Generosity--The Emotional Binding Agent

Ajahn Khemasiri

Generosity--The Emotional Binding Agent

Generosity represents the emotional binding agent in every community, in every relationship between even just two people.

In some Asian cultures, especially those who have integrated Dhamma values, generous conduct is practised daily from early on. Small children are taught, for example, to place some small offering into the alms-bowls of the monks. One is ready to assist the young donor when sometimes the small fist has some difficulty in opening up. They don’t quite understand the background of this small morning ritual, but intuit that something very valuable is happening because the adults demonstrate respect and offer praise when finally the hand is opening to give.

In this way, wholesome seeds are planted within the psyche of the small personality. One learns early on that giving is connected with joy and mustn’t necessarily hurt.

As a consequence of this initially mere ritual act, a wholesome habit can evolve. This habit will become part of the subsequent character structure and represents very good prerequisites so that all the other wholesome virtues and practices recommended by the Buddha can blossom and eventually bear fruit.

This reflection by Ajahn Khemasiri is from, Forest Sangha Newsletter, #93, 2014, (pdf) pp. 39.

Helping Concentration, Fostering Discernment

ฐานิสสโร ภิกขุ

Helping Concentration, Fostering Discernment

Once the mind is settled down, give it time to stay there. Don’t be in too great a hurry to move on. Here the questions are, “Which parts of the process were necessary to focus in? Which can now be let go? Which do you have to hold onto in order to maintain this focus?” Tuning into the right level of awareness is one process; staying there is another. When you learn how to maintain your sense of s…

Practicing to Be Mindful

อาจารย์ เลี่ยม

Practicing to Be Mindful

So the Buddha taught that we should learn to go against the grain and skilfully develop patient endurance, with mindfulness well established and our minds well focused, especially in situations that we have never encountered before. The process is similar to catching animals in the jungle. Catching a wild animal is not easy. Until one can catch one, one needs to learn a lot about its behaviour and…

I Finally Put It Together

Bhikkhunī Ānandabodhī

I Finally Put It Together

When I started going on retreats in my early twenties, I’d find myself getting really angry with whoever was teaching yoga. I didn’t consider myself a particularly angry person, but the yoga teacher always made me very angry. Through the stretching exercises, the anger that was locked away in my body started to wake up. At some point, I finally put it together—it wasn’t the fault of the yoga teach…

They Called Him ‘Buddha’

อาจารย์ สุจิตโต

They Called Him ‘Buddha’

Centuries ago a seeker, one who searches for a way beyond birth and death, was wandering through a remote valley of one of the many tributaries of the Ganges river. He had been wandering for six years and in the course of that time had studied under teachers, developed meditation and strengthened his considerable resolve. Most recently he had been part of a group of six ascetics whose view was tha…

Muditā

อาจารย์ จันทสิริ

Muditā

Muditā is the quality of sympathetic joy. This one has always interested me greatly–mostly because it was something that I often seemed to lack. I used to suffer enormously from jealousy, and there seemed to be nothing I could do about it. It would just come, and the more I tried to disguise it, the worse it would get. I could really spoil things for people, just through this horrible thing that u…

What’s Peacefulness?

อาจารย์ ชา

What’s Peacefulness?

Question: What’s peacefulness like? Answer: What is confusion? Well, peacefulness is the end of confusion. The forest is peaceful, why aren’t you? You hold onto things causing your confusion. Let nature teach you. Hear the bird’s song; then let go. If you know nature, you’ll know Dhamma. If you know Dhamma, you’ll know nature. These reflections by Ajahn Chah are from the book, No Ajahn Chah, (pdf)…

Flowers I

อาจารย์ มุนินโท

Flowers I

As a bee gathering nectar does not harm or disturb the colour and fragrance of the flower, so do the wise move through the world. As a beautiful flower without fragrance is disappointing, so are wise words without right action. As a beautiful flower with a delightful fragrance is pleasing, so is wise and lovely speech when matched with right action. These renditions by Ajahn Munindo are from the b…

Fundamental Structures: Time and Self

อาจารย์ สุจิตโต

Fundamental Structures: Time and Self

The mental consciousness creates fundamental structures that support further differentiation. These structures are so well established, or conjured up so immediately, that they become realities. The basic structures are time and space, self and other. They arise so immediately that we do not believe that they are created. I don’t seem to create the future. The future is ‘out there’. ‘There is such…

The Whole of the Holy Life

อาจารย์ กรุณาธัมโม

The Whole of the Holy Life

[From a Morning Reflection in 2013] With many people away, it’s so quiet I can hear the water dripping over the sound of our breathing. We can have our own little retreat here today, which is always the way it is here regardless of the day. We can use every opportunity to practice mindfulness—to be aware of where our body is and what our mind is doing and ask ourselves, “Is this a skillful state o…