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Awakening

Module 14 of An Introduction to Buddhist Practice

Photo by Jenny Hong Zhang

Homework

Chapter 12 from Buddhist Life, Buddhist Path – Bhikkhu Cintita (.pdf)

The Four Stages of Enlightenment – Ajahn Sona (.mp3)

A straightforward description of what the Buddha meant by “enlightenment” and what the transformation is like.

  • In the Buddha’s very first sermon, he tells his friends about his Enlightenment and the path he discovered for attaining it, waking up his first disciple and setting in motion the religion which continues rolling to this day.
  • Ajahn Munindo talks about this sutta one Vesāk day and explains how it can transform our lives.
  • At the end of that sutta, Koṇḍañña “understood”. What did he understand? And how do we follow his example?
  • The Buddha summarizes this ultimate goal of the teachings as the perfection of the threefold training in Sīla, Samādhi and Paññā.
  • And lastly, a short poem on enlightenment from the Buddha himself.

Lecture