57 excerpts, 3:35:08 total duration
2. “Which suttas describe path and fruit?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Stages of awakening] [Sutta]
Sutta: MN 70: Kīṭāgiri Sutta
3. “In the suttas, if you recognize a defilement like ill-will, you need to do something about it. How can we reconcile this with the Ajahn Chah teaching you just read (‘Receiving Visitors’ in In Simple Terms)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Right Effort] [Ajahn Chah] [Tranquility] [Proliferation] // [Discernment]
Quote: “Practice is really easy. If the defilements come at you high, you duck, and if they come at you low, you jump over them.” — Ajahn Tongrat [Ajahn Tongrat] [Unwholesome Roots]
1. “Is body scan as a meditation practice done in the Ajahn Chah tradition? Is there a sutta where the Buddha talks about it?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Body scanning] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Sutta]
3. “If one has read the Majjhima Nikaya, what text of the Pali canon do you recommend reading next?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Learning] [Sutta] [Tipiṭaka]
1. “Can you reflect upon Ajahn Lee’s positive approach to the nutriments?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo] [Nutriment] [Sutta]
4. “How do you balance Ajahn Chah’s instruction to put away the books with the desire to study and understand the teachings?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Learning] [Sutta] [Study monks] // [Culture/West] [Faith] [Doubt]
15. Discussion about faith followers and Dhamma followers. [Stream entry] [Stages of awakening] [Death] [Sutta]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Not-self] [Concentration] [Recollection/Death]
Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, pp. 441-445: Ajahn Chah comes down Pu Pek Mountain and nothing is the same. [Ajahn Chah]
Response by Ajahn Cunda. [Ajahn Amaro]
19. “Was Pali ever a conversational language? Do you know of a translation of suttas that use more common, everyday words? For example, saying…letting go or releasing instead of relinquishing. I like to use simple words in the day to remind myself.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pāli] [History/Early Buddhism] [Sutta] [Translation] [Language]
Note: Bhante Sujato’s translations (available on suttacentral.net) use less technical terms.
1. Comment by Ajahn Pasanno: Explanation of ambiguous Aṅguttara Nikāya numbering. [Sutta] // [Bhikkhu Bodhi] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro]
1. Comments by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo contrasting the cannonical and commentarial approaches to breath meditation. [Sutta] [Commentaries] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Pa Auk Sayadaw] [Culture/Sri Lanka] [Culture/Thailand] [Pāli] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Sutta: MN 44 identifies in-and-out breathing as the bodily fabrication/conditioner (saṅkhāra).
3. “What is the significance of sitting to one side of the Buddha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Debbie Stamp. [Sutta] [Buddha] [Posture/Sitting] // [Respect] [Cultural context] [Robes]
3. “Are any of the lists in this sutta (MN 95) explained in other suttas?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Sutta] // [Bhikkhu Bodhi]
Reference: P.A. Payutto’s Dictionary of Numerical Dhammas (in Thai). [P. A. Payutto] [Tipiṭaka] [Pāli]
Explanation of volume and page numbers in the Pāli Tipitika. [Sutta]
Comment by Debbie Stamp: Similar listings often refer to the gradual training. [Gradual Teaching]
Sutta: MN 107: Gaṇakamoggallāna Sutta.
Sutta: MN 47: Vīmaṃsaka Sutta.
1. “What are the commentaries? How do they know stuff that isn’t in the suttas?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Commentaries] [Sutta] [History/Early Buddhism] // [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism] [Culture/Thailand] [Direct experience]
5. “Are there any suttas in the Majjhima Nikaya that you recommend that lay people study?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Learning ]
[Session] Reference: “Befriending the Suttas” at accesstoinsight.org.
1. “You mentioned suttas about meditation and practical life issues. Are there any other general categories of suttas?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Human]
2. “How do these particular teachings (AN 5.48: Situations) fit with kamma?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Kamma] [Sickness] [Sutta] [Human] // [Lawfulness] [Characteristics of existence]
3. Comment: I appreciate that AN 5.48 includes devas and Māra. [Deva] [Māra] [Realms of existence] [Sutta] [Human]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
5. “In this sutta (AN 5.48), there’s the assumption that everyone has enemies. It’s making me a little paranoid.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fear] [Sutta] [Human] // [Judgementalism]
8. Comment: Michael Olds translates sutta as ‘magical spell.’ The format, repetition, and structure of the suttas has a certain potency. When I read the suttas after meditating, it’s completely different. [Sutta] [Psychic powers] [Meditation]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddha] [Teaching Dhamma]
1. “I am guessing that accountant had little chance of finding his way to Nibbana - unless he ordained? Do you know if he did?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta]
Sutta: MN 107: Gaṇakamoggallāna Sutta
1. “Thank you for additional information on the Sound of Silence. I’ve known of the Sound of Silence, but not that there was any formal or structured practice around it. I’m wondering if Ajahn Chah or his predecessors did any teachings on this or if there are suttas related to it.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sound of silence] [Ajahn Chah] [Sutta]
2. “What are the suttas related to the list of virtuous qualities that Ajahn Karunadhammo spoke of so eloquently in his dhamma talk?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta]
4. “Where is the middle way taught in the suttas? and how might that help some of us who consider extensive sitting practice an ascetic practice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Middle Path ] [Sutta] // [Virtue] [Concentration] [Discernment] [Right View] [Cessation of Suffering] [Knowledge and vision] [Eightfold Path] [Etymology]
Sutta: SN 22.22: Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (Chanting Book translation).
