A collection of Buddhist articles, essays and sermons

Below is a collection of well-written articles on various aspects of Buddhism. Most of the Buddhist articles listed here are those that have been donated by Vesak Lipi, the annual Buddhist Digest, while the rest have been submitted by the general public.

GLOSSARY OF BUDDHIST TERMS – Buddhists originally used Pali, which was the people’s language, and did not use Sanskrit until about five hundred years after Buddha. Since the most important names and terms, such as Nirvana, Karma and Dharma.
Abhidhamma Pitaka – Abhidhamma is the kernel of Buddhism. And, to gain even a superficial understanding of what sort of teaching Buddhism is, one ought to have at least a little knowledge of Abhidhamma.
Affirmative – The Great Affirmative appears in two modes, the cosmic and the individual. In its essence, it is the same in both, but in each, it works from a different standpoint.
All things conditioned are subject to change – There are three types of teachers; the first one teaches that the Ego or the Self is real now as well as in the future. The second one teaches that the Ego is real only in this life but not in the future; the third one teaches that the concept of an Ego is an illusion and is not real either, in this life or hereafter.
Belief in the Oneness of Man – All major religions except Buddhism bind one to believe in a supreme Creator God, immortal soul, revelations, eternal heavens and hells. The Theravada Buddha Dharma is free from such beliefs, dogmas and theories.
Buddhahood – After a stupendous struggle of six strenuous years, in his 35th year the Ascetic Gotama, unaided and unguided by any supernatural agency, and solely relying on his own efforts and wisdom, he became a Buddha—an enlightened or awakened one.
Buddha’s affinity for the environment – The Buddha has made it abundantly clear that nature should not be interfered with so that humanity may enjoy its presence, and value for their benefit. He also preached that all life, including plant life, should not be destroyed.
Buddhist Ethics: Buddha’s Advice on Killing and Consumption of Meat – From the Theravada perspective, the choice of whether or not to eat meat is purely a matter of personal preference. Many Buddhists do eventually lose their appetite for meat out of compassion for the welfare of other living creatures.
Bodhisattva Ideal – In one sense all are potential Buddhas. It should be noted that Buddhists do not believe that there lies dormant in all a Divine spark that needs development for they deny the existence of a God-Creator, but they are aware of the innate possibilities and the creative power of man.
Buddhism and Western Thought: Exploring Commonalities and Differences.
Buddhism and Worship –  Do Buddhists pray? What do they do when they go to the temple? What is the Buddhist attitude to prayer? I shall attempt to answer these questions.
Buddhism – The Story of Buddha – The Buddha, the founder of the great religious philosophy of Buddhism, lived in North India over two thousand and five hundred years ago and was known as Siddhartha.
Buddhism for breakups – Breakups, separation pain and love afflictions are emotions, which will probably befall every person. Even though breakups may seem so terrible and agonizing, they will pass by. Suffering is felt by everyone in different ways, but in some cases, the emotions can become so strong that normal life or the experience of everyday things can become impossible.
Buddhism Practices: Buddhist funeral rites – All traditions of Buddhism practice cremation. However, in some Buddhist cultures burial is preferred if a child precedes a living parent This is more of a cultural practice than one with any  Buddhist meaning.
Buddhism in France – According to the Buddhist Union of France, some 770,000 people, three-quarters of whom are of Asian origin, claim to be Buddhists in France.
Buddhism in Germany – The first contact between the German cultural circle and the teachings of the Buddha took place in the south of Russia
Buddhist approach to friendship – Friendship can be a difficult and complex topic for a young person to grasp. Sometimes it can be difficult to know who means one well and who does not. This article aims to shed some light on this topic from a Buddhist perspective, especially for the benefit of young adults.
Buddhist concept of friendship –  Metta or Loving Kindness envelopes much more than mere love. Etymologically the word Metta means the nature of a friend – (mittassa sabhavo).
Buddhist attitude to other religions – If we consider possible attitudes of one religion towards another in the light of history, they seem to be classifiable under three main headings.
Buddhist Concept of Social Welfare – The Buddhist tradition makes the claim that among persons that appear in this world for the welfare of mankind, a fully enlightened Buddha is the greatest.
Buddhist Concept of Karma – According to Buddhist belief, every thought, word, and deed generates energy that creates a chain of cause and effect.
Buddhist Outlook on the Individual – The Buddha–Dhamma does not consider that man is a sinner as is alleged elsewhere as the result of the original sin of Adam and Eve; nor does the Buddha–Dhamma consider that man is too weak (mental energy) to free himself from sin.
