Women's monastic forms
Part of key topic Monastic Life
Includes tags: Women's monastic forms, Bhikkhunī, Sīladharā, Mae Chee



Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 31 – Apr. 29, 2001

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3. Question related to age and ordination (audio unclear). Answered by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ordination] [Older monks] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Meditation] [Mae Chee] [Relationships] [Liberation] [Culture/West]

Story: A doctor ordains later in life. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Health care]


Metta Retreat, Session 3 – Sep. 11, 2008

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1. “One of my lay insight mediation teachers said, ‘The Western lay practitioner is an experiment in Buddhism.’ What do you think? To me it seems our lay teachers are also an experiment.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Lay life] [Lay teachers] // [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] [Sīladharā] [Culture/Thailand]

Quote: “Because the monastic presence is so strong in Asia, oftentimes people overlook the strength of the tradition of lay practice and lay teachers.” [Cultural context]

Story: The Buddha tells Māra he will found the fourfold assembly (UD 6.1). [Buddha/Biography] [Māra] [Fourfold Assembly] [Stages of awakening] [Learning]


Our Roots in the Thai Forest Tradition, Session 38 – Feb. 26, 2014

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3. “Was there a time in Thai history when meditation was a routine part of childhood education?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [History/Thai Buddhism] [Children] [Education] [Meditation] // [Three Refuges] [Chanting] [Right View]

Reflection: Ajahn Liem’s mother and sister were nuns with similar demeanor. [Ajahn Liem] [Family] [Mae Chee] [Wat Pah Pong] [Personality]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 3 – Nov. 24, 2014

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8. “I know parting with loved ones is a natural course of life, but deep sadness and grief arises when I reflect on that. Could you instruct on how to work with this grief? Is there a level of understanding when there is no grief? Thank you!” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Grief ] [Naturalness] // [Recollection] [Recollection/Death] [Impermanence] [Kamma] [Goodwill]

Sutta: AN 5.57 Five Recollections (Chanting Book translation)

Suttas: SN 47.13, SN 47.14: The deaths of Sariputta and Moggallana. [Buddha/Biography] [Great disciples] [Death]

Quote: “Now I’m an orphan.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Parents] [Wat Pah Pong] [Mae Chee]


Questions and Answers about Ajahn Chah, Session 1 – Jun. 17, 2025

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8. “Many of Ajahn Chah’s direct disciples have become revered teachers themselves. Would you say the harsher conditions and more rigorous practices of the early days of Wat Pah Pong played a necessary role in their training and development or was it mostly due to Ajahn Chah being such a masterful teacher?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Ascetic practices] [Wat Pah Pong] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Humility] [Ajahn Mun] [Mae Chee]

Quote: “There’s this nostalgia for the good old days....To me it’s a fallacy or a fantasy.” [Suffering] [Poverty]

Quote: “To be able to lay a foundation that was carried on is really exceptional.” [Saṅgha] [Leadership]


Questions and Answers about Ajahn Chah, Session 2 – Jun. 18, 2025

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3. “When Luang Por Chah’s physical condition deteriorated and he was no longer physically active, how did the Saṅgha and lay community react to it? And how did you feel about it? How did the Saṅgha manage to organize new leadership? Any challenges, confusions, or conflicts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Saṅgha] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Leadership] [Ajahn Chah] [Conflict] // [Impermanence] [Saṅgha decision making] [Grief] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Liem]

Recollection: Ajahn Chah told the Saṅgha that his illness was incurable and they would have to look after him. [Health care ]

I did my grieving when Ajahn Chah was still alive and sick. Recollection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death]

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Recollection: Caring for Ajahn Chah as a community. [Health care ] [Mae Chee] [Communal harmony]

Recollection: Preparing for Ajahn Chah’s funeral. [Funerals] [Building projects]

Quote: “His example was always one of giving himself to what was of benefit to the Dhamma, to the Vinaya, to others. There was so little personal agenda and personal preferences ever shown.” [Generosity]