Part of key topic Skillful Qualities
Also a subtag of Faculties, Factors of Awakening and Progress of insight
74 excerpts, 5:58:04 total duration
Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: In Thai, samādhi is translated as “the firm establishing of the mind.” [Concentration ] [Thai] [Translation] // [Mindfulness]
Quote: “The base and foundation is the mindfulness. Being the knowing is always the foundation, and then the mind is able to become still, become settled, become steady.” [Knowing itself] [Concentration ]
Tudong Stories at Spirit Rock (2011), Session 3, Excerpt 10.1
“Could you clarify the difference between mindfulness and concentration?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Mindfulness] [Concentration ] // [Nature of mind] [Pāli] [Translation]
Follow-up: “You said earlier that mindfulness always comes before concentration, but based on what you just defined, I would think it would be the opposite.” Aswered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration ]
Jhāna: A Practical Approach (2015), Session 1, Excerpt 1
“I appreciate your emphasis on clarity, stability, and spaciousness. How does concentration relate to these?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Clear comprehension] [Unification] [Spaciousness] [Concentration ] // [Pāli] [Thai] [Etymology] [Tranquility] [Happiness] [Rapture] [Conditionality]
Suttas: AN 10.3: Virtuous Behaivor; AN 6.10 Mahānāma [Virtue]
Quote: “The way my mind worked before was, ‘Boy, when I get my concentration together, I’m going to be happy...’” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Concentration ]
Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.” [Concentration ] [Hindrances] [Relinquishment] [Knowledge and vision]
The Whole of the Path (2013), Session 3, Excerpt 8
“I sometimes experience states in which the body is very relaxed and it is easy to become very absorbed in the breath. They are pleasurable and quite calming but is there something I should do with them?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Calming meditation] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Concentration ] [Happiness] // [Discernment] [Self-identity view]
[Session] Reading: “Meditation” from Living Dhamma by Ajahn Chah, pp. 50-53. Read by Ajahn Jitindriyā. [Meditation]
“Cultivate the tree right from the seed.” [Similes] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]
“To practice in a way that’s peaceful means to place the mind neither too high or too low, but at the point of balance.” [Middle Path] [Ajahn Chah]
“So many teachers, so many teachings.” [Teachers] [Doubt] [Meditation/Techniques]
“Where there is knowing, there is no need to think.” [Knowing itself] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness] [Discernment] [Proliferation]
“Resolve that right now is the time for training the mind and nothing else.” [Ardency] [Determination] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Body scanning] [Relinquishment] [Sense restraint]
“Sometimes there may be doubt, so you must have sati, to be the one who knows, continually following and examining the agitated mind.” [Continuity of mindfulness] [Restlessness and worry] [Heedfulness] [Concentration] [Feeling]
Simile: Chicken in a coop. [Concentration]
21. Quote: After listening to Jack Kornfield’s adventures, Ajahn Chah responds, “Something else to let go of, isn’t it?” Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Travel] [Culture/Other Theravāda traditions] [Relinquishment] // [Meditation retreats] [Concentration] [Abhidhamma] [Ajahn Jumnien] [Liberation] [Clinging] [Suffering]
2. “Can you speak a little about samatha/vipassana and explain the difference between serenity and equanimity?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation] [Equanimity] // [Commentaries] [Ajahn Chah] [Relinquishment] [Liberation] [Concentration] [Divine Abidings] [Factors of Awakening] [Discernment]
Quote: “Samatha-vipassanā is like a green mango and a ripe mango. Same mango.” — Ajahn Chah [Similes]
5. “How would you describe the jhana states and do you teach this kind of meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Jhāna] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Concentration] [Energy] [Clear comprehension] [Knowledge and vision] [Ajahn Chah] [Relinquishment] [Craving] [Conceit]
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]
17. “What is the difference between ‘meditating on’ versus ‘contemplating’ or just thinking about something. Can you give some examples how one may skillfully meditate on something versus unskillfully? What does saṅkhāra mean?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Recollection] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Skillful qualities] [Volitional formations] [Pāli] // [Concentration] [Progress of insight] [Self-identity view] [Aggregates]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 11: A passage to arouse urgency.
