Are you constantly overthinking? Does your mind rarely feel at rest? Do you carry an invisible burden wherever you go? Does it often feel like it's always you against the world? Do you find yourself wondering why your efforts aren't appreciated? Do you wonder why life isn't treating you fairly? If so, consider this possibility: Perhaps you are thinking about yourself too much. If you pause and observe your mind carefully, you may find that much of your suffering is not caused

In the Upakkilesa Sutta, the Buddha recounted how, while he was still a Bodhisatta, subtle imperfections arose during his development of deep concentration and the Divine Eye. These imperfections did not arise because his practice was incorrect, but because the mind had not yet fully learned to relate wisely to increasingly refined meditative experiences. He then gave Venerable Anuruddha guidance on how to overcome the subtle mental impurities (upakkilesa) that can obstruct (

We encounter many fortunes and misfortunes in life. When misfortunes arise, people tend to rely on conventional and superficial explanations, directing blame outward. When someone we love dies, we point to an illness: “He died because of cancer.” When someone suffers great financial loss, we attribute it to external conditions: “She lost money because of competitors.” Many such examples can be given; they are virtually endless. Here, by “suffering,” the emphasis in this post

When we observe the mind carefully, let’s be honest to ourselves: it is rarely straight. It leans, bends, and inclines: pulled by lobha, pushed by dosa, clouded by moha. Even when we intend to act rightly, something within distorts that intention. This inner crookedness is the natural condition of an untrained mind. The mind is always bending in such a manner, conditioned by defilements to act in these ways throughout beginningless saṃsāra. In the teachings of the Buddha, the

The commentaries provide a profoundly important clarification about attainments of Path and Fruition, and that liberation is neither random nor mechanically guaranteed. It unfolds through prior and present causes. The Apadāna Commentary expresses this as follows: “To all disciples of the Blessed One: (1) the presence of meritorious supporting conditions (adhikāra), and (2) a strong and resolute aspiration (chanda) for the noble knowledge of enlightenment (bodhi-ñāṇa) one seek

Growing old is inevitable. Growing up is a choice. Growing old happens to you, whether you like it or not. Growing up is something you do, only if you choose to. Time passes and makes this body age. Responsibilities grow, roles change, life goes from one phase to another but from the perspective of the Dhamma, none of this guarantees maturity. A person can grow old while remaining emotionally reactive, self-centred, resentful, weak-minded and deeply attached to how things sho