WHO ARE OUR ROLE MODELS? - Bhikkhu Soṇa Koḷivisa

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. Role models play an important part in all of our lives, whether we seek them out or not. And whether we walk the Buddhist Path or not, they can have the power to shape the direction we take and the ability to influence the decisions that follow on from there.   For Buddhist practitioners,  the Buddha is our most eminent role model, teacher and the Perfectly Enlightened One. And there are also many noble and great disciples of the Buddha. Today we will focus on monk disciples (bhikkhu) of the Buddha, and one in particular, Bhikkhu Soṇa Koḷivisa, who was declared by the Buddha foremost among those who are energetic (āraddhavīriyānaṁ) - AN 1.205   The story of Bhikkhu Soṇa Koḷivisa is particularly beneficial in helping us to understand the importance of balancing energy in daily life and in cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path;  and finding the evenness in the development of our spiritual faculties when practising the Buddha's meditations. Other suttas mentioned in this talk include:  – Anuruddhamahāvitakka Sutta  (AN 8.30)  – Sekha-pāṭipada Sutta (MN53)  — Nagaropama Sutta (AN 7.67)  – Tayodhamma Sutta (AN 10.76)  – Soṇakoḷivisattheraapadāna  (Tha Ap 44)  – Soṇakoṭivīsattheraapadāna   (Tha Ap 391)  – Cammakkhandhaka  (Pli Tv Kd 5)  – Soṇa Sutta  (AN 6.55)  – Magga Vagga (Dhp 280)  – Soṇakoḷivisattheragāthā (Thag 13.1)    In learning about such noble beings, we can delight in their lives and accomplishments;  recognise the importance of seeing them as worthy role models; and use it as inspiration towards progress on the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. The VIDEO with slides has been uploaded to the Sutta Meditation Series podcast channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzMUIBNpQ-M AND on Spotify as a video podcast Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai