All teachings

38 events, 188 sessions, 369 excerpts, 25:24:30 total duration

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Happiness on the Buddhist Path – Aug. 20, 2023

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1. “Is misery the absence of happiness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suffering] [Happiness] // [Language] [Conditionality] [Pāli]

Derivation of dukkha: du = not good or not comfortable; kha = where the axle goes into the wheel.

Story: Driving a car with frozen wheels is dukkha. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Similes]


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6. “Is there a right speed to silent walking?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Walking] // [Abhayagiri] [Postures] [Continuity of mindfulness]

Story: Jack Kornfield asks Ajahn Chah, “Whenever you teach walking meditation, you always teach the monks to walk slowly. But whenever you walk meditation, you walk really fast. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Teaching Dhamma] [Exercise]

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Translations of sampajañña (clear comprehension) and its role in Dhamma practice. [Clear comprehension ] [Translation] [Mindfulness]


Ānāpānasati Daylong at Abhayagiri, Session 8: Afternoon Discussion – Sep. 9, 2023

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2. “In the Ānāpānasati Sutta there are many steps. Is there space in these to investigate the causes and conditions for greed, anger, and delusion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Investigation of states] [Conditionality] [Unwholesome Roots] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Mindfulness of mind] [Heart/mind] [Calming meditation] [Hindrances] [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Impermanence]

Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Mindfulness of breathing is not a linear process. You have to work with what’s actually helpful.


Madison Insight Retreat 2023, Session 1 – Oct. 13, 2023

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6. “Could you give a Dhamma talk about the Five Aggregates?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Aggregates] // [Cause of Suffering] [Body/form] [Feeling] [Perception] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness]

Simile: A dog tied to a post (SN 22.100). [Similes] [Self-identity view]


Interreligious Retreat-Seminar on Dhamma and Non-duality, Session 1 – Nov. 24, 2023

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3. “Have you ever regretted choosing the monastic life? Has your mother ever thought you made a wrong choice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life/Motivation] [Doubt] [Parents] // [Gratitude] [Retirement] [Energy] [Mentoring] [Christianity] [Abhayagiri]

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Reflections on leadership. [Leadership ] [Ajahn Chah] [Abbot] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Discernment]

Quote: “You can’t lead just by telling people what to do and they are going to obey. Forget it!” [Leadership ]

Quote: “Everybody else is a mirror for oneself if one is willing to learn in teaching or leading others.” [Leadership ] [Learning]


Interreligious Retreat-Seminar on Dhamma and Non-duality, Session 2 – Nov. 25, 2023

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4. “Krishnamurti spoke of ‘effortless effort.’ Can you make sense of this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Krishnamurti] [Right Effort]

Reflection: Samma means right in tune. [Pāli] [Eightfold Path]


Interreligious Retreat-Seminar on Dhamma and Non-duality, Session 4 – Nov. 26, 2023

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1. “What is the translation of sabbaṃ dukkhaṃ? The way you translate it seems psychological. In Sanskrit, dukkhaṃ means out of the cosmic flow of Dhamma. But perhaps dukkhaṃ is best left untranslated. If untranslated, does dukkhaṃ mean the same thing in Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Suffering] [Pāli] [Equanimity] [Dhamma] [Translation] [Advaita Vedanta] // [Thai] [Human] [Aggregates] [Clinging ] [Knowing itself] [Relinquishment]

Ancient etymology of dukkha: du = bad, unwanted, unpleasant, uncomfortable, not easy; kha = where the axle fits into the wheel. [Language] [History/Indian Buddhism]

Sutta: SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Chanting Book translation)

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Teaching: The four forms of clinging. [Clinging ] [Sensual desire] [Impermanence] [Naturalness] [Happiness] [Neutral feeling] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Views] [Doctrine-of-self clinging] [Not-self]

Quote: “Nibbāna is the reality of non-grasping.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Nibbāna] [Cessation of Suffering]


28th Anniversary Practice and Study Day, Session 6: Stories from Our Past – Jun. 1, 2024

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1. Reflections by Ajahn Pasanno on 28 years. [Community] [Monasteries] [Abhayagiri] // [Saṅghapāla] [Lay supporters] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]

Reflection: It’s the community and the people that really creates the monastery.


