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1. “When I sit for longer periods, I experience involuntary jerking and shaking. I can suppress it, but in doubt if this is a good idea.” [Meditation/Unusual experiences]
2. “Can you please talk about some of the changes in the new version of the morning chant and which ones, if any, (and why) resonate with you?” [Chanting]
3. “As I consider which aspects of my life could be simplified, it occurs to me that I have two different friendships which may no longer be worth the trade off in time or energy. After spending time with either of these friends, I tend to be more drained of my very limited energy, possible because neither is very self-aware and both talk a lot. What is my obligation to an old friend who has recently come through a really hard time in her life or to a new friend whose health and living situation are precarious. Is there a graceful way to bow out of a friendship without harming the other person?” [Spiritual friendship ] [Simplicity] // [Time management]
4. “I am away from a social network for almost six days which is quite incredible for me. Normally, I spend time by distracting myself with the social network every 10 minutes. I must check and see what people are doing, and sometimes I think is it is quite useless. This is a different world. However, I cannot stop using it. I am so attached to it, and I know I will go back to the same routine when I go back to my normal life. What would you suggest to detach or use it wisely?” [Social media ] [Clinging] [Addiction] // [Habits] [Abhayagiri]
5. “When one dies, do they carry memory of their former life into their next life? Is it possible to make amends from the former life into the next life?” [Rebirth] [Memory] // [Kamma]
Quote: “It’s bad enough just remembering what you’ve done in this life.”
6. “I have been reading the wonderful book, “Abundant, Exalted, Immeasurable”. Would you consider leading us in a guided meditation on loving kindness at some point on this retreat?” [Goodwill]
7. “Keeping it simple, unentangled, uncomplicated. Is that an invitation to be lazy?” [Simplicity] [Heedlessness]
8. “This morning you talked about sense, object, contact, feeling, etc. and gave the example of the eye and object coming in contact. The sixth sense is the heart/mind, correct? And the object is the heart/mind? Can you give an example?” [Sense bases] [Heart/mind] // [Nature of mind]
9. “If a sotapanna or sakadagami dies and takes birth as a human, are they born as a stream- enterer or once-returner respectively? Or do they return that attainment later in life?” [Stream entry] [Once return] [Rebirth]
10. “This morning as I was walking upstairs, my mind suddenly went bright and clear for a brief time. Was this a glimpse of Nibbana? And if so, where do I catch the express train?” [Nibbāna] // [Clinging] [Self-identity view]
11. “Can you speak a bit about aversion and letting go? I’m dealing with the loss of my brother and the ending of a 15 year marriage. The painful memories are hard to process, and it is easier to push them away. I’d like to “know” and “let go” of them.” [Aversion] [Relinquishment] [Grief] [Relationships]
12. “I believed this to be a “silent meditation retreat”. Please reiterate that to my thinking mind. It’s not listening!” [Proliferation]
13. “Could you please talk a bit about using the sound of silence (“nada sound”) as a meditation object?” [Sound of silence]
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.” [Sound of silence] [Ajahn Chah] [Sutta]
Reference: Inner Listening by Ajahn Amaro.
2. “What are the suttas related to the list of virtuous qualities that Ajahn Karunadhammo spoke of so eloquently in his dhamma talk?” [Sutta]
3. “How do you apply mindfulness of the body in terms of jhana practice?” [Mindfulness of body] [Jhāna ] // [Mindfulness of breathing] [Similes ] [Rapture] [Happiness]
Sutta: MN 118 Ānāpānasati Sutta.
Sutta: MN 119.18: Similes for jhāna.
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?” [Middle Path ] [Sutta] // [Virtue] [Concentration] [Discernment] [Right View] [Cessation of Suffering] [Knowledge and vision] [Eightfold Path] [Etymology]
Sutta: SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
Quote: “It’s not a middle way that is a compromise where you can cut out the hard bits and split the difference so you feel good about it.”
