Searching for Nanavira: talk

Come sit at Vallecitos! Ñāṇavīra Thera (born Harold Musson, 1920–1965), an English monk whose work is a cornerstone for those interested in the intersection of the Pali Suttas and phenomenological philosophy. He is best known for his radical, "vertical" approach to the Dhamma, which bypasses traditional commentaries to focus on the immediate structure of personal experience.The primary collection of his later work is titled "Clearing the Path" , which includes his seminal book and his extensive correspondence. Notes on Dhamma (1960–1965): This is his most influential work. It consists of highly technical entries intended to correct common misinterpretations of the Suttas. He famously discarded the "three-life" traditional model of paṭiccasamuppāda (dependent arising) in favor of a structural, timeless interpretation. vThe Phenomenological Approach: Ñāṇavīra used the tools of Western existentialists—like Sartre, Heidegger, and Kierkegaard —not as a substitute for the Dhamma, but as a way to clear away "objective" or scientific biases. He argued that the Dhamma must be understood from a "vertical" view—looking directly into the abyss of one’s own existence. Thank you for subscribing.

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Searching for Nanavira: talk is an episode from Dave Smith Dharma by dave smith.

This episode is 00:19:29 long.

This episode was published on Mar 16, 2026.

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