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31 events, 78 sessions, 136 excerpts, 10:28:25 total duration

Most common topics:
Great disciples (8)     Virtue (8)     Conditionality (6)     Happiness (6)     Similes (6)     Buddha/Biography (5)     Mindfulness of breathing (5)     Generosity (4)     Right View (4)     Suffering (4)    

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Suttas You've Never Heard Of, Session 2: Responding to the Human SituationAjahn Pasanno – Jun. 25, 2016

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9. “I like the translations ‘conscience’ aand ‘concern’ for hiri and otappa. Having done unskillful actions in the past that create suffering, and being aware of the tendency to personalize, how can it be over and done?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Treasures] [Conscience and prudence] [Unskillful qualities] [Suffering] [Kamma] [Self-identity view] // [Four Noble Truths] [Divine Abidings]

Quote: “As a human being, I have the opportunity to learn from the past and move on to skillful action in the future. I don’t have to be like a dog that barfs stuff up and goes back and eats it again.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Human] [Learning] [Skillful qualities] [Similes]

Quote: “The not-self refrain, ‘This is not me, this is not mine, this is not what or who I am,’ is not an abdication of responsibility but an understanding, ‘This is the way I can put things down and move on, move past the things that are still creating suffering.’” — Ajahn Pasanno [Not-self] [Relinquishment]

Suttas: SN 42.8 The Conch Blower; AN 3.100: A Lump of Salt.


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16. “Part of the sense of loss and sorrow is the joys that have created attachment. How to approach this?” [Grief] [Happiness] [Clinging] // [Naturalness] [Human] [Spaciousness]

Sutta: Thag 1062: Mahākassapa delights in nature. [Great disciples] [Culture/Natural environment]


Two Kinds of Thought and the Removal of Distracting Thoughts, Session 3: Responses from Small Group DiscussionsAjahn Pasanno – Jun. 4, 2017 [Directed thought and evaluation]

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7. “Do thoughts by themselves have karmic consequences?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Kamma] // [Perception] [Feeling] [Volition] [Self-identity view]

Sutta: MN 56: Upāli

Follow-up: “Is it good kamma to decide not to act on an unskillful thought?” [Skillful qualities]

Story: A person talks with Ajahn Liem, analyzing their consistently bad thoughts and obsessions. He replies, “If you see a pile of excrement, why would you want to stick your nose in it?” Told by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Ajahn Liem] [Unskillful qualities] [Similes] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Culture/Thailand] [Thai Forest Tradition]

Comment: I think my problem is that my nose is already in there, and I don’t want to realize that I’m so stupid that it’s hard to get it out. [Delusion]


Teen Weekend 2017Ajahn Pasanno – Sep. 2, 2017

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10. Comment: I haven’t heard any Buddhist teachers talk about wholesome romantic relationships. [Relationships] [Skillful qualities]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Family] [Treasures]

Sutta: AN 4.55 Samajīvī Sutta [Virtue]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 2: Celibacy, Symbol, and the TranscendentAjahn Pasanno – Mar. 13, 2018 [Monastic life]

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2. “Are their multiple levels of brahmacariyā (celibacy)?” [Celibacy] [Christianity] [Sensual desire] // [Becoming]

Sutta: AN 7.50 Sexual Intercourse


The Teaching and the Training, Session 5: Being Your Own RefugeAjahn Pasanno – Mar. 21, 2018 [Monastic life]

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3. “What about senior monks who don’t meet our expectations of conduct or practice?” [Respect for elders] // [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa]

Sutta: AN 4.192 Facts


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4. “Do you remember the sutta that compares people’s behaivor to a puddle?” [Sutta] [Similes] // [Ill-will]

Sutta: AN 5.162 Removing Resentment


The Teaching and the Training, Session 6: Caring for Monks in Aging, Sickness, and DeathAjahn Pasanno – Mar. 22, 2018 [Monastic life] [Saṅgha]

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1. “How does upatakhing fit into our training and what can we learn from it?” [Upatakh] [Vinaya] [Respect for elders] // [Culture/Thailand] [Conceit] [Generosity] [Protocols] [Discernment] [Mindfulness]