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2. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: The early days of Abhayagiri were simple and basic. [Requisites] [Abhayagiri] // [Lay supporters] [Building projects] [Generosity] [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support]

Quote: “It was like a Buddhist trailer park.” [Lodging]


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7. Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: First and foremost, this is a training monastery. [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] // [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Truth] [Vinaya]


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13. Reflection by Ajahn Cunda: Training under the co-abbots. [Abbot] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] [Mentoring] // [Craving] [Teaching Dhamma] [Communal harmony] [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo]

Quote: “Two tigers in one cave.” — Thai saying. [Leadership] [Culture/Thailand]


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14. Reflections by Ajahn Cunda on my early training. [Abhayagiri] // [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Ñāṇiko] [Monastic life]

Quote: “Don’t worry. The first 20 years are the hardest.” — Ajahn Amaro. [Sequence of training] [Suffering]


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17. Why do some people stay and some people go? Reflection by Ajahn Ṭhitapañño. [Ajahn Amaro] [Monastic life] [Abhayagiri] // [Worldly Conditions]


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18. A long-term sense of extended family. Reflection by Ajahn Ṭhitapañño. [Community] [Abhayagiri]


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19. Reflections by Ajahn Sudhīro on his first year at Abhayagiri. [Abhayagiri] // [Emotion] [Suffering] [Monastic life] [Community] [Communal harmony] [Food] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Happiness]


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20. What has and hasn’t changed at Abhayagiri. Reflection by Ajahn Sudhīro. [Unwholesome Roots] [Three Refuges] [Abhayagiri]

Simile: An oasis in a desert. [Similes]


Perspectives on Buddhist Practice from Ajahn Chah, Session 1: Virtue and Relinquishment – Aug. 25, 2024

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1. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: There is no such thing as the Ajahn Chah method of meditation. [Meditation/Techniques ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Teaching Dhamma] [Self-reliance]


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3. Ajahn Chah emphasized the importance of sīla during his second trip to the West. [Culture/West] [Virtue] [Ajahn Chah] // [Communal harmony]

Quote: “Teaching Buddhism without sīla is like sending someone out in the open sea in a leaky boat.” — Ajahn Chah. [Similes]

Simile: A millipede’s many legs all work together in harmony.


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4. The precepts are foundations for training ourselves in body, speech, and mind. [Precepts] [Learning]


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5. Reading: Ajahn Mun answers Ajahn Chah’s questions about Vinaya. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mun] [Vinaya] [Ajahn Chah] // [Commentaries] [Conscience and prudence] [Simplicity] [Mindfulness]

Reference: “Understanding Vinaya,” Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, pp. 533-534.

The meaning of hiri-otappa. [Translation] [Respect]


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7. Reflection for approaching difficulties: “What am I hanging on to here?” Contributed by Ajahn Pasanno. [Clinging] [Relinquishment]


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9. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Relinquishment is the doorway to unshakeability. [Equanimity] [Relinquishment] // [Fear]


Perspectives on Buddhist Practice from Ajahn Chah, Session 3: Knowing and Liberation – Aug. 25, 2024

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2. Simile from Ajahn Chah: The mind is like a bell struck by sense contact and moods. Related by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Nature of mind] [Contact] [Moods of the mind] [Similes] // [Knowing itself]


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3. Similes from Ajahn Chah: The natural state of the mind is like clear water or a still leaf. Related by Ajahn Pasanno. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Nature of mind] [Similes] // [Contact] [Feeling] [Moods of the mind] [Knowing itself]

Reference: “A Gift of Dhamma,” Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 226.


Readings from The Island, Session 5: Fire, Heat, and Coolness – Part 1 – Jan. 15, 2025

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1. “When it comes to what is being reborn [in the metaphor from SN 44.9, The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, p. 52]. What sustains [the flame] is the air of oxygen, but this is still quite vague. Can you elaborate on this> Often when we talk about reincarnation but there is no self this question comes up again and again. So I’d love to hear what is actually reborn?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Rebirth] [Similes] [Not-self] // [Hinduism] [Etymology] [Conditionality] [Habits] [Self-identity view] [Insight meditation] [Knowing itself] [Liberation]

Sutta: DN 9.49: The Buddha asks an inquirer if they existed in the past and future.

Simile: Waves coming into the shore.

Sutta: SN 1.25: The Buddha uses personal pronouns.


Readings from The Island, Session 11: All That is Conditioned – Part 1 – Jan. 23, 2025

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1. Reflection by Ajahn Amaro: Addiction to becoming is the core source of suffering. [Addiction ] [Becoming] [Cause of Suffering]

Reference: The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, pp. 68-69.


