Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1. “In Canada, medical assistance in death is legal. As an old person who will be sick and dying not too far off, it raises the question: If I got to the point where I felt even with good palliative and hospice care, I couldn’t withstand the pain any longer, it’s an option. But what about the first precept of not taking life?” [Sickness] [Pain] [Death] [Health care ] [Euthanasia] [Killing] // [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view] [Idealism]
Quote: “Being present for the falling apart of the body opens doorways to release that don’t really happen with, ‘I just want to be done with this. This totally sucks.’” [Present moment awareness] [Mindfulness of body] [Release] [Aversion] [Fear] [Clinging] [Saṃsāra]
2. “For some people, death comes with extreme pain. Part of being able to navigate through the dissolution of self requires clarity of mind. My understanding is that a lot of pain management involves morphine or other mind-numbing drugs. How does one navigate the pain?” [Death] [Pain] [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view] [Clear comprehension] [Health care] [Intoxicants] // [Fear]
3. “According to the first precept, how would you look at the case of abortion?” [Killing] [Abortion] // [Vinaya] [Politics and society] [Judgementalism] [Health care]
4. “What about animal euthanasia?” [Animal] [Euthanasia] [Killing] // [Compassion] [Sickness] [Ageing]
5. “Years ago I considered the Buddha someone wbo practiced harm reduction. But having worked in the field, I’ve started to have a lot of conflict around when people request paraphanelia to help them use [drugs]. The idea is to keep them alive, but now it’s become very complicated because people are still dying. Is this a violation of right livelihood? Could you speak about wisdom and compassion?” [Intoxicants] [Health care] [Death] [Right Livelihood] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Gratitude] // [Right Intention] [Crime] [Politics and society]
Quote: “As a person who is trying to help, you have to learn harm reduction to yourself.” [Depression]
6. Comment: I’m concerned about how much time people spend on computers, and I think it’s sad that people use electronic devices rather than talk with each other. [Technology] [Community]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Follow-up: “Should I say anything to my son who is on his device half the time during his brief, infrequent visits?” [Children] [Right Speech]
Story: Abhayagiri’s computer policy for monks. [Abhayagiri] [Social media] [Sense restraint] [Vinaya]
7. “You spoke this morning about how monks don’t have money and don’t handle money. How does a monastery deal with purchasing materials?” [Not handling money] [Commerce/economics] // [Monastery organizational structure] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Abhayagiri] [Building projects] [Almsfood]
Story: A wheel falls off the old Abhayagiri van. [Simplicity]
8. Comment: Yesterday you differentiated between chanda and taṇhā. Nature has always had a strong attraction for me, and I was uneasy because I thought this was a kind of craving. Three or four years ago, Ajahn Tiradhammo gave a talk and I asked him about this. He said, ‘Don’t worry about it. There’s good craving and bad craving.’ Your teaching has clarified this for me. [Desire] [Craving] [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Tiradhammo] [Gratitude]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Ajahn Viradhammo] [Animal]
9. “When strong feelings associated with conceit come, what to do?” [Conceit] [Feeling] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Clear comprehension] [Nutriment] [Relinquishment] [Patience]
10. “I find a lot of meditation time is taken up with psychoanalyzing aand thinking, ‘Oh, this is a discovery!’ What is the line between realizing that you’re caught again?” [Meditation] [Western psychology] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [Mindfulness of feeling] [Proliferation] [Clear comprehension]
11. Comment: I’m improving my skill at seeing the greed or aversion when there are pleasant or unpleasant feelings, but I often don’t see the neutral feeling state so clearly. [Mindfulness of feeling] [Feeling] [Unwholesome Roots] [Neutral feeling] [Delusion] // [Mindfulness of body] [Restlessness and worry] [Fear] [Present moment awareness]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Quote: “That whereby one is a conceiver of the world, a perceiver of the world, that is the world.” — SN 35.116. [Nature of the cosmos] [Proliferation] [Perception]
12. “Could you talk about the difference between experiencing an unpleasant feeling and perpetuating an unpleasant feeling?” [Feeling ] [Discernment] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Compassion] [Mindfulness] [Patience] [Suffering]
Simile: Two arrows (SN 36.6).
13. “I live with my 96-year old mother. Her mind is quite good, but her body is ageing and there is pain in both legs. She has a stubborn will to carry on. We have our fights, but get through them quickly. I’m wanting to go to another level to develop patience. Can you comment?” [Ageing] [Parents] [Pain] [Patience] // [Empathetic joy] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Relinquishment] [Gratitude] [Idealism]
Quote: “Even monks have mothers.”
14. “Even reading scripturally-oriented material can be used as an escape; it’s easier than meditating. I was wondering about the precept on entertainment, beautification and adornment. Can you give some advice on how to interpret this in practical terms?” [Learning] [Craving not to become] [Entertainment and adornment] // [Idealism] [Discernment] [Idle chatter] [Spiritual friendship] [Faith] [Media] [Ajahn Soṇa] [Abhayagiri] [Dhamma online] [Ajahn Pasanno]
3. Comment: Coming out af a long-term relationship where someone was killed in an accident after 42 years, the way you presented the disadvantages and advantages of a conventional loving relationship was perhaps a little light on the advantages. [Relationships ] [Death] // [Monastic life/Motivation] [Gratitude] [Long-term practice] [Suffering] [Courage]
Response by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Saṅgha] [Saṃsāra] [Spiritual urgency]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddha/Biography] [Ageing] [Rebirth] [Treasures]
Reference: AN 4.55: Nakula’s mother and father aspire to see each other in this life and the next.
1. Quote: “The kindest thing you can do for your parents is to not create them.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Parents] [Goodwill] [Cessation] [Not-self] // [Amaravati] [Sīladharā] [Proliferation]
2. Quote: “Learning how to be comfortable with dukkha...is a willingness to open the heart to the whole realm of experience. That’s an act of love.” [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Direct experience] [Goodwill] // [Generosity] [Fear] [Listening] [Clear comprehension]
3. “My natural tendency is to push the world away and to have the attitude that enjoyment is wrong. I’m working on trying to enjoy life. Do you have any ideas about this?” [Craving not to become] [Christianity] [Hinduism] [Ascetic practices] [Happiness] [Skillful qualities] // [Monastic life] [Ajahn Sucitto] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Culture/West]
The Rule of St. Benedict and Ajahn Sucitto’s talk “Fellow Worms.” [Humility]
Story: A BBC interviewer asks King Rama IX about original sin. [Media] [King Rama IX] [Culture/Thailand] [Nature of mind]
Causal processes leading to sāmadhi and dispassion have different starting points, but they all go through delight and happiness. [Conditionality] [Concentration] [Dispassion]
Quote: “Monks, do not be afraid of puñña.” — Iti 22. [Merit] [Fear] [Liberation]
Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.”
4. “There are teachings about different levels of generosity (e.g. AN 7.49). Are there similar teachings about love or attachment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Generosity] [Goodwill] [Clinging] // [Dhamma] [Desire] [Teaching Dhamma] [Aggregates] [Mindfulness] [Relationships] [Spaciousness]
5. “Is there a sutta about preferring the [forest] to the village, and then the bare earth, becoming more and more simple?” [Sutta] [Seclusion] [Simplicity] // [Emptiness] [Elements] [Relinquishment] [Generosity] [Goodwill]
Sutta: MN 121: The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness
6. Comment: There are two knds of desire, chanda (good) and taṇha (bad). [Desire] [Craving] [Pāli]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] [Clinging] [Generosity] [Teaching Dhamma]
7. Comment: Words that I haven’t grown up with like skillfulness and wholesomeness have the spectrum to reflect on the different levels of these qualities. [Language] [Culture/West] [Skillful qualities]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
8. “Could you say some more about the process of change?... You can have a big tool kit and apply it with the best of intentions. Sometimes magical things happen, and sometimes nothing happens.” [Right Effort] [Conditionality] [Right Intention] [Progress of insight ] // [Goodwill] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Chah] [Impermanence] [Long-term practice] [Learning] [Dependent origination] [Not-self] [Mindfulness]
9. Question about cultivating goodwill towards a difficult coworker. [Work] [Goodwill] [Forgiveness] // [Suffering] [Right Effort] [Craving] [Relinquishment] [Kamma]
Comment: Sometimes having metta means leaving the situation. [Association with people of integrity] [Clear comprehension]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46
1. “What did you mean by ‘lifting up?’ Is it an object of attention?” [Directed thought and evaluation] [Recollection ] // [Restlessness and worry] [Sloth and torpor] [Postures] [Energy]
Quote: “Namo viññaṇa dhatu (Homage to the element of consciousness).” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Consciousness] [Elements] [Knowing itself]
2. “Can one bring up a theme to gain deeper understanding?” [Insight meditation] [Recollection] // [Relinquishment] [Cause of Suffering] [Dependent origination] [Conditionality] [Not-self] [Long-term practice]
Quote: “Whatever is of the nature to arise is of the nature to cease.” — SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. [Impermanence]
3. “Can you reflect on incidents that cause suffering in your life to explore your habitual patterns?” [Suffering] [Habits] [Recollection] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Desire] [Not-self] [Conditionality]
4. “You mentioned ‘Look for the gap.’ Is this related to looking for fading away?” [Insight meditation] [Dispassion] [Recollection] // [Cessation] [Cessation of Suffering] [Impermanence] [Faith]
Follow-up: “So we’re not just looking at the blank...” [Wrong concentration] [Emptiness] [Nature of the cosmos] [Unwholesome Roots] [Not-self]
5. “I recently went to a Zen gathering. My understanding is that they don’t focus on the Four Noble Truths. They try to be present in the moment and get to some sort of no-mind state. How did this arise and why is it considered Buddhism?” [Zen] [Four Noble Truths] [Present moment awareness] [History/Mahāyāna Buddhism] // [Emptiness] [Buddha]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno visits a Dzogchen master who says, “Whatever teachings you hear, if they don’t fit into or fulfill the Four Noble Truths, then it’s just not Buddhism.” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Vajrayāna] [Hearing the true Dhamma]
6. “Bhāvanā means ‘bring into being.’ How do I balance this with making the mind clear or peaceful?” [Meditation] [Tranquility] [Calming meditation] [Recollection] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Contentment] [Insight meditation] [Sloth and torpor] [Patience]
7. “You mentioned Ajahn Chah reflecting on viññaṇadhatu. Was this the consciousness of the six senses or something more fundamental like citta?” [Ajahn Chah] [Consciousness] [Elements] [Sense bases] [Recollection] [Heart/mind] // [Release] [Liberation]
6. Quote: “We have to get out of the habit of being theives.” — Ajahn Buddhadāsa. [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Relinquishment] [Stealing] [Recollection] // [Aggregates] [Clinging] [Naturalness]
Quote: “The peace of Nibbāna is not something that you gain, that you get, that you claim ownership over; it’s by relinquishing and releasing these bases of identity.” [Nibbāna] [Recollection/Peace] [Release] [Self-identity view]
7. “How would I apply the perception of unattractiveness in my daily life?” [Unattractiveness] [Everyday life] [Recollection] // [Sensual desire] [Ageing] [Proliferation] [Dispassion] [Appropriate attention]
8. Comment: Instead of thinking of one thing which I was having difficulty with, I brought to mind all the things that were working. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Appropriate attention] [Recollection]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Recollection/Virtue] [Faith]
9. “Is there a recollection about recalling one’s own successes and good qualities?” [Recollection/Virtue] [Recollection] // [Perfections] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Right Effort]
10. Comment: I’m going to recollect this day, and your kindness in teaching, and the people who planned the Upāsikā Day. [Gratitude] [Teaching Dhamma] [Compassion] [Recollection/Generosity] [Recollection] [Faith]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhidhamma]
1. “What is your favorite thing you’ve gotten from monastic life?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Virtue] [Teachers] [Contentment]
Quote: “You really get to see the best of the human condition as a monastic. That’s a real treat.” [Human] [Monastic life]
2. “What advice do you have for students or graduates hoping to progess on the Noble Path towards Nibbāna while a student or in the workplace?” [Eightfold Path] [Nibbāna] [Learning] [Work] [Lay life ] // [Human] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Perfectionism] [Desire] [Suffering] [Politics and society] [Simplicity] [Environment] [Depression] [Restlessness and worry] [Skillful qualities] [Community]
3. “The pandemic has given rise to feelings of profound grief and loss in many of us. How can we best work with these emotions to cultivate well-being for ourselves and others?” [Pandemic] [Grief] [Emotion] [Happiness] [Community] // [Self-identity view] [Clinging] [Commerce/economics] [Perception]
4. “Apart from social distancing, what are other ways to behave compassionately during this time when there’s so much physical distance between us?” [Pandemic] [Health] [Compassion] // [Generosity] [Online community] [Grief]
5. “In your guided meditation you mentioned noticing, ‘This is bearable.’ When is it skillful to bear with and when it is skillful to put effort towards change, whether in action or in the mind?” [Patience] [Equanimity] [Right Effort] // [Discernment] [Pain] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Happiness] [Clear comprehension]
6. “How do we deal with a world full of view and opinions?” [Views ] // [Idealism] [Conditionality] [Impermanence] [Truth]
Story: Sariputta doesn’t approve of a teaching of the Buddha until he puts it into practice himself. Told by Ajahn Chah. [Great disciples] [Teaching Dhamma] [Direct experience] [Faith] [Ajahn Chah]
7. “In what way are qualities and effects viral? Are right perception, right speech, right thought, and right action also viral?” [Media] [Online community] [Perception] [Right View] [Right Speech] [Right Action] // [Abhayagiri] [History/Western Buddhism] [Mindfulness] [Skillful qualities] [Happiness] [Tranquility] [Trust] [Human]
8. “You mentioned that ruminating on how one would like to change the world or the conditions around oneself can be a source of needless suffering. But there are times when one does want to work to change the world or the way society is organized for the sake of lovingkindness and alleviating suffering. How do we engage with those desire for change in a skillful way?” [Politics and society] [Suffering] [Desire] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Skillful qualities] [Activism] // [Conditionality] [Self-identity view] [Conflict] [Poverty] [Judgementalism] [Aversion] [Culture/Thailand] [Environment] [Idealism]
Quote: “If one is going to commit oneself to change, one has to get used to looking at things from a big perspective, a perspective of ‘How do we include rather than exclude?’” [Community]
Quote: “You want to approach a particular problem with an open a mind as possible and then see who might be willing and able to help.”
1. “Ajahn Chah was ill for the last ten years of his life. How could he endure that and why did this take place?” [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness] // [Perfections] [Teaching Dhamma] [Saṅgha] [Death] [Monastic teachers] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Upatakh] [Generosity]
2. “I lead two Zoom sessions a week and am running out of material. Can you suggest guided meditations from this tradition?” [Teaching Dhamma] // [Trust] [Dhamma books] [Amaravati] [Self-reliance]
3. “If you get the mind empty, you get everything.’ How to understand this?” [Emptiness] // [Self-identity view]
6. “Is there something called fierce compassion in the Theravāda tradition? If so, how is that different from resentment or anger?” [Fierce/direct teaching] [Compassion] [Theravāda] [Ill-will] [Aversion] // [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma] [Admonishment/feedback] [Spiritual bypass] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Ajahn Chah calls newly-arrived Tan Pasanno lazy. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Chanting]
8. “How is it possible to not eat after noon while remaining active in everyday life?” [Eating after noon] [Renunciant practice] // [Fear] [Food] [Health]
9. “How do we overcome unpleasant mental or physical feelings in the present moment?” [Feeling] [Present moment awareness] // [Aversion] [Fear] [Suffering] [Goodwill] [Ajahn Sumedho]
Sutta: DN 22: Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta [Mindfulness of feeling]
12. “What is the difference between emptiness, nothingness, and space? How can I use colors to develop the mind?” [Emptiness] [Kasiṇa] // [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [Conceit] [Middle Path] [Etymology] [Not-self] [Elements] [Tranquility] [History/Early Buddhism] [Culture/West]
1. “I find it very difficult to stay with the breath. After 15-20 minutes, the mind will be very bored with the breath and cannot stay with it. Could you advise what is a good meditation for an easily restless mind?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Restlessness and worry] // [Attitude] [Desire] [Meditation/Techniques] [Investigation of states] [Gladdening the mind] [Happiness]
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta
Suttas: AN 11.1, AN 11.12, and SN 55.40 illustrate the causal chain between happiness and samādhi.
2. “The mind is scattered and wandering. Any advice to settle down the mind? I’m currently practicing Buddho.” [Restlessness and worry] [Tranquility] [Buddho mantra] // [Desire]
Note: The previous question answers this in detail.
3. “Is it all right to do Buddho recitation after my mind is calm on breath meditation?” [Buddho mantra] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Knowing itself] [Gladdening the mind] [Desire] [Concentration]
4. “How to overcome anxiety? How always to be with Dhamma in the heart?” [Fear] // [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Spaciousness] [Impermanence] [Ajahn Chah] [Proliferation] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Skillful qualities]
5. “How to get rid of judgemental critical thoughts about others?” [Judgementalism] // [Craving not to become] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Similes]
1. “When we meditate, we observe our breath. What should we do if we reach a state of stillness where no breath can be observed?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Calming meditation] [Concentration] [Tranquility] // [Knowing itself] [Happiness] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Mindfulness] [Buddho mantra]
2. “During my sitting this morning, the thoughts keep arising one after the other. It seems endlessly. How do I notice, learn, and recognize thoughts as a function of the mind and not be affected by them? Also, how can one make use of skillful thoughts in meditation?” [Restlessness and worry] [Proliferation] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness of mind] [Recollection] // [Craving not to become] [Characteristics of existence] [Insight meditation] [Relinquishment] [Goodwill] [Patience] [Concentration] [Attitude]
Quote: “Kae nun lae (Thai) – It’s just that much.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]
3. “What technique helps one see arising and ceasing really clearly?” [Meditation/Techniques] [Impermanence] // [Characteristics of existence] [Teaching Dhamma] [Faith]
Sutta: AN 2.19
4. “What technique to use to realize the fruits of this practice in this life? What technique is easiest and most effective?” [Meditation/Techniques ] [Stages of awakening] // [Ardency] [Energy] [Right Effort] [Learning] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]
Quote: “I can guarantee that looking for the easiest way is the least effective way.”
Quote: “Practice is one mistake after another.” — Dōgen. [Dōgen]
Story: Someone asks the Dalai Lama, “What is the easiest and quickest way to realize emptiness?” The Dalai Lama cries. [Dalai Lama] [Emptiness] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Sutta: AN 3.137: A teaching of effort.
5. “In regard to compassion practice, I feel as if I have refined the awareness of myself and how my actions impact others. Also, my sensitivity has increased. If I feel that I have said or done something that caused someone hurt, I immediately attempt to clean it up. At the same time, I feel great pain for having been unskillful. Please advise on how to refine my understanding so that I suffer less for this.” [Compassion] [Conscience and prudence] [Suffering] // [Self-identity view] [Respect] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Skillful qualities]
6. “When we accidentally break the Eight Precepts, once we realize it, what’s the proper response in the mind?” [Eight Precepts] // [Volition] [Virtue] [Renunciation]
7. Question about the function of mindfulness of breathing. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation] // [Meditation/Techniques] [Sutta] [Characteristics of existence]
8. “Regarding metta practice, sometimes metta is there and it helps to handle challenging situations. But sometimes there is restlessness and hostility, and I get reactive. How to work with this so the mind can be tamed?” [Goodwill] [Restlessness and worry] [Aversion] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Spiritual friendship] [Emotion] [Spaciousness] [Happiness] [Tranquility]
1. “Sometimes in meditation, it feels like I’m moving in waves even though my body is still. What does it mean? What should I do when it happens?” [Meditation/Unusual experiences] // [Self-identity view] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Right Mindfulness] [Four Noble Truths] [Liberation] [Mindfulness of body] [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Factors of Awakening]
Sutta: MN 10.4: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta.
2. “I would appreciate further explanation of vitakka and vicāra.” [Directed thought and evaluation ] // [Translation] [Investigation of states] [Bases of Success] [Desire] [Energy] [Heart/mind] [Calming meditation] [Hindrances] [Happiness]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah’s teachings about vitakka-vicāra. [Ajahn Chah]
1. “What are exercises for laypeople to overcome laziness?” [Lay life] [Sloth and torpor] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Recollection/Dhamma] [Recollection/Saṅgha] [Community] [Pandemic] [Online community]
2. “There is a constant sense of confusion underneath most of the experiences. Other defilements come and go, but moha of various form and intensity seems to be always present. Any suggestions?” [Delusion ] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Mindfulness of body] [Continuity of mindfulness]
Quote: “The mind is a liar and a cheat.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] [False speech]
3. “Can you please speak to the difference in beginning metta meditation with self as opposed to beginning with an external object or person? I often feel depleted when directing outwards.” [Goodwill] // [Chanting] [Compassion] [Politics and society] [Spaciousness]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 41: “May I abide in well-being.”
4. “How does one live in harmony with others who hold different views and have different understanding about things? How does one live in harmony with oneself when facing challenges?” [Communal harmony ] [Views] // [Conflict] [Right Speech] [Delusion] [Patience] [Association with people of integrity] [Naturalness]
Quote: “Let the forest teach you. If you look around in the forest, there’s big trees, there’s little trees, there’s straight trees, there’s crooked trees, there’s vines. They all live together in harmony.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Culture/Natural environment] [Similes]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46, Maṅgala Sutta: Don’t associate with fools.
1. Quote: “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” — “Is this a big piece of wood or a little piece of wood?” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma] [Conventions] // [Desire] [Four Noble Truths]
2. “What is the origin of asking a question three times?” [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?” [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]
4. “What was the name of the rinpoche you referred to earlier?” [Trulshik Rinpoche] [Ajahn Pasanno]
5. “What was the sutta you mentioned in regard to Ananda’s question ‘What do we do about women?’” [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?” [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?” [Food] [Sickness] [Death] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta
8. Comment: Devotion is what keeps rituals from becoming empty motions. [Devotional practice] [Ceremony/ritual]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Bowing]
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]
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?” [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.”
Quote: “The whole path of the Buddha is a path of learning, of education.”
2. “How to balance the tension between the warrior energy (taking action), the awareness of the perfection of all that is, and the weariness and humility that leads through this?” [Right Effort] [Present moment awareness] [Disenchantment] // [Suffering] [Discernment] [Fear] [Human] [Gladdening the mind] [Aversion] [Recollection] [Nature of mind] [Tranquility]
Sutta: AN 1.296-305: The Ten Recollections
Quote: “The happy mind is easily settled.” [Happiness] [Concentration]
3. “Please offer ideas on ways Dhamma meditation communities can strike a balance between beginners and experienced meditatiors.” [Meditation groups] [Teaching Dhamma] [Lay teachers] [Long-term practice] // [Generosity] [Cleanliness]
4. “Our community is mostly virtual. Since we’re not together taking care of a shared environment, can you suggest other ways of building community?” [Community] [Online community ] // [Dhamma discussion]
5. “How to reach the state of peace and serenity when we’re just human beings and we strive to be good people?” [Tranquility] [Equanimity] [Human] [Virtue] // [Happiness] [Generosity] [Association with people of integrity] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Hindrances]
Sutta: DN 2: Sāmaññaphala Sutta - Fruits of the Holy Life
Quote: When asked about his attainments as a monk, “I’m just really happy about all the things I didn’t do.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Stages of awakening] [Monastic life] [Sense restraint]
6. “Are there any mindful techniques that can be used during the transition from the old self to the new high vibrational self?” [Mindfulness] [Self-identity view] // [Suffering] [Becoming] [Relinquishment]
7. “Your advice to leaders in the conflicts of 2021 in terms of the leaders themselves and how they can inspire their teams and communities?” [Leadership] [Conflict] [Community] // [Trust] [Generosity] [Compassion] [Listening] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “Leadership always comes by example.”
Quote: “[Ajahn Chah] never asked us to do something that he himself wasn’t doing.”
8. “Any advice to guide me after retirement? How to get rid of the fear of death?” [Ageing] [Fear] [Death] // [Happiness] [Merit] [Generosity] [Virtue] [Meditation] [Mindfulness]
9. “Is it true that consciousness, the universal energy in all living organisms, exists within us and outside of us? Is it everywhere?” [Consciousness] [Nature of mind] [Nature of the cosmos] // [Clinging] [Proliferation]
1. Story: In 1995, the Saṅgha in England finally gives permission for a more permanent monastic residence in California. Master Hua offers Ajahn Sumedho 125 acres in Redwood Valley the next day. [Saṅghapāla] [Elders' Council] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Abhayagiri] // [Deva]
2. Story: Ajahn Pasanno offers to help Ajahn Amaro with the California monastery project. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Abhayagiri] // [Chithurst] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Saṅgha decision making]
3. The property next door: “You can either buy it or forget it.” [Abhayagiri] // [Saṅghapāla] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
4. Stories: The day before Abhayagiri opened; Ajahn Pasanno moves to Abhayagiri. [Festival days] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abhayagiri] // [Saṅghapāla] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
5. Story: Abhayagiri’s first kutis. [Lodging] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Building projects]
6. Recollection: Generous contributions in the early days of Abhayagiri. [Lay supporters] [Generosity] [Abhayagiri] // [Lodging] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo]
7. Reflection: Abhayagiri: a place of safety. [Fear] [Abhayagiri] // [Pāli] [Realms of existence] [Culture/West] [Competitiveness] [Abuse/violence]
8. Story: The original Abhayagiri Monastery. [Abhayagiri (Sri Lanka)] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism ] // [Theravāda] [Mahāyāna] [Commentaries] [Study monks] [Conflict] [Royalty] [Stupas/monuments] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Abhayagiri]
Reference: The Path to Freedom (Vimuttimagga), translated by Bhikkhu Ñāṇatusita
9. Reflection: Our warm relationship with the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas ] [Communal harmony] [Abhayagiri] // [Master Hsuan Hua] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Non-contention]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho is invited to teach from Master Hua’s Dhamma seat. [Teaching Dhamma]
Recollection: The first days of Wat Pah Nanachat. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno]
10. Story: Ajahn Liem declares that the Abhayagiri’s Reception Hall will last at least 150 years. [Ajahn Liem] [Building projects] [Lodging] [Abhayagiri]
11. Reflection: Ajahn Sumedho was a catalyst for Abhayagiri to happen. [Ajahn Sumedho ] [Abhayagiri] // [Western Ajahn Chah lineage] [Elders' Council]
Quote: “You should appreciate all that Ajahn Sumedho has done. He’s been the tank that has prepared the way for all the rest of you.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Respect for elders] [Similes]
Comment by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: Ajahn Sumedho is the most senior American bhikkhu in the world.
12. Comment: These days Ajahn Sumedho is on fire teaching Dhamma. [Ajahn Sumedho ] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Amaravati] [Ageing]
Quote: “He’s not talking a lot about the details. He’s talking about the essence. It’s very beautiful.” [Liberation] [Knowledge and vision] [Simplicity] [Proliferation]
Note: As of mid-2024, Ajahn Sumedho continues to give weekly Dhamma talks available on Amaravati’s YouTube channel.
13. Reflection: Ajahn Chah is the inspiration for all of us. [Ajahn Chah] [Faith] // [Respect for elders] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Knowing itself] [Teaching Dhamma] [Simplicity]
Quote: “If buffaloes can learn, surely these farangs [foreigners] can learn.” — Ajahn Chah. [Western Ajahn Chah lineage]