Part of tag cluster Monastic life in key topic Monastic Life
35 excerpts, 2:51:00 total duration
“Could you describe the progression of anagārikaand sāmaṇera training?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training ] [Postulants] [Novices] [Abhayagiri] // [Eight Precepts] [Not handling money] [Ordination ] [Saṅgha decision making] [Dependence] [Ajahn Chah monasteries]
2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6, Excerpt 6
“What are guidelines you might advise monks as to where to go for their third or fifth Vassa?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Sequence of training ] [Long-term practice] // [Culture/Thailand]
The Teaching and the Training (2018), Session 10, Excerpt 11
2. Story: How I met Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Types of monks] [Wat Pah Pong] [Seclusion]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to be here for five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Sequence of training]
3. You weren’t there to prepare for something else. Reflection by Paul Breiter. [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Sequence of training] [Everyday life] [Disrobing] [Kamma] [Monastic life] [Ascetic practices] [Suffering] [Happiness] [Saṃsāra]
Quote: “Talk about the benefits of lay life....on paper you can make a good case for it. In practice it’s a constant challenge just to keep your head above water and remember how you’re supposed to deal with things. I urge people in robes to stay there.” [Lay life] [Right Action]
Quote: “Ajahn Pasanno doesn’t want me sending everyone to ordain with him, but I think you do better following his way than my way.” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Paul Breiter]
3. Story: Ajahn Sundarā stays with a nun who lived at Wat Pah Pong with Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Sundarā. [Ajahn Sundarā] [Mae Chee ] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: The first nun at Wat Pah Pong. [Artistic expression] [Determination] [Sequence of training] [Eight Precepts]
Story: The Wat Pah Pong nuns go pindapat. [Almsround]
Quote: “Does anyone find having nuns around difficult?” – “Yes.” – “Well, you can go then.” — Ajahn Chah. [Pāṭimokkha] [Women in Buddhism]
Story: A woman brings only enough food for the monks, so Ajahn Chah asks the nuns to chant the blessing. [Generosity] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Chanting] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Note: Stillness Flowing Chapter 9 contains more information about the Wat Pah Pong mae chees at the time of Ajahn Chah.
2. “Did Ajahn Chah pass his teaching style to you or do you use your own separate style?” Answered by Ajahn Sumedho and Paul Breiter. [Personality] [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho, first abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Abbot] [Wat Pah Nanachat ] [Sequence of training] [Culture/West] [Joseph Kappel] [Aversion] [Suffering] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Humor]
Quote: “The special thing about Luang Por Chah was that he was at ease and completely himself.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Contentment]
Response by Paul Breiter: “The elements are there, but different teachers are expressing them in a living way.”
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]
4. “If one were to become a monastic at Abhayagiri, how would one go about it? What are the day-to-day activities of a monk? What do I need to know and consider before making such a commitment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] [Monastic routine] // [Sequence of training] [Saṅgha decision making] [Mentoring] [Robes]
10. “Would you share some of your personal journey, including the time before you became a monk, and why you became a monk, and how the holy life can help people grow and change?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Monastic life] [Long-term practice ] // [Culture/West] [Travel] [Culture/Thailand]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno begins meditation with a month-long Mahasi Sayadaw retreat. [Meditation retreats] [Mahasi Sayadaw] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s first visit to Wat Pah Pong. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Sequence of training]
Reflection: “Five years is five years. I’ll go back and give myself to Ajahn Chah.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Relinquishment] [Mentoring]
Quote: “There’s no such thing as the ideal monastic or the ideal practitioner.” [Idealism] [Lay life] [Faith] [Disrobing] [Suffering] [Energy] [Patience]
15. “How many people are currently on the Abhayagiri monastic waiting list? How long do they usually wait?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhayagiri] // [Sequence of training]
1. Recollection: My connection with Ajahn Chah. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Sequence of training]
Jack Kornfield arrives with a large picture of Ajahn Chah. [Jack Kornfield]
Story: The needlepoint Ajahn Chah portrait at Abhayagiri. [Abhayagiri] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Devotional practice]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah lets a restless junior monk go tudong in the hot season. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Restlessness and worry] [Sequence of training] [Culture/Natural environment] [Tudong]
2. “What is the function of a layperson who accompanies a monk on tudong?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Lay life] [Tudong] // [Sequence of training] [Abhayagiri] [Eight Precepts] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “People who ordain quickly disrobe quickly.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ordination] [Disrobing]
Story: Founding of Pacific Hermitage. [Pacific Hermitage] [Almsround] [Almsfood]
11. “I’m curious about your pre-monastic life and specifically what led you to the monastic life.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Temporary ordination] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training]
6. “Was the tradition of a monk going to another monastery in their third rains happening in Ajahn Chah’s time?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Ajahn Chah]
6. “Did Ajahn Piak and Ajahn Anan leave Wat Pah Pong together to found Wat Fah Krahm?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Piak] [Ajahn Anan] [Wat Pah Pong] [Wat Fah Krahm] // [Ajahn Dtun] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Sequence of training]
8. Comment: Ajahn Chah probably wasn’t a micro manager. [Ajahn Chah] [Abbot]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Recollection: Ajahn Chah used the branch monasteries as part of the training of senior monks. [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Sequence of training]
10. “So they do temporary ordinations in Thailand?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Thailand] [Temporary ordination] [Novices]
Follow-up: “What would be the duration, was there a range?” [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Ajahn Chah ordains 80 temporary monks for his mother’s funeral. [Parents] [Death] [Funerals]
Follow-up: “Did they come in as anāgārikas or sāmaṇeras?” [Sequence of training] [Postulants]
Story: Ajahn Chah takes on temporary ordinations for three years.
