All featured excerpts
708 excerpts, 49:53:02 total duration
11. “I’m curious about your pre-monastic life and specifically what led you to the monastic life.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno ] [Monastic life/Motivation] // [Temporary ordination] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Pasanno. [Sequence of training]
4. Story: Ajahn Chah struggles through lust with patience. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Sensual desire ] [Patience] [Tudong] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Human] [Meditation/Techniques] [Impermanence]
Quote: Ajahn Chah to biographer: “If you don’t put that in the book, don’t bother printing it.” [Dhamma books]
Quote: “If you ordain as a monk, your defilements ordain with you.” — Ajahn Chah. [Monastic life] [Unwholesome Roots]
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]
1.1. “How can one enjoy meditation when one’s knees are on fire?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Happiness] [Pain ] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Posture/Sitting] [Body/form] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Visualization] [Discernment]
3. “Would you kindly comment on the cultivation and use in one’s Dhamma practice of one’s creative gifts, such as music, art, dance, writing, and so on?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Artistic expression ] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Self-identity view] [Culture/Thailand] [Ajahn Mun] [Blame and praise]
Story: Master Hua disapproves of Rev. Heng Sure giving his instruments away. [Master Hsuan Hua] [Rev. Heng Sure] [Teaching Dhamma]
8. “Sometimes I experience what one of my teachers has called a multiple hindrance attack. For me this manifests as sloth and torpor and restlessness, feeling as if they are arising simultaneously. Sloth and torpor may be primary; I’m not sure. Any wise words?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Hindrances ] [Sloth and torpor] [Restlessness and worry] // [Doubt] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Pāli]
13. “Do you ever work with the ‘thin line’ between sleep and waking, dreaming and lucidity? It seems like a powerful or useful fulcrum.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Devotion to wakefulness ] [Dreams] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Posture/Lying down] [Determination]
19. “How does one develop compassion such that one harbors no ill-will even when bandits dismember you with a double-handed saw (MN 21.20)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Compassion] [Ill-will ] [Abuse/violence] // [Suffering] [Relinquishment] [Four Noble Truths]
Quote: “For the enlightened person, there’s no choice but compassion.” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Liberation]
1. “I’m feeling spacious in my heart. it is pleasant, and then I get sleepy. Can you advise on how to cultivate interest in spaciousness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spaciousness ] [Sloth and torpor] // [Perception of light] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Continuity of mindfulness]
2. “Do you have any ghost story at Wat Pah Nanachat?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ghost ] [Wat Pah Nanachat] // [Funerals]
Story: The mother of a girl killed in an accident dedicates merit with the wish that her daughter be reborn in the family. The girl’s ghost haunts Wat Pah Nanachat. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Death] [Rebirth] [Family] [Merit] [Clinging]
9. “What is hasituppāda citta—consciousness producing mirth—that is the Buddha’s smile?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Humor ] [Buddha/Biography] // [Teaching Dhamma]
Suttas: MN 81; MN 83; AN 5.180: Examples of the Buddha’s smile.
Sutta: MN 12.58: “You might think that the jujube fruit was bigger in those days ...” [Ascetic practices]
Sutta: SN 17.5: A dung beetle gloats about his pile. [Gain and loss] [Fame and disrepute] [Similes] [Monastic life]
13. “I’ve been experiencing and witnessing an incredible sadness. At times it is dormant; at times it seems all-consuming. I’ve done okay at staying present, questioning its nature, its benefits, its hindrances, its source. I haven’t come up with a specific cause for this grief/sorrow. Do you have any suggestions for furthering my investigation working with sadness, and how I might someday send it on its way?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Grief] [Aspects of Understanding] [Cause of Suffering ] [Discernment] // [Self-identity view] [Suffering] [Clinging] [Goodwill] [Divine Abidings] [Middle Path]
Quote: “Viewed from any sane perspective, the human condition is pretty sad.” [Human]
14. “I remember reading that Ajahn Chah used to ask monastics to meditate in a charnel ground to alleviate lust. With no charnel ground at my disposal, how to work with this strong sensual desire in meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire ] [Ajahn Chah] [Recollection/Death] // [Unattractiveness] [Body/form]