19. “What is the difference between pīti and sukha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Rapture] [Happiness] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Concentration] [Jhāna] [Tranquility] [Unification] [Mindfulness]
Simile: A traveller through a desert learns of an oasis (pīti) then drinks and bathes at the oasis (sukha) (Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 139). [Similes]
7. “Just to clarify – when doing loving-kindness practice, is any phrase OK to repeat? They can be said as a chant, right? At any speed? Is any chant best for achieving concentration?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] [Meditation/Techniques] [Chanting] [Concentration] // [Nature of mind]
Quote: “What is really important is not so much the phrases or the methodology but the feeling that is established within the heart of lovingkindness.” [Emotion]
Simile: A tradesman with only one tool. [Similes]
8. “Sometimes when I get concentrated I have spontaneous body and/or facial movements both gross and subtle. Any comments?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Meditation/Unusual experiences ] // [Mindfulness of body] [Goodwill]
1. Guided meditation: Resolve right now is the time for training the mind and nothing else. From “The Key to Liberation” by Ajahn Chah. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Calming meditation] [Proliferation] [Determination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Mindfulness] [Discernment] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Body scanning] [Relinquishment] [Unification] [Restlessness and worry] [Concentration] [Present moment awareness] [Clear comprehension] [Impermanence] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Sense restraint]
Quote: “Sitting and walking meditation are in essence the same, differing only in the posture used.” [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Walking]
Simile: Chicken in a coop. [Similes] [Concentration]
Simile: Mindfulness, clear comprehension, and wisdom are like three workers lifting heavy planks.
3. Comment: Living on faith increases your potential anxiety level. I came to Buddhism thinking this would settle my life, but I realize that being open, aware, and sensitive to the world keeps bringing me new challenges. [Faith] [Restlessness and worry] [Everyday life] [Conscience and prudence] [Tudong]
Sutta: Dhp 244-245: Life is easy for for one without shame. [Conceit] [Virtue]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “You get more than what you bargained for.” [Happiness] [Culture/West] [Communal harmony] [Trust] [Concentration] [Ardency] [Energy] [Discernment] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Right Effort]
Sutta: AN 11.1: Virtue leads to non-remorse and samādhi. [Concentration]
5. “If sati or mindfulness is the cage, what is the use of samatha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Similes] [Mindfulness] [Calming meditation] [Concentration] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Tranquility] [Discernment] [Relinquishment]
10. Quote: “It all comes back to that simple quality of mindfulness. From the mindfulness, then the different qualities of practice that we need to rely on are cultivated.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Mindfulness ] [Faculties] [Tudong] // [Concentration ] [Thai] [Translation] [Discernment] [Perfections]
Reflection: In Thai, samādhi is translated as “the firm establishing of the mind.” [Concentration ]
Quote: “The base and foundation is the mindfulness. Being the knowing is always the foundation, and then the mind is able to become still, become settled, become steady.” [Knowing itself] [Concentration ]
Recollection: “It’s rare that Ajahn Chah would use [the Pāli term] pañña on its own. More often than not, he would use satipañña, which is mindfulness and wisdom together.” [Ajahn Chah] [Pāli]
2. “In the analogy of the accountant (MN 107), it seems that the training works linearly. Are there basic practices that are important to focus on in the beginning? Are ther other practices which should not be attempted in the beginning?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Similes] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma] [Gradual Teaching] // [Faith] [Kamma] [Unconditioned] [Learning] [Relinquishment] [Concentration]
Story: A monk carrying money asks to stay at Wat Pah Pong. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Not handling money]
3. Comment: You spoke about suffusing the body with extreme well-being. But I’ve been in states like that and my body seems to disappear. [Jhāna] [Happiness] [Rapture ] [Mindfulness of body] [Gradual Teaching] [Meditation/Unusual experiences]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
Quote: “It isn’t so much the experience of extreme well-being that is the goal. It’s the ability to gain clarity and stability so that one can see through the experience as something that is uncertain or impermanent, has a changing nature. The mind often wants to disregard that. The tendency to identify self with experience on a refined mental level is tempered by the body experience.” [Clear comprehension] [Concentration] [Knowledge and vision] [Impermanence] [Delusion] [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment]
Follow-up: “Are you saying you can become attached to these states?” [Clinging]
8. “I appreciate your emphasis on clarity, stability, and spaciousness. How does concentration relate to these?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Clear comprehension] [Unification] [Spaciousness] [Concentration ] // [Pāli] [Thai] [Etymology] [Tranquility] [Happiness] [Rapture] [Conditionality]
Suttas: AN 10.3: Virtuous Behaivor; AN 6.10 Mahānāma [Virtue]
Quote: “The way my mind worked before was, ‘Boy, when I get my concentration together, I’m going to be happy...’” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Concentration ]
Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.” [Concentration ] [Hindrances] [Relinquishment] [Knowledge and vision]
9. “For me, the practice starts with concentration to get to a place of well-being. Is there a missing piece here?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Happiness] // [Cultural context] [Generosity] [Precepts] [Culture/West] [Western psychology] [Meditation]
