| The Maha-Mangala Sutta, The Great Discourse on Blessings, is a short discourse included in the Sutta-nipata. The sutta sketches a path through life that yields abundant blessings, traditionally numbered at 38. The path begins with the most elementary step of good friendship, passes through the living of a wholesome householder life, the development of inner virtues, and the pursuit of spiritual cultivation. It culminates in the highest liberation. In this retreat we will examine each of the thirty-eight blessings, illuminating the root text with references to other relevant passages from the Buddha’s discourses. |
