God
Nature of the cosmos / Other beings / God 
10 excerpts, 44:22 total duration



Brightening the Mind, Session 2 – Aug. 19, 2012

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6. “Are angels devas...[audio unclear]?” Answered by Ajahn Yatiko. [Christianity] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas] // [God] [Delusion]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 2 – Nov. 22, 2015

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6. “Can you address dependent origination and causation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dependent origination] [Conditionality ] // [Impermanence] [God] [Cessation]

Sutta: Ud 1.3: “When this is, that is...”

Quote: “All you really need to know is that it’s going to hurt when you hit the bottom.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]


Western Disciples of the Thai Forest Tradition, Session 20 – Jan. 30, 2016

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1. “At what point does it become unskillful to continue to reflect on one’s own good deeds?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Beth Steff. [Recollection/Virtue] [Unskillful qualities] // [Self-identity view] [Right Effort] [Recollection/Generosity] [Culture/West] [Christianity] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy]

Quote: “In Buddhism, we don’t believe in original sin. We believe in original purity.” — King Rama IX to a BBC interviewer. [King Rama IX] [Nature of mind]

Reference: The 1979 BBC interview on YouTube.

Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 104: Forty subjects of meditation.

Story: Western researchers find Tibetans who have been tortured don’t suffer post-traumatic stress. [Abuse/violence] [Vajrayāna] [Three Refuges] [Compassion]

Story: God’s finger over the “Smite” button. [God] [The Far Side]

Comment by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: The Dalai Lama emphasizes the effect of faith in the law of kamma. [Dalai Lama] [Kamma] [Faith]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right View]


Readings from The Island, Session 40 – Mar. 8, 2025

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6. “You mentioned [existentialism/eternalism] and nihilism as familiar Western philosophical ideas. I understand that Buddhism’s approach is not one or the other. How do other Western philosophical ideas like solipsism or materialism sit?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Philosophy ] [Middle Path] // [God] [Humor] [Views] [Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma]

Sutta: SN 22.86: “I teach suffering and the end of suffering.”

Comment: Philosophy usually tries to create a philosophy from which you pull down how to live your life, but the Buddha is the other way around.

Sutta: DN 1: Sixty-two wrong views.