Quote: “It is helpful to get a picture of the whole path and realize how integrated and mutually nourishing those path factors are.” [Eightfold Path] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]
4. “Is there a state of the calm mind when you’re not thinking about anything or is meditation more about reflecting?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Recollection] [Tranquility ] [Proliferation] // [Concentration] [Restlessness and worry] [Perfectionism] [Ardency]
1. “Please explain again: When one restores concentration by focusing on the in-and-outtake of the breath, is one using the vinnana/consciousness of the grasping mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Concentration] [Consciousness] [Clinging]
4. “Would you talk about (describe) how to relax into ‘whole-body breathing?’ What does that mean?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing ] [Mindfulness of body] // [Concentration] [Unification] [Investigation of states] [Tranquility]
2. “Do the underlying tendencies still exist in first jhāna?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Unwholesome Roots] [Jhāna] // [Concentration]
3. “When Ajahn Mahā Boowa says that the peaceful mind is the gathering place for the defilements, are these the underlying tendencies?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Concentration] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Knowledge and vision] [Relinquishment] [Delusion] [Stages of awakening]
1. “Was Ajahn Chah talking about samādhi or stream entry when he spoke about “not going backwards”?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Stream entry] [Ajahn Chah]
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?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Disenchantment] [Characteristics of existence] [Concentration] // [Self-identity view] [Knowledge and vision] [Relinquishment] [Dhamma]
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]
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?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Concentration] [Unwholesome Roots] [Tranquility] // [Suffering] [Delusion]
5. “What is the difference between abandoning craving and realizing the abandoning of craving?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Impermanence] [Aggregates] [Cause of Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Commentaries] [Doubt] [Relinquishment] [Concentration] [Gladdening the mind] [Desire] [Becoming] [Non-return] [Right View]
Sutta: SN 56.11 Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: MN 121 Cūḷa Suññata Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on Emptiness [Emptiness]
Quote: “The characteristic of cessation is not just ending something and annihilating [it], but it’s being willing and able to stop. The nature of the mind is that it doesn’t like to stop. And it’s [through] that not stopping that we keep creating that sense of me.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Cessation] [Nature of mind] [Self-identity view]
2. Comment about the purpose and function of the path. Contributed by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Eightfold Path] [Cessation of Suffering] [Concentration] [Discernment]
Responses by Ajahn Ñāṇiko and Ajahn Pasanno. [Right View] [Relinquishment] [Self-identity view]
5. “Did Ajahn Mahā Boowa always praise the dtuaṅga practices?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ascetic practices] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Ajahn Mun] // [Qualities for non-decline]
Story: Ajahn Mun tells Ajahn Mahā Boowa to stop sweeping when he is sick with malaria. [Sickness] [Ardency] [Attachment to precepts and practices]
Story: Ajahn Mahā Boowa takes on the dtok bhat practice, but Ajahn Mun puts food in his bowl. Told by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Almsfood] [Conceit]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno meets a monk who didn’t need to sleep. [Devotion to wakefulness] [Sense restraint] [Concentration]
Story: Pa Auk Sayadaw didn’t sleep during a Rains Retreat. [Pa Auk Sayadaw]
4. The trio of Ajahn Piak, Ajahn Anan, and Ajahn Dtun. Recollection by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Piak ] [Ajahn Anan ] [Ajahn Dtun ] [Wat Pah Pong] [Spiritual friendship] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “Ajahn Dtun’s path is the path of wisdom...Ajahn Piak is gifted in samādhi. And I have very strong faith.” — Ajahn Anan [Discernment] [Concentration] [Faith]
15. Discussion about faith followers and Dhamma followers. [Stream entry] [Stages of awakening] [Death] [Sutta]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Not-self] [Concentration] [Recollection/Death]
Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, pp. 441-445: Ajahn Chah comes down Pu Pek Mountain and nothing is the same. [Ajahn Chah]
Response by Ajahn Cunda. [Ajahn Amaro]
9. Story: After staying up two nights in a row, Ajahn Boon Choo nods in meditation then establishes samādhi and sits without moving. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Boon Choo] [Sloth and torpor] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Concentration] // [Ajahn Kinaree] [Kaṭhina] [Wat Pah Pong]
1. “Is it rare for someone to master samādhi before developing wisdom?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Discernment] [Ajahn Piak]
4. Ajahn Pasanno describes the meditation method he used during his first year as a monk. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Meditation/Techniques] // [Contact] [Feeling] [Movement meditation] [Concentration]
2. “The citta is sometimes defined as pure awareness, and it being in the fourth khanda, but it sounds like here he’s talking about the activity of awareness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Heart/mind] [Knowing itself] [Volitional formations] // [Rebirth]
Quote: “There is that which is beyond birth and death. And then you start asking, ‘Well, what is it and how is it? How should it be?’ It’s just the same as in the Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2.7)...As soon as you get into conceiving, you’ve already started the process of dukkha.” [Unconditioned ] [Proliferation] [Conceit] [Suffering]
Follow-up: “So is it better to hear what he said and let it go when I notice awareness that’s good, but I don’t have to make anything out of it?”
