Part of tag cluster Monastic life in key topic Monastic Life
33 excerpts, 2:43:26 total duration
“I find I do need some pleasures even thought they don’t last, things like fine arts and being in nature. I’m curious, how did you manage as a monk in your early years at Ajahn Chah’s monastery where there’s almost no pleasure....How did you manage to keep going over the years until the present?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire] [Artistic expression] [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] [Food] [Entertainment and adornment] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Cessation of Suffering] [Happiness ] [Simplicity ] [Association with people of integrity] [Empathetic joy] [Human] [Hindrances] [Jhāna] [Virtue] [Discernment]
Quote: “One of the extraordinary perks of being a monk is that everyone tries to be good around you.”
Sutta: MN 36.32: “Why am I afraid of that happiness?” [Buddha/Biography] [Ascetic practices] [Suffering] [Skillful qualities] [Eightfold Path]
Quote: “As a monk, I can look back on forty years of living in a way where I don’t have to feel remorseful or regret anything.”
2. “Did you as a Westerner have any difficulties meeting Ajahn Chah either with Buddhism or with Thailand? How did it get resolved or did it get resolved?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Theravāda] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Ajahn Chah replies evasively when asked three straightforward questions to teach his translator (Ajahn Pasanno) a lesson. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Aversion] [Questions] [Simplicity] [Teaching Dhamma] [Food] [Suffering]
7. Story: Ajahn Supah chooses tudong over further studies. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Supah] [Culture/Thailand] [Study monks] [Learning] [Tudong] // [Liberation] [Goodwill] [Simplicity] [Virtue] [Recollection/Virtue]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s mother cries when she meets Ajahn Supah. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Faith] [Rapture]
Story: A python begins to eat Ajahn Supah. [Animal] [Determination]
1. Story: Ajahn Chah’s first tudong. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Renunciation] [Spiritual search] [Simplicity] [Tudong]
2. Story: Ajahn Chah obsesses about getting robes. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Poverty] [Robes] [Greed] [Tudong] // [History/Thai Buddhism] [Determination] [Simplicity] [Craving] [Ajahn Kinaree]
11. Quote: “Different people will be comfortable at different degrees of contentment and ability to live simply.” — P. A. Payutto. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [P. A. Payutto] [Personality] [Contentment] [Simplicity] [Right Livelihood] [Happiness]
2. Comment: The more we become like monks and nuns, the more we will be helping the climate change situation. [Monastic life] [Environment]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Simplicity] [Contentment] [Generosity] [Human]
6. “I find I do need some pleasures even thought they don’t last, things like fine arts and being in nature. I’m curious, how did you manage as a monk in your early years at Ajahn Chah’s monastery where there’s almost no pleasure....How did you manage to keep going over the years until the present?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire] [Artistic expression] [Culture/Natural environment] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah] [Food] [Entertainment and adornment] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Cessation of Suffering] [Happiness ] [Simplicity ] [Association with people of integrity] [Empathetic joy] [Human] [Hindrances] [Jhāna] [Virtue] [Discernment]
Quote: “One of the extraordinary perks of being a monk is that everyone tries to be good around you.”
Sutta: MN 36.32: “Why am I afraid of that happiness?” [Buddha/Biography] [Ascetic practices] [Suffering] [Skillful qualities] [Eightfold Path]
Quote: “As a monk, I can look back on forty years of living in a way where I don’t have to feel remorseful or regret anything.”
1. “Ajahn Chah took Ajahn Mahā Amon and Ajahn Sumedho to visit Luang Ta Mahā Boowa and Ajahn Kaew. What happened?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Mahā Amorn] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Khao] // [Teaching Dhamma] [Simplicity]
Story: Ajahn Chah turned on a tape recorder, but the only part of the conversation that was recorded was when Ajahn Kaew farted. [Technology] [Psychic powers]
Note: A partially similar story appears in Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 189.
