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1. “My dearest parents -in-law - very ill, 82-84 years old, live in Europe. My dear husband loves his mother very much. He said if his mother passes away, he doesn’t want to be in the funeral. I don’t think it is a good idea. How can I help him and myself in the way of Buddha mind? I am afraid my husband will break down.” [Parents] [Family] [Death] [Grief] [Funerals]
2. “Please repeat the phrase that included “nimitta” and your name in some form. Can you give context/expand a little on this?” [Nimitta] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Hindrances] [Gladdening the mind]
3. “What is the difference between loving kindness and compassion? How can one evoke/manifest them if he/she never experienced them before?” [Goodwill] [Compassion] // [Visualization]
4. “It seems I have returned to remedial meditation practice. I can’t seem to find ease in my body, let alone my breath. It feels like I’m stuck in physical pain - an invisible barrier I can’t seem to penetrate. Acceptance and loving kindness are being applied, but without much movement. I am trying to develop concentration on breath - so far no pīti or sukha. What to do?” [Meditation/General advice] [Pain] [Goodwill] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Meditation/Results] [Posture/Walking] [Chanting] [Cleanliness]
Quote: “One of the things that is really frustrating is waiting to get those results that we’re hoping for and feel we should be getting.”
5. “I was struck by the suggestion you shared about orienting oneself toward what one can give to a moment rather than what one can get from a moment. This mind shift seems hugely beneficial. Would you expand on this?” [Generosity] [Present moment awareness ] // [Patience ] [Tranquility]
Recollection: “Nine times out of ten, Ajahn Chah’s answer would be, ‘Just be patient.’” [Ajahn Chah]
Reference: Don’t Hold Back by Ajahn Pasanno
6. “Is there a difference between mindfulness and awareness?” [Mindfulness] [Present moment awareness] // [Language ] [Translation] [Culture/West] [Pāli] [Kamma] [Thai]
7. “As I get deeper insights how conditioned the mind is, there is a sense of burden being released but also a doubt began to arise: If the mind is conditioned, how is it even possible to arrive at the Unconditioned? Does free will even exist or am I just pushed around by kilesas? If the trick is to recognize that there is no free will, how can I sincerely believe that when I’m making choices to practice and do wholesome deeds, they really matter and it’s not my delusion? Please dispel my doubts!” [Nature of mind ] [Doubt] [Unconditioned] [Delusion] // [Four Noble Truths] [Self-identity view] [Questions] [Conditionality]
8. “Could you describe the detail of the four noble truths? What are they? How do we apply them to real modern lives?” [Four Noble Truths ] // [Suffering] [Sense restraint] [Conditionality] [Self-identity view]
9. “Please explain the seven factors of awakening and how to practice them in this retreat.” [Factors of Awakening ] // [Mindfulness] [Investigation of states] [Energy] [Rapture] [Tranquility] [Concentration] [Translation] [Thai] [Equanimity] [Sloth and torpor] [Restlessness and worry]
Sutta: MN 118.30: Linear progression of the Seven Factors of Awakening.
Sutta: SN 46.53: Energizing and settling qualities.
10. “Would you please talk a little bit about determination versus compassion in meditation? For example, as long sittings can cause pain and legs to go numb, when is it good to use determination to power through? And when is it good to have compassion for the body and also not cause damage to the body, so that it can be healthy for long-term practice?” [Meditation/General advice] [Determination] [Compassion] [Pain] // [Long-term practice] [Right Effort] [Discernment]
11. “If someone spreads a harmful story about another that is untrue, but has convinced her/himself it is true (including her/his own embellishments), does this break the fourth precept?” [Malicious speech] [False speech ] // [Precepts] [Ajahn Chah] [Volition] [Truth] [Nature of mind]
Quote: “The precepts are there for training as opposed to making a legal decision or character judgement.”