Quote: “The investigation is not a conceiving. The best investigation is when the mind is exceedingly still and not conceiving, not creating concepts.” [Discernment] [Concentration]
Follow-up: “So is it a realizing, not a conceiving?” [Knowledge and vision]
8. “In that talk he [Ajahn Sim] seemed to stress doing samatha meditation before practicing vipassana. Is that strictly held within this tradition?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Sim] [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Tranquility] [Knowing itself] [Concentration] [Language]
Quote: “The qualities of the one pointed mind are vitakka, vicāra, pīti, sukha, and ekaggatā....It’s not one pointed excluding. It works together, it harmonizes, it’s balanced.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Unification ] [Right Concentration]
6. Comment: I appreciate Ajahn Liem saying, ‘I didn’t make much of it.’ It’s a contradiction between being very active and not being active at the same time. [Ajahn Liem] [Middle Path] [Thai Forest Tradition]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relinquishment] [Meditation] [Concentration] [Proliferation] [Nature of mind] [Faith]
3. “Is walking meditation as ‘good’ as sitting meditation. Can one achieve the level of undistractedness that one needs to be able to investigate the human experience? Or is it part of the bigger picture of mindfulness for seven full days to experience stream entry?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Walking] [Posture/Sitting] [Insight meditation] [Stream entry] // [Meditation/General advice] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Concentration]
Stories about Ajahn Khao. [Ajahn Khao ]
Story: Walking meditation was Ajahn Khao’s preferred mode of practice.
Story: Ajahn Khao’s relics were purple, clear, and incredibly beautiful. [Relics] [Abhayagiri]
Recollection: Ajahn Khao expresses gratitude for the place he realized Awakening. [Liberation] [Gratitude] [Lodging] [Bodhi Tree]
3. “This has happened a few times only but I’m puzzled, please help. When my mind was very calm, a sudden sort of energetic feeling is all over the body and my spine feels very cold. And then suddenly I have a flash of memory from childhood of drowning in the tank in our backyard. On a different occasion I saw the dead putrefied face of an old woman, horrific, mouth wide open. How do I deal with all this? I get a shock and concentration stops, sometimes sending shivers.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation/Unusual experiences] [Concentration] [Rapture] [Recollection/Death]
1. “During my meditation, I can occasionally calm the mind to the point where it seems devoid of thought. It is temporary, like a door opening. How should I use this opportunity? Concentrate on the breath? Wait for thoughts to arise and watch them? Explore / investigate a topic that is causing my suffering? Other? With gratitude.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Meditation/General advice] [Concentration] // [Investigation of states] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Right Effort] [Discernment] [Self-reliance]
3. Comment: This reminds me of Ajahn Anan’s practice. [Ajahn Anan] [Nimitta] [Unattractiveness] // [Thai Forest Tradition] [Concentration] [Sutta]
1. “What does “headed by” refer to?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Translation] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Pāli]
7. Ajahn Sucitto speaks of feeling water washing through you [as a way of releasing tension related to effort]. Comment by Debbie Stamp. [Ajahn Sucitto] [Elements] [Right Effort]
Story: Khun Kesari’s brother enters concentration by visualizing drinking a glass of water. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Visualization]
Story: Kesari’s mother walked into Wat Ban Tad before there was a road. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Pah Ban Tat] [Relics]
2. “Why is the intellect not included in the five cords of sensual pleasure?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sense bases] [Sensual desire] [Right Mindfulness] // [Culture/West] [History] [Culture/Thailand] [Craving]
Sutta: SN 47.6-7.
