48 events, 217 sessions, 1747 excerpts, 99:31:28 total duration
Most common topics:
Monastic life
(114)
Ajahn Chah
(105)
Ajahn Pasanno
(98)
Mindfulness of breathing
(81)
Death
(60)
Jhāna
(57)
Suffering
(56)
Directed thought and evaluation
(52)
Goodwill
(52)
Happiness
(51)
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1. “Do you find labelling helpful?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Noting] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Proliferation]
Simile: The hammer looking for nails everywhere.
2. “When I’m following my breathing, sometimes I have a compulsion to breathe deeply into my chest and hold it....Is that something you should recognize as trying to control the breath?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Meditation/Unusual experiences] // [Investigation of states] [Tranquility] [Learning]
3. “You spoke of experiencing the breath and experiencing feelings and mind. Are you suggesting that we experience the mind knowing the breath or when it’s doing other things?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Mindfulness of mind] // [Right Mindfulness] [Volitional formations] [Conditionality]
Suttas: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta; MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta
4. “Is the fourth foundation of mindfulness as simple as, for example, with the third foundation I identify aversion, and then in the fourth foundation I identify aversion as a hindrance?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Mindfulness of mind] // [Āgama] [Sutta] [Hindrances] [Four Noble Truths] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Progress of insight]
Suttas: MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta; MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta [Right Mindfulness]
Reference: Satipaṭṭhāna Perspectives by Bhante Analayo (commercial)
5. “Could you please address judgement and discernment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Judgementalism] [Discernment ] // [Self-identity view] [Skillful qualities] [Four Noble Truths] [Culture/West] [Impermanence] [Conditionality]
6. “How do you handle physical sensations like an itch during meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation/General advice] [Contact] // [Mindfulness] [Patience] [Pain]
7. “How do discoveries about the gut microbiome fit in with the Buddha’s teachings?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Science] [Dhamma] // [Not-self] [Self-identity view] [Mindfulness of body] [Clear comprehension] [Naturalness]
Follow-up: “How does the relate to monks who subsist on almsfood and sometimes don’t get enough, considering that the gut is controlling the brain?” [Monastic life] [Almsfood] [Health] [Ajahn Soṇa] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
Sutta: MN 17: Vanapattha Sutta.
10. “Is Dtao Dum just for monks?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dtao Dum] [Monastic life] [Lay life] // [Environment]
11. “Did Ajahn Soṇa go on one of the trips to Dtao Dum with you?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Soṇa] [Dtao Dum] [Ajahn Pasanno]
12. “When you weren’t getting enough food, had you been older and smarter, would you have been able, as a monk, to ask for vegetables?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Health] [Vinaya] [Almsfood] // [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Generosity]
13. “Could you say something about the fact that extreme hardship exists in the world?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Poverty ] [Compassion] // [Culture/Thailand]
Sutta: AN 4.162: Modes of Practice
Sutta: AN 8.2: Worldly Winds [Worldly Conditions]
Vinaya: The famine in Verañjā (BuPj 1.2.1, Brahmali translation) [Buddha/Biography]
Recollection: The vast majority of 20th century Thai meditation masters are from the Northeast. They come from a region and area of great difficulty. [History/Thai Buddhism] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Patience] [Energy] [Faith]
Recollection: More Westerners came to study with Ajahn Chah than Central or Southern Thais. [Ajahn Chah] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]
14. “What are your thoughts about maintaining a practice you’re at the bedside of someone actively passing away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Death ] // [Listening] [Fear] [Personal presence] [Intuition]
Story: Ram Dass anxiously tries to guide his stepmother through the dying process. [Ram Dass] [Teaching Dhamma] [Restlessness and worry] [Mindfulness of mind] [Recollection/Death]
15. “Was there specific advice from the Buddha to the monks about [advising a dying person]?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Death] // [Sickness] [Compassion] [Goodwill]
Vinaya: Kd 8.26.7: Attributes of a carer.
