Monastic life (brahmacariyā)
Includes tags: Monastic life, Ordination, Sequence of training, Dependence, Monastic routine, Perception of a samaṇa, Simplicity
{80} “What do we do at the monastery? What happens on a daily basis?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic routine ] [Abhayagiri]
The Whole of the Path [2013], Session 3, Excerpt 1.1
{90} “What are the biggest misconceptions about being ordained?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life ] // [Selfishness ]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno visits Ajahn Buddhadāsa: “Don’t be selfish!” [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Ajahn Pasanno]
{100} “Could you describe the progression of anagārika and sāmaṇera training?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training ] [Postulants] [Novices] [Abhayagiri] // [Eight Precepts] [Not handling money] [Ordination ] [Saṅgha decision making] [Dependence] [Ajahn Chah monasteries]
2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6, Excerpt 6
{110} “Please speak about ‘unburdened with duties’ (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 37). I notice it’s not ‘unburdened by duties.’ Does this mean we should attempt to minimize our responsibilities? What does this have to do with metta?—From a chronically busy person.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Simplicity ] [Goodwill] // [Restlessness and worry]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 41: “May I abide in well-being.”
Thanksgiving Retreat 2010, Session 6, Excerpt 17
{120} “I find I do need some pleasures even though they don’t last, things like fine arts and being in nature. I’m curious, how did you manage as a monk in your early years at Ajahn Chah’s monastery where there’s almost no pleasure....How did you manage to keep going over the years until the present?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire] [Artistic expression] [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] [Food] [Entertainment and adornment] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Cessation of Suffering] [Happiness ] [Simplicity ] [Association with people of integrity] [Empathetic joy] [Human] [Hindrances] [Jhāna] [Virtue] [Discernment]
Quote: “One of the extraordinary perks of being a monk is that everyone tries to be good around you.”
Sutta: MN 36.32: “Why am I afraid of that happiness?” [Buddha/Biography] [Ascetic practices] [Suffering] [Skillful qualities] [Eightfold Path]
Quote: “As a monk, I can look back on forty years of living in a way where I don’t have to feel remorseful or regret anything.”
New Year, New Life [2013], Session 1, Excerpt 6
{140} Reflections by Ajahn Pasanno on the value of samaṇas in Indian culture. [Culture/India ] [Perception of a samaṇa ] // [Commentaries] [Buddha] [Virtue] [Truth] [Hospitality]
Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno was really cared for during his tudong in Northern India. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Tudong] [Perception of a samaṇa ] [Not handling money]
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness [2015], Session 34, Excerpt 2
{300} “What encouragement or adjustments in their lives have you given struggling monks that have helped them remain in robes?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life ] [Disrobing] // [Tudong] [Teaching Dhamma]
4. Story: Ajahn Amaro meets Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Jitindriyā. [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Chah] // [Work] [Monastic life] [Faith]
3. Quote: “He made sense out of monasticism.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] // [Vinaya ] [Dhamma] [Trust]
5. Story: How Ajahn Sumedho met Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] // [Language] [Military] [Vinaya] [Ordination]
2. Story: How I met Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Types of monks] [Wat Pah Pong] [Seclusion]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to be here for five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Sequence of training]
3. Quote: “Ajahn Chah was a wonderful teacher, but more important, he was a trainer. He trained people how to live.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Māghā Pūjā at Wat Pah Pong. [Festival days] [Lunar observance days] [Wat Pah Pong] [Meditation] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Lay life] [Saṅgha]
1. Story: Ajahn Amaro tells his mother that he’s never eaten so well since he became a Buddhist monk. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Amaro] [Food] [Monastic life]
7. Story: Ajahn Chah ordains at age 20. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Monastic life/Motivation] [Spiritual urgency] [Forest versus city monks]
8. Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah’s dying father asks him to remain in robes for life. Read by Ajahn Amaro. [Sickness] [Recollection/Death] [Parents] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] [Determination] // [Learning] [Culture/Thailand] [Unattractiveness] [Forest versus city monks] [Sutta] [Spiritual urgency]
Quote: “I dedicate my body and mind, my whole life, to the practice of the Lord Buddha’s teachings in their entirety. I will realize the truth in this lifetime … I will let go of everything and follow the teachings. No matter how much suffering and difficulty I have to endure I will persevere, otherwise there will be no end to my doubts. I will make this life as even and continuous as a single day and night. I will abandon attachments to mind and body and follow the Buddha’s teachings until I know their truth for myself.” — Ajahn Chah. [Buddha] [Dhamma] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Knowledge and vision] [Truth] [Relinquishment] [Suffering]