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3. Reflections by Ajahn Amaro on the career of the Bodhisattva. [Bodhisattva ] // [Compassion] [Perfections] [Tipiṭaka] [Mahāyāna] [History/Early Buddhism]

Sutta: MN 26.19: The Buddha hesitates to teach.


Readings from The Island, Session 15: To Be or Not to Be: Is That the Question? – Part 1 – Jan. 30, 2025

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5. Three kinds of selfing. Teaching by Ajahn Amaro. [Self-identity view] [Not-self] // [Commentaries] [Insight meditation] [Relinquishment]

Sutta: SN 22.59 Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta (Chanting book translation).


Readings from The Island, Session 19: To Be or Not to Be: Is That the Question? – Part 5 – Feb. 4, 2025

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2. “You could have a reasonable intention to stop a habit or stop seeing someone. By telling yourself, ‘I want to stop,’ you identify with the object. But you can go round and round and round thinking about it. ...” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Spiritual friendship] [Volition] [Self-identity view] [Proliferation] // [Right Effort] [Mindfulness] [Discernment] [Attitude] [Becoming]

Sutta: Snp 2.4: Maṅgala Sutta.

Simile: Stinging nettles and dead nettles together in the same hedgerow. [Similes]

Quote: “I am an unenlightened person who has to do something now to become enlightened in the future.” — a paradigm based on self-view pointed out by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Liberation]

Follow-up: “The only arbiter [of whether intention is based on self-view or wisdom] is your own experience ...” [Self-reliance]

Response by Ajahn Amaro. [Teaching Dhamma]

Sutta: AN 9.3 Meghiya Sutta.

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities]


Readings from The Island, Session 20: To Be or Not to Be: Is That the Question? – Part 6 – Feb. 7, 2025

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3. “I have never come to the bottom of this self or not self, and I come to the point where I just give up. Should I worry?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view ] [Not-self] // [Present moment awareness] [Proliferation] [Insight meditation] [Knowing itself] [Relinquishment]

Reflection by Ajahn Amaro: This which knows the person is not a person. [Personality]

Follow-up: “This goes strongly against what we experience outside of Amaravati; in work life there is very strong identity. To find a balance is very challenging.” [Work]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno: “Identification is the glue that holds suffering together.” [Suffering] [Non-identification]

Quote: “When were you ever made any the less by dying?” — Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī. Quoted by Ajahn Amaro. [Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī] [Death] [Right View]


Readings from The Island, Session 22: Practices and Perspectives I – Part 1 – Feb. 9, 2025

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5. “How do we distinguish the nuances of happiness and suffering?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Happiness] [Suffering] // [Language]

Reflection: Any language is always a problem.

Quote: “The language of Dhamma is the language of feeling.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma] [Feeling]


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7. Recollecting the peace of Nibbāna. Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Recollection/Peace] [Nibbāna] // [Cessation] [Dispassion] [Pāli] [Tranquility]

Reading: The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, p. 225.

Suttas: AN 10.60.10; AN 1.494.


Readings from The Island, Session 26: Practices and Perspectives I – Part 5 – Feb. 15, 2025

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1. Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno: Confidence or belief in the law of kamma is the foundation of mundane Right View. [Faith] [Kamma] [Right View] // [Rebirth ]

Sutta: MN 117.7.

Follow-up: “Would you say [mundane Right View] includes rebirth?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Kaccāna. [Views] [Conditionality] [Spiritual traditions] [Ordination]

Sutta: MN 60: Apaṇṇaka Sutta.


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2. Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno: How the Buddha defines Right Intention. [Right Intention] // [Eightfold Path]

Sutta: MN 117.10.


Readings from The Island, Session 27: Practices and Perspectives I – Part 6 – Feb. 16, 2025

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8. The meaning of chanda (desire). Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire] [Translation] // [Bases of Success] [Craving] [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities] [Sensual desire]


Readings from The Island, Session 29: Practices and Perspectives II – Part 1 – Feb. 18, 2025

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1. Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno: The satipaṭṭhāna insight formula is a pointer to atammayatā. [Right Mindfulness] [Insight meditation] [Non-identification] // [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Translation]

Sutta: MN 10.37: “Or else mindfulness that ‘there are mind objects’ is simply established in him to the extent necessary for bare knowledge and awareness. And he abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world.

