That is what the Buddha said. …

“Full of desire for possessions and pleasures,
greedy, infatuated by sensual pleasures;
they don’t notice that they’ve gone too far,
like fish entering a net set out.
It’ll be bitter later on;
for the result will be bad for them.”

SN 3.7 h/t Reading Faithfully

Dear Kitty, if we are both still alive, I will try to visit Washington-Oregon this time next year. Perhaps we'll meet up! With metta, Ayya Sobhana

Tuesday, 9/2, I'll give the zoom/youtube program for Dhammadharini. In the threefold training, meditation (samādhi) leads to wisdom (pañña), but how does that really work? Exploring the crucial turning point, seeing the true nature of reality, right here in the messiness of our ordinary world.

These days, I have been sharing the teaching duty with Bhante Suddhāso at the Empty Cloud monastery. Usually there's a chance to speak about the Dhamma for three or four minutes before the meal each day, to offer one of the in-person weekend programs, and one of the youtube livestreams each week.

Thank you for the kind encouragement.

Well before Alexander, the Persian emperor Cyrus planted a Greek city in Gandhara. It's here — www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDZK...

Who knew Popular Mechanics would be that interested in consciousness?

I'm pretty disenchanted with "stories" these days, but recognize that the mind makes stories, stories create meaning, and meaning helps us know what to do about it.
"Trust and verify."

As far as I know, the Mahayana got a big dose of Greek culture at the beginning, with the Greek gods becoming bodhisatvas, and Hercules becoming Vajrapani the protector of Gautama Buddha

Thanks! I'm now reviewing plato.stanford.edu/entries/phen.... and it does indeed help to clarify one's understanding of the Dhamma from another perspective.

This string helped complete the puzzle about uposatha days. www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph...

For one who is half-learned, when there is a specific question, I have gotten good pointers from, Dhamma Wheel and discourse.suttacentral. For example, I wanted to know how to become independent in calculating the uposatha days and looking up the related events to be remembered.

3. Discourse.suttacentral has great discussions. More of my actual friends are on fb. Dhamma Wheel has some really strong commenters. Reddit seems to have more Dhamma-curious beginners. Is Bsky mainly for socially engaged Dhamma?

2. After mostly ignoring social media for a decade, and dipping a toe in here, I am not really feeling the benefit