5. The sea of faith in Northeast Thailand. [Faith] [Culture/Thailand ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Poverty] [Culture/Natural environment] [Geography/Thailand] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Self-reliance] [Patience] [Teaching Dhamma] [Suffering]
In Central Thailand, lay people don’t come to the monastery on observance days. [Lay life] [Lunar observance days] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Tudong]
8. Ajahn Chah used the forest environment to train us. [Culture/Natural environment ] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Pace of life]
Story: Two mating lizards fall out of a tree. [Almsround] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Animal] [Sensual desire] [Suffering]
8. Ajahn Chah’s time of illness was a gift to the Saṅgha. [Sickness] [Generosity] [Saṅgha ] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Bodhisattva] [Renunciation] [Communal harmony] [Saṅgha decision making]
Ajahn Chah’s emphasis on Saṅgha was unique. [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Teachers] [Conflict] [Personal presence] [Three Refuges]
Quote: “People in the world are attached to status. People in the religion are attached to their views.” — Thai saying. [Monastic life] [Views]
1. Balancing the body: detailed instructions on sitting posture. [Posture/Sitting ] [Mindfulness of breathing]
2. Quote: “With each in-breath and each out-breath, really trying to recollect that we have the opportunity to experience the Dhamma, to experience truth, to realize the fruits of the Buddha’s teaching and guidance leading to liberation.” [Recollection/Dhamma ] [Liberation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Thai] [Gratitude]
1. Reflection: Long-term effective strategies for dealing with pain. [Pain ] [Long-term practice] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of feeling] // [Mindfulness] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Aversion]
2. Simile: Ill-will is like being sick. (MN 39.14) [Ill-will ] [Hindrances] [Similes] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Sickness] [Happiness]
4. Simile: Restlessness and worry is like being a slave. [Restlessness and worry ] [Hindrances] [Similes] // [Mindfulness of body]
1.2. Body and mind are not separate things. [Body/form] [Heart/mind] // [Aggregates ] [Dependent origination] [Consciousness]
5. Reflection: Differing interpretations of citta; returning to the knowing, our refuge of peace. [Heart/mind] [Nature of mind ] [Knowing itself] [Mindfulness of mind] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Unconditioned] [Commentaries] [P. A. Payutto] [Ajahn Chah]
1. Reflection: Fine-tuning the balance between stillness and investigation. [Calming meditation ] [Insight meditation ] [Gladdening the mind] // [Mindfulness of breathing]
Sutta: SN 15.1: “Bound by ignorance and obstructed by craving.” [Ignorance] [Craving]
6. Reflection: Our suffering is fed and sustained by clinging. [Suffering] [Cause of Suffering] [Clinging ] [Liberation] // [Translation]
4. Emptiness is the experiential counterpoint of not-self. [Not-self] [Emptiness ] [Impermanence] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Characteristics of existence] // [Conditionality]
1. Recollection: Total relinquishment was a characteristic of Ajahn Chah’s practice. [Ajahn Chah] [Relinquishment ] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dhamma]
3. Reflection: Seeing things as they are. [Knowledge and vision ] [Relinquishment] // [Aggregates] [Self-identity view]
4. Attending to the simplicity of the elements. [Elements ] [Direct experience] [Relinquishment] // [Mindfulness of breathing] [Self-identity view]
5. When mindfulness is established and the breath becomes subtle, attend to the presence of the breath and the knower itself. [Tranquility] [Knowing itself ] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Relinquishment] [Delusion]
Quote: “If you let go a little, you get a little peace. If you let go a lot, you get a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you get complete peace.” — Ajahn Chah.
