Part of key topic Teaching and Teachers
650 excerpts, 43:33:47 total duration
1. Introduction to the reading by Ajahn Amaro. [Joseph Kappel] [Ajahn Chah]
2. Context of the reading: walking into Wat Pah Pong. Reflection by Joseph Kappel. [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel] [Wat Pah Pong] [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Lodging] [Posture/Walking] [Dōgen] [Ajahn Amaro]
3. “Learning to Listen.” Teaching by Ajahn Chah. Translated and read by Joseph Kappel. [Learning] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Present moment awareness] [Teaching Dhamma] [Questions] [Buddha] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Unconditioned]
1. Ajahn Amaro introduces Jack Kornfield. [Jack Kornfield] [Ajahn Chah]
2. Story: Ajahn Sumedho meets Jack Kornfield. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Jack Kornfield] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Insight Meditation Society] [Judgementalism]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho stays on Pupek Mountain. [Seclusion] [Suffering] [Aversion] [Sickness] [Self-pity] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Robes] [Humor] [Gratitude]
3. Ajahn Sumedho has been so important in my life. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Jack Kornfield] [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma]
Simile: Ajahn Sumedho explains Ajahn Chah’s jazz. [Ajahn Chah] [Similes]
4. Story: Ajahn Chah visits Massachusetts. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Culture/West] [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel] [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Culture/Natural environment]
5. “The old people need Dhamma too.” — Jack Kornfield imagining Ajahn Chah. [Ageing] [Culture/West] [Ajahn Chah]
6. Quote: “I hope you’re not afraid of suffering.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Suffering] [Fear] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Ghost] [Monastic life] [Liberation]
7. Wat Pah Pong: A place of dignity and surrender. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Wat Pah Pong ] [Dignity] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Chah] // [Cleanliness] [Conflict] [Military] [Suffering] [Respect] [Virtue] [Almsround] [Pain] [Chanting] [Monastic crafts] [Bowing]
Quote: “An island of sanity in a sea of madness.” [Three Refuges]
Quote: “Everything you do in your life in this monastery is a chance to awaken.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation] [Continuity of mindfulness]
8. Quote: “This is as cold as it gets.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Wat Tam Saeng Pet] [Culture/Natural environment] // [Almsround] [Mentoring] [Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma] [Sickness] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Humor] [Relinquishment]
9. Story: Dump your money in the river. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Conceit] [Commerce/economics] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Truth] [Ajahn Chah] [Humor] // [Compassion]
10. Story: An elderly English Buddhist asks about Buddhist psychology and Abhidhamma. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Abhidhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Similes] [Humor] [Fierce/direct teaching]
11. Story: Ajahn Chah suffers on tudong. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Suffering] [Tudong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ardency] [Meditation] [Sickness] [Patience]
12. Story: Ajahn Chah to Jack Kornfield, “Did I heal her?” Told by Jack Kornfield. [Jack Kornfield] [Sickness] [Health] [Protective chants] [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Truth]
13. Story: Ajahn Chah introduces Western monks like the Seven Dwarfs. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Humor] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah]
14. Story: “It’s like a big hospital....I hope you get well soon.” Told by Jack Kornfield. [Humor] [Ajahn Chah] // [Insight Meditation Society] [Meditation retreats] [Ardency] [Posture/Walking]
15. Quote: “He just accepted life on its own terms from this place in the center.” — Jack Kornfield. [Equanimity] [Truth] [Dignity] [Ajahn Chah] // [Present moment awareness] [Knowledge and vision] [Relinquishment]
16. Quote: “The Eightfold Path is here within us. Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, a tongue, and a body.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Eightfold Path] [Sense bases] // [Heart/mind] [Buddha] [Dhamma] [Four Noble Truths]
17. Quote: “Look at others 10% of the time and look at yourself 90%; that’s about the right measure.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Judgementalism ] [Admonishment/feedback] [Discernment] // [Idealism] [Conventions] [Heart/mind] [Vinaya]
Story: Ajahn Chah’s teacher eats sloppily. [Ajahn Chah] [Teachers] [Food] [Suffering]
