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1. “Why is sañña often translated as perception?” [Perception] [Translation] // [Thai] [Recollection] [Aggregates]
Sutta: MN 43.5 Mahāvedalla Sutta: Conjoined not disjoined.
2. “Have you heard of sañña and saṅkhara being translated as short-term and long-term memory?” [Perception] [Volitional formations] [Translation]
3. “Do we have a copy of Khandhavimutti and Samangidhamma in Thai?” [Ajahn Mun] [Thai] [Artistic expression]
Note: Ajahn Ṭhānissaro has published an edition of Khandhavimutti and Samangidhamma which includes the poem in Thai, but it does not appear to be available online.
4. “What does “the longing for the good is the cause of the trouble” mean?” [Ajahn Mun] [Craving] [Skillful qualities] [Right Effort] // [Eightfold Path] [Aggregates] [Liberation] [Self-identity view] [Virtue] [Relinquishment] [Jhāna] [Ignorance] [Cause of Suffering]
Story: Sixth Patriarch Sutra: “No mirror, no dust.”
Recollection: Ajahn Chah taught you could grasp at either samut (the conventional) or vimut (the transcendant). [Ajahn Chah] [Conventions] [Unconditioned] [Clinging] [Discernment]
5. Comment: This reminds me of the phrase “possessing goodness.” [Self-identity view] [Virtue]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “The relinquishment doesn’t negate the need for cultivation of goodness.” [Conceit] [Right Effort] [Relinquishment]
6. “Is this similar to the Buddha’s teaching to let go of the path?” [Eightfold Path] [Relinquishment] // [Ajahn Chah] [Not-made-of-that] [Right Effort] [Ajahn Mun] [Thai]
Sutta: SN 1.1 Oghataraṇa: Crossing the Flood.
7. Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno describes Ajahn Mun’s skillful use of language. [Ajahn Mun ] [Thai] [Language] [Artistic expression] [Teaching Dhamma]
Reference: Venerable Ācariya Mun Bhūridatta Thera: A Spiritual Biography by Ajahn Mahā Boowa [Fierce/direct teaching]
Reference: Regarding the photo in Abhayagiri’s Dhamma Hall: “This is the most warm and fuzzy picture of Ajahn Mun.”
2. Ajahn Pasanno describes the title “Luang Ta.” [Monastic titles] [Older monks] // [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Thai]
3. “When Luang Ta Mahā Boowa says he’s looking for a sign or vision, what does he mean by that?” [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Nimitta] [Deva] // [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West] [Dreams] [Determination]
Story: Ajahn Tiradhammo asks Ajahn Chah what event convinced him that he was on the path to liberation. [Ajahn Tiradhammo] [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma books] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Liberation]
4. “Did any of the Western monks go to Ajahn Chah to ask about their dreams?” [Ajahn Chah] [Dreams] // [Ajahn Pasanno]
5. “Was the biography compiled from what Luang Ta wrote or stories from his students?” [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [History/Thai Buddhism] [Dhamma books]
Story: Ajahn Mahā Boowa types Dhamma books and writes letters to practitioners. [Technology] [Teaching Dhamma]
6. “Do you have any information about what the Level 3 Pāli includes?” [Learning] [Pāli] [History/Thai Buddhism] // [Ajahn Chah] [Commentaries]
Story: P.A. Payutto passes the ninth level Pāli studies as a novice. [P. A. Payutto] [Novices] [Ordination] [Royalty]
7. “What do monks do with Pāli study levels?” [Learning] [Pāli] [Culture/Thailand] [Types of monks] // [P. A. Payutto]
Story: Tan Chao Khun Prayoon Dhammacitto, the head of the Buddhist University in Bangkok, visits Wat Pah Nanachat. [Chao Khun Prayoon] [Thai sects] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
Story: Ajahn Mahā Adisak, a ninth-degree Pāli scholar, spends a year at Amaravati. [Ajahn Mahā Adisak] [Amaravati] [Ajahn Sumedho]
Story: He found it difficult to translate Ajahn Amaro’s teachings to Westerners into Thai. [Ajahn Amaro] [Culture/West] [Translation] [Dhamma books]
1. “Was Ajahn Chah talking about samādhi or stream entry when he spoke about “not going backwards”?” [Concentration] [Stream entry] [Ajahn Chah]
2. “Did Ajahn Chah tend to emphasize certain Dhammas for Westerners and for Thais?” [Teaching Dhamma] [Culture/West ] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah]
3. “Was Ajahn Ñāṇadhammo’s experience of being pushed unusual for Western monks?” [Ajahn Ñāṇadhammo] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Culture/West] [Ardency] [Ajahn Chah] [Suffering]
