Teaching Dhamma
Includes tags: Teaching Dhamma, Gradual Teaching, Questions, Dhamma discussion, Stories, Symbolism/metaphor
See also: Similes
{70} Quote: “I appreciate people’s questions. I enjoy the questions, and I never quite know what’s going to come out when people present a question. It’s interesting to me as well.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions ] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Metta Retreat [2008], Session 1, Excerpt 8
{90} Ajahn Chah taught us to speak without preparation. Recollection by Joseph Kappel. [Teaching Dhamma ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Trust]
Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend [2001], Session 11, Excerpt 5.1
{160} “Do you have any advice about how to hold a particularly strong “fighting spirit” teaching, like Ajahn Dtun?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fierce/direct teaching] [Teaching Dhamma ] [Ajahn Dtun] // [Culture/Thailand] [Ardency] [Right Effort] [Restlessness and worry] [Heedfulness] [Discernment] [Goodwill]
Sutta: AN 1.49: The mind is radiant.
Quote: “If you invite visitors into your home [the mind] and they just make a mess, then you want to close the door on them before they come in. You can’t be too polite.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Similes] [Unwholesome Roots]
Our Roots in the Thai Forest Tradition [2014], Session 18, Excerpt 4
{250} “Ajahn Chah mentioned ‘know the mind within the mind.’ Is it just as effective to share Dhamma with a person who is actively dying, but the person is in a state of mental confusion or simply unconscious? Would their ‘mind’ hear the Dhamma? Please share your experience.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] [Death] [Teaching Dhamma ] // [Compassion] [Personal presence ] [Chanting] [Recollection/Dhamma]
Story: “Richard, be quiet.” [Ram Dass] [Parents] [Teaching Dhamma ]
6. Ajahn Chah teaches his disciples in everyday living situations. Recollection by Ajahn Jitindriyā. [Teaching Dhamma] [Everyday life] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: “Is the log heavy?” [Relinquishment] [Clinging] [Suffering]
Story: A monk drops a tape recorder after getting an electric shock.
7. Quote: “I never lived with him, so I never got the chance to get disillusioned with him.” — Ajahn Jitindriyā. [Discernment] [Teachers] [Ajahn Chah] // [Teaching Dhamma] [Clinging]
10. Quote: “I feel incredibly indebted to Ajahn Chah.” — Ajahn Jitindriyā. [Gratitude] [Respect for elders] [Ajahn Chah] // [Cultural context] [Language] [Teaching Dhamma] [Goodwill] [Perfectionism]
6. How Ajahn Chah taught me. Teaching by Ajahn Sumedho. [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho ] // [Ageing] [Faith] [Happiness] [Vinaya] [Humor] [Self-identity view] [Culture/West] [Goodwill] [Right Effort] [Idealism] [Clinging]
Quote: “It was through example that I really learned.”
8. Ajahn Chah made me look at myself. Teaching by Ajahn Sumedho. [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho ] // [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Posture/Sitting] [Pain] [Aversion] [Admonishment/feedback] [Humor] [Patience] [Goodwill] [Discernment] [Contentment] [Cessation] [Happiness] [Saṅgha] [Views] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “Your practice now is patience.” — Ajahn Chah.
