Part of key topic Unskillful Qualities
6. “For most of the time on this retreat, I’ve tried to work with a persistent problem from a variety of angles, but as I work with it it seems to get worse; it seems obsessional. Any suggestions?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats] [Everyday life] [Goodwill] [Proliferation] // [Volitional formations] [Habits] [Spiritual friendship] [Patience]
4. “When I’m mindful, then I become more aware of suffering. I could just go into story and not know that I’m suffering, so why would we choose to become aware of the suffering?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness] [Suffering] [Proliferation] // [Cessation of Suffering] [Clinging]
Quote: “The flavor of the end of suffering—I like that.”
9. “How can one skillfully investigate feelings without simply getting lost in analytical thought?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of feeling] [Proliferation] // [Suffering] [Directed thought and evaluation]
Quote: “The best investigation takes place when the mind is very still and not formulating a lot of ideas.” [Insight meditation] [Tranquility] [Direct experience]
3. “I am working with a repetitive thought that is bringing up doubt, worry, and anxiety. It seems strong, sneaky, nagging, and insistent. I must be feeding it somehow, or why would it keep coming up again and again? How to work with a repetitive thought?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Doubt] [Restlessness and worry] [Nutriment] // [Directed thought and evaluation] [Drawbacks] [Human] [Relinquishment]
Sutta: MN 20: The Removal of Distracting Thoughts. [Similes]
15. “I notice how my mind not only loves story, but it also loves to be the main character. When I sit down at the mealtime or cross paths in the hall, I watch the mind become restless, thoughts of how I am affecting others or what other are thinking of me. Is this conceit? Shall I continue to watch this feeling like all others? Any advice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Restlessness and worry] [Conceit] // [Drawbacks] [Relinquishment]
5. “What’s the difference between proliferation and directed thought?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Mindfulness]
6. “When meditation is strong, awareness automatically falls upon the object, and both melt away quickly. However, sometimes hindrances cloud the mind, and the mind wanders. Is it best to develop more concentration? I’ve been experimenting with breath sensations.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Hindrances] [Proliferation] [Concentration] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Investigation of states]
Sutta: AN 4.170: In Conjunction.
12. “For several months now, I’ve been trying not to get caught up in stories and just focus on the feelings. Every time I stop the story, the feeling seems to consistently stop as well, and I can no longer focus on it. What am I missing?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Feeling] [Cessation] // [Suffering]
21. “Did I understand correctly that thought is saṅkhāra, which is distinct because of volition? It is clear that some thought is volitional, but what about the many random, crazy thoughts that arise unbidden?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Volitional formations] [Volition] [Proliferation] // [Conditionality]
22. “How much karma is carried in thought? I’ve been observing what feels like the result of past unmindful thought. Is the karmic charge neutralized through mindful awareness of unwholesome thought?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Kamma] [Proliferation] [Mindfulness]
16. “Is atammayatā like nippapañca (non-proliferation)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Non-identification] [Proliferation]
8. Comment: For me it is a question of whether I can believe it or not. It depends on where I place my mind. [Faith] [Science] [Emptiness] [Proliferation] [Deva] [Recollection/Devas] [Dalai Lama] [Death]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Doubt] [Trust] [Tranquility]
3. “I’ve noticed the proliferation of thoughts is different in walking meditation versus sitting. Would you recommend walking meditation for an at-home practice for the first meditation in the early morning? Would you mind sharing your experience with the effects of walking meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Posture/Walking] [Everyday life] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Thai Forest Tradition] [Abhayagiri] [Lodging] [Right Effort]
Quote: “You can get a lot of wisdom from walking meditation.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Discernment]
6. “What is a good strategy to face an intense invasion of a mix of grandiose, destructive, ugly, and seductive mental formations I couldn’t have made up myself? Where did these thoughts, pictures, sounds come from with such force? Isn’t that a waste of time?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation/Unusual experiences] [Unskillful qualities] [Proliferation] // [Humor]
9. “I find myself struggling with staying in the moment. [I can’t] stop planning for the future. There are so many recent catastrophes: storm Sandy, floods in Thailand, earthquakes, etc. My ageing parents are worried. Emergency preparedness kits stir up more anxiety. It seems never enough. To what extent does one plan for a disaster, and how do I gently and compassionately explain that to my parents using wise words from Dhamma?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Disasters] [Proliferation] [Parents] [Restlessness and worry] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Winnie-the-Pooh]
15. “Can you say a little more about ‘the mind going outside itself’—what that means and how it is dukkha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Suffering] [Cause of Suffering ] // [Knowing itself] [Craving] [Tranquility]
Reference: Gifts He Left Behind by Ajahn Dune, p. 3.