Quote: “It’s not a middle way that is a compromise where you can cut ot the hard bits and split the difference so you feel good about it.”
9. “When the suttas describe a practitioner as “having gone beyond doubt,” (e.g. DN 3) what do they mean?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Doubt] [Sutta] // [Four Noble Truths] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: An Ajahn Chah monk accused of a heavy offense. [Vinaya]
4. “Do you remember the sutta that compares people’s behaivor to a puddle?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Similes] // [Ill-will]
Sutta: AN 5.162 Removing Resentment
3. “In Thailand, is the only way to study the suttas to go to a study monastery?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Thailand] [Sutta] [Learning] // [History/Thai Buddhism] [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Ajahn Mun]
4. Comment: We’re blessed to have study guides in English to learn the basics of Pāli and then go straight to the suttas. [Culture/West] [Pāli] [Sutta] [Learning]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Chao Khun Upāli] [Ajahn Mun]
5. “How do we use sutta study in our practice and what are the pitfalls?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Views] [Learning ] // [Non-contention] [Self-identity view] [Culture/India] [Relinquishment]
Sutta: MN 18
2. Story: The Buddha asks a monk to recite the Aṭṭhakavagga (Snp Chapter 4) (Ud 5.6). Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddha/Biography] [Monastic life] [Sutta] [Chanting]
5. “Is there a sutta about preferring the [forest] to the village, and then the bare earth, becoming more and more simple?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Seclusion] [Simplicity] // [Emptiness] [Elements] [Relinquishment] [Generosity] [Goodwill]
Sutta: MN 121: The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness
3. “You mentioned the example of the monk who wanted to commit suicide and then he remembered his virtue and that uplifted him. In the Saṃyutta Nikaya there are a few instances where monks committeed suicide, but the Buddha said they attained Nibbāna (SN 22.87 Vakkali; SN 35.87 Channa). How is that possible?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Monastic life] [Suicide] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] [Recollection] [Nibbāna] // [Jhāna] [Māra] [Saṃsāra] [Delusion]
2. “What is the origin of asking a question three times?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions] [Teaching Dhamma] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: AN 4.42: Questions
3. “Did vibhavatanha arise in any of the monks at the loss of the Buddha? How do we notice vibhavatanha in practice, and what is a wise and compassionate response?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Craving not to become ] [Death] [Grief ] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] // [Stream entry] [Stages of awakening] [Recollection/Dhamma] [Three Refuges] [Precepts] [Spiritual friendship] [Devotional practice] [Suffering]
Sutta: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta [Nibbāna]
Story: The funeral of a close Wat Pah Nanachat supporter. [Funerals] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
5. “What was the sutta you mentioned in regard to Ananda’s question ‘What do we do about women?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Women in Buddhism] [Great disciples] [Sensual desire] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Suttas: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta; SN 35.127: Bhāradvāja
6. “In your guided meditation, devotion to the teachings really touched me. Could you say more about this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Devotional practice] [Recollection/Dhamma ] [Generosity] [Compassion] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] // [Faith] [Cultural context] [Respect] [Gratitude] [Culture/Thailand] [Three Refuges] [Relinquishment] [Release]
7. “When the Buddha accepted the meal from Cunda, did he know what the consequences would be, and if so, why do you think he did that?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Food] [Sickness] [Death] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta
9. Comment: The Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 16) brings the Buddha’s quest full circle. [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ageing] [Sickness] [Death]
10. Comment by Ajahn Pasanno: Throughout the whole teaching (DN 16) there is the sense of the ordinary and the transcendant together all the time. [Conventions] [Unconditioned] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] // [Nature of mind] [Ceremony/ritual] [Precepts] [Meditation] [Devotional practice] [Middle Path] [Release]
Sutta: Aniccā vata saṅkhārā... (SN 6.15) [Cessation] [Happiness] [Recollection/Peace]
8. “Could you comment on the phrase in the Metta Sutta, “Not born again into this world?”” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Rebirth] [Sutta] // [Goodwill] [Skillful qualities] [Gradual Teaching] [Not-self] [Views]
Reflection: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 37
Quote: “What is the mind of an Arahant like?” – “Only compassion” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Compassion]