Week 96 - Sūda Sutta, "Simile of the Kitchen Chef," (SN 47.8).

Описание: Today's sutta exploration session was devoted to the Sūda Sutta (“Simile of the Kitchen Chef.”) SN 47.8, where Lord Buddha offers us yet another powerful and beautiful simile to demonstrate the importance of taking the 'hint' when it comes to paying close attention to the 'behavior of the mind.' Here, we see the juxtaposition of an unskilled, unintuitive, and inattentive cook, who doesn't pay attention to how people eat the food he prepared, and the opposite, the skilled, intuitive, and attentive cook, who DOES pay attention to how people are eating the food he prepared, and therefore takes the hint, and proceeds accordingly.

In the same manner, Lord Buddha uses this analogy to describe two kinds of Bhikkhus, with similar qualifications but now in the context of paying attention to the behavior of one's mind. Thus, we see the Four Foundations of Mindfulness explained in the sutta, where the skilled, intuitive, attentive, and diligent Bhikkhu, Lord Buddha says, is enthusiastically curious, as he observes the body, feelings, states of mind, and mental phenomenon, with interest and consistency, and is able to successfully use the hindrances to grow and deepen his practice to the point of eradicating the defilements altogether.

While unpacking the sutta in his beautiful discussion, Bhante Candana gave many examples for how the practitioner can "take the hint" by not putting the lid on whatever experience is taking place in the mind and the body, and instead, approach them with curiosity, interest, a soft attitude, and the willingness to understand. Thus, Bhante emphasized that without consistently applying mindfulness and clear comprehension, our practice cannot be successful.

NOTE: If you like to help Bhante, you may consider donating via: https://gofund.me/5b573711

(Being a homeless monk, Bhikkhu Candana lives without the support of a Buddhist community, but survives thanks to the occasional donations he receives to obtain his food, shelter, and medicine).