Quote: “You don’t have to go and study every tree in the forest.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Similes]

Reference: Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening by Joseph Goldstein (commercial).

Follow-up: “Do you think that the not-self perception is the precursor to the experience of atammayatā?” [Not-self] [Relinquishment]


Readings from The Island, Session 30: Practices and Perspectives II – Part 2 – Feb. 19, 2025

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7. Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno: The four bases of clinging are a theme for investigation. [Clinging] [Discernment] [Relinquishment] // [Sensual desire] [Views] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Doctrine-of-self clinging] [Not-self]

Sutta: Dhp 160: “Attā hi attano nātho” – “The self is the refuge of the self.”


Readings from The Island, Session 38: Attending to the Deathless – Part 2 – Mar. 4, 2025

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1. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: The contrast between the vipassanūpakkilesa (defilements of insight) and the vipassanāñāṇa (insight knowledges). [Insight meditation] [Defilements of insight] [Knowledge and vision] // [Perception of light] [Characteristics of existence]


Readings from The Island, Session 41: Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness – Part 3 – Mar. 9, 2025

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2. “Could you clarify what you said about the mind and objects of awareness and how freedom from attachments is possible?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Nature of mind] [Knowing itself] [Liberation] // [Non-identification] [Insight meditation] [Ajahn Mun]

Simile: Oil and water. — Ajahn Chah. [Similes] [Ajahn Chah]

Follow-up: “I like flowers, but I need to stop buying flowers. How can this help?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Clinging] [Feeling] [Volitional formations]


Readings from The Island, Session 42: Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness – Part 4 – Mar. 10, 2025

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5. Ajahn Pasanno translates and reflects upon, “Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ ...” as found in AN 10.6. [Recollection/Peace] // [Ajahn Pasanno]


Readings from The Island, Session 43: Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness – Part 5 – Mar. 11, 2025

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1. Teaching from the commentaries: Only the Buddha overcomes all personality tendencies. Contributed by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Buddha] [Personality] [Commentaries] // [Arahant] [Great disciples]


Readings from The Island, Session 46: The Unconditioned and Non-locality – Part 2 – Mar. 16, 2025

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4. “Are mindfulness of mind and contemplating a subject such as impermanence two different approaches?” Answered by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of mind] [Recollection] // [Ajahn Chah] [Language] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Appropriate attention] [Lawfulness]

Reference: “What is Contemplation?”, Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, pp. 475-479.

Quote: “Your best contemplation is quite thoughtless.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility]

Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Yoniso manasikāra is a way of paying attention to the process of experience. [Pāli] [Characteristics of existence]


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8. Ajahn Amaro recollects and reflects on the receipt of Ajahn Chah’s only letter to Ajahn Sumedho (quoted in The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, p. 164). [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho]

Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 339.


Readings from The Island, Session 48: Practices and Perspectives III – Part 2 – Mar. 18, 2025

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4. Reflections by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno comparing the diversity of expression in the Six Sets of Six (MN 148) to the Mahāgosiṅga Sutta (MN 32). [Great disciples] [Buddha/Biography] // [Determination]

Sutta: SN 14.15: Students gravitate towards the personality of the teacher. [Personality]


Readings from The Island, Session 49: Practices and Perspectives III – Part 3 – Mar. 19, 2025

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1. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: The result of the training is that one is freed form greed, hatred, and delusion. [Vinaya] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Unskillful qualities] [Liberation] [Virtue]


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2. “When Ajahn Chah reached full liberation, did he wait two years just to be sure?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation] // [Delusion] [Doubt]

Simile from Ajahn Chah: “To me that’s just the chattering of the birds.” Related by Ajahn Amaro. [Similes]

Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: People get infatuated and enthralled by attainment. [Craving] [Meditation/Results] [Relinquishment]

Quote: “[Ajahn Chah’s] duty was to try to teach people Dhamma, as opposed to being something for anybody.” — Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Becoming]


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5. “I was trying to imagine what it would be like to look into the world through the eyes of an arahant. Something like looking through The Matrix or looking at people as children ...” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. [Arahant]

Quote: “What is the mind of an arahant like?”—“Only compassion.” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Compassion]

Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Ajahn Chah’s form of compassion could be pretty demanding sometimes. [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Patience] [Humor]

Reflection by Ajahn Kaccāna: From the perspective of an arahant, what drives the entire world is feeble (MN 112.6). [Aggregates] [Dispassion]


Readings from The Island, Session 50: Practices and Perspectives III – Part 4 – Mar. 20, 2025

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5. Reflections by Ajahn Amaro on “Passion is a maker of measurement; aversion is a maker of measurement ...” (SN 41.7). [Perception] [Judgementalism ] [Sensual desire] [Aversion] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Conventions]

Quote: “Is this long or short?” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]


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7. Reflections by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno on the Buddha’s experience of chronic pain in DN 16.2.25. [Buddha/Biography] [Pain] // [Suffering] [Equanimity]

Suttas: DN 33; MN 53; AN 10.67-68: The Buddha stretches his back.


