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8. “In the ‘Verses of Sharing and Aspiration’ (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 33), what is the threefold bliss?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] // [Health] [Nibbāna] [Deva]
11. “What could I to to help myself fear death less?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [Fear ] [Death] // [Virtue] [Restlessness and worry] [Truth] [Stream entry] [Impermanence] [Recollection/Death] [Present moment awareness] [Recollection/Virtue] [Self-identity view]
1. “How do you avoid falling in the trap of caring about something/someone too much and becoming attached to that something/someone?” [Compassion] [Clinging] // [Suffering] [Equanimity] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Bases of Success] [Desire] [Self-identity view] [Craving] [Cessation of Suffering]
2. “How do we overcome regret and remorse associated with not being able to do good or meet our loved ones at the time of passing away?” [Restlessness and worry] [Merit] [Death] [Pandemic] [Grief] // [Goodwill] [Self-identity view] [Discernment] [Determination]
3. “I struggle to find meaning in life....I struggle to find what to do during my days and what to do in the future in terms of career or lifestyle....What would be your advice for someone who feels lost as to what to do next in his/her life?” [Purpose/meaning ] [Sickness] [Work] [Depression] // [Right Effort] [Generosity] [Virtue] [Kamma] [Happiness] [Clear comprehension]
4. “I struggle with restlessness. I always want to be doing something, and I often end up doing several things at the same time so it’s draining and not enjoyable. It’s very difficult to stop, and when I stop, I don’t know what to do, so I might grab my iPhone, clean stuff....Could you talk about restlessness and how to do nothing if that’s actually possible?” [Restlessness and worry ] [Pace of life] [Technology] // [Volition] [Mindfulness of mind] [Simplicity] [Present moment awareness] [Impermanence]
5. “Why do we forget past lives?” [Rebirth] [Memory]
6. “A question about Dogenji’s teaching: ‘To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things. When actualized by myriad things your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of enlightenment remains, and this no trace continues endlessly.’ Can you reflect on this teaching from the Theravāda Thai Forest Teachings?” [Dōgen] [Zen ] [Eightfold Path] [Not-self] [Liberation] [Theravāda] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Teaching Dhamma] [Knowledge and vision] [Four Noble Truths] [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [Aggregates] [Proliferation] [Discernment] [Compassion]
Quote: “Everything is teaching us. Everything is a manifestation of Dhamma and truth.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma] [Truth] [Suchness]
7. “I’m lucky not to have any obligations such as taking care of a family, making money, working, etc., but I don’t know what to do with my life....Always wondering what to do with my life is a bit tough. How would you suggest I approach the situation?...How do you figure out what to do with your life when you have too much freedom?” [Purpose/meaning] [Work] // [Culture/West] [Right Effort] [Conceit] [Generosity]
See also Question 3 in this same session.
8. “In our worldly life we always have expectations on things that we do. What would be the best way for us to change this habit and do everything without expectations?” [Everyday life] [Desire] [Craving] [Habits] // [Impermanence] [Bases of Success] [Skillful qualities] [Right Effort]
9. “Does Luang Por Pasanno know what happened to Ajahn Visuddhi or Christine Lee?” [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Disrobing]
7. Recollection: The Community of Abhayagiri Lay Ministers sets up a food stall at Wat Pah Pong. Recounted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [CALM Group] [Ajahn Chah Remembrance Day] [Wat Pah Pong] [Food] [Abhayagiri]
9. Quote: “When you go to Thailand, you will realize how American you are.” — Ajahn Pasanno or Ajahn Amaro. Quoted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko]
1. “What can I do to stop judging?” [Judgementalism] // [Suffering] [Relinquishment]
2. “Thank you for your talk today. You mentioned giving the opportunity for everyone to practice and train. However, there seem to be no Ajahn Chah monasteries in the US and Canada where women can ordain and train. Would Abhayagiri be open to having a female monastic community at some point in the future?” [Women's monastic forms ] [Western Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Abhayagiri] // [Culture/Thailand] [Dhammadharini Monastery] [Karuna Buddhist Vihara] [Sīladharā] [Bhikkhunī] [Women in Buddhism]
3. “I remember reading in one of Ajahn Chah’s books about comparing our feelings to a snake with sadness and unhappiness at its head and happiness as its tail and how we should not touch any part of its body....How can we just watch [feelings] come in and out of our mind without interacting with it or getting influenced by it?” [Ajahn Chah] [Feeling] [Similes] [Happiness] [Suffering] [Equanimity] // [Appropriate attention]
Reference: “The Middle Way Within,” Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 2.