Vinaya: Cv 8: Vattakkhandhaka - Protocols

Story: Ajahn Lee upataks Ajahn Mun. [Ajahn Mun] [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo]


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5. Comment: It’s important for the Saṅgha to look after all members in terms of sickness and ageing. [Sickness] [Ageing] [Death]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]

Vinaya: Kd 8.26.1-8: The Monk with Dysentery [Buddha/Biography]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 10: The Relationship Between Study and PracticeAjahn Pasanno – Mar. 28, 2018 [Learning]

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5. “How do we use sutta study in our practice and what are the pitfalls?” [Sutta] [Views] // [Non-contention] [Self-identity view] [Culture/India] [Relinquishment]

Sutta: MN 18


The Teaching and the Training, Session 11: Foundations, Community, Rebirth, NibbanaAjahn Pasanno – Mar. 29, 2018 [Monastic life]

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1. “How can those just entering monastic life lay a good foundation?” // [Vinaya] [Right View] [Ajahn Chah] [Virtue] [Stream entry] [Four Noble Truths] [Kamma] [Generosity] [Greed] [Communal harmony] [Happiness] [Gratitude]

Sutta: SN 55.1: Sīla of a stream enterer

Sutta: MN 117: The Great Forty


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2. “Would you be willing to speak on the importance of having faith in rebirth?” [Faith] [Rebirth] // [Culture/West] [Right View] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno]

Sutta: MN 117: Definition of right view


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4. “At the beginning of this retreat, Tan Ajahn Anan advised us, “Don’t forget Nibbāna.” How do we orient ourselves towards Nibbāna?” [Nibbāna] [Ajahn Anan] // [Dispassion] [Cessation of Suffering] [Etymology] [Stream entry]

Sutta: AN 10.60: Girimānanda Sutta [Cessation]

Sutta: SN 56.11: “Whatever is of the nature to arise, that is of the nature to cease.” [Conditionality]

Quote: “[The goal] is incredibly worthy, and it is not beyound our capability and means to experience.” [Direct experience]


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5. “I was reading the book Hooked about desire, consumerism, and society. The author writes about the desire to know things. How does the desire to know relate to practice?” [Desire] // [Cause of Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Bases of Success] [Sensual desire] [Craving]

Sutta: SN 51.15: The path has an end. [Great disciples]


The New Ajahn Chah Biography, Session 3: Readings with Q&A Part 2Ajahn Pasanno – Apr. 21, 2018

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15. “When you have completed the practice, does everything become ‘down time?’” [Stages of awakening] [Recreation/leisure/sport] // [Clinging] [Almsfood] [Culture/Natural environment]

Quote: “It’s because we reflect on these ‘serious things’ that we can hold things lightly.” [Recollection]

Suttas: MN 2.13: Reflection on the requisites; AN 5.208: Benefits of chewing toothwood


Chanting, Session 1: Purposes and PracticesAjahn Pasanno – Jun. 2, 2018 [Chanting]

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13. “The fourth precept used to be translated as false and harmful speech. In the new chanting book, it’s just lying. Is there a reason for this?” [False speech] [Pāli] // [Right Speech]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 130

Sutta: MN 41: Saleyyaka Sutta


Chanting, Session 3: History and MeaningAjahn Ñāṇiko and Ajahn Pasanno – Jun. 2, 2018 [Chanting] [Protective chants]

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3. “I notice that most of the paritta chants don’t have English translations. Is there a place we can find these?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Translation] // [Sutta]

Suttas: DN 32: Āṭānāṭiya Sutta; SN 46.14-16: Sick [Sickness] [Factors of Awakening]


The Path of Practice, Session 1Ajahn Pasanno – Jun. 15, 2019

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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?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Mindfulness of mind] // [Right Mindfulness] [Volitional formations] [Conditionality]

Suttas: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta; MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta


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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?” [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)


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7. “How do discoveries about the gut microbiome fit in with the Buddha’s teachings?” [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: AN ??.?? - Stay where the practice advances, not where the requisites are.


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13. “Could you say something about the fact that extreme hardship exists in the world?” [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]


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15. “Was there specific advice from the Buddha to the monks about [advising a dying person]?” [Monastic life] [Death] // [Sickness] [Compassion] [Goodwill]

Vinaya: Kd 26.7: Attributes of a carer.


