Mental volition (manosañcetanā)
Indeterminate qualities / Four Nutriments / Mental volition
Glosses: Intention
43 excerpts, 2:49:11 total duration

All excerpts (43) Most relevant (31) Questions about (29) Answers involving (13) Stories (1) Quotes (2)

Metta Retreat, Session 4 – Sep. 12, 2008

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9. “What is the difference between awareness and consciousness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Knowing itself] [Consciousness] // [Aggregates] [Sense bases] [Volitional formations] [Volition] [Conditionality] [Discernment]


Right Livelihood, Session 1 – Apr. 21, 2013

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5. “Can you speak about the people who sell these things [intoxicants] versus those who make them?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Intoxicants] [Commerce/economics] [Right Livelihood] // [Kamma] [Volition]

Story: A clerk at an organic food store asks about selling wine. Told by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo.


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10. Comments about meat eating. [Food] [Killing] [Craving] [Vegetarianism] [Right Livelihood]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volition] [Human]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 2 – Nov. 24, 2013

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2. “Could you clarify the difference between perception (sañña), mental formations (saṅkhāra) and conscousness (viññana)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Perception ] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness] // [Memory] [Mindfulness] [Translation] [Volition] [Sense bases]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6 – Nov. 27, 2014

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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]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 4 – Nov. 24, 2015

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1. “What are the consequences of breaking a precept?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Precepts ] // [Pāli] [Learning] [Volition] [Ajahn Chah]

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The root of hiri and otappa. [Conscience and prudence ] [Translation] [Truth] [Kamma] [Respect]


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10. “Can you repeat the aspect of sankharas other than mental volitional energy?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volitional formations ] // [Nibbāna] [Aggregates] [Volition]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 13


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 4 – Nov. 22, 2016

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11. “If someone spreads a harmful story about another that is untrue, but has convinced her/himself it is true (including her/his own embellishments), does this break the fourth precept?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Malicious speech] [False speech ] // [Precepts] [Ajahn Chah] [Volition] [Truth] [Nature of mind]

Quote: “The precepts are there for training as opposed to making a legal decision or character judgement.”


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 7 – Nov. 25, 2016

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9. “Was sati, vedana, jhana part of the religious climate current at the Buddha’s time? How revolutionary was he seen to be then? Do we know?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [History/Early Buddhism] [Buddha/Biography] [Mindfulness] [Feeling] [Jhāna] // [Four Noble Truths] [Aggregates] [Culture/India ] [Kamma] [Volition]


Two Kinds of Thought and the Removal of Distracting Thoughts, Session 3 – Jun. 4, 2017

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7. “Do thoughts by themselves have karmic consequences?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Kamma] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [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]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 3 – Mar. 19, 2018

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3. “What is the role of confession and other tools for recifying offenses?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Vinaya] [Confession] // [Ajahn Chah] [Volition] [Kamma] [Dhamma]


Abhayagiri 25th Anniversary Retreat, Session 9 – Jun. 11, 2021

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4. “I struggle with restlessness. I always want to be doing something, and I often end up doing several things at the same time so it’s draining and not enjoyable. It’s very difficult to stop, and when I stop, I don’t know what to do, so I might grab my iPhone, clean stuff....Could you talk about restlessness and how to do nothing if that’s actually possible?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry ] [Pace of life] [Technology] // [Volition] [Mindfulness of mind] [Simplicity] [Present moment awareness] [Impermanence]


Abhayagiri 25th Anniversary Retreat, Session 12 – Jun. 12, 2021

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11. “How to deal with self-blame due to losing a loved one to suicide?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Suicide] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] // [Volition] [Proliferation] [Relinquishment] [Western psychology] [Forgiveness]

Quote: “People who commit suicide leave their skeletons in other people’s closets.” — Steven Levine.