This lesson goes over two suttas. The first one is Udumbarika-Sihanada sutta, DN 25, about the law of kamma, and the second is Chakkavati sutta, DN 26, about the coming of Buddha Maitreya and the revival of the Dhamma.

Udumbarika-Sihanada

Questions

1. Why does the Buddha not talk to Nigrodha about the Noble Eightfold Path?
2. What are some stains that may arise from the asceticism described by the Buddha?
3. How does an ascetic with a tainted mind treat the teachings of the Awakened Ones?
4. How should an ascetic purify the mind from these stains?
5. What would be deeper purification?
6. What is higher purification?
7. What is the highest purification?
8. What did the Buddha encourage the ascetics to do?

Chakkavati Sutta

Questions

1. What does the wheel symbolize?
2. What is the Golden Age of the Dhamma?
3. What did the world-ruling king do when the wheel wobbled?
4. How does the Dhamma decline?
5. How is the Dhamma revived?
6. Who appears during the era of the revival of the Dhamma and what does he do?
7. What does the lifespan of a disciple depend on?
8. What does the beauty of a disciple depend on?
9. What does the bliss of a disciple depend on?
10. What is the wealth of a disciple?
11. What is the strength of a disciple?
12. What is the prophecy of the coming of Buddha Maitreya a confirmation of? What is it also a prediction of?

Further Questions

1. Why does one shave their head?
2. 1) Hairs often symbolize thoughts; shaving one's head is a symbol of control over thoughts. 2) the ushnisha is on the crown and it is associated with the heavens, therefore shaving one’s head is like opening up to the heavens. 3) from a hygienic point of view, one does not have to shower every day.