5. “I am tangled up in self-identification and conceit. What should I do to get myself out?” [Self-identity view ] [Conceit] // [Suffering] [Discernment] [Relinquishment] [Clinging]
6. “Today there was a lot of rapturous energy during the sits. It started to get to be too much. How do I work with this? Do I let it take its course or do I try to ground it down?” [Rapture] // [Restlessness and worry] [Mindfulness of body] [Happiness]
Simile: A traveller through a desert learns of an oasis (pīti) then drinks and bathes at the oasis (sukha) (Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 139). [Similes]
7. “‘Teacher of Gods and Humans’. Can you talk about this? What Gods did the Buddha teach? What other beings did the Buddha teach?” [Recollection/Buddha] [Buddha] [Teaching Dhamma] [Deva] [Human] // [Realms of existence ] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] [Ajahn Chah]
Sutta: DN 21: Sakka’s Questions.
Sutta: Snp 2.4: Maṅgala Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
Vinaya: Khandhaka 17.3.11: The Buddha subdues an enraged elephant. [Animal]
Story: Ajahn Chah describes the beings inhabiting Wat Pah Pong. [Wat Pah Pong] [Non-human beings]
Story: The head being acquires faith, listens to teachings, and temporarily takes on the Eight Precepts. [Faith] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Eight Precepts]
8. “What does the threefold bliss mean in the Verses of Sharing and Aspiration?” [Happiness] [Chanting]
9. “Could you say more about the four powers?” [Bases of Success ] // [Aids to Awakening] [Discernment] [Concentration] [Everyday life]
10. “Does having no craving mean doing things in the world knowing they won’t bring lasting satisfaction? For example, planning a vacation realizing that it will eventually end or taking measures to cure a headache without expecting to feel completely better. I am trying to understand how this would look like in real life without one becoming apathetic and depressed about the meaninglessness of basically all activities except meditation. How to balance the ability to still enjoy life with abandoning all craving?” [Craving ] [Characteristics of existence] [Depression] [Happiness] // [Cause of Suffering] [Desire] [Generosity]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno is planning to take his mother to Hawaii. “And I think I’ll enjoy it too!” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Parents] [Travel]
11. “Can you speak more about vedana and whether it is something to be changed, as in from dukkha to sukha?” [Feeling] [Pain] [Happiness] // [Cause of Suffering] [Conditionality] [Eightfold Path]
Sutta: MN 53.5: The Buddha asks Sāriputta to teach because his back hurts. [Buddha/Biography]
12. “When I try to fully experience the body, I seem to hold the in-breath too tightly, causing tension in the abdomen. Do you have any tips for loosening up diaphragm or the belly area?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of body]
13. “Please demystify jhana a little for those like myself whose vipassana past has had minimal samadhi focus. The emphasis on calming and brightening has been so helpful. Whereas in past I associated deep concentration with vipassana elites and insight practice more for those living in the mess of the world, now I wonder, in our post election universe, whether a more jhanic or balance between practices would prevent overwhelm, hiding, running to Canada! Thoughts?” [Jhāna] [Insight meditation] [Gladdening the mind] [Calming meditation] [Everyday life] [Politics and society]
14. “There is a crack in everything. That’s where the light gets in.’ — Leonard Cohen. Lots of cracks out there. Lots of potential for awakenings and wise compassionate action. Do you agree? If so, where do you see the light emerging? In what arenas? Where would you focus your energy if you were not a monk?” [Compassion] [Activism ] [Right Action] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Communal harmony] [Children] [Virtue]
15. “How do I deal with a negative person? His/her perspectives are mostly in the way of downsides, pointing out people’s faults, his/her bad experiences, etc. If that person is a life partner or family member, how to turn him/her to become better?” [Aversion] [Family] // [Right Speech] [Patience]
16. “Could you explain if the steps of the anapanasati sutta need to be experienced sequentially? Does sukha always need piti before? Or can one experience sukha after calming the mind without piti every single time?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Rapture] [Happiness]
17. “I grew up in an environment where any difference was met with hostility. I was bullied, I was robbed a few times, I didn’t feel safe. No wonder the idea of refuge always resonated with me....However, even after living in very tolerant California and generally feeling myself safe here, when I am outdoors practicing walking meditation, whenever I see or hear strangers approaching me, my mind begins rushing in anticipation that this encounter would turn hostile. Being on precepts makes me feel particularly vulnerable. Could you share some teaching about protecting qualities of the Dhamma and how I can feel less fear while keeping the precepts? Could some of the monastics share their stories of receiving unexpected kindness from seemingly hostile strangers or stories of resolving physical or verbal attacks while wearing the robes and keeping precepts?” [Discrimination] [Abuse/violence] [Fear] [Three Refuges] [Meditation retreats] [Precepts] [Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Stories] [Generosity] // [Human] [Truth] [Compassion] [Abhayagiri] [Almsround]
Story: A football hooligan has a sharing session with a monk on a train.