4. “What is the meaning of the inscription on the Buddha statue behind you?” [Buddha images] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Jundee]
5. “A sense of causeless joy permeates awareness, yet there remains a sense of me that experiences. How to dissolve that?” [Happiness] [Knowing itself] [Conceit] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Suffering] [Relinquishment]
6. “Why do the monks keep their eyes closed during meditation?” [Meditation/General advice] [Postures] // [Sense bases] [Seclusion] [Sloth and torpor] [Restlessness and worry]
7. “How do you recognize when craving has arisen?” [Craving]
8. “When practicing letting go, is there any particular order to do so? For example, if I am attached to career, friends, and family (in order of increasing attachment), which shall I let go of first?” [Clinging] [Relinquishment] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Similes]
9. “If everything in life is great, and I am enjoying my life, why practice? What could get better?” [Everyday life] [Happiness] [Heedfulness] // [Discernment] [Right Effort] [Rebirth] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Right View]
10. “How do you feel the holes? How do you feel good without the need for anything external/addictions, in other words, coping mechanisms. How do you deal with and move past what lies underneath these mechanisms?” [Craving] [Clinging] [Addiction] [Outflows] // [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Discernment] [Noble Truth of Suffering]
11. “Should we consider the brahmavihāras a form of emotion or are they kinds of knowledge or understanding?” [Divine Abidings] [Emotion] [Knowledge and vision]
12. “Can you please talk more about the three happinesses and what we should be careful about?” [Happiness] [Heedfulness] // [Everyday life] [Deva] [Nibbāna] [Hindrances] [Virtue] [Community]
Reference: Verses of Sharing and Aspiration, Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 33.
13. “I have loaned something to my brother, and he just won’t give it back to me no matter how many times I ask him. How would you approach this situation?” [Family] [Virtue] // [Right Speech] [Clear comprehension]
14. “Have you ever suffered from some sort of addiction and how did you recover from it? What would be your advice for someone suffering from an addiction?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Addiction] [Suffering] // [Sensual desire] [Self-identity view] [Spiritual friendship] [Three Refuges] [Happiness] [Appropriate attention]
15. “Could you please explain how one practices applied and sustained thought in breath meditation?” [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Ajahn Chah]
16. “Could you please explain why the ajahn holds a fan in front of himself during the taking of refuges?” [Three Refuges] [Ceremony/ritual] // [Abhayagiri] [Kaṭhina] [Symbolism] [Dhamma]
1. “The reflection on kamma (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 55) uses language related to family: ‘born,’ ‘heir,’ ‘related’, ‘supported.’ What are the implications of this?” [Kamma] [Family] [Language] // [Community] [Perception]
2. “I have a family and family responsibilities. How do I know I’m on the path and making right effort?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Family] [Right Effort] [Doubt] // [Four Noble Truths] [Culture/West] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Direct experience]
3. “How do I know what is the Middle Path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Middle Path] // [Four Noble Truths] [Direct experience]
Quote: “It’s not a concept. It’s like are you on your bike or are you on the ground?” — Ajahn Amaro.
