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Discourse on Knowing How to Live Alone
The Discourse on the One Who Knows How to Live Alone (Bhaddekaratta – Middle Length Discourses, Madhyama Āgama) introduces the concept of living alone not as social isolation, but as living with sovereignty, not allowing the past to pull us back, not letting the future threaten us, and not being swept away by present circumstances. The key practice is Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment: practicing mindfulness in each moment, cultivating the two qualities of solidity and freedom—the conditions for true freedom and happiness.
The essential gatha:
- Do not pursue the past
- Do not lose yourself in the future
- The past no longer is, the future has not yet come
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Observe life deeply in the present moment
The practitioner dwells in stability and ease.
For example, when someone hears that they have only six months left to live: when they accept death as something natural, they return to each present moment, live more deeply, and may even extend the quality of their life beyond the medical prognosis.