Story: Ajahn Gunha wanders into a Communist base on tudong. [Ajahn Gunha] [Tudong] [Politics and society] [Rains retreat]
Story: Ajahn Sudanto goes almsround each day in White Salmon. [Ajahn Sudanto] [Pacific Hermitage]
1. “Can you please say a little more about using the contemplation of death to gladden the mind?” [Recollection/Death ] [Gladdening the mind] // [Purpose/meaning] [Heedfulness]
2. “How do I become a more generous person if there is a constant underlying worry about having enough (money for living, retirement, etc.)? How to create a sense of abundance within so I can freely give to others?” [Generosity ] [Fear] [Commerce/economics] // [Culture/West] [Greed] [Community] [Culture/Thailand] [Poverty]
Quote: “I don’t have any money, but I’m not poor.” — Por Am, a Wat Pah Pong lay supporter. [Lay supporters] [Wat Pah Pong] [Health care]
Recollection: Thai children sharing cold Pepsi given to them by the monks at special events.
3. “I find when the mind settles, it is highly suggestible, and the gentlest whisper of piti or sukha will sometimes bring those, if they haven’t arisen on their own. You spoke a little last night about sustaining and expanding piti and rapture and moving the mind towards equanimity. If you could expand or reiterate, that might be helpful for further exploration.” [Calming meditation] [Rapture] [Equanimity]
4. “Is realization of anatta a sudden event or does it happen gradually with sense of self becoming less and less dense until it eventually dissolves?” [Not-self] [Progress of insight ] [Self-identity view] // [Relinquishment]
5. “Can you please give some guidance on recognizing delusion in the mind? Greed and aversion seem easier to spot.” [Delusion ] // [Restlessness and worry] [Fear] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “It’s like riding along on a horse and asking, ‘Where’s the horse? Where’s the horse?’” [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield]
6. “Can you suggest some ways of approaching walking meditation that you have found fruitful? Do the themes of anapanasati apply, for example? Is this an adaptable, useful structure?” [Posture/Walking ] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Thai Forest Tradition] [Mindfulness of body] [Tranquility] [Buddho mantra]
7. “Generally, is right intention a subset of kamma or is it the whole enchilada?” [Right Intention] [Volition] [Kamma] // [Volitional formations]
8. “Does all the chanting we are doing go back to Buddha’s time or has some of it evolved later?” [Chanting ] [History/Early Buddhism] // [Sutta] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Somdet Vajirañāṇavarorasa] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism]
9. “Was sati, vedana, jhana part of the religious climate current at the Buddha’s time? How revolutionary was he seen to be then? Do we know?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [History/Early Buddhism] [Buddha/Biography] [Mindfulness] [Feeling] [Jhāna] // [Four Noble Truths] [Aggregates] [Culture/India ] [Kamma] [Volition]
10. “I was wondering how I include the discernment obtained from lifting up the mind to solve a life issue. I wish I could be more intelligent and brighter to solve my life problem in a skillful way. Please advise.” [Discernment] [Everyday life ] // [Trust] [Meditation retreats] [Time management]
Story: A disciple of Ajahn Chah moves to Bangkok. [Ajahn Chah] [Lay life] [Commerce/economics]
11. “It is the eighth evening of the retreat; feels timely to ask what was Ajahn Chah’s teaching for local lay people regarding sexual desire and sexual misconduct. Did he make a different emphasis when he taught westerners?” [Ajahn Chah] [Lay life] [Sensual desire] [Sexual misconduct] [Culture/West] // [Culture/Thailand]
Story: In response to questions about sexuality, Ajahn Chah picks his nose. [Insight Meditation Society] [Humor]
12. “Will you briefly remind us who are “the four pairs, eight kinds of noble beings”?” [Stages of awakening]