4. “You spoke about the teachings and the training. What is the training for a lay practitioner other than the Five Precepts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Dhamma] [Vinaya] [Lay life] [Five Precepts] // [Meditation] [Communal harmony] [Right Livelihood] [Family] [Work] [Politics and society] [Spiritual friendship]
1. Comment: I listen to the talks and read the books, and everything is so logical and rational, but I’m still stuck in habitual patterns of living. [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Dhamma books] [Everyday life] [Habits ]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Association with people of integrity] [Community] [Monasteries] [Lunar observance days] [Online community] [Chanting] [Spiritual friendship] [Impermanence] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Generosity]
Quote: “When you’re living with a group of people, not everybody is depressed and lazy and fed up at the same time.” [Unwholesome Roots]
Sutta: SN 55.5 Sāriputta [Factors for stream entry]
2. “Early on in practice, I learned that practicing sīla (virtue) leads to the bliss of the blamelessness life and creates the conditions for samādhi. What is the Pāli word that translates to ‘the bliss of the blameless life?’” [Virtue ] [Merit] [Happiness ] [Concentration] [Pāli] // [Right Livelihood] [Generosity] [Right Intention]
Quote: “Sīla is the opportunity to rise up to a life of integrity.”
3. Comment: Sīla (virtue) is like a compass. You know if you’re off. [Virtue]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suffering] [Feeling]
Quote: “The language of Dhamma is the language of feeling.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma]
4. Comment: I’m appreciative of Zoom. It’s helpful on many levels, but I’m missing the actual physical presence. [Online community] [Pandemic] [Community]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Human] [Monasteries]
1. “What was it like growing up in such an isolated place? Did this influence you towards spiritual or philosophical inquiry from a young age?” [Culture/Natural environment] [Spiritual search] [Ajahn Pasanno]
2. “After you grew up and went to college, you travelled around the world and ended up in Thailand. What set you off on this journey around the world?” [Travel] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Spiritual search] [Learning] [Zen]
Follow-up: “What attracted you to Thailand?” [Culture/Thailand]
3. “Did you go on a retreat in Thailand? How did you end up ordaining in Bangkok?” [Meditation retreats] [Ordination] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Mahasi Sayadaw] [Temporary ordination]
4. “How did it come to be that you ended up with Ajahn Chah? What was it like the first time you met him?” [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Determination] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: (To himself) “Five years if five years. You’ve got to do it.”
5. As Westerners, we don’t like the idea of committing, certainly not for life. Comment by Sol Hanna. [Culture/West] [Determination]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “Commitment is anathema.” [Sensual desire] [Ajahn Chah] [Perception of a samaṇa]
6. “Were there any memories from that period of training with Ajahn Chah that really stand out in your mind? In what ways did you find it difficult?” [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Poverty] [Requisites] [Posture/Sitting] [Monastic routine]
Quote: “It was difficult, but it was also very satisfying. It felt like exactly what I wanted to be doing and should be doing.” [Ardency] [Faith]
7. “There were quite a few Westerners who went to train in Thailand at the time. Not all of them made it. What got you through that period of time? What kept you going?” [Monastic life] [Monastic life/Motivation ] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Ajahn Chah] [Faith] [Truth]
8. “How did you come to be abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat?” [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abbot] [Ajahn Pasanno ] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Jāgaro] [Ajahn Puriso] [Ajahn Brahmavaṃso] [Wat Keuan] [Ajahn Chah]
Follow-up: “How did you feel about it?” [Culture/West] [Fear] [Trust]
9. Under your leadership, Wat Pah Nanachat grew in size and more monks came to practice there. Comment by Sol Hanna. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abbot] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “I think I did okay.” [Humility] [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness]
10. You were quite involved in Ajahn Chah’s funeral as well. I heard that a million Thai people visited during the funeral period. Comment by Sol Hanna. [Ajahn Chah] [Funerals] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Trust]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Building projects]
Follow-up: “How do you think it went?” Aswered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Pah Pong] [Lodging] [Food] [Eating after noon] [Not handling money] [Free distribution]
11. “As abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, you were involved in a model reforestation project. How did this come about and what motivated you to promote reforestation in Thailand?” [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Environment ] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Culture/Thailand] [Commerce/economics] [Geography/Thailand] [Food] [Community]
Quote: “It’s not just forest that you want to pay attention to....The villagers need to make a living.” [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Right Livelihood] [Learning]
Quote: “I had good people helping me. It wasn’t just me.”
