Explore every episode of the podcast Buddha’s Teachings

What does seeing clearly mean in Buddhism? Seeing clearly is not about our vision with our two eyes. Seeing clearly points to the ultimate truth that is always there but difficult to see.

The mind is chief the mind preceeds all things.

(Dhammapadda)

Happiness and suffering reside in the mind, it is within. Understanding the mind within liberates us from sufferings.

The Teachings would mean nothing if there wasn't a guidance. The guidance has to be provided by a person who has clear understanding of the Dhamma. A noble teacher is just as valuable as the Dhamma itself.

The word enemy indicates someone or something that bothers us, disturbs us, takes away our peace and happiness. What is this enemy that is within us?

Fires burn fires do damages. When we have fires inside we are disturbed, we are restless, we are agitated. What are those fires? Get to know those fires inside to protect your peace of mind.

The EGO is not clearly understood by most people. In Buddha's Teachings, the Buddha shows that the ego is very much in control of our lives. Without understanding this ego we can never liberate ourselves from the bondage of sufferings.

Having awareness or Sati of the mind is a must have ingredient to reach the ultimate understanding of Nirvana. Without awareness of one's own mind is the same as walking blind folded in complete ignorance, knowing nothing of oneself.

The Buddha was the greatest doctor and his Teachings is the greatest medicine. However, it doesn't matter how effective the medicine is if the patience doesn't take it it has not effect on the patience. The cure for our human sufferings is here and available. Take it or not is one's decision.

All you have to do is open your mind and listen.

The Four Great Refuges in Buddha's Teachings are Loving-Kindness (Metta), Compassion (Karuna), Joy in others happiness (Mudita), and Equanimity (Upekha).

Loving-Kindness (Metta) is one the great abode Buddhists practice, take refuge under. The practice of loving-kindness requires a clear understanding in order to have true penetration. Otherwise loving-kindness cannot truly happens.

Our mind is the source of ALL emotions, good or bad. Whatever we feel it is always inside of us. We cannot feel good or bad outside of our mind. So this mind is responsible for our happiness, our sadness, and everything else in between. It is the NATURAL job of the mind. For most of us ordinary people, when the emotion is angry we say I am angry. We identify ourselves with the mind. Because of this our moods, our feelings, our emotions swing according to the works of the mind. One of the greatest discovery of the Buddha was that we don't need to follow this mind generated emotions when we get to understand what this mind is.

Who doesn't want to be happy? Everything we do is to be happy, if not now, soon. If not soon, it's for the future happiness. Has anyone ever stopped to ask why you want to be happy? Since we want to be happy, does that mean that we are not happy right now? Are we lacking happiness all the times? We can't be happy with just who we are?

Listen to the end for a bonus song.

Fire! Fire! Fires are every where. What are those fires? Worldly fires can be divided into two groups. What are those fires?

Don't forget to leave a comment or a suggestion.

Suffering and Nirvana (The End of Suffering) are two of the Four Noble Truths. How are they related to each other? Can we have Nirvana without suffering?

People are conducting their lives with a sense of self in doing all the things they do. From the most mundane activities to high pitch emotions we are doing it. In the ultimate reality, Buddha's Teacings point to non-self which means there is "I" doing anything. Let's look into this further.

Having good friends is an essential part of our lives but often times our good friends turn out to be not so good. So what are the important characteristics we need to look for to have a true good friends?

Looking within is everyday practice we do to cultivate the mind. This episode describe some of the common scenarios most of us have encountered in life and how we use mindfulness to help us in those situations.

Does the mind exist? That sounds like a funny question. But for Buddhist practitioner this is a great interesting question. Whether you are a Buddhist or not, this concept is worth the time to do a little investigation.

Leave me a comment. Would like to hear from you.

Patience is one great virtue in life we all need to cultivate and practice. Without patience we do or say things on impulse or reaction of the ego mind which leads to many issues.

When we see we don't just see, we also look. When we look we don't just look:

- we look with lust

- we look with desire

- we look with greed

- we look with jealousy

- we look with . . .

