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] [Abhayagiri] [Lay life]
Anagārika Jordan (now Ajahn Sudhīro) learns about Buddhism in college and has just taken up anagārika training at Abhayagiri. [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] [Abhayagiri]
Quote: “She’s the mother of our monastery.” Ajahn Yatiko — Ajahn Yatiko. [Abhayagiri]
5. “I wanted to confirm that we’re also not putting this self on other objects like the redness belonging to the rose.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Not-self]
Quote: “It makes me suffer when those roses turn black and they’re still on the shrine...which happens all the time!” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abhayagiri] [Devotional practice] [Impermanence]
1. Quote: “This is what heat is like.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Weather] [Abhayagiri]
6. Story: Ajahn Pasanno invited Ajahn Sudanto to return to Abhayagiri in 2002, where he spends most of the next 12 years. Told by Ajahn Sudanto. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Tudong] [Abhayagiri]
Quote: “Twenty-five years on, we’re still building the monastery. It’s a bit like a cathedral project.” [Abhayagiri] [Building projects]
12. Quote: “Ajahn, maybe if you just taught Theravāda Buddhism, that would be great.” — A Saṅghapāla board member to Ajahn Amaro. Quoted by Ajahn Amaro. [Saṅghapāla] [Ajahn Amaro] [Theravāda ] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Culture/West] [Spiritual traditions] [Monastic life] [Idealism]
Quote: “It wasn’t sensible to try to be all things to all people.” [Abhayagiri]
13. Quote: Abhayagiri ethos: “We all live in the forest. Everyone’s in a kuti.” — Ajahn Amaro. [Lodging ] [Culture/Natural environment ] [Abhayagiri] // [Amaravati] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Weather]
Quote: “Mindfulness of the body is an absolute necessity.” [Mindfulness of body] [Abhayagiri]
14. Quote: “We’re not about doing retreats. We’re a community.” — Ajahn Amaro speaking about Abhayagiri. [Community] [Meditation retreats] [Abhayagiri] // [Culture/Natural environment]
14. “Abhayagiri is not near a major city, but there has been plenty of interest from both laypeople and those wishing to ordain. What do you credit for the successful establishment phase of Abhayagiri Monastery?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhayagiri] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Teaching Dhamma] [Trust] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Vinaya]
Quote: “We are what we say we are. That helps.” [Abhayagiri] [Truth]
2. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: The early days of Abhayagiri were simple and basic. [Requisites] [Abhayagiri] // [Lay supporters] [Building projects] [Generosity] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
Quote: “It was like a Buddhist trailer park.” [Abhayagiri] [Lodging]
8. I arrived when Abhayagiri turned five. Recollection by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko ] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Ordination] [Debbie Stamp] [Sīladharā]
Recollection: The little house was the beating heart of Abhayagiri. [Abhayagiri] [Lodging] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Questions] [Gratitude] [Goodwill]
Quote: “I want to ordain. What do I do?” — Ajahn Ñāṇiko’s first email to the Abhayagiri guestmonk. [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Achalo] [Idealism]
Story: “Look, I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to practice.” [Spiritual friendship]
Quote: “Don’t think about it too much.” — Ajahn Pasanno to Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Monastic life/Motivation] [Proliferation]