16. “When you talk about conditioning, how does this relate to Pavlovian conditioning?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Conditionality] [Science] // [Habits]
17. “The Buddha had the talent of knowing precisely what to say to a person at a given moment. The teaching ajahns have developed this as well, but I’ve never heard of it as part of the training. Can you reflect on that?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Buddha/Biography] [Monastic teachers] // [Personality] [Discernment] [Idealism] [Ajahn Chah] [Suffering] [Humility] [Relinquishment] [Fear] [Self-identity view]
18. “Before we relinquish the self, there needs to be a recognition of what’s going on. I often realize this minutes or hours later. Any suggestions for this initial step of noticing?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view] [Mindfulness] // [Investigation of states] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Cessation] [Spaciousness]
19. Comment: I have one of these thinking minds, and over the years I’m learning more and more to just watch where my thoughts go. I’m getting more comfortable with that. At the same time, I’ve heard teachings that as you improve your concentration on the primary object, your mindfulness increases as well. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness] [Concentration]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Language] [Generosity] [Conditionality] [Desire] [Craving]
Quote: “The same word that is translated as concentration in English, when it’s translated in Thai, is ‘the firm establishing of the mind.’ That has a different feel to it.” [Translation] [Thai]
20. “Did Buddhism find you in Northern Manitoba, or did you leave? What led you to Buddhism?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Learning] [Culture/West] [Zen] [Culture/Thailand]
1. “In Canada, medical assistance in death is legal. As an old person who will be sick and dying not too far off, it raises the question: If I got to the point where I felt even with good palliative and hospice care, I couldn’t withstand the pain any longer, it’s an option. But what about the first precept of not taking life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Pain] [Death] [Health care ] [Euthanasia] [Killing] // [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view] [Idealism]
Quote: “Being present for the falling apart of the body opens doorways to release that don’t really happen with, ‘I just want to be done with this. This totally sucks.’” [Present moment awareness] [Mindfulness of body] [Release] [Aversion] [Fear] [Clinging] [Saṃsāra]
2. “For some people, death comes with extreme pain. Part of being able to navigate through the dissolution of self requires clarity of mind. My understanding is that a lot of pain management involves morphine or other mind-numbing drugs. How does one navigate the pain?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death] [Pain] [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view] [Clear comprehension] [Health care] [Intoxicants] // [Fear]
3. “According to the first precept, how would you look at the case of abortion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Killing] [Abortion] // [Vinaya] [Politics and society] [Judgementalism] [Health care]
4. “What about animal euthanasia?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Animal] [Euthanasia] [Killing] // [Compassion] [Sickness] [Ageing]
5. “Years ago I considered the Buddha someone wbo practiced harm reduction. But having worked in the field, I’ve started to have a lot of conflict around when people request paraphanelia to help them use [drugs]. The idea is to keep them alive, but now it’s become very complicated because people are still dying. Is this a violation of right livelihood? Could you speak about wisdom and compassion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Intoxicants] [Health care] [Death] [Right Livelihood] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Gratitude] // [Right Intention] [Crime] [Politics and society]
Quote: “As a person who is trying to help, you have to learn harm reduction to yourself.” [Depression]
6. Comment: I’m concerned about how much time people spend on computers, and I think it’s sad that people use electronic devices rather than talk with each other. [Technology] [Community]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Follow-up: “Should I say anything to my son who is on his device half the time during his brief, infrequent visits?” [Children] [Right Speech]
Story: Abhayagiri’s computer policy for monks. [Abhayagiri] [Social media] [Sense restraint] [Vinaya]
7. “You spoke this morning about how monks don’t have money and don’t handle money. How does a monastery deal with purchasing materials?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Not handling money] [Commerce/economics] // [Monastery organizational structure] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Abhayagiri] [Building projects] [Almsfood]
Story: A wheel falls off the old Abhayagiri van. [Simplicity]
8. Comment: Yesterday you differentiated between chanda and taṇhā. Nature has always had a strong attraction for me, and I was uneasy because I thought this was a kind of craving. Three or four years ago, Ajahn Tiradhammo gave a talk and I asked him about this. He said, ‘Don’t worry about it. There’s good craving and bad craving.’ Your teaching has clarified this for me. [Desire] [Craving] [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Tiradhammo] [Gratitude]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Ajahn Viradhammo] [Animal]
9. “When strong feelings associated with conceit come, what to do?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Conceit] [Feeling] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Clear comprehension] [Nutriment] [Relinquishment] [Patience]
10. “I find a lot of meditation time is taken up with psychoanalyzing aand thinking, ‘Oh, this is a discovery!’ What is the line between realizing that you’re caught again?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Western psychology] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [Mindfulness of feeling] [Proliferation] [Clear comprehension]
11. Comment: I’m improving my skill at seeing the greed or aversion when there are pleasant or unpleasant feelings, but I often don’t see the neutral feeling state so clearly. [Mindfulness of feeling] [Feeling] [Unwholesome Roots] [Neutral feeling] [Delusion] // [Mindfulness of body] [Restlessness and worry] [Fear] [Present moment awareness]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Quote: “That whereby one is a conceiver of the world, a perceiver of the world, that is the world.” — SN 35.116. [Nature of the cosmos] [Proliferation] [Perception]
12. “Could you talk about the difference between experiencing an unpleasant feeling and perpetuating an unpleasant feeling?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Feeling ] [Discernment] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Compassion] [Mindfulness] [Patience] [Suffering]
Simile: Two arrows (SN 36.6).