Just like our body, our mind needs good nutritious foods to be healthy. Bad foods make us sick so if we are not aware our mind becomes unwholesome which in turns produces bad speech and action.

Every human being is born with a default ignorant mind. Without knowing, this ignorant mind creates traps that encages itself and cause sufferings. What are these traps that the mind creates?

When the Buddha was still a young prince he encountered four events when he and his servant ventured out of the palace. These four events shaped his way of thinking and changed the course of history.

Why do we want to cleanse our own mind? What is wrong with it? There must be reasons why we do anything. Let’s find out.

Shame of wrong is a quality of wholesome mind. So what are the wrong mind and how do we stay away from it?

How much you suffer, how often you have problems in your life mostly depends on how much you cling to the idea of your self “I”.

Sufferings cannot arise without proper conditions/ingredients, the faculties or the sources. What are those required ingredients?

(Also now on YouTube through channel Sothy Tim) Become a shade means to offer refuge to the fellow travelers from the hot sun. How do you become a shade? First, you have to be cool within yourself. Find out how in this episode.

How is your year as we are approaching the end of another year? Has your practice brought you more lightness and peace? Have you made progress in your study about yourself, the inner you? Share you thoughts and ideas or questions as we wrap up 2023.

In order for one to commit himself/herself to liberation from the cycle of Dukkha/sufferings, one must understand or know what Dukkha/suffering is. The study of Dhamma is a must and is the only way.

The mind is not not easy to tame but as long as we can see the benefits of a tamed mind we must keep on practicing because we know it is the only way out of the cycle of suffering.

Our original mind is like a bucket of pure clear water. What we put in it is what we are mistakenly identified ourself with.

What are we looking for in order to have a happy life in a relationship? What are the conditions?

We love people we hate people. A loved one becomes the ex-one. The ex becomes someone’s else love. So what is this “person” we love or hate?

The ultimate streaming is our mind. Blinded by the speed of the mind, we develop the self “I” as a doer. The ignorant doer goes to do selfish things for itself.

By looking within, we need to realize that we are also the trigger to the world.

Your mind has its own way of functioning, it is its nature. Find out what it is.

Our mind is the source of our sins. Unwholesome mind leads to sinful speech and action.

It’s just the matter of time when we run into problems in life, it’s inevitable. How one handles the situation determine the quality of one’s life. If you are stressed, sad, upset, anxious, nervous, scared, angry, irritated, you have not figured out the solution to your problems. Right solution gives you happiness, peace of mind. Would you like to find out?

From Angkuttarak Nikaya number 42, the Buddha talked about the Four Characteristics of a person, worthy and unworthy.

Life is a journey as people say. With the right formula life can be a lot less stressful and more joyful.

What is the difference between paying respect and taking refuge in the Triple Gems? There are misconceptions in what taking refuge means.

All fires starts with a little spark. All big problems start with little problems. Put out the spark is a lot easier than put out the big fire. Learn to catch the spark.

A man who conquer a thousand battles is not still as powerful as the man(or woman) who can conquer himself/herself. This phrase is explained here in this episode.

The Buddha discovered the Truth. From the Truth He taught the Dhamma. What is the Truth He discovered?

All feelings and emotions happen inside us. Who or what creates these feelings? We normally think that our feelings arise due to the different factors outside our body, due to what we see or hear. Does that mean those things and people are the creator of our feelings?

Is old habit difficult to break? It depends on your mind set. Is your emotions difficult to change? It depends on your will. But if you know for sure that the change will make a better you or get you into a better life situation, would you do it?

When your mind is full of stuff you feel heavy, especially stuff of negative feelings and emotions. Learn to clear this mind, learn to clean that mind and you will feel much better.

This episode goes a little deeper into the fifty two mind faculties, the ingredients, the formula, some samples of how mind arises.

Evil/bad deeds arise from unwholesome minds, unwholesome thoughts, unwholesome actions. How do you handle these unwholesome feelings?

You have issues in you life, in your work, in your families, in your relationship, your mind is heavy, full of negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions. You feel heavy like having dark clouds on your head, heavy weights on your shoulders. This is telling you that you don’t understand your own mind and you are letting your mind control you.