Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

In this livestream Dhamma session on Binara full moon poya, we examine the "HOW TO BE THE BEST OF THE BEST" based on the Venerable Ānanda's teaching in the Sekha-paṭipadā Sutta (MN 53).

We begin with the verse:

“The ruling elite is the best among people

For those whose standard is the clan,

But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct

Is best among devas and humans.”

and examine the full teaching in the Sekha-paṭipadā Sutta (MN 53) on a trainee's mode of practice to be accomplished in knowledge and conduct (vijjācaraṇasampanno), in other words "the best among the best".

― TIMESTAMPS ―
00:00 How to be the best among the best
03:16 Homage to the Triple Gem
03:37 What we'll cover
04:45 How to get the best out of this session
06:28 Verse uttered by Brahmā Sanaṅkumara
11:55 Why is this teaching beneficial?
14:12 Overview of the Sekha-paṭipadā Sutta
15:56 Who is a trainee (sekha)?
22:32 Introduction to the discourse
25:51 Perfect in true knowledge (3) and conduct (15)
30:26 Possessed of virtue (sīlasampanno)
39:50 Guards the doors to the sense faculties (indriyesu guttadvāro)
48:02 Moderate in eating (bhojane mattaññū)
57:37 Devoted to wakefulness (jāgariyaṁ anuyutto)
01:08:27 Intro to the seven good qualities
01:09:20 The Buddha's simile of the citadel
01:11:28 Conviction (saddho)
01:24:00 (Moral) Shame (hirimā)
01:32:50 Fear of wrongdoing (ottappī)
01:42:35 Learned (heard) much (bahussuto)
01:53:55 Energetic (āraddhavīriyo)
02:03:07 Mindfulness (satimā)
02:15:53 Wise (paññavā)
02:23:29 The Four Jhanas (catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ)
02:32:11 Simile of the hen with eggs
02:34:00 First True Knowledge
02:37:03 Second True Knowledge
02:41:38 Third True Knowledge
02:57:47 Sharing the merit and blessings

**Much merit (bohoma pin) to the person who requested this sutta**

The video of this talk has been published to the Sutta Meditation YouTube channel -
https://t.ly/7JfIy

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai

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