Quote: “Still, flowing water.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Equanimity] [Similes]
Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, pp. 380-381.
2. “You spoke to exactly what my brain has been doing the past day and a half. Your suggestion [to investigate the embodied emotions behind the thoughts] was very helpful. However, sometimes when I look to the body, there is no emotional push there. Is there always an emotional push to a thought? What other things can I look for? Thanks for your on-the-spot talk.” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Mindfulness of body] [Emotion] [Proliferation] // [Investigation of states]
7. Comment: The mind is quite tricky. When I notice conflict arise or aversion to another and respond emotionally, I look to the Dhamma and practice and see where to let go, offer compassion and kindness to what is happening, and try to see the moment as impermanent and we will all die. Then the mind and body settle a bit, and I begin to think, ‘Why can’t the other person do this before they become so dramatic? I’m trying, why can’t they?’ And suddenly I’m tense and the mind comes back again to making a me. It tricks me into this loop, so I have to keep catching it. Māra keeps finding ways in, yet I keep practicing with faith. [Nature of mind] [Proliferation] [Aversion]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suffering] [Self-reliance]
Quote: “The quickest way to enlightenment is to look directly at the mind, point your finger, and say ‘Liar!’” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation] [Delusion]
Quote: “Why can’t these ducks be more like chickens?” — Ajahn Chah. [Judgementalism] [Similes] [Human]
4. “With age, contentment and gratitude and even joy come swiftly and easily to my meditation. I’ve good reasons for them. They can also seem like roadblocks to mindfulness, slowing my mind, which is still proliferating and not investigating. What should I do when I feel this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Contentment] [Gratitude] [Happiness] [Proliferation] [Mindfulness] [Defilements of insight] // [Equanimity] [Protective Meditations]
5. “I notice that in retreats of this length, there is a certain trajectory of depth of concentration. During the final one or two days, the mind is a bit busier, more slippery. This is not because of being disengaged in the process, it is just what is (for me). Is it skillful use of this remaining time to turn to contemplations of well-being as a way to aim, calm and soothe, or better to try to simply watch the process of the mind emerging from the depths of retreat?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats ] [Concentration] [Proliferation] [Goodwill] // [Calming meditation] [Investigation of states] [Unwholesome Roots]
8. “I have greatly appreciated the teachings on non-proliferation, especially Ajahn Karunadhammo’s answer to last night’s question regarding the underlying feeling that is often present and driving a particular proliferation. I live with an autoimmune disease which currently requires frequent adjustments to my medications.... It is quite a conundrum to care for this body and track the various symptoms, all of which I find unpleasant, and yet not to proliferate on what needs to happen next. Going to the body in my practice, while useful, is not reliably calming, and sometimes seems to add fuel to the fire. This retreat I have been practicing with Right View and Right Understanding by repeating key phrases from the daily talks and have experienced what feels like a very deep insight at times. Do you have any words of guidance for when I go off retreat on working with this human body and this all-too-human mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Feeling] [Sickness] [Pain] [Mindfulness of body] [Right View] [Right Intention] // [Suffering] [Ajahn Chah] [Restlessness and worry] [Gladdening the mind]
Sutta: SN 36.6: Shot by two arrows.
Simile from Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 159: Being injected with poison. [Similes]
Quote: “It can still be uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.”