3. “Could you please explain about the death process…how quickly does rebirth occur?” [Death ] [Rebirth] // [Recollection/Death] [Delusion] [Self-identity view] [Recollection] [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Theravāda] [History/Early Buddhism] [Sutta] [Vajrayāna] [Clinging] [Culture/Thailand] [Chanting] [Goodwill] [Relinquishment] [Ceremony/ritual] [Kamma]
References: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 55: Five Recollections; Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 12: The body is impermanent... [Craving]
Simile: Fire blown by the wind (SN 44.9: Kutūhalasālā Sutta) [Similes]
Story: A former monk asks Ajahn Chah about working with dying people to give them the opportunity for wholesome rebirth. [Ajahn Chah] [Teachers] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Quote: “I practice dying.” — The Dalai Lama. [Dalai Lama]
6. “When there is a lot of pain in the body, it is difficult to maintain ‘right effort,’ yet sometimes through patient endurance the pain lessens or dissipates. Could you speak about right effort and the connection between right effort and samadhi?” [Pain ] [Right Effort] [Patience] [Concentration] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Fear] [Aversion] [Discernment] [Naturalness]
Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno learned from pain and illness in his early monastic life. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Sickness] [Monastic life]
8. Quote: “I appreciate people’s questions. I enjoy the questions, and I never quite know what’s going to come out when people present a question. It’s interesting to me as well.” [Questions ] [Ajahn Pasanno]
3. “What is the definition of wholesome? The word for me connotes the 50’s era of Ozzie and Harriet.” [Skillful qualities ] [Culture/West] // [Pāli] [Happiness] [Tranquility] [Unwholesome Roots]
9. “Could you talk more about working with the hindrance of doubt?” [Doubt ] // [Fear] [Aversion] [Sensual desire] [Mindfulness of body] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Right Speech] [Delusion]
Simile: A dish of muddy water placed in a dark cupboard (SN 46.55). [Similes]
10.1. Recollection: Ajahn Chah was this peaceful, happy presence in the center of the universe. Things happened around him all the time...and Ajahn Chah was always happy. You realize that that’s really possible in the human condition. [Ajahn Chah ] [Happiness] [Worldly Conditions] [Faith] // [Disrobing] [Human]
10. “Would you share some of your personal journey, including the time before you became a monk, and why you became a monk, and how the holy life can help people grow and change?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Monastic life] [Long-term practice ] // [Culture/West] [Travel] [Culture/Thailand]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno begins meditation with a month-long Mahasi Sayadaw retreat. [Meditation retreats] [Mahasi Sayadaw] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s first visit to Wat Pah Pong. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Sequence of training]
Reflection: “Five years is five years. I’ll go back and give myself to Ajahn Chah.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Relinquishment] [Mentoring]
Quote: “There’s no such thing as the ideal monastic or the ideal practitioner.” [Idealism] [Lay life] [Faith] [Disrobing] [Suffering] [Energy] [Patience]
11. “It’s been so helpful to hear stories from your own experience. Could you talk about some of the more challenging moments in your practice and how you worked with them?” [Gratitude] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Long-term practice] // [Doubt ] [Patience]
Quote: “It’s not me resolving doubt, but it’s allowing the practice or the Dhamma to work.” [Self-identity view] [Dhamma] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Faith] [Three Refuges]
Simile: “Getting in the vehicle and allowing it to carry you.” [Similes]
12. “What is the Pali word for letting go or relinquishment? Is this the opposite of upādāna?” [Pāli] [Relinquishment] [Clinging] // [Release] [Progress of insight ] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Sutta: MN 37: Sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāya–All dhammas are not to be clung to. [Conditionality]
Sutta: SN 46.1: ...based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release.
