Part of tag cluster Monastic life in key topic Monastic Life
Subtags: Monastic life/Motivation, Ordination, Mentoring, Vinaya, Mutual lay/Saṅgha support, Saṅgha, Perception of a samaṇa, Respect, Monastic routine, Ascetic practices, Monastic crafts, Types of monks, Women's monastic forms, Disrobing
185 excerpts, 13:53:36 total duration
“What are the biggest misconceptions about being ordained?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life ] // [Selfishness ]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno visits Ajahn Buddhadāsa: “Don’t be selfish!” [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Ajahn Pasanno]
“What encouragement or adjustments in their lives have you given struggling monks that have helped them remain in robes?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life ] [Disrobing] // [Tudong] [Teaching Dhamma]
4. Story: Ajahn Amaro meets Ajahn Chah. Told by Ajahn Jitindriyā. [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Chah] // [Work] [Monastic life] [Faith]
3. Quote: “He made sense out of monasticism.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] // [Vinaya ] [Dhamma] [Trust]
3. Quote: “Ajahn Chah was a wonderful teacher, but more important, he was a trainer. He trained people how to live.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Māghā Pūjā at Wat Pah Pong. [Festival days] [Lunar observance days] [Wat Pah Pong] [Meditation] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Lay life] [Saṅgha]
1. Story: Ajahn Amaro tells his mother that he’s never eaten so well since he became a Buddhist monk. Told by Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Amaro] [Food] [Monastic life]
8. Reading from the draft biography: Ajahn Chah’s dying father asks him to remain in robes for life. Read by Ajahn Amaro. [Sickness] [Recollection/Death] [Parents] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] [Determination] // [Learning] [Culture/Thailand] [Unattractiveness] [Forest versus city monks] [Sutta] [Spiritual urgency]
Quote: “I dedicate my body and mind, my whole life, to the practice of the Lord Buddha’s teachings in their entirety. I will realize the truth in this lifetime … I will let go of everything and follow the teachings. No matter how much suffering and difficulty I have to endure I will persevere, otherwise there will be no end to my doubts. I will make this life as even and continuous as a single day and night. I will abandon attachments to mind and body and follow the Buddha’s teachings until I know their truth for myself.” — Ajahn Chah. [Buddha] [Dhamma] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Knowledge and vision] [Truth] [Relinquishment] [Suffering]
Reflection: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 40 [Energy] [Doubt] [Continuity of mindfulness]
2. Quote: “Living with Ajahn Chah wasn’t easy.” — Paul Breiter. [Suffering] [Ajahn Chah] // [Aversion] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Monastic life]
7. Ajahn Chah would often send his monks to branch monasteries. Recollection by Paul Breiter. [Monastic life] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Ajahn Chah] // [Teachers] [Respect for elders] [Ajahn Sinuan]
11. Quote: “He taught different people differently....He gave us what we needed.” — Paul Breiter. [Teaching Dhamma] [Mentoring] [Ajahn Chah] // [Paul Breiter] [Patience] [Monastic life] [Generosity] [Upatakh] [Devotional practice]
3. You weren’t there to prepare for something else. Reflection by Paul Breiter. [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Sequence of training] [Everyday life] [Disrobing] [Kamma] [Monastic life] [Ascetic practices] [Suffering] [Happiness] [Saṃsāra]
Quote: “Talk about the benefits of lay life....on paper you can make a good case for it. In practice it’s a constant challenge just to keep your head above water and remember how you’re supposed to deal with things. I urge people in robes to stay there.” [Lay life] [Right Action] [Monastic life]
Quote: “Ajahn Pasanno doesn’t want me sending everyone to ordain with him, but I think you do better following his way than my way.” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Paul Breiter]
3. Reflection by Ṭhānissarā: A profound sense of gratitude. [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah] // [Monastic life]
7. One of Ajahn Chah’s main methods was the monastic training. Recollection by Ṭhānissarā. [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Suffering] [Direct experience] [Idealism] [Relinquishment]
8. Ajahn Chah encouraged us to work as Saṅgha, as community. Recollection by Ṭhānissarā. [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/West] [Aversion]
10. Story: Applying Ajahn Chah’s teachings to lay life in South Africa. Told by Ṭhānissarā. [Lay life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Monastic life] [Abuse/violence] [Self-reliance] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Spaciousness] [Liberation]
How would Ajahn Chah have responded to issues like feminism, democracy, engaged Buddhism, interfaith, and materialism that we’ve had to meet? [Women in Buddhism] [Politics and society] [Spiritual traditions] [Greed]