6. “Do you think the vegetarian choice at certain centers and monasteries relates to different temperaments or personalities?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [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]
5. “In my desire to get to the “heart of it” I find part of my mind really wants this, but another part of my mind is not going along with the program. How do I keep myself on the Path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Desire] [Simplicity] [Volition] // [Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Impermanence] [Cessation] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon]
Follow-up: “The experience of arising and disbanding isn’t yet practical for me. I need something more operational.” [Tranquility]
Simile: Making a fire flare up or die down (SN 46.53). — Ajahn Pasanno. [Factors of Awakening] [Energy] [Mindfulness]
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]
4. “What shaped the Thai Forest Tradition and gave it its flavor?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Thailand] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Simplicity] [Vinaya] [History/Early Buddhism] [Ajahn Mun] [Attachment to precepts and practices]
6. Ajahn Pasanno describes Upasika Kee Nanayon’s life and teachings. [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Women in Buddhism] // [Ajahn Wanchai] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Community] [Virtue] [Simplicity]
Quote: “An inward-staying unentangled knowing, all outward-going knowing cast aside.” — Upasikā Kee Nanayon [Knowing itself]
3. Comment: I tend to make things harder for myself. I come up with some big projections. [Proliferation] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma] [Simplicity] [Buddha]
9. “How does tudong help you on the spiritual path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tudong ] // [Simplicity] [Craving] [Teaching Dhamma] [Faith]
16. “May I ask for your secret? [Why is Abhayagiri monastic training so often successful?]” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training] [Abhayagiri] [Monastic life] // [Theravāda] [Simplicity] [Vinaya] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Chah] [Middle Path] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] [Right Effort] [Compassion]
11. “Should I focus on one object of mindfulness at a time or can I be mindful of all 4 at one time? Thank you!” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Mindfulness] // [Proliferation] [Simplicity] [Happiness]
2. “What is left once there is no self? Is it the same as enlightenment? Can a person still function in a daily life (drive a car for example)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view ] [Stages of awakening]
Quote: “What’s it like being the abbot of a big monastery?” — “I come out of my kuti and I do the things that I need to do, and then I go back to my kuti. And if some people want to call that being an abbot, well that’s their business.” — Ajahn Liem. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Ajahn Liem ] [Abbot ] [Wat Pah Pong] [Work] [Conventions] [Simplicity]
5. Story: Lay disciples ask Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo to take them on tudong but bring too much baggage. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo] [Lay life] [Simplicity] [Tudong] // [Ajahn Mun] [History/Thai Buddhism]
6. Story: Ajahn Chah packs too much gear on his first tudong. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Simplicity] [Contentment] [Tudong]
11. Comment: Before I get to all that [deep reflection on not-self], in the meantime I thing of Luang Por Sumedho’s saying, ‘Every time I think of myself, I get depressed.’ [Ajahn Sumedho] [Self-identity view] [Depression] [Not-self]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Five Precepts]
Quote: “It’s difficult but it’s not that complicated. The Buddha’s teachings go against the grain of our conditioning and habits, but the essence of it is quite simple.” [Proliferation] [Right Effort] [Craving] [Simplicity] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]
3. “As I consider which aspects of my life could be simplified, it occurs to me that I have two different friendships which may no longer be worth the trade off in time or energy. After spending time with either of these friends, I tend to be more drained of my very limited energy, possible because neither is very self-aware and both talk a lot. What is my obligation to an old friend who has recently come through a really hard time in her life or to a new friend whose health and living situation are precarious. Is there a graceful way to bow out of a friendship without harming the other person?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spiritual friendship ] [Simplicity] // [Time management]
7. “Keeping it simple, unentangled, uncomplicated. Is that an invitation to be lazy?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Simplicity] [Heedlessness]
12. “What is the most important thing we can do to help the next generation in terms of the environment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Environment ] // [Simplicity] [Contentment] [Greed]
3. “Two questions: 1) What strengths do you see in other Buddhist traditions and Western culture that our tradition could benefit from? 2) How have you decided which aspects of korwat (protocols) from Thailand to adjust and which to maintain?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mahāyāna] [Vajrayāna] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Monastic life] [Vinaya] [Protocols] // [Abhayagiri] [Women in Buddhism] [Robes] [Cultural context] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas] [Dōgen] [Zen] [Ajahn Sumedho] [History/Western Buddhism] [Simplicity] [Christianity] [Renunciation] [Eight Precepts] [Not handling money] [Chithurst] [Ajahn Amaro] [Communal harmony]
Quote: “There are so many good things to do that you could be running around the country doing good things. I’d rather focus my attention here.” [Simplicity] [Pace of life]
Quote: “There’s no reason to fit into American culture.”
Story: The monastic jacket is vindicated in England. [Culture/Natural environment] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]
Quote: “As Buddhist monastics and Buddhist practitioners, we’re trying to set conditions that give us the opportunity for learning.” [Lay life] [Learning]
1. “What is the purpose of dhutaṅga practices?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Ascetic practices ] // [Simplicity] [Renunciation] [Almsround] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Almsfood] [Abhayagiri] [Impermanence] [Devotion to wakefulness] [Wat Pah Pong] [Wat Pah Ban Tat] [Long-term practice]
7. “You spoke this morning about how monks don’t have money and don’t handle money. How does a monastery deal with purchasing materials?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Not handling money] [Commerce/economics] // [Monastery organizational structure] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Abhayagiri] [Building projects] [Almsfood]
Story: A wheel falls off the old Abhayagiri van. [Simplicity]
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
2. “What advice do you have for students or graduates hoping to progess on the Noble Path towards Nibbāna while a student or in the workplace?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eightfold Path] [Nibbāna] [Learning] [Work] [Lay life ] // [Human] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Perfectionism] [Desire] [Suffering] [Politics and society] [Simplicity] [Environment] [Depression] [Restlessness and worry] [Skillful qualities] [Community]
12. Comment: These days Ajahn Sumedho is on fire teaching Dhamma. [Ajahn Sumedho ] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Amaravati] [Ageing]
Quote: “He’s not talking a lot about the details. He’s talking about the essence. It’s very beautiful.” [Liberation] [Knowledge and vision] [Simplicity] [Proliferation]
Note: As of mid-2024, Ajahn Sumedho continues to give weekly Dhamma talks available on Amaravati’s YouTube channel.
Reflection: Ajahn Chah is the inspiration for all of us. [Ajahn Chah] [Faith] [Respect for elders] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Knowing itself] [Simplicity]
Quote: “If buffaloes can learn, surely these farangs [foreigners] can learn.” — Ajahn Chah [Western Ajahn Chah lineage]
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]
1. “How can we have a renunciant life outside the monastery?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Renunciant practice] [Everyday life] // [Simplicity] [Learning]
2. Comment: When I hear “renunciation,” I have the feeling that I’m losing something. [Renunciation ]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Simplicity] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “What renunciation gives is inexhaustible strength of simplicity.” — Martin Heidegger [Simplicity]