13. “I live with my 96-year old mother. Her mind is quite good, but her body is ageing and there is pain in both legs. She has a stubborn will to carry on. We have our fights, but get through them quickly. I’m wanting to go to another level to develop patience. Can you comment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ageing] [Parents] [Pain] [Patience] // [Empathetic joy] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Relinquishment] [Gratitude] [Idealism]
Quote: “Even monks have mothers.”
14. “Even reading scripturally-oriented material can be used as an escape; it’s easier than meditating. I was wondering about the precept on entertainment, beautification and adornment. Can you give some advice on how to interpret this in practical terms?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Learning] [Craving not to become] [Entertainment and adornment] // [Idealism] [Discernment] [Idle chatter] [Spiritual friendship] [Faith] [Media] [Ajahn Soṇa] [Abhayagiri] [Dhamma online] [Ajahn Pasanno]
1. “Do you feel metta is to be developed or do you feel metta is just an outcome of your life and your practice?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Goodwill] [Right Effort] [Conditionality] // [Meditation] [Precepts] [Calming meditation] [Suffering] [Aversion] [Appropriate attention] [Gratitude]
2. “Let’s say there’s someone causing harm and I wish them well-being. But in their mind, the harm they are causing brings them well-being. What kind of well-being am I wishing for them?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Generosity] // [Divine Abidings]
3. Comment: Coming out af a long-term relationship where someone was killed in an accident after 42 years, the way you presented the disadvantages and advantages of a conventional loving relationship was perhaps a little light on the advantages. [Relationships ] [Death] // [Monastic life/Motivation] [Gratitude] [Long-term practice] [Suffering] [Courage]
Response by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Saṅgha] [Saṃsāra] [Spiritual urgency]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddha/Biography] [Ageing] [Rebirth] [Treasures]
Reference: AN 4.55: Nakula’s mother and father aspire to see each other in this life and the next.
1. Comment to Ajahn Ñāṇiko: I really appreciate the honest of your sharing. In terms of self-criticism over the years, what brought about any shift was being authentic, but whilst I wanted not to be critical, it was still there. By watching that process and not identifying with it so much, it gradually shifted until I was able to wish myself well more genuinely. [Truth] [Judgementalism] [Long-term practice] [Direct experience] [Not-self] [Goodwill] // [Buddhist identity] [Faith]
Response by Ajahn Ñāṇiko.