15. “What kind of suffering does a non-returner experience? What makes a non-returner become an arahant?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Non-return ] [Suffering] [Arahant] // [Conceit] [Fetters] [Craving for material existence] [Craving for immaterial existence] [Restlessness and worry]
2. “I understand that you recently read Ajahn Geoff’s wonderful new book Skill in Questions. Might you share an insight that struck a fresh cord in your heart?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro ] [Dhamma books] // [Questions] [Doubt]
3. “It seems that the mind and body are unreliable, not good refuges, yet everything about the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha relies upon the mind training—refining, watching, letting go. It sounds like it still relies on the mind. What am I missing?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Aggregates] [Three Refuges ] [Meditation] // [Discernment]
Sutta: SN 15.1: “Bound by ignorance and obstructed by craving.” [Ignorance] [Craving]
9. “If Ajahn Pasanno could go back in time and give a word of advice to Ven. Pasanno on the day of his ordination, what would he say?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ordination] // [Questions ] [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness]
13. “Is there a chant or a few lines that you can suggest to provide a smooth transitional bridge from chanting something such as Salutation to the Triple Gem (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 9) into meditating on the breath? I feel disconnected: inspired by the meaning of the chant and then suddenly I’m focusing on my breath. Did the Buddha have a few powerful verses reminding us of the power of breath meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Chanting ] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Three Refuges] [Recollection/Buddha] [Impermanence] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Pāli] [Memory] [Dhamma online]
Sutta: MN 118.15: 16 steps of mindfulness of breathing; Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 85 has both Pāli and English.
16. “I’ve been feeling a large space/awareness in my body and in my head. I feel the outline of my form. What is a skillful way to deepen this place?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spaciousness ] // [Mindfulness] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of body] [Knowing itself]
17. “Can you elaborate on how to bring practice within the daily life setting? Even here, I feel I can walk around within my own bubble with my attention mostly focused inwardly. Can you describe how practice works when attention needs to be engaged in the fast-paced external world?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Everyday life ] [Meditation retreats] [Pace of life] // [Mindfulness of body] [Contact]
18. “Can you recommend any particular books which share the teachings of the Buddha in more user-friendly ways—‘Dhamma for Dummies’? I found the readings from the discourses/Canon repetitive and hard to relate to, yet you share so many Dhamma tidbits that are captivating and memorable.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Yatiko. [Dhamma books ] [Tipiṭaka] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Bhikkhu Bodhi]
Reference: Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness by Bhante Gunaratana (commercial). [Eightfold Path]
Reference: In the Buddha’s Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi (commercial). [Sutta]
Reference: The Life of the Buddha According to the Pali Canon by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli. [Buddha/Biography]
1. “Are we born with a sense of self or is this delusion seeded and cultivated by the world around us? If a child was raised being taught non-self and non-identity, how would they turn out?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view] [Delusion] [Conditionality] [Children ] [Not-self] [Non-identification] // [Gratitude] [Generosity] [Compassion]
5. “Was Ajahn Chah an arahant? How can one tell when someone’s work is done? Also, is it inappropriate to ask one’s teacher if they are a stream enterer, once-returner, etc.?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Arahant ] [Teachers] [Stages of awakening] // [Suffering] [Unwholesome Roots]
Quote: “To me, I’m more like a tree that birds can come and feed in. ... [What they say] I am is just the chattering of the birds.” — Ajahn Chah. [Similes] [Teaching Dhamma]
Sutta: AN 4.192: Discerning another person’s wisdom. [Discernment]
Recollections of mistaken estimates of enlightenment. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Delusion] [Relics]
10. “Please share thoughts on how to bring home and develop ways to be a better spouse and father. What from the practice might help the most towards kindness, generosity, and being present?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relationships] [Family ] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Mindfulness] // [Patience]
Quote: “Have the patience to give others time.”