12. “How did you come to join Ajahn Amaro as co-abbot of the newly established Abhayagiri Monastery in California?” [Ajahn Amaro] [Abbot] [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Pasanno ] // [Saṅghapāla] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Jack Kornfield] [Elders' Council] [Chithurst]
13. “What was it like establishing a forest monastery with the strict Vinaya of the Forest Tradition in California in the 1990s?” [Abhayagiri] [Vinaya] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Culture/West] // [Conscience and prudence] [Trust] [Precepts]
14. “Abhayagiri is not near a major city, but there has been plenty of interest from both laypeople and those wishing to ordain. What do you credit for the sucessful establishment phase of Abhayagiri Monastery?” [Abhayagiri] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Teaching Dhamma] [Trust] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Vinaya]
Quote: “We are what we say we are. That helps.” [Truth]
15. “How many monastics are there at Abhayagiri right now?” [Abhayagiri] [Monastic life]
16. “During your time in the United States, how do you think the knowledge and practice of Buddhism has changed?” [Culture/West] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Abhayagiri] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
17. “In 2018 you stepped away from the role of abbot of Abhayagiri, passing the role to Ajahn Karunadhammo and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. Both these monks are American and have mostly trained in the United States at Abhayagiri. How do you feel about this milestone?” [Abhayagiri] [Abbot] [Retirement] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ajahn Pasanno ] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Culture/West] // [Monastic life]
18. “You’ve lived a life dedicated to the spiritual quest of a Buddhist monk. What advice would you give to someone who’s starting out on the Eightfold Path and may have an interest in ordaining as a monk or nun?” [Spiritual search ] [Monastic life] [Eightfold Path] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Appropriate attention] [Culture/West] [Perfectionism] [Happiness] [Right Effort] [Patience]
1. “In reference to the fragrance of the flower....There are many roses in the courtyard across the street....Why do we cultivate beauty? Where does beauty arise from?” [Beauty] // [Clinging] [Happiness] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Empathetic joy] [Unconditioned]
Sutta: MN 37: Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya. (Nothing whatsoever should be clung to.)
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s mother sends his old letters to Abhayagiri. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abhayagiri]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah was unshakeable in the midst of all the things that were happening around him and responded warmly and compassionately to the people around him. [Ajahn Chah] [Equanimity] [Compassion] [Family] [Monastic life/Motivation]
2. “Did you get a little bit [of Ajahn Chah’s equanimity and warmth]? What’s it like?” [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Monastic life/Motivation]
3. “Is there a plan to publish the letters [that Ajahn Pasanno wrote home during his travels]?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dhamma books]
4. “I notice that some of the monks at Abhayagiri use social media. As a youngster, I use a lot of social media. You grew up when there was none. What’s your view on how it’s affecting our mind?” [Social media] [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Pasanno]
5. “I feel that a lot of people are disconnected with the reality world. They don’t have a place of social, and they withdraw themselves and go on the internet. So I think the fundamental problem is people [audio unclear] in this real world. Do you have any comments on how to connect people in the real world so there can be a replacement of social media?” [Community] [Social media] [Internet] // [Dhamma online] [Pandemic] [Online community] [Abhayagiri] [Lunar observance days]
Sutta: SN 55.5: Spiritual friendship as a condition for Right View. [Spiritual friendship] [Right View] [Conditionality] [Appropriate attention]
6. Comment: Since the pandemic, I have been in better communication with my family. [Pandemic] [Family] [Internet] [Communal harmony]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discernment]
7. “What’s the feeling of wearing the same color for 50 years?” [Monastic life] [Robes] // [Culture/West]
8. “My understanding is that it is not good to indulge the five senses. But is there a way to make that help with your cultivation?” [Sense bases] [Sense restraint] // [Appropriate attention] [Discernment] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 6: Recollection of the Dhamma [Recollection/Dhamma]
Sutta: SN 35.23: The six senses are the all.
