Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu begins by stating that the reason he chose to talk about this topic is because if we don’t understand what our problems are, then we won’t know what we’re doing when we come to study the Dhamma, when we come to practice vipassanā. He explains how life itself is the burden, and only after understanding what the problem is, do we begin to understand what the Dhamma is about. He stresses how the desire, the need to be free of dukkha, is an absolutely essential condition for the proper study of Dhamma. He challenges us to take a look at ourselves and see what place, what role, what influence dukkha has within our own lives. He concludes with a detailed explanation of how the essential core problem – the heart of the problem – is our slavery to the vedanā, the feelings.

This Dhamma teaching was offered by Tan Ajahn on 2nd December 1986.
Live English translation by Santikaro Bhikkhu; 74 minutes

The Five Khandhas series:

8612 – [1 of 6] The Burden of Life

8612 – [2 of 6] The Problem of Every One of Us

8612 – [3 of 6] TheThings Called ‘The Five Khandhas’

8612 – [4 of 6] TheThings Called ‘The Five Khandhas’ (continued)

8612 – [5 of 6] Originating Causes That Turn Life into Dukkha

8612 – [6 of 6] Fruits of Removing Self from the Five Khandhas