Includes tags: Right Intention, Renunciation, Goodwill, Compassion
1. Quote: “The kindest thing you can do for your parents is to not create them.” — Ajahn Sumedho. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Parents] [Goodwill] [Cessation] [Not-self] // [Amaravati] [Sīladharā] [Proliferation]
2. Quote: “Learning how to be comfortable with dukkha...is a willingness to open the heart to the whole realm of experience. That’s an act of love.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Direct experience] [Goodwill] // [Generosity] [Fear] [Listening] [Clear comprehension]
4. “There are teachings about different levels of generosity (e.g. AN 7.49). Are there similar teachings about love or attachment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Generosity] [Goodwill] [Clinging] // [Dhamma] [Desire] [Teaching Dhamma] [Aggregates] [Mindfulness] [Relationships] [Spaciousness]
5. “Is there a sutta about preferring the [forest] to the village, and then the bare earth, becoming more and more simple?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Seclusion] [Simplicity] // [Emptiness] [Elements] [Relinquishment] [Generosity] [Goodwill]
Sutta: MN 121: The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness
6. Comment: There are two knds of desire, chanda (good) and taṇha (bad). [Desire] [Craving] [Pāli]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] [Clinging] [Generosity] [Teaching Dhamma]
8. “Could you say some more about the process of change?... You can have a big tool kit and apply it with the best of intentions. Sometimes magical things happen, and sometimes nothing happens.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Effort] [Conditionality] [Right Intention] [Progress of insight ] // [Goodwill] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Chah] [Impermanence] [Long-term practice] [Learning] [Dependent origination] [Not-self] [Mindfulness]
9. Question about cultivating goodwill towards a difficult coworker. Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Goodwill] [Forgiveness] // [Suffering] [Right Effort] [Craving] [Relinquishment] [Kamma]
Comment: Sometimes having metta means leaving the situation. [Goodwill] [Association with people of integrity] [Clear comprehension]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46
8. “Did the Buddha ever say to send lovingkindness to oneself?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Goodwill] [Tipiṭaka] // [Heart/mind] [Spaciousness]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 43.
Note: Not all translations of this passage include the phrase “to all as to myself.” For examples, see the available online translations of AN 4.125 and AN 3.65.
9. “What would you use for someone who is extremely confused and angry? Lovingkindness seems so far away.” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Delusion] [Aversion] [Goodwill] // [Concentration] [Spaciousness]
10. “If you lose the firm center of lovingkindness, how do you reestablish it?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Goodwill ] [Concentration] [Right Effort] [Recollection] // [Visualization] [Mantra] [Seclusion] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo]
4. Comment: Appreciation for Ajahn Ñāṇiko’s guided meditation on Buddhanusati and lovingkindness. [Gratitude] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Recollection/Buddha] [Goodwill] [Recollection]
5. “Can you say more about recollection of renunciation? How can this be used skillfully or not?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Recollection/Generosity] [Renunciation] [Recollection] // [Contentment] [Self-pity] [Sickness] [Equanimity] [Buddha/Biography] [Fasting] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Lunar observance days] [Abhayagiri]
Recollection: Going without in the early days of Abhayagiri Monastery. [Renunciation] [Almsfood]
10. Comment: I’m going to recollect this day, and your kindness in teaching, and the people who planned the Upāsikā Day. [Gratitude] [Teaching Dhamma] [Compassion] [Recollection/Generosity] [Recollection] [Faith]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhidhamma]
2. “What advice do you have for students or graduates hoping to progess on the Noble Path towards Nibbāna while a student or in the workplace?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eightfold Path] [Nibbāna] [Learning] [Work] [Lay life ] // [Human] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Perfectionism] [Desire] [Suffering] [Politics and society] [Simplicity] [Environment] [Depression] [Restlessness and worry] [Skillful qualities] [Community]
4. “Apart from social distancing, what are other ways to behave compassionately during this time when there’s so much physical distance between us?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pandemic] [Health] [Compassion] // [Generosity] [Online community] [Grief]
8. “You mentioned that ruminating on how one would like to change the world or the conditions around oneself can be a source of needless suffering. But there are times when one does want to work to change the world or the way society is organized for the sake of lovingkindness and alleviating suffering. How do we engage with those desire for change in a skillful way?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Politics and society] [Suffering] [Desire] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Skillful qualities] [Activism] // [Conditionality] [Self-identity view] [Conflict] [Poverty] [Judgementalism] [Aversion] [Culture/Thailand] [Environment] [Idealism]
Quote: “If one is going to commit oneself to change, one has to get used to looking at things from a big perspective, a perspective of ‘How do we include rather than exclude?’” [Community]
Quote: “You want to approach a particular problem with an open a mind as possible and then see who might be willing and able to help.”