18. Story: Jack Kornfield ask Ajahn Chah for permission to leave Wat Pah Pong. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Jack Kornfield] [Monastic life] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Other Theravāda traditions] [Seclusion] [Meditation] [Work] [Teachers] [Liberation]
Quote: “If I look like the Buddha to you, then you’ll still thing the Buddha is out here somewhere.” Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Buddha] [Conventions]
19. Taking the one seat—meditation teachings from Ajahn Chah.Recollected by Jack Kornfield. [Sense bases] [Impermanence] [Mindfulness] [Ajahn Chah] // [Clinging] [Liberation] [Meditation/Unusual experiences] [Direct experience]
20. He encouraged people to let go in so many different ways. Recollection by Jack Kornfield. [Relinquishment ] [Teachers] [Views] [Eightfold Path] [Ajahn Chah] // [Idle chatter] [Seclusion] [Aversion] [Ghost] [Fear] [Restlessness and worry] [Sense bases] [Direct experience] [Liberation]
Story: Sit in the middle of your anger. [Jack Kornfield] [Ajahn Chah] [Robes] [Lodging]
Story: Walk backwards in the forest in the middle of the night. [Sloth and torpor] [Ajahn Chah] [Posture/Walking] [Culture/Natural environment]
21. Quote: After listening to Jack Kornfield’s adventures, Ajahn Chah responds, “Something else to let go of, isn’t it?” Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Travel] [Culture/Other Theravāda traditions] [Relinquishment] // [Meditation retreats] [Concentration] [Abhidhamma] [Ajahn Jumnien] [Liberation] [Clinging] [Suffering]
22. What is your place of suffering? What would the Buddha be like in the face of that? Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Suffering] [Buddha] [Ajahn Chah] // [Relinquishment] [Truth] [Dignity] [Discernment] [Mindfulness of body] [Compassion] [Liberation]
23. What does not suffering mean? Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Ajahn Chah] // [Judgementalism] [Politics and society] [Discrimination] [Environment] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Human] [Buddha] [Proliferation] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “We human beings are constantly in combat, at war to escape the fact of being limited by so many circumstances that we can’t control...”” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Conflict] [Characteristics of existence]
Quote: “Doubts are natural.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Doubt] [Naturalness] [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Liberation]
Quote: “The desire mind is like children.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Desire] [Similes]
Story: “Scary ride, wasn’t it?” [Jack Kornfield] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Fear] [Ajahn Chah] [Death]
24. The compassion that came because he didn’t want anything from anybody. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Compassion] [Dispassion] [Ajahn Chah] // [Relinquishment] [Tranquility] [Teaching Dhamma]
25. Quote: “What is the Buddha?” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Buddha ] // [Three Refuges] [Knowledge and vision] [Unconditioned] [Recollection/Dhamma] [Liberation]
26. Ajahn Chah changed my life. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Jack Kornfield] [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah] // [Human] [Happiness] [Liberation]
27. Quote: “The mind, the heart, will become still in any surroundings, like a clear forest pool...” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] [Tranquility] [Similes] // [Mindfulness] [Naturalness] [Knowledge and vision] [Happiness] [Buddha]
1. Ajahn Amaro introduces Kittisaro, Ṭhānissarā, and Paul Breiter. [Kittisaro] [Ṭhānissarā] [Paul Breiter] [Ajahn Chah] // [Sutta] [Ajahn Amaro] [Recreation/leisure/sport] [Learning] [Ajahn Sumedho] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Disrobing] [Zen] [Vajrayāna]
Reference: Being Dharma by Ajahn Chah (commercial)
2. Did Ajahn Chah train Thais and Westerners differently? Reflection by Kittisaro. [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Jack Kornfield] [Teaching Dhamma] [Suffering] [Compassion]
In my contact with Ajahn Chah, he tended to be very loving and very kind. [Kittisaro] [Goodwill]
3. Story: Kittisaro’s parents visit Wat Pah Pong. Told by Kittisaro. [Kittisaro] [Parents] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/West] [Learning] [Monastic life] [Renunciation] [Fear] [Cults] [Children] [Ordination] [Compassion]
Quote: “Wanting your parents to understand is suffering.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Family] [Suffering]
Quote: “The Communists you really need to be concerned about, the ones who can really hurt you, are the ones who hide inside your own heart.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Politics and society] [Unwholesome Roots]
