Recollection/Death (maraṇassati)
Meditation / Recollection / Recollection/Death
Part of tag cluster Death in key topic The Human Dillema
Also a subtag of Mindfulness of body
28 excerpts, 2:21:27 total duration

All excerpts (29) Most relevant (21) Questions about (14) Answers involving (9) Stories (3) Quotes (2) Readings (2) References (1)

Metta Retreat, Session 1 – Sep. 9, 2008

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3. “Could you please explain about the death process…how quickly does rebirth occur?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death ] [Rebirth] // [Recollection/Death] [Delusion] [Self-identity view] [Recollection] [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Theravāda] [History/Early Buddhism] [Sutta] [Vajrayāna] [Clinging] [Culture/Thailand] [Chanting] [Goodwill] [Relinquishment] [Ceremony/ritual] [Kamma]

References: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 55: Five Recollections; Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 12: The body is impermanent... [Similes] [Craving]

Simile: Fire blown by the wind (MN 72: Aggivacchagotta Sutta)

Story: A former monk asks Ajahn Chah about working with dying people to give them the opportunity for wholesome rebirth. [Ajahn Chah] [Teachers] [Fierce/direct teaching]

Quote: “I practice dying.” — The Dalai Lama [Dalai Lama] [Recollection/Death]


New Year, New Life, Session 2 – Dec. 16, 2013

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1. “I was struck by the simile of the stone being heavy, but you won’t know it’s heavy unless you pick it up, and it’s just like suffering. You don’t have to pick it up. I’m battling a loss in my life, and I’m suffering. I didn’t pick up the stone. It was flung at me. I’m not sure how to deal....” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Similes] [Ajahn Chah] [Suffering] [Grief] [Christianity] // [Human] [Naturalness] [Equanimity] [Self-identity view] [Goodwill] [Discernment]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 55: Five Recollections [Characteristics of existence] [Recollection/Death] [Kamma]

Quote: “Whenever you get into a fight with nature, you always lose.”

Quote: “What makes it heavy is the ‘me’ bit.”


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 46 – Mar. 10, 2014

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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]


Death and Dying, Session 1 – May. 9, 2014

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11. “Is there a meditation practice to use with someone who is dying?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Death] // [Faith] [Simplicity] [Happiness] [Recollection/Death] [Ageing] [Sickness]

Story about Ram Dass’s dying mother: “Richard, shut up!” [Ram Dass] [Fear] [Restlessness and worry]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 3 – Nov. 24, 2014

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8. “I know parting with loved ones is a natural course of life, but deep sadness and grief arises when I reflect on that. Could you instruct on how to work with this grief? Is there a level of understanding when there is no grief? Thank you!” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Grief ] [Naturalness] // [Recollection] [Recollection/Death] [Impermanence] [Kamma] [Goodwill]

Sutta: AN 5.57 Five Recollections (Chanting Book translation)

Suttas: SN 47.13, SN 47.14: The deaths of Sariputta and Moggallana. [Buddha/Biography] [Great disciples] [Death]

Quote: “Now I’m an orphan.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Parents] [Wat Pah Pong] [Mae Chee]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 1 – Nov. 21, 2015

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7. “I volunteer in hospice and was in attendance for the passing of my parents. I notice vast differences in the way people experience their passage. What can we do, while still alive, to prepare for a peaceful and ‘wakeful’ passing? Other than ‘being present,’ is there anything that can be of benefit to others?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death] // [Recollection/Death] [Equanimity] [Impermanence] [Sickness] [Idealism] [Compassion] [Generosity]

Sutta: AN 5.57: Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection (Chanting Book translation)

Vinaya: Kd 8.26.8: Qualities of a good nurse. [Monastic life] [Health care]

Story: Ajahn Chah advises Paul Breiter about the limits of spiritual hospice work. [Ajahn Chah] [Paul Breiter] [Buddho mantra] [Fierce/direct teaching]


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

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20. “Last night you spoke about balancing tranquility of mind with investigation or a theme for contemplation. Can you clarify how this can be accomplished without getting into the usual mind states of planning, associating, etc.?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Investigation of states ] [Recollection ] [Proliferation] // [Impermanence] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Discernment] [Recollection/Death] [Visualization] [Divine Abidings]

Mistaken assumption: “I think, therefore I suffer. If I didn’t think, then I wouldn’t suffer.” [Suffering]

Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 104: Forty subjects of meditation.


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 8 – Nov. 28, 2015

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8. “What chants would you recommend as suitable to use for patients who may be in hospice or close to death? Can Buddhist monks give last rites?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death] [Chanting] [Ceremony/ritual] // [Goodwill] [Three Refuges] [Protective chants] [Culture/Thailand] [Buddho mantra] [Recollection/Saṅgha]

Story: Ajahn Chah requests an army truck to pick up Por Puang’s body. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Contentment] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Recollection/Death]

Reference: Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 662.


The Path of Practice, Session 1 – Jun. 15, 2019

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14. “What are your thoughts about maintaining a practice you’re at the bedside of someone actively passing away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sickness] [Death ] // [Listening] [Fear] [Personal presence] [Intuition]

Story: Ram Dass anxiously tries to guide his stepmother through the dying process. [Ram Dass] [Teaching Dhamma] [Restlessness and worry] [Mindfulness of mind] [Recollection/Death]