Jack Kornfield’s recollections of Ajahn Chah at Insight Meditation Society. Recounted by Ajahn Jotipālo. [Jack Kornfield] [Insight Meditation Society] [Meditation retreats]
4. “Before Ajahn Chah had his stroke how many branch monasteries were there at that time?” [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Ajahn Chah]
5. “Was Ajahn Chah involved in training the abbots of those monasteries?” [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Abbot] [Mentoring] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Tam Saeng Pet] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
6. “Was the tradition of a monk going to another monastery in their third rains happening in Ajahn Chah’s time?” [Sequence of training] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Ajahn Chah]
7. “Did Ajahn Chah ever have to use any especially powerful methods of pushing people away when the time came for them to go somewhere else?” [Fierce/direct teaching] [Ajahn Chah] // [Respect]
Story: The unpopular branch monastery. [Wat Pah Supattaram] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Building projects] [Abbot] [Fasting]
1. “All the Thai Forest Masters give very clear presentations of how they were attaining/finding peace of mind. Is there much written about how Bangkok was reacting when these Masters were saying “attainment is possible?” How were the Thai Masters answering?” [Thai Forest Tradition] [Progress of insight] [Types of monks] [Liberation] // [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo] [Royalty]
2. “What were the interesting practices you used so that you would get up as soon as you woke up?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Devotion to wakefulness ] // [Mindfulness of body] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Sitter's practice]
3. “Did Ajahn Chah talk about how to approach the nimitas?” [Ajahn Chah] [Nimitta] // [Proliferation]
4. “Could it be useful if the object is clear, stable, and peaceful and keeps coming back?” [Nimitta] // [Proliferation]
5. “With investigating sleep, it seems sleeping less is an effect from good meditation practice rather than a cause; is it because there is less proliferation?” [Devotion to wakefulness] [Conditionality] [Proliferation] // [Craving not to become] [Sloth and torpor] [Habits] [Ardency] [Energy]
1. “I am curious about ways to know if one is lying to oneself and what to do?” [Truth] [Delusion] // [Suffering] [Discernment] [Bases of Success]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah said the fastest way to enlightenment is to look directly at the mind, point your finger, and say “Liar!” [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation] [Proliferation]
2. “There are photos of Luang Ta Mahā Boowa looking very fierce and also photos of him looking very joyful, laughing, and the same with Ajahn Chah, a bit more stern I’d say. Do you think the same could be said of Ajahn Mun, not that there are photos but there could have been?” [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Ajahn Chah] [Happiness] [Ajahn Mun] [Technology] // [Culture/Thailand]
Quote: “Those farangs, they really like teeth.” — Ajahn Chah [Culture/West]
3. “What about Luang Por Dune, he looks so mellow; was he ever animated?” [Ajahn Dune] [Personality] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Culture/Thailand] [Humor]
Reference: Gifts He Left Behind by Ajahn Dune.
3. “In the reading there was a lot of emphasis on solitude. Here we have a lot of time for that especially right now with our Winter Retreat, but we also have a lot of responsibilities and engagement in community. How would you recommend us balancing the two or using them to help each other?” [Seclusion] [Abhayagiri] [Community] [Work] [Personality] // [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/India] [Ajahn Chah] [Unwholesome Roots] [Discernment] [Generosity] [Culture/West] [Self-identity view]
4. “Do you have any advice about how to hold a particularly strong “fighting spirit” teaching, like Ajahn Dtun?” [Fierce/direct teaching ] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Dtun] // [Culture/Thailand] [Ardency] [Right Effort] [Restlessness and worry] [Heedfulness] [Discernment] [Goodwill]
Sutta: AN 1.49: The mind is radiant.