4. Stories: The Chipmunk Story and The Donkey Story. Told by Kittisaro. [Kittisaro] [Depression] [Humor ] [Similes] [Ajahn Chah] // [Recreation/leisure/sport] [Perfectionism] [Meditation] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Sickness] [Animal] [Learning] [Health care] [Self-identity view] [Joseph Kappel] [Compassion] [Energy] [Right Effort] [Equanimity] [Lawfulness]
1. Ajahn Chah often said that Thai people and Western people are not different. Reflection by Paul Breiter. [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West] [Ajahn Chah]
2. Story: “This is Ajahn Varapañño.” Told by Paul Breiter. [Paul Breiter] [Translation] [Ajahn Chah] // [Meditation] [Ardency] [Monastic life] [Humor] [Goodwill]
3. Quote: “You’ve been studying your whole lives, and what good has it done you?” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Paul Breiter. [Culture/West] [Learning] [Ajahn Chah]
4. Recollection: “What’s the hurry to become a monk?” Recounted by Paul Breiter. [Sequence of training] [Ordination] [Paul Breiter] [Pace of life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Novices]
5. Story: Vegetarian food at Wat Pah Pong. Told by Paul Breiter. [Vegetarianism] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand]
6. Story: Paul Breiter’s parents visit Wat Pah Pong. Told by Paul Breiter. [Paul Breiter] [Family] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Sloth and torpor] [Fierce/direct teaching]
7. Stories on almsround with Ajahn Chah. Told by Paul Breiter. [Almsround] [Paul Breiter] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “Good morning, Mr. Dum.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Language]
Quote: “I’m going to disrobe. I want you to find me a nice girl.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sinuan] [Respect for elders] [Wat Pah Pong] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Humor] [Unwholesome Roots]
8. Reflection by Paul Breiter: Ajahn Chah was unique in his way of taking care of people. [Compassion] [Monastic life] [Mentoring] [Ajahn Chah]
1. How much Ajahn Chah affected our lives. Reflection by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/West]
2. I was the first Westerner, so he gave me an enormous amout of attention for the first two or three years. Reflection by Ajahn Sumedho. [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Mentoring] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Mahā Amorn] [Other Thai Forest teachers] [Pāṭimokkha] [Conceit] [Paul Breiter] [Truth] [Compassion] [Humor]
Story: Venerable Varapañño chants the Pāṭimokkha better than Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah] [Competitiveness] [Jealousy]
Note: The story that Ajahn Sumedho didn’t tell is probably told in Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 189.
4. When I first went there, the town monks were very critical of Ajahn Chah. Reflection by Ajahn Sumedho. [Forest versus city monks] [Wat Pah Pong] [Aversion] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Rains retreat] [Asking forgiveness ceremony] [Jealousy] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Thai sects] [Ajahn Mun]
5. Story: Ajahn Chah orders Ajahn Sumedho to stay in England for five years. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Ajahn Chah] // [Determination]
Story: The Kaṭhina that Ajahn Sumedho didn’t want to attend. [Kaṭhina] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Harsh speech]
6. Comment: Ajahn Chah is now mutually admired by both sects. [Thai sects] [Respect] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah] // [Funerals] [Perception of a samaṇa]
7. Qualities of Ajahn Chah’s speech. Reflection by Ajahn Sumedho. [Right Speech] [Ajahn Chah] // [Malicious speech] [Thai sects] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Trust] [Humor] [Goodwill] [Present moment awareness]
8. Quote: “Luang Por Chah always allowed margins for differences and for practice.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Conventions] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Western Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Attachment to precepts and practices]
1. “Why was Ajahn Chah not allowed to ordain monks and ostracized?” Answered by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] // [History/Thai Buddhism] [Monastic titles] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Saṅgha]
2. “Why did Ajahn Chah found Wat Pah Pong? [Inaudible question removed]” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Wat Pah Pong ] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Ajahn Chah] // [Tudong] [Teaching Dhamma] [Personal presence] [Seclusion] [Compassion] [Family] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
Story: The first Rains Retreat with Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Rains retreat] [Devotion to wakefulness]