12. “It’s a common phrase: “If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him.” Obviously it’s using hyperbole for effect but I think it means to trust only in your own experience. At what point do the guidelines and precepts leave off and the way to proceed on findings begins? I know it’s not a linear path, but I’d appreciate your thoughts.” [Direct experience] [Precepts] [Trust] [Long-term practice] // [Zen] [Vinaya] [Dhamma] [Relinquishment] [Middle Path]
Quote: “The Vinaya and the precepts are for holding on, and the Dhamma is for letting go. When you learn how to balance those two, then you will be free from dukkha.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Liberation]
13. “The āsavas: Why does the mind leave (“go out”) its still center?” [Outflows] [Proliferation] // [Translation] [Ignorance ] [Craving]
14. “Is it true that it’s bad or disrespectful to point one’s heel at a monk? I thought that I read or heard this somewhere. Sometimes I have felt the necessity to stretch out one leg or the other in the meditation hall, but as all the monastics sit up front, I feel that I will be pointing my heel at one monastic or another and I really don’t want to be disrespectful if this is so. Or is this worrying too much about conventions which causes suffering?” [Respect] [Monastic life] [Postures] [Conventions] // [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/India] [Sutta] [Vinaya]
Vinaya: Bhikkhu Pācittiyā 51 origin story: Venerable Sāgata gets drunk on almsround. [Almsround] [Intoxicants]
1. “When I sit for longer periods, I experience involuntary jerking and shaking. I can suppress it, but in doubt if this is a good idea.” [Meditation/Unusual experiences] // [Mindfulness of body]
2. “Can you please talk about some of the changes in the new version of the morning chant (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 2) and which ones, if any, (and why) resonate with you?” [Chanting] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Saṅgha decision making]
3. “As I consider which aspects of my life could be simplified, it occurs to me that I have two different friendships which may no longer be worth the trade off in time or energy. After spending time with either of these friends, I tend to be more drained of my very limited energy, possible because neither is very self-aware and both talk a lot. What is my obligation to an old friend who has recently come through a really hard time in her life or to a new friend whose health and living situation are precarious. Is there a graceful way to bow out of a friendship without harming the other person?” [Spiritual friendship ] [Simplicity] // [Time management]
4. “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?” [Social media ] [Clinging] [Addiction] // [Habits] [Abhayagiri]
5. “When one dies, do they carry memory of their former life into their next life? Is it possible to make amends from the former life into the next life?” [Rebirth] [Memory] // [Kamma]
Quote: “It’s bad enough just remembering what you’ve done in this life.”
6. “I have been reading the wonderful book, Abundant, Exalted, Immeasurable by Ajahn Pasanno. Would you consider leading us in a guided meditation on loving kindness at some point on this retreat?” [Goodwill] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Meditation retreats]
7. “Keeping it simple, unentangled, uncomplicated. Is that an invitation to be lazy?” [Simplicity] [Heedlessness] // [Novices] [Sloth and torpor] [Cessation of Suffering]
8. “This morning you talked about sense, object, contact, feeling, etc. and gave the example of the eye and object coming in contact. The sixth sense is the heart/mind, correct? And the object is the heart/mind? Can you give an example?” [Sense bases] [Heart/mind] // [Nature of mind]
9. “If a sotāpanna or sakadāgāmī dies and takes birth as a human, are they born as a stream- enterer or once-returner respectively? Or do they return that attainment later in life?” [Stream entry] [Once return] [Rebirth]
10. “This morning as I was walking upstairs, my mind suddenly went bright and clear for a brief time. Was this a glimpse of Nibbāna? And if so, where do I catch the express train?” [Nibbāna] // [Clinging] [Self-identity view]
11. “Can you speak a bit about aversion and letting go? I’m dealing with the loss of my brother and the ending of a 15 year marriage. The painful memories are hard to process, and it is easier to push them away. I’d like to “know” and “let go” of them.” [Aversion] [Relinquishment] [Grief] [Relationships] // [Compassion] [Self-identity view] [Discernment] [Human]
12. Comment: I believed this to be a “silent meditation retreat”. Please reiterate that to my thinking mind. It’s not listening! [Proliferation]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Suffering] [Jhāna] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Right Intention] [Happiness]
13. “Could you please talk a bit about using the sound of silence (nada sound) as a meditation object?” [Sound of silence] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Amaro] [Proliferation] [Spaciousness]
1. “Thank you for additional information on the Sound of Silence. I’ve known of the Sound of Silence, but not that there was any formal or structured practice around it. I’m wondering if Ajahn Chah or his predecessors did any teachings on this or if there are suttas related to it.” [Sound of silence] [Ajahn Chah] [Sutta] // [Ajahn Sumedho]
Reference: Inner Listening by Ajahn Amaro.
