Part of tag cluster Meditation in key topic Meditation Practices
3. “Does SN 35.153 indicate that keeping an eye on the mind and knowing when defilements are present lead all the way to the final goal?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of mind] [Unwholesome Roots] [Liberation]
Story: A monk logs hours of meditation but is frustrated with the results. [Meditation/Results]
Follow-up: “Does this mean that you can’t just apply a single skill without investigating whether it is actually helping?” [Meditation/Techniques] [Right Effort]
1. “Is it easy for a person with attainments to deal with the world?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Stages of awakening] [Everyday life] // [Discernment] [Conceit] [Culture/West] [Wrong concentration]
Quote: “To push away the world is also to reifying it. One gives it power when one is afraid of it.” [Craving not to become] [Proliferation] [Fear]
Laypeople with highly developed meditation practice function well in the world. Comment by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Lay life] [Meditation/Results] [Energy]
4. “It seems I have returned to remedial meditation practice. I can’t seem to find ease in my body, let alone my breath. It feels like I’m stuck in physical pain - an invisible barrier I can’t seem to penetrate. Acceptance and loving kindness are being applied, but without much movement. I am trying to develop concentration on breath - so far no pīti or sukha. What to do?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation/General advice] [Pain] [Goodwill] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Meditation/Results] [Posture/Walking] [Chanting] [Cleanliness]
Quote: “One of the things that is really frustrating is waiting to get those results that we’re hoping for and feel we should be getting.” [Meditation/Results]
13. “Please demystify jhāna a little for those like myself whose vipassanā past has had minimal samādhi focus. The emphasis on calming and brightening has been so helpful. Whereas in past I associated deep concentration with vipassanā elites and insight practice more for those living in the mess of the world, now I wonder, in our post election universe, whether a more jhānic or balance between practices would prevent overwhelm, hiding, running to Canada! Thoughts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Jhāna] [Insight meditation] [Gladdening the mind] [Calming meditation] [Everyday life] [Politics and society] // [Ajahn Chah] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of body] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “That desire to measure and quantify attainment is an obstacle in itself.” [Meditation/Results]
3. “When you first ordained, you were just starting to learn about Buddhism. What changed that made you want to dive in?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Meditation/Results] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: “If you want to stay with me, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah
10. “What is the illumination that appears during sitting meditation? Is the false or the true? Is it from inside or outside or neither?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Suffering] [Questions] [Proliferation]
Refer to the previous question.
Story: Well, I contemplated impermanence and nothing happened. [Impermanence] [Recollection] [Meditation/Results]
2. “When Ajahn Chah reached full liberation, did he wait two years just to be sure?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation] // [Delusion] [Doubt]
Simile from Ajahn Chah: “To me that’s just the chattering of the birds.” Related by Ajahn Amaro. [Similes]
Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: People get infatuated and enthralled by attainment. [Craving] [Meditation/Results] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “[Ajahn Chah’s] duty was to try to teach people Dhamma, as opposed to being something for anybody.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Becoming]
18. “What gave you the inspiration and strength of spirit to want to dedicate yourself to follow the way?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Faith] [Determination] // [Suffering] [Spiritual search] [Culture/Thailand] [Travel] [Meditation/Results]