Three Refuges (tisaraṇa)
Three Refuges (tisaraṇa)
[Session] Chanting: Salutation to the Triple Gem [Chanting] [Three Refuges]
2. Favorite verses of Ajahn Chah: “Buddhaṃ me jīvitaṃ yāva-nibbānaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.” Recounted by Ajahn Amaro. [Mantra] [Ajahn Chah] [Three Refuges] [Nibbāna] [Chanting] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Ajahn Sundarā]
Quote: “Nibbāna is complete normality.” — Ajahn Chah [Naturalness]
[Session] Chanting on Buddha, Dhamma and Saṇgha. Offered by Ajahn Sundarā. [Three Refuges] [Nibbāna]
3. What drew us to Ajahn Chah? Reflection by Joseph Kappel. [Association with people of integrity] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/West] [Three Refuges] [Teachers] [Media]
1. Chanting: Morning Chanting offered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Chanting] [Three Refuges]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 2
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]
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] [Saṅgha decision making]
6. Recollection: The June 2000 Saṅgha Meeting concludes in harmony. Recounted by Ajahn Sumedho. [Wat Pah Pong] [Saṅgha] [Saṅgha decision making] [Communal harmony] [Ajahn Chah] // [Views] [Harsh speech] [Forgiveness] [Three Refuges] [Culture/West]
Quote: “Luang Por Chah wasn’t giving us views and opinions....[He gave] us all a confidence in the unspoken unity of our humanity.” [Faith] [Human]
3. Chanting: Paying respects to the shrine and Ajahn Chah. Offered by Ajahn Amaro. [Chanting] [Bowing] [Three Refuges] [Ajahn Chah]
8. “Please explain in English the Pali chant you give as a blessing at the meal and at other occasions.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Chanting] [Pāli] // [Translation] [Merit] [Similes] [Three Refuges]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 50
11. “It’s been so helpful to hear stories from your own experience. Could you talk about some of the more challenging moments in your practice and how you worked with them?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Gratitude] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Long-term practice] // [Doubt] [Patience]
Quote: “It’s not me resolving doubt, but it’s allowing the practice or the Dhamma to work.” [Self-identity view] [Dhamma] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Faith] [Three Refuges]
Simile: “Getting in the vehicle and allowing it to carry you.” [Three Refuges] [Similes]
7. Comments about the role of heaven as a haven in the practice. [Deva] [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Four Noble Truths] [Gradual Teaching]
10. “In the ‘Supreme Praise of the Dhamma [and] the Sangha’ why are the Dhamma and Sangha referred to as ‘My Lord and guide?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Three Refuges] [Chanting]
3. “Was there a time in Thai history when meditation was a routine part of childhood education?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [History/Thai Buddhism] [Children] [Learning] [Meditation] // [Three Refuges] [Chanting] [Right View]
Reflection: Ajahn Liem’s mother and sister were nuns with similar demeanor. [Ajahn Liem] [Family] [Mae Chee] [Wat Pah Pong] [Personality]
4. Reading: SN 41.10: Death of Citta the Householder [Great disciples] [Death] // [Deva] [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Generosity]
8. Story: Ajahn Toon tries to disrobe repeatedly, but Ajahn Chah won’t let him. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Toon] [Disrobing] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Patience] [Three Refuges] [Ajahn Tongrat] [Posture/Walking] [Gratitude] [Respect]
20. “So why can awareness be the place where we take refuge?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Knowing itself] [Mindfulness] // [Proliferation] [Three Refuges]
22. The values of the Thai Forest Tradition. Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Knowing itself] [Mindfulness] [Recollection/Buddha] [Four Noble Truths] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Tate] [Ajahn Mun] [Heart/mind] [Three Refuges]
Quote: “Pay attention to the difference between the mind and the objects of mind.” — Ajahn Mun [Nature of mind] [Moods of the mind] [Discernment]
6. “I’m wondering why the chanting says, “for me there is no other refuge, the Buddha is my excellent refuge,” and the same for the Dhamma and the Sangha when all three are refuges. Also, why are the Dhamma and the Sangha referred to as “Lord?” Thank you.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Chanting] [Three Refuges]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 23
2. “What did the Buddha think following his teachings should mean or entail?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Three Refuges] [Precepts] [History/Western Buddhism] [Buddhist identity] // [Virtue] [Lay life] [Faith] [Generosity] [Association with people of integrity] [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Learning] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Conceit]
Sutta: AN 8.26 Jīvaka Sutta [Three Refuges]
8. “When bowing three times, do you say something in your mind like taking refuge or anything else?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Bowing] [Three Refuges]
11. “I am so grateful for the peace I am developing in my life. It feels like a refuge. Is it the fourth refuge?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Three Refuges]
7. Comment: One time I really to the edge of all kinds of sadness and my mind came up with [audio unclear] and Three Refuges in a way that seemed very useful for me. [Depression] [Three Refuges] // [Mantra] [Determination] [Suffering]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Skillful qualities]
6. “How do we perceive which ruts we are stuck in and which tools to use to get out of them? Are there tools besides dhutaṅgas to use when we’re stuck in strong habits?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Delusion] [Craving] [Monastic life] [Ascetic practices] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Self-identity view]
9. Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 612-614 “Faith in the Triple Gem” [Faith] [Three Refuges] [Ajahn Chah] // [Buddha] [Dhamma] [Truth] [Teaching Dhamma] [Lay life] [Recollection/Dhamma]
Simile: Digging a well — Ajahn Chah. [Right Effort] [Liberation]
10. “Did you mention what the trancendent truth of the Saṅgha was?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Saṅgha] [Truth] [Three Refuges] // [Eightfold Path] [Stages of awakening] [Conventions] [Chanting] [Recollection/Saṅgha]
10. Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 662-664 “Por Puang” [Ajahn Chah] // [Temporary ordination] [Wat Pah Pong] [Generosity] [Recollection/Death] [Sickness] [Death] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Three Refuges]
6. Story: An elderly Sri Lankan monk chants to calm a wild elephant. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism] [Animal] [Three Refuges] [Chanting]
Story: Chanting ‘Itipi so’ 108 times. [Abhayagiri] [Anandagiri]
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]
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]