Abhayagiri Anniversary event, Jun. 27, 2026 to Jun. 28, 2026
Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in Redwood Valley, California and online
9 sessions, 53 excerpts, 3:33:06 total duration
Show featured excerpts (11)
Original recordings available on www.youtube.com
Sessions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 11
1. [44:13] Reflection: Building community is the hard part of creating a monastery. [Monasteries] [Saṅgha] [Community] // [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Amaro] [Gratitude]
[Abhayagiri]
1. [56:08] Reflection: Establishing a place of refuge for the Buddhist teachings and practice to take a firm root in America through the monastic tradition. [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] // [Ajahn Amaro]
2. [57:30] Recollection: Seeking refuge – what’s next? [Three Refuges] [Impermanence] // [Sensual desire] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Psychic powers] [Views] [Western Ajahn Chah lineage]
Story: 13-year old Glenn DeMaria participates in parapsychology research. [Science]
3. [1:06:41] Recollection: Deciding where to ordain. [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ordination] // [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Postulants]
4. [1:11:40] Quote: “I would die happy if I could just get on and stay on the Eight Precepts.” [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Happiness] [Eight Precepts] // [Death] [Three Refuges]
[Debbie Stamp]
1. [1:17:05] Reflection: Hearing Dhamma teachings for the first time. [Hearing the true Dhamma] // [Abhayagiri] [Travel] [Ajahn Buddhadāsa]
2. [1:19:32] Story: My first guest booking at Amaravati. [Amaravati] // [Rains retreat]
3. [1:22:09] Recollection: The beginnings of Saṅghapāla Foundation. Recounted by Debbie Stamp and Ajahn Amaro. [Saṅghapāla] // [Ajahn Amaro] [Almsfood] [Intoxicants]
Recollection: The first meditation retreat at The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. [Meditation retreats] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas]
4. [1:27:33] Recollection: Hesitation after Master Hua’s gift of land. [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Gratitude]
Recollection: Thai donors sponsor the food on Debbie Stamp’s first retreat. [Generosity]
5. [1:31:31] Reflections on gratitude: “I have no regrets.” [Gratitude] // [Patience] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Abhayagiri] [Parents]
6. [1:33:02] Reflection: The baton is passed on: Ajahn Ñāṇiko ordains his first bhikkhu. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Ordination] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abhayagiri]
[Holy Transfiguration Monastery]
1. [1:51:15] Story: Father Damian is sent to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to ask if the land could be given to their monastery instead. [Father Damian] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas] // [Father Boniface]
2. [1:52:04] Reflections on Abhayagiri and Holy Transfiguration Monastery as neighbors on the same mountain. [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Spiritual traditions] [Christianity ] [Debbie Stamp]
Story: Father Boniface discourages the Abhayagiri monks from coming to the hill. [Father Boniface] [Father Damian] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Amaro]
Recollection: Abhayagiri monks visit Holy Transfiguration Monastery every Christmas.
1. [2:04:40] Story: Ajahn Amaro explained my koan. [Ajahn Amaro] [Koan] // [Zen] [Emptiness]
2. [2:08:38] Story: Frequent visits to Abhayagiri; becoming Ajahn Pasanno’s student. [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Ajahn Amaro]
3. [2:11:17] Story: Explaining Buddhist practice to my Catholic mother. [Christianity ] [Parents] // [Killing] [Virtue]
Quote: “You make a much better Christian as a Buddhist than you ever did as a Catholic.”