4. “I thought to be self-critical was to improve yourself, to know how and where you need to improve yourself. How is being self-critical not good for yourself?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Judgementalism] [Right Effort] // [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Energy] [Goodwill] [Idealism] [Unwholesome Roots]
Story: Eight months to Enlightenment. [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Abhayagiri] [Liberation]
5. Simile: Sculpting different materials requires different tools. This practice is more molding than hammering. [Similes] [Right Effort]
Response by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: Ajahn Amaro used to say, “The beatings won’t stop until morale improves.” At a certain point, you have to decide to stop. [Goodwill] [Ajahn Amaro] [Judgementalism] [Cessation]
3. “My natural tendency is to push the world away and to have the attitude that enjoyment is wrong. I’m working on trying to enjoy life. Do you have any ideas about this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Craving not to become] [Christianity] [Hinduism] [Ascetic practices] [Happiness] [Skillful qualities] // [Monastic life] [Ajahn Sucitto] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Culture/West]
The Rule of St. Benedict and Ajahn Sucitto’s talk “Fellow Worms.” [Humility]
Story: A BBC interviewer asks King Rama IX about original sin. [Media] [King Rama IX] [Culture/Thailand] [Nature of mind]
Causal processes leading to sāmadhi and dispassion have different starting points, but they all go through delight and happiness. [Conditionality] [Concentration] [Dispassion]
Quote: “Monks, do not be afraid of puñña.” — Iti 22. [Merit] [Fear] [Liberation]
Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.”
4. “There are teachings about different levels of generosity (e.g. AN 7.49). Are there similar teachings about love or attachment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Generosity] [Goodwill] [Clinging] // [Dhamma] [Desire] [Teaching Dhamma] [Aggregates] [Mindfulness] [Relationships] [Spaciousness]
5. “Is there a sutta about preferring the [forest] to the village, and then the bare earth, becoming more and more simple?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Seclusion] [Simplicity] // [Emptiness] [Elements] [Relinquishment] [Generosity] [Goodwill]
Sutta: MN 121: The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness
6. Comment: There are two knds of desire, chanda (good) and taṇha (bad). [Desire] [Craving] [Pāli]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] [Clinging] [Generosity] [Teaching Dhamma]
7. Comment: Words that I haven’t grown up with like skillfulness and wholesomeness have the spectrum to reflect on the different levels of these qualities. [Language] [Culture/West] [Skillful qualities]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
8. “Could you say some more about the process of change?... You can have a big tool kit and apply it with the best of intentions. Sometimes magical things happen, and sometimes nothing happens.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Effort] [Conditionality] [Right Intention] [Progress of insight ] // [Goodwill] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Chah] [Impermanence] [Long-term practice] [Learning] [Dependent origination] [Not-self] [Mindfulness]
9. Question about cultivating goodwill towards a difficult coworker. Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Goodwill] [Forgiveness] // [Suffering] [Right Effort] [Craving] [Relinquishment] [Kamma]
Comment: Sometimes having metta means leaving the situation. [Association with people of integrity] [Clear comprehension]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46
1. “What did you mean by ‘lifting up?’ Is it an object of attention?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Recollection ] // [Restlessness and worry] [Sloth and torpor] [Postures] [Energy]
Quote: “Namo viññaṇa dhatu (Homage to the element of consciousness).” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Consciousness] [Elements] [Knowing itself]
2. “Can one bring up a theme to gain deeper understanding?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Insight meditation] [Recollection] // [Relinquishment] [Cause of Suffering] [Dependent origination] [Conditionality] [Not-self] [Long-term practice]
Quote: “Whatever is of the nature to arise is of the nature to cease.” — SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. [Impermanence]
3. “Can you reflect on incidents that cause suffering in your life to explore your habitual patterns?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suffering] [Habits] [Recollection] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Desire] [Not-self] [Conditionality]
4. “You mentioned ‘Look for the gap.’ Is this related to looking for fading away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Insight meditation] [Dispassion] [Recollection] // [Cessation] [Cessation of Suffering] [Impermanence] [Faith]
Follow-up: “So we’re not just looking at the blank...” [Wrong concentration] [Emptiness] [Nature of the cosmos] [Unwholesome Roots] [Not-self]
5. “I recently went to a Zen gathering. My understanding is that they don’t focus on the Four Noble Truths. They try to be present in the moment and get to some sort of no-mind state. How did this arise and why is it considered Buddhism?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Zen] [Four Noble Truths] [Present moment awareness] [History/Mahāyāna Buddhism] // [Emptiness] [Buddha]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno visits a Dzogchen master who says, “Whatever teachings you hear, if they don’t fit into or fulfill the Four Noble Truths, then it’s just not Buddhism.” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Vajrayāna] [Hearing the true Dhamma]
6. “Bhāvanā means ‘bring into being.’ How do I balance this with making the mind clear or peaceful?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Tranquility] [Calming meditation] [Recollection] // [Noble Truth of Suffering] [Contentment] [Insight meditation] [Sloth and torpor] [Patience]
7. “You mentioned Ajahn Chah reflecting on viññaṇadhatu. Was this the consciousness of the six senses or something more fundamental like citta?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Consciousness] [Elements] [Sense bases] [Recollection] [Heart/mind] // [Release] [Liberation]
8. “Did the Buddha ever say to send lovingkindness to oneself?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Goodwill] [Tipiṭaka] // [Heart/mind] [Spaciousness]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 43.