Story: Ajahn Chah chats for hours after Pāṭimokkha. [Idle chatter] [Judgementalism]
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]
5. The sea of faith in Northeast Thailand. Recollection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Faith] [Culture/Thailand ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Poverty] [Culture/Natural environment] [Geography/Thailand] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Self-reliance] [Patience] [Teaching Dhamma] [Suffering]
In Central Thailand, lay people don’t come to the monastery on observance days. [Lay life] [Lunar observance days] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Tudong]
6. Recollection: The direct and earthy culture of Northeast Thailand. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Thailand] [Language] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: A direct teaching to a man whose wife had died. [Fierce/direct teaching] [Death] [Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma] [Grief]
7. Quote: “He really didn’t give us a lot of room to feed or problems and our neuroses and our desires and our attachments....That was an extraordinary gift.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Nutriment] [Suffering] [Delusion] [Ajahn Chah] [Craving] [Clinging] [Gratitude]
8. Ajahn Chah used the forest environment to train us. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Natural environment ] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Pace of life]
Story: Two mating lizards fall out of a tree. [Almsround] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Animal] [Sensual desire] [Suffering]
4. There was a strong independent streak in Ajahn Chah’s practice. Recollection by Paul Breiter. [Self-reliance] [Ajahn Chah] // [Teachers] [Seclusion] [Ardency] [Teaching Dhamma] [Patience]
6. Ajahn Chah expected his students to rely on themselves. Recollection by Paul Breiter. [Self-reliance] [Mentoring] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Vinaya] [Ardency]
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]
9. Quote: “I thought of him as the world’s most compassionate sadist.” — Paul Breiter. [Compassion] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Ascetic practices] [Ajahn Chah] // [Teaching Dhamma]
10. Quote: “In an instant he could put you in a space where you just let go of everything, your anger, your worry, your anxiety–the things you thought you had to do a lot of work to get through and get rid of.” — Paul Breiter. [Relinquishment] [Aversion] [Restlessness and worry] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Humor] [Suffering]
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]
12. Parable about teaching Dhamma: Two oxen pulling the same cart. [Teaching Dhamma] [Similes] [Ajahn Chah]
5. Ajahn Chah taught us to speak without preparation. Recollection by Joseph Kappel. [Teaching Dhamma ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Trust] [Human] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Spaciousness]
8. Ajahn Chah emphasized sīla and precepts when teaching in the West. Recollection by Joseph Kappel. [Virtue ] [Five Precepts] [Teaching Dhamma] [Culture/West] [Ajahn Chah] // [Communal harmony] [Meditation] [Sensual desire] [Long-term 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] [Teaching Dhamma]
2. Many of the most profound teachings happened under Ajahn Chah’s kuti. Reflection by Joseph Kappel. [Teaching Dhamma] [Lodging] [Ajahn Chah] // [Tranquility]
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]
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] [Paul Breiter]
5. One of the fundamental aspects of Ajahn Chah’s teaching was to establish Right View. Reflection by Ṭhānissarā. [Teaching Dhamma] [Right View ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Views] [Direct experience]
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]
1. Reflection by Ajahn Sumedho: From idealism to the way it is. [Idealism ] [Equanimity] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] // [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West] [Suffering] [Delusion] [Aversion]
Story: A Thai monk’s perspective on worldly stupidity. [Military]
Quote: “Someone with that kind of pure presence is really a mirror.” [Personal presence] [Teaching Dhamma]
4. “His way of teaching was direct....He would use the essential teaching of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths.” Recollection by Ajahn Sumedho. [Teaching Dhamma] [Four Noble Truths ] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Human] [Culture/Thailand] [Ageing] [Sickness] [Death] [Spiritual traditions] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “It’s the suffering that awakens you.” — Ajahn Chah. [Suffering] [Liberation]
2. “My life has been hugely impacted by Ajahn Chah, his teachings, and the spiritual family he introduced me to.” Reflection by Kittisaro. [Gratitude] [Teaching Dhamma] [Saṅgha] [Ajahn Chah] // [Happiness] [Teachers] [Learning] [Respect for elders] [Meditation retreats] [Body scanning] [Conceit] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Goodwill] [Humility] [Mentoring]
Story: Ajahn Chah sniffs around like a dog. [Kittisaro] [Similes] [Humor] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Quote: “He gave me a practice path that goes on and on to this day.” [Eightfold Path]
2. Spiritual food has been carried from Thailand to the United States by the students of Ajahn Chah. Reflection by Ajahn Mahā Prasert. [Teaching Dhamma] [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Mahā Prasert] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Commerce/economics] [Gratitude] [Happiness]
Quote: “Gratitude is the best of the goodness of the heart of the people.”
6. Story: Half a million people attend Ajahn Chah’s funeral. Told by Ajahn Sundarā. [Funerals] [Ajahn Sundarā] [Ajahn Chah] // [Food] [Free distribution] [Meditation] [Ajahn Chah Stupa] [Chanting]
Quote: “The heart of [Ajahn Chah’s] teaching is the ability to bring people together.” [Teaching Dhamma] [Saṅgha] [Community]
Story: The cremation pyre catches fire and number 16 wins the lottery. [Humor]
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. [Teaching Dhamma] [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.” [Teaching Dhamma]
8. Quote: “This is as cold as it gets.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Wat Tam Saeng Pet] [Culture/Natural environment] // [Almsround] [Mentoring] [Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma] [Sickness] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Humor] [Relinquishment]
12. Story: Ajahn Chah to Jack Kornfield, “Did I heal her?” Told by Jack Kornfield. [Jack Kornfield] [Sickness] [Health] [Protective chants] [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma] [Healing] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Truth]
5. Teachings hanging in the trees at Wat Pah Pong. Recollection by Ajahn Amaro. [Wat Pah Pong] [Culture/Natural environment] [Teaching Dhamma]
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]
13. Story: Ṭhānissarā visits Ajahn Chah’s hut outside of Oxford. Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Ṭhānissarā] [Conventions] [Lodging] [Ajahn Chah] // [Kamma] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Humor] [Goodwill] [Not-self] [Teaching Dhamma]
1. Quote: “It looks like there’s a veritable blizzard of questions. That’s always encouraging.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions]
8. Quote: “I appreciate people’s questions. I enjoy the questions, and I never quite know what’s going to come out when people present a question. It’s interesting to me as well.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions ] [Ajahn Pasanno]
20. “I’m glad that people have questions and people are reflecting on their experience of what the practice is. It’s very heartening to see.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions] [Appropriate attention] [Empathetic joy]
1. “In the palm reader story, you mentioned that Ajahn Chah still had a lot of anger, but he chose not to act from it. So does this mean that if there was a troublesome monk, Ajahn Chah would still experience a flare of anger but have the wisdom to set it aside and consider what to do with a cool head? This sounds similar to something Ram Das said about his practice....” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Aversion ] [Discernment] [Ram Dass] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Personality] [Kamma]
Story: Ajahn Jayasaro is massaging Ajahn Chah’s feet when a monk undergoing a disciplinary procedure walks by. [Ajahn Jayasaro] [Vinaya] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Emotion]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno observes Ajahn Mahā Boowa’s fierce behavior. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Rapture] [Goodwill]
Quote: “You never quite knew...you were always very careful around [Ajahn Chah] because you never knew which side was going to come out. It wasn’t as if he was just playing with you, but he always responded to the situation or the person.” [Heedlessness] [Personal presence] [Teaching Dhamma]
2. “When you and other Western seekers went to Thailand [and returned to teach], are the teachings of lay and monastic disciples of Ajahn Chah the same or different? How can we as laypeople relate to the teachings and tradition of the monastic establishment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Lay teachers] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Ajahn Chah] // [History/Thai Buddhism] [Military] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Virtue] [Right View]
Story: Abhayagiri’s bell is an American bomb casing. [Abhayagiri]
Diligent lay meditators attend Wat Pah Pong’s all-night vigil on the lunar observance days. Recollection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Lay life] [Ardency] [Wat Pah Pong] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Lunar observance days]
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]
5. Story: Ajahn Chah’s practice matures and he receives permission to teach. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Rapture] [Almsround] [Ajahn Kinaree]
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]
12. “Kindly share another story of Ajahn Chah. They delight and inspire.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Stories]
Story from Ajahn Chah: Two mating lizards fall out of a tree. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Almsround] [Sensual desire] [Drawbacks]
Quote: “Is it suffering?” — Ajahn Chah. [Admonishment/feedback]
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]
16. “In a discourse to the young Sigāla (DN 31.10), the Buddha advises against singing, dancing, and attending fairs. But fairs are fun, and song and dance can inspire. Please comment.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Entertainment and adornment] // [Intoxicants] [Restlessness and worry] [Culture/Thailand]
Story: Two or three villagers were killed at local fairs while Ajahn Pasanno was abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Killing]
Story: Master Hua discourages Rev. Heng Sure from giving away his instruments. [Rev. Heng Sure] [Artistic expression] [Vinaya] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Teaching Dhamma]
Story: Old habits arise during a recording session. [Habits] [Self-identity view]
28. Comment: Not only has the Saṅgha practiced well, it has also questioned well. Much gratitude to you all for holding the space, and to Ajahn Pasanno and his crew for an enlightening retreat. May we all grow in Dhamma for the benefit of all beings. [Saṅgha] [Questions] [Gratitude]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire] [Teaching Dhamma]
31. “I think about sharing the Dhamma with my family. Any suggestions on where to start? Has your family taken to the teachings since you’ve been on the path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Family ] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Habits] [Non-contention] [Renunciation] [Amaravati]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s sister and her six-week-old baby attend his first meditation retreat in Canada. [Meditation retreats]
5. Story: Ajahn Mun doesn’t spend consecutive rains retreats in the same place until his mid-70s. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mun] [Rains retreat] [Ageing] [Tudong] // [Stages of awakening] [Seclusion] [Teaching Dhamma]
Story: Saṅgha authorities appoint Ajahn Mun abbot of a monastery in Chiang Mai. He leaves before dawn the next day. [Abbot] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Saṅgha decision making]
Story: One million people attend the funeral of Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Funerals]
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]
3. “Would you kindly comment on the cultivation and use in one’s Dhamma practice of one’s creative gifts, such as music, art, dance, writing, and so on?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Artistic expression ] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Self-identity view] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Mun] [Blame and praise]
Story: Master Hua disapproves of Rev. Heng Sure giving his instruments away. [Master Hsuan Hua] [Rev. Heng Sure] [Teaching Dhamma]
5. “Eight Precepts illuminates the vanity within.’ Could you offer some encouragements or reflections on the beauty of the Dhamma as a remedy?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eight Precepts] [Conceit] [Beauty] [Dhamma] // [Recollection/Dhamma] [Faith] [Learning] [Sutta]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 6: Recollection of the Dhamma.
Story: Ajahn Khao’s realization came from reflecting on rice. [Ajahn Khao] [Liberation] [Symbolism/metaphor] [Gratitude] [Bodhi Tree]
10. “Thank you for teaching that listening to Dhamma is a spiritual practice, not just information download. When you opened your heart to Ajahn Chah, even though you couldn’t understand his words, would you say that was a sort of Dhamma transmission directly from one heart to another?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Buddha]
11. “As wild and woolly as some of my experiences have been in the practice, I was wondering if there’s a place for wilder-ness along the path? What is crazy wisdom?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Unwholesome Roots] [Spiritual traditions] [Conventions]
Recollection: Some people thought Ajahn Tongrat was crazy. [Ajahn Tongrat]
Reference: Ajahn Utane’s biography of Ajahn Tongrat. Ajahn Mudito translated this into Portuguese in 2019, and there is a machine translation from the Portuguese. [Dhamma books]
Story: Ajahn Tongrat dies on the Dhamma seat. [Death] [Teaching Dhamma]
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]
18. “Can you recommend any particular books which share the teachings of the Buddha in more user-friendly ways—“Dhamma for Dummies”? I found the readings from the discourses/Canon repetitive and hard to relate to, yet you share so many Dhamma tidbits that are captivating and memorable.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Yatiko. [Dhamma books ] [Tipiṭaka] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Bhikkhu Bodhi]
Reference: Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness by Bhante Gunaratana (commercial). [Eightfold Path]
Reference: In the Buddha’s Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi (commercial). [Sutta]
Reference: The Life of the Buddha According to the Pali Canon by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli. [Buddha/Biography]
5. “Was Ajahn Chah an arahant? How can one tell when someone’s work is done? Also, is it inappropriate to ask one’s teacher if they are a stream enterer, once-returner, etc.?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Arahant ] [Teachers] [Stages of awakening] // [Suffering] [Unwholesome Roots]
Quote: “To me, I’m more like a tree that birds can come and feed in....[What they say] I am is just the chattering of the birds.” — Ajahn Chah. [Similes] [Teaching Dhamma]
Sutta: AN 4.192: Discerning another person’s wisdom. [Discernment]
Recollections of mistaken estimates of enlightenment. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Delusion] [Relics]
4. “A small window of anatta has opened. It is very fresh, light, and breezy, but the opening is small, and the rest of the window is caked with so much dirt and grime. I’m fearful that outside of the support of retreat, it could close. Even now it feels like it is opening and closing. How to best proceed?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Not-self] [Symbolism/metaphor] [Fear] [Meditation retreats] // [Insight meditation] [Restlessness and worry] [Proliferation]
Quote: “The best thing is not claiming ownership over that insight....Pay attention to the feeling of it.” [Non-identification] [Direct experience ] [Feeling]
Quote: “If you just stick your finger in the warm water, then you’ll know what warm water is.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Language] [Dhamma]