16. “Would you please explain the concept of a Bodhisattva, a largely Mahāyāna teaching in the Theravāda tradition?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Bodhisattva] [Mahāyāna] [Theravāda ] // [Buddha/Biography] [Perfections] [History/Early Buddhism] [Culture/Thailand]
Story: Somdet Toh waits for a dog sleeping on his robe to wake up. [Somdet Toh] [Amulets] [Robes] [Animal]
18. “Is it atta that carries kamma? Is it atta that takes a rebirth? How can we talk about atta?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Kamma] [Rebirth] // [Suffering] [Naturalness] [Not-self ] [Middle Path] [Spiritual traditions] [Pāli] [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment]
19. “Did you know Ajahn Paññāvaḍḍho? I saw the DVD about him that Abhayagiri offers and listened to some of his Dhamma talks and was touched by how gentle he seemed. Is it true that a rainbow appeared during the cremation of his body?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Yatiko. [Ajahn Paññāvaḍḍho ] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Funerals] // [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Hampstead Vihara] [Wat Pah Ban Tat]
20. “Can you offer some inspiration to the group as to observing the Eight Precepts on the Uposatha Days? I’ve been observing every quarter moon, and it would be comforting to know that I’m part of a larger group. Please reflect on the value of restraint outside the retreat environment.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eight Precepts] [Lunar observance days ] [Sense restraint] [Everyday life] // [Culture/Thailand] [Wat Pah Pong] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s first Uposatha Day at Wat Pah Pong. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Lay life]
Sutta: AN 8.41: “Suppose the lay people spent a day and a night living like the arahants.” [Arahant]
22. “How does one use the kasiṇa and nimitta in meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Kasiṇa ] [Nimitta] // [Concentration]
23. “How does one overcome the threefold conceit (māna)? By seeing anicca and anattā in both self and other?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Conceit ] [Impermanence] [Not-self] // [Relinquishment]
24. “Any tips for stirring up the energy (viriya) that fuels Right Effort when coffee isn’t enough?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Energy ] [Right Effort] // [Desire]
3.1. Different translations of dhammānupassī, the fourth Foundation of Mindfulness. [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Translation ] [Bhikkhu Bodhi] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] // [Pāli]
4. “A small window of anattā has opened. It is very fresh, light, and breezy, but the opening is small, and the rest of the window is caked with so much dirt and grime. I’m fearful that outside of the support of retreat, it could close. Even now it feels like it is opening and closing. How to best proceed?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Not-self] [Symbolism/metaphor] [Fear] [Meditation retreats] // [Insight meditation] [Restlessness and worry] [Proliferation]
Quote: “The best thing is not claiming ownership over that insight. ... Pay attention to the feeling of it.” [Non-identification] [Direct experience ] [Feeling]
Quote: “If you just stick your finger in the warm water, then you’ll know what warm water is.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Language] [Dhamma]
6. “Please explain enjoying a pleasant meditation versus hanging out blissfully with an angelic face. At what point should a calm mind switch to insight practice, and when do you use the term awareness or mindfulness practice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Meditation] [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation ] [Mindfulness] // [Four Noble Truths] [Craving] [Learning]
8.1. Story: Ajahn Pasanno and vegetarian food at Wat Pah Pong. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Food] [Wat Pah Pong] [Ajahn Chah] // [Vegetarianism ] [Culture/Thailand] [Judgementalism]
16. “Are desire and craving interchangeable, the same thing? Can craving or desire exist without suffering?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire ] [Craving] [Suffering] // [Pāli] [Cause of Suffering] [Unwholesome Roots] [Sensual desire] [Unskillful qualities] [Bases of Success] [Skillful qualities]
17. “What did the Buddha say about giving all your assets away?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Commerce/economics ] // [Monastic life] [Lay life] [Idealism] [Generosity] [Family] [Relinquishment] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Suttas: AN 5.41; AN 8.54; DN 31.26: Balanced living for householders.
Quote: “Money for a monk is like having wings to fly.” — Anonymous.
19. “Lately I’ve got more involved in fighting for social justice, especially with the Occupied Movement. It seems important in light of how messed up or system is. However, I’m finding it very difficult to keep any mindfulness or peace of mind, especially when menaced by police. Any suggestions?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Activism ] [Politics and society] [Mindfulness] [Tranquility]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro lead meditation at the Occupy Wall Street demonstration in London. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Amaro] [Meditation] [Chanting]
5. “When I return to the world of speaking again, what would be a good quick mental check-in that I could use before I open my mouth and possibly make a mess of things? Any tips for Right Speech?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats] [Right Speech ] // [Truth] [Skillful qualities]
Sutta: MN 58.8: True, timely, and beneficial.