Note: Not all translations of this passage include the phrase “to all as to myself.” For examples, see the available online translations of AN 4.125 and AN 3.65.
9. “What would you use for someone who is extremely confused and angry? Lovingkindness seems so far away.” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Delusion] [Aversion] [Goodwill] // [Concentration] [Spaciousness]
10. “If you lose the firm center of lovingkindness, how do you reestablish it?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Goodwill ] [Concentration] [Right Effort] [Recollection] // [Visualization] [Mantra] [Seclusion] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo]
2. “On a daily basis, coming home, my mind is too distracted to pick up any of these objects of meditation. Would you recommend doing ānāpānasati first and then switching over?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Everyday life] [Restlessness and worry] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Recollection] // [Mantra] [Recollection/Buddha]
3. “You mentioned the example of the monk who wanted to commit suicide and then he remembered his virtue and that uplifted him. In the Saṃyutta Nikaya there are a few instances where monks committeed suicide, but the Buddha said they attained Nibbāna (SN 22.87 Vakkali; SN 35.87 Channa). How is that possible?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Monastic life] [Suicide] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] [Recollection] [Nibbāna] // [Jhāna] [Māra] [Saṃsāra] [Delusion]
5. “Can you say more about recollection of renunciation? How can this be used skillfully or not?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Recollection/Generosity] [Renunciation] [Recollection] // [Contentment] [Self-pity] [Sickness] [Equanimity] [Buddha/Biography] [Fasting] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Lunar observance days] [Abhayagiri]
Recollection: Going without in the early days of Abhayagiri Monastery. [Almsfood]
7. “How would I apply the perception of unattractiveness in my daily life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Unattractiveness] [Everyday life] [Recollection] // [Sensual desire] [Ageing] [Proliferation] [Dispassion] [Appropriate attention]
8. Comment: Instead of thinking of one thing which I was having difficulty with, I brought to mind all the things that were working. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Appropriate attention] [Recollection]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Recollection/Virtue] [Faith]
9. “Is there a recollection about recalling one’s own successes and good qualities?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Recollection/Virtue] [Recollection] // [Perfections] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Right Effort]
10. Comment: I’m going to recollect this day, and your kindness in teaching, and the people who planned the Upāsikā Day. [Gratitude] [Teaching Dhamma] [Compassion] [Recollection/Generosity] [Recollection] [Faith]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhidhamma]
1. “What is your favorite thing you’ve gotten from monastic life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Virtue] [Teachers] [Contentment]
Quote: “You really get to see the best of the human condition as a monastic. That’s a real treat.” [Human] [Monastic life]
2. “What advice do you have for students or graduates hoping to progess on the Noble Path towards Nibbāna while a student or in the workplace?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eightfold Path] [Nibbāna] [Learning] [Work] [Lay life ] // [Human] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Perfectionism] [Desire] [Suffering] [Politics and society] [Simplicity] [Environment] [Depression] [Restlessness and worry] [Skillful qualities] [Community]
3. “The pandemic has given rise to feelings of profound grief and loss in many of us. How can we best work with these emotions to cultivate well-being for ourselves and others?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pandemic] [Grief] [Emotion] [Happiness] [Community] // [Self-identity view] [Clinging] [Commerce/economics] [Perception]
4. “Apart from social distancing, what are other ways to behave compassionately during this time when there’s so much physical distance between us?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pandemic] [Health] [Compassion] // [Generosity] [Online community] [Grief]
5. “In your guided meditation you mentioned noticing, ‘This is bearable.’ When is it skillful to bear with and when it is skillful to put effort towards change, whether in action or in the mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Patience] [Equanimity] [Right Effort] // [Discernment] [Pain] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Happiness] [Clear comprehension]
6. “How do we deal with a world full of view and opinions?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Views ] // [Idealism] [Conditionality] [Impermanence] [Truth]
Story: Sariputta doesn’t approve of a teaching of the Buddha until he puts it into practice himself. Told by Ajahn Chah. [Great disciples] [Teaching Dhamma] [Direct experience] [Faith] [Ajahn Chah]
7. “In what way are qualities and effects viral? Are right perception, right speech, right thought, and right action also viral?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Media] [Online community] [Perception] [Right View] [Right Speech] [Right Action] // [Abhayagiri] [History/Western Buddhism] [Mindfulness] [Skillful qualities] [Happiness] [Tranquility] [Trust] [Human]
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?’” [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.”