Sutta: SN 35.116: A perceiver of the world, a conceiver of the world.
9. “It’s understandable that we crave happiness through the senses. Attaching to a certain type of happiness through the senses is not helpful for cultivation. But there’s also the emphasis on joy in the Buddha’s teachings. So there should be a balance, and where to find that?” [Sense bases] [Sensual desire] [Happiness] [Gladdening the mind] // [Four Noble Truths]
Quote: “All the elements of the path are a source of happiness and well-being.” [Eightfold Path]
Follow-up: “What about the joy that comes from enjoying sensual things like music, painting, scents, and water?” [Artistic expression] [Beauty] [Clinging] [Spaciousness]
1. “Is misery the absence of happiness?” [Suffering] [Happiness] // [Language] [Conditionality] [Pāli]
Derivation of dukkha: du = not good or not comfortable; kha = where the axle goes into the wheel.
Story: Driving a car with frozen wheels is dukkha. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Similes]
2. “What is meant by skillful?” [Skillful qualities ] // [Unskillful qualities] [Happiness] [Tranquility] [Kamma] [Discernment]
Quote: “The language of Dhamma is the language of feeling.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma] [Feeling]
3. “During times of intense joy and happiness, I find that joy and happiness itself can trigger worry, fear, or desire to control. From this morning’s teachings, I took that one way to skillfully hold happiness is to share it; another is to express gratitude for it. Do you have any advice on how to hold happiness when it feels almost too big to release into?” [Happiness ] [Fear] [Gratitude] // [Self-identity view] [Compassion] [Discernment] [Right Speech] [Admonishment/feedback] [Humility]
Sutta: AN 2.126: Two conditions for the arising of Right View. [Right View] [Spiritual friendship] [Appropriate attention]
Quote: “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings? You are not what you think.” [Not-self] [Proliferation]
4. “Am I what I feel? We have a lot of feelings as humans, and then a lot more feelings have come up since COVID. There’s a lot of depression, hurt feelings, regret, death, end of relation and of income, end of status. A lot of us want to know how to work with this or even change these really hard emotional states.” [Emotion] [Human] [Self-identity view] [Pandemic] [Grief] // [Suffering] [Spiritual friendship] [Compassion]
Recollection: “Sometimes Ajahn Chah would consciously make things difficult for us....He’s always pointing back to the heart.” [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Heart/mind]
5. “Is physical sexual desire the same as the desire for food and water? Or should it be avoided?” [Sensual desire ] // [Monastic life] [Human] [Self-identity view] [Sexual misconduct] [Food] [Sense restraint] [Relationships] [Trust] [Five Precepts]
Sutta: AN 8.39: The five great gifts.
6. “Is there a right speed to silent walking?” [Posture/Walking] // [Abhayagiri] [Postures] [Continuity of mindfulness]
Story: Jack Kornfield asks Ajahn Chah, “Whenever you teach walking meditation, you always teach the monks to walk slowly. But whenever you walk meditation, you walk really fast. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Teaching Dhamma] [Exercise]
Translations of sampajañña (clear comprehension) and its role in Dhamma practice. [Clear comprehension ] [Translation] [Mindfulness]
7. “How to turn grief of the planet and humankind into creative action?” [Grief] [Environment] [Human ] [Activism] // [Generosity] [Gratitude] [Purpose/meaning] [Community] [Aversion]
Quote: “If you think you’ve got to solve the problem completely yourself, that stirs one into inaction.”