1. Reflection by Paul Breiter: How do Ajahn Chah’s teachings apply to lay life? [Lay life ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Monastic life] [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West]
When I left the monastery, I felt like a skinned cow (SN 12.63). [Monastic life] [Similes] [Vinaya]
Story: Ajahn Chah scolds the monks for dreaming about lay life. [Monastic life] [Work] [Family] [Commerce/economics] [Renunciation]
1. My contact with Ajahn Chah is through meeting Ajahn Sumedho. Reflection by Ajahn Sundarā. [Ajahn Sundarā] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Chah] // [Faith] [Monastic life]
1. “How did Ajahn Chah relate to the lay community around him and tailor the Dharma to their own circumstances?” Answered by Ajahn Sumedho and Ṭhānissarā. [Lay life ] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma]
Story: Thai villagers tell Ajahn Sumedho that they never understood Buddhism until they met Luang Por Chah. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Generosity] [Meditation] [Community] [Family] [Mindfulness]
Quote: “He didn’t respond to the external cues but went to the heart and grabbed you in that way.” — Ṭhānissarā. [Conventions] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Not-self]
2. “How are conflicts between [audio unclear] resolved?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Conflict] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Admonishment/feedback]
3. Ajahn Sumedho has been so important in my life. Reflection by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Jack Kornfield] [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma]
Simile: Ajahn Sumedho explains Ajahn Chah’s jazz. [Similes]
6. Quote: “I hope you’re not afraid of suffering.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Suffering] [Fear] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Ghost] [Monastic life] [Liberation]
13. Story: Ajahn Chah introduces Western monks like the Seven Dwarfs. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Humor] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah]
18. Story: Jack Kornfield ask Ajahn Chah for permission to leave Wat Pah Pong. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Jack Kornfield] [Monastic life] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Other Theravāda traditions] [Seclusion] [Meditation] [Work] [Teachers] [Liberation]
Quote: “If I look like the Buddha to you, then you’ll still thing the Buddha is out here somewhere.” Ajahn Chah [Buddha] [Conventions]
2. Did Ajahn Chah train Thais and Westerners differently? Reflection by Kittisaro. [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Jack Kornfield] [Teaching Dhamma] [Suffering] [Compassion]
In my contact with Ajahn Chah, he tended to be very loving and very kind. [Kittisaro] [Goodwill]
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] [Monastic life] [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]
2. Story: “This is Ajahn Varapañño.” Told by Paul Breiter. [Paul Breiter] [Translation] [Ajahn Chah] // [Meditation] [Ardency] [Monastic life] [Humor] [Goodwill]
8. Reflection by Paul Breiter: Ajahn Chah was unique in his way of taking care of people. [Compassion] [Monastic life] [Mentoring] [Ajahn Chah]
3. Comment: Even the monastic life can be competitive. [Monastic life] [Competitiveness] // [Posture/Sitting] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Culture/West] [Conceit]
8. Quote: “Luang Por Chah always allowed margins for differences and for practice.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Conventions] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] // [Western Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Attachment to precepts and practices]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah visits Seattle. Told by Joseph Kappel. [Ajahn Chah] // [Joseph Kappel] [Family] [Paul Breiter]
Story: Venerable Pabakkaro’s grandmother hugs him at the airport. [Monastic life] [Vinaya]
Story: Ajahn Chah visits Mount Ranier. [Culture/Natural environment]
3. Ajahn Chah’s illness: his last teaching. Reflection by Paul Breiter. [Sickness] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Paul Breiter] [Health care] [Grief] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Respect for elders] [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Upatakh] [Almsfood] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
9. Story: Ajahn Chah expresses appreciation for a Christian abbot. Told by Jack Kornfield. [Christianity] [Monastic life] [Abbot] [Gratitude] [Ajahn Chah]
6. “When we enter this life, everything is so funny.” Reflection by Ajahn Sundarā. [Monastic life] [Humor] // [Ṭhānissarā] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Sundarā] [Vinaya]
Quote: “It was a hell of a life in the beginning.” [Monastic life]
8. Ajahn Chah’s time of illness was a gift to the Saṅgha. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Generosity] [Saṅgha ] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Bodhisattva] [Renunciation] [Communal harmony] [Saṅgha decision making]
Ajahn Chah’s emphasis on Saṅgha was unique. [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Teachers] [Conflict] [Personal presence] [Three Refuges]