4. “How to overcome rejection by your spouse and move on and not hang on to the hope that he will come back some day?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Relationships] [Family] // [Self-reliance] [Goodwill]
6. “Is there something called fierce compassion in the Theravāda tradition? If so, how is that different from resentment or anger?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fierce/direct teaching] [Compassion] [Theravāda] [Ill-will] [Aversion] // [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma] [Admonishment/feedback] [Spiritual bypass] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Ajahn Chah calls newly-arrived Tan Pasanno lazy. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Chanting]
7. “Why is turning the left side of your body to the Buddha disrespectful? How does one disregard another person in a skillful way to remove resentment? (AN 5.161)” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Respect] [Ill-will] // [Goodwill] [Culture/India] [Culture/Thailand] [Theravāda]
9. “How do we overcome unpleasant mental or physical feelings in the present moment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Feeling] [Present moment awareness] // [Aversion] [Fear] [Suffering] [Goodwill] [Ajahn Sumedho]
Sutta: DN 22: Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta [Mindfulness of feeling]
4. “How to overcome anxiety? How always to be with Dhamma in the heart?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fear] // [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Spaciousness] [Impermanence] [Ajahn Chah] [Proliferation] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Skillful qualities]
5. “How to get rid of judgemental critical thoughts about others?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Judgementalism] // [Craving not to become] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Similes]
2. “During my sitting this morning, the thoughts keep arising one after the other. It seems endlessly. How do I notice, learn, and recognize thoughts as a function of the mind and not be affected by them? Also, how can one make use of skillful thoughts in meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry] [Proliferation] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness of mind] [Recollection] // [Craving not to become] [Characteristics of existence] [Insight meditation] [Relinquishment] [Goodwill] [Patience] [Concentration] [Attitude]
Quote: “Kae nun lae (Thai) – It’s just that much.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]
5. “In regard to compassion practice, I feel as if I have refined the awareness of myself and how my actions impact others. Also, my sensitivity has increased. If I feel that I have said or done something that caused someone hurt, I immediately attempt to clean it up. At the same time, I feel great pain for having been unskillful. Please advise on how to refine my understanding so that I suffer less for this.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Compassion] [Conscience and prudence] [Suffering] // [Self-identity view] [Respect] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Skillful qualities]
6. “When we accidentally break the Eight Precepts, once we realize it, what’s the proper response in the mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eight Precepts] // [Volition] [Virtue] [Renunciation]
8. “Regarding metta practice, sometimes metta is there and it helps to handle challenging situations. But sometimes there is restlessness and hostility, and I get reactive. How to work with this so the mind can be tamed?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] [Restlessness and worry] [Aversion] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Spiritual friendship] [Emotion] [Spaciousness] [Happiness] [Tranquility]
3. “Can you please speak to the difference in beginning metta meditation with self as opposed to beginning with an external object or person? I often feel depleted when directing outwards.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] // [Chanting] [Compassion] [Politics and society] [Spaciousness]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 41: “May I abide in well-being.”
6. “In your guided meditation, devotion to the teachings really touched me. Could you say more about this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Devotional practice] [Recollection/Dhamma ] [Generosity] [Compassion] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] // [Faith] [Cultural context] [Respect] [Gratitude] [Culture/Thailand] [Three Refuges] [Relinquishment] [Release]
1. “You have so much community-building experience. Can you talk about what you have found challenging or effective in this? How did Ajahn Chah build community?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Saṅgha] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Virtue] [Trust] [Communal harmony] [Compassion] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Recollection/Saṅgha] [Sequence of training] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abhayagiri] [Eightfold Path] [Learning]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambiya Sutta [Principles of Cordiality] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Right View]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno pays respects to Ajahn Chah: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.”
Quote: “The whole path of the Buddha is a path of learning, of education.”
