Yesterday I announced the publication of a new book I have been working on for the past year or so. At present I am only publishing on the Net, but later – when I’ve had some feedback – I hope to publish in hardcopy also.
To give a taste of what the book is like I include one of the 251 sections today. All the sections are organised in a similar fashion: the heading telling the source, a summary of the contents, a short introduction giving the background, and the verses in Pāḷi and English.
I include here also a reading of the section. These make for very good meditative reflections of the teaching, and you can see how they apply to yourself.
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Eight things Leading to prosperity
A householder asks the Buddha for advice on how to live well in his present state.
5. Uṭṭhātā kammadheyyesu, appamatto vidhānavā,
Samaṁ kappeti jīvikaṁ sambhataṁ anurakkhati,
Being active in doing good,
Being heedful and circumspect,
Equanimous in livelihood,
Being careful with his savings,
6. Saddho sīlena sampanno, vadaññū vītamaccharo,
Niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti, sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ,
Endowed with faith and virtue,
Being bountiful, unselfish,
Always purifying the Path,
Sure of safety in his next life.
7. Iccete aṭṭhadhammā ca saddhassa gharam-esino,
Akkhātā Saccanāmena, ubhayattha sukhāvahā.
The faithful one, with these eight things,
Will gain happiness in both worlds
– so said the one whose name is Truth.