have encountered that
do not rely on belief. With belief, one does not know what is true or false
because they are just believing. Instead, Gotama Buddha’s Teachings are
shared in such a way that, a Practitioner can investigate and examine them
to determine the truth which leads to wisdom and thus, Enlightenment. If one
was to only believe The Teachings of The Buddha, they could not acquire
wisdom nor attain Enlightenment.
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These Teachings are perfectly suited for today’s society where there is a
proliferation of misinformation and untruths. These Teachings, with guidance
from a Teacher, guide a Practitioner to independently discover the truth
through deeply investigating The Natural Laws of Existence (i.e. The
Teachings of The Buddha). Through doing this inner work on The Path to
Enlightenment, one can discover that these Teachings are the solution to the
challenges we experience in the world and the solutions of how to heal from
what hurt us so that we never need to hurt again. The mind can completely
and entirely eliminate 100% of all discontent feelings once it is Enlightened.
This cannot be accomplished through belief.
Instead, a Practitioner needs to be determined, dedicated, and diligent to
doing the inner work to develop the mind and progress towards the
Enlightened mental state by acquiring wisdom.
As far as I have discovered, there are no other teachings on the planet that
can guide an individual to the complete elimination of discontent feelings
through independently verifying the teachings to acquire wisdom. The
Buddha did something very unique during his lifetime that no other person or
Teacher has accomplished.
He independently attained Enlightenment, dedicated the rest of his life to
sharing his independently discovered Teachings guiding countless people to
Enlightenment, and he left his Teachings in such a condition that countless
more people have attained Enlightenment after his death. He meets all the
criteria of a true Buddha. Gotama Buddha was a true Buddha.
My work during this life has been to rediscover these Teachings, in such a
way, that they can now be shared worldwide in the international language of
English so that countless people all throughout the world can attain
Enlightenment during this lifetime and after my death.
The only way to accomplish this goal is to share Teachings that are not
based in belief but instead, are based in independently verifiable truth so that
a Practitioner can acquire wisdom.
These Teachings are clear, concise, and precise. They invite investigation
and examination. Through doing this work, one can gradually train the mind
to gradually practice these Teachings and gradually progress to
Enlightenment. As discontentedness is gradually diminished and then
eliminated from the mind, one can see the truth for themselves that these
Teachings work to guide one to Enlightenment.
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These Teachings lead exactly where Gotama Buddha said they do, to
Enlightenment, and through each individual choosing to attain
Enlightenment, humanity will evolve the human species and at the same time
create “heaven on earth”.
213

Why Have I Decided to Reside and Teach in
Thailand in Order to Restore The Teachings of The
Buddha Back into Humanity and Create “Heaven
on Earth”?
1.) Largest Population of Theravada Buddhist Practitioners Anywhere in
the World: Thailand is the largest population of Theravada Buddhist
Practitioners and Teachers anywhere in the world. Theravada Buddhism
considers The Pāli Canon to be the original source Teachings of The Buddha
in The Words of The Buddha. Theravada Buddhism teaches the importance
of not changing The Teachings of The Buddha and practicing The Path to
Enlightenment as a Buddha has taught, without any modifications.
The Pāli Canon is an important text that should not be believed to be the true
Teachings of The Buddha but instead, one can learn, reflect, and practice to
independently verify The Teachings to acquire wisdom observing the truth in
The Teachings as the mind awakens and discontent feelings are gradually
diminished and ultimately eliminated.
Once I dedicate the remaining time of this life sharing these Teachings to
restore them back into the world, the Thai people and all other diligent
Students who choose to learn with me will not ever allow these Teachings to
be changed, modified, degraded, or lost over time. The Thai people and
diligent Students are well aware that since the lifetime of Gotama Buddha,
that is what has occurred and, through having these Teachings restored
during the remaining time of this life, the Thai people and diligent Students
will not allow this to occur again.
The Thai people will support these Teachings and ensure they continue to be
offered in the world for the benefit of “all beings” while being hosted in
Thailand and supported by dedicated Students from many international
locations.
These Teachings have existed in Thailand for 800-1200 years and they have
received significant support from countless people over many generations.
The Thai people understand just how impactful The Teachings of The
Buddha are to their society and for all of humanity. The Thai people can
observe my dedication and commitment to sharing these Teachings, and
where possible, they will support me in sharing these Teachings throughout
Thailand and throughout the world.
214