14. Comment: “Thank you for developing the wisdom to teach and the compassion to choose to teach. I trust we give you the opportunity to deepen your practice, especially of compassion and patience. The Buddha would be proud of you and your decision to teach instead of living in that nice little cave in a beautiful forest all peaceful and still. With metta.”—us sentient beings. [Gratitude] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Discernment] [Teaching Dhamma] [Compassion]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “It was actually Ajahn Chah who made me teach.” [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abbot]
18. “Several years ago, I remember reading your little book The Last Breath by Ajahn Paññāvaḍḍho about your experience supporting a Thai Buddhist at the death chamber [in San Quentin Prison]. I was very impressed how someone who as facing the last hours of his life still had sati and clear consciousness, practiced generosity, requested food for the monks, and was humble and kind. Would you mind telling us about Jay’s mindfulness again?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dhamma books] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Prisons] [Death] [Mindfulness] [Generosity]
Story: Jay offers Ajahn Pasanno a meal in prison and makes sure that his family and the guards have an opportunity to hear Dhamma. [Happiness] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Questions]
Story: Jay pays his last respects ot Ajahn Pasanno. [Respect] [Equanimity] [Thai]
8. “Could the summary of this week’s rich teachings be represented graphically? For some people, it is helpful to see the flow of a process visually, including all the players, interactions, and scenarios. There are so many details in the chain of events that it’s easy to miss one.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Learning] [Visualization]
15. “You mean all I have to do is drop dukkha from the mind? Why didn’t you tell me that years ago?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Cessation of Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma]
15. Comment: Thank you for your generosity in teaching, the clarity of the teachings, and especially for your friendliness and humor. Today I had the insight that rather than teaching us a metta concentration practice, you’ve been showing us how to have metta for ourselves in our practice. [Generosity] [Teaching Dhamma] [Goodwill]
17. “If Ajahn Chah were to appear here tonight, what are a couple of questions you would ask him?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Questions] // [Nature of the cosmos] [Concentration]
Recollections of talking with Ajahn Chah. [Clinging] [Relinquishment]
Story: Ajahn Chah describes the details of a spirit living at Wat Pah Pong to a long-term disciple who asked about it. [Ghost] [Wat Pah Pong]
Story: Right after that, a group of visitors ask if devas and ghosts really exist. [Deva] [Direct experience]
Story: Ajahn Chah responds to his teacher’s inquiry about developing astral travel. [Ajahn Kinaree] [Psychic powers ]
26. Expressions of gratitude for Ajahn Pasanno’s teaching and the presence of the Abhayagiri Saṅgha at the end of the 2011 Thanksgiving Retreat. [Gratitude] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Teaching Dhamma] [Abhayagiri]
1. Comment by Ajahn Yatiko: In the image of planting a seed (AN 1.314-315), for Dhamma practice it needs to be a seed that comes from the Buddha. [Similes] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Teaching Dhamma] [Gradual Teaching] [Buddha]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right View] [Christianity]
2. “In the example you gave of the snake (MN 22), can you give an example of how the Dhamma can bite you?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Yatiko. [Similes] [Gradual Teaching] // [Abhidhamma] [Conflict] [Meditation/Techniques] [Clinging] [Unwholesome Roots] [Right Intention] [Learning]
Story: The teachings of Dhammakaya. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view] [Commerce/economics] [Nibbāna] [Generosity]
Story: An Abhidhamma teacher visits Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah]
4. “Can you talk about how ‘Aha!’ moments relate to the gradual path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Liberation] [Gradual Teaching] // [Faculties]
5. “When I read a story that someone has awakened, what does this mean? Does it mean that the practice continues on another level?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Yatiko. [Liberation] [Gradual Teaching] // [Language] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Faith] [Discernment]
6. Comment: The simile of the snake (MN 22) describes my practice. I’ve been bitten quite a lot. [Similes] [Gradual Teaching]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Yatiko. [Suffering] [Humility]
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] [Teaching Dhamma]
8. Comment: Your statement that faith comes from building confidence and confidence comes from direct experience is so true. [Faith] [Direct experience] [Conflict] [Gradual Teaching]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
1. “Could you elaborate on how the Four Foundations of Mindfulness are analogous to the first jhāna? How does this differ from second jhāna?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Mindfulness] [Jhāna] [Gradual Teaching] // [Directed thought and evaluation]
2. “In the analogy of the accountant (MN 107), it seems that the training works linearly. Are there basic practices that are important to focus on in the beginning? Are there other practices which should not be attempted in the beginning?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Similes] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Gradual Teaching] // [Faith] [Kamma] [Unconditioned] [Learning] [Relinquishment] [Concentration]
Story: A monk carrying money asks to stay at Wat Pah Pong. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Not handling money]
3. Comment: You spoke about suffusing the body with extreme well-being. But I’ve been in states like that and my body seems to disappear. [Jhāna] [Happiness] [Rapture] [Mindfulness of body] [Gradual Teaching] [Meditation/Unusual experiences]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Quote: “It isn’t so much the experience of extreme well-being that is the goal. It’s the ability to gain clarity and stability so that one can see through the experience as something that is uncertain or impermanent, has a changing nature. The mind often wants to disregard that. The tendency to identify self with experience on a refined mental level is tempered by the body experience.” [Clear comprehension] [Concentration] [Knowledge and vision] [Impermanence] [Delusion] [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment]
Follow-up: “Are you saying you can become attached to these states?” [Clinging]
4. Comment: The descriptions in Mae Chee Kaew’s biography of how difficult it was for her to give up her experiences with the astral world speak to me. [Mae Chee Kaew] [Clinging] [Deva] [Gradual Teaching]
Reference: Mae Chee Kaew: Her Journey to Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment by Ajahn Dick Sīlaratano
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Mindfulness of body]
5. “In regards to the simile of the path to Rājagaha (MN 107), could you describe classic mistakes made by sincere beginning, intermediate and advanced practitioners?” Answered by Ajahn Yatiko and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Similes] [Gradual Teaching] // [Faith] [Doubt] [Truth] [Virtue] [Liberation] [Conditionality] [Christianity] [Suffering]
6. Story: They ask the Zen master what would it say if they wrote the biography of his life? “One mistake after another.” Told by Rik Center. [Zen] [Learning] [Humility] [Gradual Teaching]
7. Comments by Rik Center about the role of heaven as a haven in the practice. [Deva] [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Four Noble Truths] [Gradual Teaching]
8. “How do we know when to ask for directions on the path as opposed to just continuing farther? What would we ask?” Answered by Ajahn Yatiko. [Questions] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Gradual Teaching] // [Suffering] [Discernment] [Conditionality] [Faith]
Sutta: SN 12.23: Suffering is the cause of faith.
Follow-up: “What about when things are pleasant, but we’re not headed in the right direction?” [Happiness] [Mindfulness] [Deva] [Relinquishment]
Sutta: MN 75: Simile of the leper. [Similes]
Sutta: SN 56.35: Stream entry after 100 years. [Stream entry] [Four Noble Truths]
9. “Can you speak more about the impermanence of goodness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Impermanence] [Virtue] [Gradual Teaching] // [Conditionality] [Happiness] [Compassion] [Fear] [Suffering] [Clinging]
Sutta: AN 8.39: Five great gifts which give freedom from fear. [Generosity] [Five Precepts]
Quote: “The basis of Right View is knowing that this cup is a broken glass.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Right View]
9. “I find myself struggling with staying in the moment. [I can’t] stop planning for the future. There are so many recent catastrophes: storm Sandy, floods in Thailand, earthquakes, etc. My ageing parents are worried. Emergency preparedness kits stir up more anxiety. It seems never enough. To what extent does one plan for a disaster, and how do I gently and compassionately explain that to my parents using wise words from Dhamma?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Disasters] [Proliferation] [Parents] [Restlessness and worry] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Winnie-the-Pooh]
6. “How does one practice with perception of light? I was told to ignore it (as a nimitta) and that it was a metaphor.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Perception of light] [Nimitta] [Symbolism/metaphor] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Sutta: AN 4.41: Four kinds of concentration. [Concentration]
9. “Ajahn Chah mentioned ‘know the mind within the mind.’ Is it just as effective to share Dhamma with a person who is actively dying, but the person is in a state of mental confusion or simply unconscious? Would their ‘mind’ hear the Dhamma? Please share your experience.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] [Death] [Teaching Dhamma ] // [Compassion] [Personal presence ] [Chanting] [Recollection/Dhamma]
Story: “Richard, be quiet.” [Ram Dass] [Parents] [Teaching Dhamma ]
12. Quote: “I’m feeling a bit like a prisoner. People take me upstairs to stay and then they bring me down from time to time for questioning.” — Ajahn Chah leading the 1979 retreat at Insight Meditation Society. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Insight Meditation Society] [Questions]
Quote: “I’m getting old and my knees hurt.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ageing] [Pain]
15. “I’ve always felt a draw to the Fire Sermon (SN 35.28). Could you expound a bit more on this teaching?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta ] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Sense bases] [Similes] [Unwholesome Roots] [Disenchantment] [Buddha/Biography]
The three cardinal suttas give different frameworks for investigation: [Insight meditation]
Sutta: SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta; Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 2. [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: SN 22.59: Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta; Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 14. [Not-self] [Aggregates]
Sutta: SN 35.28: Ādittapariyāya Sutta; Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 24.
1. Discussion of the symbolism in MN 23. [Symbolism/metaphor] // [Sensual desire] [Hindrances] [Thai] [Doubt]
3. Reflections by Ajahn Pasanno on SN 42.13: The Buddha’s clarity with definitions and bringing doubts about views back to conduct. [Teaching Dhamma] [Doubt] [Views] [Virtue]
3. “Have any teachers explained the meaning of the questions in MN 109?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions] [Aggregates]
Commentarial explanation of the context of MN 109. [Questions] [Teaching Dhamma] [Culture/India] [Views] [Culture/West] [Christianity]
Sutta: DN 1: Brahmajāla Sutta.
5. “Why does Sāriputta recommend teaching the aggregates to people who don’t know about Buddhism (SN 22.22)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Aggregates] // [Questions] [Culture/India]
10. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: In SN 22.3, Venerable Mahākaccāna extrapolates from the literal to the figurative. [Great disciples] [Teaching Dhamma] [Symbolism/metaphor] // [Commentaries] [Aggregates] [Sense bases] [Proliferation]
1. Comment: MN 35 demonstrates how the Buddha asks questions to elicit people’s reactions and train them. [Buddha/Biography] [Questions] [Teaching Dhamma]
Reference: Skill in Questions by Ajahn Ṭhānissaro.
2. “Why do the Buddha’s listeners immediately reply that what is impermanent is suffering?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions] [Impermanence] [Suffering] // [Translation]
Sutta: SN 22.59 Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta (Chanting book translation).
1. “Is there another sutta not spoken by the Buddha in which as many people become enlightened as SN 22.89?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Pasanno. [Great disciples] [Teaching Dhamma] [Liberation]
29. Story: The head of Lalanka Water invites monks to stay above his office and teach the employees. Told by Ajahn Yatiko. [Work] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Teaching Dhamma] [Right Livelihood] // [Lunar observance days] [Eight Precepts] [Meditation] [Dhamma discussion] [Respect]
Story: The ultra-competent assistant who wants to ordain. [Monastic life/Motivation]
Story: The king’s assistant who dives into the water to get 20 pounds of gold (DN 17).
5. “What is your take on satisfaction, being in tune, and stagnation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Contentment ] [Energy] [Ardency ] // [Skillful qualities] [Discernment] [Buddha/Biography] [Spiritual search] [Right Effort]
Sutta: AN 2.5: Effort and non-contentment with wholesome states.
Story: The Thai government made it illegal for monks to teach contentment. [History/Thai Buddhism] [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma]
Comment about the simile of the lute. [Middle Path] [Similes]
Sutta: AN 6.55: Soṇa Sutta
11. “Would you please describe the four ways of skillfully answering or asking questions or the different types of questions?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions]
15. “What would you say to someone who committed suicide if you could?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suicide] [Teaching Dhamma]
13. “Would you kindly review the four ways to respond to questions?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions]
Reference: Skill in Questions by Ajahn Ṭhānissaro.