7. “Your advice to leaders in the conflicts of 2021 in terms of the leaders themselves and how they can inspire their teams and communities?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Leadership] [Conflict] [Community] // [Trust] [Generosity] [Compassion] [Listening] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “Leadership always comes by example.”
Quote: “[Ajahn Chah] never asked us to do something that he himself wasn’t doing.”
3. “In living with others, we tend to stick with our perceptions, causing potential conflict with them. How can we accept others as they are and be able to live with others harmoniously?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Perception] [Conflict] [Communal harmony] // [Goodwill] [Judgementalism] [Generosity]
1. “How do you avoid falling in the trap of caring about something/someone too much and becoming attached to that something/someone?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Compassion] [Clinging] // [Suffering] [Equanimity] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Bases of Success] [Desire] [Self-identity view] [Craving] [Cessation of Suffering]
2. “How do we overcome regret and remorse associated with not being able to do good or meet our loved ones at the time of passing away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry] [Merit] [Death] [Pandemic] [Grief] // [Goodwill] [Self-identity view] [Discernment] [Determination]
6. “A question about Dogenji’s teaching: ‘To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things. When actualized by myriad things your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of enlightenment remains, and this no trace continues endlessly.’ Can you reflect on this teaching from the Theravāda Thai Forest Teachings?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dōgen] [Zen ] [Eightfold Path] [Not-self] [Liberation] [Theravāda] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Teaching Dhamma] [Knowledge and vision] [Four Noble Truths] [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [Aggregates] [Proliferation] [Discernment] [Compassion]
Quote: “Everything is teaching us. Everything is a manifestation of Dhamma and truth.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma] [Truth] [Suchness]
6. “How do we protect ourselves from others taking advantage of our kindness and generosity? Some people consider our meekness and humility as weak and try to intimidate or bully us. I just freeze during such times, unable to say anything, thinking it may worsen the situation.” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Abuse/violence ] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Humility] // [Discernment]
8. “How do you deal with anger?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Aversion ] // [Sense restraint] [Right Speech] [Mindfulness of body] [Proliferation] [Spaciousness] [Patience] [Goodwill]
8. “What duty do we have to parents who often act foolishly and use harmfull and abusive language?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Parents] [Abuse/violence] // [Right Speech]
Story: Ajahn Ñāṇiko’s grandfather vows to treat his children with kindness. [Family] [Goodwill]
5. Principle of Cordiality #1: Lovingkindness and sensitivity in bodily action. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Principles of Cordiality] [Goodwill] [Right Action] [Communal harmony] // [Spaciousness] [Great disciples] [Protocols] [Clear comprehension] [Abhayagiri]
Suttas: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta; MN 128 Upakkilesa Sutta.
6. Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: Lovingkindness in speech and the ethic of sharing circles at Abhayagiri. [Goodwill] [Right Speech] [Abhayagiri] [Sharing circles] [Communal harmony] // [Principles of Cordiality] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Listening] [Nonviolent Communication] [Conflict]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
7. When and how to develop the mind of lovingkindness. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Principles of Cordiality] [Goodwill] [Heart/mind] [Communal harmony] // [Aversion] [Conflict] [Patience] [Spaciousness]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
Quote: “Peaceful coexistence with the unpleasant.” — Ajahn Sumedho’s definition of patience. [Ajahn Sumedho]
2. “Early on in practice, I learned that practicing sīla (virtue) leads to the bliss of the blamelessness life and creates the conditions for samādhi. What is the Pāli word that translates to ‘the bliss of the blameless life?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Virtue ] [Merit] [Happiness ] [Concentration] [Pāli] // [Right Livelihood] [Generosity] [Right Intention]
Quote: “Sīla is the opportunity to rise up to a life of integrity.”
1. “In reference to the fragrance of the flower....There are many roses in the courtyard across the street....Why do we cultivate beauty? Where does beauty arise from?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Beauty] // [Clinging] [Happiness] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Empathetic joy] [Unconditioned]
Sutta: MN 37: Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya. (Nothing whatsoever should be clung to.)