2. “What are the suttas related to the list of virtuous qualities that Ajahn Karuṇadhammo spoke of so eloquently in his dhamma talk?” [Sutta]
Sutta: AN 8.30: Anuruddha.
3. “How do you apply mindfulness of the body in terms of jhāna practice?” [Mindfulness of body] [Jhāna ] // [Mindfulness of breathing] [Similes ] [Rapture] [Happiness]
Sutta: MN 118.18 Ānāpānasati Sutta.
Sutta: MN 119.18: Similes for jhāna.
4. “Where is the middle way taught in the suttas? and how might that help some of us who consider extensive sitting practice an ascetic practice?” [Middle Path ] [Sutta] // [Virtue] [Concentration] [Discernment] [Right View] [Cessation of Suffering] [Knowledge and vision] [Eightfold Path] [Etymology]
Sutta: SN 56.11.2: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
Quote: “It’s not a middle way that is a compromise where you can cut out the hard bits and split the difference so you feel good about it.”
5. “I am tangled up in self-identification and conceit. What should I do to get myself out?” [Self-identity view ] [Conceit] // [Suffering] [Discernment] [Relinquishment] [Clinging]
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]
7. “‘Teacher of Gods and Humans’. Can you talk about this? What Gods did the Buddha teach? What other beings did the Buddha teach?” [Recollection/Buddha] [Buddha] [Teaching Dhamma] [Deva] [Human] // [Realms of existence ] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] [Ajahn Chah]
Sutta: DN 21: Sakka’s Questions.
Sutta: Snp 2.4: Maṅgala Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
Vinaya: Khandhaka 17.3.11: The Buddha subdues an enraged elephant. [Animal]
Story: Ajahn Chah describes the beings inhabiting Wat Pah Pong. [Wat Pah Pong] [Non-human beings]
Story: The head being acquires faith, listens to teachings, and temporarily takes on the Eight Precepts. [Faith] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Eight Precepts]
8. “What does the threefold bliss mean in the Verses of Sharing and Aspiration (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 33)?” [Happiness] [Chanting]
9. “Could you say more about the four powers?” [Bases of Success ] // [Aids to Awakening] [Discernment] [Concentration] [Everyday life]
10. “Does having no craving mean doing things in the world knowing they won’t bring lasting satisfaction? For example, planning a vacation realizing that it will eventually end or taking measures to cure a headache without expecting to feel completely better. I am trying to understand how this would look like in real life without one becoming apathetic and depressed about the meaninglessness of basically all activities except meditation. How to balance the ability to still enjoy life with abandoning all craving?” [Craving ] [Characteristics of existence] [Depression] [Happiness] // [Cause of Suffering] [Desire] [Generosity]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno is planning to take his mother to Hawaii. “And I think I’ll enjoy it too!” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Parents] [Travel]
11. “Can you speak more about vedanā and whether it is something to be changed, as in from dukkha to sukha?” [Feeling ] [Pain] [Happiness] // [Cause of Suffering] [Conditionality] [Eightfold Path]
Sutta: MN 53.5: The Buddha asks Sāriputta to teach because his back hurts. [Buddha/Biography]
12. “When I try to fully experience the body (MN 118.18), I seem to hold the in-breath too tightly, causing tension in the abdomen. Do you have any tips for loosening up diaphragm or the belly area?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of body] // [Learning] [Discernment]
