Updated October 21, 2025 from the original in 2022. Introduction: Halloween is bad according to Theravāda because it involves dressing up, acting and embodying the costume one is wearing, often involving unwholesome characters. This can lead to a bad destination, and I will explain why. It is like Acting: Acting as a career, generally is not so wholesome. If there is any movie or play that is considered “good” by literature and Hollywood standards, there are going to be one or more of the five precepts broken. The content might consist of the actions listed below:

One of the most famous blessings given after a meal donation is from Dhammapada verse 109. It is well known across all traditions and in all countries—Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Dhammapada Pāḷi Verse 109 Abhivādanasīlissa, niccaṃ vuḍḍhāpacāyino, Cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti, āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṃ balaṃ. Translation For one who is respectful and constantly venerates the elders, four qualities increase: long life, beauty, happiness, and strength. This is one of the most famous blessings given by monks to laypeople after food is offered to the Saṅgha. It is chanted across all traditions and countries.

Recently, I made a video explaining the common question I get asked in the West. “Do you believe in a creator?” It is a loaded question usually asked by devoted Christians. They are expecting me to say no, but I tell them “Yes”. The real answer is that kamma is the creator. I quote from the stock phrase below: “Kammassakomhi, kammadāyādo, kammayoni, “It is actions that I own, it is actions that I am heir to, it is actions that I am born from,

In this talk, I explore the Cūḷakammavibhaṅga Sutta and share the story of reconnecting with my first meditation teacher after nearly two decades. The focus is on the seeds of kamma that we plant continuously through our actions. What kind of seeds are we planting right now? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq7LED3zIJo

The Seeds From Long Ago I remember when I first learned how to meditate on my breath some time in 1990, during my university years. Back then, meditation was not so well known. The beat generation’s Zen trend in the 60’s had died out with disco in the 70’s. Barnes and Noble maybe had only a few shelves in a single bookcase labeled with “Eastern Philosophy” that covered all Eastern religions, including Buddhism. Ram Das’s cryptic book, Be Here Now was the only book I had read prior to reading my World Religions book, which had included a chapter on Buddhism for a class I took. It was different in the early 90’s. There wasn’t a world wide web, Google or even Yahoo. We didn’t have Idiot or Dummy books back then either. While there were books out there, you really had to explore a subculture, and you had to know someone in order to know what the subcultures were and where to find them.