The Buddha’s economic vision steers a Middle Path that goes through and beyond the two models debated by contemporary economic planners: total control of production by the State, or the laissez faire approach, which gives freedom to market forces that are in reality forces of desire.
BWV 065: Overstaying One’s Welcome
The Bodhisatta is an ascetic who is invited by the King to stay in his park. After some time the King plots to kill him, and he decides to leave.
Theoretical Implications of the Aggañña Sutta
The Buddha was the first thinker in world history to formulate a theory of contractual power. The Aggañña Sutta is the earliest known discourse on politics where the source of state power is traced to popular consensus.
BWV 064: Prudence in Giving
A royalist treats with kindness a great horseman – the King himself – who has been defeated in battle. The great horseman tells him if he comes to the city he will receive his reward. One day the man comes and the King gives him half his kingdom.
The Buddha’s Declaration of Human Biological Unity
The Vāseṭṭha Sutta [Majjhima Nikāya 98] is an extraordinary discourse in which the Buddha demonstrates and affirms the biological unity of the human species.
BWV 063: Not Deceiving One’s Friends
The King sends his charioteer to kill and bury his son (the Bodhisatta) whom he believes to be disabled and unlucky. The Bodhisatta appeals to the charioteer thus.
BWV 062: Ungratefulness gets its Just Desserts
A man lost in a forest is saved by a monkey, the Bodhisatta, who, tired out, lies down to rest. The man, who is hungry, tries to kill him with a rock but fails. He is struck with leprosy, dies and is reborn in hell.
Flipbook Showcase on Ancient Buddhist Texts
I have just made a new page to hold the flipbooks that are available on the Ancient Buddhist Texts site. It makes a rather attractive presentation of these books, which load what is basically a pdf file page-by-page, making it easy and quick to read.
BWV 061: Gratefulness and Moderation
The god of a Banyan tree gives presents to merchants, who out of greed decide to cut down the tree. Their chief protests with this verse, and is the only one spared retribution.
BWV 060: Four True Friends
A god approaches and asks four questions regarding friends and this is the Buddha’s reply.
BWV 059: True Friends
BWV 058: The True Friend
Uposatha Calendar 2013/2557
The Uposatha calendar for the recitation of the Pātimokkha from the beginning of Hemanta 2012 up and till the end of Hemanta in 2014.
BWV 057: Friends, Bad and Good
The Buddha explains to the young man Sigāla how to distinguish bad friends and good friends.
BWV 056: The 16 Qualities of Foes and Friends
The Bodhisatta explains to King Brahmadatta the sixteen qualities of a foe, and the sixteen qualities of a friend.
BWV 055: The True Friend
People objected to someone because he was called Black-Ear; however he turned out to be a true friend. Names are not important, they are but sounds.
BWV 054: Gratefulness to Friends
A jackal, who saved a lion when he was in peril of losing his life, is recommended by the lion to his jealous mate.
A Guide to the Parsing of Pali
BWV 053: Friendship knows no Boundaries
The Bodhisatta was one time born as a lowly god in a sacred reed (Kusanāḷi). Nevertheless he was able to save the home of a god who lived in a tree, who then spoke this verse.