13. “Please demystify jhāna a little for those like myself whose vipassanā past has had minimal samādhi focus. The emphasis on calming and brightening has been so helpful. Whereas in past I associated deep concentration with vipassanā elites and insight practice more for those living in the mess of the world, now I wonder, in our post election universe, whether a more jhānic or balance between practices would prevent overwhelm, hiding, running to Canada! Thoughts?” [Jhāna] [Insight meditation] [Gladdening the mind] [Calming meditation] [Everyday life] [Politics and society] // [Ajahn Chah] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of body] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “That desire to measure and quantify attainment is an obstacle in itself.” [Meditation/Results]
14. “There is a crack in everything. That’s where the light gets in.’ — Leonard Cohen. Lots of cracks out there. Lots of potential for awakenings and wise compassionate action. Do you agree? If so, where do you see the light emerging? In what arenas? Where would you focus your energy if you were not a monk?” [Compassion] [Activism ] [Right Action] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Communal harmony] [Children] [Virtue]
15. “How do I deal with a negative person? His/her perspectives are mostly in the way of downsides, pointing out people’s faults, his/her bad experiences, etc. If that person is a life partner or family member, how to turn him/her to become better?” [Aversion] [Family] // [Right Speech] [Patience]
16. “Could you explain if the steps of the Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118.17) need to be experienced sequentially? Does sukha always need pīti before? Or can one experience sukha after calming the mind without pīti every single time?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Rapture] [Happiness] // [Mindfulness of body]
17. “I grew up in an environment where any difference was met with hostility. I was bullied, I was robbed a few times, I didn’t feel safe. No wonder the idea of refuge always resonated with me. … However, even after living in very tolerant California and generally feeling myself safe here, when I am outdoors practicing walking meditation, whenever I see or hear strangers approaching me, my mind begins rushing in anticipation that this encounter would turn hostile. Being on precepts makes me feel particularly vulnerable. Could you share some teaching about protecting qualities of the Dhamma and how I can feel less fear while keeping the precepts? Could some of the monastics share their stories of receiving unexpected kindness from seemingly hostile strangers or stories of resolving physical or verbal attacks while wearing the robes and keeping precepts?” [Discrimination] [Abuse/violence] [Fear] [Three Refuges] [Meditation retreats] [Precepts] [Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Stories] [Generosity] // [Human] [Truth] [Compassion] [Abhayagiri] [Almsround]
Story: A football hooligan has a sharing session with a monk on a train.
Story: Ajahn Gunha wanders into a Communist base on tudong. [Ajahn Gunha] [Tudong] [Politics and society] [Rains retreat]
Story: Ajahn Sudanto goes almsround each day in White Salmon. [Ajahn Sudanto] [Pacific Hermitage]
1. “Can you please say a little more about using the contemplation of death to gladden the mind?” [Recollection/Death ] [Gladdening the mind] // [Purpose/meaning] [Heedfulness]
2. “How do I become a more generous person if there is a constant underlying worry about having enough (money for living, retirement, etc.)? How to create a sense of abundance within so I can freely give to others?” [Generosity ] [Fear] [Commerce/economics] // [Culture/West] [Greed] [Community] [Culture/Thailand] [Poverty]
Quote: “I don’t have any money, but I’m not poor.” — Por Am, a Wat Pah Pong lay supporter. [Lay supporters] [Wat Pah Pong] [Health care]
Recollection: Thai children sharing cold Pepsi given to them by the monks at special events.