Quote: “If you invite visitors into your home [the mind] and they just make a mess, then you want to close the door on them before they come in. You can’t be too polite.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Similes] [Unwholesome Roots]
5. “I got more a sense of metta from Ajahn Dtun than warrior spirit?” [Ajahn Dtun] [Goodwill] [Fierce/direct teaching] // [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Spiritual urgency]
6. Story: Ajahn Dtun unexpectedly manifests goodwill towards Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Dtun] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Goodwill] // [Abbot] [Malas]
7. “I have another question about balance. LP Baen encouraged his monks to admonish each other, but Ajahn Chah said to put 90% of your attention on your self and only 10% on other people?” [Ajahn Baen] [Admonishment/feedback] [Ajahn Chah] // [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/West]
Quote: “If someone criticizes you, then you should raise your hands in añjāli and say ‘Sadhu!’ because you don’t have to hire them to do it for you!” — Ajahn Chah [Respect] [Gratitude]
8. “Isn’t there a story about when Ajahn Chah wanted to give feedback to a senior monk and he waited 20 or 30 years?” [Ajahn Chah] [Admonishment/feedback] [Right Speech] // [Ajahn Baen] [Vinaya] [Protocols] [Cleanliness]
4. “What Pāli word do you think Ajahn Geoff is translating as thought formations?” [Pāli] [Translation] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] // [Volitional formations] [Thai]
5. “In another Ajahn Geoff translation, I have seen him use “supposings” or “fashionings.’ Is that the same word?” [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Translation] [Thai] // [Conventions] [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation]
6. “Did Upasika Kee focus on vedana more than other things or was that just in this chapter?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Feeling] // [Insight meditation]
7. “During her lifetime did she have a lot of followers?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Community] // [Animal]
8. “Would it be possible to give a working definition of saṅkhāra? It seems that saṅkhāra is used by different people in different ways.” [Volitional formations] [Aggregates] // [Conditionality] [Form]
Reference: Abhayagiri Chanting Book, p. 23: “All conditions are impermanent.”
3. “I’m interested in the theme mentioned of the body and mind being separate from each other. The questioner asks ‘Don’t they have influence on one another?’ I’m curious about how to reflect on that.” [Form] [Nature of mind] // [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness] [Knowing itself]
Story: Ajahn Chah retreats into the peace and stability of the mind to cope with a lung infection.
1. Background information about Paul Brieter and Being Dhamma. [Paul Breiter] // [Ajahn Chah] [Translation] [Dhamma books]
2. Reading: “Kondañña Knows” from Being Dharma by Ajahn Chah (commercial) pp. 151-168.
3. “The worldly winds appear quite distinct from each other, but status and praise seem closely related. Why?” [Worldly Conditions] [Blame and praise] [Fame and disrepute]
4. “A stream-enterer is said to come back no more than seven lifetimes. Why the number seven?” [Stream entry]
5. “It’s interesting that he equates the extreme of self mortification to aversion, ill-will, and pushing away.” [Middle Path] [Aversion] [Ill-will] // [Ajahn Chah] [Desire] [Ajahn Liem] [Relinquishment] [Arahant] [Idealism]
6. “Could that “quality of knowing” be a variation on the teaching of sati-sampajañña, mindfulness and clear comprehension?” [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] // [Discernment]
7. Reflection about the Buddha saying, “Māra, I see you!” Contributed by Ajahn Jotipālo. [Buddha/Biography] [Māra]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno about the definition of an arahant being “one who is far from defilements” and insight into not self. [Ajahn Chah] [Not-self] [Stream entry] [Self-identity view]
Sutta: MN 123 Acchariya-abbhūta Sutta: Wonderful and Marvelous.