Recollection: The nonprofit organization founded by Ajahn Pasanno to protect forests in Thailand is still operating. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Non-profit organizations] [Culture/Thailand]
1. “When my mind settles, my hands go away from my awareness. Hands feel like they are twisted or in the air. Why is this?” [Concentration] [Meditation/Unusual experiences] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Body scanning] [Goodwill] [Mindfulness of feeling]
2. “Can you speak more about the progression of mindfulness of breathing, how the Four Foundations of Mindfulness develop the Seven Factors of Awakening?” [Right Mindfulness] [Factors of Awakening] [Mindfulness of breathing ] // [Emotion] [Conditionality] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of body] [Mindfulness of feeling]
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta. [Mindfulness] [Mindfulness of mind] [Bases of Success]
Quote: “We’re breathing in and out anyway, but taking an interest in it is a game-changer.” [Desire]
3. “Is there a time and place for intentionally breathing or using the breath as a means of calming the mind?” [Volition] [Calming meditation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Tranquility] [Energy]
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta.
Recollection: To deal with the restless mind, Ajahn Chah taught to breath in deeply and not breathe out. [Restlessness and worry] [Ajahn Chah]
1. “After the mind has settled and I’m with the breath, the boundaries of the body disappear and the breath starts to be barely perceptible. When anxiety arises in this situation, is it a feeling or a sensation?” [Tranquility] [Restlessness and worry] [Feeling] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Pāli] [Emotion] [Volitional formations]
Quote: “You’re falling out of a tree. You don’t have to count all the branches as you go down. You just have to know it’s going to hurt when you hit the bottom.” Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Dependent origination] [Similes] [Suffering]
Follow-up: “So I can just feel the feeling tone as unpleasant, pleasant, or neutral...?” [Noting]
2. “In the Ānāpānasati Sutta there are many steps. Is there space in these to investigate the causes and conditions for greed, anger, and delusion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Investigation of states] [Conditionality] [Unwholesome Roots] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Mindfulness of mind] [Heart/mind] [Calming meditation] [Hindrances] [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Impermanence]
Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Mindfulness of breathing is not a linear process. You have to work with what’s actually helpful.
3. “I’m not clear about the third and fourth tetrads of ānāpānasati. Do you have to be able to calm the cittasaṅkhāra in order to experience the citta?” [Heart/mind] [Volitional formations] [Mindfulness of breathing]
4. “If I want to see what I’m doing to keep generating certain thought patterns, does my mind need to be really calm?” [Discernment] [Volitional formations] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Quote: “If you start investigatig and you get really interested, you’ll start to get calm.” [Investigation of states] [Desire]
5. “Breathing is connected to body, mind, and emotion. Is the sound of silence part of the body?” [Sound of silence] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Mindfulness of mind] [Tranquility]
6. “When will I get wisdom? How can we not get exhausted when observing the monkey mind?” [Discernment] [Mindfulness of mind] [Energy] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Knowing itself] [Mindfulness of body] [Tranquility]
1. “In the dialogue between Ānanda and Sariputta (AN 4.179), could you say more about the reason people don’t become enlightened in this lifetime?” [Stages of awakening] // [Perception] [Conditionality] [Progress of insight]
2. “Tibetan Buddhism seems to have a stronger emphasis on compassion and emptiness as a practice. Can you talk about this from the perspective of the Ajahn Chah lineage, including steps as to how it is done?” [Vajrayāna] [Compassion] [Emptiness] [Ajahn Chah lineage] // [Ajahn Chah] [Eightfold Path]
Quote: “What is the mind of an Arahant like?” – “Only compassion” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant]
3. “Can you expand more on the seeing through of vipassanā?” [Insight meditation ] // [Characteristics of existence] [Conditionality]
4. “Please speak about sense consciouness and how the release of attachment is acheived.” [Sense bases] [Consciousness] [Clinging] [Relinquishment] // [Delusion] [Insight meditation] [Knowledge and vision] [Feeling] [Contact] [Drawbacks] [Compassion]
Quote: “Dhamma practice is not difficult. There are only two things you need to do: know and let go.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma]
5. “How does one know the difference between appropriate grieving and honoring the memory of a beloved versus clinging and attachment?” [Grief ] [Clinging] // [Cause of Suffering] [Self-identity view] [Spiritual urgency]
Recollection: Grieving for Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Recollection/Saṅgha]
Quote: “It’s that personalization of experience that gets us into trouble over and over again in different ways.” [Suffering]
6. “Could you give a Dhamma talk about the Five Aggregates?” [Aggregates] // [Cause of Suffering] [Form] [Feeling] [Perception] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness]
Simile: A dog tied to a post (SN 22.100). [Similes] [Self-identity view]
7. “I’m a mother to four kids, one of whom has special needs. I’m lucky if I can meditate 10-15 minutes a day. Are there practices one can do when one is frequently around little ones?” [Children ] [Meditation/General advice] // [Posture/Sitting] [Three Refuges] [Precepts] [Recollection/Virtue] [Recollection/Generosity] [Gladdening the mind] [Mindfulness of body] [Clear comprehension]
Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 104: Forty subjects of meditation.