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta [Mindfulness of breathing]
1. “In the palm reader story, you mentioned that Ajahn Chah still had a lot of anger, but he chose not to act from it. So does this mean that if there was a troublesome monk, Ajahn Chah would still experience a flare of anger but have the wisdom to set it aside and consider what to do with a cool head? This sounds similar to something Ram Das said about his practice....” [Ajahn Chah] [Aversion ] [Discernment] [Ram Dass] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Personality] [Kamma]
Story: Ajahn Jayasaro is massaging Ajahn Chah’s feet when a monk undergoing a disciplinary procedure walks by. [Ajahn Jayasaro] [Vinaya] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Emotion]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno observes Ajahn Mahā Boowa’s fierce behavior. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Rapture] [Goodwill]
Quote: “You never quite knew...you were always very careful around [Ajahn Chah] because you never knew which side was going to come out. It wasn’t as if he was just playing with you, but he always responded to the situation or the person.” [Heedlessness] [Personal presence] [Teaching Dhamma]
2. “Would you explain the duties adult children have towards ageing parents and the duties of parents towards their children as taught by the Buddha?” [Family] [Parents ] [Ageing] [Children ] // [Health care] [Culture/Asia]
Sutta: AN 2.33: The greatest gifts to one’s parents. [Virtue] [Generosity] [Right View]
3. “Reflecting on your 35 years in robes, do you have any strong lessons that stand out?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Long-term practice] [Discernment] // [Patience ] [Ajahn Chah] [Virtue] [Meditation retreats]
Quote: “Oftentimes we don’t really recognize the goodness that we’re doing.” [Perfectionism] [Judgementalism]
Quote: “Patience isn’t just enduring. It’s being able to be present with experience.” [Direct experience] [Present moment awareness]
6. “What are the characteristics of personality? Are they conditioned by kamma and our family, culture, and nationality? How do I learn not to take mine as truth and real?” [Personality ] [Conditionality] [Kamma] [Family] [Cultural context] [Self-identity view] // [Suffering] [Characteristics of existence] [Humor]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah tended to translate anicca as uncertain or not sure. [Ajahn Chah] [Impermanence ] [Translation] [Proliferation] [Direct experience]
8. “Sometimes when I get concentrated I have spontaneous body and/or facial movements both gross and subtle. Any comments?” [Concentration] [Meditation/Unusual experiences ] // [Mindfulness of body] [Goodwill]
12. “The near enemy to equanimity is aloofness. Can you offer clues on how to differentiate between these in oneself?” [Equanimity ] [Discernment] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Aversion] [Present moment awareness]
Quote: “Tuning into kusala/akusala sorts things out really quickly.”
Sutta: AN 3.65: Kālāma Sutta
14. “What are the primary distinctions between Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana?” [Theravāda] [Mahāyāna] [Vajrayāna] [Spiritual traditions ] // [Dalai Lama] [Chanting] [Pāli] [History/Mahāyāna Buddhism] [Bodhisattva] [Ceremony/ritual] [History/Thai Buddhism]
16. “What could American culture learn from Thai culture?” [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand ] // [P. A. Payutto] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Cultural context]
Quote: “Mai bpen rai.”
Quote: “‘If there was a culture that was steeped in Buddhism, that would really solve all the problems of the world.’ No it wouldn’t. There are still human beings there. They’ll create suffering wherever they go.” [Politics and society] [Human] [Suffering]
10. Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah accepts his dying father’s request to stay as a monk for life. [Parents] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Sickness] [Death] [Ajahn Chah ] [Determination ] // [Mindfulness of body] [Spiritual urgency ] [Saṃsāra]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 40
Quote: “I dedicate my body and mind, my whole life, to the practice of the Lord Buddha’s teachings in their entirety. I will realize the truth in this lifetime … I will let go of everything and follow the teachings. No matter how much suffering and difficulty I have to endure I will persevere, otherwise there will be no end to my doubts. I will make this life as even and continuous as a single day and night. I will abandon attachments to mind and body and follow the Buddha’s teachings until I know their truth for myself.” — Ajahn Chah. [Determination ] [Ardency] [Patience] [Doubt] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Relinquishment] [Knowledge and vision]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 42
The singular quality of Ajahn Chah’s resolution. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Determination ]
12. Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Mun’s character and legacy. [Ajahn Mun ] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Great disciples] [Ascetic practices] [Rains retreat] [Almsround] [Psychic powers] [Discernment] [Liberation] [History/Thai Buddhism]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 52
Story: Ajahn Mun disappears after being appointed abbot. [Abbot] [Seclusion]
13. Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah visits Ajahn Mun. [Ajahn Mun] [Tudong] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Relics] [Cleanliness] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Personal presence] [Vinaya] [Conscience and prudence] [Teaching Dhamma] [Knowing itself] [Nature of mind] [Conventions] [Unconditioned] [Faith]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 54
5. Quote: “I sacrificed my life for the Dhamma because I had faith in the reality of enlightenment and the path to get there.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Spiritual search ] [Dhamma] [Faith ] [Eightfold Path] // [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma ] [Determination ] [Courage]
Reference: “Unshakeable Peace,” Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 453.
2. The monks’ requisites sustain our livelihood and are a focal point for our cultivation of mindfulness and attention. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Requisites ] [Almsbowl] [Mindfulness] // [Robes]
1. Guided meditation: The rhythm of the sensation of the body as it is walking. [Posture/Walking ] [Mindfulness of body] [Ajahn Chah] // [Calming meditation] [Present moment awareness] [Proliferation] [Tranquility] [Investigation of states]
4. Reading: One Seat. [Similes ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Mindfulness] [Buddho mantra] [Volitional formations]
3. “As an abbot taking care of a community, how do you handle it when a kerfluffle comes up?” [Abbot] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Community] [Conflict ] // [Patience] [Views] [Skillful qualities] [Four Noble Truths]
Follow-up: “What are the antidotes to the next two Noble Truths?”
5. “Why do so many different teachings exist, like Zen, Advaita, or others?” [Spiritual traditions ] // [Human] [Personality] [Great disciples]
Suttas: AN 1.188-267: The qualities of the great disciples.
6. “What are some skillful ways to deal with anger and resentment?” [Aversion] [Ill-will ] // [Suffering] [Drawbacks] [Goodwill] [Views]
Quote: “There’s no way that you can have anger and resentment and feel peaceful and happy.” [Happiness]
Sutta: Dhp 125: Throwing dust into the air. [Similes]
7. “What did the Buddha say about marriage? Are the Three Refuges more of a priority than a spouse?” [Relationships ] [Three Refuges] // [Lay life] [Five Precepts] [Great disciples] [Stream entry] [Monastic life]
Sutta: AN 4.55: Nakula’s mother and father. [Rebirth] [Treasures]
5. “How does one develop faith or trust?” [Faith] // [Recollection/Buddha ] [Liberation] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: MN 26.20: Those with little dust in their eyes.
9. “How do we work with self-destructive and harmful repetitive patterns in our life? We can’t really force change.” [Habits ] [Unskillful qualities] // [Craving not to become] [Drawbacks] [Suffering] [Self-identity view]
Sutta: AN 6.63.42: Two results of suffering.
13. “What does it mean to fully understand what causes us to suffer?” [Cause of Suffering] // [Relinquishment] [Cessation of Suffering ]
Quote: “The mind aspires to truth and beauty, but pain we obey.” — Marcel Proust. [Suffering]
3. “Is contentment the same as acceptance?” [Contentment ] // [Happiness]
4. “Right Effort seems to be about substituting wholesome mind states for unwholesome mind states. This seems much more involved and intentional than merely knowing and letting go. How do these things go together?” [Right Effort ] [Volition] [Mindfulness] [Relinquishment] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Discernment] [Intuition] [Consciousness] [Volitional formations]
14. “To find out for ourselves may still be an individual truth. Wouldn’t the ultimate truth, the absolute truth, have the same flavor for everybody?” [Unconditioned ] // [Personality] [Cessation of Suffering] [Great disciples] [Commentaries]
Sutta: AN 8.19.16: The taste of liberation. [Similes]
16. “Dhammas arise and cease—nothing personal. How does that relate to our personal kamma?” [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Kamma ]
Quote: “Nothing personal, but nobody else gets it either!”
17. “What are hallmarks or signs or markers of stream entry? Is this a realistic goal for a modern lay person?” [Stream entry ] [Lay life] // [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Virtue] [Self-identity view] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Doubt]
Quote: “If you’re going to have a goal in life, this is the one to have.” [Purpose/meaning]
Sutta: SN 55.5: Sāriputta teaches four factors of stream entry. [Factors for stream entry] [Association with people of integrity] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Appropriate attention] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]
14. “I can know and let go of a past hurt, but what is a good Buddhist to do when the hurt is direct and in your face? For example, repeated verbal abuse by my partner? Lovingkindness can only go so far.” [Relinquishment] [Abuse/violence ] [Buddhist identity] [Harsh speech] [Relationships] [Goodwill] // [Buddha/Biography] [Vinaya] [Admonishment/feedback]
Ajahn Pasanno recounts the mistakes he made admonishing monks as a new abbot. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abbot] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Right Speech]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah was the person with the most lovingkindness I ever met, but if somebody was out of line, they would know about it. [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Ajahn Chah admonishes a big Western monk. [Truth]
4. “What did the Buddha say about karma in relationship to our parents and siblings? How did we end up in these families?” [Kamma ] [Family ] // [Gratitude] [Parents]
Sutta: MN 117.7: Conventional Right View. [Right View]
8. “How does one contemplate the Eight Worldly Dhammas?” [Worldly Conditions ] [Recollection] // [Craving] [Arahant] [Pain] [Naturalness]
Quote: “Even if someone calls you a dog, all you’ve got to do is look to see if you have a tail.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Harsh speech] [Blame and praise] [Culture/Thailand]
9. “Could you explain the Saṅgha described in the chants (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 7) versus lay saṅgha?” [Saṅgha ] [Chanting] [Lay life] // [Stages of awakening] [Monastic life]
10. “If I understand this afternoon’s reflection correctly, then the body is capable of responding to things independently of the mind. So while I may have learned to refrain from facial, verbal, and other expressions of anger, impatience, humiliation, etc., the body may still respond. As I sit now, day after day, I feel all of that stored up tension in my neck and waves of anxiety in my belly. How to help the body release the pent-up emotions I have stuffed?” [Body/form ] [Heart/mind] [Aversion] [Emotion] // [Conditionality] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Sutta: SN 54.8: “When I practiced mindfulness of breathing, neither my body nor my eyes were tired.” [Buddha/Biography]
17. “Please speak about ‘unburdened with duties’ (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 37). I notice it’s not ‘unburdened by duties.’ Does this mean we should attempt to minimize our responsibilities? What does this have to do with metta?—From a chronically busy person.” [Work] [Simplicity ] [Goodwill] // [Restlessness and worry]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 41: “May I abide in well-being.”
20. “What or how was the father-son relationship of the Buddha and his son Rāhula? Are there any suttas or teachings in regards to their own relationship and their family?” [Buddha/Biography ] [Parents] [Family] // [Ordination]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.54: Rāhula asks for his inheritance. [Great disciples] [Novices]
Sutta: MN 61: Teachings to Rāhula as a boy. [False speech]
Sutta: MN 62: Comprehensive teachings to Rāhula.
Vinaya: Bhikkhu Pācittiyā 5.2.1: Lodgings for Rāhula.
1. Comment: Dear Ajahn, You and your crew have been and continue to be so generous with us. This abundant generosity is such an incredible teaching. It seems as though it’s the stuff that may save the planet. [Generosity ]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Teaching Dhamma] [Culture/Thailand] [Children]
Reference: Vessantara Jātaka [Jātaka Tales]
12. “Would you please share on the meaning of ‘practicing with integrity’ (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 7)?” [Recollection/Saṅgha] [Truth ] // [Pāli]
15. “Would you contrast the samatha transformation of the Five Hindrances with the vipassanā approach of uprooting them? Is there an integration of the two?” [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation] [Hindrances ] // [Stages of awakening]
4. “It’s interesting how no-self is not the same as having no free will. What do you think?” [Not-self] [Volition ] [Philosophy] // [Self-identity view] [Kamma] [Volitional formations]
6. “Whenever I try mindful breathing when trying to fall asleep, I get really alert and can’t fall asleep. What is your advice?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Devotion to wakefulness ] // [Tranquility] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Time management]
Quote: “That mindfulness is also a resting.” [Mindfulness]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno meets a monk who didn’t sleep for a month. [Tudong] [Seclusion] [Rains retreat] [Concentration]
11. “What is the value of generosity if someone is getting rich unlawfully and then gives part of it to charity?” [Generosity ] [Crime] // [Kamma] [Culture/Thailand] [Hearing the true Dhamma]
Story: Ajahn Chah advises the owner of a string of nightclubs to change occupations. [Ajahn Chah] [Intoxicants] [Right Livelihood] [Precepts]
15. “It has been helpful to pay attention to the gap between the out-breath and the subsequent in-breath. There feels to be a waiting or assumption that there is a next breath. What is paid attention to after the last breath?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Death] // [Knowing itself ] [Faith] [Calming meditation] [Tranquility] [Jhāna] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “I’m preparing to die.” — The Dalai Lama. [Dalai Lama] [Meditation]
18. “I’m having a doubt attack. It all seems too deep and unfathomable and too many aeons plus unending kamma with nothing solid to hold on to. I’m overwhelmed.” [Doubt] [Nature of the cosmos ] [Kamma] // [Saṃsāra] [Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering]
20. “I have found Buddhist philosophy and meditation to be so helpful in this life. However, I am challenged by the concept of reincarnation, especially when the texts describe the hell realms, such as hungry ghosts, whose throats are narrow as needles and cannot pass food and water. Or hot realms of fire or even the god realms of excess desire. This sounds very different from the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The concept of reincarnation was around before the Buddha. Can you explain how one should understand reincarnation? Is it literal or myth or what?” [Rebirth] [Realms of existence ] [Four Noble Truths] [Eightfold Path] [Culture/India] // [Nature of the cosmos] [Culture/West] [Western psychology] [Right View] [Kamma] [Self-identity view]
Sutta: MN 117.7: Conventional Right View.
31. “I think about sharing the Dhamma with my family. Any suggestions on where to start? Has your family taken to the teachings since you’ve been on the path?” [Teaching Dhamma] [Family ] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Habits] [Non-contention] [Renunciation] [Amaravati]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s sister and her six-week-old baby attend his first meditation retreat in Canada. [Meditation retreats]
32. “What would be your advice on how to approach the study and practice of the Abhidhamma?” [Abhidhamma ] // [Ajahn Chah] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Culture/Other Theravāda traditions]
11. “I’m curious about your pre-monastic life and specifically what led you to the monastic life.” [Ajahn Pasanno ] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Temporary ordination] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training]
4. Story: Ajahn Chah struggles through lust with patience. [Ajahn Chah] [Sensual desire ] [Patience] [Tudong] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Human] [Meditation/Techniques] [Impermanence]
Quote: Ajahn Chah to biographer: “If you don’t put that in the book, don’t bother printing it.” [Dhamma books]
Quote: “If you ordain as a monk, your defilements ordain with you.” — Ajahn Chah. [Monastic life] [Unwholesome Roots]
10. Quote: “It all comes back to that simple quality of mindfulness. From the mindfulness, then the different qualities of practice that we need to rely on are cultivated.” [Mindfulness ] [Faculties] [Tudong] // [Concentration ] [Thai] [Translation] [Discernment] [Perfections]
Reflection: In Thai, samādhi is translated as “the firm establishing of the mind.” [Concentration ]
Quote: “The base and foundation is the mindfulness. Being the knowing is always the foundation, and then the mind is able to become still, become settled, become steady.” [Knowing itself] [Concentration ]
Recollection: “It’s rare that Ajahn Chah would use [the Pāli term] pañña on its own. More often than not, he would use satipañña, which is mindfulness and wisdom together.” [Ajahn Chah] [Pāli]
2. “Sometime ill-will is diffuse and all-encompasing. Attempting to do metta when the mind is experiencing this seems to aggravate rather than soothe.” [Ill-will ] [Goodwill ] // [Bhante Gunaratana] [Conditionality] [Self-identity view] [Investigation of states]
Sutta: Snp 1.8: The Metta Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
1. “Could you give advice on how to practice Buddhānussati? Are there any suttas useful for working with this theme?” [Recollection/Buddha ] [Sutta] // [Learning] [Human]
Reference: Recollection of the Buddha, Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 4.
Sutta: MN 11: Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta.
Sutta: MN 74: Dīghanakha Sutta. [Views] [Great disciples] [Upatakh]
Sutta: MN 12.58: “You might think that the jujube fruit was bigger in those days...” [Buddha/Biography] [Humor]
Sutta: SN 17.5: Dung beetle on a ball of dung. [Gain and loss]
2. “Can one use the subtle sensations of comfort and discomfort that accompany in and out breathing as a basis for insight? If so, how much thinking/nudging the mind is useful versus simple observation?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of feeling ] [Insight meditation] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Suffering] [Right Effort]
3. “Could you please speak about dhamma-vicaya and how to use it in meditation?” [Investigation of states ] // [Factors of Awakening] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Characteristics of existence] [Appropriate attention] [Dispassion] [Aggregates]
3. “Could you talk more about the particular professions that the Buddha laid out as wrong livelihood (AN 5.177)? Why is being in the military not on the list?” [Work] [Military] [Right Livelihood ] // [Unskillful qualities] [Kamma] [Killing] [Intoxicants] [Rebirth]
Story: The widow of a wealthy man divests from Singha Beer. [Commerce/economics]
12. “The Buddha taught the five forms of wrong livelihood [AN 5.177]. This is from the producer side. Is there a similar teaching from the consumer side?” [Commerce/economics ] [Right Livelihood] // [Idealism] [Politics and society] [Buddha/Biography] [Skillful qualities]
16. “Some people want to help but find themselves in situations in which profit dictates the priorities. How can they protect their integrity in such situations?” [Compassion] [Health care] [Commerce/economics] [Right Intention] [Right Livelihood ] // [Education] [Idealism] [Requisites] [Happiness]
Story: Ajahn Karuniko studies engineering, then quits a job in the arms industry to become a monk. [Military] [Monastic life/Motivation]
25. “There are many people without access to resources for education or training without many choices. How does this all fit together?” [Poverty ] [Learning] [Politics and society] [Right Livelihood] // [Buddha] [Idealism]
Sutta: DN 27: Agañña Sutta
26. “In DN 31.26, what is investment versus savings?” [Commerce/economics ] [Right Livelihood]
Comments by various participants about the nature of investment. [Unskillful qualities] [Greed] [Work]
Sutta: DN 31.32: Siṅgālasutta Sutta: Five duties of an employer to employees; interpreted in A Constitution for Living by P. A. Payutto, p. 7.
5. “What is your take on satisfaction, being in tune, and stagnation?” [Contentment ] [Energy] [Ardency ] // [Skillful qualities] [Discernment] [Buddha/Biography] [Spiritual search] [Right Effort]
Sutta: AN 2.5: Effort and non-contentment with wholesome states.
Story: The Thai government made it illegal for monks to teach contentment. [History/Thai Buddhism] [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma]
Comment about the simile of the lute. [Middle Path] [Similes]
Sutta: AN 6.55: Soṇa Sutta
3. “Why is discernment a better word for wisdom?” [Discernment ] [Translation] // [Pāli] [Etymology]
1.1. “What do we do at the monastery? What happens on a daily basis?” [Monastic routine ] [Abhayagiri]
8. “I appreciate your emphasis on clarity, stability, and spaciousness. How does concentration relate to these?” [Clear comprehension] [Unification] [Spaciousness] [Concentration ] // [Pāli] [Thai] [Etymology] [Tranquility] [Happiness] [Rapture] [Conditionality]
Suttas: AN 10.3: Virtuous Behavior; AN 6.10 Mahānāma [Virtue]
Quote: “The way my mind worked before was, ‘Boy, when I get my concentration together, I’m going to be happy...’” [Ajahn Pasanno]
Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.” [Hindrances] [Relinquishment] [Knowledge and vision]
4. “Is there a state of the calm mind when you’re not thinking about anything or is meditation more about reflecting?” [Directed thought and evaluation] [Recollection] [Tranquility ] [Proliferation] // [Concentration] [Restlessness and worry] [Perfectionism] [Ardency]
1. “Thank you for your talk. Can you flesh out: ‘dispassionate about what?’ Also, trying to encourage dispassion along with arousing energy.” [Dispassion ] [Energy] // [Craving] [Sense bases] [Body/form] [Emotion] [Contentment] [Tranquility]
Quote: “When there’s a coolness towards the world around one, that frees up a lot of energy for directing attention to what’s actually useful and beneficial.” [Discernment]
2. “Could you clarify the difference between perception (sañña), mental formations (saṅkhāra) and consciousness (viññana)?” [Perception ] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness] // [Memory] [Mindfulness] [Translation] [Volition] [Sense bases]
3. “Can you talk about neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings and the benefits of being with this boringness?” [Neutral feeling ] [Mindfulness of feeling] // [Pain] [Feeling] [Unwholesome Roots]
Sutta: MN 44.25: The tendencies underlying feelings.
4. “Could you please talk about different places in the chain of dependent origination can be broken? For example, does contact always result in vedanā? If the intention to be conscious is let go of, is that breaking the chain of ignorance conditioning saṅkhāra and saṅkhāra conditioning viññana?” [Dependent origination ] [Contact] [Feeling] [Ignorance] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness] // [Craving] [Clinging] [Becoming] [Relinquishment]
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.” [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] [Truth]
11. “Thank you for your uplifting and encouraging talks. My husband died 6 months ago. Could you give suggestions for how to contemplate anicca and anatta in the context of his life, illness, and death? I’m aware of aversion to the pain of losing him. I do want to learn from all this.” [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Sickness] [Death] [Relationships] [Aversion] [Suffering ] // [Naturalness] [Grief] [Gratitude] [Merit] [Compassion]
1. “Is body scan as a meditation practice done in the Ajahn Chah tradition? Is there a sutta where the Buddha talks about it?” [Body scanning ] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Sutta] // [Unattractiveness] [Mindfulness of body ] [Elements] [Recollection/Death] [Disenchantment]
Quote: “Ajahn Chah would recommend doing anything that worked.” [Ajahn Chah] [Right Effort]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 60: Reflection on the Thirty-Two Parts.
Sutta: MN 10.4: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, mindfulness of body section.
2. “Is there something in the body that will help you identify the defilement of delusion?” [Mindfulness of body] [Delusion ] // [Self-identity view]
3. “If one has read the Majjhima Nikaya, what text of the Pali canon do you recommend reading next?” [Learning] [Sutta ] [Tipiṭaka]
4. “I’m having trouble integrating some of the teachings in the context of preparing to have a child...How might one be fully open to the lightness and joy surrounding birth while remaining deeply aware of these other truths of existence?” [Family] [Birth ] [Characteristics of existence] // [Trust] [Heedfulness] [Generosity]
13. “What are the four stages of enlightenment? What defilements have the four noble beings shed?” [Stages of awakening ] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Drawbacks] [Liberation]
Quote: “When we think of enlightenment, it’s a being who is willing and able to relinquish those things that are complicating and constricting.” [Relinquishment]
14. “Could you please expand on compassionate seclusion in interactive daily life (both on and off retreat)?” [Compassion] [Seclusion ] [Everyday life] // [Time management]
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?” [Volitional formations ] [Volition] [Heart/mind] [Proliferation] [Not-self] // [Perception] [Relinquishment] [Mindfulness] [Discernment]