13. “How many other traditions in Thailand use the model of anagārika for one year and sāmaṇera for one year?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training] // [Ajahn Sanong] [Media]
1. “When you were living with Ajahn Chah, were many of his talks more related to the Korwat or practical matters, as opposed to the High Dhamma?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Teaching Dhamma] [Protocols] [Dhamma]
Quote: “There’s not really a separation.” [Vinaya ]
Comment: Ajahn Chah taught to the situation. Contributed by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Learning] [Sequence of training]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Cessation of Suffering] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]
12. “What is the ordination process of someone who wants to become a monk?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training] [Ordination] // [Abhayagiri] [Saṅgha] [Saṅgha decision making]
Follow-up: “Is the decision to ordain a novice by democratic vote?” [Sequence of training] [Vinaya] [History/Early Buddhism]
Follow-up: “What happens after five years?” [Sequence of training]
13. “How often does the community reject someone who wants to go forth?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training] [Abhayagiri] [Saṅgha] [Saṅgha decision making] // [Vinaya]
14. “May I ask for your secret? [Why is Abhayagiri monastic training so often successful?]” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training] [Abhayagiri] [Monastic life] // [Theravāda] [Simplicity] [Vinaya] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah] [Middle Path] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Right Effort] [Compassion]
1. Story: Ajahn Chah tells a restless junior monk to go tudong around the monastery. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Restlessness and worry] [Sequence of training] [Tudong]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah lets a restless junior Western monk go tudong in the hot season with strict conditions. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Restlessness and worry] [Sequence of training] [Tudong]
7. “Can you tell us your story of when you decided to become a monk?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno ] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Learning] [Travel] [Culture/Thailand] [Meditation] [Mahasi Sayadaw] [Temporary ordination] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Wat Pah Pong] [Sequence of training] [Determination]
6. “Could you describe the progression of anagārikaand sāmaṇera training?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training ] [Postulants] [Novices] [Abhayagiri] // [Eight Precepts] [Not handling money] [Ordination ] [Saṅgha decision making] [Dependence] [Ajahn Chah monasteries]
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]
16. “Are there monastics who wander around the world without any home base or destination?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Tudong ] // [Ajahn Sucitto] [Sequence of training] [Rains retreat] [Abhayagiri] [Requisites] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Almsround] [Culture/West] [Almsfood] [Not handling money] [Generosity]
11. “What are guidelines you might advise monks as to where to go for their third or fifth Vassa?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Sequence of training ] [Long-term practice] // [Culture/Thailand]
5. “Are there criteria you need to fulfill before the Saṅga will let you form your own monastery?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Saṅgha decision making] [Sequence of training] [Monasteries] [Ajahn Chah] // [History/Thai Buddhism] [Teaching Dhamma]
Quote: “You don’t have to worry about that, Dad. Thai Buddhism isn’t organized.” — Ajahn Siripañño. [Culture/Thailand]
1. “You have so much community-building experience. Can you talk about what you have found challenging or effective in this? How did Ajahn Chah build community?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Saṅgha] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Virtue] [Trust] [Communal harmony] [Compassion] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Recollection/Saṅgha] [Sequence of training] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abhayagiri] [Eightfold Path] [Learning]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambiya Sutta [Principles of Cordiality] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Right View]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno pays respects to Ajahn Chah: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” [Sequence of training]
Quote: “The whole path of the Buddha is a path of learning, of education.”
1. Story: Anagārika Lief requests to become a novice. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Postulants] [Abhayagiri] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Sequence of training] [Lunar observance days] [Ajahn Amaro]
2. Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno advices Ajahn Sudanto to stay in Thailand for his navaka training. Recounted by Ajahn Sudanto. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Sequence of training] [Abhayagiri]
12. Reflection by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: The purpose of monastic facilities. [Lodging ] [Monastic life] // [Human] [Idealism] [Culture/Natural environment] [Sequence of training] [Rains retreat]
14. Reflections by Ajahn Cunda on my early training. [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Monastic life]
Quote: “Don’t worry. The first 20 years are the hardest.” — Ajahn Amaro. [Sequence of training] [Suffering]
6. “You mentioned that often Ajahn Chah pushed his students through their suffering in order to help them let go. Can you share specific examples of this happening?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma] [Relinquishment]
Story: A restless ex-monk asks to reordain. Ajahn Chah says he will keep him as an anagārika for seven years. [Restlessness and worry] [Postulants] [Sequence of training]
Story: After one year, the restless monk asks to go tudong. [Tudong]