Aggañña Sutta DN 27 (The Origin of the World) by Sis Sylvia Bay - 20200808

SPECIAL SATURDAY SERIES DHAMMA SHARING BY SIS SYLVIA BAY
Title: Aggañña Sutta DN 27 (The Origin of the World) [with Annotations] by Sis Sylvia Bay
This is the edited recording with annotations of the talk given by Sis Sylvia Bay on Sat, 8 August 2020 at Buddhist Fellowship 'Facebook Live'.
People of all religions are generally fixated about the genesis of the world or some theory behind existence of the world or that there must be a direct cause and effect. In this sharing of Aggañña Sutta DN 27, Sis Sylvia Bay explained that Dhamma is beyond that: there is no first cause, rather, every phenomena is conditionally arisen with craving as the foremost driving force. The sutta traces a point in time where beings are simple in form and their relationship with food; how over an unimaginable super long period of time, interaction without restraints with the environment transformed both beings and the environment; and how different groups of society emerged to maintain social order and stability. Regardless of the passage of time and changes, Dhamma remains the most important.
Sutta References
Aggañña Sutta DN 27
Cakkavatti-Sῑhanāda Sutta DN26
Dhammapada Verse 174
Mūlapariyāya Sutta MN 1
Profile of Speaker:
Sis Sylvia Bay has dedicated herself to the study and practice of the Buddha's teachings since 1992. She holds a BA (Hons) in Buddhist Studies from the Buddhist & Pali University of Sri Lanka, and was a lecturer with her alma mater. She also has a Masters in International Public Policy from John Hopkins School of Advanced Studies. Since 2001, Sis Sylvia has been a regular speaker on Buddhist doctrines and their practical applications at local and regional Buddhist organisations. In 2013, she published her first book “Between The Lines: An Analytical Appreciation of The Buddha’s Life”. She is now working on another book titled "Towards The Light: the Buddha's Guide to a Heavenly Rebirth".