Reflection: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 40 [Energy] [Doubt] [Continuity of mindfulness]
2. Quote: “Living with Ajahn Chah wasn’t easy.” — Paul Breiter. [Suffering] [Ajahn Chah] // [Aversion] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Monastic life]
7. Ajahn Chah would often send his monks to branch monasteries. Recollection by Paul Breiter. [Monastic life] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Ajahn Chah] // [Teachers] [Respect for elders] [Ajahn Sinuan]
8. Story: Ajahn Sinuan meets Ajahn Chah. Told by Paul Breiter. [Ajahn Sinuan] [Ajahn Chah] // [Perception of a samaṇa] [Personality] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Cleanliness] [Unattractiveness]
Story: It was always said that Ajahn Chah had it in for Ajahn Sinuan. [Sloth and torpor] [Work] [Suffering] [Saṃsāra] [Teaching Dhamma]
11. Quote: “He taught different people differently....He gave us what we needed.” — Paul Breiter. [Teaching Dhamma] [Mentoring] [Ajahn Chah] // [Paul Breiter] [Patience] [Monastic life] [Generosity] [Upatakh] [Devotional practice]
1. “What is the daily schedule like?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Joseph Kappel. [Monastic routine] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Nanachat ] [Ajahn Amaro] [Joseph Kappel] [Almsround] [Work] [Abhayagiri] [Teaching Dhamma]
Quote: “Ajahn Chah had this most amazing disrespect for time.” — Ajahn Amaro. [Pace of life]
3. You weren’t there to prepare for something else. Reflection by Paul Breiter. [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Sequence of training] [Everyday life] [Disrobing] [Kamma] [Monastic life] [Ascetic practices] [Suffering] [Happiness] [Saṃsāra]
Quote: “Talk about the benefits of lay life....on paper you can make a good case for it. In practice it’s a constant challenge just to keep your head above water and remember how you’re supposed to deal with things. I urge people in robes to stay there.” [Lay life] [Right Action] [Monastic life]
Quote: “Ajahn Pasanno doesn’t want me sending everyone to ordain with him, but I think you do better following his way than my way.” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Paul Breiter]
3. Reflection by Ṭhānissarā: A profound sense of gratitude. [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah] // [Monastic life]
4. Story: When I met Ajahn Chah. Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Ṭhānissarā] [Ajahn Chah] // [Meditation retreats] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Personal presence] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Liberation] [Happiness]
Story: Ajahn Chah bows to a small, neglected Buddha image in a secular meditation center and inspires Ṭhānissarā‘s faith. [Bowing] [Buddha images] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Human] [Faith]
Quote: “If you’ve been listening to this and you think this is good or you think this is bad, then you haven’t been listening properly.” — Ajahn Chah. [Judgementalism] [Appropriate attention]
7. One of Ajahn Chah’s main methods was the monastic training. Recollection by Ṭhānissarā. [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Suffering] [Direct experience] [Idealism] [Relinquishment]
8. Ajahn Chah encouraged us to work as Saṅgha, as community. Recollection by Ṭhānissarā. [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/West] [Aversion]
10. Story: Applying Ajahn Chah’s teachings to lay life in South Africa. Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Lay life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Monastic life] [Abuse/violence] [Self-reliance] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Spaciousness] [Liberation]
How would Ajahn Chah have responded to issues like feminism, democracy, engaged Buddhism, interfaith, and materialism that we’ve had to meet? [Women in Buddhism] [Politics and society] [Spiritual traditions] [Greed]
1. Reflection by Paul Breiter: How do Ajahn Chah’s teachings apply to lay life? [Lay life ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Monastic life] [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West]
When I left the monastery, I felt like a skinned cow (SN 12.63). [Monastic life] [Similes] [Vinaya]
Story: Ajahn Chah scolds the monks for dreaming about lay life. [Monastic life] [Work] [Family] [Commerce/economics] [Renunciation]
1. My contact with Ajahn Chah is through meeting Ajahn Sumedho. Reflection by Ajahn Sundarā. [Ajahn Sundarā] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Chah] // [Faith] [Monastic life]
3. Story: Ajahn Sundarā stays with a nun who lived at Wat Pah Pong with Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Sundarā. [Ajahn Sundarā] [Mae Chee ] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: The first nun at Wat Pah Pong. [Artistic expression] [Determination] [Sequence of training] [Eight Precepts]
Story: The Wat Pah Pong nuns go pindapat. [Almsround]
Quote: “Does anyone find having nuns around difficult?” – “Yes.” – “Well, you can go then.” — Ajahn Chah. [Pāṭimokkha] [Women in Buddhism]
Story: A woman brings only enough food for the monks, so Ajahn Chah asks the nuns to chant the blessing. [Generosity] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Chanting] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Note: Stillness Flowing Chapter 9 contains more information about the Wat Pah Pong mae chees at the time of Ajahn Chah.