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]
4. Story: A hit man hired to kill Ajahn Chah ordains instead. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Crime] [Killing] [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Older monks]
1. Quote: “Don’t you say that so lightly–old age, sickness, and death.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness] [Ageing ] [Death] // [Health care]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah visits Seattle. Told by Joseph Kappel. [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel] [Family] [Paul Breiter]
Story: Venerable Pabakkaro’s grandmother hugs him at the airport. [Monastic life] [Vinaya] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Ajahn Chah visits Mount Ranier. [Ajahn Chah] [Culture/Natural environment]
3. Ajahn Chah’s illness: his last teaching. Reflection by Paul Breiter. [Sickness] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Paul Breiter] [Health care] [Grief] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Respect for elders] [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Upatakh] [Almsfood] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
4. Story: Ajahn Anando tries to heal Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Anando] [Health care] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Sickness] [Fierce/direct teaching]
5. Quote: “If I’ve developed any wisdom, it’s because I had such gigantic defilements.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Chah] [Discernment] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Hindrances ] [Restlessness and worry] [Aversion] [Doubt] [Sensual desire]
6. Story: Ajahn Chah vows not to look at a woman for the duration of the Rains Retreat. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Determination] [Sensual desire ] [Sense restraint] [Rains retreat] [Ajahn Chah] // [Discernment]
7. Story: Ajahn Chah hallucinates female sexual organs for ten days. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Sensual desire] [Mental illness] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Kinaree] [Posture/Walking] [Determination] [Patience] [Rebirth]
8. Story: When asked about the potential for sacred sexuality, Ajahn Chah picks his nose. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Sensual desire] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Ajahn Chah] // [Insight Meditation Society]
Quote: “There’s nothing more to it than that except what your mind adds to it.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Proliferation]
9. Story: Ajahn Chah expresses appreciation for a Christian abbot. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Christianity] [Monastic life] [Abbot] [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah]
10. Story: “Close the doors. Today I’m eating noodles!” Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Food] [Sensual desire] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ardency] [Unwholesome Roots]
11. Story: Ṭhānissarā visits Ajahn Chah in Thailand, meets Mae Chee Kumfah, then stays at Chithurst. Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Ṭhānissarā] [Mae Chee Kumfah] [Chithurst] [Ajahn Chah] // [Travel] [Fear] [Meditation] [Mae Chee] [Wat Pah Pong]
12. Story: Ajahn Sumedho brings a group of Western women to meet Mae Chee Kumfah, only to discover she has converted to Christianity. Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Ṭhānissarā] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Mae Chee Kumfah] [Christianity] [Ajahn Chah] // [Impermanence] [Suffering]
Quote: “Maybe she’s right.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching]
13. Story: Ṭhānissarā visits Ajahn Chah’s hut outside of Oxford. Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Ṭhānissarā] [Conventions] [Lodging] [Ajahn Chah] // [Kamma] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Humor] [Goodwill] [Not-self] [Teaching Dhamma]
1. Story: My experiences with Ajahn Chah. Told by Nan Meister. [Gratitude] [Faith] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Liem] [Suffering] [Commerce/economics] [Spiritual urgency] [Joseph Kappel] [Bowing] [Wat Pah Pong] [Mae Chee Kumfah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Mae Chee] [Ghost] [Conceit] [Fierce/direct teaching]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah’s trip to Mount Ranier. Told by Gail Kappel. [Ajahn Chah] // [Recreation/leisure/sport] [Humor]
Quote: “The sawdust of water.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]
3. Story: Ajahn Chah’s presence. Told by Gail Kappel. [Personal presence] [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel]
4. Story: Ajahn Chah asks for forgiveness. Told by Gail Kappel. [Asking forgiveness ceremony] [Ceremony/ritual] [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel] [Humility]