3. “I find when the mind settles, it is highly suggestible, and the gentlest whisper of pīti or sukha will sometimes bring those, if they haven’t arisen on their own. You spoke a little last night about sustaining and expanding pīti and rapture and moving the mind towards equanimity. If you could expand or reiterate, that might be helpful for further exploration.” [Calming meditation] [Rapture] [Happiness] [Equanimity] // [Mindfulness] [Discernment]
4. “Is realization of anatta a sudden event or does it happen gradually with sense of self becoming less and less dense until it eventually dissolves?” [Not-self] [Progress of insight ] [Self-identity view] // [Relinquishment]
5. “Can you please give some guidance on recognizing delusion in the mind? Greed and aversion seem easier to spot.” [Delusion ] // [Restlessness and worry] [Fear] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “It’s like riding along on a horse and asking, ‘Where’s the horse? Where’s the horse?’” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield]
6. “Can you suggest some ways of approaching walking meditation that you have found fruitful? Do the themes of ānāpānasati apply, for example? Is this an adaptable, useful structure?” [Posture/Walking ] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Thai Forest Tradition] [Mindfulness of body] [Tranquility] [Buddho mantra]
7. “Generally, is right intention a subset of kamma or is it the whole enchilada?” [Right Intention] [Volition] [Kamma] // [Volitional formations]
8. “Does all the chanting we are doing go back to Buddha’s time or has some of it evolved later?” [Chanting ] [History/Early Buddhism] // [Sutta] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Somdet Vajirañāṇavarorasa] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism]
9. “Was sati, vedanā, jhāna part of the religious climate current at the Buddha’s time? How revolutionary was he seen to be then? Do we know?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [History/Early Buddhism] [Buddha/Biography] [Mindfulness] [Feeling] [Jhāna] // [Four Noble Truths] [Aggregates] [Culture/India ] [Kamma] [Volition]
10. “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.” [Discernment] [Everyday life ] // [Trust] [Meditation retreats] [Time management]
Story: A disciple of Ajahn Chah moves to Bangkok. [Ajahn Chah] [Lay life] [Commerce/economics]
11. “It is the eighth evening of the retreat; feels timely to ask what was Ajahn Chah’s teaching for local lay people regarding sexual desire and sexual misconduct. Did he make a different emphasis when he taught westerners?” [Ajahn Chah] [Lay life] [Sensual desire] [Sexual misconduct] [Culture/West] // [Culture/Thailand]
Story: In response to questions about sexuality, Ajahn Chah picks his nose. [Insight Meditation Society] [Humor]
12. “Will you briefly remind us who are “the four pairs, eight kinds of noble beings” (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 7)?” [Stages of awakening]
13. “In the teachings on mindfulness of breathing, what does it mean “… sets her/his body erect, having established mindfulness in front of her/him” (MN 118.17, Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 86)? I think “in front of” has been interpreted in different ways.” [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Translation] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Meditation/Techniques]
14. “The term “sati”. What does it mean? Does it mean mindfulness?” [Mindfulness ] [Translation] // [Christianity] [Etymology] [Perception] [Memory]
15. “Would you please give some advice on how to deal with obsessive compulsive thoughts that cause fear in the mind and tension in the body? I have tried to remember that “mental formations” are not self, but this doesn’t seem to alleviate the problem or help much.” [Habits] [Fear] [Volitional formations] [Not-self] // [Mindfulness of body] [Tranquility]
Quote: “My mind is like a bad neighborhood.” — Anne Lamott. [Heart/mind] [Similes]
16. “Will you tell a bit of your story in becoming a monk, early family life, how you came to Thailand, at what age you ordained?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Culture/Thailand]
17. “Would you say more about the ardent, purifying aspect of mindfulness?” [Mindfulness] [Ardency] // [Right Effort ] [Unskillful qualities] [Skillful qualities] [Clear comprehension]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 96: Right Mindfulness in the Noble Eightfold Path.
18. “Did the Buddha give instructions for walking meditation?” [Posture/Walking] // [Sutta] [Commentaries] [Postures]
19. “What is the latest news re women’s ordination the Thai Forest tradition from upper and lower echelons of the tradition? How would you advise young women seeking ordination in this kind of tradition?” [Women's monastic forms] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Culture/Thailand]
20. “Regarding the second foundation of mindfulness, feeling: Is pleasant/painful functionally wanting/not wanting?” [Mindfulness of feeling] [Feeling] // [Volitional formations]
21. “Regarding unworldly or spiritual feelings, would you talk about what pleasant, painful, and neither look like? Is there guidance or examples to help practice?” [Feeling] // [Relinquishment]
22. “Going on alms round, especially in the US, seems like a very noble, patient practice. Would you speak more of what happens when monastics go for alms for the first time in an American town like Ukiah or in Oregon? When people have no idea what you are doing, and you can’t ask for anything, what happens? Did the monastics go hungry the first few times? Do you explain to people? Do you bless everyone with a chant who gives you food?” [Almsround ] [Culture/West] // [Abhayagiri] [Generosity] [Not handling money]
Story: The bakery on State Street offers food to the Abhayagiri monks every week.
Story: The monks at Pacific Hermitage go almsround every day. [Pacific Hermitage] [Ajahn Sudanto] [Monastic routine]
Story: Ajahn Ñāṇiko and Tan Ṭhitabho walked from Abhayagiri to Pacific Hermitage. Only once did they not receive food on almsround. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Tudong]
23. “Do you understand impermanence as the phenomena of a river flowing or as a light being turned on and off as Bhikkhu Anālayo describes?” [Impermanence ] [Ven. Anālayo] [Similes] // [Pāli] [Translation] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Ajahn Chah]
24. “When I watch my breath, I have all I can do to be aware of one breath and then the next. But the Buddha said, “Know if it is long or short”. Can you give an insight into why this step beyond bare awareness? Also why long and short, vs, for example, shaky and smooth, consistent and inconsistent, belly breath or nostril breath?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Present moment awareness] // [Tranquility]
1. “I was surprised to learn recently that there is a concept of hell in the suttas. Could you talk a bit about what Buddha meant by it and who goes there?” [Hell] // [Realms of existence] [Kamma]
2. “Could you describe in detail and provide explicit examples of the four mutual qualities of a couple?” [Relationships] // [Faith] [Virtue] [Generosity] [Discernment]
Sutta: AN 4.55: Four mutual qualities of a couple.
3. “You have mentioned in the morning that the meditation of breathing could help with cessation of dukkha. Could you elaborate how breathing in/out can cease dukkha?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Mindfulness] [Discernment]
4. “Can sukha and equanimity exist at the same time? I am wondering if I am missing an opportunity to work with equanimity and other factors of enlightenment by always hanging out in sukha-land. Could you please mention how to recognise equanimity?” [Goodwill] [Happiness] [Equanimity ]
5. “Would you briefly say the name again of the protective meditations?” [Protective Meditations]
6. “‘Buddha is Teacher of Gods and Humans,’ so according to Buddha, there is no one God but many Gods or it depends on what is meant by God?” [Recollection/Buddha] [God] // [Hinduism] [Deva] [Saṃsāra]
7. “Mind is impermanent correct? So when the Buddha says that the mind is radiant and it gets obscured by defilements, does this mean that the mind that arises without defilements in that moment is radiant? … So radiance is composed of many minds arising and passing away without defilements?” [Heart/mind] [Impermanence] [Nature of mind]
Sutta: SN 12.61: It would be better to take the body as self rather than the mind.
8. “Do you have any inspiring stories to share of practicing with strong fear (animals,etc)? I’m inspired when I hear such stories from monks of this tradition.” [Fear] [Stories] [Animal]
Story: A tiger circles Ajahn Pasanno’s walking path. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dtao Dum] [Posture/Walking]
Sutta: MN 4: Fear and Dread.
Story: A tiger kills a 1,500 pound Brahma bull.
9. “Is the blessing chant after receiving food only reserved to monks or are there appropriate occasions when lay people can chant it? Which Pāli verses are your favorite to enjoy sound and poetic beauty of the language?” [Anumodana] [Pāli] [Chanting]
10. “Would you please explain what is appropriate with regards to a Buddha image? Is it ok to put a Buddha statue directly on the ground or level concrete, or must the statue be on a platform always?” [Buddha images] [Respect]
11. “Will you please define bodily formations and mental formations again?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Volitional formations] // [Feeling] [Perception]
12. “A longtime Buddhist friend told me that Buddha gave a sermon extolling his followers to bury gold to protect themselves from the government. I find this unlikely and have not been able to find any such reference in the liturgy. Is there any such sermon?” [Commerce/economics] [Tipiṭaka]
13. “I sometimes experience states in which the body is very relaxed and it is easy to become very absorbed in the breath. They are pleasurable and quite calming but is there something I should do with them?” [Calming meditation] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Concentration ] [Happiness] // [Discernment] [Self-identity view]
14. “In the Catholic tradition, when someone dies, a priest is often brought in to administer last rites (extreme unction). Is there any similar tradition in Buddhism to be with the dying practitioner?” [Christianity] [Death] // [Recollection/Dhamma] [Recollection/Virtue] [Chanting]
15. Comment: Thank you for mentioning that it’s important to work with what’s best for oneself as far as object of meditation if working with the breath isn’t always helpful. I’ve been using the scanning technique, which seems to focus my meditation. [Meditation/Techniques] [Self-reliance]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry]
16. “In the ānāpānasati sutta, how should one approach the various steps listed in the sutta? All in one sitting? Over time?” [Mindfulness of breathing]
Sutta: MN 118.17 Ānāpānasati Sutta.