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s mother sends his old letters to Abhayagiri. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abhayagiri]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah was unshakeable in the midst of all the things that were happening around him and responded warmly and compassionately to the people around him. [Ajahn Chah] [Equanimity] [Compassion] [Family] [Monastic life/Motivation]
3. “During times of intense joy and happiness, I find that joy and happiness itself can trigger worry, fear, or desire to control. From this morning’s teachings, I took that one way to skillfully hold happiness is to share it; another is to express gratitude for it. Do you have any advice on how to hold happiness when it feels almost too big to release into?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness ] [Fear] [Gratitude] // [Self-identity view] [Compassion] [Discernment] [Right Speech] [Admonishment/feedback] [Humility]
Sutta: AN 2.126: Two conditions for the arising of Right View. [Right View] [Spiritual friendship] [Appropriate attention]
Quote: “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings? You are not what you think.” [Not-self] [Proliferation]
4. “Am I what I feel? We have a lot of feelings as humans, and then a lot more feelings have come up since COVID. There’s a lot of depression, hurt feelings, regret, death, end of relation and of income, end of status. A lot of us want to know how to work with this or even change these really hard emotional states.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Emotion] [Human] [Self-identity view] [Pandemic] [Grief] // [Suffering] [Spiritual friendship] [Compassion]
Recollection: “Sometimes Ajahn Chah would consciously make things difficult for us....He’s always pointing back to the heart.” [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Heart/mind]
1. “When my mind settles, my hands go away from my awareness. Hands feel like they are twisted or in the air. Why is this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Meditation/Unusual experiences] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Body scanning] [Goodwill] [Mindfulness of feeling]
2. “Tibetan Buddhism seems to have a stronger emphasis on compassion and emptiness as a practice. Can you talk about this from the perspective of the Ajahn Chah lineage, including steps as to how it is done?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Vajrayāna] [Compassion] [Emptiness] [Ajahn Chah lineage] // [Ajahn Chah] [Eightfold Path]
Quote: “What is the mind of an Arahant like?” – “Only compassion” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Compassion]
4. “Please speak about sense consciouness and how the release of attachment is acheived.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sense bases] [Consciousness] [Clinging] [Relinquishment] // [Delusion] [Insight meditation] [Knowledge and vision] [Feeling] [Contact] [Drawbacks] [Compassion]
Quote: “Dhamma practice is not difficult. There are only two things you need to do: know and let go.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma]
1. “By moving to lovingkindness [meditation], I may be missing some of the deeper insights and wisdom that are present in feelings of angher, ill-will, and resentment. I think this is what is referred to as spiritual bypassing. Can you speak to this distinction or provide suggestions for accessing the wisdom that may be present within or underneath the hindrances?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] [Aversion] [Ill-will] [Spiritual bypass ] [Discernment] [Hindrances] // [Truth] [Suffering] [Gratification]
Quote: “Sensual desire is just trying to get a relief from suffering. Even anger and ill-will...and the same with all the rest of the hindrances. They are looking for some relief from suffering in some way, shape, or form.” [Sensual desire]
3. “Could you please elaborate on how you generate the images and feelings of metta? My metta practice phrases always seem a bit dry.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill ] // [Commentaries] [Heart/mind] [Visualization] [Nimitta] [Bhante Gunaratana]
5. “I have had many losses over the year, and both my parents passed away six years ago. I found that taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha, keeping the precepts, and having daily meditation practice helps. There is peacefulness and gratitude. I have heard that if one wants to share merits with the deceased, one could. What is the proper way? Could you give some guidance?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death] [Grief] [Parents] [Merit ] // [Recollection/Virtue] [Goodwill] [Translation] [Three Refuges] [Precepts] [Generosity] [Happiness]
Sutta: Iti 22: “Do not be afraid of puñña.”
