Happiness on the Buddhist Path
Ajahn Pasanno
Spirit Rock Daylong, Aug. 20, 2023
Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California and online
7 excerpts, 56:32 total duration
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Ajahn Pasanno describes why and how happiness is a key element of effective Dhamma practice. Skillful moderation contributes to an excellent question and answer session.

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Ajahn Pasanno – Aug. 20, 2023
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1. [1:28:01] “Is misery the absence of happiness?” [Suffering] [Happiness] // [Language] [Conditionality] [Pāli]

Derivation of dukkha: du = not good or not comfortable; kha = where the axle goes into the wheel.

Story: Driving a car with frozen wheels is dukkha. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Similes]


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2. [1:38:18] “What is meant by skillful?” [Skillful qualities ] // [Unskillful qualities] [Happiness] [Tranquility] [Kamma] [Discernment]

Quote: “The language of Dhamma is the language of feeling.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma] [Feeling]


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3. [1:45:10] “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?” [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]


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4. [1:54:51] “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.” [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]


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5. [2:02:25.5] “Is physical sexual desire the same as the desire for food and water? Or should it be avoided?” [Sensual desire ] // [Monastic life] [Human] [Self-identity view] [Sexual misconduct] [Food] [Sense restraint] [Relationships] [Trust] [Five Precepts]

Sutta: AN 8.39: The five great gifts.


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6. [2:09:38] “Is there a right speed to silent walking?” [Posture/Walking] // [Abhayagiri] [Postures] [Continuity of mindfulness]

Story: Jack Kornfield asks Ajahn Chah, “Whenever you teach walking meditation, you always teach the monks to walk slowly. But whenever you walk meditation, you walk really fast. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Teaching Dhamma] [Exercise]

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Translations of sampajañña (clear comprehension) and its role in Dhamma practice. [Clear comprehension ] [Translation] [Mindfulness]


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7. [2:17:47] “How to turn grief of the planet and humankind into creative action?” [Grief] [Environment] [Human ] [Activism] // [Generosity] [Gratitude] [Purpose/meaning] [Community] [Aversion]

Quote: “If you think you’ve got to solve the problem completely yourself, that stirs one into inaction.”

Recollection: The nonprofit organization founded by Ajahn Pasanno to protect forests in Thailand is still operating. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Non-profit organizations] [Culture/Thailand]