1. “Do you recall when Ajahn Buddhadāsa died?” [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] // [Translation]
3. Story: The Queen invites the best neurosurgeons to help Ajahn Chah in a special suite in Chulalongkorn Hospital. [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness] [Royalty] [Health care] // [Saṅgha decision making]
Story: Ajahn Dune occupies the suite after Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Dune]
5. “Ajahn Pasanno, did I hear correctly the other day that you met Luang Por Dune?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Dune] // [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Wat Burapha] [Personality] [Teaching Dhamma]
6. “His monastery is quite loud, isn’t it?” [Ajahn Dune] [Wat Burapha] [Seclusion]
8. “I was reading that Reverend Heng Sure found that his meditation object was particularly bright and clear when he was around his teacher Master Hua. I wondered if you experienced anything like that when you paid respects to various Ajahns?” [Rev. Heng Sure] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Meditation] // [Conscience and prudence] [Respect for elders]
1. “With your meditation object, when you turn to contemplate it in terms of the three characteristics: anicca, dukkha and anatta, and that doesn’t come up, does that mean you need to stabilize the mind more to see the object more clearly?” [Meditation] [Disenchantment] [Characteristics of existence] [Concentration] // [Self-identity view] [Knowledge and vision] [Relinquishment] [Dhamma]
1. “Was Ajahn Plien a disciple of Ajahn Lee’s?” [Ajahn Plien] [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo] // [Ajahn Waen]
2. “In the Pure Land tradition, there are practices that prepare one for death. Are there are specific recommendations that yourself or Ajahn Chah would give for preparation for that last moment before death?” [Pure Land] [Ajahn Chah] [Death] [Recollection/Death] // [Buddho mantra]
Story: Family members try to encourage a drunkard to recollect “Arahaṃ“ in his last moments. [Mantra] [Humor]
Story: Ajahn Chah’s response to Paul Breiter’s desire to teach meditation to dying people. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Paul Breiter] [Meditation] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Story: Ajahn Karuṇadhammo advises Iris Landsberg to recollect “sorrowless, spotless, secure.” Told by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Recollection]
Sutta: Sn 2.4: Maṅgala Sutta (English chanting translation).
Story: A couple asks Master Hua what kind of dog they should get. [Master Hsuan Hua] [Animal] [Rebirth]
1. Information about Twigs and Branches of the Bodhinyana and the sections that Ajahn Kovilo reads. [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma books] // [Translation] [Ajahn Jundee] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Sumedho]
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.” [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Mentoring] // [Ageing]
4. “Was Ajahn Jun around when you were training?” [Ajahn Jun] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Liem] [Ajahn Boon Choo]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho gets upset at Ajahn Chah for not admonishing lax monks. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Admonishment/feedback]
5. Story: Ajahn Jayasaro spends a Rains Retreat with Ajahn Koon. Told by Ajahn Cunda. [Ajahn Jayasaro] [Ajahn Koon] [Novices]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Personality]
1. Introductory comments by Ajahn Pasanno and Tan Pamutto clarify some of the terms in the reading.
1. “I recall hearing about some aspects of the korwat at Upasika Kee’s center, do you know any of those particular details?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Protocols] // [Medicinal requisites] [Vegetarianism]
2. “Was it a women only center or separated between men and women?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Women in Buddhism]
3. “Do you think all those rules were written down like Ajahn Chah regulations?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Protocols] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong]
4. “Did she have any well-known disciples that went on to do other things?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon]
5. “It’s interesting with vegetarianism, some follow that and there are others that don’t?” [Vegetarianism] [Buddha/Biography] [Ajahn Mun] [Ajahn Gunha] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] // [Protocols]
6. “Do you think the vegetarian choice at certain centers and monasteries relates to different temperaments or personalities?” [Vegetarianism] [Personality] // [Ajahn Gunha] [Simplicity] [Killing] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
Comment by Ajahn Cunda: At Abhayagiri when people ask, we tell them we prefer vegetarian. [Abhayagiri]
7. “My guess is they were not smoking at Upasika Kee’s, is that right?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Smoking] // [Health care]
8. “When she is talking about the mind at normalcy, her description is having the meditation object always at least in the background, constantly in awareness, being aware of the mind-state and also doing whatever you are doing, walking, washing dishes etc. Her emphasis is on cultivating it so this is something that you would be doing twenty-four hours a day. When Ajahn Chah spoke of normalcy of the mind, did he describe it in the same way?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Mindfulness of mind] [Ajahn Chah] // [Discernment] [Happiness] [Unification]
9. Comment: She talks about within this state of normalcy constantly contemplating the three characteristics of all phenomena occurring in awareness. To me that sounds like juggling a bunch of things! [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Conditionality]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discernment]
10. Comment: So the ability to hold the meditation object, go through your daily routines, keep an eye on the mind tone, and watch the stress flavor of all arising phenomenon seems like a fairly advanced practice state to arrive at and maintain twenty-four hours a day. [Continuity of mindfulness ] [Everyday life] [Mindfulness of mind] [Suffering]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: It’s a great option if you don’t want to suffer. [Cessation of Suffering] [Happiness]
