Everyday Life Practice: Featured excerpts (46)
Everyday life (6) Health (6) Family (6) Relationships (3) Community (6) Environment (3) Work (2) Politics and society (6) Commerce and economics (4) Technology and media (4)
Cluster includes: Everyday life, Lay life
Related events: The New Ajahn Chah Biography [2018]
{80} “What would you advise someone living a lay life with no intention of becoming a monk?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Lay life ] // [Dhamma] [Spiritual friendship]
Abhayagiri 25th Anniversary Retreat [2021], Session 12, Excerpt 3
{85} “Outside retreat, I sit daily, but samādhi is usually conspicuous by its absence. Do you have any words of advice, encouragement, or consolation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Everyday life ] [Concentration] // [Recollection] [Right Intention] [Renunciation] [Goodwill] [Tranquility]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2012, Session 5, Excerpt 5
{87} “Can you elaborate on how to bring practice within the daily life setting? Even here, I feel I can walk around within my own bubble with my attention mostly focused inwardly. Can you describe how practice works when attention needs to be engaged in the fast-paced external world?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Everyday life ] [Meditation retreats] [Pace of life] // [Mindfulness of body] [Contact]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2011, Session 4, Excerpt 17
{90} “What advice do you have for students or graduates hoping to progress on the Noble Path towards Nibbāna while a student or in the workplace?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eightfold Path] [Nibbāna] [Education] [Work] [Lay life ] // [Human] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Perfectionism] [Desire] [Suffering] [Politics and society] [Simplicity] [Environment] [Depression] [Restlessness and worry] [Skillful qualities] [Community]
Stanford Community Dhamma Discussion [2020], Excerpt 2
{100} “I was wondering how I include the discernment obtained from lifting up the mind to solve a life issue. I wish I could be more intelligent and brighter to solve my life problem in a skillful way. Please advise.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discernment] [Everyday life ] // [Trust] [Meditation retreats] [Time management]
Story: A disciple of Ajahn Chah moves to Bangkok. [Ajahn Chah] [Lay life] [Commerce/economics]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 7, Excerpt 10
{120} “How did Ajahn Chah relate to the lay community around him and tailor the Dharma to their own circumstances?” Answered by Ajahn Sumedho and Ṭhānissarā. [Lay life ] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma]
Story: Thai villagers tell Ajahn Sumedho that they never understood Buddhism until they met Luang Por Chah. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Generosity] [Meditation] [Community] [Family] [Mindfulness]
Quote: “He didn’t respond to the external cues but went to the heart and grabbed you in that way.” — Ṭhānissarā. [Conventions] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Not-self]
Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend [2001], Session 20, Excerpt 1
Cluster includes: Health, Healing, Health care, and 4 subtags
{80} “I understand that ultimately old age, sickness, and death are out of our control, but we can influence those factors by how we treat our physicality, our nature. Can you talk about a skillful relationship to the body, what is skillful to let be versus what is skillful to influence?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ageing] [Sickness] [Death] [Body/form] [Health ] [Skillful qualities] // [Medicinal requisites]
Sutta: MN 2.14, Chanting Book translation: Reflection on the Four Requisites. [Requisites]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2012, Session 5, Excerpt 1
{120} Reading: Five qualities of good patients and nurses (Mahāvagga 8.26.5) Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Health care ]
Death and Dying [2014], Session 1, Excerpt 2
{150} Recollection: Caring for Ajahn Chah as a community. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Health care ] [Saṅgha] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Mae Chee] [Communal harmony] [Leadership]
Questions and Answers about Ajahn Chah [2025], Session 2, Excerpt 3.1
{180} “Like everyone in my family, I suffer from a major depressive disorder. A few years ago during a stressful time with my wife, my doctor put me on antidepressants. It became easier to meditate. Life is still challenging, but I can face it. Some Buddhist friends say that I should go off medication and just be with ‘what is,’ but off them I am paralyzed. What do you think? Is it cheating?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Depression ] [Medicinal requisites] // [Idealism] [Mental illness ] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2012, Session 3, Excerpt 8
{200} Comment: It’s important for the Saṅgha to look after all members in terms of sickness and ageing. [Sickness] [Ageing] [Health care ] [Death] [Monastic life] [Saṅgha ]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 8.26.1-8: The Monk with Dysentery [Buddha/Biography]
Recollections of Saṅgha members who have died. [Saṅgha ] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]
The Teaching and the Training [2018], Session 6, Excerpt 5
{300} “In Canada, medical assistance in death is legal. As an old person who will be sick and dying not too far off, it raises the question: If I got to the point where I felt even with good palliative and hospice care, I couldn’t withstand the pain any longer, it’s an option. But what about the first precept of not taking life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Pain] [Death] [Health care ] [Euthanasia] [Killing] // [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view] [Idealism]
Quote: “Being present for the falling apart of the body opens doorways to release that don’t really happen with, ‘I just want to be done with this. This totally sucks.’” [Present moment awareness] [Mindfulness of body] [Release] [Aversion] [Fear] [Clinging] [Saṃsāra]
The Path of Practice [2019], Session 2, Excerpt 1
Cluster includes: Family, Parents, Children
{70} “Please share thoughts on how to bring home and develop ways to be a better spouse and father. What from the practice might help the most towards kindness, generosity, and being present?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relationships] [Family ] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Mindfulness] // [Patience]
Quote: “Have the patience to give others time.”
Thanksgiving Retreat 2011, Session 5, Excerpt 10
{80} “I am still very attached to my husband and children. I don’t want to relinquish the intimacy I share with my husband. I will suffer when they are gone. How do I reconcile this practice of relinquishment with the reality that I am a wife, mother and householder? With love.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Gratitude] [Family ] [Lay life] [Relinquishment ] // [Spaciousness] [Suffering] [Clinging] [Cause of Suffering] [Communal harmony]
Quote: “Relinquishment is a skillful acknowledgement of the areas where we do create suffering.”
Story: Visākhā, the stream enterer who raised 20 children. [Great disciples] [Stream entry] [Culture/India]
Quote: “Families that grow up with strong spiritual models are an incredible blessing.” [Mentoring]
2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 4, Excerpt 13
{90} “What did the Buddha say about karma in relationship to our parents and siblings? How did we end up in these families?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Kamma ] [Family ] // [Gratitude] [Parents]
Sutta: MN 117.7: Conventional Right View. [Right View]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2010, Session 6, Excerpt 4
{100} “Would you explain the duties adult children have towards ageing parents and the duties of parents towards their children as taught by the Buddha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Family] [Parents ] [Ageing] [Children ] // [Health care] [Culture/Asia]
Sutta: AN 2.33: The greatest gifts to one’s parents. [Virtue] [Generosity] [Right View]
Metta Retreat [2008], Session 5, Excerpt 2
{140} “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?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [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]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2010, Session 8, Excerpt 31
{300} “I’m a mother to four kids, one of whom has special needs. I’m lucky if I can meditate 10-15 minutes a day. Are there practices one can do when one is frequently around little ones?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Children ] [Meditation/General advice] // [Posture/Sitting] [Three Refuges] [Precepts] [Recollection/Virtue] [Recollection/Generosity] [Gladdening the mind] [Mindfulness of body] [Clear comprehension]
Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 104: Forty subjects of meditation.
Sri Lankan Buddhists keep a book of good deeds which is read near the time of death. [Culture/Sri Lanka] [Merit] [Death]
Story: Debbie Stamp served as primary caregiver to her father during the pandemic. [Debbie Stamp] [Parents] [Pandemic]
Madison Insight Retreat 2023, Session 1, Excerpt 7
{80} “How would you describe romantic love? And how do you know if it is real or wishful thinking?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relationships ] [Delusion] // [Self-identity view] [Faith] [Virtue] [Generosity] [Discernment]
Quote: “I think you’re asking the wrong person!”
Sutta: AN 4.55
Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 3, Excerpt 10
{100} “In the context of deep love—like between spouses or between parent and child—what is the application of the concept of non-attachment? What does it mean?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Family] [Relinquishment] [Relationships ] // [Characteristics of existence] [Compassion]
Quote: “A really loving gift is giving that person the autonomy to be a human being but to really care for them.” [Generosity] [Self-reliance] [Human]
2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 1, Excerpt 7
{200} “What did the Buddha say about marriage? Are the Three Refuges more of a priority than a spouse?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relationships ] [Three Refuges] // [Lay life] [Five Precepts] [Great disciples] [Stream entry] [Monastic life]
Sutta: AN 4.55: Nakula’s mother and father. [Rebirth] [Treasures]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2010, Session 1, Excerpt 7
Cluster includes: Community, Communal harmony, Conflict, Leadership
{100} “As an abbot taking care of a community, how do you handle it when a kerfluffle comes up?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abbot] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Community] [Conflict ] // [Patience] [Views] [Skillful qualities] [Four Noble Truths]
Follow-up: “What are the antidotes to the next two Noble Truths?”
Recollections of Ajahn Chah [2010], Session 11, Excerpt 3
{120P} “How does one live in harmony with others who hold different views and have different understanding about things? How does one live in harmony with oneself when facing challenges?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Communal harmony ] [Views] // [Conflict] [Right Speech] [Delusion] [Patience] [Association with people of integrity] [Naturalness]
Quote: “Let the forest teach you. If you look around in the forest, there’s big trees, there’s little trees, there’s straight trees, there’s crooked trees, there’s vines. They all live together in harmony.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Culture/Natural environment] [Similes]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46, Maṅgala Sutta: Don’t associate with fools.
Awaken to the New Year Retreat [2021], Session 4, Excerpt 4
{130} “How closely do you and the other monks live together?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Chah] [Communal harmony ] [Vinaya] [Seclusion] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Monastic routine]
Quote: “Human beings. Those are beings with issues.” — Ajahn Chah. [Human] [Conflict]
{140} Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: As Westerners, we have needed to put conscious care and effort into establishing how to live together in close quarters. [Abhayagiri] [Culture/West] [Community ] [Lodging] [Communal harmony ] // [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah]
Abhayagiri 25th Anniversary Retreat [2021], Session 18, Excerpt 3
{170} Principle of Cordiality #6: Core aspects of Right View that lead to communal harmony: Our actions have consequences. We can change. Liberation is possible. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Principles of Cordiality] [Right View ] [Saṅgha] [Kamma] [Communal harmony ] [Right Effort] [Liberation] // [Judgementalism] [Habits] [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
Abhayagiri 25th Anniversary Retreat [2021], Session 18, Excerpt 10
{200e} “It sounds like you’re quite a community builder in various places.... When I first came here (to Chithurst), I was struck by the way the community works amazingly well. Have you seen any examples of communities of laypeople living together based on monastic principles?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Ahiṃsako, Sister Ñāṇasirī and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Community ] [Saṅgha] [Lay life] // [Precepts] [Vinaya] [Portland Friends of the Dhamma] [Amaravati] [Gaia House] [Culture/Thailand] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Culture/West]
Q&A with the Chithurst Community [2025], Excerpt 5
{70} “What is the most important thing we can do to help the next generation in terms of the environment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Environment ] // [Simplicity] [Contentment] [Greed]
{100} “As abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, you were involved in a model reforestation project. How did this come about and what motivated you to promote reforestation in Thailand?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Environment ] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Culture/Thailand] [Commerce/economics] [Geography/Thailand] [Food] [Agriculture] [Community]
Quote: “It’s not just forest that you want to pay attention to....The villagers need to make a living.” [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Right Livelihood] [Learning]
Quote: “I had good people helping me. It wasn’t just me.”
Following the Path of a Forest Monk [2023], Excerpt 11
{200} “Can you talk about your environmental work in Thailand? What qualities of heart and inner strength help us live without being completely overwhelmed?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Environment ] [History/Thai Buddhism] // [Politics and society] [Culture/Thailand] [Greed] [Teaching Dhamma] [Panyaprateep School] [Agriculture] [Dtao Dum] [Activism]
Story: Sri Lankan monastic kidney donors. [Health] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism] [Generosity]
Cluster includes: Work, Retirement
{130} “Regarding thought fabrications, in daily life we have to focus on our work. How can we integrate the principles of anatta and dukkha into daily life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volitional formations] [Everyday life] [Work ] [Not-self] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Suffering] // [Right Livelihood] [Restlessness and worry] [Energy] [Impermanence] [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment]
Thai Forest Tradition [2014], Session 2, Excerpt 9
{200} Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 427 “Work is Dhamma Practice” Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Work ] [Eightfold Path] // [Everyday life] [Aversion]
The New Ajahn Chah Biography [2018], Session 3, Excerpt 2
Cluster includes: Politics and society, Education, Activism, and 6 subtags
Related events: Practice in a Global Context [2017], Living in a Changing Society [2020]
{80} “Do any of you who reside at the monastery vote in local or national elections? I also wonder if you get involved in public discussions on local policies as they pertain to or potentially affect the monastery?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Politics and society ] // [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/Sri Lanka]
Story: Abhayagiri engages with local people and the Forestry Department to block a timber harvest. [Abhayagiri] [Environment]
2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 4, Excerpt 6
{100} “Can you talk about working with the practice in what seems like perilous times?, e.g. the rise in overt expressions of hatred toward sectors of society and the associated change in national leadership? How does one cultivate equanimity while also not turning away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Politics and society ] [Ill-will] [Equanimity ] // [Divine Abidings] [Goodwill] [Conflict] [Aversion] [Judgementalism] [King Rama IX]
Sutta: Dhp 5: Hatred is never overcome by hatred...
Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 2, Excerpt 10
{110} Comment: I work with human potential in children and their families....It’s so segregated...in the educational system there is no spiritual element. [Children] [Education ]
Response by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology] [Learning] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas] [Culture/West]
Reference: Beyond, p. 441 in Happily Ever After by Ajahn Amaro.
Readings from The Island [2025], Session 11, Excerpt 7.1
{120} “Lately I’ve got more involved in fighting for social justice, especially with the Occupied Movement. It seems important in light of how messed up or system is. However, I’m finding it very difficult to keep any mindfulness or peace of mind, especially when menaced by police. Any suggestions?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Activism ] [Politics and society] [Mindfulness] [Tranquility]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro lead meditation at the Occupy Wall Street demonstration in London. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Meditation] [Chanting]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2011, Session 6, Excerpt 19
{150} “During the Christmas holiday, I’m going to be spending some time with relatives who do not share my same political views. In the spirit of wanting to understand their views and wanting to heal the divide that exists in our country, I want to talk about the election with them. How do I have this conversation skillfully?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Family] [Politics and society ] [Right Speech ] // [Judgementalism] [Listening] [Human] [Sense restraint]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 2, Excerpt 16
{180} “I’ve been sitting on this question for the past few days. It has to do with dispassion, shedding, simplifying and being easily satisfied on the one end of the spectrum and being engaged and active in the world, even taking an unpopular stand, on the other end. How can one practice shedding internally but still be responsive and engaged regarding the suffering from environmental and social issues? It seems that would complicate things, but that is where my heart is drawn.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dispassion] [Simplicity] [Contentment] [Politics and society ] [Environment] // [Suffering]
Quote: “When there is displassion and shedding, a clarity arises in the mind, when can then more easily be applied to something that is useful or beneficial without complicating things.” [Clear comprehension] [Compassion]
Quote: “Do you think there’s any hope for saving all the forests in Thailand?”—“I don’t think there’s hope that it’s going to make a huge impact right now. I’m just planting the seeds for the future, and maybe something will change. It’s not an option not to do it.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Culture/Thailand]
Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 4, Excerpt 9
Cluster includes: Commerce/economics, Poverty
{80} “What did the Buddha say about giving all your assets away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Commerce/economics ] // [Monastic life] [Lay life] [Idealism] [Generosity] [Family] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Suttas: AN 5.41; AN 8.54; DN 31.26: Balanced living for householders.
Quote: “Money for a monk is like having wings to fly.” — Anonymous.
Thanksgiving Retreat 2011, Session 6, Excerpt 17
{100} “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?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Commerce/economics ] [Right Livelihood] // [Idealism] [Politics and society] [Buddha/Biography] [Skillful qualities]
Right Livelihood [2013], Session 1, Excerpt 12
{120} “In DN 31.26, what is investment versus savings?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [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.
Right Livelihood [2013], Session 1, Excerpt 26
{140} “There are many people without access to resources for education or training without many choices. How does this all fit together?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Poverty ] [Learning] [Politics and society] [Right Livelihood] // [Buddha] [Idealism]
Sutta: DN 27: Agañña Sutta
Right Livelihood [2013], Session 1, Excerpt 25
Cluster includes: Technology, Science, Media, and 6 subtags
{80} Quote: “Everybody worships knowledge. Not many people worship virtue.” — Ajahn Chah at Insight Meditation Center. Quoted by Paul Breiter. [Ajahn Chah] [Learning] [Science] [Technology ] [Virtue] [Insight Meditation Society]
Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend [2001], Session 15, Excerpt 5.1
{120} “I am away from a social network for almost six days which is quite incredible for me. Normally, I spend time by distracting myself with the social network every 10 minutes. I must check and see what people are doing, and sometimes I think is it is quite useless. This is a different world. However, I cannot stop using it. I am so attached to it, and I know I will go back to the same routine when I go back to my normal life. What would you suggest to detach or use it wisely?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Social media ] [Clinging] [Addiction] // [Habits] [Abhayagiri]
Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 5, Excerpt 4
{150} “In Bangkok, there is lots of news that makes people crazy and divisive. When you see this news, you feel upset and angry.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [News ] [Conflict] [Aversion] // [Right Speech] [Politics and society] [Proliferation]
Quote: “I don’t care. Not in the sense that I don’t think it’s serious or that it’s not a problem. But I don’t care in the sense that I don’t want to be getting involved in whatever side people are working themselves up about, because the problem is much deeper than that. We have to pay attention to the deeper problem, both in the human condition and politically.” [Human]
New Year, New Life [2013], Session 1, Excerpt 5.1
{200} “Our community is mostly virtual. Since we’re not together taking care of a shared environment, can you suggest other ways of building community?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Online community ] // [Dhamma discussion]