1. “Ajahn Chah was ill for the last ten years of his life. How could he endure that and why did this take place?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness] // [Perfections] [Teaching Dhamma] [Saṅgha] [Death] [Monastic teachers] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Upatakh] [Generosity]
2. “I lead two Zoom sessions a week and am running out of material. Can you suggest guided meditations from this tradition?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] // [Trust] [Dhamma books] [Amaravati] [Self-reliance]
3. “If you get the mind empty, you get everything.’ How to understand this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Emptiness] // [Self-identity view]
4. “How to overcome rejection by your spouse and move on and not hang on to the hope that he will come back some day?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Relationships] [Family] // [Self-reliance] [Goodwill]
5. “How can we recognize and know the present moment more clearly?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Present moment awareness] // [Mae Chee Kaew] [Relinquishment] [Kamma]
6. “Is there something called fierce compassion in the Theravāda tradition? If so, how is that different from resentment or anger?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fierce/direct teaching] [Compassion] [Theravāda] [Ill-will] [Aversion] // [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Suffering] [Teaching Dhamma] [Admonishment/feedback] [Spiritual bypass] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Ajahn Chah calls newly-arrived Tan Pasanno lazy. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Chanting]
7. “Why is turning the left side of your body to the Buddha disrespectful? How does one disregard another person in a skillful way to remove resentment? (AN 5.161)” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Respect] [Ill-will] // [Goodwill] [Culture/India] [Culture/Thailand] [Theravāda]
8. “How is it possible to not eat after noon while remaining active in everyday life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eating after noon] [Renunciant practice] // [Fear] [Food] [Health]
9. “How do we overcome unpleasant mental or physical feelings in the present moment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Feeling] [Present moment awareness] // [Aversion] [Fear] [Suffering] [Goodwill] [Ajahn Sumedho]
Sutta: DN 22: Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta [Mindfulness of feeling]
10. Comment: I had a stroke 3 1/2 months ago, and the health professionals say I can’t do this or that. I find this frustrating. [Sickness] [Health] [Aversion]
Response by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Dhamma] [Recollection/Dhamma] [Recollection]
11. Comment: I meditate much better kneeling than lying in bed. [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Lying down]
Response by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Viradhammo]
12. “What is the difference between emptiness, nothingness, and space? How can I use colors to develop the mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Emptiness] [Kasiṇa] // [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [Conceit] [Middle Path] [Etymology] [Not-self] [Elements] [Tranquility] [History/Early Buddhism] [Culture/West]
13. “How to balance the practice of removing attachments but maintain responsibilities of caregiving to children or ageing parents?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Clinging] [Relinquishment] [Family] [Parents] [Ageing] // [Gratitude]
2. “What is the origin of asking a question three times?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions] [Teaching Dhamma] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: AN 4.42: Questions
3. “Did vibhavatanha arise in any of the monks at the loss of the Buddha? How do we notice vibhavatanha in practice, and what is a wise and compassionate response?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Craving not to become ] [Death] [Grief ] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] // [Stream entry] [Stages of awakening] [Recollection/Dhamma] [Three Refuges] [Precepts] [Spiritual friendship] [Devotional practice] [Suffering]
Sutta: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta [Nibbāna]
Story: The funeral of a close Wat Pah Nanachat supporter. [Funerals] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
4. “What was the name of the rinpoche you referred to earlier?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Trulshik Rinpoche] [Ajahn Pasanno]
5. “What was the sutta you mentioned in regard to Ananda’s question ‘What do we do about women?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Women in Buddhism] [Great disciples] [Sensual desire] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Suttas: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta; SN 35.127: Bhāradvāja
