[Session] Dhamma talk: Ajahn Pasanno reflects on the basic teaching of the Four Noble Truths and how investigating and contemplating dukkha enables us to see our habits and conditioning and the obstacles to practice. [Four Noble Truths]
1. Teaching: The relationship between the Five Hindrances and the Seven Factors of Awakening. [Hindrances] [Factors of Awakening] // [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Āgama] [Abhidhamma]
3. Reflections on SN 42.13: The Buddha’s clarity with definitions and bringing doubts about views back to conduct. [Teaching Dhamma] [Doubt] [Views] [Virtue]
1. Reflections on MN 109: The danger in clinging to khandhas. [Clinging] [Self-identity view] [Aggregates]
Reference: Reflection on dukkha from the Morning Chanting.
Sutta: SN 22.59 Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta (Chanting book translation).
2. Teaching: MN 64.9 explains how jhāna forms the basis for insight. [Jhāna] [Characteristics of existence] [Insight meditation] // [Formless attainments]
Follow-up: “Does that imply that insight is realized during that absorption?”
2. The meaning of perception. [Perception] // [Sense bases] [Thai] [Memory]
Sutta: SN 22.79.
5. “MN 44.14 defines perception and feeling as mental formations. I thought those were just conditional arising on account of contact (MN 109.9)?” [Perception] [Feeling] [Volitional formations] [Conditionality] [Contact] // [Pāli]
Ajahn Buddhadasā‘s translation of the Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118; Chanting Book translation) translates cittasaṅkhāra as the mental conditioner. [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Translation] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Reference: Mindfulness with Breathing by Ajahn Buddhadāsa, p. 72.
Follow-up: “The bodily fabrication doesn’t seem to involve volition, but vitakka and vicāra do.” [Body/form] [Volition] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Aggregates]
Comment: In the Ānāpānasati Sutta, much of the practice is intentionally calming different saṅkhāras. [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of body]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
9. Explanation of “The Questions of Māgaṇḍiya” (Snp 4.9) and Dr. Saddhatissa’s translation of the Sutta Nipāta. [History/Early Buddhism] [Dr. Saddhatissa] [Translation] // [Great disciples] [Pāli] [Culture/Sri Lanka]
Story: Ajahn Chah tells Ajahn Sumedho to take Dr. Saddhatissa as the Saṅgharāja of England. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Study monks]
10. Reflection: In SN 22.3, Venerable Mahākaccāna extrapolates from the literal to the figurative. [Great disciples] [Teaching Dhamma] [Symbolism/metaphor] // [Commentaries] [Aggregates] [Sense bases] [Proliferation]
5. “Sorry, I missed something. Did you say that instead of dwelling on our hindrances and getting depressed, we could instead work with the Factors of Enlightenment to brighten the mind? What are the Factors you would suggest?” [Factors of Awakening] [Gladdening the mind] // [Divine Abidings] [Perfections] [Right Effort] [Hindrances]
Reflections on Unbinding as a translation of Nibbāna. [Nibbāna] [Translation] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro]
Quote: “Practicing Dhamma is like taking a screwdriver and unscrewing something rather than putting the screwdriver in and tightening it up.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Similes]
14. “How does one reconcile the apparent complete lack of control that is experienced in meditation ... with the apparent need to control one’s circumstances off the cushion. Is it possible to live with complete non-contention and still have an organized life?” [Everyday life] [Meditation] [Volition] [Non-contention] // [Right Effort] [Self-reliance] [Relinquishment] [Buddha/Biography ] [Monastic life] [Conditionality] [Discernment] [Suffering]
Reflection: The Buddha had an organized plan to spread his teachings across India. [Buddha/Biography ] [Teaching Dhamma] [Culture/India] [History/Early Buddhism]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.15: The Buddha teaches the Kassapa brothers then visits King Bimbisāra. [Buddha/Biography ]