13. “In the teachings on mindfulness of breathing, what does it mean “....sets her/his body erect, having established mindfulness in front of her/him”? I think “in front of” has been interpreted in different ways.” [Mindfulness of breathing]
14. “The term “sati”. What does it mean? Does it mean mindfulness?” [Mindfulness ] [Translation] // [Christianity] [Etymology] [Perception] [Memory]
15. “Would you please give some advice on how to deal with obsessive compulsive thoughts that cause fear in the mind and tension in the body? I have tried to remember that “mental formations” are not self, but this doesn’t seem to alleviate the problem or help much.” [Habits] [Fear] [Volitional formations] [Not-self]
16. “Will you tell a bit of your story in becoming a monk, early family life, how you came to Thailand, at what age you ordained?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation]
17. “Would you say more about the ardent, purifying aspect of mindfulness?” [Mindfulness] [Ardency] // [Right Effort ] [Unskillful qualities] [Skillful qualities] [Clear comprehension]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 96: Right Mindfulness in the Noble Eightfold Path.
18. “Did the Buddha give instructions for walking meditation?” [Posture/Walking] // [Sutta] [Commentaries] [Postures]
19. “What is the latest news re women’s ordination the Thai Forest tradition from upper and lower echelons of the tradition? How would you advise young women seeking ordination in this kind of tradition?” [Women's monastic forms] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Culture/Thailand]
20. “Regarding the second foundation of mindfulness, feeling: Is pleasant/painful functionally wanting/not wanting?” [Mindfulness of feeling] [Feeling] [Craving]
21. “Regarding unworldly or spiritual feelings, would you talk about what pleasant, painful, and neither look like? Is there guidance or examples to help practice?” [Feeling] // [Relinquishment]
22. “Going on alms round, especially in the US, seems like a very noble, patient practice. Would you speak more of what happens when monastics go for alms for the first time in an American town like Ukiah or in Oregon? When people have no idea what you are doing, and you can’t ask for anything, what happens? Did the monastics go hungry the first few times? Do you explain to people? Do you bless everyone with a chant who gives you food?” [Almsround ] [Culture/West] // [Abhayagiri] [Generosity] [Not handling money]
Story: The bakery on State Street offers food to the Abhayagiri monks every week.
Story: The monks at Pacific Hermitage go almsround every day. [Pacific Hermitage] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Monastic routine]
Story: Ajahn Ñāṇiko and Tan Ṭhitabho walked from Abhayagiri to Pacific Hermitage. Only once did they not receive food on almsround. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Tudong]
23. “Do you understand impermanence as the phenomena of a river flowing or as a light being turned on and off as Bhikkhu Analayo describes?” [Impermanence ] [Ven. Analayo] [Similes] // [Pāli] [Translation] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Ajahn Chah]
24. “When I watch my breath, I have all I can do to be aware of one breath and then the next. But the Buddha said, “Know if it is long or short”. Can you give an insight into why this step beyond bare awareness? Also why long and short, vs, for example, shaky and smooth, consistent and inconsistent, belly breath or nostril breath?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Present moment awareness] // [Tranquility]
1. “I was surprised to learn recently that there is a concept of hell in the suttas. Could you talk a bit about what Buddha meant by it and who goes there?” [Hell] // [Realms of existence] [Kamma]
2. “Could you describe in detail and provide explicit examples of the four mutual qualities of a couple?” [Relationships] // [Faith] [Virtue] [Generosity] [Discernment]
Sutta: AN 4.55: Four mutual qualities of a couple.
3. “You have mentioned in the morning that the meditation of breathing could help with cessation of dukkha. Could you elaborate how breathing in/out can cease dukkha?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Mindfulness] [Discernment]
4. “Can sukha and equanimity exist at the same time? I am wondering if I am missing an opportunity to work with equanimity and other factors of enlightenment by always hanging out in sukha-land. Could you please mention how to recognise equanimity?” [Goodwill] [Happiness] [Equanimity ]
5. “Would you briefly say the name again of the protective meditations?” [Protective Meditations]
6. “‘Buddha is Teacher of Gods and Humans,’ so according to Buddha, there is no one God but many Gods or it depends on what is meant by God?” [Recollection/Buddha] [God] // [Hinduism] [Deva] [Saṃsāra]
7. “Mind is impermanent correct? So when the Buddha says that the mind is radiant and it gets obscured by defilements, does this mean that the mind that arises without defilements in that moment is radiant?....so radiance is composed of many minds arising and passing away without defilements?” [Heart/mind] [Impermanence] [Nature of mind]
8. “Do you have any inspiring stories to share of practicing with strong fear (animals,etc)? I’m inspired when I hear such stories from monks of this tradition.” [Fear] [Stories] [Animal]
Story: A tiger circles Ajahn Pasanno’s walking path. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dtao Dum] [Posture/Walking]
Sutta: MN 4: Fear and Dread.
Story: A tiger kills a 1,500 pound Brahma bull.
9. “Is the blessing chant after receiving food only reserved to monks or are there appropriate occasions when lay people can chant it? Which Pali verses are your favorite to enjoy sound and poetic beauty of the language?” [Anumodanā] [Pāli] [Chanting]
10. “Would you please explain what is appropriate with regards to a Buddha image? Is it ok to put a Buddha statue directly on the ground or level concrete, or must the statue be on a platform always?” [Buddha images] [Respect]
11. “Will you please define bodily formations and mental formations again?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Volitional formations] // [Feeling] [Perception]
12. “A longtime Buddhist friend told me that Buddha gave a sermon extolling his followers to bury gold to protect themselves from the government. I find this unlikely and have not been able to find any such reference in the liturgy. Is there any such sermon?” [Commerce/economics] [Tipiṭaka]
13. “I sometimes experience states in which the body is very relaxed and it is easy to become very absorbed in the breath. They are pleasurable and quite calming but is there something I should do with them?” [Calming meditation] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Concentration ] [Happiness] // [Discernment] [Self-identity view]
14. “In the Catholic tradition, when someone dies, a priest is often brought in to administer last rites (extreme unction). Is there any similar tradition in Buddhism to be with the dying practitioner?” [Christianity] [Death]
15. “In the anapanasati sutta, how should one approach the various steps listed in the sutta? All in one sitting? Over time?” [Mindfulness of breathing]
Sutta: MN 118 Ānāpānasati Sutta.
16. “Could you list the ways one contemplates mind as mind again? (third foundation of mindfulness).” [Mindfulness of mind ] // [Skillful qualities]
Sutta: MN 10.34: Satipaṭṭhānasutta Sutta, Mindfulness of Mind.
17. “Yesterday when you spoke of women’s ordination in California, I thought of the nuns at Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery who left the Thai Forest Tradition to ordain as nuns. As a woman who has felt a strong calling to the monastic life, I feel a painful split in my heart between the love I have for the Thai Forest Tradition that has changed my life, and its seemingly uncompassionate regard for women wishing to live the Holy Life. It leaves me with a profound feeling of hurt and “less-than” mana. I have to believe that the Buddha, who revolutionarily taught against the caste system, would not want me to feel like second class member of the human race when trying to live a life in his example. I have tried bringing self compassion to this felt sense of my heart breaking, but the pain seems to get worse with the association of the teachers of the Thai Forest tradition who showed me the dharma and yet follow this “anti-nun” rule. Would you share some words of healing to help my heart and restore my faith in this tradition that has so profoundly changed my life?” [Women's monastic forms] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Women in Buddhism] [Compassion] [Faith] // [History] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dhammadharini Monastery] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Bhikkhunī] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism]
18. “Do you have any doubts in the Dhamma’s promise that the result of accomplished practice is total liberation from suffering?” [Doubt] [Dhamma] [Liberation] [Cessation of Suffering]
[Session] Reference: Becoming the Buddha by Donald Swearer (commercial).
1. Story: It took three tries to make Abhayagiri’s sandstone Buddha image. [Abhayagiri] [Buddha images] [Artistic expression] // [Ajahn Achalo] [Postures]
2. Teaching: The Buddha symbolizes wisdom, compassion and purity in balance. [Buddha] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Virtue]
3. Story: The origin of Buddha images. [History/Early Buddhism] [Buddha images] // [Culture/West] [Geography/India]
4. Reflection: Buddha images show the eyes open because Buddha literally means “awake.” [Buddha images] [Buddha]
5. Story: A visiting monk gives extensive teachings about the meaning of each word in the recollection of Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha. [Three Refuges] // [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Theravāda]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, pp. 4-8.
6. Story: A 17-year old novice flees Vietnam with a group of boat people, but the engine breaks down. Thai pirates board the boat and threaten the refugees, but then pay homage to the novice and help repair the boat. [Abuse/violence] [Respect] [Compassion]
7. Story: A Sri Lankan monk is attacked by a bull elephant. He chants “Itipi so....” The elephant stops. [Animal] [Abuse/violence] [Chanting] [Recollection/Buddha] [Three Refuges]
References: Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 54; Amaravati Chanting Book, pp. 4-8.
8. Reflection: In Theravāda culture, the Buddha is always a human being. [Buddha ] [Human] [Theravāda] // [Mahāyāna]
9. Reflections on AN 3.136: “Whether a Buddha appears in the world or not....” [Characteristics of existence] [Buddha] // [Truth]
Quote: “Whether you’ve got a well or don’t have a well, there’s water in the ground.” [Ajahn Chah] [Similes]
10. The story of the Bodhisattva seeing the old person, the sick person, and the dead person isn’t in the scriptures. [Buddha/Biography ] [Tipiṭaka] [Stories] // [Jātaka Tales] [Postulants]
Sutta: DN 14.2 ascribes this story to the previous Buddha Vipassī. [Previous Buddhas]
Sutta: Snp 3.1 describes the Bodhisattva’s going forth.
11. The time of the Buddha was a time of great change. [Buddha/Biography] [History/Early Buddhism] // [Saṅgha decision making] [Spiritual traditions] [Views]
Sutta: DN 1: Brahmajāla Sutta.
Sutta: Snp 3.1: King Bimbisāra meets the Bodhisattva.
12. Story: The origin of the Guan Yin statue in Abhayagiri’s Reception Hall. [Buddha images] [Abhayagiri] // [Generosity]
13. “Does the phrase ‘much dust in their eyes’ refer to obfuscation? Can you give encouragement to those living in a household surrounded by obfuscation?” [Ignorance] [Lay life] // [Three Refuges] [Virtue] [Monastic life]
14. “Are devas imagery or symbolism, or are they tangible for some people? Particularly the talk around the heavenly minstrels and nagas in the water (Snp 3.11)....” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Deva ] [Symbolism] [Realms of existence] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Recollection/Devas] [Virtue] [Kamma]
1. Reading: MN 26: The Noble Search. [Buddha/Biography]
Reflections on the meaning of freedom. [Liberation] [Culture/West]
Reflections on the conditions suitable for Dhamma practice. [Culture/Natural environment] [Sense bases] [Energy]
Suttas: Ud 1.1-3: The Buddha’s reflections after awakening.
Sutta: MN 36.42: Awakening to the Four Noble Truths. [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: SN 22.26: Benefit, drawback, and escape. [Aspects of Understanding]
Reference: Dhamma talk request, Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 124.
2. Reflection: Bowing to the Buddha is bowing to the qualities the Buddha manifested and recollecting those qualities in ourselves. [Bowing ] [Buddha images ] [Recollection/Buddha] [Recollection/Virtue]
3. “The passage where the Buddha attains enlightenment and then thinks, ‘They’re never going to get it,’ (MN 26.19) speaks to me about self-doubt. Could you speak about conquering doubt?” [Buddha/Biography] [Human] [Doubt] // [Self-identity view] [Skillful qualities] [Faith]
Quote: “Every time I think about myself, I get depressed.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Depression]
Quote: “It’s not me being successful when I’m diligent and me failing when I’m not. That’s what happens in the human condition.” [Energy]
4. Comment: The Buddha’s reflection about those who have little dust in their eyes (MN 26.21) may refer to those who have the ability to be inspired towards long-term practice. Contributed by Ajahn Sudanto. [Buddha/Biography] [Faith] [Human]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [History/Early Buddhism] [Culture/Thailand]
5. “Can you speak about why the number one god in the universe had to appeal to the Buddha to teach out of compassion (MN 26.20)?” [Brahma gods] [Buddha/Biography] [Teaching Dhamma] [Compassion] // [Symbolism]
6. “When you don’t feel like practicing, what do you do?” [Energy] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Cleanliness] [Ajahn Chah] [Spiritual friendship]
1. Story: The making of the small replicas of the main Buddha image. [Buddha images] [Artistic expression] [Abhayagiri] // [Devotional practice] [Lay life]
2. Reflection: Ajahn Chah as a focus of devotion. [Ajahn Chah] [Devotional practice] // [Respect for elders] [Skillful qualities]
Quote: “Ajahn Chah was an exemplary being and incredible teacher, but that didn’t mean that you always agreed with him or that he was always just very nice to you all the time.” [Human]
Recollection: The annual Ajahn Chah remembrance day in January. [Ajahn Chah Remembrance Day] [Stupas/monuments]
3. Reflection: The aspects of pūjā or devotion are an opportunity to nourish the roots of our practice. [Devotional practice ] [Pūjā] // [Sloth and torpor] [Energy]
4. Quote: “I just follow the Buddha. You do the same.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Buddha] // [Humility] [Three Refuges]
5. Teaching: The Buddha’s first exclamation after his enlightenment evokes the sense of being free from saṃsāra. [Buddha/Biography] [Saṃsāra ] [Liberation] // [Proliferation] [Cessation] [Craving]
Sutta: Dhp 153-154 (Chanting Book translation).
6. Reflection: When one holds to that which is true, it has a transformative quality. [Truth ] // [Three Refuges] [Protective chants]
Reference: Sacca-kiriyā-gāthā, Bhikkhu Manual, p. 95.
7. Teaching: The paramī are bright qualities that carry one across from confusion to peace. [Perfections ] [Etymology] // [Theravāda] [Mahāyāna] [Chanting] [History/Early Buddhism] [Buddha] [Liberation]
8. Teaching: There is no difference between the mind of enlightenment of a Buddha and anyone else who experiences awakening. [Buddha] [Arahant ] [Liberation] // [Perfections] [Personality]
9. Reflections on the personalities of the great disciples. [Great disciples ] [Personality] // [Mindfulness] [Memory] [Buddha/Biography] [Perfections]
10. A detailed description of the paramī as qualities that can transform ourselves and others. [Perfections ] // [Generosity] [Virtue] [Culture/West] [Renunciation] [Discernment] [Energy] [Right Effort] [Patience] [Ajahn Chah] [Truth] [Determination] [Goodwill] [Equanimity]
Story: Master Hsu Yun and the bandits. [Master Hsu Yun] [Stealing] [Bowing] [Tudong]
Sutta: SN 56.11.11: The Dhamma Eye: “All that has the nature to arise....”
11. Teaching: Mindfulness of breathing is the practice that the Buddha recommended most. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: SN 54.11: The Buddha practices mindfulness of breathing while on retreat. [Meditation retreats]
12. Ajahn Pasanno encourages the recipients of the small Buddha images to chant and do ceremonies so that the images gain power to invoke wholesome qualities from the heart. [Buddha images] [Pūjā] [Skillful qualities] [Buddha]
13. “Can you reflect about the meaning of ‘essence and conventions’ in Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 5?” [Conventions ] // [Buddha images] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ceremony/ritual] [Liberation]
Sutta: MN 30: Cūḷasāropama Sutta.
14. “Do the perfections have a progressive quality to them?” [Perfections] // [Jātaka Tales] [Generosity]
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