Quote: “If you cry a little bit, it’s good. If you cry a lot, you’re a fool.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Suffering]
5. Reflections by Ajahn Sundarā about the Ajahn Chah Conference. [Gratitude] [Faith] [Ajahn Chah] // [Stories]
7. Story: Paul Breiter expounds the spiritual potential of hospice work. In response, Ajahn Chah presses his cane into Paul’s chest. Told by Joseph Kappel. [Paul Breiter] [Health care] [Death] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel]
8. Quote: “You’re strong. Now you need to make your heart as strong as your body.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Joseph Kappel. [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] // [Joseph Kappel] [Humility] [Family] [Culture/Natural environment]
1. Ajahn Amaro introduces Jospeh Kappel and Ajahn Pasanno. [Joseph Kappel] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Health care] [Funerals]
2. Story: Venerable Pabakkaro (Joseph Kappel) spends time in solitude. Told by Joseph Kappel. [Joseph Kappel] [Seclusion] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Sumedho]
3. Story: Ajahn Chah’s failing heath and Rains Retreat at Tam Saeng Pet. Told by Joseph Kappel. [Sickness] [Health care] [Rains retreat] [Wat Tam Saeng Pet] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Lodging] [Seclusion] [Generosity] [Joseph Kappel]
Story: “Pabakkaro, make me a Communist.” [Ajahn Chah] [Culture/Natural environment] [Medicinal requisites] [Contentment] [Sensual desire]
Story: Venerable Pabakkaro attends to Ajahn Chah. [Upatakh] [Ajahn Chah] [Humility]
Story: Ajahn Chah visits the branch monasteries for the last time. [Ajahn Chah] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Vinaya] [Saṅgha]
4. Story: Ajahn Chah goes to Bangkok for treatment and an operation. Told by Joseph Kappel. [Sickness] [Health care] [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel] [Medicinal requisites] [Generosity] [Saṅgha decision making] [Lodging]
Story: Ajahn Chah’s last word. [Ajahn Chah] [Language]
5. Caring for Ajahn Chah. Reflection by Joseph Kappel. [Sickness] [Health care] [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel] [Compassion] [Gratitude]
Quote: “It helped the community prepare for his death and offer gratitude.” [Ajahn Chah] [Saṅgha] [Death] [Generosity]
6. Quote: “Ajahn Chah was a terrible patient.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Health care] [Sickness] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “Don’t doctors die also?” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Death]
7. Story: Mute, wheelchair-bound Ajahn Chah meets a mother and her young son. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Children] [Bowing] [Compassion] [Ajahn Chah] // [Health care] [Joseph Kappel] [Ajahn Pasanno]
8. Ajahn Chah’s time of illness was a gift to the Saṅgha. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Generosity] [Saṅgha ] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Bodhisattva] [Renunciation] [Communal harmony] [Saṅgha decision making]
Ajahn Chah’s emphasis on Saṅgha was unique. [Ajahn Chah ] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Teachers] [Conflict] [Personal presence] [Three Refuges]
Quote: “People in the world are attached to status. People in the religion are attached to their views.” — Thai saying. [Monastic life] [Views]
9. The sea of faith: Ajahn Chah’s funeral. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Faith] [Funerals] [Ajahn Chah] // [Meditation] [Chanting] [Almsfood]
10. Surrender, dignity, honesty: Qualites of Ajahn Chah. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relinquishment] [Dignity] [Truth] [Ajahn Chah] // [Saṅgha] [Funerals]
11. Presence and emptiness. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Gratitude] [Emptiness] [Ajahn Chah]
12. Quote: “You’re living of the karma of the Buddha.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Almsround] [Kamma] [Buddha] [Jack Kornfield] // [Liberation] [Compassion] [Culture/Thailand] [Gratitude] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah lineage]
1. Reflection by Ajahn Sumedho: The effect of one human being. [Human] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Kamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Liberation] [Conventions] [Vinaya] [Compassion] [Happiness] [Emptiness] [Not-self]
2. Reflection by Ajahn Sumedho: The unexpected value of traditional Buddhist forms. [Conventions] [Culture/West] [Theravāda] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Chah] // [Zen] [History/Thai Buddhism] [History/Other Theravāda traditions]
3. Reflection by Ajahn Sumedho: The convention is like a skeleton, but the life comes through the individuals. [Conventions] [Vinaya] [Theravāda] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Judgementalism] [Compassion] [Goodwill] [Teachers] [Liberation] [Personality] [Ardency] [Continuity of mindfulness]