4. [2:15:27] Recollection: Learning to be honest and humble. [Truth] [Humility] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Conceit]
5. [2:17:26] Story: Beginning a sitting group in Portland, Oregon. [Meditation groups] [Portland Friends of the Dhamma] // [Ajahn Amaro]
Quote: “If you take care of the Dhamma, the Dhamma will take care of you. When you need help, someone will show up.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dhamma] [Community]
6. [2:19:58] Story: The development of Portland Friends of the Dhamma. [Portland Friends of the Dhamma] // [CALM Group] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Pacific Hermitage]
7. [2:24:19] Reflection: Not taking my anxiety seriously. [Restlessness and worry] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] // [Ajahn Amaro] [Generosity] [Humor] [Lay life]
8. [2:27:41] Recollection: The history and significance of the Community of Abhayagiri Lay Ministers. [CALM Group] [Lay teachers] // [Abhayagiri] [Portland Friends of the Dhamma]
[Ajahn Sudanto]
1. [2:29:03] Story: Coming to Abhayagiri on its second anniversary. [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Portland Friends of the Dhamma]
2. [2:41:41] Story: Ajahn Sudanto gains confidence when he sees the abbot Ajahn Pasanno meditating on a busy day. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Lunar observance days] [Faith] [Ajahn Sudanto ] // [Travel]
3. [2:46:02] Recollection: My early years at Wat Pah Nanachat. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Quote: “Luang Por [Pasanno] was our rock.” [Faith] [Disrobing]
4. [2:49:20] Recollection: “I wasn’t in on the secret [that Ajahn Pasanno would move to America].” [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Ajahn Amaro] [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Damrong] [Ajahn Yatiko] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
5. [2:55:56] Recollection: Returning to America to care for my parents. [Parents] [Abhayagiri]
6. [2:57:54] Reflection: Returning to help at Abhayagiri out of gratitude. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abhayagiri] [Gratitude] // [Tudong]
Quote: “It’s the perfect monastery in the Dhammic sense.... But it’s maybe easier to say that not living here.”
Reflection: The baton has been passed: Ajahn Ñāṇiko’s first ordination as preceptor. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Ordination]
7. [3:01:48] Recollection: Abhayagiri’s buildings are beautiful and well-maintained. [Lodging] [Cleanliness] // [Building projects]
1. [1:42] Reflection on Abhayagiri’s history: “Sometimes dreams come true.” [Abhayagiri]
2. [3:08] Recollection: Jack Kornfield invited Ajahn Sumedho to teach in the Bay Area in 1980. [Jack Kornfield ] [Ajahn Sumedho] // [Spirit Rock] [Christianity]
3. [4:48] Recollection: Ajahn Sumedho meets Master Hsuan Hua in the Bay Area in 1980. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Master Hsuan Hua ] [James Baraz]
Quote: “I never thought I would meet another monk like Luang Por Chah. And I just did.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah]
4. [6:24] Story: Ajahn Sumedho invites Ajahn Amaro to lead the first temporary vihara in San Francisco. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Amaro] [Pre-Abhayagiri vihāras] // [Amaravati]
Story: Master Hua invites ten of Ajahn Sumedho’s monks to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to participate in a 1989 ordination. [Master Hsuan Hua] [Elders' Council] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas] [Vinaya] [Mahāyāna] [Theravāda] [Ordination]
Quote: “It was the dream of my life to bring the Northern and Southern Traditions together. And I didn’t think I could do it until I met Sumedho.” — Master Hsuan Hua.
5. [14:52] Story: The first temporary vihara in 1990. [Ajahn Amaro] [Pre-Abhayagiri vihāras] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Sundarā]
Recollection: “The Joys of Monastic Life” conference. [Lay life] [Jack Kornfield] [Spirit Rock]
6. [17:07] Recollection: After drafting an article called “Coming of Age,” Ajahn Amaro reflects that the self-view invested in the idea of being abbot of the California monastery is completely backward. [Ajahn Amaro ] [Abbot] [Conceit] [Becoming] // [Saṅghapāla] [Pre-Abhayagiri vihāras] [Cause of Suffering] [Disrobing] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Abhayagiri]
Quote: “Being the abbot of a monastery and you’re only 34!” — Ajahn Amaro’s mother. [Parents] [Blame and praise]
Quote: “If our heart is attuned to Dhamma, it’s not about becoming any thing.” [Dhamma] [Beauty]
7. [24:46] Recollection: It was always wonderful working with the Saṅghapāla people. [Saṅghapāla] [Ajahn Amaro]
8. [25:56] Recollection: A number of spooky miracles.
Story: Master Hua offers Ajahn Sumedho 120 acres of land from his deathbed. [Master Hsuan Hua] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Vīradhammo] [Psychic powers]
Recollection: The property next door: “You can either buy it or forget it.” [Saṅghapāla] [Commerce/economics]
Recollection: Abhayagiri opens on June 1, 1996. [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo]
9. [30:50] Recollection: Great goodwill, energy, and extraordinary commitment in building Abhayagiri Monastery. [Abhayagiri] [Building projects] [Generosity] // [Thai Forest Tradition]
Reflections on collaborative leadership. [Leadership] [Ajahn Amaro] [Communal harmony]
10. [34:02] Recollection: Learning to collaborate with the Abhayagiri land and climate. [Abhayagiri] [Culture/Natural environment ] // [Building projects]
11. [36:56] Recollection: Collaborating with the local culture and laws. [Abhayagiri] [Culture/West] [Community] // [Ajahn Amaro]
12. [38:44] Recollection: The role of the co-abbots took shape as we went along. [Abhayagiri] [Abbot] // [Respect] [Leadership] [Saṅgha]
Quote: “There needs to be receptivity and the willingness to be surprised by your companions in the Holy Life.”
13. [42:49] Recollection: Another surprise from Luang Por Sumedho: “I’d like you to come to Amaravati and take over as abbot.” [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Amaro] [Amaravati ] [Abbot] // [Abhayagiri] [Travel] [Retirement] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Saṅgha decision making]
Reflection: All things are impermanent patterns of experience. [Not-self] [Impermanence]
14. [50:38] Reflection: “Do you miss Abhayagiri?” [Ajahn Amaro] [Abhayagiri] [Grief] // [Present moment awareness] [Impermanence] [Cause of Suffering] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “Nothing can really be owned, and there is no person there to own it.” [Not-self] [Conventions ] [Ageing]
15. [55:13] Recollection: Ajahn Amaro loses the ability to read due to a temporary ischemic attack. [Ajahn Amaro] [Sickness] [Impermanence] // [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ageing ] [Health care] [Not-self] [Relinquishment] [Liberation]
[Session] Dhamma talk: “Beyond Home: What Are We Really Seeking?” in Thai and English. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Thai audio]
1. [48:52] Dhamma talk: “Beyond Home: What Are We Really Seeking?” Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko.
2. [49:22] Reflection: “I’ve seen so many cremations; I’m not sure who’s going to go next.” Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Death] [Funerals] [Impermanence] // [Ageing] [Monastic titles]
3. [50:58] Reflection: “If we understand how to practice, then we can know Dhamma, and the heart can be at ease. It can be so wonderfully peaceful.” Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Dhamma] [Tranquility ]
4. [52:15] Recollection: When I first went to Wat Pah Pong. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Damrong] [Wat Pah Pong] // [Tranquility] [Ajahn Chah] [Work]
5. [58:40] Reflection: A place of mutual respect. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Abhayagiri] [Respect] // [Humility] [Merit]
Sutta: AN 5.37: The four results of respect.
6. [1:02:54] Quote: “Sumedho, why do Westerners walk so fast?” — Ajahn Chah. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Culture/West] [Pace of life]
[Session] Dhamma talk: “The Life-Saving Refuges” in Thai and English. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Thai audio] [Three Refuges]
1. [34:30] Dhamma talk: “The Life-Saving Refuges.” Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Three Refuges]
2. [42:18] Reflection: We bow to the qualities of the Buddha. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Bowing] [Buddha] // [Ajahn Chah] [Buddha images] [Tudong]
Story: Venerable Sāriputta would bow in the direction of Venerable Assaji. [Great disciples] [Respect]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.23: Venerable Sāriputta meets Venerable Assaji.
3. [48:52] Recollection: Ajahn Chah would go to a village and ask, “Are there any people here?” Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Chah] // [Virtue] [Similes]
4. [49:44] Stories: Ajahn Jundee helps two suicidal men. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Jundee] [Suicide] // [Monasteries]