Follow-up: “Are the pīti and sukha of samādhi considered mano (intellect) states?” [Rapture] [Happiness] [Concentration] [Aversion]
4. “Could it be that the five cords of sensual pleasure need an outside stimulus to be activated while the mind is an internal frame of reference?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire] [Sense bases] [Heart/mind] [Right Mindfulness] // [Craving] [Concentration]
Sutta: MN 137: Replacing sensual pleasure with the pleasure of samādhi.
[Session] [Right Mindfulness]
Reading: Right Mindfulness p. 23-24.
Reading: AN 4.41: Concentration. [Concentration]
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] [Concentration] [Admonishment/feedback]
2. Outline of AN 4.41 Samādhibhāvanā: Four types of concentration. Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Right Mindfulness] // [Psychic powers] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Liberation] [Outflows] [Perception of light] [Impermanence] [Aggregates]
Comment about the difference between the third and fourth developments of concentration. [Concentration] [Conditionality]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view]
1. “How does cruelty differ from ill will?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Ill-will] // [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Right Mindfulness] [Concentration] [Right Effort]
Sutta: MN 19: Dvedhavitakka Sutta, Two Kinds of Thought.
5. “Can jhana occur in walking meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Jhāna] [Posture/Walking ] // [Concentration] [Ajahn Viradhammo]
Sutta: AN 5.29: Walking Meditatation.
2. “Does the consistency of vicara correlate with samadhi?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Directed thought and evaluation ] [Concentration] // [Rapture] [Happiness] [Unification]
Sutta: MN 119: Simile of the bathman. [Similes]
[Session] [Right Mindfulness] [Concentration] [Formless attainments]
Reading: Right Mindfulness p. 113.
Reading: AN 4.94: “Concentration.”
Reading: AN 9.36: “Jhāna.”
1. “Could you explain the simile of the embers in regards to sensuality?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Similes] [Pain] [Sensual desire] // [Concentration] [Liberation]
Sutta: SN 36.6: The Dart. An undeveloped person knows no escape from dukkha other than sensual pleasure. [Suffering]
3. Comment by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: You can use objects like renunciation and lovingkindness to work towards deep meditation. [Concentration] [Renunciation] [Goodwill]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Gladdening the mind]
[Session] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Concentration] [Mindfulness of mind]
Reading: Right Mindfulness p. 129-132.
Reading: MN 111: Anupada Sutta, One by One As They Occured.
4. Comments by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: Sariputta didn’t get distracted in fourth jhāna to develop the psychic powers. [Great disciples] [Jhāna] [Psychic powers] [Concentration]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration]
6. “I’ve heard the teaching that if you watch your kilesas in samādhi, they tend to subside. Sometimes you watch your sakkāya-diṭṭhi and it’s not going away. What to do?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Unskillful qualities] [Mindfulness] [Concentration] [Cessation] [Not-self] [Self-identity view] // [Impermanence] [Suffering]
8. “Do you think it’s enough to just be aware of the suffering that’s caused by the clinging to self?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suffering] [Clinging] [Self-identity view] [Dispassion] [Not-self] // [Characteristics of existence] [Cessation] [Ignorance] [Knowledge and vision] [Release] [Proliferation]
Quote: “The most efficacious investigation comes from a still mind.” [Concentration] [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation]
9. “Could you speak to how we sink into a place and you lift yourself with brightness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Gladdening the mind] // [Concentration] [Meditation] [Language] [Spaciousness]
1. “Could you clarify the difference between mindfulness and concentration?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Mindfulness] [Concentration ] // [Nature of mind] [Pāli] [Translation]
Follow-up: “You said earlier that mindfulness always comes before concentration, but based on what you just defined, I would think it would be the opposite.” Aswered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration ]
1. “Is jhāna the same as samādhi?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Jhāna]
2. “I’m thinking that not all samādhi is wholesome, but all jhāna is wholesome.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Skillful qualities] [Jhāna] // [Right Concentration]
8. Comment by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: Absorption dependent on the pleasure that comes from sense contact may not be completely wholesome. [Concentration] [Happiness] [Contact] [Sense bases] [Jhāna] [Skillful qualities]
23. “When we drop directed thought and evaluation, do we drop the object of our concentration and just abide in mindfulness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Concentration] [Mindfulness] [Meditation] [Jhāna] // [Knowing itself]
23. “It seems that nimittas can appear before the mind is fully settled in concentration. Is it useful to understand what that is happening? Should one ignore the nimitta until concentration is firmly established? Or is there some other response or skillful way to work with the nimitta while establishing samadhi?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Nimitta ] [Concentration] // [Proliferation] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno has a nimitta of bowing to the Buddha but then realizes that he is nodding. [Bowing] [Sloth and torpor]
9. “Please explain the seven factors of awakening and how to practice them in this retreat.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Factors of Awakening ] // [Mindfulness] [Investigation of states] [Energy] [Rapture] [Tranquility] [Concentration] [Translation] [Thai] [Equanimity] [Sloth and torpor] [Restlessness and worry]
Sutta: MN 118.30: Linear progression of the Seven Factors of Awakening.