Quote: “People in the world are attached to status. People in the religion are attached to their views.” — Thai saying. [Monastic life] [Views]
12. Quote: “You’re living of the karma of the Buddha.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Almsround] [Kamma] [Buddha] [Jack Kornfield] // [Liberation] [Compassion] [Culture/Thailand] [Gratitude] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah lineage]
6. “When there is a lot of pain in the body, it is difficult to maintain “right effort,” yet sometimes through patient endurance the pain lessens or dissipates. Could you speak about right effort and the connection between right effort and samadhi?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pain] [Right Effort] [Patience] [Concentration] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Fear] [Aversion] [Discernment] [Naturalness]
Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno learned from pain and illness in his early monastic life. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Sickness] [Monastic life]
4. “If one were to become a monastic at Abhayagiri, how would one go about it? What are the day-to-day activities of a monk? What do I need to know and consider before making such a commitment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] [Monastic routine] // [Sequence of training] [Saṅgha decision making] [Mentoring] [Robes]
1. “One of my lay insight mediation teachers said, ‘The Western lay practitioner is an experiment in Buddhism.’ What do you think? To me it seems our lay teachers are also an experiment.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Lay life] [Lay teachers] // [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] [Sīladharā] [Culture/Thailand]
Quote: “Because the monastic presence is so strong in Asia, oftentimes people overlook the strength of the tradition of lay practice and lay teachers.” [Monastic life] [Cultural context]
Story: The Buddha tells Māra he will found the fourfold assembly (UD 6.1). [Buddha/Biography] [Māra] [Fourfold Assembly] [Stages of awakening] [Learning] [Monastic life]
11. “What is the most fun part about being a monk?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Happiness] // [Association with people of integrity]
10. “Would you share some of your personal journey, including the time before you became a monk, and why you became a monk, and how the holy life can help people grow and change?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Monastic life] [Long-term practice ] // [Culture/West] [Travel] [Culture/Thailand]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno begins meditation with a month-long Mahasi Sayadaw retreat. [Meditation retreats] [Mahasi Sayadaw] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s first visit to Wat Pah Pong. [Ordination] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah. [Sequence of training]
Reflection: “Five years is five years. I’ll go back and give myself to Ajahn Chah.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Relinquishment] [Mentoring]
Quote: “There’s no such thing as the ideal monastic or the ideal practitioner.” [Idealism] [Monastic life] [Lay life] [Faith] [Disrobing] [Suffering] [Energy] [Patience]
14. “Do you think being introduced to Buddhism guided you to the contemplative life or would you have become a monk in any tradition?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Spiritual traditions] // [Meditation]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s aunt remembers that he said he wanted to be a priest when he was young. [Monastic life]
3. “Reflecting on your 35 years in robes, do you have any strong lessons that stand out?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Long-term practice] [Discernment] // [Patience ] [Ajahn Chah] [Virtue] [Meditation retreats]
Quote: “Oftentimes we don’t really recognize the goodness that we’re doing.” [Perfectionism] [Judgementalism]
Quote: “Patience isn’t just enduring. It’s being able to be present with experience.” [Direct experience] [Present moment awareness]
1. Question about how Ajahn Chah taught to deal with people externally. Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Mun] [Virtue] [Doubt] [Monastic life] [Views]
Story: A ghost tries to align the visitors sleeping in his hall. [Culture/Thailand] [Lodging] [Ghost] [Communal harmony]
Quote: “You have to have an anchor in your own practice.” [Similes]
9. Reading: Ajahn Chah’s first Western disciple. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Sumedho] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Ajahn Chah] // [Military] [Humor] [Monastic life] [Wat Pah Pong]
Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 486
4. Story: Ajahn Chah asks Ajahn Sumedho if he might go back to America as a monk. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Culture/West] [Monastic life] [Tudong] // [Almsfood] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]
Quote: “You mean to say there are no kind people in America?” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Sumedho. [Compassion]
