Paṭisota

Difference Between Wrong and Right Concentration First, one might raise a question: How can there be “wrong concentration”? Isn’t any form of concentration inherently good? The Buddha clarifies that concentration becomes wholesome ( kusala ) only when two essential conditions are met: first, it must arise from wholesome roots ( alobha , adosa , amoha —non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion); and second, it must conduce toward liberation, that is, progress along the path to Nibbāna . Accordingly, any concentration that is rooted in unwholesome motivations or that does not support the Noble Eightfold Path cannot be regarded as right concentration ( sammā-samādhi ). Such mental unification, even if technically refined or powerful, is classified as wrong or unwholesome concentration ( micchā-samādhi ), because it neither purifies the mind nor leads to awakening. This distinction is articulated clearly in Cūḷavedalla Sutta (MN 44) , where right concentration is defined in inseparable relati...

A penetrative method for seeing how life becomes dukkha —and how it can stop Sometimes the Buddha teaches with a short image. Sometimes with a story. But in the Nibbedhika Pariyāya Sutta , he teaches like a master physician: he lays out a complete diagnostic map —not of the world “out there,” but of the world as it is lived inside experience . The key word here is nibbedhika —“penetrative,” “piercing,” “that which breaks through.” This sutta is not interested in giving us inspiring ideas. It is interested in helping us break through the surface of experience and see the causal machinery beneath it: Why obessive sensual desires arise so quickly Why emotions become habits Why perception shapes our reality Why actions repeat themselves Why dukkha multiplies And how all of this can be brought to cessation If you have ever wondered, “ I understand the Dhamma, but why do I still get pulled ?”—this sutta is for exactly that problem. Because it doesn’t merely say “craving...

1. Offence often comes from unmet expectations of recognition. The monk felt offended when Arahant Sāriputta did not call him by name, and his irritation deepened when the edge of Sāriputta’s robe accidentally touched his—turning a small incident into inner turmoil. Feeling unseen or unacknowledged triggered his resentment. Even today, many people feel offended when they are not greeted personally, not thanked publicly, or not given special recognition. This teaches us to watch our craving for validation, because peace cannot depend on being noticed. 2. Unwatched emotions grow into harmful actions. A small disappointment can quietly turn into resentment—and resentment into harsh words or blame. Anger rarely appears suddenly; it builds when feelings go unnoticed. If irritation is seen early, it can soften before it hardens into action. A moment of mindful pause creates space for wisdom, helping us respond with care instead of reaction, protecting both our own peace and the hearts of oth...

Dhammapda 95 (Sayings of the Dhamma) Arahanta (Fully liberated one) 95.  Paṭhavīsamo no virujjhati, Like the earth, he/she does not react with hostility. Indakhīlupamo tādī subbato; Steady like Indra’s pillar, firm in discipline. Rahadova apetakaddamo, Like a clear lake free from mud. Saṃsārā na bhavanti tādino. For such a person, wandering in saṃsāra no longer occurs. Full Translation: One who is like the earth does not oppose or resent; steady like Indra’s pillar, well-disciplined and unmoved. Like a clear lake free from mud, pure and undisturbed— for such a steadfast one, wandering in saṃsāra no longer continues. Story:  S āriputta  Thera Vatthu