Love, Attachment, and Friendship, Session 3: The Experience of Love and AttachmentAjahn Pasanno – Oct. 12, 2019

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5. “Is there a sutta about preferring the [forest] to the village, and then the bare earth, becoming more and more simple?” [Sutta] [Seclusion] [Simplicity] // [Emptiness] [Elements] [Relinquishment] [Generosity] [Goodwill]

Sutta: MN 121: The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness


Living in a Changing SocietyAjahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko – Aug. 23, 2020

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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]


Honoring the Buddha: The Mahāparinibbāna SuttaAjahn Pasanno – Apr. 25, 2021 [Sutta] [Buddha/Biography]

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2. “What is the origin of asking a question three times?” [Questions] [Teaching Dhamma]

Sutta: AN 4.42: Questions


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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?” [Craving not to become] [Death] [Grief] // [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]


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5. “What was the sutta you mentioned in regard to Ananda’s question ‘What do we do about women?’” [Women in Buddhism] [Great disciples] [Sensual desire]

Suttas: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta; SN 35.127: Bhāradvāja


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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?” [Food] [Sickness] [Death]

Sutta: DN 16: Mahāparinibbāna Sutta


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10. Comment by Ajahn Pasanno: Throughout the whole teaching (DN 16) there is the sense of the ordinary and the transcendant together all the time. [Conventions] [Unconditioned] // [Nature of mind] [Ceremony/ritual] [Precepts] [Meditation] [Devotional practice] [Middle Path] [Release]

Sutta: Aniccā vata saṅkhārā... (SN 6.15) [Cessation] [Happiness] [Recollection/Peace]


Tea Time Q&A with Ajahn PasannoAjahn Pasanno – May. 16, 2021

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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?” [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 [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.”


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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?” [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]


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5. “How to reach the state of peace and serenity when we’re just human beings and we strive to be good people?” [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]


Abhayagiri Kaṭhina 2021, Session 2: Practical Questions and AnswersAjahn Pasanno – Nov. 5, 2021

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1. Comment: I listen to the talks and read the books, and everything is so logical and rational, but I’m still stuck in habitual patterns of living. [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Dhamma books] [Everyday life] [Habits]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Association with people of integrity] [Community] [Monasteries] [Lunar observance days] [Online community] [Chanting] [Spiritual friendship] [Impermanence] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Generosity]

Quote: “When you’re living with a group of people, not everybody is depressed and lazy and fed up at the same time.” [Unwholesome Roots]

Sutta: SN 55.5 Sāriputta [Factors for stream entry]


Q&A at Sudhana CenterAjahn Pasanno – Jul. 12, 2023

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1. “In reference to the fragrance of the flower....There are many roses in the courtyard across the street....Why do we cultivate beauty? Where does beauty arise from?” [Beauty] // [Clinging] [Happiness] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Empathetic joy] [Unconditioned]

Sutta: MN 37: Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya. (Nothing whatsoever should be clung to.)

Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s mother sends his old letters to Abhayagiri. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abhayagiri]

Recollection: Ajahn Chah was unshakeable in the midst of all the things that were happening around him and responded warmly and compassionately to the people around him. [Ajahn Chah] [Equanimity] [Compassion] [Family] [Monastic life/Motivation]


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5. “I feel that a lot of people are disconnected with the reality world. They don’t have a place of social, and they withdraw themselves and go on the internet. So I think the fundamental problem is people [audio unclear] in this real world. Do you have any comments on how to connect people in the real world so there can be a replacement of social media?” [Community] [Social media] [Internet] // [Dhamma online] [Pandemic] [Online community] [Abhayagiri] [Lunar observance days]

Sutta: SN 55.5: Spiritual friendship as a condition for Right View. [Spiritual friendship] [Right View] [Conditionality] [Appropriate attention]


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8. “My understanding is that it is not good to indulge the five senses. But is there a way to make that help with your cultivation?” [Sense bases] [Sense restraint] // [Appropriate attention] [Discernment] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 6: Recollection of the Dhamma [Recollection/Dhamma]

Sutta: SN 35.23: The six senses are the all.

Sutta: SN 35.116: A perceiver of the world, a conceiver of the world.