Archive

Browse past readings from the Middle Length Discourses.

5 readings found

The Foundations of Mindfulness

The Buddha teaches the four foundations of mindfulness: contemplation of body, feelings, mind, and mental objects. This sutta is considered one of the most important meditation instructions in the entire Pāli Canon. The practice begins with awareness of breathing, extends to all bodily postures and activities, and culminates in clear comprehension of impermanence. Through sustained, gentle attention, one comes to see the arising and passing away of all phenomena. The Buddha declares this path as "the direct way for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of Nibbāna."

December 1, 2025

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MN 118

Mindfulness of Breathing

The Ānāpānasati Sutta presents the Buddha's detailed instructions on mindfulness of breathing as a complete path to awakening. The practice is described in sixteen stages, moving from awareness of the breath through feelings, mind states, and finally to the contemplation of impermanence and letting go. What makes this sutta remarkable is how it shows mindfulness of breathing as the foundation for all other spiritual developments — from calm abiding to deep insight. The Buddha explains that this single practice, fully developed, brings the four foundations of mindfulness to completion, which in turn perfect the seven factors of enlightenment, culminating in liberation itself.

November 30, 2025

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MN 2

All the Taints

The Sabbāsava Sutta provides the Buddha's comprehensive framework for working with mental afflictions (āsavas or "taints"). Rather than offering a single solution for all problems, the Buddha distinguishes seven different methods, each appropriate to different situations. Some difficulties require clear seeing and understanding; others need simple restraint or wise use of resources. Some challenges must be patiently endured; others should be skillfully avoided or actively removed. And some require the positive development of wholesome qualities. This teaching reflects the Buddha's practical wisdom — that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to human suffering. Liberation comes through discernment: knowing which tool fits which situation, and having the flexibility to respond appropriately to each moment's need.

November 29, 2025

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MN 7

The Simile of the Cloth

The Vatthūpama Sutta uses the vivid image of dyeing cloth to illuminate how mental impurities affect our experience and destiny. Just as a stained cloth cannot take dye well, a mind clouded by anger, ill-will, envy, or arrogance cannot absorb the teachings or develop clearly. The Buddha lists sixteen impurities of mind and explains how recognizing and abandoning them leads to a "mind like pure cloth" — bright, receptive, and capable of deep wisdom. The sutta emphasizes that purification isn't about perfection but about recognition: seeing clearly what clouds the mind, then gently releasing it. When the mind is cleansed, it naturally inclines toward what is wholesome, like a clean cloth taking on brilliant color.

November 28, 2025

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MN 19

Two Kinds of Thought

The Dvedhāvitakka Sutta offers a remarkably honest account of the Buddha's own mental training before his awakening. He describes how he learned to distinguish between two kinds of thought: those leading toward suffering and those leading toward freedom. Rather than suppressing unwholesome thoughts, he observed them clearly, understanding their consequences. What's striking is the Buddha's gentle patience with himself — he doesn't claim to have immediately conquered harmful thoughts, but rather describes a gradual process of recognition and redirection. When unskillful thoughts arose, he noted them. When skillful thoughts arose, he followed them. Through this simple but persistent practice, the mind gradually inclined toward what was beneficial. The teaching offers hope: even the Buddha had to work with his own wandering mind.

November 27, 2025

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