Buddhist View of Mind and Body – All living beings according to the Buddha have a mind and body. The exceptions are those beings in the formless sphere – Arupa Loka. They have no body but only a mind. Those beings in the Asannasatta Brahma Loka, have no mind but only a body.
Buddhism’s View on Reality – Understanding the Doctrine of Dependent Origination and the Doctrine of Cause and Effect
Buddhist Therapeutic Healing with the chant – This article is intended to clarify the nature of ancient Buddhist chant, and its significance to admirers who are truly interested in inner peace and relaxation through melodious Buddhist chant.
Buddhist view on Rebirth and Kamma – The question of human destiny is probably the most difficult question one can ask. If we do not reject the idea of ​​a possible continuation after death, this will undoubtedly influence how we behave in this life and what we do.
Breathing Mindfulness Meditation – Breathing Mindfulness Meditation helps you to eliminate craving by training the mind to “cut off thoughts”, thus, removing the poison of “Greed” or “Craving” while developing the skill of mindfulness.
Celebration of Wesak – Perhaps the best-known date on the Buddhist calendar, familiar even to non-Buddhists, is the thrice sacred day of “Wesak”. Wesak is derived from the original Pali word “Wesakha” or Sanskrit “Waishakha”.
Case For The Buddhist Theory Of Survival And Kamma – The Buddhist doctrine of re-becoming (punabbhava) was a novel theory in that it spoke of survival without a self-identical soul or substance. There was continuity (santali) of personality after death and rebirth or the return to an earth-life was only a special case of such continuity.
Chakra Meditation – An Introduction to Balancing Your Energy System.
Consciousness – The end of a long process of mental activity, not long perhaps as chronological time is involved, but long in a line of experiences and consequences, there comes consciousness.
Contentment – To be satisfied or to be content with something is to find a relationship based on exploitation. To find one’s satisfaction with something or in somebody is self-indulgence at the cost of the other.
Contemplation of the state of mind – Generally, people are more accustomed to looking at other people’s attitudes and behaviour, rather than their own minds. In meditation, it helps to have a humble attitude: this helps one to observe one’s own mind dispassionately.
Contemplation of the body – According to the Satipatthana Sutta, in practising mindfulness, another very important and useful preparation for the meditator is to be aware and mindful of whatever they do, physically or verbally, during the daily routine of their lives.
Contemplation of feelings Creative Power of Thought – One of the great axioms in the new order of ideas, of which I have spoken, is that our thought possesses creative power, and since the whole superstructure depends on this foundation, it is well to examine it carefully.
Dependent Arising and the Doctrine of the Middle Way – The concept of Dependent Arising Paticcasamuppada can be considered the central philosophy of Buddhism. It expresses the content of the Buddha’s enlightenment experience.
Developing the mind – In the development of the Noble Eightfold Path the Buddha has specified Five Spiritual Powers, or faculties, which are to be developed and balanced so that concentration and mindfulness can be cultivated.
Dhamma as Medicine – “The Buddha is like a physician in that He is able to heal the sickness of the defilement. The Dhamma is like a rightly applied medicine, and the Sangha with the defilements cured, are like people restored to health by the medicine.”
Dhamma is a way of life – Religion, as is ordinarily understood, binds one to such untenable beliefs as a Supreme Creator, immortal soul, eternal heavens and hells. The Buddha Dhamma is free from such beliefs, dogmas, superstitions, and speculative theories.
Dhukkha – Often the word “suffering” is used in the English language to represent the subject Gotama Buddha discussed in the Pāli language as “Dukkha”. However, the word “discontentedness” is a much better word to use and understand.
Doubt – An uncertainty of the mind can produce only a lack of understanding. But, doubt must not be confused with the withholding of judgement, of consent and support, which is the attitude of an open mind.
Ego and Desire – The feeling of a separate “I”, which we call ego-consciousness, is directly related to the strength of ignorance, greed, and hatred. The deepest meaning of ignorance is believing in, identifying with and clinging to the ego.
Essence of Buddhist Economics: Explore Buddhist economics’ ethical prosperity: intertwining spirituality and economics for harmonious coexistence and meaningful lives.
Freedom – Freedom rests upon the principle of non-resistance to all the things which seem evil or painful to our natural love of self. But non-resistance alone can accomplish nothing good unless, behind it, there is a strong love for righteousness and truth.
Four Noble Truths – 1. Life means suffering 2. The origin of suffering is attachment. 3. The cessation of suffering is attainable. 4. The path to the cessation of suffering.