Quote: “Puñña is accomplished through the heart itself.” [Heart/mind] [Cultural context]
Quote: “A spark of merit is worth more than a mountain of effort.” — Tibetan saying. [Vajrayāna] [Self-identity view]
9. “Please offer your thoughts on how to cultivate the brahmavihāras on and off the cushion.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Divine Abidings ] [Everyday life] // [Spaciousness] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Empathetic joy] [Equanimity] [Generosity]
Ajahn Vajiro defined the brahamavihāras as the mature emotions. [Ajahn Vajiro] [Emotion]
10. “What are the words or practices to develop equanimity? In this difficult, divisive period, it’s helpful to have as much non-ill-will as possible.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Equanimity ] [Conflict] [Goodwill] // [News] [Kamma] [Conditionality]
Quote: “[News] is not there to inform you. It’s there to create a reaction....Their job is to try to get click baits.” [Internet] [Advertizing]
15. “Any suggestions for managing dizziness or nausea from the energy on retreat? I’m feeling a little overwhelmed today.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats] [Health] // [Posture/Lying down] [Posture/Walking] [Goodwill] [Mindfulness of body]
19. “When one moves through the world with compassion and lovingkindness, how does one avoid feeling depleted? In a world of ‘individuals,’ most take more than they give and to always be giving can be exhausting.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Compassion] [Goodwill] [Selfishness] [Generosity] [Depression] // [Not-self] [Four Noble Truths] [Cause of Suffering]
Quote: “When we are attentive to freedom from suffering, there’s an inexhaustible well of goodness there.” [Cessation of Suffering] [Skillful qualities]
8. “Could you comment on the phrase in the Metta Sutta, “Not born again into this world?”” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Rebirth] [Sutta] // [Goodwill] [Skillful qualities] [Gradual Teaching] [Not-self] [Views]
Reflection: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 37
Quote: “What is the mind of an Arahant like?” – “Only compassion” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Compassion]
2. Comment: When I hear “renunciation,” I have the feeling that I’m losing something. [Renunciation ]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Renunciation ] [Simplicity] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “What renunciation gives is inexhaustible strength of simplicity.” — Martin Heidegger. [Renunciation ]
1. “How do you deal with a friend who has commited suicide and the despair and grief that comes with that? How do you support a friend who has feelings of seeking annihilation and wanting to kill themselves?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suicide] [Depression] [Grief] [Craving not to become] // [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Compassion] [Suffering] [Language] [Cessation of Suffering] [Fear]
Quote: “Compassion is a skillful or beautiful response to the suffering of the world.” [Compassion] [Skillful qualities]
8. I arrived when Abhayagiri turned five. Recollection by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko ] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Ordination] [Sīladharā]
Recollection: The little house was the beating heart of Abhayagiri. [Lodging] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Questions] [Gratitude] [Goodwill]
Quote: “I want to ordain. What do I do?” — Ajahn Ñāṇiko’s first email to the Abhayagiri guestmonk. [Ajahn Achalo] [Idealism]
Story: “Look, I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to practice.” [Spiritual friendship]
Quote: “Don’t think about it too much.” — Ajahn Pasanno to Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Monastic life/Motivation] [Proliferation]
3. “Why don’t we concentrate not so much on personal liberation, but think more about our practice? What are your thoughts about the Bodhisattva ideal, thinking of others all the time rather than achievement or personal liberation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Liberation] [Bodhisattva] [Compassion] [Nibbāna]
Quote: “Thinking of yourself is isolating. Thinking of others is proliferating....Suffering is an experience rather than a conceptualization.” [Self-identity view] [Proliferation] [Suffering]
Quote: “Don’t be an arhant. Don’t be a Bodhisattva. Don’t be anything at all. As long as you’re anything or anybody, you are going to suffer. And as long as you’re suffering, you’re going to be sharing that out with everyone else as well.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Arahant]
7. “You mentioned how much Ajahn Chah emphasized the importance of letting go. As a lay person, how do we do that? And how do we reconcile letting go with being kind to ourselves? For instance, it could be seen as a kindness to oneself to listen to one’s favorite music or eat one’s favorite foods.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Relinquishment] [Lay life] [Compassion] // [Right Effort] [Idealism] [Eight Precepts] [Contentment]
Story: A monk practices letting go by not fixing his roof. [Lodging]
4. Quote: “Mindfulness is the graveyard of all things.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Mindfulness] [Cessation] // [Self-identity view] [Proliferation] [Compassion]
2. “Could you say a few words about how to cope emotionally with everything that’s happened since October 7? Everyone in Israel is still traumatized. This is an ongoing event, and everybody is so emotionally unstable. It’s like being on an active volcano....” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abuse/violence] [Suffering] [Politics and society] // [Spiritual friendship] [Goodwill] [Human] [Delusion]
7. “How do you respond to claims that religion and Buddhism specifically is escapist?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Theravāda] [Saṃsāra] [Escape] // [Discernment] [Questions] [Liberation] [Compassion]
Quote: “What is the mind of an enlightened being like?” – “Only compassion.” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Compassion]