5. “To my Western mind, the words ‘mental objects’, ‘objectification,’ ‘mental fabrications,’ and so on do not help to clarify what I simply call thinking. I understand an aspect of meditation as a means to stopping thinking, stopping the internal dialogue, putting an end to discursive thought, yet the English word thinking is rarely used by the Ajahns. Could you expand on the difference between thinking and Tan Geoff’s use of the word objectifications?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volitional formations] [Directed thought and evaluation ] [Proliferation] [Tranquility] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] // [Jhāna]
6. “With your instruction and the slowing down of my mind on retreat, I’ve been able to allow the proliferation of thought to subside. However, the release of emotion is another story, as it resides in the body and is not so easily released. I can’t go to the body because the emotion is there, and I can’t go to the mind, because those thoughts will feed the emotion. Any suggestions on where to go next? Even wholesome reflection seems to feed the emotional state.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Emotion ] [Body/form ] [Mindfulness of body] [Recollection] // [Neutral feeling] [Nature of mind] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “Recognize that the body and emotion are not the same thing.”
1. “You spoke about recognizing that when the mind goes off into busyness that there’s not just that particular quality. Could you talk more about this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Proliferation] // [Appropriate attention] [Impermanence] [Knowing itself] [Ajahn Mun] [Ajahn Chah] [Clinging] [Suffering]
2. “You said that starting with chanting can help focus the mind. But I find myself daydreaming while chanting.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Chanting] [Tranquility] [Proliferation] // [Pāṭimokkha] [Energy]
Story: An elderly woman chants the Dhammacakka Sutta every day. [Ageing]
3. “How do we deal with the frustration that arises after repeatedly catching the busy mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Proliferation] // [Perfectionism]
1. Comment: Even though I’ve seen the fruit of awareness in and of itself many times, the doubt is still so deeply embedded that there is not that place of letting go. [Knowing itself] [Doubt] [Clinging] [Relinquishment] [Tranquility] [Proliferation]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Faith]
Reference: “Goal-Oriented and Source-Oriented Practice,” Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Pasanno, August 10, 2013.
2. Comment: I have found your saying ‘Just don’t make a problem of it.’ very helpful. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Cessation of Suffering] [Tranquility] [Proliferation]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
3. “In the suttas, if you recognize a defilement like ill-will, you need to do something about it. How can we reconcile this with the Ajahn Chah teaching you just read (‘Receiving Visitors’ in In Simple Terms)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Right Effort] [Ajahn Chah] [Tranquility] [Proliferation] // [Discernment]
Quote: “Practice is really easy. If the defilements come at you high, you duck, and if they come at you low, you jump over them.” — Ajahn Tongrat. [Ajahn Tongrat] [Unwholesome Roots]
4. “Is there a state of the calm mind when you’re not thinking about anything or is meditation more about reflecting?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Recollection] [Tranquility ] [Proliferation] // [Concentration] [Restlessness and worry] [Perfectionism] [Ardency]
5. “Sometimes the mind becomes peaceful, but a squiggle of restlessness often arises around 45 minutes when the meditation usually ends. What should I do with this habit?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry] [Habits] [Tranquility] [Proliferation] // [Aversion] [Noting] [Happiness]
6. “Is it possible to replace the busy thoughts with more positive thoughts you’re trying to cultivate?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Tranquility] [Proliferation]
7. “How can we understand the last practice in MN 20 of gritting the jaw, etc.? I don’t think this will work for me.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Proliferation]
8. Comment by Rik Center: When someone says they can’t meditate because they try to settle their mind and they realize how busy it is, I’ve encouraged them that now they are seeing the reflective quality of how their mind works. [Appropriate attention] [Tranquility] [Proliferation]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
9. “What attitude should we take when observing things so we don’t objectify them or make it stressful?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Perception] [Knowing itself] [Appropriate attention] [Suffering] [Tranquility] [Proliferation] // [Direct experience]
7. “During meditation when thoughts come and want to engage me, some thoughts have the power to take me into the storyline, and I don’t even know why. I don’t even know when. Is there a point, sign,or warning that can be seen before I get lost? It’s really painful to live in a virtual reality that never delivers the promise.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry] [Proliferation ] [Suffering] // [Mindfulness of body ] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Feeling] [Dreams]
Quote: “Tuning into the body, I can start to feel where [the thought] is taking me.”