5. Story: Wat Pah Pong monks develop malnutrition when Ajahn Chah goes away for several months. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Wat Pah Pong] [Almsfood] [Sickness] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Ajahn Chah] // [Mae Chee] [Food] [Almsround] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Liem] [Fierce/direct teaching]
6. Recollection: The June 2000 Saṅgha Meeting concludes in harmony. Recounted by Ajahn Sumedho. [Wat Pah Pong] [Saṅgha] [Saṅgha decision making] [Communal harmony] [Ajahn Chah] // [Views] [Harsh speech] [Asking forgiveness ceremony] [Three Refuges] [Culture/West]
Quote: “Luang Por Chah wasn’t giving us views and opinions....[He gave] us all a confidence in the unspoken unity of our humanity.” [Ajahn Chah] [Faith] [Human]
7. Quote: “Luang Por Chah was always pointing us beyond the limitations of ourself.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Self-identity view] [Liberation] [Not-self] [Ajahn Chah]
3. Chanting: Paying respects to the shrine and Ajahn Chah. Offered by Ajahn Amaro. [Chanting] [Bowing] [Three Refuges] [Ajahn Chah]
3. The commentaries contast the Five Hindrances with the five factors of first jhāna. Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Hindrances] [Jhāna] // [Directed thought and evaluation] [Sloth and torpor] [Doubt] [Rapture] [Ill-will] [Happiness] [Restlessness and worry] [Unification] [Sensual desire]
Story: Ajahn Boon Choo dispels sloth and torpor. [Ajahn Boon Choo] [Devotion to wakefulness]
Quote: “Sensual desire is like looking for the turtle with the mustache.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Similes]
Meditation instruction: Breathing with the five factors of first jhāna. [Mindfulness of breathing]
1. Meditation instruction: Be present with the physical experience of the breath. Bring a sense of ease into the body. Ground awareness in the body. Offered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of body]
Quote: Keeping the breath in mind is like getting the spoon into the mouth and the mouth onto the spoon. — Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo. [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo] [Similes]
Story: “The body understands!” [Direct experience] [Zen] [Koan] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Body and mind are not separate things. [Form] [Heart/mind] [Aggregates ] [Dependent origination] [Consciousness]
Water similes for the mind with and without hindrances. (SN 46.55) [Hindrances] [Sensual desire] [Ill-will] [Sloth and torpor] [Restlessness and worry] [Doubt]
Sutta: DN 2.98: “These are shoals of fish...”
Quote: “You can get a lot of wisdom from walking meditation.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Posture/Walking] [Discernment]
1. Quote: “One who is lost in the world is lost in their moods. One who is lost in their moods is lost in the world.” Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Moods of the mind] [Mindfulness of mind]
7. Quote: “Ajahn Chah was larger than life, but he’s been dead for over 10 years now.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Recollection/Death] [Dispassion] // [Naturalness]
1. Recollection: Total relinquishment was a characteristic of Ajahn Chah’s practice. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Relinquishment ] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dhamma]
2. Quote: “A moment of lack of mindfulness is a moment of derangement.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Mindfulness]
2. “Can you speak a little about samatha/vipassana and explain the difference between serenity and equanimity?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation] [Equanimity] // [Commentaries] [Ajahn Chah] [Relinquishment] [Liberation] [Concentration] [Divine Abidings] [Factors of Awakening] [Discernment]
Quote: “Samatha-vipassanā is like a green mango and a ripe mango. Same mango.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Similes]
3. “Could you please explain about the death process…how quickly does rebirth occur?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death ] [Rebirth] // [Recollection/Death] [Delusion] [Self-identity view] [Recollection] [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Theravāda] [History/Early Buddhism] [Sutta] [Vajrayāna] [Clinging] [Culture/Thailand] [Chanting] [Goodwill] [Relinquishment] [Ceremony/ritual] [Kamma]
References: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 55: Five Recollections; Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 12: The body is impermanent... [Similes] [Craving]
Simile: Fire blown by the wind (MN 72: Aggivacchagotta Sutta)
Story: A former monk asks Ajahn Chah about working with dying people to give them the opportunity for wholesome rebirth. [Ajahn Chah] [Teachers] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Quote: “I practice dying.” — The Dalai Lama. [Dalai Lama]