1. “How did Ajahn Chah relate to the lay community around him and tailor the Dharma to their own circumstances?” Answered by Ajahn Sumedho and Ṭhānissarā. [Lay life ] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma]
Story: Thai villagers tell Ajahn Sumedho that they never understood Buddhism until they met Luang Por Chah. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Generosity] [Meditation] [Community] [Family] [Mindfulness]
Quote: “He didn’t respond to the external cues but went to the heart and grabbed you in that way.” — Ṭhānissarā. [Conventions] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Not-self]
2. “Did Ajahn Chah pass his teaching style to you or do you use your own separate style?” Answered by Ajahn Sumedho and Paul Breiter. [Personality] [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho, first abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Abbot] [Wat Pah Nanachat ] [Sequence of training] [Culture/West] [Joseph Kappel] [Aversion] [Suffering] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Humor]
Quote: “The special thing about Luang Por Chah was that he was at ease and completely himself.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Contentment]
Response by Paul Breiter: “The elements are there, but different teachers are expressing them in a living way.”
2. “How are conflicts between [audio unclear] resolved?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Conflict] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Admonishment/feedback]
3. Ajahn Sumedho has been so important in my life. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Jack Kornfield] [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma]
Simile: Ajahn Sumedho explains Ajahn Chah’s jazz. [Similes]
6. Quote: “I hope you’re not afraid of suffering.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Suffering] [Fear] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Ghost] [Monastic life] [Liberation]
7. Wat Pah Pong: A place of dignity and surrender. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Wat Pah Pong ] [Dignity] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Chah] // [Cleanliness] [Conflict] [Military] [Suffering] [Respect] [Virtue] [Almsround] [Pain] [Chanting] [Monastic crafts] [Bowing]
Quote: “An island of sanity in a sea of madness.” [Three Refuges]
Quote: “Everything you do in your life in this monastery is a chance to awaken.” — Ajahn Chah. [Liberation] [Continuity of mindfulness]
13. Story: Ajahn Chah introduces Western monks like the Seven Dwarfs. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Humor] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah]
18. Story: Jack Kornfield asks Ajahn Chah for permission to leave Wat Pah Pong. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Jack Kornfield] [Monastic life] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Other Theravāda traditions] [Seclusion] [Meditation] [Work] [Teachers] [Liberation]
Quote: “If I look like the Buddha to you, then you’ll still thing the Buddha is out here somewhere.” Ajahn Chah [Buddha] [Conventions]
2. Did Ajahn Chah train Thais and Westerners differently? Reflection by Kittisaro. [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Jack Kornfield] [Teaching Dhamma] [Suffering] [Compassion]
In my contact with Ajahn Chah, he tended to be very loving and very kind. [Kittisaro] [Goodwill]
3. Story: Kittisaro’s parents visit Wat Pah Pong. Told by Kittisaro. [Kittisaro] [Parents] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/West] [Learning] [Monastic life] [Renunciation] [Fear] [Cults] [Children] [Ordination] [Compassion]
Quote: “Wanting your parents to understand is suffering.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Family] [Monastic life] [Suffering]
Quote: “The Communists you really need to be concerned about, the ones who can really hurt you, are the ones who hide inside your own heart.” — Ajahn Chah. [Politics and society] [Unwholesome Roots]
2. Story: “This is Ajahn Varapañño.” Told by Paul Breiter. [Paul Breiter] [Translation] [Ajahn Chah] // [Meditation] [Ardency] [Monastic life] [Humor] [Goodwill]
4. Recollection: “What’s the hurry to become a monk?” Recounted by Paul Breiter. [Sequence of training] [Ordination] [Paul Breiter] [Pace of life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Novices]
8. Reflection by Paul Breiter: Ajahn Chah was unique in his way of taking care of people. [Compassion] [Monastic life] [Mentoring] [Ajahn Chah]
3. Comment: Even the monastic life can be competitive. [Monastic life] [Competitiveness] // [Posture/Sitting] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Culture/West] [Conceit]
6. Comment: Ajahn Chah is now mutually admired by both sects. [Thai sects] [Respect] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah] // [Funerals] [Perception of a samaṇa]
