Awaken to the New Year Retreat
Ajahn Pasanno
Retreat, Jan. 1, 2021 to Jan. 3, 2021
Online from Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in Redwood Valley, California
5 sessions, 20 excerpts, 1:41:17 total duration
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An online New Year’s retreat taught by Luang Por Pasanno from January 1 to January 3, 2021 (Malaysian time) organized by the Buddhadhamma Foundation and Bandar Utama Buddhist Society. 350 people in 19 countries participated.

External website

Session 1: Purifying the Foundations of Wholesomeness

Session 2: Paying Attention to Goodness

Session 3: Releasing the Hindrances, Coming Home

Session 4: Mindfulness of Breathing: Food for the Heart

Session 5: True Awakening through the Four Noble Truths


Session 1: Purifying the Foundations of Wholesomeness – Ajahn Pasanno – Jan. 1, 2021

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[Session] Sutta: SN 47.3: Purify the foundations of wholesomeness.


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1. [51:48] “I find it very difficult to stay with the breath. After 15-20 minutes, the mind will be very bored with the breath and cannot stay with it. Could you advise what is a good meditation for an easily restless mind?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Restlessness and worry] // [Attitude] [Desire] [Meditation/Techniques] [Investigation of states] [Gladdening the mind] [Happiness]

Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta

Suttas: AN 11.1, AN 11.12, and SN 55.40 illustrate the causal chain between happiness and samādhi.


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2. [1:00:50] “The mind is scattered and wandering. Any advice to settle down the mind? I’m currently practicing Buddho.” [Restlessness and worry] [Tranquility] [Buddho mantra] // [Desire]

Note: The previous question answers this in detail.


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3. [1:01:24] “Is it all right to do Buddho recitation after my mind is calm on breath meditation?” [Buddho mantra] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Knowing itself] [Gladdening the mind] [Desire] [Concentration]


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4. [1:05:47] “How to overcome anxiety? How always to be with Dhamma in the heart?” [Fear] // [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Spaciousness] [Impermanence] [Ajahn Chah] [Proliferation] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Skillful qualities]


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5. [1:12:25] “How to get rid of judgemental critical thoughts about others?” [Judgementalism] // [Craving not to become] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Similes]


Session 2: Paying Attention to Goodness – Ajahn Pasanno – Jan. 1, 2021
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1. [46:09] “When we meditate, we observe our breath. What should we do if we reach a state of stillness where no breath can be observed?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Calming meditation] [Concentration] [Tranquility] // [Knowing itself] [Happiness] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Mindfulness] [Buddho mantra]


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2. [51:28] “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?” [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]


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3. [58:02] “What technique helps one see arising and ceasing really clearly?” [Meditation/Techniques] [Impermanence] // [Characteristics of existence] [Teaching Dhamma] [Faith]

Sutta: AN 2.19


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4. [59:58] “What technique to use to realize the fruits of this practice in this life? What technique is easiest and most effective?” [Meditation/Techniques ] [Stages of awakening] // [Ardency] [Energy] [Right Effort] [Learning] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]

Quote: “I can guarantee that looking for the easiest way is the least effective way.”

Quote: “Practice is one mistake after another.” — Dōgen. [Dōgen]

Story: Someone asks the Dalai Lama, “What is the easiest and quickest way to realize emptiness?” The Dalai Lama cries. [Dalai Lama] [Emptiness] [Fierce/direct teaching]

Sutta: AN 3.137: A teaching of effort.


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5. [1:11:22] “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.” [Compassion] [Conscience and prudence] [Suffering] // [Self-identity view] [Respect] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Skillful qualities]


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6. [1:15:21] “When we accidentally break the Eight Precepts, once we realize it, what’s the proper response in the mind?” [Eight Precepts] // [Volition] [Virtue] [Renunciation]


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7. [1:20:15] Question about the function of mindfulness of breathing. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation] // [Meditation/Techniques] [Sutta] [Characteristics of existence]


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8. [1:23:29] “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?” [Goodwill] [Restlessness and worry] [Aversion] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Spiritual friendship] [Emotion] [Spaciousness] [Happiness] [Tranquility]


Session 3: Releasing the Hindrances, Coming Home – Ajahn Pasanno – Jan. 2, 2021
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1. [56:34] “Sometimes in meditation, it feels like I’m moving in waves even though my body is still. What does it mean? What should I do when it happens?” [Meditation/Unusual experiences] // [Self-identity view] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Right Mindfulness] [Four Noble Truths] [Liberation] [Mindfulness of body] [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Factors of Awakening]

Sutta: MN 10.4: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta.


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2. [1:10:24] “I would appreciate further explanation of vitakka and vicāra.” [Directed thought and evaluation ] // [Translation] [Investigation of states] [Bases of Success] [Desire] [Energy] [Heart/mind] [Calming meditation] [Hindrances] [Happiness]

Recollection: Ajahn Chah’s teachings about vitakka-vicāra. [Ajahn Chah]


Session 4: Mindfulness of Breathing: Food for the Heart – Ajahn Pasanno – Jan. 2, 2021
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1. [1:05:43] “What are exercises for laypeople to overcome laziness?” [Lay life] [Sloth and torpor] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Recollection/Dhamma] [Recollection/Saṅgha] [Community] [Pandemic] [Online community]


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2. [1:09:52] “There is a constant sense of confusion underneath most of the experiences. Other defilements come and go, but moha of various form and intensity seems to be always present. Any suggestions?” [Delusion ] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Mindfulness of body] [Continuity of mindfulness]

Quote: “The mind is a liar and a cheat.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] [False speech]


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3. [1:17:25] “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.” [Goodwill] // [Chanting] [Compassion] [Politics and society] [Spaciousness]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 41: “May I abide in well-being.”


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4. [1:24:46] “How does one live in harmony with others who hold different views and have different understanding about things? How does one live in harmony with oneself when facing challenges?” [Communal harmony ] [Views] // [Conflict] [Right Speech] [Delusion] [Patience] [Association with people of integrity] [Naturalness]

Quote: “Let the forest teach you. If you look around in the forest, there’s big trees, there’s little trees, there’s straight trees, there’s crooked trees, there’s vines. They all live together in harmony.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Culture/Natural environment] [Similes]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46, Maṅgala Sutta: Don’t associate with fools.


Session 5: True Awakening through the Four Noble Truths – Ajahn Pasanno – Jan. 3, 2021
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1. [38:39] Quote: “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” — “Is this a big piece of wood or a little piece of wood?” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma] [Conventions] // [Desire] [Four Noble Truths]