Session 1: Brightening the Mind
Session 2: Recollection of the Devas
Session 3: Generosity and Peace
1. [0:05] “Could you expand about the layers of understanding of thought, perception, and dukkha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Yatiko. [Discernment] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Perception] [Suffering] // [Proliferation] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “First you study the Dhamma, then you know the Dhamma, then you see the Dhamma, they you be the Dhamma.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma] [Progress of insight]
Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 631: The highest level of understanding is giving up.
2. [3:08] Comment: Ajahn Chah said that Nibbāna is letting go, but this is difficult to do at deep levels. [Ajahn Chah] [Nibbāna] [Relinquishment] [Suffering]
Responses by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Yatiko. [Self-identity view] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]
3. [4:59] Comment: In the practice, we use gladdening the mind to balance the preception of suffering. [Gladdening the mind] [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Recollection]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Four Noble Truths]
4. [6:26] “What is the difference between mindfulness, bare attention, and clear comprehension? Can you flesh out the word understanding?” [Mindfulness] [Direct experience] [Clear comprehension] // [Right Effort] [Discernment] [Right Mindfulness] [Ardency] [Investigation of states] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Greed] [Aversion]
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta
5. [12:20] “Sometimes you hear something...[audio unclear]....What is your opinion?” [Gladdening the mind] [Discernment] [Release] [Cessation of Suffering]
Sutta: AN 8.19: “Just as the ocean has only one taste...” [Liberation]
1. [0:08] “What would be a way to connect with the deva-like humans?” [Human] // [Realms of existence]
2. [1:08] “What would be a way to connect with the devas if you were out walking by yourself...[audio unclear]?” [Culture/Natural environment] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Spiritual search]
3. [3:02] “I’ve heard that devas and brahmas aren’t able to become enlightened. Is that right?” Answered by Ajahn Yatiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [Liberation] // [Delusion] [Heedlessness] [Sutta] [Great disciples] [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
Story: Ajahn Sudanto’s pūjā on Mount Hood. [Pacific Hermitage] [Pūjā] [Culture/Natural environment] [Merit] [Goodwill]
4. [7:52] Comment: Contemplating the devas opens my mind to waking up. [Liberation]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Mindfulness] [Energy] [Proliferation] [Depression] [Sutta] [Culture/Natural environment]
5. [11:45] Comment: I ask myself, “Do I believe in Māra?” There’s no doubt. I try to balance this with the devas. [Māra]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Skillful qualities]
6. [13:01] “Are angels devas...[audio unclear]?” [Christianity] // [God] [Delusion]
7. [14:29] Comment: Maybe recollection of the devas isn’t frequently taught because it could slip into a desire for heaven. [Craving for material existence]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Sutta] [Hell] [Kamma] [Delusion]
8. [16:01] Comment: For me it is a question of whether I can believe it or not. It depends on where I place my mind. [Faith] [Science] [Emptiness] [Proliferation] [Dalai Lama] [Death]
Response by Ajahn Yatiko. [Doubt] [Trust] [Tranquility]
1. [0:13] “Could you speak more about the concept of relinquishment, giving up, and how it relates to giving?” [Relinquishment] [Recollection/Generosity] [Generosity] // [Clinging]
2. [2:30] Comment: I’m looking at contemplating peace as opposed to grasping for peace as a result of aversion to dukkha. There’s not the same result. [Recollection/Peace] [Clinging] [Aversion] [Suffering]
Response by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Craving not to become] [Relinquishment] [Kamma]
3. [5:23] Comment: So you maximize the internal benefit you receive...[audio unclear]? [Recollection/Generosity] [Generosity]
Responses by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo, Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Yatiko. [Faith] [Discernment] [Clinging] [Habits] [Proliferation] [Idealism]