8. Quote: “Luang Por Chah always allowed margins for differences and for practice.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Conventions] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Western Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Attachment to precepts and practices]
1. “Why was Ajahn Chah not allowed to ordain monks and ostracized?” Answered by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] // [History/Thai Buddhism] [Chao Khun] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Saṅgha]
3. Question related to age and ordination (audio unclear). Answered by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ordination] [Older monks] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Meditation] [Mae Chee] [Relationships] [Liberation] [Culture/West]
Story: A doctor ordains later in life. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Health care] [Ordination]
4. Story: A hit man hired to kill Ajahn Chah ordains instead. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Crime] [Killing] [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Older monks]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah visits Seattle. Told by Joseph Kappel. [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel] [Family] [Paul Breiter]
Story: Venerable Pabakkaro’s grandmother hugs him at the airport. [Monastic life] [Vinaya]
Story: Ajahn Chah visits Mount Rainier. [Culture/Natural environment]
3. Ajahn Chah’s illness: his last teaching. Reflection by Paul Breiter. [Sickness] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Paul Breiter] [Health care] [Grief] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Respect for elders] [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Upatakh] [Almsfood] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
9. Story: Ajahn Chah expresses appreciation for a Christian abbot. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Christianity] [Monastic life] [Abbot] [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah]
6. “When we enter this life, everything is so funny.” Reflection by Ajahn Sundarā. [Monastic life] [Humor] // [Ṭhānissarā] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Sundarā] [Vinaya]
Quote: “It was a hell of a life in the beginning.” [Monastic life]
8. Ajahn Chah’s time of illness was a gift to the Saṅgha. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Generosity] [Saṅgha ] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Bodhisattva] [Renunciation] [Communal harmony] [Saṅgha decision making]
Ajahn Chah’s emphasis on Saṅgha was unique. [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Teachers] [Conflict] [Personal presence] [Three Refuges]
Quote: “People in the world are attached to status. People in the religion are attached to their views.” — Thai saying. [Monastic life] [Views]
12. Quote: “You’re living off the karma of the Buddha.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Almsround] [Kamma] [Buddha] [Jack Kornfield] // [Liberation] [Compassion] [Culture/Thailand] [Gratitude] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah lineage]
6. “When there is a lot of pain in the body, it is difficult to maintain ‘right effort,’ yet sometimes through patient endurance the pain lessens or dissipates. Could you speak about right effort and the connection between right effort and samadhi?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pain ] [Right Effort] [Patience] [Concentration] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Fear] [Aversion] [Discernment] [Naturalness]
Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno learned from pain and illness in his early monastic life. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Sickness] [Monastic life]
4. “If one were to become a monastic at Abhayagiri, how would one go about it? What are the day-to-day activities of a monk? What do I need to know and consider before making such a commitment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] [Monastic routine] // [Sequence of training] [Saṅgha decision making] [Mentoring] [Robes]
1. “One of my lay insight meditation teachers said, ‘The Western lay practitioner is an experiment in Buddhism.’ What do you think? To me it seems our lay teachers are also an experiment.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Lay life] [Lay teachers] // [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] [Sīladharā] [Culture/Thailand]
Quote: “Because the monastic presence is so strong in Asia, oftentimes people overlook the strength of the tradition of lay practice and lay teachers.” [Monastic life] [Cultural context]
Story: The Buddha tells Māra he will found the fourfold assembly (Ud 6.1). [Buddha/Biography] [Māra] [Fourfold Assembly] [Stages of awakening] [Learning] [Monastic life]
11. “What is the most fun part about being a monk?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Happiness] // [Association with people of integrity]
10. “Would you share some of your personal journey, including the time before you became a monk, and why you became a monk, and how the holy life can help people grow and change?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Monastic life] [Long-term practice ] // [Culture/West] [Travel] [Culture/Thailand]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno begins meditation with a month-long Mahasi Sayadaw retreat. [Meditation retreats] [Mahasi Sayadaw] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s first visit to Wat Pah Pong. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Sequence of training]
Reflection: “Five years is five years. I’ll go back and give myself to Ajahn Chah.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Relinquishment] [Mentoring]
Quote: “There’s no such thing as the ideal monastic or the ideal practitioner.” [Idealism] [Monastic life] [Lay life] [Faith] [Disrobing] [Suffering] [Energy] [Patience]
14. “Do you think being introduced to Buddhism guided you to the contemplative life or would you have become a monk in any tradition?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Spiritual traditions] // [Meditation]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s aunt remembers that he said he wanted to be a priest when he was young. [Monastic life]
3. “Reflecting on your 35 years in robes, do you have any strong lessons that stand out?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Long-term practice] [Discernment] // [Patience ] [Ajahn Chah] [Virtue] [Meditation retreats]
Quote: “Oftentimes we don’t really recognize the goodness that we’re doing.” [Perfectionism] [Judgementalism]
Quote: “Patience isn’t just enduring. It’s being able to be present with experience.” [Direct experience] [Present moment awareness]
15. “How many people are currently on the Abhayagiri monastic waiting list? How long do they usually wait?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhayagiri] // [Sequence of training]
1. Recollection: My connection with Ajahn Chah. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Sequence of training]
Jack Kornfield arrives with a large picture of Ajahn Chah. [Jack Kornfield]
Story: The needlepoint Ajahn Chah portrait at Abhayagiri. [Abhayagiri] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Devotional practice]
8. Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah ordains at age 20. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Military] [Merit] [Spiritual urgency] [Learning] [Pāṭimokkha]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 37
12. Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Mun’s character and legacy. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mun ] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Great disciples] [Ascetic practices] [Rains retreat] [Almsround] [Psychic powers] [Discernment] [Liberation] [History/Thai Buddhism]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 52
Story: Ajahn Mun disappears after being appointed abbot. [Abbot] [Seclusion]
13. Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah visits Ajahn Mun. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mun] [Tudong] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Relics] [Cleanliness] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Personal presence] [Vinaya] [Conscience and prudence] [Teaching Dhamma] [Knowing itself] [Nature of mind] [Conventions] [Unconditioned] [Faith]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 54
1. Question about how Ajahn Chah taught to deal with people externally. Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Mun] [Virtue] [Doubt] [Monastic life] [Views]
Story: A ghost tries to align the visitors sleeping in his hall. [Culture/Thailand] [Lodging] [Ghost] [Communal harmony]
Quote: “You have to have an anchor in your own practice.” [Similes]
2. “Did you as a Westerner have any difficulties meeting Ajahn Chah either with Buddhism or with Thailand? How did it get resolved or did it get resolved?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Theravāda] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Ajahn Chah replies evasively when asked three straightforward questions to teach his translator (Ajahn Pasanno) a lesson. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Aversion] [Questions] [Simplicity] [Teaching Dhamma] [Food] [Suffering]
7. Reading from the draft biography: Building the road to Tam Sang Pet. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Tam Saeng Pet] [Work] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Anek] [Patience] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Ardency]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 428
Quote: “Patient endurance is the general of practice.” — Ajahn Chah.
9. Reading: Ajahn Chah’s first Western disciple. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Sumedho] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Ajahn Chah] // [Military] [Humor] [Monastic life] [Wat Pah Pong]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 486
10. Reading: Ajahn Gavesako’s first impressions of Wat Pah Pong. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Gavesako] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Almsround] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Cleanliness] [Humor] [Unwholesome Roots] [Dhamma] [Gratitude] [Upatakh]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 502
7. “What did the Buddha say about marriage? Are the Three Refuges more of a priority than a spouse?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relationships ] [Three Refuges] // [Lay life] [Five Precepts] [Great disciples] [Stream entry] [Monastic life]
Sutta: AN 4.55: Nakula’s mother and father. [Rebirth] [Treasures]
8. “Can you offer some more suggestions about dealing with sleepiness when it is very strong?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sloth and torpor] // [Postures] [Energy] [Posture/Walking] [Posture/Standing] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
Story: An hour walking, an hour standing, and an hour sitting. [Wat Sai Ngam (Suphanburi)] [Monastic routine] [Ajahn Pasanno]
10. “Can, and if so, how, may one formally take refuge as your lay disciple? Do you think it is useful if one is genuine and sincere about it?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ceremony/ritual] [Teachers] [Lay life] [Three Refuges] // [Buddha/Biography] [Ordination]
Quote: “As we continue to explore these refuges, it forms the core or kernel of liberation.” [Liberation]
Recollections of Ajahn Māha Boowa responding to Dhamma questions by mail. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Teaching Dhamma] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Ajahn Pasanno]
2. “Ajahn, how are you doing? Is teaching a retreat as busy as being involved at the monastery? It is so pleasant to have a group of monastics here. Chanting and the whole energy is like sweet medicine. Wishing you all well, and thank you so much for coming here.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Meditation retreats] [Teaching Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Gratitude]
9. “Could you explain the Saṅgha described in the chants (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 7) versus lay saṅgha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Saṅgha ] [Chanting] [Lay life] // [Stages of awakening] [Monastic life]
17. “Please speak about ‘unburdened with duties’ (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 37). I notice it’s not ‘unburdened by duties.’ Does this mean we should attempt to minimize our responsibilities? What does this have to do with metta?—From a chronically busy person.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Simplicity ] [Goodwill] // [Restlessness and worry]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 41: “May I abide in well-being.”
20. “What or how was the father-son relationship of the Buddha and his son Rāhula? Are there any suttas or teachings in regards to their own relationship and their family?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddha/Biography ] [Parents] [Family] // [Ordination]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.54: Rāhula asks for his inheritance. [Great disciples] [Novices]
Sutta: MN 61: Teachings to Rāhula as a boy. [False speech]
Sutta: MN 62: Comprehensive teachings to Rāhula.
Vinaya: Bhikkhu Pācittiyā 5.2.1: Lodgings for Rāhula.
1. Comment: Dear Ajahn, You and your crew have been and continue to be so generous with us. This abundant generosity is such an incredible teaching. It seems as though it’s the stuff that may save the planet. [Generosity ]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Teaching Dhamma] [Culture/Thailand] [Children]
Reference: Vessantara Jātaka [Jātaka Tales] [Monastic life]
1. “Is it possible for a layperson to become an arahant? If so, is it appropriate to leave the lay life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Lay life] [Arahant] [Monastic life]
2. “Does one need permission from one’s spouse to take robes?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ordination] [Relationships] // [Buddha/Biography]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.54.4.
