From the Beach to the Buddha: the Story of Bahiya’s Awakening

Talk given by Padmasagara on 2026-08-22. 

Bahiya was a spiritual practitioner living on the beach near modern-day Mumbai. One day, he asked himself: “Am I enlightened? Or even on the path towards Enlightenment?” The answer was a resounding "No".

He immediately sets out to find the Buddha, travelling thousands of kilometres and refusing to give up when the Buddha initially turns him away. Eventually, he receives a short but profound teaching, and awakens fully.

In this talk, Padmasagara explores Bahiya’s story and what it can teach us about spiritual effort, burnout, letting go, and our tendency to add something extra to our direct experience.

What kind of effort does awakening really require?

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