UPOSATHA SUTTA | UDĀNA 5.5 | THE DISCOURSE ON THE OBSERVANCE #shorts #mindfulpresence #buddhawisdom

Added: 2026-04-28

[00:00:00]Upasatta Sutta, Udana, 5.5, the discourse on the observance.

[00:00:07]Evam me sutam, thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was staying near Savatthi in the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara's mother.

[00:00:17]On the Uposatha, the day of observance, the Buddha sat in silence with his monks until dawn.

[00:00:24]Despite Ananda's repeated requests to begin the recitation of the rules, the Buddha refused, eventually revealing he would not continue because the assembly was not pure. One corrupt person of evil conduct was present.

[00:00:38]Mogallana identified and removed the individual.

[00:00:41]The Buddha then taught the eight wonders of the Dhamma, comparing the path to the great ocean.

[00:00:47]The Buddha explained that just as the great ocean has eight wonderful qualities, so does this Dhamma-vinaya.

[00:00:54]One, gradual slope. The ocean floor slopes gradually. Similarly, the Dhamma has a gradual training, no sudden cliffs.

[00:01:06]Two, stability.

[00:01:08]The ocean stays within its bounds. The Dhamma has rules that followers do not overstep.

[00:01:15]Three, purity.

[00:01:17]The ocean does not tolerate a dead carcass, it washes it ashore.

[00:01:21]The Dhamma eventually washes out those who are insincere.

[00:01:26]Four, unity of flavor.

[00:01:29]All great rivers lose their names when they hit the ocean and become just the sea.

[00:01:35]Similarly, all castes and backgrounds become just monks in the Dhamma.

[00:01:42]Five, steady level.

[00:01:44]Just as the ocean level remains steady, regardless of how much rain falls or how many rivers flow in, the state of Nirvana remains unchanged, no matter how many people reach it.

[00:01:56]Six, one taste.

[00:01:59]The ocean has only one taste, salt. The Dhamma has only one taste, freedom, vimutti.

[00:02:07]Seven, hidden treasures.

[00:02:10]The ocean contains pearls and jewels.

[00:02:13]The Dhamma contains the 37 factors of enlightenment.

[00:02:17]Eight, great beings.

[00:02:20]The ocean is home to massive creatures.

[00:02:22]The Dhamma is home to great beings like the stream-winners and arahants.

[00:02:27]Reflecting on the vastness and the one taste of freedom that defines the spiritual life, the Buddha uttered this Udana, "Just as the great ocean has but one taste, the taste of salt, so this Dhamma and discipline has but one taste, the taste of liberation."

[00:02:45]In present, we identify as our job, our political party, or our social status.

[00:02:51]Drop your ego and past to find the unchanging one taste of freedom.