17. “Could you list the ways one contemplates mind as mind again? (third foundation of mindfulness).” [Mindfulness of mind ] // [Skillful qualities]
Sutta: MN 10.34: Satipaṭṭhānasutta Sutta, Mindfulness of Mind.
18. “Yesterday when you spoke of women’s ordination in California, I thought of the nuns at Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery who left the Thai Forest Tradition to ordain as nuns. As a woman who has felt a strong calling to the monastic life, I feel a painful split in my heart between the love I have for the Thai Forest Tradition that has changed my life, and its seemingly uncompassionate regard for women wishing to live the Holy Life. It leaves me with a profound feeling of hurt and “less-than” māna. I have to believe that the Buddha, who revolutionarily taught against the caste system, would not want me to feel like second class member of the human race when trying to live a life in his example. I have tried bringing self compassion to this felt sense of my heart breaking, but the pain seems to get worse with the association of the teachers of the Thai Forest tradition who showed me the dharma and yet follow this “anti-nun” rule. Would you share some words of healing to help my heart and restore my faith in this tradition that has so profoundly changed my life?” [Women's monastic forms] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Women in Buddhism] [Compassion] [Faith] // [History] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Aloka Vihara] [Dhammadharini Monastery] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Bhikkhunī] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism]
19. “Do you have any doubts in the Dhamma’s promise that the result of accomplished practice is total liberation from suffering?” [Doubt] [Dhamma] [Liberation] [Cessation of Suffering]
[Session] Reference: Becoming the Buddha by Donald Swearer (commercial).
1. Story: It took three tries to make Abhayagiri’s sandstone Buddha image. [Abhayagiri] [Buddha images] [Artistic expression] // [Ajahn Achalo] [Postures]
2. Teaching: The Buddha symbolizes wisdom, compassion and purity in balance. [Buddha] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Virtue]
3. Story: The origin of Buddha images. [History/Early Buddhism] [Buddha images] // [Culture/West] [Geography/India]
4. Reflection: Buddha images show the eyes open because Buddha literally means “awake.” [Buddha images] [Buddha]
5. Story: A visiting monk gives extensive teachings about the meaning of each word in the recollection of Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha. [Three Refuges] // [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Theravāda]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, pp. 4-8.
6. Story: A 17-year old novice flees Vietnam with a group of boat people, but the engine breaks down. Thai pirates board the boat and threaten the refugees, but then pay homage to the novice and help repair the boat. [Abuse/violence] [Respect] [Compassion]
7. Story: A Sri Lankan monk is attacked by a bull elephant. He chants “Itipi so …” The elephant stops. [Animal] [Abuse/violence] [Chanting] [Recollection/Buddha] [Three Refuges]
References: Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 54; Amaravati Chanting Book, pp. 4-8.
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.
12. Story: The origin of the Guan Yin statue in Abhayagiri’s Reception Hall. [Buddha images] [Abhayagiri] // [Generosity]
13. “Does the phrase ‘much dust in their eyes’ refer to obfuscation? Can you give encouragement to those living in a household surrounded by obfuscation?” [Ignorance] [Lay life] // [Three Refuges] [Virtue] [Monastic life]
14. “Are devas imagery or symbolism, or are they tangible for some people? Particularly the talk around the heavenly minstrels and nagas in the water (Snp 3.11) ....” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Deva ] [Symbolism/metaphor] [Realms of existence] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Recollection/Devas] [Virtue] [Kamma]
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