25. “What is the funniest story from your life as a monk? We humans love stories.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Humor] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah lets a restless junior monk go tudong in the hot season. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Restlessness and worry] [Sequence of training] [Culture/Natural environment] [Tudong]
4. Story: Ajahn Chah asks Ajahn Sumedho if he might go back to America as a monk. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Culture/West] [Monastic life] [Tudong] // [Almsfood] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]
Quote: “You mean to say there are no kind people in America?” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Sumedho. [Compassion]
7. Story: Ajahn Supah chooses tudong over further studies. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Supah] [Culture/Thailand] [Study monks] [Learning] [Tudong] // [Liberation] [Goodwill] [Simplicity] [Virtue] [Recollection/Virtue]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s mother cries when she meets Ajahn Supah. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Faith] [Rapture]
Story: A python begins to eat Ajahn Supah. [Animal] [Determination]
2. “What is the function of a layperson who accompanies a monk on tudong?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Lay life] [Tudong] // [Sequence of training] [Abhayagiri] [Eight Precepts] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “People who ordain quickly disrobe quickly.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ordination] [Disrobing]
Story: Founding of Pacific Hermitage. [Pacific Hermitage] [Almsround] [Almsfood]
11. “I’m curious about your pre-monastic life and specifically what led you to the monastic life.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno ] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Temporary ordination] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training]
13. “To what extent is spreading the teachings part of the tudong tradition?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Tudong] // [Culture/Thailand]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.23: Venerable Assaji’s demeanor inspires Sariputta. [Great disciples] [Perception of a samaṇa]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno goes tudong and is asked for lottery numbers. [Ajahn Pasanno]
14. “I travelled for six weeks in Thailand and India and found that time really shifted. Having been home about two months, even with a daily meditation practice, time speeds up. How is life at the monastery versus tudong, and what do you have to say to laypeople about the speeding up of time?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pace of life] [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/India] [Culture/West] [Tudong] [Everyday life] [Monastic life] // [Craving] [Devotional practice]
1. Story: Ajahn Chah’s first tudong. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Renunciation] [Spiritual search] [Simplicity] [Tudong]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah obsesses about getting robes. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Poverty] [Robes] [Greed] [Tudong] // [History/Thai Buddhism] [Determination] [Simplicity] [Craving] [Ajahn Kinaree]
4. Story: Ajahn Chah struggles through lust with patience. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Sensual desire ] [Patience] [Tudong] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Human] [Meditation/Techniques] [Impermanence]
Quote: Ajahn Chah to biographer: “If you don’t put that in the book, don’t bother printing it.” [Dhamma books]
Quote: “If you ordain as a monk, your defilements ordain with you.” — Ajahn Chah. [Monastic life] [Unwholesome Roots]
9. “What is hasituppāda citta—consciousness producing mirth—that is the Buddha’s smile?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Humor ] [Buddha/Biography] // [Teaching Dhamma]
Suttas: MN 81; MN 83; AN 5.180: Examples of the Buddha’s smile.
Sutta: MN 12.58: “You might think that the jujube fruit was bigger in those days...” [Ascetic practices]
Sutta: SN 17.5: A dung beetle gloats about his pile. [Gain and loss] [Fame and disrepute] [Similes] [Monastic life]
9. “If Ajahn Pasanno could go back in time and give a word of advice to Ven. Pasanno on the day of his ordination, what would he say?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ordination] // [Questions ] [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness]
8. “How should a stream enterer skillfully deal with delusional others, especially when it comes to family members? I feel like things can get really weird when the view of a stream enterer is so different from the rest.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Stream entry] [Delusion] [Family] // [Suffering] [Monastic life] [Views]
29. “Can you give us a short bio on each of you please?” [Western Ajahn Chah lineage] // [Birth] [Monastic life/Motivation]
Ajahn Yatiko is on his way to Tibet, but two Thai men in a restaurant persuade him to visit Wat Pah Pong. [Ajahn Yatiko] [Travel] [Vajrayāna] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ordination] [Gratitude]
Bhante Suddhaso finds his way to Abhayagiri through Zen. [Zen] [Ajahn Chah] [Vinaya] [Theravāda] [Abhayagiri]
Ajahn Karuṇadhammo ordains at Abhayagiri after many years of lay practice. [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ordination] [Lay life]
Anagārika Jordan (now Ajahn Sudhīro) learns about Buddhism in college and has just taken up anagārika training at Abhayagiri. [Postulants]
Debbie Stamp travels in Asia, hears a talk by Ajahn Buddhadasa, spends ten months at Amaravati and Chithurst, then volunteers to help start Abhayagiri. [Debbie Stamp] [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Amaravati] [Chithurst]
Quote: “She’s the mother of our monastery.” Ajahn Yatiko — Ajahn Yatiko.
17. “What did the Buddha say about giving all your assets away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Commerce/economics ] // [Monastic life] [Lay life] [Idealism] [Generosity] [Family] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Suttas: AN 5.41; AN 8.54; DN 31.26: Balanced living for householders.