Sutta: SN 46.53: Energizing and settling qualities.
4. “Where is the middle way taught in the suttas? and how might that help some of us who consider extensive sitting practice an ascetic practice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Middle Path ] [Sutta] // [Virtue] [Concentration] [Discernment] [Right View] [Cessation of Suffering] [Knowledge and vision] [Eightfold Path] [Etymology]
Sutta: SN 22.22: Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (Chanting Book translation).
Quote: “It’s not a middle way that is a compromise where you can cut ot the hard bits and split the difference so you feel good about it.”
9. “Could you say more about the four powers?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Bases of Success ] // [Aids to Awakening] [Discernment] [Concentration] [Everyday life]
13. “I sometimes experience states in which the body is very relaxed and it is easy to become very absorbed in the breath. They are pleasurable and quite calming but is there something I should do with them?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Calming meditation] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Concentration ] [Happiness] // [Discernment] [Self-identity view]
7. Comment: The essence of Ajahn Chah’s teaching was virtue and Right View. [Teaching Dhamma] [Virtue] [Right View ] [Ajahn Chah ] // [Meditation] [Mindfulness] [Concentration]
Reading: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 594-596: “Sammādiṭṭhi”
9. “How can you use chanting to work with long-term physical pain and other people’s healing?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pain] [Health] [Chanting] // [Tranquility] [Concentration] [Fear] [Release]
19. Comment: I have one of these thinking minds, and over the years I’m learning more and more to just watch where my thoughts go. I’m getting more comfortable with that. At the same time, I’ve heard teachings that as you improve your concentration on the primary object, your mindfulness increases as well. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness] [Concentration]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Language] [Generosity] [Conditionality] [Desire] [Craving]
Quote: “The same word that is translated as concentration in English, when it’s translated in Thai, is ‘the firm establishing of the mind.’ That has a different feel to it.” [Concentration] [Translation] [Thai]
3. “My natural tendency is to push the world away and to have the attitude that enjoyment is wrong. I’m working on trying to enjoy life. Do you have any ideas about this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Craving not to become] [Christianity] [Hinduism] [Ascetic practices] [Happiness] [Skillful qualities] // [Monastic life] [Ajahn Sucitto] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Culture/West]
The Rule of St. Benedict and Ajahn Sucitto’s talk “Fellow Worms.” [Humility]
Story: A BBC interviewer asks King Rama IX about original sin. [Media] [King Rama IX] [Culture/Thailand] [Nature of mind]
Causal processes leading to sāmadhi and dispassion have different starting points, but they all go through delight and happiness. [Conditionality] [Concentration] [Dispassion]
Quote: “Monks, do not be afraid of puñña.” — Iti 22 [Merit] [Fear] [Liberation]
Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.” [Concentration]
9. “What would you use for someone who is extremely confused and angry? Lovingkindness seems so far away.” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Delusion] [Aversion] [Goodwill] // [Concentration] [Spaciousness]
10. “If you lose the firm center of lovingkindness, how do you reestablish it?” Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Goodwill ] [Concentration] [Right Effort] [Recollection] // [Visualization] [Mantra] [Seclusion] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo]
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?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [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]
2. “Early on in practice, I learned that practicing sīla (virtue) leads to the bliss of the blamelessness life and creates the conditions for samādhi. What is the Pāli word that translates to ‘the bliss of the blameless life?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Virtue ] [Merit] [Happiness ] [Concentration] [Pāli] // [Right Livelihood] [Generosity] [Right Intention]
Quote: “Sīla is the opportunity to rise up to a life of integrity.”
7. “Upon awakening one morning, I found my mind was locked open in awareness. It seems this was stable as long as I did not do any conceptual thinking. Is this a feature of samādhi? Can it be cultivated?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation/Unusual experiences] [Present moment awareness] [Spaciousness] [Concentration] // [Right Concentration] [Mindfulness]