10 excerpts, 50:03 total duration
7. “What is loving kindness? What is the body and mind’s experience when I feel metta for myself and others?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] // [Idealism] [Culture/West] [Right Intention] [Aversion] [Thai] [Happiness] [Translation] [Bhante Gunaratana] [Tranquility] [Spaciousness]
Quote: “The base of loving-kindness is dwelling in non-aversion.”
5. “I’m struggling with aversion and doubt. When do I switch to metta?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Aversion] [Doubt] [Goodwill] // [Gladdening the mind]
Story: “I hate metta!” [Bhante Gunaratana]
2. “A few years ago on the Metta Retreat, you taught a phrase that you use in your practice, ‘May I have the patience, courage, understanding, and determination to face and overcome obstacles, difficulties, and failures in life.’ Please speak on how you use this phrase in practice.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Goodwill] // [Bhante Gunaratana]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 41: Reflection on Universal Well-Being.
2. “Sometimes ill-will is diffuse and all-encompassing. Attempting to do metta when the mind is experiencing this seems to aggravate rather than soothe.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ill-will ] [Goodwill ] // [Bhante Gunaratana] [Conditionality] [Self-identity view] [Investigation of states]
Sutta: Snp 1.8: The Metta Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
1. “Does SN 35.243 imply that as long as one is not an arahant, one is overwhelmed by sense objects?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Arahant] [Sense bases] // [Feeling] [Teaching Dhamma]
Comment by Ajahn Jotipālo: Bhante Gunaratana points out that mindfulness is not an Awakening Factor until it is 100% continuous. [Bhante Gunaratana] [Mindfulness] [Factors of Awakening]
Sutta: SN 56.33: Tossing up a stick. [Rebirth] [Similes]
7. “Does Ajahn Liem attend morning and evening pūjā?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Liem] [Pūjā] // [Culture/Thailand] [Wat Pah Pong]
Story: Ajahn Liem silently walks around and looks at the monks during morning pūjā. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko.
Follow-up: “Did Ajahn Chah go to morning and evening pūjā?” [Ajahn Chah]
Follow-up: “In the early years of Wat Ban Tad, was it always practice on your own?” [Wat Pah Ban Tat] [Thai sects] [Ajahn Tongrat] [Ajahn Baen]
Story: Too many monks skip pūjā to massage Ajahn Liem. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Upatakh]
Recollections: Bhante Gunaratana comes to morning pūjā early. Recounted by Ajahn Jotipālo and Beth Steff. [Bhante Gunaratana]
4. “A couple months ago, I entered gender transition to learn, accept, and love myself as I am. Who and what I am are questions I struggle with. Also, I was badly abused as a child by a parent. I resemble that person. When I see myself in the mirror or on camera [unintelligible]. In terms of Dhamma, what are some things I can practice that could help me make peace with this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Gender] [Abuse/violence ] [Family] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Self-identity view] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Three Refuges] [Generosity] [Kamma] [Compassion] [Virtue]
Sutta: AN 5.57: Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 55).
Sutta: AN 8.39: Precepts give the gift of safety and trust. [Precepts]
Advice from Bhante Gunaratana: Keep a journal of all the good and kind things one has done. [Bhante Gunaratana] [Recollection/Virtue] [Culture/Sri Lanka] [Culture/West]
3. “Could you please elaborate on how you generate the images and feelings of metta? My metta practice phrases always seem a bit dry.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill ] // [Commentaries] [Heart/mind] [Visualization] [Nimitta] [Bhante Gunaratana]