References – MN 26: The Noble Search 
Readings by Ajahn Pasanno:
Ajahn Pasanno’s preface to The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, pp. 8-9.
Sutta: MN 26.1-21: Ariyapariyesanā Sutta.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 21
Readings from The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, Chapter 1, pp. 30-35. Read by Ajahn Amaro:
Nyanatiloka Bhikkhu, “Nibbāna,” Buddhist Dictionary, p. 105.
The Mind Like Fire Unbound by Ajahn Ṭhānissaro, p. 2.
Suttas: MN 26.13; SN 38.1; AN 10.60; Ud 3.10; AN 3.55; AN 6.55; SN 43.1-44.
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.5 (also occurs at SN 6.1 and MN 26.19).
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 3
“In one of the first readings [Session 2, question 2 and Session 3, question 3] you mentioned momentary Nibbāna. How do jhānas relate to momentary Nibbāna?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Nibbāna] [Jhāna] // [Clinging] [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation]
Sutta: MN 113.21: Don’t be content with jhāna.
Sutta: MN 26.15-16: Āḷāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 12, Excerpt 5
“Could you say more about recollection of death and the healthy desire to have something fall away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Craving not to become] [Recollection/Death] [Relinquishment] // [Cessation] [Middle Path] [Right View]
Sutta: MN 26.19: The Buddha doubts whether anyone will understand. [Buddha/Biography]
28th Anniversary Practice and Study Day [2024], Session 4, Excerpt 3
“Maybe for most practitioners it is possible to understand a little bit about Nibbāna in a momentary sense. But to become permanently free from defilements is more difficult to understand. Please explain.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Liberation] [Nibbāna] // [Buddha/Biography] [Teaching Dhamma]
Sutta: MN 26.19: The Buddha’s initial inclination not to teach.
“The urge to become—is it just inherent in us as a species or is it inherent everywhere in life?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Becoming] [Human] // [Animal] [Gratification] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: MN 26.19.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 3, Excerpt 4
“Did the Buddha get any violent reaction from attacking Hinduism’s central tenet of the atman?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Buddha/Biography] [Hinduism] [Not-self] // [Addiction]
Sutta: MN 75.5: Māgandiya Sutta, “Wrecker of being.”
Sutta: MN 26.19: The Buddha hesitates to teach.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 11, Excerpt 2
Reflections by Ajahn Amaro on the career of the Bodhisattva. [Bodhisattva ] // [Compassion] [Perfections] [Tipiṭaka] [Mahāyāna] [History/Early Buddhism]
Sutta: MN 26.19: The Buddha hesitates to teach.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 11, Excerpt 3
“I’ve heard that to become a Buddha one must ask the blessing of an existing Buddha. Is this true?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Previous Buddhas] [Buddha] [Bodhisattva] // [Determination]
Story: The Brahmin Sumedha vows to become a Buddha (found in the Buddhavaṃsa and Jātaka tales).
Follow-up: “This makes it even more surprising that the Buddha doubted to fulfill his role (MN 26.19).” Aswered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Buddha/Biography] [Doubt] [Brahma gods] [Teaching Dhamma] [Addiction]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 124: Dhamma talk request.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 11, Excerpt 4
Readings from The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, Chapter 13, pp. 226-230. Read by Ajahn Pasanno:
Suttas: Ud 5.5; AN 3.55; MN 26.19; Iti 54 & 55; MN 107.3-11; MN 73.14.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 23
“Please say more about what a monastic retreat offers compared to an ‘ordinary’ retreat. What are the differences?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats] [Monastic life] // [Respect] [Teaching Dhamma]
Sutta: MN 26.20: The Brahmā Sahampati requests that the Buddha teach the Dhamma.
2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 4, Excerpt 17
Readings by Ajahn Pasanno:
The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, Chapter 13, pp. 224-225:
Suttas: AN 4.179; AN 10.60; AN 1.494.
Sutta: MN 26.22-42: Ariyapariyesanā Sutta.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 22
“Are there examples in real life that we can witness someone who has attained Nibbāna?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Nibbāna] // [Doubt] [Four Noble Truths] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: MN 26.25: The Buddha’s encounter with Upaka.
“You mentioned very precise words and actions of the Buddha [in MN 26], but how do we know this is a genuine story because they were written hundreds of years ago?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddha/Biography ] [Tipiṭaka] // [Faith] [Cessation of Suffering]
Sutta: MN 26.25: The encounter with Upaka.