Quote: “Money for a monk is like having wings to fly.” — Anonymous. [Monastic life]
5. “When I return to the world of speaking again, what would be a good quick mental check-in that I could use before I open my mouth and possibly make a mess of things? Any tips for Right Speech?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats] [Right Speech ] // [Truth] [Skillful qualities]
Sutta: MN 58.8: True, timely, and beneficial.
Teaching from Ajahn Chah: “Don’t bring up these issues before the meal.” [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Admonishment/feedback]
10. “What is the position of the monastics in relation to the lay community? Are we viewed as essentially impure and filled with defilements? I read that somewhere.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Lay life] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
7. “In the West, there are so many religious practices from the East. How do we relate to them all.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spiritual traditions] [Hinduism] [Gradual Teaching] // [Buddha/Biography] [Teaching Dhamma]
Sutta: MN 95: Caṅkī Sutta [Conditionality] [Faith]
Quote: “I’ve been an abbot for thirty years, and I’m quite happy. One of the reasons I’m happy is I don’t feel I have to go and convince anybody of anything.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Happiness] [Contentment]
15. “I’m sitting here looking at the passion of Christ. My good friends are Christian and Muslim, and I want to be respectful and non-judgemental, but once in a great while I think they are micchā-diṭṭhi (wrong view). What does the Buddha say about other beliefs? Are they all true in their own way? How should I skillfully hold my attitude toward Jesus, Mohammed, etc.?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spiritual traditions ] [Christianity] [Islam] [Judgementalism] [Views] // [Kamma]
Recollection: Buddhist-Christian monastic dialogue at The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. [Monastic life] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas]
Quote: “All religions are trying to deal with the human condition in a meaningful way....A lot of it is around the intention and integrity that individual practitioners bring to their life and practice as opposed to the label that they practice under.” [Human] [Purpose/meaning] [Truth]
2. “We hear so much about being in saṅgha and with good friends such as we do on retreats sitting together, and yet in the suttas the Buddha often tells the bhikkhus to go sit in seclusion. Personally, I often prefer sitting alone than in a group. Could you say more about this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spiritual friendship] [Meditation retreats] [Sutta] [Seclusion] // [Monastic routine] [Community]
Sutta: SN 45.2: Half of the Holy Life. [Eightfold Path]
11. “What does the vinaya set as the standard for personal hygiene? Bathing, cleaning clothes, shaving, etc.? Is the use of deodorant within the purview of vinaya?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Vinaya] [Cleanliness ] [Monastic life] // [Robes] [Food] [Buddha/Biography] [Culture/India]
Vinaya: Ajahn Chah
Story: An Indian kshatriya notices that Ajahn Pasanno does things just like he’s been trained to do. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Tudong] [Ajahn Jayasaro]
13. “From experience I know that lots more walking and less sitting is better for pain management. Should I just continue to sit and work on enduring the unendurable or walk more?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Walking] [Posture/Sitting] [Pain] [Patience] // [Continuity of mindfulness]
Quote: “You can learn a lot from pain, but it also wears you down.” [Learning] [Energy]
Recollection: Ajahn Khao walked meditation for nine hours a day. [Ajahn Khao] [Monastic routine]
1. “What does a married man or woman have to do to take robes? Who does he have to ask for permission? The teacher? His wife? His parents? Can he go into robes owing debts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relationships] [Ordination ] // [Requisites]
14. “As is usual when on retreat, the desire to reordain arises. However, it is understood that one must be free of debt before ordaining. Does this also include student loans from the government? Also, when reordaining, with whom should one do so if one has multiple teachers? Should it be with the most senior? Is there any protocol in this? Also, papiap and kneeling are not possible for any real duration. Is this a problem?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ordination] [Commerce/economics] [Monastic teachers] [Posture/Sitting] // [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri]
3. “Are there other stories similar to Vakkali asking to die outside (SN 22.87)?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Pasanno. [Great disciples] [Death] [Culture/Natural environment] // [Perception of a samaṇa]
Story: Ajahn Mun chooses the place of his death. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mun] [Funerals]
Story: Ajahn Chah chooses a convenient time to die. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah]