Check out this video next on taking the Noble Truths as practices: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nbF5n91mrsWUeHU.html Consider joining us on Patreon if you find benefit in these videos, and get fun extras like exclusive behind-the-scenes videos, audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂

Doug I love how you stick to the early Buddhist texts (Pali Canon) and your own personal experience instead of any of the diluted "new age" Buddhism that is so often taught in the west.

Been with you since your earliest vids. This is the best buddhist show on KZfaq by far.

I am Buddhist from Thailand. Your video is appreciating. You have kind of good understanding about Dharma though the content has slight difference as it is in English version. You did well. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.

Thank you, Doug. You seem to provide a simple, experiential and broad explanation of Buddhist Dharma that is so often so obscured by over elaboration - perhaps because you focus on early Buddhism and the social and historical contexts from which they emerge. I recently became very interested in the progressive 'Samatha' meditation illustration (as Tibetan thangka, which I then reproduced as a linocut) described in detail by Robert Beer. I think your explanation here helps in expanding the idea of progressive training ... especially for those approaching Theravada Buddhism from outside the monastic path. Thanks again.

Doug you never miss! Blessings

Your work will awakening people and change the world in the future.

Please tell us in a separate video, how to go about training children from Age 6 to 14 about Dhamma, when they need some teaching to develop at this age..

You're right Doug, for me at least it's been essential to have a bit of a route map of my journey in Buddhism, with some realistic goals. I seem to have only had a relationship with Buddhism as of this lifetime, and I'd like to think I can build on this, now and in any lifetime to come. I can't be sure whether I have encountered Buddhism before this lifetime, but I'm definitely early in my learning and training. Initially Buddhist teachings were a revelation and overwhelming, and I clung doggedly to the Pali Canon and Theravadin teachings. It felt safe. But I have now begun to embrace Mahayana traditions and I essentially just try to stick to Buddha's own advice to ask if there is merit in what I am learning, and to act on that accordingly. I think my greatest breakthrough to date has been better understanding of non-self and the teaching of the Heart Sutra. While thats been a real leap forward, I accept that there's a long road ahead of me. I think I'd rather learn slowly and well, and walk the noble path mindfully, than sprint and miss any essential understanding through haste. Thank you, this was really interesting and thought provoking.

Good one, Doug!

Thank you, Doug. I appreciate you making this video.

Your lecture is with lots of clarity. Thanks..

A wonderful video, Doug! Thankyou for sharing. I have read quite a lot of Thich Nhat Hanh books, and had quite forgotten the Zen point about washing dishes!

I’ve read many books about Buddhism for years before encountering the suttas for myself. It was so exciting and liberating for me, so much so that I could not read another book about Buddhism. The suttas are just so much closer to the source (the Buddha). One of the concepts that inspired me was... the gradual training. I too wonder why it was hardly referenced in any other books. Thanks Doug for this video! My only comment is that I felt you shld have mentioned seeing past lives and understanding the law of karma (as the last 2 steps in the gradual training) instead of skipping over them, you could then comment on why you are not comfortable about these concepts. Nevertheless thank you for this wonderful video!

Listening in joy… while washing dishes. :) :) :)

There are several kinds of practicing and awakening. From gradual methodic practicing to gradual awakening. From gradual methodic practicing to sudden awakening. From sudden nondual practing to sudden enlightenment. As Zeno's paradox, Enlighment come true when ready Nondual Nirvana. Have nice life.

great video, I had somehow missed this one, I take pride in being a completionist of your videography! I wonder about the tension between gradual training and sudden awakening in Zen (and arguably the Buddha's own story with the bodhi tree). Would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Sadhu Sadhu Thank you!

in my comunity everyone uses the satipatana suta is a roadmap towards enlightment, I know some people how uses the gradualtraining as such, but me, I tend to think of the bodhipakkhiyādhammā as a more precise road map to enlightment, Am I wrong?

One of my biggest frustrations is being unable to accurately perceive progress in anything I do. Even if the measure was an _immense_ barrel I was slowly filling one drop at a time, it would still be perceived progress. Grrrr..... Of course, life doesn't work that way.

Thanks Doug.

It’s good to be skeptical about something unfamiliar to you however it’s just as much if one were to be overly skeptical about something unaware to you because it can create an unhealthy mental contradiction or paradox that will distract you from progress in your goal. As for the esoterica and supernatural phenomenon of advanced meditation practices there is simply no _need_ to obsess over what experience is real or not real or even attempting to logically explain or rationalize it because these all rely on preconceived notions that complicity contain their own biases in order to exist in the first place. Like a river reality is a moving and continuously changing entity and words, concepts, ideas, and even logic are all like photographs of this river. These models are just tools to represent reality and not reality themselves. Any experience you have or testimony of an experience someone else has is simply just that. And like reality you can just accept things as they are and move on mentally and focus on your goal. Thinking is not doing, and in order to get anything done you must simply do to either find success, or not find it.

Doug, would this list work as a basic map to awakening? Path to Awakening 1. 3 Marks of Existence 2. 4 Noble Truths 3. Noble 8 Fold Path 4. 5 Precepts 5. 3 Poisons 6. Natural Law of karma 7. Merit 8. Brahma Vihara 9. Extensive Meditation training 10. 4 Jhanas 11. 7 Factors of Enlightenment 12. Elimination of 10 Fetters 13. Awakening 🙏🏽 Also would you change the order or add anything? Peace Out 🙏🏽

💙Jay Bhim 💙 Namo Buddhay 💙📚🙏

Sadhu Sadhu sadhu

Do you have any videos explaining in more detail the four jhanas?

Is there any limit to the value of re(reviewing) theses mini masterpieces!? I am even looking for a systematic approach to reviewing them all (experimenting with grouping them under the rubrics of Sila, Samadhi, and Panna, or even the full 8 planks of the Noble Path). You have gifted us all with a huge (and growing) body of work. Even compare and contrast works at this point, e.g. pairing this vid with your explication of ''Sudden and Gradual Awakening''. I even remember one on a sort of ''circularly ascending'' method. On the tension of the householder cf. to the monastic- does any one of the standard collections of the Suttas (I have finally saved enough to nab one of the huge Bhikkhu Bodhi tomes!) contain a greater number of Suttas aimed at the householder? It might make a great episode to look at the various tomes (rapidly becoming the standard English source) and share your evaluations of various ways one might choose one over another as a first choice. I treasure the ''In the Buddha's Words'' anthology, as well as the on line sources, but ''desire'' (as in ''attached desire'', unfortunately!) to feel the weight of a thousand some odd pages resting against my belly! Knowing the er, ''thoroughness'' (read: tyranny) of the all powerful YT algorithm, I'd not be surprised if channels are penalized by viewers snapping off the ads at the first opportunity. Does it benefit the channel in any way to let them play out (and perhaps using them as a cue for a moment of mindful breathing!)? If so, it might be a way for cash strapped viewers to help out in some small way. I don't know enough about the YT ''set up'', except that NOTHING goes unmeasured or unpunished. Just a thought/question! Metta!

Sorry to add this question to this video. A couple of weeks ago I watched one of your videos and you were recommending various books, I believe the ones that are over your left shoulder in view to us subscribers. Can't for the life of me remember what the video was called or even how old it is as I am new to practice and watching your videos in random order.

Sir...I have a question for you. How should we deal with hostile enemies according to Buddist philosophy? Shouldn't we use wepons against our enemies in life threatening situation?

For example, I remember one short sutta where the Buddha explained the gradual training something like hearing, remembering, contemplation, faith, exertion, experience the truth in body and mind. I thought this was the fundamental steps as it exactly matches 4 factors of stream entry.

Thanks for this video Doug. I did find myself wondering though whether a desire to see progress along the path might be considered a kind of 'clinging' and therefore in a way counterproductive? Is there a way of seeing progress in a non-linear, non-clinging way?

I'm curious, what does your practice look like? You must have a routine?

Dear Doug, can you please do a video on the role of female in Buddhism? I, a young female myself, have always been interested in Zen Buddhism. I know there are female monks in Buddhism, but that’s about it. I don’t want to make this just about gender like a male vs female thing. I just wonder if the view on practice for women, and spirituality for female is different. I know I come from a very dualist point of view on this topic. However if it really didn’t matter wouldn’t we see more female masters? Have there been any important spiritual females in history for Buddhism for example? Kind regards! (And again I want to state that I don’t mean this in a divisive way)

Greetings Dough. I was wondering, as per the Buddhist Teachings what fraction of our words can really influence someone else’s reality? Cam wishing someone dead really kill them?

I've always thought, it took the Buddha six years to discover the Dharma. He has all the lists, all the parables, all questions answered. If we have all his shortcuts, so to speak (we don't have to discover these truths ourselves), shouldn't it only take six years at most to achieve awakening? Again, since we have all the so-called shortcuts to the Dharma? (Shortcuts may be a misleading term, but you get what I mean.)

Have you considered doing a video on The Fire Sermon where 1000 bhikkhus heard the words spoken by the Buddha and all were liberated?

Talk about Dignāga and Dharmakirti who created the first system of Buddhist Logic and epistemology.

I just found interest in the Buddhism practice and lessons...About 4months ago...and I was trying to listen to your videos as well as others... but when I had joined some Facebook groups...I got discourage and stop listening tour videos... this was about a month ago. Anyways....how many months or years...does it take to really learn the the fundamentals? I know learning is the rest of my life...but...I Hope understand my question.

Is there a path to nirvana? - The path does not exist, but it can be walked

Doug's Dharma, have you ever done a long retreat before?

Hi sir ,I hope you are doing well ! Sir my name ismahboob zegham from Afghanistan , currently living in Kabul city. And I want to become a better being in this universe. So I decided to be a Buddhist and I am really confused about everything ! How can I start ? Would you mind helping me dear sir ?

Are you on the path?

Beautiful Universally Dharma Display Humanity Almighty, LORD Boundless Overviews Destiny Hallmarks Infinite Sovereignty Attest Testament Truths Visualisation Awaken ONE Enlighten Timeless Eyewitness Reviews Nexus Acknowledges Light Logos Yourself. Future, present, past, time is not fact being in the end, that is another time beginning just do make more Space. Universe has no beginning no end, is just being do create conscious time. Do play them gods upon playground that rocks galore, are being us Lord. Doctrines is being a guide for those who do wish one day in one lifetime become truly oneself own individual self enlightened and then one day in one lifetime do graduate become is always self enlightened in lifetimes, no matter what is being limitations and attributes be outfitted Avatar 1 Host vehicle for experience in time. Know then be no rules, do lord Self. 👁️ Peace..