Includes tags: Politics and society, Service, Activism, Non-profit organizations, Corruption, Crime, Discrimination, Military
2. Quote: “These Five Precepts are the basis for human existence. If people could only do this, never mind talking about enlightenment, we would have a world without much trouble.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Paul Breiter. [Ajahn Chah] [Five Precepts ] [Human] [Liberation] [Suffering] // [Virtue] [Intoxicants] [Politics and society]
4. Quote: “We think that this is my family, this is my home village, this is my country, and others are [not]. That’s just a delusion.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Paul Breiter. [Ajahn Chah] [Goodwill] [Family] [Community] [Politics and society] [Delusion] // [Human ] [Birth] [Ageing] [Death]
7. Wat Pah Pong: A place of dignity and surrender. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Wat Pah Pong ] [Dignity] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Chah] // [Cleanliness] [Conflict] [Military] [Suffering] [Respect] [Virtue] [Almsround] [Pain] [Chanting] [Monastic crafts] [Bowing]
Quote: “An island of sanity in a sea of madness.” [Three Refuges] [Military]
Quote: “Everything you do in your life in this monastery is a chance to awaken.” — Ajahn Chah [Liberation] [Continuity of mindfulness]
3. Story: Kittisaro’s parents visit Wat Pah Pong. Told by Kittisaro. [Kittisaro] [Parents] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/West] [Learning] [Monastic life] [Renunciation] [Fear] [Cults] [Children] [Ordination] [Compassion]
Quote: “Wanting your parents to understand is suffering.” — Ajahn Sumedho [Ajahn Sumedho] [Family] [Suffering]
Quote: “The Communists you really need to be concerned about, the ones who can really hurt you, are the ones who hide inside your own heart.” — Ajahn Chah [Politics and society] [Unwholesome Roots]
16. “What could American culture learn from Thai culture?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand ] // [P. A. Payutto] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Cultural context]
Quote: “Mai bpen rai.”
Quote: “‘If there was a culture that was steeped in Buddhism, that would really solve all the problems of the world.’ No it wouldn’t. There are still human beings there. They’ll create suffering wherever they go.” [Politics and society] [Human] [Suffering]
21. Quote: “The Buddha’s function was not to make grand pronouncements that apply universally, everywhere, all the time. He gave guidelines to relfect a variety of circumstances, personal effects, social effects, and then make a decision from there.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Buddha] [Idealism] [Discernment] [Conditionality] [Right Livelihood] [Kamma] [Community] [Politics and society]
5. “You said you have to adjust and think about contemplating. But how can you do that in your working time?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Effort] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Discernment] [Everyday life] // [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Happiness] [Recollection]
Quote: “In daily life, in contact with the world, do you still breathe?” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Follow-up: “In Bangkok, there is lots of news that makes people crazy and divisive. When you see this news, you feel upset and angry.” [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.” [Politics and society] [Human]
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?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [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] [Non-profit organizations] [Activism ] [Learning] [Greed] [Corruption]
Quote: “Can I set an example myself and can I help encourage other people who are interested?” [Activism ]
1. Quote: “That person is making me suffer....If they would just smarten up and do what I like, then I would be happy. My life would be smooth and peaceful again, just like it always was before.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Cause of Suffering] [Humor] [Politics and society]
Quote: “Don’t believe your mind. It’s a liar and a cheat.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] [False speech] [Delusion]
9. “Some of my suffering in the current situation comes from feeling compassion with regard to specific suffering that I’m aware of and not acting in response to it. What are helpful stories to frame a patient, long-term effort to effect change?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suffering] [Compassion] [Patience] [Long-term practice] [Politics and society] [Kamma] [Activism] [Views] // [Association with people of integrity] [Right Effort]
Quote: “And just because one doesn’t see results doesn’t mean one shouldn’t do something....To put the causes into something–that’s the only way that change is going to happen.” [Politics and society] [Activism] [Conditionality]
8. “You mentioned that ruminating on how one would like to change the world or the conditions around oneself can be a source of needless suffering. But there are times when one does want to work to change the world or the way society is organized for the sake of lovingkindness and alleviating suffering. How do we engage with those desire for change in a skillful way?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Politics and society] [Suffering] [Desire] [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Skillful qualities] [Activism] // [Conditionality] [Self-identity view] [Conflict] [Poverty] [Judgementalism] [Aversion] [Culture/Thailand] [Environment] [Idealism]
Quote: “If one is going to commit oneself to change, one has to get used to looking at things from a big perspective, a perspective of ‘How do we include rather than exclude?’” [Politics and society] [Activism] [Community]
Quote: “You want to approach a particular problem with an open a mind as possible and then see who might be willing and able to help.” [Politics and society] [Activism]