Teaching from Ajahn Chah: “Don’t bring up these issues before the meal.” [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Admonishment/feedback]
11. “Which is more powerful: lovingkindness or knowledge of suffering? It seems that our noble silence and internal mindfulness put the retreatants in the mode of not making eye contact, not sharing a smile. Isn’t there room to be mindful of our Dhamma friends, even if we don’t really know most of them by offering a smile? Am I too concerned with other people’s actions? Meditation is serious business.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] [Meditation retreats ] [Spiritual friendship] // [Community] [Seclusion] [Conceit]
23. “Did the Buddha have chanting in his time? Did he create any of the chants or were they all created after his passing?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Chanting ] [Buddha/Biography] [History/Early Buddhism ] // [Tipiṭaka] [Culture/India] [Memory] [Culture/Other Theravāda traditions]
Sutta: AN 6.25: The nine qualities of the Buddha (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 4). [Recollection/Buddha]
The three cardinal suttas: SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Chanting Book); SN 22.59: Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta (Chanting Book); SN 35.28: Ādittapariyāya Sutta (Chanting Book). [Sutta]
Sutta: MN 2.13-17: The Four Requisites (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 53). [Requisites]
Sutta: Snp 1.8: The Buddha’s Words on Lovingkindness (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 36). [Goodwill]
Sutta: AN 4.125: “I will abide pervading one quarter ...” (Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 42). [Divine Abidings]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 32: Verses of Sharing and Aspiration.
Sutta: Ud 5.6.17: The Buddha praises Venerable Soṇa’s recitation.
27. “Thank you for wise and generous teachings. I’m at once grateful and also feeling sad. Every story and reference is about a man. Were there no women at the Fire Sermon (Mahāvagga 1.21)? How come there is no talk of the female disciples? Perhaps the next Buddha will be a woman. Can you speak about this absence of a female presence?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Gratitude] [Grief] [Women in Buddhism ] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Bhikkhunī] [Theravāda] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism]
Suttas: AN 1.188-267: Male and female great disciples. [Great disciples]
28.1. “Do you have any reflections on the instructions to guard the senses?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sense restraint ] // [Pāli] [Translation] [Sense bases]
17. “If Ajahn Chah were to appear here tonight, what are a couple of questions you would ask him?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Questions] // [Nature of the cosmos] [Concentration]
Recollections of talking with Ajahn Chah. [Clinging] [Relinquishment]
Story: Ajahn Chah describes the details of a spirit living at Wat Pah Pong to a long-term disciple who asked about it. [Ghost] [Wat Pah Pong]
Story: Right after that, a group of visitors ask if devas and ghosts really exist. [Deva] [Direct experience]
Story: Ajahn Chah responds to his teacher’s inquiry about developing astral travel. [Ajahn Kinaree] [Psychic powers ]
10. “How is being the one who knows or being the knowing related to the practice of mindfully attending to present moment experience?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Knowing itself] [Present moment awareness ] // [Discernment] [Knowledge and vision] [Conditionality]
4. “What exactly is muditā of the Four Brahmavihārās? To what degree does it correspond to the popular New Age practice of ‘law of attraction and gratitude?’ The standard translation of sympathetic joy seems inexact at best.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Empathetic joy ] [Divine Abidings] [Translation] [Gratitude] // [Jealousy]
8. “Please speak about antidotes to the judging mind.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Judgementalism ] // [Mindfulness] [Investigation of states] [Relinquishment]
10. “Is it really possible and/or realistic to keep people in your heart but not in your life?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill ] [Seclusion] // [Thai]
11. “Besides my own Dhamma practice, raising my children is also very important to me. We want them to grow in wholesome dhammas. Currently, because they have shown interest in our keeping the Five Precepts, we talk about how the day went in keeping the precepts as we tuck them in at bedtime. They report on how it went, and so does each parent who is tucking them in, each of us looking at ourselves, our intentions and behaviors, and then sharing. Are there additional things we might do as parents to help our kids as we travel the path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Children ] [Skillful qualities] [Five Precepts] [Right Intention] [Right Action] // [Ajahn Chah]
2. “Could you please tell us about some of your responsibilities as an abbot of Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery? Is being an abbot of one of Ajahn Chah’s monasteries unique compared to other monasteries?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abbot ] [Abhayagiri] [Ajahn Chah monasteries] // [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Culture/West] [Culture/Thailand] [Seclusion] [Mentoring]
Quote: “The garbage can at the top of the line.” — Ajahn Chah’s description of an abbot. [Ajahn Chah]
3.1. “Can you speak more about posture? I’ve noticed when fatigued and I slump a tad, my breath seems to be most noticeable and stuck at the slump.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Sitting ] [Sloth and torpor] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Energy] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of body] [Body scanning]
7. “Reference to ‘spirit’ is conspicuously absent from Buddhist scripture. However, there is acknowledgement of rebirth, so the belief that man is more than physical matter exists. Why is there so little written about spirit?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Nature of mind ] [Tipiṭaka] [Rebirth] // [Culture/West] [Sense bases] [Impermanence] [Naturalness] [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: SN 56.31: The Handful of Leaves.