14. “I travelled for six weeks in Thailand and India and found that time really shifted. Having been home about two months, even with a daily meditation practice, time speeds up. How is life at the monastery versus tudong, and what do you have to say to laypeople about the speeding up of time?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pace of life] [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/India] [Culture/West] [Tudong] [Everyday life] [Monastic life] // [Craving] [Devotional practice]
4. Story: Ajahn Chah struggles through lust with patience. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Sensual desire ] [Patience] [Tudong] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Human] [Meditation/Techniques] [Impermanence]
Quote: Ajahn Chah to biographer: “If you don’t put that in the book, don’t bother printing it.” [Dhamma books]
Quote: “If you ordain as a monk, your defilements ordain with you.” [Monastic life] [Unwholesome Roots]
7. “In the West, there are so many religious practices from the East. How do we relate to them all.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spiritual traditions] [Hinduism] [Gradual Teaching] // [Buddha/Biography] [Teaching Dhamma]
Sutta: MN 95: Caṅkī Sutta [Conditionality] [Faith]
Quote: “I’ve been an abbot for thirty years, and I’m quite happy. One of the reasons I’m happy is I don’t feel I have to go and convince anybody of anything.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Happiness] [Contentment]
2. “Lottery numbers?...Is the problem that the monks have the right numbers so everyone flocks to them?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Psychic powers] [Right Livelihood]
3. “Everyone in our group is struggling with issues about livelihood. Does anyone here feel their livelihood is in tune?” Answered by Ajahn Yatiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Idealism] // [Contentment] [Eightfold Path] [Kamma]
Quote: “Maybe it would be better phrased ‘Right-enough livelihood.’” — Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Right Livelihood]
Story: An upright career police officer in Thailand transfers in and out of a corrupt assignment. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Community] [Crime] [Corruption] [Family] [Precepts]
Comment by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: Even monks face moral dillemas. [Monastic life] [Vinaya]
5. “What is your take on satisfaction, being in tune, and stagnation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Contentment ] [Energy] [Ardency ] // [Skillful qualities] [Discernment] [Buddha/Biography] [Spiritual search] [Right Effort]
Sutta: AN 2.5: Effort and noncontentment with wholesome states.
Story: The Thai government made it illegal for monks to teach contentment. [History/Thai Buddhism] [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma]
Comment about the simile of the lute. [Middle Path] [Similes]
Sutta: AN 6.55: Soṇa Sutta
1. “Could you tell us how you became a monk?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ordination] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Culture/Thailand] [Meditation]
Quote: “I stumbled into it.” [Monastic life]
2. 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]
3. “Can you give some suggestions on dealing with betrayal in relationships?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [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)
7. “Given the situation in Burma with Buddhist monks fomenting violence against Muslims, how do you determine whether to respond to that vocally or publically?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [History/Other Theravāda traditions] [Conflict] [Politics and society] [Monastic life] [Islam] [Right Speech] [Media] // [Military]
2. “What is the funeral protocol for monks? What about non-monastics in the West?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Funerals] [Monastic life] [Lay life] // [Ceremony/ritual] [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West] [Chithurst]
Recollection: Details of Ajahn Chah’s funeral. [Ajahn Chah] [Lodging] [Food]
Recollection: The complicated cremation of Venerable Master Hua. [Master Hsuan Hua]
7. “In the chant ‘10 Subject for Frequent Recollection,’ what does ‘one who had gone forth’ mean? Anyone on the path or only monastics?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Recollection] [Monastic life]
6. “I find I do need some pleasures even thought they don’t last, things like fine arts and being in nature. I’m curious, how did you manage as a monk in your early years at Ajahn Chah’s monastery where there’s almost no pleasure....How did you manage to keep going over the years until the present?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire] [Artistic expression] [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] [Food] [Entertainment and adornment] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Cessation of Suffering] [Happiness ] [Simplicity ] [Association with people of integrity] [Empathetic joy] [Human] [Hindrances] [Jhāna] [Virtue] [Discernment]
Quote: “One of the extraordinary perks of being a monk is that everyone tries to be good around you.”
Sutta: MN 36.32: “Why am I afraid of that happiness?” [Buddha/Biography] [Ascetic practices] [Suffering] [Skillful qualities] [Eightfold Path]
Quote: “As a monk, I can look back on forty years of living in a way where I don’t have to feel remorseful or regret anything.”
