18 excerpts, 1:24:04 total duration
9. Story: Ajahn Chah visits the Chithurst community and asks, “Is the community getting on well?” – “Yes.” – “Well there’s not going to be much wisdom here then, is there?” Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Chithurst] [Saṅgha] [Communal harmony] [Discernment] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Sumedho]
1. The vicar Christopher Boxley is still an avid supporter of Chithurst. Comment by Ajahn Amaro. [Christianity] [Chithurst] // [Ajahn Sucitto]
2. “I noticed a monk cutting a tree [in The Buddha Comes to Sussex]. Isn’t that against the Pāṭimokkha?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Pāṭimokkha] [Vinaya] [Chithurst]
3. “How is the relationship between Chithurst Monastery and the local community now? What about other branch monasteries?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Community] [Western Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Chithurst] // [Conflict] [Vinaya] [Almsround] [Goodwill] [Tudong]
4. Stories about the people who criticized Chithurst Monastery in the early days. Told by Joseph Kappel and Ajahn Amaro. [Conflict] [Chithurst] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Anando] [Culture/West] [Communal harmony]
5. “What about the relationship with the evangelical [in The Buddha Comes to Sussex]?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Christianity] [Chithurst]
6. “How many nuns are in the [community]?” Answered by Ajahn Sundarā. [Sīladharā] [Chithurst]
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]
1. Simile: The mind that does not allow cessation is like the derelict Chithurst House stuffed with junk. — Ajahn Pasanno. [Chithurst] [Cessation] [Similes]
7. Quote: “How do I get me some of that non-grasping stuff?” — Ajahn Sucitto. Quoted by Beth Steff. [Ajahn Sucitto] [Clinging] [Self-identity view] [Humor]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Story: “Do I look macho?” Told by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Chithurst] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo]
1. “During the development of Abhayagiri over the years, has there been a shift in how strictly some practices, activities are followed?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Debbie Stamp. [Amaravati] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ascetic practices] [Culture/West] [Divine Abidings] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Chah] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Work] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Admonishment/feedback] [Protocols] [Ajahn Amaro] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy]
Story: Can we ask for soymilk? [Food] [Simplicity]
Recollection: The effects of the gap in seniority between Ajahn Amaro and (then) Tan Karuṇadhammo. [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Sequence of training]
Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno is lighter and softer now. Recounted by Debbie Stamp. [Personal presence]
Recollection: The gung-ho early days of Chithurst and Amaravati. Recounted by Debbie Stamp. [Chithurst] [Disrobing]
Recollection: The beginning of sharing circles. Recounted by Debbie Stamp. [Sharing circles] [Culture/Thailand]
1. Story: A life-changing Dhamma talk. Told by Debbie Stamp. [Hearing the true Dhamma] // [Amaravati] [Chithurst] [Generosity] [Gratitude]
3. Story: Ajahn Amaro hears of Master Hsuan Hua through Ajahn Sumedho. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Amaro] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Ajahn Sumedho] // [Chithurst] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas]
Quote: “I always thought I would never meet anyone else like Luang Por Chah, but I just met another one.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah]
3. “Two questions: 1) What strengths do you see in other Buddhist traditions and Western culture that our tradition could benefit from? 2) How have you decided which aspects of korwat (protocols) from Thailand to adjust and which to maintain?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mahāyāna] [Vajrayāna] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Monastic life] [Vinaya] [Protocols] // [Abhayagiri] [Women in Buddhism] [Robes] [Cultural context] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas] [Dōgen] [Zen] [Ajahn Sumedho] [History/Western Buddhism] [Simplicity] [Christianity] [Renunciation] [Eight Precepts] [Not handling money] [Chithurst] [Ajahn Amaro] [Communal harmony]
Quote: “There are so many good things to do that you could be running around the country doing good things. I’d rather focus my attention here.” [Pace of life]
Quote: “There’s no reason to fit into American culture.”
Story: The monastic jacket is vindicated in England. [Chithurst] [Culture/Natural environment] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]
Quote: “As Buddhist monastics and Buddhist practitioners, we’re trying to set conditions that give us the opportunity for learning.” [Lay life] [Learning]
2. Story: Ajahn Pasanno offers to help Ajahn Amaro with the California monastery project. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Abhayagiri] // [Chithurst] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Saṅgha decision making]