11. “She talks about making a story out of denying your defilements. Does the story of having fun denying your defilements come from that space of dwelling in that state of continuous mindfulness, or does continuous mindfulness come about from going through the suffering of forcing yourself not to enjoy anything?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Unwholesome Roots] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Conditionality] // [Discernment]
Quote: “Relinquishment isn’t so much a giving up something that we have but enjoying the non-moving to get or trying to make.” [Relinquishment] [Cessation of Suffering] [Not-made-of-that]
Simile: Learning to drive or walk. — Ajahn Kaccāna. [Similes]
12. “What do you mean when you say try something and note “it’s not working” or “it is working?” How do you know it’s not just another defilement sneaking in and saying “this isn’t working?”” [Right Effort] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Clear comprehension] [Happiness] [Habits]
13. “Is that where when one isn’t meditating per se but where virtue would come in to inform whether we have slipped or not?” [Virtue] // [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Ajahn Chah] [Conscience and prudence] [Similes] [Spiritual friendship]
Quote: “The defilements have their wisdom also.” — Ajahn Chah [Unwholesome Roots] [Discernment] [Delusion]
14. “She talks about virtue being the other hand of discernment in the meditation experience, and whenever discernment discerns stress, virtue is what lets go of the cause of stress, that virtue does the disbanding of it. Is virtue an unusual word to use there?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Virtue] [Discernment] [Cessation of Suffering] [Dispassion] // [Pāli] [Conscience and prudence] [Ajahn Chah]
Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 14: Many levels of sīla. [Commentaries] [Eightfold Path]
15. “When the habit pattern of defilement is so strong, and even with the mind seeing the suffering, still the mind says, “I’m not going to give that up,” do you have any suggestions for softening that, for working with that?” [Habits] [Unwholesome Roots] [Clinging]
Response: “No, just keep suffering.” [Suffering]
16. Comment by Ajahn Jotipālo: In this talk, Upasika Kee goes through dependent origination and emphasizes catching it at sense-contact. I’ve always been taught that it’s feeling where you can break it. [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Dependent origination] [Contact] [Mindfulness of feeling]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire] [Mindfulness] [Investigation of states]
17. “You were talking about the positive aspect of relinquishment, and that’s what will motivate giving up, that positive aspect of giving up and letting go. When it’s painful giving up and you give up, you can say, ‘Wait, I’m just focusing on the negative aspect of giving up, I need to switch my mind to the benefits of relinquishment?’” [Relinquishment] [Suffering] [Appropriate attention] // [Self-identity view] [Clinging] [Humor] [Humility]
1. “What became of Venerable Araññabho?” [Disrobing] [Chithurst]
2. “Did Venerable Araññabho stay at Wat Pah Nanachat?” [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Wat Pah Pong]
3. “How long did Venerable Varapañño spend in robes?” [Paul Breiter] [Disrobing] // [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Story: “I need a lawyer!”
Comment by Ajahn Pesalo: Even living for years in close proximity to Ajahn Chah isn’t enough to guarantee people will remain in robes.
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
4. “How do monks treat intestinal worms?” [Monastic life] [Health care] [Sickness] [Killing]
5. “Was there much coming and going between Wat Pah Pong and Wat Pah Nanachat?” [Wat Pah Pong] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
6. Ajahn Pasanno tells how he went to Wat Pah Nanachat to make a bowl stand but got sick with scrub typhus. An extended discussion ensues. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Monastic crafts] [Sickness] // [Rains retreat] [Joseph Kappel] [Kittisaro]
1. “Did you participate in massage sessions with senior monks besides Luang Por Chah?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Upatakh]
2. “How does one incline the mind towards recollecting one’s own good actions?” [Recollection/Virtue ] [Merit] [Aversion] [Gladdening the mind] // [Emotion] [Feeling] [Kamma] [Investigation of states] [Vajrayāna]
1. “Can you reflect upon Ajahn Lee’s positive approach to the nutriments?” [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo] [Nutriment] [Sutta]
2. “Which of the three unwholesome roots is most prominent when the mind is lazy?” [Energy] [Unwholesome Roots] [Sloth and torpor] // [Delusion]
1. “Is bhavataṇhā both the desire to exist and the desire to be a certain way?” [Becoming] // [Self-identity view]
2. “Is vibhavataṇhā the thought, “I am this way and I don’t want to be this way?”” [Craving not to become]
3. “How do the kilesas relate to the concept of the shadow?” [Western psychology] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Characteristics of existence] [Self-identity view] [Mae Chee Kaew]
4. “I seem to make a virtue of laziness and don’t quite believe the teachings about doing without food and sleep. Do you have any advice for me?” [Sloth and torpor] [Ascetic practices] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities]
5. “Could say more about seeing the unwholesomeness or shadow?” [Unwholesome Roots] // [Mindfulness] [Idealism] [Delusion]
6. Comment: There can be this view that the enlightened mind doesn’t have any thoughts or defilements. It’s just perfectly clear and stable and there’s nothing going on. [Liberation] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Unwholesome Roots] [Concentration]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: Clear and stable and nothing going on are two different things.
