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.
Ajita questions the Buddha
A series of questions and answers in which the Buddha leads a young brāhmaṇa to awakening.
BWV 052: Loyalty gets its Reward
A King of the geese is caught by a fowler, but his Commander-in-Chief refuses to leave him. The fowler takes them to the King of Men who, impressed by their virtue, sets them free.
Thirty Things that Invariably Happen with the Buddhas
A list of the thirty things that invariably happen with all the Buddhas, which serves to elevate the events in the life of our Gotama Buddha to mythic status.
BWV 051: Virtue and Learning
The Bodhisatta wishes to find out which is more important, virtue or learning, and takes a coin a day from the King until on the third day he is arrested. He then understands which is most valued in the world.
BWV 050: The Desire for Happiness
As the Buddha goes on his alms-round he sees a group of boys tormenting a snake for fun. He admonishes them with this verse.
Sankha’s Story or, Paccekabuddhas Teach Awakening
A Jataka story told by the Buddha that shows Paccekabuddhas do teach, and it is possible to attain Awakening with them.
BWV 049: Comparing Oneself with Others
The group of six monks chase off the group of seventeen monks and take their rooms. The Buddha lays down a rule and speaks the following verse.
BWV 048: Lack of Insight
The Buddha describes the loathsomeness of the body and concludes the discourse with these verses.
BWV 047: The Impermanence of Desire
A negligent queen gets reborn as a worm, and is made by the Bodhisatta to speak to her grieving King, who when he hears about her love for her new husband abandons his grief.
Bhante Guttasīla remembers Ven. Ñāṇavimala (Transcript)
A re-edtied transcript of an interview with Bhante Guttasīla, in which he gives his recollections of Ven. Ñāṇavimala.
BWV 046: A Name is Just a Name
In the story a man called Wicked hates his name so he is advised to search for a new one. He comes across Life who had just died, Wealthy who was poor, and Guide who was lost in a forest. Then he realised a name is just a name, nothing more.
BWV 045: Suitability
Through a strategem a sneeze wins a bride and a kingdom for a prince, but a brahmin who sneezes loses his nose.
BWV 044: Craving brings Suffering
The story is of Suppavāsā who carried her child for seven years and took seven days to bear him. Still she desired more children.
Video of the Second Chapter from Buddhist Wisdom Verses
A video made from a reading of the second chapter of my Buddhist Wisdom Verses, with pan and zoom effects of photographs of characters from the wall-murals at Borobudur as a backdrop and subtitles synchronised with the reading.
BWV 043: When Faculties Wane
A vulture who had been stealing things in the city is captured and brought before the King, and the following dialogue takes place.
Rights of Mother Earth
In 2010 Bolivia organised a People’s Summit with 35,000 participants from 140 countries. One of the outcomes of the Summit was a Universal Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth, which is reproduced here.
BWV 042: The Necessity for Effort
The Bodhisatta is nearly lost at sea, but through his courageous and determined effort makes it to land again. Later he reflects on his success.
BWV 041: A Limit to One’s Duties
A queen is neglected by the King who lets her starve. To chastise the King the Bodhisatta spoke these verses, which led to the King repenting.