16. “Do you miss Ajahn Amaro?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] // [Abhayagiri] [Abbot]
Simile: Two tigers sharing the same cave. [Similes]
[Session] Ajahn Pasanno begins the retreat by encouraging us to return to the basics of the Noble Eightfold Path. He mentions Iris Landsberg, a long-standing lay supporter dying of lung cancer, both to set the tone for the monk’s final visit to her and to encourage us to practice while there is still time. Iris passed away February 1, 2014. [Eightfold Path] [Sickness] [Death] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Spiritual urgency] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Meditation retreats] [Family] [Health care]
Sutta: DN 16.5.27: The world will not be devoid of awakened beings as long as people are practicing the Eightfold Path. [Stages of awakening]
Story: Ajahn Pāvaro decides to practice in Bodh Gaya after receiving worrying medical news. [Ajahn Pavaro] [Visiting holy sites] [Impermanence]
Sutta: MN 131: Bhaddekaratta Sutta (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 75)
1. Introductory comments by Ajahn Pasanno and Tan Pamutto clarify some of the terms in the reading. [Ajahn Liem] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Association with people of integrity] [Thai] [Abhayagiri] [Worldly Conditions]
7. The character of Ajahn Chah and his relatives. [Ajahn Chah] [Personality] [Aversion] [Humor] // [Leadership]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah’s older brother had the same personality. [Family]
3. “Was there a time in Thai history when meditation was a routine part of childhood education?” [History/Thai Buddhism] [Children] [Education] [Meditation] // [Three Refuges] [Chanting] [Right View]
Reflection: Ajahn Liem’s mother and sister were nuns with similar demeanor. [Ajahn Liem] [Family] [Mae Chee] [Wat Pah Pong] [Personality]
1. Ajahn Pasanno introduces Ajahn Koon and Twigs and Branches of the Bodhinyana. [Dhamma books] [Ajahn Koon (Na Pho)]
1. Introduction to The Natural Character of Awakening and Chao Khun Upāli. Teaching by Ajahn Jotipālo and Ajahn Pasanno. [Chao Khun Upāli] [Ajahn Mun] [Forest versus city monks]
Story: Ajahn Mun takes on the role of abbot at a city temple out of respect for Chao Khun Upāli’s request. [Abbot]
1. Background information about Ajahn Suwat. [Ajahn Suwat] // [Ajahn Fun] [Ajahn Mun] [Ajahn Dune]
1. “Sometimes I will see a bit of greed come up, I apply an antidote, for example, if its craving, apply some asuba; but it seems to exacerbate it–do you have any encouragement or similes from Ajahn Chah?” [Unwholesome Roots] [Right Effort] [Meditation/Results] [Ajahn Chah] // [Investigation of states] [Patience]
Simile: Putting a tiger in a cage. [Similes] [Mindfulness] [Discernment]
1. Biographical information about Ajahn Sim and Simply So. [Ajahn Sim] [Ajahn Jayasaro] [Dhamma books]
2. “All Dhammas are not to be clung to.” Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Clinging] [Relinquishment] // [Cessation] [Meditation/Techniques] [Right View] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Suffering]
Sutta: MN 37 Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta
5. “In my desire to get to the “heart of it” I find part of my mind really wants this, but another part of my mind is not going along with the program. How do I keep myself on the Path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Desire] [Simplicity] [Volition] // [Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Impermanence] [Cessation] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon]
Follow-up: “The experience of arising and disbanding isn’t yet practical for me. I need something more operational.” [Tranquility]
Simile: Making a fire flare up or die down (SN 46.53). — Ajahn Pasanno. [Factors of Awakening] [Energy] [Mindfulness]
1. Devotional practice and the context and history of the Thai Forest Tradition. [Devotional practice] [Culture/Thailand] [Types of monks] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Vinaya]
2. The current popularity of the Thai Forest Tradition can be attributed to Ajahn Mun. [Ajahn Mun] [Teaching Dhamma] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Tudong] [Ajahn Chah] [Spiritual search] [Culture/Thailand]
3. Being able to recognize the difference between the mind itself and the moods or objects of the mind. [Knowing itself] [Moods of the mind ] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Heart/mind]
20. The values of the Thai Forest Tradition. [Thai Forest Tradition ] // [Knowing itself] [Mindfulness] [Recollection/Buddha] [Four Noble Truths] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Tate] [Ajahn Mun] [Heart/mind] [Three Refuges]
Quote: “Pay attention to the difference between the mind and the objects of mind.” — Ajahn Mun. [Nature of mind] [Moods of the mind] [Discernment]
14. “You mentioned ‘inner confidence. …‘ can you describe it in more detail and the ways to cultivate it? Respectfully.” [Self-reliance] [Faith] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Human] [Recollection/Saṅgha ]
Sutta: MN 19: Two Kinds of Thought
Reflection: Ajahn Khao was a real human being. [Ajahn Khao] [Family] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho]
[Session] Dhamma talk: After the Abhayagiri community begins the retreat with the ceremony of taking dependence, Ajahn Pasanno explains the meaning of dependence, the importance of mindfulness, and how mindfulness connects with the eightfold path. He explains how to look after both oneself and others with mindfulness using the Simile of the Acrobat (SN 47.19). [Ceremony/ritual] [Dependence] [Mindfulness] [Right Mindfulness] [Eightfold Path]
[Session] Dhamma talk: Ajahn Pasanno reflects upon the question: “What kind of effort do we need to conform with what the Buddha means by mindfulness?” He answers in terms of the four aspects of right effort, the seven qualities of Dhamma the Buddha taught to Upali (AN 7.79), and the Buddha’s description of how he crossed the flood (SN 1.1). [Right Effort] [Mindfulness] [Dhamma]
[Session] Dhamma talk: The commentary explains sampajañña (clear comprehension / alertness) as clear comprehension of purpose, suitability, domain, and non-delusion. Ajahn Pasanno describes how each of these factors relate to the practice of mindfulness. [Clear comprehension] [Mindfulness]
[Session] Dhamma talk: Cautioning against trusting our assumptions about the nature of mindfulness, Ajahn Pasanno reviews several key passages in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10). [Ardency] [Clear comprehension] [Mindfulness] [Right Mindfulness]
2. Outline of AN 4.41 Samādhibhāvanā: Four types of concentration. [Concentration] [Right Mindfulness] // [Psychic powers] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Liberation] [Outflows] [Perception of light] [Impermanence] [Aggregates]
Comment about the difference between the third and fourth developments of concentration. [Conditionality]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view]
2. Commentary on AN 9.36, “Jhāna.” [Jhāna] [Formless attainments] [Characteristics of existence] [Aggregates] [Liberation] [Deathless] [Progress of insight] [Relinquishment] [Nibbāna]
2. Reflections on the value of samaṇas in Indian culture. [Culture/India ] [Perception of a samaṇa ] // [Commentaries] [Buddha] [Virtue] [Truth] [Hospitality]
Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno was really cared for during his tudong in Northern India. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Tudong] [Not handling money]
1. Commentary on the Cankī Sutta (MN 95). [Views] [Right Effort] [Truth]
3. “Are any of the lists in this sutta (MN 95) explained in other suttas?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Sutta] // [Bhikkhu Bodhi]
Reference: P.A. Payutto’s Dictionary of Numerical Dhammas (in Thai). [P. A. Payutto] [Tipiṭaka] [Pāli]
Explanation of volume and page numbers in the Pāli Tipitaka.
Comment by Debbie Stamp: Similar listings often refer to the gradual training. [Gradual Teaching]
Sutta: MN 107: Gaṇakamoggallāna Sutta.
Sutta: MN 47: Vīmaṃsaka Sutta.
1. Commentary on MN 121: The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness. [Emptiness] [Relinquishment] [Theravāda] [Not-self]
1. Explanation of sāmisa and nirāmisa. [Feeling] [Pāli] // [Translation]
2. Translation of phassapaññattiṃ paññāpessatīti (manifestation, delineation). Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo, Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Kaccāna. [Pāli] [Translation] [Proliferation] [Perception] // [Bhikkhu Bodhi] [Commentaries] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro]
6. “What is the difference between piti and sukha? Also equanimity and emptiness as a felt sense?” [Rapture ] [Happiness ] [Equanimity] [Emptiness] // [Self-identity view] [Theravāda] [Relinquishment]
Teaching: The difference between pīti and sukha. [Rapture ] [Happiness ] [Emotion]
Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 139: Similes for pīti and sukha. [Similes] [Rapture ] [Happiness ]
1. “What are the consequences of breaking a precept?” [Precepts ] // [Pāli] [Learning] [Volition] [Ajahn Chah]
The root of hiri and otappa. [Conscience and prudence ] [Translation] [Truth] [Kamma] [Respect]
5. “Competitiveness feels so pervasive here in America. What are your thoughts for working with it or healing it?” [Competitiveness ] [Culture/West] // [Suffering] [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [History/America] [Proliferation]
Reflection: The nine bases of conceit. [Conceit]
15. “Is it useful to investigate how we can only experience one conscious moment at a time?” [Consciousness] [Sense bases] [Nature of mind] [Investigation of states] // [Impermanence] [Feeling]
The manifestation of skillful and unskillful states. [Skillful qualities ] [Unskillful qualities ] [Suffering] [Happiness] [Restlessness and worry] [Unwholesome Roots] [Right Intention] [Discernment]
18. “I often feel overwhelmed with the greed, hatred, ill-will, and delusion that the corporate world exerts over the masses to the benefit of only themselves and that is destroying the planet’s ability to renew itself. Could you speak about Buddhist involvement in social change movements?” [Politics and society] [Activism] [Unwholesome Roots] [Commerce/economics] [Selfishness] [Environment] // [Truth] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Non-profit organizations]
Ajahn Pasanno reflects on the results of his efforts to preserve forests in Thailand. [Geography/Thailand] [Learning] [Greed] [Corruption]
Quote: “Can I set an example myself and can I help encourage other people who are interested?”
3. Discussion about the importance of spiritual friendship. [Spiritual friendship] [Renunciation] [Happiness]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46: The Highest Blessings (Maṅgala Sutta, Snp 2.4).
Ajahn Pasanno reflects on his intention in coming to America. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Culture/West] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Abhayagiri]
3. Reflections by Ajahn Kaccāna and Ajahn Pasanno about Ajahn Sumedho and Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Chah] // [Habits] [Seclusion] [Monastic life/Motivation]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho becomes so fed up living with Westerners at Tam Seang Pet that he leaves. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Tam Saeng Pet] [Western Ajahn Chah lineage] [Tudong]
Description of Wat Tam Saeng Pet. [Culture/Natural environment]
2. The meaning of perception (sañña) in the Girimānanda Sutta (AN 10.60). [Perception] [Recollection] // [Meditation] [Tranquility] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Discernment]
Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno gives instruction from the Girimānanda Sutta to the monks on the first four-week retreat at Dtao Dum. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dtao Dum] [Teaching Dhamma]
Sutta: MN 43.8-9: Conjoined, not disjoined. [Feeling] [Consciousness]
Sutta: AN 10.57: Ten perceptions culminating in the Deathless. [Deathless]
3. Lifting up the perception of the aggregates as impermanent or uncertain. [Perception] [Impermanence] [Aggregates] // [Directed thought and evaluation] [Jhāna] [Ajahn Chah] [Habits]
Sutta: AN 10.60.5.
4. Reflection: The Buddha rarely divided meditation practice into samatha and vipassanā. [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation]
5. Reflection: Seeding the mind with perceptions that hold our attention in a skillful way allows wise attention (yoniso manasikāra) to function. [Perception] [Skillful qualities] [Appropriate attention]
12. The Buddha taught monastics to develop the perception of being a religious seeker. [Perception of a samaṇa ] [Monastic life]
Sutta: MN 39: Mahā-Assapura Sutta.
14. Contemplating the unattractive nature of the body (AN 10.60.7) soothes the mind and inclines it towards dispassion. [Unattractiveness ] [Tranquility] [Dispassion]
16. AN 10.60.8 describes the dangers inherent in the human body. [Drawbacks] [Sickness] // [Aspects of Understanding] [Benefit/gratification] [Escape]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno visits a hospital library. [Ajahn Pasanno]
17. The Buddha describes the perception of abandoning (AN 10.60.9) as putting down the three wrong thoughts/intentions. [Right Effort] [Right Intention] [Unskillful qualities]
18. The perception of dispassion (AN 10.60.10) is the opportunity to experience what is truly peaceful. [Dispassion] [Recollection/Peace] // [Etymology] [Nature of mind]
19. The perception of cessation (AN 10.60.11) can be experienced as the non-arising of becoming. [Cessation of Suffering] [Recollection/Peace] [Becoming] // [Translation] [Clinging]
1. The perception of non-delight (AN 10.60.12) means stepping back from clinging and self-identity. [Perception] [Clinging] [Self-identity view] // [Relinquishment] [Dispassion] [Habits]
2. The ninth perception of the Girimānanda Sutta (AN 10.60.13) re-emphasizes the importance of the transient nature of all internal and external phenomena. [Perception] [Impermanence] // [Discernment] [Cessation of Suffering]
Sutta: Dhp 277-279 (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 72; A Dhammapada for Contemplation by Ajahn Munindo, p. 102).
3. The last perception of the Girimānanda Sutta (AN 10.60.14), ānāpānasati, neatly ties up the sutta and is equivalent to the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. [Perception] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Right Mindfulness] // [Calming meditation] [Discernment]
Simile: “The still, meditative mind like a tree stump.” [Similes] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Wrong concentration]
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 85).
4. The ten perceptions in the Girimānanda Sutta (AN 10.60) can be proactively tuned to our own practice to lead to peace, clarity, and understanding. [Perception] [Recollection] // [Healing]
6. “Please talk about fixed views and the nine conceits.” [Views ] [Conceit ] // [Pāli] [Proliferation ] [Craving] [Self-identity view] [Cessation of Suffering] [Competitiveness] [Culture/West]
Teaching: The three papañcadhammas.
6. “Today there was a lot of rapturous energy during the sits. It started to get to be too much. How do I work with this? Do I let it take its course or do I try to ground it down?” [Rapture] // [Restlessness and worry] [Mindfulness of body] [Happiness]
Simile: A traveller through a desert learns of an oasis (pīti) then drinks and bathes at the oasis (sukha) (Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 139). [Similes]
2. Teaching: The Buddha symbolizes wisdom, compassion and purity in balance. [Buddha] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Virtue]
4. Reflection: Buddha images show the eyes open because Buddha literally means “awake.” [Buddha images] [Buddha]
8. Reflection: In Theravāda culture, the Buddha is always a human being. [Buddha ] [Human] [Theravāda] // [Mahāyāna]
9. Reflections on AN 3.136: “Whether a Buddha appears in the world or not ...” [Characteristics of existence] [Buddha] // [Truth]
Quote: “Whether you’ve got a well or don’t have a well, there’s water in the ground.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Similes]
10. The story of the Bodhisattva seeing the old person, the sick person, and the dead person isn’t in the scriptures. [Buddha/Biography ] [Tipiṭaka] [Stories] // [Jātaka Tales] [Postulants]
Sutta: DN 14.2 ascribes this story to the previous Buddha Vipassī. [Previous Buddhas]
Sutta: Snp 3.1 describes the Bodhisattva’s going forth.
11. The time of the Buddha was a time of great change. [Buddha/Biography] [History/Early Buddhism] // [Saṅgha decision making] [Spiritual traditions] [Views]
Sutta: DN 1: Brahmajāla Sutta.
Sutta: Snp 3.1: King Bimbisāra meets the Bodhisattva.
2. Reflection: Bowing to the Buddha is bowing to the qualities the Buddha manifested and recollecting those qualities in ourselves. [Bowing ] [Buddha images ] [Recollection/Buddha] [Recollection/Virtue]
2. Reflection: Ajahn Chah as a focus of devotion. [Ajahn Chah] [Devotional practice] // [Respect for elders] [Skillful qualities]
Quote: “Ajahn Chah was an exemplary being and incredible teacher, but that didn’t mean that you always agreed with him or that he was always just very nice to you all the time.” [Human]
Recollection: The annual Ajahn Chah remembrance day in January. [Ajahn Chah Remembrance Day] [Ajahn Chah Stupa]
3. Reflection: The aspects of pūjā or devotion are an opportunity to nourish the roots of our practice. [Devotional practice ] [Pūjā] // [Sloth and torpor] [Energy]
5. Teaching: The Buddha’s first exclamation after his enlightenment evokes the sense of being free from saṃsāra. [Buddha/Biography] [Saṃsāra ] [Liberation] // [Proliferation] [Cessation] [Craving]
Sutta: Dhp 153-154 (Chanting Book translation).
6. Reflection: When one holds to that which is true, it has a transformative quality. [Truth ] // [Three Refuges] [Protective chants]
Reference: Sacca-kiriyā-gāthā, Bhikkhu Manual, p. 95.
7. Teaching: The paramī are bright qualities that carry one across from confusion to peace. [Perfections ] [Etymology] // [Theravāda] [Mahāyāna] [Chanting] [History/Early Buddhism] [Buddha] [Liberation]
8. Teaching: There is no difference between the mind of enlightenment of a Buddha and anyone else who experiences awakening. [Buddha] [Arahant ] [Liberation] // [Perfections] [Personality]
9. Reflections on the personalities of the great disciples. [Great disciples ] [Personality] // [Mindfulness] [Memory] [Buddha/Biography] [Perfections]
10. A detailed description of the paramī as qualities that can transform ourselves and others. [Perfections ] // [Generosity] [Virtue] [Culture/West] [Renunciation] [Discernment] [Energy] [Right Effort] [Patience] [Ajahn Chah] [Truth] [Determination] [Goodwill] [Equanimity]
Story: Master Hsu Yun and the bandits. [Master Hsu Yun] [Stealing] [Bowing] [Tudong]
Sutta: SN 56.11.11: The Dhamma Eye: “All that has the nature to arise ...”
11. Teaching: Mindfulness of breathing is the practice that the Buddha recommended most. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: SN 54.11: The Buddha practices mindfulness of breathing while on retreat. [Meditation retreats]
12. Ajahn Pasanno encourages the recipients of the small Buddha images to chant and do ceremonies so that the images gain power to invoke wholesome qualities from the heart. [Buddha images] [Pūjā] [Skillful qualities] [Buddha]
4. Reflection: The common root of renunciation and compassion is the relationship to suffering. [Renunciation] [Compassion] [Suffering]
Reading: “The Balanced Way” by Bhikkhu Bodhi on accesstoinsight.org.
1. Reflections on the origins of Ajahn Chah and his teachings. [Culture/Thailand] [Geography/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah] // [Thai Forest Tradition] [Poverty] [Human]
3. Reflection: Establishing relations with family and friends in Dhamma. [Family] [Spiritual friendship] [Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah would sometimes allow Westerners to ordain without their parent’s permission. [Ordination] [Parents] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]
2. Reflections about Buddhism in Northeast Thailand. [Geography/Thailand] [Theravāda] [Culture/Thailand] // [Isan]
1. Reflections before the meal offering at Spirit Rock. [Almsfood] // [Requisites] [Anumodanā] [Generosity] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
Ajahn Chah regarding almsfood in London: “You’re not going for the food; you’re going for the people.” [Ajahn Chah] [Hampstead Vihara] [Almsround]
1. Reflections on the lasting benefit of Ajahn Chah’s life. [Ajahn Chah] // [Dhamma books] [Ajahn Jayasaro] [Sickness] [Teaching Dhamma]
3. Reflection: Ajahn Chah was a trustworthy human being. [Trust] [Ajahn Chah]
7. Reflection: Ajahn Chah’s teachings laid the foundations for Right View and sīla, integrity. [Right View] [Virtue] [Ajahn Chah]
8. Reflection: Ajahn Chah encouraged a mature faith in the Three Refuges. [Three Refuges ] [Faith] [Ajahn Chah] // [Buddha] [Dhamma] [Superstition]
Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, pp. 612-614.
Sutta: SN 22.87: “Whoever sees the Buddha sees the Dhamma.”
1. Reflection: Ajahn Chah would encourage people to use whatever practice helped support mindfulness and reflective investigation. [Meditation/Techniques] [Mindfulness] [Recollection] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: When Ajahn Sumedho arrived at Wat Pah Pong, he asked Ajahn Chah if he can continue the hua tou practice he had been using. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Hua tou] [Master Hsu Yun] [Meditation/Results]
6. Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, pp. 373-374: Ajahn Chah’s approach to jhāna. [Jhāna] [Right Concentration] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wrong concentration]
A sense of ease and the quality of knowing is what takes one to places of insight. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Knowing itself] [Insight meditation]
19. Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, pp. 375-379: “Beyond the Monkey.” [Disenchantment] [Characteristics of existence] [Liberation] [Ajahn Chah]
The quality of disenchantment is bright and radiant. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Translation] [Etymology]
Sutta: AN 11.1: Causal chain from delight to disenchantment. [Happiness] [Conditionality]
1. “Do you find labelling helpful?” [Noting] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Proliferation]
Simile: The hammer looking for nails everywhere.
12. “Could you talk about the difference between experiencing an unpleasant feeling and perpetuating an unpleasant feeling?” [Feeling ] [Discernment] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Compassion] [Mindfulness] [Patience] [Suffering]
Simile: Two arrows (SN 36.6).
3. “My natural tendency is to push the world away and to have the attitude that enjoyment is wrong. I’m working on trying to enjoy life. Do you have any ideas about this?” [Craving not to become] [Christianity] [Hinduism] [Ascetic practices] [Happiness] [Skillful qualities] // [Monastic life] [Ajahn Sucitto] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Culture/West]
The Rule of St. Benedict and Ajahn Sucitto’s talk “Fellow Worms.” [Humility]
Story: A BBC interviewer asks King Rama IX about original sin. [Media] [King Rama IX] [Culture/Thailand] [Nature of mind]
Causal processes leading to sāmadhi and dispassion have different starting points, but they all go through delight and happiness. [Conditionality] [Concentration] [Dispassion]
Sutta: Iti 22: “Monks, do not be afraid of puñña.” [Merit] [Fear] [Liberation]
Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.”
7. Reflection: Abhayagiri: a place of safety. [Fear] [Abhayagiri] // [Pāli] [Realms of existence] [Culture/West] [Competitiveness] [Abuse/violence]
9. Reflection: Our warm relationship with the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas ] [Communal harmony] [Abhayagiri] // [Master Hsuan Hua] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Non-contention]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho is invited to teach from Master Hua’s Dhamma seat. [Teaching Dhamma]
Recollection: The first days of Wat Pah Nanachat. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno]
11. Reflection: Ajahn Sumedho was a catalyst for Abhayagiri to happen. [Ajahn Sumedho ] [Abhayagiri] // [Western Ajahn Chah lineage] [Elders' Council]
Quote: “You should appreciate all that Ajahn Sumedho has done. He’s been the tank that has prepared the way for all the rest of you.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Respect for elders] [Similes]
Comment by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: Ajahn Sumedho is the most senior American bhikkhu in the world.
13. Reflection: Ajahn Chah is the inspiration for all of us. [Ajahn Chah] [Faith] // [Respect for elders] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Knowing itself] [Teaching Dhamma] [Simplicity]
Quote: “If buffaloes can learn, surely these farangs [foreigners] can learn.” — Ajahn Chah. [Western Ajahn Chah lineage]
1. “Is misery the absence of happiness?” [Suffering] [Happiness] // [Language] [Conditionality] [Pāli]
Derivation of dukkha: du = not good or not comfortable; kha = where the axle goes into the wheel.
Story: Driving a car with frozen wheels is dukkha. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Similes]
6. “Is there a right speed to silent walking?” [Posture/Walking] // [Abhayagiri] [Postures] [Continuity of mindfulness]
Story: Jack Kornfield asks Ajahn Chah, “Whenever you teach walking meditation, you always teach the monks to walk slowly. But whenever you walk meditation, you walk really fast. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Teaching Dhamma] [Exercise]
Translations of sampajañña (clear comprehension) and its role in Dhamma practice. [Clear comprehension ] [Translation] [Mindfulness]