8. “Like everyone in my family, I suffer from a major depressive disorder. A few years ago during a stressful time with my wife, my doctor put me on antidepressants. It became easier to meditate. Life is still challenging, but I can face it. Some Buddhist friends say that I should go off medication and just be with ‘what is,’ but off them I am paralyzed. What do you think? Is it cheating?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Depression ] [Medicinal requisites] // [Idealism] [Mental illness ] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities]
9.1. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Ātāpi as an aspect of Right Mindfulness is the application of effort for the burning up of defilements. [Ardency ] [Right Mindfulness] [Right Effort] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Thai]
15. “I’m sitting here looking at the passion of Christ. My good friends are Christian and Muslim, and I want to be respectful and non-judgemental, but once in a great while I think they are micchā-diṭṭhi (wrong view). What does the Buddha say about other beliefs? Are they all true in their own way? How should I skillfully hold my attitude toward Jesus, Mohammed, etc.?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Spiritual traditions ] [Christianity] [Islam] [Judgementalism] [Views] // [Kamma]
Recollection: Buddhist-Christian monastic dialogue at The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. [Monastic life] [City of Ten Thousand Buddhas]
Quote: “All religions are trying to deal with the human condition in a meaningful way. ... A lot of it is around the intention and integrity that individual practitioners bring to their life and practice as opposed to the label that they practice under.” [Human] [Purpose/meaning] [Truth]
4. “Please describe any techniques or practices for gladdening the mind.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Gladdening the mind ] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Recollection/Dhamma] [Recollection/Saṅgha] [Goodwill] [Recollection/Generosity] [Recollection/Virtue]
Sutta: MN 118.20: “Gladdening the mind, I breathe in,” Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 89. [Mindfulness of breathing]
Story: In Sri Lanka, children write the skillful actions they have done in a book they keep all their life. It is read to them in times of illness or difficulty. [Culture/Sri Lanka] [Children] [Sickness] [Death]
6. “What are skillful ways to increase energy (viriya)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Energy ] // [Gladdening the mind] [Three Refuges] [Benefit/gratification] [Happiness]
Note: Refer to the earlier question about gladdening the mind.
11. “What does the vinaya set as the standard for personal hygiene? Bathing, cleaning clothes, shaving, etc.? Is the use of deodorant within the purview of vinaya?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Vinaya] [Cleanliness ] [Monastic life] // [Robes] [Food] [Buddha/Biography] [Culture/India]
Vinaya: Khandhaka 15.27.5: Trimming nose-hairs.
Story: An Indian kshatriya notices that Ajahn Pasanno does things just like he’s been trained to do. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Tudong] [Ajahn Jayasaro]
13. “I sometimes chant the refuges to my dog. She doesn’t seem to mind. Can’t tell if she’s listening. Is it possible to help our beloved canine companions on the path? I thought I heard that of all the animals, dogs had the most chance of a human birth.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Animal ] [Chanting] [Three Refuges] [Rebirth] [Human] // [Culture/West]
1. “I understand that ultimately old age, sickness, and death are out of our control, but we can influence those factors by how we treat our physicality, our nature. Can you talk about a skillful relationship to the body, what is skillful to let be versus what is skillful to influence?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ageing] [Sickness] [Death] [Body/form] [Health ] [Skillful qualities] // [Medicinal requisites]
Sutta: MN 2.14, Chanting Book translation: Reflection on the Four Requisites. [Requisites]
2. “Thank you for mentioning the usefulness of the recollections (Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha, etc.). I also found Ajahn Karuṇadhammo’s statement helpful about not living in the past. Could you clarify how to recollect without living in a past good experience?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Recollection] [Present moment awareness ] // [Idealism]
Quote: “It’s with wisdom that we take the experience that we had and really learn from that.” [Discernment] [Learning]
5. “Outside retreat, I sit daily, but samādhi is usually conspicuous by its absence. Do you have any words of advice, encouragement, or consolation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Everyday life ] [Concentration] // [Recollection] [Right Intention] [Renunciation] [Goodwill] [Tranquility]
7. “How to practice with the arising and passing away of khandas as in the fourth development [of samādhi in AN 4.41]? Does one reflect on the process of being? And saññā is always unclear to me.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Impermanence] [Aggregates ] [Perception] // [Body/form] [Feeling] [Memory] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “The goal of investigation and mindfulness practices is to shine a light on the constructed nature of how we identify with experience and then assume a solid sense of self, of I, of me, of mine.”