Quote: “You know what the quickest way to enlightenment is? Just look at the thoughts, point your finger, and say ‘Liar!’” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation] [Proliferation ] [Truth]
18. “I was interested to hear the definition of mental formations as volitional. When I look at my mind, it sometimes seems like an undirected random generator of flashing images and unbidden thoughts, sometimes embarrassingly perverse. I can only rest easily when I recollect not-self. Can you help me reconcile that with volitionality?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volitional formations ] [Volition] [Heart/mind] [Proliferation] [Not-self] // [Perception] [Relinquishment] [Mindfulness] [Discernment]
6. “I feel like a kid whose father has told a story and there is more to tell...Please father do tell (about non-complicated thoughts etc.).” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation]
8. “How do you decrease the times an obsessive thought arises in the mind? The more I try to let it go and come back to my body, the more it arises and proliferates. If I do the opposite and turn attention to it, it does the same thing. What is obsession anyways?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation ] [Restlessness and worry] // [Self-identity view] [Suffering] [Relinquishment]
17. “Thank you for your inspiring teachings...Question: I seem to recollect that the Buddha cautioned against unwholesome thoughts in a way that seemed to raise their results as similar to their unwholesome causes. Is this so?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Kamma] [Unskillful qualities]
1. “I see what you’re saying about the hindrances, but it seems like that’s everything I called my life....So you’re saying keep on working at it and it [the mind] gets used to focusing?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Hindrances] [Proliferation] [Meditation] // [Mindfulness] [Goodwill] [Recollection/Virtue] [Recollection/Generosity] [Gladdening the mind]
5. “With investigating sleep, it seems sleeping less is an effect from good meditation practice rather than a cause; is it because there is less proliferation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Devotion to wakefulness] [Conditionality] [Proliferation] // [Craving not to become] [Sloth and torpor] [Habits] [Ardency] [Energy]
13. “How do I keep the mind from proliferating about what happens after death?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Recollection/Death] [Rebirth] [Proliferation] // [Progress of insight]
6. “When I practice mindfulness of breathing, thought arises. Do I want to eliminate thinking?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Concentration] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Proliferation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Nature of mind] [Self-identity view] [Discernment] [Mindfulness of mind] [Investigation of states] [Relinquishment]
7. Comment: My mind will fill with chatter, stuff I’m not interested in. What I’ve come to do is just say, ‘This is a chaotic mind.’ [Proliferation] [Mindfulness of mind] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
3. Comment: I tend to make things harder for myself. I come up with some big projections. [Proliferation] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma] [Simplicity] [Buddha]
10. “When you contemplate, ‘Who is thinking? Who is breathing?’ how does this differ from thinking? Why doesn’t it generate more thought?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Hua tou] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Proliferation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Insight meditation] [Tranquility] [Restlessness and worry]
Quote: “The mind can still think and be peaceful. What a concept!”
19. “How do you not objectify this awareness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Knowing itself] [Mindfulness] [Proliferation] // [Four Noble Truths] [Suffering] [Relinquishment] [Investigation of states]
Quote: “If you objectify awareness, you’re going to suffer.” [Proliferation] [Nature of mind]
Quote: “These Four Noble Truths are not an endpoint, they are something that you’re internalizing and using in your meditation practice and in your daily life.” [Meditation] [Everyday life]
14. “Could you please speak a bit about karma and volition? For instance, if an unwholesome thought such as anger, or fear arises or wants to arise of its own accord in the mind, does one get unwholesome karma? Or is the bad karma produced only through the grasping or rejection of it? Or is bad karma produced only if action is taken? Or are different kinds of karma produced for thought vs. action?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Kamma ] [Volition] [Proliferation] [Clinging] [Right Action] // [Pāli] [Translation]
4. “I find the mind especially distractible during meal times. Partly this reflects long standing habits of talking, reading, listening to news, etc, while eating. In the retreat context, it’s also due to the heightened ‘social’ aspect of meal time (even though in silence). Can you give some suggestions for staying more present and mindful while eating? A deep bow of gratitude for your wonderful teachings…” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Food ] [Proliferation] [Habits] [Meditation retreats] [Present moment awareness] // [Mindfulness of body] [Sensual desire] [Perception] [Nutriment]
9. “I have an autoimmune disorder of undiagnosed origin. I was wondering if it was worth this precious time of practice to send mettā and thoughts of healing to the body. If so, how do you recommend approaching it? Also, is this compatible with seeing this ailment as a heavenly messenger (and as a contemplation of the body’s demise)? As symptom management reduces it to a mild physical irritation should I also contemplate unpleasant feelings? Or is it best to just stay grounded in the breath and mettā and not risk proliferation. Much gratitude.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Recollection/Death] [Proliferation] [Goodwill]
11. “How can one investigate without getting the mind too active? I find that when I try to investigate or reflect, my mind gets so active that I find myself getting caught up in it. Thank you.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Investigation of states ] [Recollection] [Proliferation] // [Clear comprehension] [Faith] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Conditionality] [Impermanence]
15. “My body does not physically handle sitting or stationary positions for long periods of time. I would like to do more walking meditation. Walking has a lot more distractions. Can you give some specifics on where to put my focus? Rise and fall of breath, feet, skeleton moving? Where to look, etc. Is it possible to achieve the same level of calmness, concentration and insights when the body is moving and you cannot close the eyes or keep focus on one spot?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Walking] [Proliferation] [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation]
2. “Thank you for all of your thoughtful and pragmatic meditation tips. Do you have advice regarding the future-oriented mind? Speculation, planning, considering, obsessing really, about scenarios. Normal ideas are not working.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry] [Proliferation ] // [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of body] [Goodwill]
3. “Is seeing metaphysical principles the same as making something into a concept?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Nature of the cosmos] [Proliferation] // [Views]
Sutta: DN 1: Brahmajāla Sutta.
3. Comment: Dependent origination is not necessarily time-based. [Dependent origination] [Conditionality] [Proliferation] [Perception]
Response by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo.
4. “Can one sense-bases that starts the proliferation process lead to different sense-bases?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Pasanno. [Sense bases] [Conditionality] [Proliferation] [Perception] // [Feeling] [Heart/mind]
5. Examples of signs and secondary characteristics of sense objects? Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Pasanno. [Sense bases] [Proliferation] [Perception] // [Ven. Anālayo] [Sensual desire] [Conditionality] [Food] [Appropriate attention]
Sutta: Thig 14.1: Subhā.
Comment about the feedback loop of perceptions looking for reinforcing perceptions. [Views] [Clinging]
Quote: “The underlying tendency to aversion is like a search engine.” — Ajahn Sucitto. Quoted by Beth Steff. [Ajahn Sucitto] [Aversion] [Similes]
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]
5. “Do you have any advice for obsessive thoughts, thinking the same thing again and again?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Proliferation] [Hindrances] // [Investigation of states] [Mindfulness of body]
3. “This morning you talked about crossing the floods of obsessive thought by not holding on to or pushing them away. I get that, but it feels like there’s something missing – a hole that needs to be filled up with something – a solution?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Becoming]
20. “Last night you spoke about balancing tranquility of mind with investigation or a theme for contemplation. Can you clarify how this can be accomplished without getting into the usual mind states of planning, associating, etc.?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Investigation of states ] [Recollection ] [Proliferation] // [Impermanence] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Discernment] [Recollection/Death] [Visualization] [Divine Abidings]
Mistaken assumption: “I think, therefore I suffer. If I didn’t think, then I wouldn’t suffer.” [Suffering]
Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 104: Forty subjects of meditation.
9. “The Buddha said that vedana is either pleasant, unpleasant, or neither. Contemplating papañca, I noticed that it felt comfortable – familiar and unthreatening. Would a better way to ‘neither pleasant nor unpleasant’ be ‘comfortable’ rather than ‘neutral?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Feeling] [Proliferation] [Neutral feeling]
2. Comment about the arising of self even in abstract thought. Contributed by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Proliferation] [Self-identity view]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Cause of Suffering]
1. “Can you provide guidance on the contemplation of conceiving, and name and form?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Conceit] [Aggregates] [Proliferation] // [Suffering] [Nature of mind] [Advertizing] [Impermanence] [Relinquishment] [Non-identification] [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: Ud 3.10: “For however one conceives it, it is always other than that.”
Quote: “The mind is a liar and a cheat.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [False speech]
Reference: Ajahn Buddhadāsa’s Nine Eyes, The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, p. 116. [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Characteristics of existence]
Sutta: Ud 1.10 Bāhiya Sutta: “In the seen there is only the seen...” [Sense bases] [Perception]
Quote: “You can hurt yourself even with really good tools.” [Meditation/Techniques] [Right Effort]
6. “Regarding the Honeyball Sutta (MN 18), is withdrawal of external contact, e.g. eye contact, enough?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Kaccāna and Kondannyo Bhikkhu. [Perception] [Contact] [Proliferation] [Sense restraint] // [Translation]
Reference: Concept and Reality in Early Buddhist Thought by Bhikkhu Ñāṇananda.
11. “It seems I can quiet my mind easier in the midst of noise. It’s been one continuous monkey mind. Please help.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Calming meditation] [Proliferation] [Restlessness and worry] // [Tranquility] [Culture/Natural environment] [Suffering] [Investigation of states]
Story: Spending the Vassa at quiet Poo Jum Gom [Poo Jum Gom] [Geography/Thailand]
Quote: “I’ve got nobody to blame anymore.” — A junior monk.
8. “Would you please speak a little bit more about “mindfulness” and the “sati” factor, since it seems to me that most, if not all, things register in consciousness. For example, “discursive” thoughts are registered in consciousness just as thoughts and we are aware of the thoughts themselves. What distinguishes “mindfulness” from lack of mindfulness during this process?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness ] [Consciousness] [Proliferation] // [Right Mindfulness ] [Ardency] [Thai] [Hinduism] [Clear comprehension] [Seclusion]
Sutta: MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta
Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 431: The relationship between sampajañña and pañña. [Discernment]
Definition of mindfulness from P. A. Payutto: “That quality of mind which draws the objects of the senses into the heart.” [P. A. Payutto] [Sense bases] [Heart/mind]
Quote: “It’s like this.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho]
13. “The āsavas: Why does the mind leave (“go out”) its still center?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Outflows] [Proliferation] // [Translation] [Ignorance ] [Craving]
12. “I believed this to be a “silent meditation retreat”. Please reiterate that to my thinking mind. It’s not listening!” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation]
3. “After a long time in practice trying to order thoughts around, which hasn’t been so fruitful, there’s been an experiment: trying to observe even when thoughts are really spinning, just bringing an awareness and let them spin. If there’s a strong sense of watching, where does that fit in [to MN 20]?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Proliferation] [Present moment awareness] // [Mindfulness] [Tranquility]
1. “How do we make sense of the whirlpool of assumptions?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Clinging] // [Discernment] [Perception] [Impermanence] [Ajahn Chah] [Views]
Quote: “Welcome to the human existence.” [Human]
2. “During my sitting this morning, the thoughts keep arising one after the other. It seems endlessly. How do I notice, learn, and recognize thoughts as a function of the mind and not be affected by them? Also, how can one make use of skillful thoughts in meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry] [Proliferation] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness of mind] [Recollection] // [Craving not to become] [Characteristics of existence] [Insight meditation] [Relinquishment] [Goodwill] [Patience] [Concentration] [Attitude]
Quote: “Kae nun lae (Thai) – It’s just that much.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]
8. “Can building a continuous narrative regarding impermanence hinder the perception of beauty?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Impermanence] [Proliferation] [Perception] [Beauty]
Quote: “It’s not about finding a perfect position that you can be in. What you’re doing is finding a place of balance that you’re not shaken by anything.” [Proliferation] [Middle Path] [Equanimity]
3. “What to do with negative thoughts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation ] [Unskillful qualities] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] // [Skillful qualities] [Views]
1. Comment: I was thinking about our obsession to create things. We create our world out of the things that we create. So Nibbāna being no thing-ness seems just right. [Proliferation] [Nibbāna] [Non-identification]
Response by Ajahn Amaro. [Volitional formations] [Conventions] [Impermanence] [Philosophy] [Aggregates] [Insight meditation] [Suffering]
Quote: “The things of this world are merely conventions of our own making....” — Ajahn Chah in Convention and Liberation. [Ajahn Chah]
3. “How do you tell the difference between genuine insight and conceptual fabrication?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Insight meditation] [Proliferation] // [Cessation of Suffering] [Spiritual friendship] [Suffering] [Lawfulness] [Doubt] [Stream entry] [Self-reliance]
Follow-up: “The fact that it can’t be verified intuitively makes me uncomfortable. I can see how that would lead to delusion of falsity.” [Delusion]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho asks Ajahn Chah whether he [Ajahn Sumedho] is a stream enterer. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Chah]
5. “Is no-self in the observer? ...I find myself noticing the observer, and then I find myself noticing that I’m noticing, and then I get in a tangle.” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Not-self] [Perception] [Proliferation] // [Humor]
2. “I’ve been noticing during meditation that my mind goes a lot into planning. Can you consider this bhavataṇha?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Becoming] [Proliferation] // [Volition] [Discernment] [Ajahn Amaro] [Habits] [Amaravati] [Building projects] [Suffering]
2. “You could have a reasonable intention to stop a habit or stop seeing someone. By telling yourself, ‘I want to stop,’ you identify with the object. But you can go round and round and round thinking about it....” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Spiritual friendship] [Volition] [Self-identity view] [Proliferation] // [Right Effort] [Mindfulness] [Discernment] [Attitude] [Becoming]
Sutta: Snp 2.4: Maṅgala Sutta.
Simile: Stinging nettles and dead nettles together in the same hedgerow. [Similes]
Quote: “I am an unenlightened person who has to do something now to become enlightened in the future.” — a paradigm based on self-view pointed out by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Liberation]
Follow-up: “The only arbiter [of whether intention is based on self-view or wisdom] is your own experience....” [Self-reliance]
Response by Ajahn Amaro. [Teaching Dhamma]
Sutta: AN 9.3 Meghiya Sutta.
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities]
6. “The characteristic of thinking is that one joins another and we are not aware. So in this context, ‘Nothing is fit to be clung to,’ in practice, what does it mean? Does it mean that we step back and we realize...?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Clinging] [Ignorance] [Relinquishment] // [Directed thought and evaluation] [Discernment] [Investigation of states]
Sutta: MN 19.8: Dvedhāvitakka Sutta.
7. “Can you say, ‘Why do you go out and bother the thoughts?’” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Proliferation] [Sense bases]
4. “The naming of proliferation—I’m getting to this idea that, okay now that I named it, it will stop now. I have this hope that I’ve found the key that’s gonna stop it all and then I get frustrated with myself because it’s still going on. Do I have to name it again? What do I do now?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Noting] [Proliferation] // [Relinquishment] [Non-identification] [Mindfulness of body]
5. “Is conceptual proliferation an aspect of Dependent Origination?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Proliferation] [Dependent origination] // [Sense bases]
2. “You said that when a negative, unpleasant thought comes up, the noble being doesn’t want it but doesn’t act upon it. Is this taṇhā? Is it a mild form of craving, not wanting the thought?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Proliferation] [Arahant] [Craving] // [Knowledge and vision] [Non-identification] [Ajahn Dune] [Spaciousness]
Suttas: AN 9.7-8: What an arahant can’t do.
3. “For good or right contemplation, do you need some amount of samādhi so that it won’t proliferate in thinking?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Discernment] [Concentration] [Proliferation] // [Thai Forest Tradition]