Sri Lankan Buddhists keep a book of good deeds which is read near the time of death. [Culture/Sri Lanka] [Merit] [Death]
Story: Debbie Stamp served as primary caregiver to her father during the pandemic. [Parents] [Pandemic]
1. “By moving to lovingkindness [meditation], I may be missing some of the deeper insights and wisdom that are present in feelings of angher, ill-will, and resentment. I think this is what is referred to as spiritual bypassing. Can you speak to this distinction or provide suggestions for accessing the wisdom that may be present within or underneath the hindrances?” [Goodwill] [Aversion] [Ill-will] [Spiritual bypass ] [Discernment] [Hindrances] // [Truth] [Suffering] [Gratification]
Quote: “Sensual desire is just trying to get a relief from suffering. Even anger and ill-will...and the same with all the rest of the hindrances. They are looking for some relief from suffering in some way, shape, or form.” [Sensual desire]
2. “Would you speak about your response to the events in Israel and Gaza?” [Conflict] [Politics and society] // [Grief] [Human] [Suffering] [Idealism]
Quote: “The world has been a sad place for a long time.” [Nature of the cosmos]
3. “Could you please elaborate on how you generate the images and feelings of metta? My metta practice phrases always seem a bit dry.” [Goodwill ] // [Commentaries] [Heart/mind] [Visualization] [Nimitta] [Bhante Gunaratana]
4. “I have trouble maintaining wakefulness and alertness in the afternoon. What guidance would you give to cultivate more skillfulness?” [Sloth and torpor] [Devotion to wakefulness] // [Buddho mantra] [Recollection] [Unattractiveness] [Posture/Walking] [Posture/Standing]
5. “I have had many losses over the year, and both my parents passed away six years ago. I found that taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha, keeping the precepts, and having daily meditation practice helps. There is peacefulness and gratitude. I have heard that if one wants to share merits with the deceased, one could. What is the proper way? Could you give some guidance?” [Death] [Grief] [Parents] [Merit ] // [Recollection/Virtue] [Goodwill] [Translation] [Three Refuges] [Precepts] [Generosity] [Happiness]
Sutta: Iti 22: “Do not be afraid of puñña.”