10. “Would you discuss Buddhist rites and rituals regarding death and dying? What are the rites surrounding the death and cremation of an arahant?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ceremony/ritual] [Death ] [Funerals] [Arahant] // [Cultural context] [Recollection/Virtue] [Three Refuges] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Culture/Thailand]
Recollections of Ajahn Chah’s funeral. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Relics] [Ajahn Chah Stupa]
Follow-up: “Did you see Ajahn Chah’s relics?” [Amulets]
14. “Seclusion of the heart really interests me, especially because of a busy family atmosphere. Is a way to develop seclusion of the heart to work on not taking this personally, not letting the self-making perceptions insert themselves into the heart?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Seclusion] [Family] [Non-identification ] // [Self-identity view] [Similes]
Quote: “Not being caught by the gladness or the sadness of the mind.” — Ajahn Liem. [Ajahn Liem] [Happiness] [Suffering] [Dispassion]
15. “Can you say a little more about ‘the mind going outside itself’—what that means and how it is dukkha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Suffering] [Cause of Suffering ] // [Knowing itself] [Craving] [Tranquility]
Reference: Gifts He Left Behind by Ajahn Dune, p. 3.
Quote: “Still, flowing water.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Equanimity] [Similes]
Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, pp. 380-381.
21. “Could you kindly talk about some obstacles in your practice and how you overcame them as an encouragement to us?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Doubt] [Fear] [Mindfulness of body ] [Delusion]
6. “In the past few years, I’ve used the narrow area near a nostril as my meditation object, without much success in calming the mind. Lately, I have been using the whole body as object. Is there a difference in depth between these two types of objects as ways to experience the breath?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Calming meditation] [Mindfulness of body] [Meditation/Techniques ] // [Desire] [Continuity of mindfulness]
9. “Ajahn Chah mentioned ‘know the mind within the mind.’ Is it just as effective to share Dhamma with a person who is actively dying, but the person is in a state of mental confusion or simply unconscious? Would their ‘mind’ hear the Dhamma? Please share your experience.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] [Death] [Teaching Dhamma ] // [Compassion] [Personal presence ] [Chanting] [Recollection/Dhamma]
Story: “Richard, be quiet.” [Ram Dass] [Parents]
1. “What does a married man or woman have to do to take robes? Who does he have to ask for permission? The teacher? His wife? His parents? Can he go into robes owing debts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Relationships] [Ordination ] // [Requisites]
2. “You referred to the Visuddhimagga by Buddhagosa a few times this week. Is this a principle source of suttas and discourses? Would it be valuable for a layperson to study, assuming it has been translated into English?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Commentaries ] [Sutta] [Translation] // [Tipiṭaka] [History/Early Buddhism] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism]
Reference: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli.
3. “I enjoy reading suttas, but rarely remember them well. Any suggestions for recalling all these wonderful itemized lists?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Yatiko. [Sutta] [Memory ] // [Hearing the true Dhamma] [Dhamma online]
Reference: Mapping the Dharma: A Concise Guide to the Middle Way of the Buddha by Paul Gerhards. (commercial)
5. “I notice that in retreats of this length, there is a certain trajectory of depth of concentration. During the final one or two days, the mind is a bit busier, more slippery. This is not because of being disengaged in the process, it is just what is (for me). Is it skillful use of this remaining time to turn to contemplations of well-being as a way to aim, calm and soothe, or better to try to simply watch the process of the mind emerging from the depths of retreat?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats ] [Concentration] [Proliferation] [Goodwill] // [Calming meditation] [Investigation of states] [Unwholesome Roots]
6. “To whom did you attribute the different formulation of the Four Noble Truths?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Four Noble Truths] [Ajahn Dune ] // [Ajahn Mun] [Geography/Thailand] [Wat Burapha] [Seclusion] [Personality] [Ajahn Pasanno]
Quote: “Why do you let your mind go out there?” — Ajahn Dune regarding the noise of the elephant festival. [Contact]
Reference: Gifts He Left Behind by Ajahn Dune.