7. “Did the Dhammayut/Mahanikai differences matter to serious practice monks?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Thai sects] [Monastic life] // [Pāṭimokkha] [Saṅgha] [Ajahn Baen] [Ajahn Mun] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa]
3. “Was there some consistency around how Ajahn Chah taught monks in a large community and how he taught monks in a small community? It sounds like when there were eleven monks he was very involved.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Mentoring] // [Ageing]
4. “How do monks treat intestinal worms?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Health care] [Sickness] [Killing]
5. “It seems unusual for a monk to talk about his meditative attainments. Is this unusual or frowned upon?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Stages of awakening]
9. Discussion about the reality of dealing with training behaviors amongst a constantly changing population within the monastery. [Monastic life] [Protocols] [Cleanliness] // [Temporary ordination]
15. “A list of ten misconceptions about Buddhim in Tricycle magazine included ‘All Buddhists meditate.’ It said that historically this wasn’t true. Is this accurate?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [History] [Culture/West] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Monastic life] [Lay life] [Devotional practice] [History/Thai Buddhism]
16. “May I ask for your secret? [Why is Abhayagiri monastic training so often successful?]” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training] [Abhayagiri] [Monastic life] // [Theravāda] [Simplicity] [Vinaya] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah] [Middle Path] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Right Effort] [Compassion]
17. “Do American monks have a culture shock when they visit Thailand?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] // [Wat Pah Nanachat]
9. “For all the monastics individually—when was the last time something made you really angry, and if you don’t mind sharing, what was it? Just trying to feel the humanness within the robes. Thanks.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Aversion] [Monastic life]
1. “A question regarding the 5 precepts. In daily life, I am really good about keeping #1, 2, 3 and 5; but somehow I found that the precept #4 is really hard. I find myself lying everyday such as: ‘Do I look good?’ → Yes, of course. ‘Do you want to eat some more?’ → No, thanks, I’m full (but in fact the food didn’t taste good). Or speaking at a wrong time, speaking too long, too short, too harsh or speaking with a wrong tone of voice. This is the hardest one for me. Kindly advise. Thank you.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Five Precepts] [False speech ] [Right Speech ] // [Monastic life] [Precepts ] [Pāli] [Learning]
Quote: “The function of the precepts in terms of practice is to provide a mirror so we can understand our own intentions and volitions.” [Volition]
16. “Do the monks have any prescribed physical exercises / stretching that they do to keep limber and agile with all their sitting?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Excercise]
8. “A question for all the bhikkhus: Can you please recall a time when you were intensely attacked by the armies of Mara and had a lot of suffering and what did you do to overcome it? What strategy did you use or whether nothing worked at all and you just had to be patient with it and accept it? Thank you for your teaching.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Māra] [Suffering] [Patience]
9. “Can one contemplate pain using the four elements or is here a more direct way to penetrate physical pain? Many thanks for your teachings.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pain ] [Elements ] // [Investigation of states] [Mindfulness of body] [Middle Path] [Discernment] [Sickness]
Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno spent many of his early years as a monk contemplating pain. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life]
1. “What are the rewards for the skillful monk?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Skillful qualities] [Right Mindfulness] // [Happiness] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Concentration]
Sutta: SN 47.8: Simile of the skillful cook. [Similes] [Similes]
Story: Ajahn Mun criticizes Ajahn Mahā Boowa for developing meditation like a tree stump. [Ajahn Mun] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Admonishment/feedback]
2. “A film came out recently called Monk with a Camera. How does one balance between pursuing one’s artistic interests and sincerely following a path of relinquishment.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Renunciation] [Artistic expression ] // [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [Entertainment and adornment] [Generosity] [Energy] [Devotional practice]
Story: Rev. Heng Sure uses music to teach Dhamma. [Teaching Dhamma]
Story: Two Abhayagiri monks learn icon painting from the abbot of the Ukrainian Uniate monastery next door. [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Jotipālo] [Christianity]
1. Comment: Secular Buddhism is a new Buddhist identity. [Secular Buddhism] [Buddhist identity]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abhayagiri] [Monastic life] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand]
8. “Is one of the benefits of being a monastic having to live up to people’s expectations?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Monastic life] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Robes] [Buddhist identity] // [Conventions] [Christianity] [Idealism] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand]
7. “I volunteer in hospice and was in attendance for the passing of my parents. I notice vast differences in the way people experience their passage. What can we do, while still alive, to prepare for a peaceful and ‘wakeful’ passing? Other than ‘being present,’ is there anything that can be of benefit to others?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death] // [Recollection/Death] [Equanimity] [Impermanence] [Sickness] [Idealism] [Compassion] [Generosity]
Sutta: AN 5.57: Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection (Chanting Book translation)
Vinaya: Kd 8.26.8: Qualities of a good nurse. [Monastic life] [Health care]
Story: Ajahn Chah advises Paul Breiter about the limits of spiritual hospice work. [Ajahn Chah] [Paul Breiter] [Buddho mantra] [Fierce/direct teaching]
6. “Do any of you who reside at the monastery vote in local or national elections? I also wonder if you get involved in public discussions on local policies as they pertain to or potentially affect the monastery?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Politics and society ] // [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/Sri Lanka]
Story: Abhayagiri engages with local people and the Forestry Department to block a timber harvest. [Abhayagiri] [Environment]
17. “Please say more about what a monastic retreat offers compared to an ‘ordinary’ retreat. What are the differences?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats] [Monastic life]
2. “How could you accomplish studying Buddhism in Thailand with Luang Por Chah? How did Luang Por Chah teach you as a you were a foreigner new monk? How did you cope with the language issue?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah ] [Teaching Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Language] // [Culture/Thailand] [Patience] [Wat Pah Pong] [Novices]
Quote: “It’s just like teaching buffaloes.” — Ajahn Chah. [Western Ajahn Chah lineage] [Similes]
Quote: “Dhamma is not about the words, about the concepts, about the ideas. It’s about the experience.” — Ajahn Chah. [Dhamma ] [Direct experience ]
13. “How important is chanting for one’s practice? Do you have any tips for how to recite/remember the Pali chants?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Chanting ] [Memory] [Pāli] // [Monastic life] [Recollection] [Devotional practice] [Energy] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Long-term practice] [Dhamma recordings] [Posture/Walking] [Almsround] [Mindfulness]
Story: Ajahn Mun would chant for over an hour each evening before he started meditating. [Ajahn Mun] [Monastic routine]
Suttas: AN 10.60 Girimānanda Sutta; SNSN 22.22: Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (Chanting Book translation).
Story: The evening program at Wat Fah Krahm is three hours of chanting followed by a three-hour sit. [Wat Fah Krahm] [Meditation]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 138: Rhythm of the Pāli language.
Sutta: SN 48.9: Mindfulness related to memory.
13. Reflection by Ajahn Amaro: The world of things we leave behind, but the qualities of the heart are the abiding refuge. [Relinquishment] [Skillful qualities] // [Abhayagiri] [Monastic life] [Faith] [Simplicity] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]
13. “When you’re living on the precepts, how do I relate to (for example) a friend who tells me about an affair they are having?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Precepts] [Spiritual friendship] [Sexual misconduct] // [Skillful qualities] [Admonishment/feedback] [Discernment] [Right Speech] [Vinaya] [Abhayagiri]
Quote: “Don’t admonish your fellow monks before the meal.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Food] [Eating after noon]
4. “What do you do when there are ants at the monastery? Is there a way to get rid of them naturally without killing them? I had to get rid of some a week ago and witnessed 3 ants die somewhat painfully by what I used which caused both sadness and remorse in me and I don’t want to do it again. But what is “right action” (ie. the precepts) versus what is practical?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Animal] [Killing] [Monastic life]
2. “I was wondering since you are a monk of 40 years, you are happy and mindful. How can you know of the issues, problems, etc., of people’s’ lives in the current modern times? We are worried about Trump’s presidency!” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Lay life] [Politics and society] // [Monasteries] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support ] [Abhayagiri] [Views] [Conditionality] [Dhamma]
14. “Is it true that it’s bad or disrespectful to point one’s heel at a monk? I thought that I read or heard this somewhere. Sometimes I have felt the necessity to stretch out one leg or the other in the meditation hall, but as all the monastics sit up front, I feel that I will be pointing my heel at one monastic or another and I really don’t want to be disrespectful if this is so. Or is this worrying too much about conventions which causes suffering?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Respect] [Monastic life] [Postures]
17. “I grew up in an environment where any difference was met with hostility. I was bullied, I was robbed a few times, I didn’t feel safe. No wonder the idea of refuge always resonated with me....However, even after living in very tolerant California and generally feeling myself safe here, when I am outdoors practicing walking meditation, whenever I see or hear strangers approaching me, my mind begins rushing in anticipation that this encounter would turn hostile. Being on precepts makes me feel particularly vulnerable. Could you share some teaching about protecting qualities of the Dhamma and how I can feel less fear while keeping the precepts? Could some of the monastics share their stories of receiving unexpected kindness from seemingly hostile strangers or stories of resolving physical or verbal attacks while wearing the robes and keeping precepts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discrimination] [Abuse/violence] [Fear] [Three Refuges] [Meditation retreats] [Precepts] [Dhamma] [Monastic life] [Stories] [Generosity] // [Human] [Truth] [Compassion] [Abhayagiri] [Almsround]
Story: A football hooligan has a sharing session with a monk on a train.
