Ajahn Sumedho
Born
in Seattle, The United States
July 27, 1934
Genre
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The Four Noble Truths
9 editions
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published
1992
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Don't Take Your Life Personally
by
5 editions
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published
2010
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The Sound of Silence: The Selected Teachings
by
11 editions
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published
2007
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The Mind and the Way: Buddhist Reflections on Life
10 editions
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published
1994
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Mindfulness, the path to the deathless: The meditation teaching of Venerable Ajahn Sumedho
6 editions
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published
1987
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The Way It Is
2 editions
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published
1991
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Teachings of a Buddhist Monk
by
4 editions
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published
1995
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Intuitive Awareness
6 editions
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published
2004
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Cittaviveka: Teachings from the Silent Mind
10 editions
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published
1983
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Now Is The Knowing
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“Oftentimes, the First Noble Truth is misquoted as “All life is suffering,” but that is an inaccurate and misleading reflection of the Buddha’s insight. He did not teach that life is constant misery, nor that you should expect to feel pain and unhappiness at all times. Rather, he proclaimed that suffering is an unavoidable reality of ordinary human existence that is to be known and responded to wisely.”
― Dancing With Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering
― Dancing With Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering
“The point is, the Four Stages are not for ego-development or attainment; they are a skilful means for recognizing the way we cling to things.”
― Don't Take Your Life Personally
― Don't Take Your Life Personally
“In terms of emotional habits, when somebody insults me or does something I find offensive, I feel anger, and then maybe think, ‘How could he do that? That’s disgusting! He was supposed to be my friend but he’s betrayed me, he’s disappointed me, I’ll never forgive him! No, I’m not even going to speak to him again ― but I’m going to confront him! I’m going to seek revenge!’ and I can go on and on like that. Then the rational mind says, ‘Oh, just forget it! He’s trying his best,’ and there is a feeling of magnanimity, a grand gesture of understanding. But you can’t sustain that for long before it goes back into, ‘How could he? I’ll never forgive him.’ And there is a struggle between the magnanimous, generous ‘Forgive! He’s just doing the best he can. Don’t make it personal. We all have our bad days . . .’ and ‘I’LL NEVER FORGIVE HIM!’ At least this is how my mind works. I have heard all the good advice, but the hurt, the pain of disappointment, the sense of betrayal is still there. So I contemplate these things. And then in this emptiness or this ‘sound of silence’, the thinking process stops.”
― Don't Take Your Life Personally
― Don't Take Your Life Personally
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