9. “How can we balance knowing and letting go with investigation? In what circumstances should one be used rather than the other?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness] [Relinquishment] [Investigation of states] [Discernment ] // [Ajahn Chah] [Calming meditation]
Quote: “The most efficacious investigation comes when the mind has stopped thinking.” — Ajahn Chah. [Concentration]
14.1. “I want to eradicate an infestation of insects from my trees so they can bear fruit. Any suggestions for an approach that would keep me on track, at least an attempt at the Five Precepts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Agriculture] [Killing ] [Animal] [Five Precepts] // [Virtue] [Culture/Thailand] [Environment]
Recollection: Dealing with termites at Wat Pah Pong. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Lodging]
1. “It seems that little is written about love in Buddhist texts, at least compared to other traditions. Am I missing something?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta] [Goodwill] // [Clinging ] [Cause of Suffering] [Emotion] [Divine Abidings]
Sutta: MN 87: Piyajātika Sutta.
5. “To my Western mind, the words ‘mental objects’, ‘objectification,’ ‘mental fabrications,’ and so on do not help to clarify what I simply call thinking. I understand an aspect of meditation as a means to stopping thinking, stopping the internal dialogue, putting an end to discursive thought, yet the English word thinking is rarely used by the Ajahns. Could you expand on the difference between thinking and Tan Geoff’s use of the word objectifications?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volitional formations] [Directed thought and evaluation ] [Proliferation] [Tranquility] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] // [Jhāna]
6. “With your instruction and the slowing down of my mind on retreat, I’ve been able to allow the proliferation of thought to subside. However, the release of emotion is another story, as it resides in the body and is not so easily released. I can’t go to the body because the emotion is there, and I can’t go to the mind, because those thoughts will feed the emotion. Any suggestions on where to go next? Even wholesome reflection seems to feed the emotional state.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Proliferation] [Emotion ] [Body/form ] [Mindfulness of body] [Recollection] // [Neutral feeling] [Nature of mind] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “Recognize that the body and emotion are not the same thing.”
7. “Would you speak about the place of vipassanā in walking meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Insight meditation] [Posture/Walking] // [Recollection]
Simile from Ajahn Chah: You learn to write in school, but you don’t need to go back to the school to write a letter. [Ajahn Chah] [Meditation] [Everyday life ] [Similes]
15. “I’ve always felt a draw to the Fire Sermon (SN 35.28). Could you expound a bit more on this teaching?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sutta ] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Sense bases] [Similes] [Unwholesome Roots] [Disenchantment] [Buddha/Biography] [Insight meditation]
The three cardinal suttas give different frameworks for investigation:
Sutta: SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta; Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 2. [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: SN 22.59: Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta; Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 14. [Not-self] [Aggregates]
Sutta: SN 35.28: Ādittapariyāya Sutta; Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 24.
2. “Sometime ill-will is diffuse and all-encompasing. Attempting to do metta when the mind is experiencing this seems to aggravate rather than soothe.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ill-will ] [Goodwill ] // [Bhante Gunaratana] [Conditionality] [Self-identity view] [Investigation of states]
Sutta: Snp 1.8: The Metta Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
1. “Could you give advice on how to practice Buddhānussati? Are there any suttas useful for working with this theme?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Recollection/Buddha ] [Sutta] // [Learning] [Human]
Reference: Recollection of the Buddha, Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 4.
Sutta: MN 11: Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta.