Story: Ajahn Gunha wanders into a Communist base on tudong. [Ajahn Gunha] [Tudong] [Politics and society] [Rains retreat]
Story: Ajahn Sudanto goes almsround each day in White Salmon. [Ajahn Sudanto] [Pacific Hermitage]
15. “One of the reflections that was sent online described Ajahn Chah’s response to monks who wanted to go out and help refugees. Can you speak to this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Service] [Politics and society] // [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Military] [Conflict]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno spends time at a Cambodian refugee camp. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Preah Mahāghosānanda]
1. “What meaningful impact do Buddhist monks have on the community?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support ] [Community] [Saṅgha] // [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Lunar observance days] [Abhayagiri]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s first visit to Wat Pah Pong. [Wat Pah Pong ] [Temporary ordination] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries]
2. “How closely do you and the other monks live together?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Chah] [Communal harmony ] [Vinaya] [Seclusion] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Monastic routine]
Quote: “Human beings. Those are beings with issues.” — Ajahn Chah. [Human] [Conflict]
14. “What are the biggest misconceptions about being ordained?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life ] // [Selfishness ]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno visits Ajahn Buddhadāsa: “Don’t be selfish!” [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Ajahn Pasanno]
16. “Are there monastics who wander around the world without any home base or destination?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Tudong ] // [Ajahn Sucitto] [Sequence of training] [Rains retreat] [Abhayagiri] [Requisites] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Almsround] [Culture/West] [Almsfood] [Not handling money] [Generosity]
21. “Is the philosophy of this community totally against fun?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Entertainment and adornment] [Happiness] [Recreation/leisure/sport] // [Association with people of integrity] [Culture/Natural environment]
22. Comment: Some of the things that monastics avoid due to their precepts can be really beautiful. [Monastic life] [Vinaya]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
26. “Do the monks give each other massages?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Health] // [Culture/Thailand]
28. “What precepts don’t most people know about that have a big effect on your life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Vinaya ] // [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Requisites] [Mindfulness] [Communal harmony]
29. “Do monastics talk with each other about the precepts they have broken or having wrong thoughts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Vinaya] [Saṅgha] [Christianity] // [Pāṭimokkha] [Confession] [Rains retreat] [Learning] [Abhayagiri] [Faith]
1. “The Buddha described his teaching as Dhamma-vinaya. Can you explain why it wasn’t just Dhamma? What does this term mean?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Middle Path] [Monastic life] [Dhamma] [Vinaya ] // [Recollection/Buddha]
Reference: Buddhadhamma by P. A. Payutto (available at buddhadhamma.github.io) p. 1659
2. “In order to come to the training as Westerners, we often had to not follow cultural traditions and authorities. Monastic life has so many rules and the traditions are well established. How do we switch gears?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Monastic life] [Dhamma] [Vinaya] // [Recollection/Dhamma] [Faith]
3. “How do we expand our faith into other aspects of training?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Faith] [Monastic life] [Dhamma] [Vinaya] // [Dependent origination] [Recollection/Buddha] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Liem]
4. “Is vinaya about taking responsibility for your actions and mental states and how that affects other people?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Dhamma] [Vinaya] // [Dependent origination] [Recollection/Buddha]
5. “Can you talk about skillful means to become more sensitive to the nuances of monastic training?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Dhamma] [Vinaya] // [Requisites] [Mindfulness] [Respect for elders] [Upatakh]
1. “Can you talk about respect in the context of horizontal and vertical relationships in monastic life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Respect] [Respect for elders] [Monastic life] // [Conscience and prudence]
2. “Are their multiple levels of brahmacariyā (celibacy)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Celibacy] [Christianity] [Sensual desire] [Monastic life] // [Becoming]
Sutta: AN 7.50 Sexual Intercourse
3. “Can you speak to the development of respect for the symbols of monastic life as opposed to respect for individual teachers?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Respect] [Teachers] [Monastic life] // [Almsbowl] [Buddha] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] [Human]
5. “Western culture seems to have no context for celibacy as a good thing.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Celibacy] [Culture/West] [Monastic life] // [Christianity]