Quote: “Puñña is accomplished through the heart itself.” [Heart/mind] [Cultural context]
Quote: “A spark of merit is worth more than a mountain of effort.” — Tibetan saying. [Vajrayāna] [Self-identity view]
6. “In practicing mindfulness day-to-day, which category of mindfulness is most important at varying times? Body, feelings, mind, or dhammas?” [Mindfulness] [Everyday life] [Right Mindfulness] // [Continuity of mindfulness]
7. “Upon awakening one morning, I found my mind was locked open in awareness. It seems this was stable as long as I did not do any conceptual thinking. Is this a feature of samādhi? Can it be cultivated?” [Meditation/Unusual experiences] [Present moment awareness] [Spaciousness] [Concentration] // [Right Concentration] [Mindfulness]
8. “Can you offer practical advice for working with hindrances and cultivating sīla without taking it personally, that is, trying to perfect the personality?” [Hindrances] [Virtue] [Self-identity view] // [Dhamma] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “Kae nun lae (Thai) – It’s just this much.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Suchness]
9. “Please offer your thoughts on how to cultivate the brahmavihāras on and off the cushion.” [Divine Abidings ] [Everyday life] // [Spaciousness] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Empathetic joy] [Equanimity] [Generosity]
Ajahn Vajiro defined the brahamavihāras as the mature emotions. [Ajahn Vajiro] [Emotion]
10. “What are the words or practices to develop equanimity? In this difficult, divisive period, it’s helpful to have as much non-ill-will as possible.” [Equanimity ] [Conflict] [Goodwill] // [News] [Kamma] [Conditionality]
Quote: “[News] is not there to inform you. It’s there to create a reaction....Their job is to try to get click baits.” [Internet] [Advertizing]
11. “Can you be a Buddhist and yet an I-don’t-know agnostic about reincarnation?” [Buddhist identity] [Rebirth ] [Atheism/agnosticism] // [Faith] [Merit] [Kamma]
Sutta: MN 60: The Safe Bet
12. “How does one navigate choices and self-advocacy and also equanimity? I often find myself feeling relatively content yet defaulting slightly to people-pleasing and being quiet to get along.” [Equanimity] [Non-contention] [Blame and praise] // [Discernment]
13. “I am in a challenging situation at work and thinking of moving to a different position. How can I tell whether this is skillful or unskillful?” [Work] [Discernment] // [Spiritual friendship]
14. “The world looms large. This is the source of most of my turmoil. How does one see all this strife as neutral when we know that the damage to the world is so great? How do we maintain acceptance when our children and grandchildren will suffer?” [Conflict] [Politics and society] [Environment] [Equanimity] // [Right Effort] [Community]
15. “Any suggestions for managing dizziness or nausea from the energy on retreat? I’m feeling a little overwhelmed today.” [Meditation retreats] [Health] // [Posture/Lying down] [Posture/Walking] [Goodwill] [Mindfulness of body]
16. “How does one reconcile perceived imperfections and unskillful behaivor in Buddhist institutions and interactions with teachers?” [Unskillful qualities] [Teachers] // [Monasteries] [Monastic life] [Admonishment/feedback] [Blame and praise]
Quote: “The Buddha set up an institution that was not assuming infallability.” [Buddha] [Lay life] [Human]
Sutta: Dhp 227: Nobody lives without criticism.
17. “Fifty vassas! Highs, lows? What are you contemplating these days?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] // [Dhamma] [Abbot] [Mentoring] [Ajahn Chah]
18. “Can you talk about fear as a cause of dukkha and how to work with it?” [Fear ] [Suffering] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Abhidhamma] [Delusion] [Mindfulness of body] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Biases]
Quote: “In terms of personality, [fear] was my go-to option.” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Personality]
19. “When one moves through the world with compassion and lovingkindness, how does one avoid feeling depleted? In a world of ‘individuals,’ most take more than they give and to always be giving can be exhausting.” [Compassion] [Goodwill] [Selfishness] [Generosity] [Depression] // [Not-self] [Four Noble Truths] [Cause of Suffering]
Quote: “When we are attentive to freedom from suffering, there’s an inexhaustible well of goodness there.” [Cessation of Suffering] [Skillful qualities]
20. “I wake remembering dreams my dreams often and at times in the dream I know that I am dreaming. There are interesting aspects to this, but also at times I find it intense or tiring. Meditation before bed seems to intesify this. Suggestions?” [Dreams ] // [Clear comprehension] [Relinquishment] [Mindfulness]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s Tibetan doctor insists he needs more sleep. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Health care] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Ageing]
21. “My husband died 10 years ago. There was sadness but also relief that his journey was over and sadness and relief for myself. I can still hear his advice regarding my medications. Is this clinging? He lives in my heart. What do you do with memories and teachings yourself?” [Family] [Death] [Grief] [Memory] [Clinging]
Recollection: I still hear Ajahn Chah’s voice. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] [Dreams] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa]