All excerpts
61 events, 414 sessions, 3055 excerpts, 173:01:15 total duration
Most common tags:
Ajahn Chah
(743)
Ajahn Pasanno
(344)
Suffering
(250)
Abhayagiri
(225)
Relinquishment
(211)
Monastic life
(210)
Self-identity view
(192)
Mindfulness of breathing
(191)
Teaching Dhamma
(183)
Discernment
(176)
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1. Recollection: Evolution of the Wan Phra all-night vigil at Abhayagiri. Recounted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Lunar observance days] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abhayagiri] // [Robes] [Pūjā]
2. Story: Ajahn Ñāṇiko’s first all-night sit. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Lunar observance days] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Pūjā] [Sloth and torpor]
3. Story: Ajahn Pasanno teaches Chi Gong on Wan Phra after the 3 am pūjā. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Chi Gong] [Lunar observance days] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Health]
4. Recollection: A day building the chedi at Wat Phu Din Dang. Recounted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Building projects ] [Stupas/monuments] [Work] [Wat Phu Din Dang] // [Ajahn Mahā Suporn] [Ajahn Jayanto] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Liem] [Medicinal requisites] [Merit]
5. Reflection by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: Transplanting the wonderful energy of Thai Buddhism to Abhayagiri. [Thai Forest Tradition] [Abhayagiri ]
6. Recollection: The annual January gathering at Wat Pah Pong. Recounted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Chah Remembrance Day] [Wat Pah Pong] [Abhayagiri] // [Lodging] [Food] [Stupas/monuments] [Communal harmony]
7. Recollection: The Community of Abhayagiri Lay Ministers sets up a food stall at Wat Pah Pong. Recounted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [CALM Group] [Ajahn Chah Remembrance Day] [Wat Pah Pong] [Food] [Abhayagiri]
8. Reflection by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: Practice doesn’t have to be grim. [Eightfold Path] [Ardency] [Perfectionism] [Abhayagiri] // [Happiness] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko]
Recollection: Old video footage of Abhayagiri. [Mae Chee Sansanee] [Kaṭhina]
9. Quote: “When you go to Thailand, you will realize how American you are.” — Ajahn Pasanno or Ajahn Amaro. Quoted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko]
10. Recollections of almsround and learning Thai at Wat Pah Nanachat. Recounted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Almsround] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Learning] [Thai]
Quote: “If you want to learn something, recite it every morning on almsround.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]
11. Reflection by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: Ajahn Liem’s ethos regarding building projects: creating a secluded place to practice. [Ajahn Liem] [Lodging ] [Building projects ] [Seclusion] [Meditation] // [Eight Precepts] [Generosity] [Sutta]
12. Reflection by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: The purpose of monastic facilities. [Lodging ] [Monastic life] // [Human] [Idealism] [Culture/Natural environment] [Sequence of training] [Rains retreat]
13. Reflection by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: The pulse of the year at Abhayagiri and the annual Vassa Vinaya studies. [Monastic life] [Rains retreat] [Vinaya] [Learning] [Abhayagiri ] // [Protocols] [Not handling money] [Kaṭhina] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Meditation retreats]
1. “When everything goes the way you want and you are about to retire, but you feel a subtle, barely detectable dissatisfaction, and you’re not sure why. What specific things should you do besides ordaining and becoming a monk?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Suffering ] [Lay life] [Retirement] // [Saṃsāra] [Clinging] [Cause of Suffering] [Relinquishment]
Advice from an aged elder: “I think you should follow the Eightfold Path.” — Bhante Dharmawara [Bhante Dharmawara] [Eightfold Path] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas] [Health care]
2. “What would be the most difficult thing if you were to go back to lay life? What would be the most enjoyable, fun, nice thing about lay life?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Lay life] // [Disenchantment] [Happiness]
3. “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]
4. “Do you notice a difference in monks and their practice or the monastery depending on the country or region they are living in?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Monastic life] [Cultural context] // [Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Culture/West]
5. “I was reading somewhere about the Buddha, the Awakened, bright with splendor day and night. How do dream states inform our awakening?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Buddha] [Liberation] [Dreams]
6. “How do we protect ourselves from others taking advantage of our kindness and generosity? Some people consider our meekness and humility as weak and try to intimidate or bully us. I just freeze during such times, unable to say anything, thinking it may worsen the situation.” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Abuse/violence ] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Humility] // [Discernment]
7. “Is it fine to give with the understanding of the law of cause and effect, thinking that this generosity will bring benefit to the recipient now as well as it will benefit us in the future in a similar way?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Generosity] [Kamma] [Volition] [Ageing] // [Recollection/Generosity]
Sutta: AN 4.77: Imponderables. [Commerce/economics]
8. “How do you deal with anger?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Aversion ] // [Sense restraint] [Right Speech] [Mindfulness of body] [Proliferation] [Spaciousness] [Patience] [Goodwill]
9. “How to forgive a person who has hurt and done very wrong things to you?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Forgiveness ] [Abuse/violence] // [Aversion] [Memory] [Mindfulness of body] [Kamma] [Spiritual friendship] [Proliferation]
See also the previous question, “How do you deal with anger?”
10. “I am taken by the idea of volition. Can one enter volition without judgement?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Volition] [Judgementalism] // [Kamma] [Killing]
11. “How to deal with self-blame due to losing a loved one to suicide?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Suicide] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] // [Volition] [Proliferation] [Relinquishment] [Western psychology] [Forgiveness]
Quote: “People who commit suicide leave their skeletons in other people’s closets.” — Steven Levine.
12. “Is the ‘knowing’ awareness, presence, consciousness? Can you say more about this?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Knowing itself] [Consciousness] [Nature of mind] // [Mindfulness of breathing] [Knowledge and vision] [Four Noble Truths] [Heart/mind] [Sense bases]
1. “How do you or other monks deal with grief associated with the passing away of loved ones, especially parents or caretakers who have been kind to you? Do you also experience ‘crying out in isolation’ to heal that grief?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Grief] [Death] [Parents] // [Impermanence] [Merit] [Gratitude] [Recollection/Death]
2. “Are monks in the forest tradition required to meditate near dead bodies in cremation grounds? Is that to uproot defilements of fear of death? Is it considered psychologically safe?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Thai Forest Tradition] [Recollection/Death] [Fear] [Death] // [Ascetic practices] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Naturalness]
Quote: “Death is the most ordinary thing in the world.” — Ajahn Liem. [Ajahn Liem]
3. “Can you expand on what is the korwat for how to treat teachers and how to treat guests?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Protocols] [Respect for elders ] [Hospitality]
Vinaya: Khandhaka 18: Vattakkhandhaka and explanation in Buddhist Monastic Code Vol. 2 Chapter 13
4. “Could you please elaborate on rules for putting one’s hands in añjali when speaking to a monk at Abhayagiri? And what about bowing? It’s a weakness in my practice that I would like to improve.” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Respect] [Abhayagiri] [Bowing] // [Mindfulness] [Faith] [Devotional practice] [Continuity of mindfulness]
5. “When someone shows you how to do something correctly but the manner in which they convey the message is rude, what is the most skillful thing you can do to let the person know they were perceived as rude but fully absorb the content of their beneficial message?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Admonishment/feedback] [Right Speech] // [Cultural context] [Equanimity] [Nonviolent Communication]
6. “Can you tell us about the history of female monastics or aspirants who stayed at the monastery in the early days and why it didn’t work out?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Women's monastic forms] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Sundarā] [Ajahn Jitindriyā] [Sīladharā]
7. “How do you understand the phrase, ‘The body within the body?’” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Right Mindfulness] [Mindfulness of body] // [Views] [Discernment] [Relinquishment]
8. “What duty do we have to parents who often act foolishly and use harmfull and abusive language?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Parents] [Abuse/violence] // [Right Speech]
Story: Ajahn Ñāṇiko’s grandfather vows to treat his children with kindness. [Family] [Goodwill]
9. “Can you please describe the main stages of insight meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Insight meditation] [Progress of insight] // [Suffering] [Direct experience] [Cessation of Suffering] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Ignorance] [Cause of Suffering]
Quote: “What are the stages of getting my hand out of this fire?” [Similes]
10. “What is the illumination that appears during sitting meditation? Is the false or the true? Is it from inside or outside or neither?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Suffering] [Questions] [Proliferation]
Refer to the previous question.
Story: Well, I contemplated impermanence and nothing happened. [Impermanence] [Recollection] [Meditation/Results]
11. Ajahn Ñāṇiko responds to a long question about the situation in Burma/Myanmar. [Politics and society] // [News] [Buddha/Biography] [Māra] [Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma]
12. “If we don’t have a saṅgha close to where we live, should we move to a different place, or are online saṅghas good enough? Can non-Buddhist people be part of your saṅgha?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Community] [Meditation groups] [Online community] [Buddhist identity] [Spiritual friendship]
Quote: “You don’t convert people to Buddhism.” — The Dalai Lama. [Dalai Lama]
13. “It seems that monks have a pretty strict schedule. What is the purpose of this?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Monastic routine] [Time management] // [Vinaya] [Lunar observance days] [Eating after noon] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Ascetic practices]
14. “During the Q&A yesterday afternoon, I heard the recommendation to set a boundary (Session 12, question 6). I feel that creating a boundary is falling into the category of the Five Hindrances. The Buddha taught us to practice the brahmaviharas which are boundless. Please clarify why we need to set a boundary.” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Hindrances] [Divine Abidings] // [Aversion] [Abuse/violence] [Leadership]
[Session] Ajahn Karuṇadhammo enumerates the Six Principles of Cordiality and seven reviewing from the Kosambi Sutta (MN 48) and describes how they apply to the enduring ethos of communal harmony at Abhayagiri Monastery. [Principles of Cordiality] [Abhayagiri] [Communal harmony]
1. Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: Conscious effort towards communal harmony beginning with the co-abbots. [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Abbot] [Communal harmony] [Leadership] // [Community] [Respect]
2. Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: The Buddha laid down practical guidelines for monastics living in community. [Buddha/Biography] [Saṅgha] [Vinaya] [Protocols] [Communal harmony] // [Teaching Dhamma]
3. 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]
4. Background to the sārāṇīyā dhammas: the quarrel at Kosambi. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Saṅgha] [Buddha/Biography] [Conflict] [Principles of Cordiality] [Communal harmony]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
5. Principle of Cordiality #1: Lovingkindness and sensitivity in bodily action. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Principles of Cordiality] [Goodwill] [Right Action] [Communal harmony] // [Spaciousness] [Great disciples] [Protocols] [Clear comprehension] [Abhayagiri]
Suttas: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta; MN 128 Upakkilesa Sutta.
6. Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: Lovingkindness in speech and the ethic of sharing circles at Abhayagiri. [Goodwill] [Right Speech] [Abhayagiri] [Sharing circles] [Communal harmony] // [Principles of Cordiality] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Listening] [Nonviolent Communication] [Conflict]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
7. When and how to develop the mind of lovingkindness. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Principles of Cordiality] [Goodwill] [Heart/mind] [Communal harmony] // [Aversion] [Conflict] [Patience] [Spaciousness]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
Quote: “Peaceful coexistence with the unpleasant.” — Ajahn Sumedho’s definition of patience. [Ajahn Sumedho]
8. Principle of Cordiality #4: Sharing requisites in common on a daily basis. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Principles of Cordiality] [Generosity] [Requisites] [Community] [Communal harmony]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
9. Principle of Cordiality #5: Ethical behaivor and respect. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Principles of Cordiality] [Vinaya] [Respect] [Communal harmony]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
10. 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.
11. The first two reviewing knowledges of one who has made progress on the path: Freedom from the hindrances and serenity of mind. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Meditation/Results] [Hindrances] [Tranquility] [Communal harmony] // [Principles of Cordiality] [Right View] [Abhayagiri] [Conflict]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
12. Reviewing knowledge #3: Complete confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Communal harmony] // [Spiritual traditions] [Right View] [Liberation] [Abhayagiri] [Eightfold Path]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
13. Reviewing knowledge #4: Immediately acknowledging our mistakes. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Confession] [Vinaya] [Communal harmony] // [Pāṭimokkha] [Abhayagiri]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
14. Reviewing knowledge #5: Keeping in mind the purpose of engaged activities. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Work] [Communal harmony] // [Abhayagiri] [Leadership] [Meditation]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
15. The last two reviewing knowledges: Listening to the Dhamma with eager ears and delighting in it. Teaching by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Listening] [Gladdening the mind] [Dhamma] [Communal harmony] // [Abhayagiri]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambi Sutta.
16. Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: Abhayagiri is a living tradition in a thread that goes back more than 2,500 years. [Teaching Dhamma] [Abhayagiri ] [Communal harmony] // [Gratitude] [Determination] [Culture/West]
17. Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: How long will Abhayagiri last? [Abhayagiri] [Impermanence] [Communal harmony] // [Disasters]
1. “What can I do to stop judging?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Judgementalism] // [Suffering] [Relinquishment]
2. “Thank you for your talk today. You mentioned giving the opportunity for everyone to practice and train. However, there seem to be no Ajahn Chah monasteries in the US and Canada where women can ordain and train. Would Abhayagiri be open to having a female monastic community at some point in the future?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Women's monastic forms ] [Western Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Abhayagiri] // [Culture/Thailand] [Dhammadharini Monastery] [Karuna Buddhist Vihara] [Sīladharā] [Bhikkhunī] [Women in Buddhism]
3. “I remember reading in one of Ajahn Chah’s books about comparing our feelings to a snake with sadness and unhappiness at its head and happiness as its tail and how we should not touch any part of its body....How can we just watch [feelings] come in and out of our mind without interacting with it or getting influenced by it?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Feeling] [Similes] [Happiness] [Suffering] [Equanimity] // [Appropriate attention]
Reference: “The Middle Way Within,” Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 2.
4. “What is the meaning of the inscription on the Buddha statue behind you?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddha images] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Jundee]
5. “A sense of causeless joy permeates awareness, yet there remains a sense of me that experiences. How to dissolve that?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Knowing itself] [Conceit] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Suffering] [Relinquishment]
6. “Why do the monks keep their eyes closed during meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation/General advice] [Postures] // [Sense bases] [Seclusion] [Sloth and torpor] [Restlessness and worry]
7. “How do you recognize when craving has arisen?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Craving]
8. “When practicing letting go, is there any particular order to do so? For example, if I am attached to career, friends, and family (in order of increasing attachment), which shall I let go of first?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Clinging] [Relinquishment] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Similes]
9. “If everything in life is great, and I am enjoying my life, why practice? What could get better?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Everyday life] [Happiness] [Heedfulness] // [Discernment] [Right Effort] [Rebirth] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Right View]
10. “How do you feel the holes? How do you feel good without the need for anything external/addictions, in other words, coping mechanisms. How do you deal with and move past what lies underneath these mechanisms?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Craving] [Clinging] [Addiction] [Outflows] // [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Discernment] [Noble Truth of Suffering]
11. “Should we consider the brahmavihāras a form of emotion or are they kinds of knowledge or understanding?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Divine Abidings] [Emotion] [Knowledge and vision]
12. “Can you please talk more about the three happinesses and what we should be careful about?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Heedfulness] // [Everyday life] [Deva] [Nibbāna] [Hindrances] [Virtue] [Community]
Reference: Verses of Sharing and Aspiration, Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 33.
13. “I have loaned something to my brother, and he just won’t give it back to me no matter how many times I ask him. How would you approach this situation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Family] [Virtue] // [Right Speech] [Clear comprehension]
14. “Have you ever suffered from some sort of addiction and how did you recover from it? What would be your advice for someone suffering from an addiction?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Addiction] [Suffering] // [Sensual desire] [Self-identity view] [Spiritual friendship] [Three Refuges] [Happiness] [Appropriate attention]
15. “Could you please explain how one practices applied and sustained thought in breath meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Ajahn Chah]
16. “Could you please explain why the ajahn holds a fan in front of himself during the taking of refuges?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Three Refuges] [Ceremony/ritual] // [Abhayagiri] [Kaṭhina] [Symbolism] [Dhamma]
1. “Could you talk about the time of the fires that came so close to the monastery?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Disasters] [Abhayagiri] // [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas] [Lodging]
2. “Sometimes when I meditate, I have a pleasant sensation similar to goosebumps or light massage on the back of the head....I would be grateful for your advice in understanding it.” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Meditation/Unusual experiences ] [Rapture] // [Ajahn Chah] [Clinging] [Impermanence] [Relinquishment] [Characteristics of existence]
3. “What are the sufferings that you still struggle with? How do you deal with them and why do you think you still suffer with these sufferings despite following the precepts and the Eightfold Path?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Suffering] [Eightfold Path] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Monastic life] [Views] [Saṃsāra] [Liberation] [Long-term practice] [Rebirth] [Faith]
4. “Why do you think we sometimes don’t know what to do with our lives? Did you experience this before becoming a monk and do you sometimes still experience it? What helped you when you felt that way?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Purpose/meaning] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Monastic life] // [Delusion] [Sensual desire] [Māra] [Impermanence] [Clinging] [Truth] [Determination]
5. “How does one practice wise restraint in lay life when one has to deal with family, friends, coworkers, and so on? Especially on the level of speech and emotions that one encounters.” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Sense restraint] [Lay life] [Right Speech] [Emotion] // [Discernment] [Unwholesome Roots] [Appropriate attention] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Mindfulness of body] [Clear comprehension]
Vinaya: Conditions for skillful admonishment in the Buddhist Monastic Code’s discussion of Bhikkhu Saṅghādisesā 8. [Admonishment/feedback]
6. “Is it possible that someone is following the Eightfold Path without being aware that it is the path laid out by the Buddha? It seems conceivable that someone could figure out [effort to increase wholesome states and decrease unwholesome states] but never realize what they are doing is Right Effort from the Eightfold Path. Could someone like this attain Nibbāna?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Eightfold Path] [Buddhist identity] [Right Effort] [Nibbāna] // [Paccekabuddha] [Buddha]
7. “The concepts of non-self and rebirth seem contradictory to me. Can you expand on these topics? What is it that passes from one life to the next if there is no self?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Not-self ] [Rebirth] // [Views] [Tranquility] [Insight meditation] [Aggregates] [Self-identity view] [Disenchantment] [Dispassion] [Unwholesome Roots] [Consciousness] [Proliferation] [Conditionality]
Sutta: DN 15.21 refers to rebirth and consciousness.
1. “The reflection on kamma (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 55) uses language related to family: ‘born,’ ‘heir,’ ‘related’, ‘supported.’ What are the implications of this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Kamma] [Family] [Language] // [Community] [Perception]
2. “I have a family and family responsibilities. How do I know I’m on the path and making right effort?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Family] [Right Effort] [Doubt] // [Four Noble Truths] [Culture/West] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Direct experience]
3. “How do I know what is the Middle Path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Middle Path] // [Four Noble Truths] [Direct experience]
Quote: “It’s not a concept. It’s like are you on your bike or are you on the ground?” — Ajahn Amaro.
4. “You spoke about the teachings and the training. What is the training for a lay practitioner other than the Five Precepts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Dhamma] [Vinaya] [Lay life] [Five Precepts] // [Meditation] [Communal harmony] [Right Livelihood] [Family] [Work] [Politics and society] [Spiritual friendship]
5. “Could you speak more about how to prevent feelings from becoming aversion or desire? How does this relate to Dependent Origination?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Feeling] [Aversion] [Craving] [Dependent origination] // [Arahant] [Buddha] [Pain] [Mindfulness] [Birth] [Impermanence] [Happiness] [Direct experience] [Proliferation] [Master Hsuan Hua]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno breaks his pelvis in Thailand. [Ajahn Pasanno]
1. Comment: I listen to the talks and read the books, and everything is so logical and rational, but I’m still stuck in habitual patterns of living. [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Dhamma books] [Everyday life] [Habits ]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Association with people of integrity] [Community] [Monasteries] [Lunar observance days] [Online community] [Chanting] [Spiritual friendship] [Impermanence] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Generosity]
Quote: “When you’re living with a group of people, not everybody is depressed and lazy and fed up at the same time.” [Unwholesome Roots]
Sutta: SN 55.5 Sāriputta [Factors for stream entry]
2. “Early on in practice, I learned that practicing sīla (virtue) leads to the bliss of the blamelessness life and creates the conditions for samādhi. What is the Pāli word that translates to ‘the bliss of the blameless life?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Virtue ] [Merit] [Happiness ] [Concentration] [Pāli] // [Right Livelihood] [Generosity] [Right Intention]
Quote: “Sīla is the opportunity to rise up to a life of integrity.”
3. Comment: Sīla (virtue) is like a compass. You know if you’re off. [Virtue]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suffering] [Feeling]
Quote: “The language of Dhamma is the language of feeling.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma]
4. Comment: I’m appreciative of Zoom. It’s helpful on many levels, but I’m missing the actual physical presence. [Online community] [Pandemic] [Community]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Human] [Monasteries]
1. “What was it like growing up in such an isolated place? Did this influence you towards spiritual or philosophical inquiry from a young age?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Natural environment] [Spiritual search] [Ajahn Pasanno]
2. “After you grew up and went to college, you travelled around the world and ended up in Thailand. What set you off on this journey around the world?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Travel] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Spiritual search] [Learning] [Zen]
Follow-up: “What attracted you to Thailand?” [Culture/Thailand]
3. “Did you go on a retreat in Thailand? How did you end up ordaining in Bangkok?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats] [Ordination] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Mahasi Sayadaw] [Temporary ordination]
4. “How did it come to be that you ended up with Ajahn Chah? What was it like the first time you met him?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Determination] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: (To himself) “Five years if five years. You’ve got to do it.”
5. As Westerners, we don’t like the idea of committing, certainly not for life. Comment by Sol Hanna. [Culture/West] [Determination]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “Commitment is anathema.” [Sensual desire] [Ajahn Chah] [Perception of a samaṇa]
6. “Were there any memories from that period of training with Ajahn Chah that really stand out in your mind? In what ways did you find it difficult?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Poverty] [Requisites] [Posture/Sitting] [Monastic routine]
Quote: “It was difficult, but it was also very satisfying. It felt like exactly what I wanted to be doing and should be doing.” [Ardency] [Faith]
7. “There were quite a few Westerners who went to train in Thailand at the time. Not all of them made it. What got you through that period of time? What kept you going?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Monastic life/Motivation ] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Ajahn Chah] [Faith] [Truth]
8. “How did you come to be abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abbot] [Ajahn Pasanno ] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Jāgaro] [Ajahn Puriso] [Ajahn Brahmavaṃso] [Wat Keuan] [Ajahn Chah]
Follow-up: “How did you feel about it?” [Culture/West] [Fear] [Trust]
9. Under your leadership, Wat Pah Nanachat grew in size and more monks came to practice there. Comment by Sol Hanna. [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abbot] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “I think I did okay.” [Humility] [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness]
10. You were quite involved in Ajahn Chah’s funeral as well. I heard that a million Thai people visited during the funeral period. Comment by Sol Hanna. [Ajahn Chah] [Funerals] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Trust]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Building projects]
Follow-up: “How do you think it went?” Aswered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Pah Pong] [Lodging] [Food] [Eating after noon] [Not handling money] [Free distribution]
11. “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] [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.”
12. “How did you come to join Ajahn Amaro as co-abbot of the newly established Abhayagiri Monastery in California?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Amaro] [Abbot] [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Pasanno ] // [Saṅghapāla] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Jack Kornfield] [Elders' Council] [Chithurst]
13. “What was it like establishing a forest monastery with the strict Vinaya of the Forest Tradition in California in the 1990s?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhayagiri] [Vinaya] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Culture/West] // [Conscience and prudence] [Trust] [Precepts]
14. “Abhayagiri is not near a major city, but there has been plenty of interest from both laypeople and those wishing to ordain. What do you credit for the sucessful establishment phase of Abhayagiri Monastery?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhayagiri] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Teaching Dhamma] [Trust] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Vinaya]
Quote: “We are what we say we are. That helps.” [Truth]
15. “How many monastics are there at Abhayagiri right now?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhayagiri] [Monastic life]
16. “During your time in the United States, how do you think the knowledge and practice of Buddhism has changed?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Abhayagiri] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
17. “In 2018 you stepped away from the role of abbot of Abhayagiri, passing the role to Ajahn Karunadhammo and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. Both these monks are American and have mostly trained in the United States at Abhayagiri. How do you feel about this milestone?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhayagiri] [Abbot] [Retirement] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ajahn Pasanno ] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Culture/West] // [Monastic life]
18. “You’ve lived a life dedicated to the spiritual quest of a Buddhist monk. What advice would you give to someone who’s starting out on the Eightfold Path and may have an interest in ordaining as a monk or nun?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spiritual search ] [Monastic life] [Eightfold Path] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Appropriate attention] [Culture/West] [Perfectionism] [Happiness] [Right Effort] [Patience]
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