Category Archives: Nibbana

Growing bald on the way to Awakening

By Paul | Published: April 3, 2010
In my previous post I talked about the paradox of the heap. If you continually remove one grain of sand from a heap of sand, eventually you no longer will have a heap. But at what point? A variation of this is the bald man paradox. A man with a full head of hair loses [...]
Also posted in Buddhism, Dhamma, Nirvana, wisdom | Leave a comment

Discernment along the Middle Way

By Paul | Published: January 15, 2010
My last post asking “What is Enlightenment?” drew some good comments and questions, and I respond to them here, in a rambling sort of way, beginning with a story about soap. Many years ago Robin worked for Colgate-Palmolive. She worked in the quality-control department at a plant where they made, among other things, Fresh Start [...]
Also posted in Buddhism, Change, Delusion, Dhamma, Dukkha, Truth | 2 Comments

What is enlightenment?

By Paul | Published: January 5, 2010
It’s not an original question. Immanuel Kant asked “What is enlightenment?” in an essay published in 1784. I don’t think Kant had Buddhism in mind, but still, it’s a question worth considering. In a previous post I wrote about The Island: An Anthology of the Buddha’s Teachings on Nibbana, by Ajanhs Pasanno and Amaro. Nibbana/nirvana [...]
Also posted in Buddhism, Delusion, Dhamma, Eightfold Path, Four Noble Truths, Practice, The Buddha | 4 Comments

The island of coolness

By Paul | Published: December 28, 2009
The Island: An Anthology of the Buddha’s Teachings on Nibbana is a hefty collection of extracts from the Pali Canon, Mahayana texts, and other Buddhist writings compiled and commented on by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. The two Theravada monks are co-abbots of Abhayagiri Monastery in Redwood Valley, California. Ajahn Amaro handles the first part [...]
Also posted in Belief, Buddhism, Delusion, Desire, Dukkha, Suffering, The Buddha, wisdom | Leave a comment