Elements (dhātu)
Meditation / Meditation/Techniques / Elements
Alternative translations: Properties
Also a subtag of Mindfulness of body
18 excerpts, 1:59:22 total duration

All excerpts (22) Most relevant (17) Questions about (12) Answers involving (5) Stories (1) Quotes (1) Readings (1) References (1)

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“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]

2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 7, Excerpt 9


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 7 – Nov. 29, 2013

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12. “My mind went to the elements today and how the sense feel them...but can all senses feel all elements? On death, air and fire are gone but water and earth remain. Is this correct? Are these skillful reflections?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Elements] [Sense bases] [Death]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 8 – Nov. 30, 2013

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9. “How can one work with feeling the element of water in sitting or walking meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Elements] [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Walking]


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 37 – Feb. 25, 2014

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1. “Could you describe ways to work with delighting and wanting around the pleasure of food?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Food] [Craving] [Happiness] [Unattractiveness] [Disenchantment] // [Elements] [Mindfulness of body] [Clinging] [Impermanence] [Dependent origination]

Sutta: AN 5.208: The benefits of chewing toothwoods. [Cleanliness]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 7 – Nov. 28, 2014

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5. “The guidance through seeing the non-self in relationship to the elements was very helpful. Can you explain what to look for in order to see the non self in relationship to strong emotions like grief. When do you look for the emptiness in emotions and when do you experience or express them. How does one balance the two?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Not-self] [Elements] [Emotion ] [Grief ]

Ajahn Pasanno reflects on his feelings after Ajahn Chah died. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] [Death] [Sickness] [Gratitude] [Respect]

Ajahn Pasanno’s response to his father’s death. [Parents] [Spaciousness]


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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]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 5 – Jan. 10, 2015

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4. Discussion of which excercises described as mindfulness of the body (MN 10) are reflective techniques and which are based on vedanā. Led by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Mindfulness of body] [Recollection] [Feeling] // [Elements] [Unattractiveness] [Insight meditation] [Liberation]

Comment about S.N. Goenka’s use of the term vedanā. Contributed by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [S. N. Goenka] [Contact] [Sense bases] [Aggregates]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 11 – Jan. 18, 2015

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[Session] [Elements]

Reading: MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, The Foundations of Mindfulness, Elements.

Reading: MN 62: Mahārāhulaovāda Sutta, The Greater Discourse of Advice to Rāhula.

Reading: “Wholehearted training” in Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 635 (excerpt).

Reading: “Why Are We Here?” in Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 131 (excerpt).


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2. “Is it common for body contemplation to veer towards aversion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Mindfulness of body] [Unattractiveness] [Aversion] [Elements] // [Translation] [Not-self] [Ajahn Chah]

Sutta: MN 62: Mahārāhulaovāda Sutta, The Greater Discourse of Advice to Rāhula.


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 12 – Jan. 21, 2015

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[Session] Reading: “Theory: Elements,” Meditation: A Way of Awakening by Ajahn Sucitto, pp. 128-138. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Elements]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 13 – Jan. 22, 2015

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[Session] ““How you develop four-elements meditation,” Knowing and Seeing by Pa Auk Sayadaw, pp. 116-120.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Elements]


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1. “Does the imbalance mentioned [in Knowing and Seeing by Pa Auk Sayadaw, pp. 120] come from focusing in too much on a single element?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Elements]


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2. Appreciation for the elements meditation in Knowing and Seeing by Pa Auk Sayadaw, pp. 116-120. Comment by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Elements] // [Mindfulness of body]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Investigation of states] [Delusion]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 14 – Jan. 23, 2015

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4. “Could you clarify “the body in the body?”” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of body] [Right Mindfulness] // [Translation] [Pāli] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Direct experience] [Self-identity view]

References: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 91; Right Mindfulness by Ajahn Ṭhānissaro. [Elements] [Proliferation] [Perception]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 15 – Jan. 24, 2015

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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] [Elements]

Story: Kesari’s mother walked into Wat Ban Tad before there was a road. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Wat Pah Ban Tat] [Relics]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 33 – Feb. 22, 2015

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7. “Why is the Deathless described as an element?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Deathless] [Elements]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 36 – Feb. 27, 2015

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1. “Does MN 140 define the external elements?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Elements]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 37 – Feb. 28, 2015

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[Session] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of body] [Elements] [Mindfulness of feeling]

Reading: Right Mindfulness p. 119-121.

Reading: MN 28: Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta, The Greater Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint.


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

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3. “Of the four elements, please explain wind element.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Elements]


Love, Attachment, and Friendship, Session 3 – Oct. 12, 2019

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5. “Is there a sutta about preferring the [forest] to the village, and then the bare earth, becoming more and more simple?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Seclusion] [Simplicity] // [Emptiness] [Elements] [Relinquishment] [Generosity] [Goodwill]

Sutta: MN 121: The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness


Developing Skill in Reflective Meditation, Session 1 – Dec. 1, 2019

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1. “What did you mean by ‘lifting up?’ Is it an object of attention?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Recollection] // [Restlessness and worry] [Sloth and torpor] [Postures] [Energy]

Quote: “Namo viññaṇa dhatu (Homage to the element of consciousness).” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Consciousness] [Elements] [Knowing itself]


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7. “You mentioned Ajahn Chah reflecting on viññaṇadhatu. Was this the consciousness of the six senses or something more fundamental like citta?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Consciousness] [Elements] [Sense bases] [Recollection] [Heart/mind] // [Release] [Liberation]


Living in a Changing Society – Aug. 23, 2020

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12. “What is the difference between emptiness, nothingness, and space? How can I use colors to develop the mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Emptiness] [Kasiṇa] // [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [Conceit] [Middle Path] [Etymology] [Not-self] [Elements] [Tranquility] [History/Early Buddhism] [Culture/West]