1. Story: Coming to Abhayagiri on its second anniversary. Told by Ajahn Sudanto. [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Sudanto] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Portland Friends of the Dhamma]
4. Recollection: “I wasn’t in on the secret [that Ajahn Pasanno would move to America].” Recounted by Ajahn Sudanto. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Sudanto] // [Ajahn Amaro] [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Damrong] [Ajahn Yatiko] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
5. Recollection: Returning to America to care for my parents. Recounted by Ajahn Sudanto. [Parents] [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Sudanto]
6. Reflection by Ajahn Sudanto: Returning to help at Abhayagiri out of gratitude. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abhayagiri] [Gratitude] [Ajahn Sudanto] // [Tudong]
Quote: “It’s the perfect monastery in the Dhammic sense.... But it’s maybe easier to say that not living here.” [Abhayagiri]
Reflection: The baton has been passed: Ajahn Ñāṇiko’s first ordination as preceptor. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Ordination] [Abhayagiri]
1. Reflection by Ajahn Amaro on Abhayagiri’s history: “Sometimes dreams come true.” [Abhayagiri]
6. 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. Recounted by Ajahn Amaro. [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]
8. Recollection: A number of spooky miracles. Recounted by Ajahn Amaro.
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. [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo]
9. Recollection: Great goodwill, energy, and extraordinary commitment in building Abhayagiri Monastery. Recounted by Ajahn Amaro. [Abhayagiri] [Building projects] [Generosity] // [Thai Forest Tradition]
Reflections on collaborative leadership. [Leadership] [Ajahn Amaro] [Communal harmony]
10. Recollection: Learning to collaborate with the Abhayagiri land and climate. Recounted by Ajahn Amaro. [Abhayagiri] [Culture/Natural environment ] // [Building projects]
11. Recollection: Collaborating with the local culture and laws. Recounted by Ajahn Amaro. [Abhayagiri] [Culture/West] [Community] // [Ajahn Amaro]
12. Recollection: The role of the co-abbots took shape as we went along. Recounted by Ajahn Amaro. [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. Recollection: Another surprise from Luang Por Sumedho: “I’d like you to come to Amaravati and take over as abbot.” Recounted by Ajahn Amaro. [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. Reflection by Ajahn Amaro: “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]
5. Reflection by Ajahn Damrong: A place of mutual respect. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Abhayagiri] [Respect ] // [Humility] [Merit]
Sutta: AN 5.37: The four results of respect.
10. “If you had to choose between having an overly greedy monk disciple and an overly aversive monk disciple, which would you choose?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Greed] [Aversion] [Monastic life]
Follow-up: “If you had to choose between a monk who eats too much versus a monk who sleeps too much, what would be preferable?” [Moderation in eating] [Devotion to wakefulness]
Quote: “We’re never going to make Abhayagiri comfortable.” [Abhayagiri]