The Whole of the Path: The Fruits of Spiritual Friendship
Ajahn Pasanno
Spirit Rock Daylong, Jun. 22, 2013
Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California
3 sessions, 20 excerpts, 1:00:08 total duration
External website
Sessions:    1    2    3
Session 1 – Ajahn Pasanno – Jun. 22, 2013 Download audio (17:33)
[Spiritual friendship]

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1. [0:06] “Could you tell us how you became a monk?” [Ordination] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Culture/Thailand] [Meditation]

Quote: “I stumbled into it.” [Monastic life]


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2. [3:00] Comment: It’s not so easy to let go of people who have been in my life forever to cultivate new friendships. [Relinquishment]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Judgementalism] [Virtue] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Views]


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3. [10:14] “Why is discernment a better word for wisdom?” [Discernment] [Translation] // [Pāli] [Etymology]


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4. [11:53] “If my sister has unwholesome friendships, how can I help her redirect these?” [Family] // [Compassion] [Judgementalism] [Right Intention] [Right Speech] [Admonishment/feedback]

Story: An Abhayagiri monk skillfully conveys concerns to his father. [Abhayagiri]


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5. [15:00] Meditation instruction: Walking meditation instructions. [Posture/Walking] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Tranquility]


Session 2 – Ajahn Pasanno – Jun. 22, 2013 Download audio (5:16)

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1. [0:04] “The Buddha said ‘One is expected to cultivate the path when you meet noble friends.’ How much responsibility do we need to take for this?” [Spiritual friendship] [Association with people of integrity] [Volition]


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2. [1:41] [When talking about the qualities for developing the Eightfold Path, seclusion, cessation, and dispassion.] “Could you distinguish between cessation and dispassion?” [Eightfold Path] [Progress of insight] [Cessation] [Dispassion] // [Pāli] [Etymology]


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3. [3:27] “Could you give the Pāli words for dispassion, cessation, and maturing? Also the word you used with otappa?” [Pāli] [Dispassion] [Cessation] [Release] [Conscience and prudence] // [Seclusion]


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4. [4:14] Comment: Saṃvega comes in there somewhere. [Sense of urgency] [Pāli]


Session 3 – Ajahn Pasanno – Jun. 22, 2013 Download audio (38:25)

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1. [0:00] “What do we do at the monastery? What happens on a daily basis?” [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] // [Chanting] [Meditation] [Work] [Food] [Questions]


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2. [2:42] Comment: The more we become like monks and nuns, the more we will be helping the climate change situation. [Monastic life] [Environment]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Simplicity] [Contentment] [Generosity] [Human]


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3. [3:34] “Can you give some suggestions on dealing with betrayal in relationships?” [Relationships] [Sexual misconduct] [Trust] // [Spiritual friendship] [Faith] [Virtue] [Generosity] [Discernment] [Judgementalism] [Monastic life]

Sutta: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46: The Highest Blessings (Mangala Sutta, SN 2.4)


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4. [8:15] “Can you say more about the practice of awareness of arising and ceasing in relation to discernment and right view?” [Becoming] [Cessation] [Mindfulness] [Discernment] [Right View] // [Impermanence] [Ajahn Chah] [Conditionality] [Self-identity view] [Happiness] [Mindfulness of mind] [Patience]

Reading from an unnamed recent Ajahn Chah book. [Relinquishment] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]

Quote: “I don’t teach you guys much. Just be patient.” — Ajahn Chah


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5. [16:21] “What is the role of emotion in our practice?” [Emotion] [Feeling] // [Faith] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Four Noble Truths] [Relinquishment] [Discernment]


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6. [19:21] Comment: I find that the experience of uncertainty and loss can give rise to compassion. [Impermanence] [Grief] [Compassion]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right View] [Emotion] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ardency]


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7. [20:34] “Given the situation in Burma with Buddhist monks fomenting violence against Muslims, how do you determine whether to respond to that vocally or publically?” [History/Other Theravāda traditions] [Conflict] [Politics and society] [Monastic life] [Islam] [Right Speech] [Media] // [Military]


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8. [25:25] “I appreciate your emphasis on clarity, stability, and spaciousness. How does concentration relate to these?” [Clear comprehension] [One pointedness] [Spaciousness] [Concentration] // [Pāli] [Thai] [Etymology] [Tranquility] [Happiness] [Rapture] [Conditionality]

Suttas: AN 10.3: Virtuous Behaivor; AN 6.10 Mahānāma [Virtue]

Quote: “The way my mind worked before was, ‘Boy, when I get my concentration together, I’m going to be happy...’” [Ajahn Pasanno]

Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.” [Hindrances] [Relinquishment] [Knowledge and vision]


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9. [33:53] “For me, the practice starts with concentration to get to a place of well-being. Is there a missing piece here?” [Concentration] [Happiness] // [Cultural context] [Generosity] [Precepts] [Culture/West] [Western psychology] [Meditation]

Quote: “It is helpful to get a picture of the whole path and realize how integrated and mutually nourishing those path factors are.” [Eightfold Path] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]


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10. [36:11] “When we say right Eightfold Path, is there any general rule to tell what is right, what is wrong?” [Eightfold Path] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] // [Unwholesome Roots]


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11. [37:19] “How is the path like a traffic circle?” [Eightfold Path] // [Conditionality]