Follow-up: “Does the enlightened mind not have any unwholesome thoughts or does it just not pick up unwholesome thoughts?” [Unskillful qualities] [Proliferation] [Clinging] [Cause of Suffering]
Story: A palmist looks at Ajahn Chah’s hands. [Ajahn Chah] [Aversion] [Personality]
7. The character of Ajahn Chah and his relatives. [Ajahn Chah] [Personality] [Aversion] [Humor] // [Leadership]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah’s older brother had the same personality. [Family]
9. A retreatant expresses appreciation for the concept of non-stickiness. [Gratitude] [Release] [Nibbāna]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Idealism] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Personality] [Mae Chee Kaew] [Language]
11. “Ajahn Chah distinguished between the peaceful mind and the mind that has appeased the kilesas. But when the kilesas are present, is it useful to be peaceful about them?” [Ajahn Chah] [Concentration] [Unwholesome Roots] [Tranquility] // [Suffering] [Delusion]
12. A retreatant expresses appreciation for Upasika Kee Nanayon’s exhortation to be honest with ourselves. [Unwholesome Roots] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Truth] [Gratitude]
“You can lie to the entire world if you like, but you must never lie to yourself.” – Mae Chee Kaew: Her Journey to Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment by Ajahn Dick Sīlaratano, p. 235. [Mae Chee Kaew] [False speech]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view] [Culture/West]
13. “Can you recommend any practices to develop honesty with ourselves?” [Truth] [Delusion] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Direct experience]
Quote: “You can’t take yourself too seriously. That’s really deadly.” [Humor] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “Do we have to sweep all of this?” “No, just sweep what’s in front of your broom.” [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Cleanliness]
1. “Could you describe ways to work with delighting and wanting around the pleasure of food?” [Food ] [Craving] [Happiness] [Unattractiveness] [Disenchantment] // [Elements] [Mindfulness of body] [Clinging] [Impermanence] [Dependent origination]
Sutta: AN 5.208: The benefits of chewing toothwoods. [Cleanliness]
2. “How should we relate to the Buddha’s statement that sensual pleasure is to be feared?” [Sensual desire] [Sense bases] [Fear] // [Culture/West] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy]
Sutta: MN 66.19: Sensual pleasure is to be feared.
3. “Could you reflect on how Ajahn Buddhadāsa portrays mindfulness and ignorance as opposites?” [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Mindfulness] [Ignorance] // [Dependent origination]
4. “Could you say more about the positive causal process that is the opposite of paticcasamuppada?” [Dependent origination] [Conditionality] [Mindfulness] // [Skillful qualities] [Right Mindfulness] [Factors of Awakening]
Sutta: SN 12.23 Upanisa: Dukkha is a cause for faith. [Suffering] [Faith]
Sutta: AN 10.61 Avijjā: The Five Hindrances are a cause for ignorance. [Hindrances] [Ignorance]
5. “When I look at neutral objects, dullness often arises. Is this suffering?” [Feeling] [Contact] [Sloth and torpor] [Unskillful qualities] [Suffering] // [Craving not to become] [Delusion] [Ignorance] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension]
Comment by Ajahn Jotipālo: Lack of desire is not enlightenment. [Desire] [Liberation]