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A 5-Element Taxonomy of Happiness: Pick Your Sukha! | Ajahn Kovilo

Author
Clear Mountain Monastery
Published
Sat 16 Aug 2025
Episode Link
https://clearmountainmonastery.podbean.com/e/a-5-element-taxonomy-of-happiness-pick-your-sukha-ajahn-kovilo/

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo suggests a 5-part taxonomy of the sukhas (happinesses & pleasures) taught by the Buddha:


1) pleasure like fire - kāma-sukha (sensual pleasures not to be pursued);


2) pleasures like fresh air - kusala/nekkhamma-sukha (wholesome/healthy pleasures to develop);


3) pleasures like space - vipassana/upasama-sukha (the pleasures of clear seeing to be made much of);


4) pleasures like water - jhāna/paviveka-sukha (the pleasures of absorption/jhāna meditation - a trainable, uncomplicated, blameless, profound mental ease);


5) pleasures like earth - magga-phala/sambodhi-sukha (the pleasures of the Paths & Fruitions of Enlightenment).





See The Araṇa-vibhaṅga Sutta for more on how to define sukha and to cultivate it internally: https://suttacentral.net/mn139/en/nyanamoli?lang=en





Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!


- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)


- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)


- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)





See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

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