6. “In your guided meditation, devotion to the teachings really touched me. Could you say more about this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Devotional practice] [Recollection/Dhamma ] [Generosity] [Compassion] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography] // [Faith] [Cultural context] [Respect] [Gratitude] [Culture/Thailand] [Three Refuges] [Relinquishment] [Release]
7. “When the Buddha accepted the meal from Cunda, did he know what the consequences would be, and if so, why do you think he did that?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Food] [Sickness] [Death] [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Sutta: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta
8. Comment: Devotion is what keeps rituals from becoming empty motions. [Devotional practice] [Ceremony/ritual]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Bowing]
9. Comment: The Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 16) brings the Buddha’s quest full circle. [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ageing] [Sickness] [Death]
1. “You have so much community-building experience. Can you talk about what you have found challenging or effective in this? How did Ajahn Chah build community?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Saṅgha] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Virtue] [Trust] [Communal harmony] [Compassion] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Recollection/Saṅgha] [Sequence of training] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abhayagiri] [Eightfold Path] [Learning]
Sutta: MN 48: Kosambiya Sutta [Principles of Cordiality] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Right View]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno pays respects to Ajahn Chah: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.”
Quote: “The whole path of the Buddha is a path of learning, of education.”
2. “How to balance the tension between the warrior energy (taking action), the awareness of the perfection of all that is, and the weariness and humility that leads through this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Effort] [Present moment awareness] [Disenchantment] // [Suffering] [Discernment] [Fear] [Human] [Gladdening the mind] [Aversion] [Recollection] [Nature of mind] [Tranquility]
Sutta: AN 1.296-305: The Ten Recollections
Quote: “The happy mind is easily settled.” [Happiness] [Concentration]
3. “Please offer ideas on ways Dhamma meditation communities can strike a balance between beginners and experienced meditatiors.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation groups] [Teaching Dhamma] [Lay teachers] [Long-term practice] // [Generosity] [Cleanliness]
4. “Our community is mostly virtual. Since we’re not together taking care of a shared environment, can you suggest other ways of building community?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Online community ] // [Dhamma discussion]
5. “How to reach the state of peace and serenity when we’re just human beings and we strive to be good people?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Equanimity] [Human] [Virtue] // [Happiness] [Generosity] [Association with people of integrity] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Hindrances]
Sutta: DN 2: Sāmaññaphala Sutta - Fruits of the Holy Life
Quote: When asked about his attainments as a monk, “I’m just really happy about all the things I didn’t do.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Stages of awakening] [Monastic life] [Sense restraint]
6. “Are there any mindful techniques that can be used during the transition from the old self to the new high vibrational self?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness] [Self-identity view] // [Suffering] [Becoming] [Relinquishment]
7. “Your advice to leaders in the conflicts of 2021 in terms of the leaders themselves and how they can inspire their teams and communities?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Leadership] [Conflict] [Community] // [Trust] [Generosity] [Compassion] [Listening] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “Leadership always comes by example.”
Quote: “[Ajahn Chah] never asked us to do something that he himself wasn’t doing.”
8. “Any advice to guide me after retirement? How to get rid of the fear of death?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ageing] [Fear] [Death] // [Happiness] [Merit] [Generosity] [Virtue] [Meditation] [Mindfulness]
9. “Is it true that consciousness, the universal energy in all living organisms, exists within us and outside of us? Is it everywhere?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Consciousness] [Nature of mind] [Nature of the cosmos] // [Clinging] [Proliferation]