God idea – To trace the origin and development of the God idea, one must go back to the time when civilization was still in its infancy and modern science was still unknown.
Finding peace amidst strife and conflict – As long as man is dominated by ignorance, selfishness, injustice, vengeance and other kindred evil destructive forces, no one will be safe from him.
High Sense Perception (HSP) – HSP is normal for all human beings. It has been used in different cultures for millenniums, in religion and in healing work. Many native people still rely on it for gathering information about those who are ill and how to heal them.
Heart of the perfect wisdom – Form is nothing one but emptiness, and emptiness is nothing one but form. The Form is identical to emptiness and emptiness is identical to form. And so it is with feeling, perception, mental form strength and consciousness.
Is there a SELF ? – There is one doctrine in Buddhism that separates it from all other religions, creeds and systems of philosophy – its denial of any real permanent soul or self.
Importance of Samadhi – Meditation is for attaining the four stages of realization by which greed, hatred and delusion are completely abandoned. Tranquillity (Samatha) and insight into actuality (Vipassana) are essential for such a realization.
Importance of Joy in Daily Meditation – Happiness is the absence of struggle. The ease of observing the futility of trying is a great joy. In the great expanse within, the condition of becoming and the hope that permeates the mind can be seen clearly.
Kamma : Buddhist Cause and Effect – There are two distinct types of Kamma, namely: good or bad Kamma. Therefore the Dhammapada opens its pages of wisdom: “All mental states have mind as their forerunner As the chief; and of mind are they made.”
Why Dhamma – An easy-to-understand explanation of Dhamma is “the secret of nature which must be understood in order to develop life to the highest possible benefit.”
Kamma and Heredity –
Kammic effect of breaching a precept –
Karma and recovery –
Karaniya Metta Sutta – One of the most complete sets of instructions on how to use the practice of loving-kindness to reach enlightenment.
Meditation – Spiritual effects
Majjhima Nikaya
Meditation – Vipassana meditation is initially cultivated by means of awareness and investigation
Meditation’s Effect on the Brain
Meditation Relaxation Techniques
Meditation in three easy steps for beginners
Meditation – Purpose and benefits
Metteyya or the Coming Buddha
Metta – its three aspects
Mindfulness of Walking
The Basics of Mindfulness
Natural Disasters: An Alternative View
Power of Paritta Suttas in Promoting Mental and Physical Well-Being
Principles of Buddhism
Rationality and Beauty of the Buddha Dharma
Rebirth
Refuge
Reframing Beliefs and Misconceptions Surrounding Monastic Practice in Buddhism – Explore the depths of Buddhist philosophy, as we unravel its stance on idol worship, the power of individual thought, and the pursuit of enlightenment.
Role of women in Buddhism – Examining the historical context, the teachings of the Buddha, and the experiences of women practitioners.
Sigalovada Sutta -The Sigalovada Sutta outlines the Buddha’s teachings on ethics and social harmony for laypeople.
Some aspects of Karma
Suicide according to Buddhism
Taste of Freedom by Bhikku Bodi – The call for freedom has resulted in far-reaching changes across all aspects of human life, and the Buddha’s Teaching offers a pathway to liberation.
The Buddha Speaks
The Buddhist Doctrine of Impermanence (Anicca) and the Soul Theory
The Diligent Do Not Sleep
The Eightfold Path
The Five Precepts in Buddhism – Panchasila
The Middle Way – the Middle Way leads to “peace, direct, observable, personally experienced by the wise” and it is a path to liberation from suffering.
The shift towards kindness and compassion – Buddhist values have taken a new significance as we have recognized the need for critical thinking on materialism, freedom and capitalism.
The fruits of craving
The Life of Buddha and its Lessons By Henry Steel Olcott
The Mind and The Five Mental Hindrances
The Non-Existence (Anatta) Doctrine
The Three Characteristics of Existence (Tri Lakshana)
The Ultimate Truth
Therapeutic Approach
Thought – In Buddhism
Unveiling Buddha’s Wisdom: A Beacon of Rationality – Explore Buddha’s rational teachings and timeless wisdom, unravelling the path to enlightenment and liberation
Unravelling the Roots of Existence: The Mūlapariyāya Sutta
War and Aggression – The history and teachings of Buddhism demonstrate a consistent and principled stance against war and aggression
What Buddhism is
What are the 3 main Buddhist beliefs?
Way of the Lotus
What does rebirth explain?
What exactly does meditation do? – The measurable changes meditation can produce in the brain, as well as the psychological benefits it can provide.
What the Buddha discovered
Why the Buddha Dhamma is not a religion