Sutta: MN 74: Dīghanakha Sutta. [Views] [Great disciples] [Upatakh]
Sutta: MN 12.58: “You might think that the jujube fruit was bigger in those days ...” [Buddha/Biography] [Humor]
Sutta: SN 17.5: Dung beetle on a ball of dung. [Gain and loss]
2. “Can one use the subtle sensations of comfort and discomfort that accompany in and out breathing as a basis for insight? If so, how much thinking/nudging the mind is useful versus simple observation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of feeling ] [Insight meditation] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Suffering] [Right Effort]
3. “Could you please speak about dhamma-vicaya and how to use it in meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Investigation of states ] // [Factors of Awakening] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Characteristics of existence] [Appropriate attention] [Dispassion] [Aggregates]
3. “Could you talk more about the particular professions that the Buddha laid out as wrong livelihood (AN 5.177)? Why is being in the military not on the list?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Military] [Right Livelihood ] // [Unskillful qualities] [Kamma] [Killing] [Intoxicants] [Rebirth]
Story: The widow of a wealthy man divests from Singha Beer. [Commerce/economics]
12. “The Buddha taught the five forms of wrong livelihood [AN 5.177]. This is from the producer side. Is there a similar teaching from the consumer side?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Commerce/economics ] [Right Livelihood] // [Idealism] [Politics and society] [Buddha/Biography] [Skillful qualities]
16. “Some people want to help but find themselves in situations in which profit dictates the priorities. How can they protect their integrity in such situations?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Compassion] [Health care] [Commerce/economics] [Right Intention] [Right Livelihood ] // [Education] [Idealism] [Requisites] [Happiness]
Story: Ajahn Karuniko studies engineering, then quits a job in the arms industry to become a monk. [Military] [Monastic life/Motivation]
25. “There are many people without access to resources for education or training without many choices. How does this all fit together?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Poverty ] [Learning] [Politics and society] [Right Livelihood] // [Buddha] [Idealism]
Sutta: DN 27: Agañña Sutta
26. “In DN 31.26, what is investment versus savings?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Commerce/economics ] [Right Livelihood]
Comments by various participants about the nature of investment. [Unskillful qualities] [Greed] [Work]
Sutta: DN 31.32: Siṅgālasutta Sutta: Five duties of an employer to employees; interpreted in A Constitution for Living by P. A. Payutto, p. 7.
5. “What is your take on satisfaction, being in tune, and stagnation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Contentment ] [Energy] [Ardency ] // [Skillful qualities] [Discernment] [Buddha/Biography] [Spiritual search] [Right Effort]
Sutta: AN 2.5: Effort and non-contentment with wholesome states.
Story: The Thai government made it illegal for monks to teach contentment. [History/Thai Buddhism] [Monastic life] [Teaching Dhamma]
Comment about the simile of the lute. [Middle Path] [Similes]
Sutta: AN 6.55: Soṇa Sutta
3. “Why is discernment a better word for wisdom?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discernment ] [Translation] // [Pāli] [Etymology]
1.1. “What do we do at the monastery? What happens on a daily basis?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic routine ] [Abhayagiri]
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 Behavior; 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]
Quote: “The happy mind is easily concentrated.” [Hindrances] [Relinquishment] [Knowledge and vision]
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. “Thank you for your talk. Can you flesh out: ‘dispassionate about what?’ Also, trying to encourage dispassion along with arousing energy.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dispassion ] [Energy] // [Craving] [Sense bases] [Body/form] [Emotion] [Contentment] [Tranquility]
Quote: “When there’s a coolness towards the world around one, that frees up a lot of energy for directing attention to what’s actually useful and beneficial.” [Discernment]
2. “Could you clarify the difference between perception (sañña), mental formations (saṅkhāra) and consciousness (viññana)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Perception ] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness] // [Memory] [Mindfulness] [Translation] [Volition] [Sense bases]
3. “Can you talk about neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings and the benefits of being with this boringness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Neutral feeling ] [Mindfulness of feeling] // [Pain] [Feeling] [Unwholesome Roots]
Sutta: MN 44.25: The tendencies underlying feelings.
4. “Could you please talk about different places in the chain of dependent origination can be broken? For example, does contact always result in vedanā? If the intention to be conscious is let go of, is that breaking the chain of ignorance conditioning saṅkhāra and saṅkhāra conditioning viññana?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dependent origination ] [Contact] [Feeling] [Ignorance] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness] // [Craving] [Clinging] [Becoming] [Relinquishment]
7. “During meditation when thoughts come and want to engage me, some thoughts have the power to take me into the storyline, and I don’t even know why. I don’t even know when. Is there a point, sign,or warning that can be seen before I get lost? It’s really painful to live in a virtual reality that never delivers the promise.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Restlessness and worry] [Proliferation ] [Suffering] // [Mindfulness of body ] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Feeling] [Dreams]
Quote: “Tuning into the body, I can start to feel where [the thought] is taking me.”
Quote: “You know what the quickest way to enlightenment is? Just look at the thoughts, point your finger, and say ‘Liar!’” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation] [Truth]
11. “Thank you for your uplifting and encouraging talks. My husband died 6 months ago. Could you give suggestions for how to contemplate anicca and anatta in the context of his life, illness, and death? I’m aware of aversion to the pain of losing him. I do want to learn from all this.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Sickness] [Death] [Relationships] [Aversion] [Suffering ] // [Naturalness] [Grief] [Gratitude] [Merit] [Compassion]