Questions and Answers about Ajahn Chah, Session 2 – Jun. 18, 2025

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1. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Ajahn Chah inspired people to be willing to commit to practice and training. [Monastic life/Motivation] [Determination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Fourfold Assembly] [Relinquishment]


What Luang Por Chah Taught – Jul. 27, 2025

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8. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Amaravati and other monasteries are offshoots of Ajahn Chah’s gift of monastic training where people can continue to practice. [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Ajahn Chah]


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10. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Ajahn Chah used the Vinaya rules as a basis to train in mindfulness and clear comprehension. [Vinaya] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension] [Ajahn Chah] // [Volition] [Perception of a samaṇa] [Protocols ] [Sense restraint] [Beauty] [Faith]

Story: Ajahn Chah demonstrates how to put down a yahm (monk’s shoulder bag). [Requisites] [Ajahn Sumedho]

Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.23: Sariputta gains faith from Venerable Assiji’s demeanor. [Great disciples]


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11. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno on Ajahn Chah’s ability to illustrate Dhamma. [Teaching Dhamma] [Similes] [Ajahn Chah]

Simile: Suffering is like continually tightening a bolt. [Suffering]


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12. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Ajahn Chah’s compassion and empathy. [Compassion] [Ajahn Chah]

Quote: “I’ve been like that.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Munindo] [Suffering]


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14. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: His leadership and his teaching came from his example. [Leadership] [Teaching Dhamma] [Ajahn Chah] // [Lunar observance days] [Devotion to wakefulness]

Recollection: Ajahn Chah sits until midnight despite having malaria. [Sickness] [Posture/Sitting] [Sitter's practice]


Even the Sāsana Will Pass Away – Aug. 24, 2025

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2. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: The sign of spiritual maturity is the inclination to disenchantment and relinquishment. [Meditation/Results] [Disenchantment] [Relinquishment] [Impermanence] // [Ajahn Chah]


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4. The perception of impermanence should be cultivated for the removal of the conceit “I am.” Teaching by Ajahn Pasanno. [Conceit] [Impermanence] // [Self-identity view] [Relinquishment] [Nibbāna] [Cessation of Suffering]

Quote: “Being right doesn’t lead one to freedom from suffering. Oftentimes it just makes you a pain in the butt.” [Views]

Sutta: Ud 4.1.21: Meghiya Sutta.

Sutta: AN 10.60.10: “This is peaceful, this is sublime ...”


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5. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: If you see the steadfastness and orderliness of the Dhamma, of the truth, it can free the heart. [Lawfulness] [Naturalness] [Liberation] [Impermanence] // [Pāli]


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7. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Absorbing the truth, “Even the Sāsana will pass away,” doesn’t lead to a sense of dismay; it leads to wonder and the motivation, “How can I help others?” [Truth ] [Spiritual urgency] [Compassion] [Suffering] [Impermanence] [Characteristics of existence]

Recollection: Ajahn Chah saw so clearly and was incredibly compassionate. [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching]

Quote: “What is the mind of an arahant like?” – “Only compassion.” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Ajahn Mun]

Quote: “Anicca, dukkha, and anattā are tools we rely on for transforming the heart.”


Q&A with the Chithurst Community – Aug. 30, 2025

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3. “People often say that Amaravati is like an institution. What is a perspective on this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Amaravati ] [Saṅgha] [Monastery organizational structure] // [Ajahn Pasanno]

Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Ahiṃsako and Ajahn Karuṇiko: The benefits and drawbacks of large monasteries. [Mutual lay/Saṅgha support] [Teaching Dhamma] [Christian monastics] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Spiritual traditions]


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7. “Can you offer any reflections about people’s tendency to measure samādhi, concentration, and jhāna and their doubt and discontent about how much is enough to develop insight?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Calming meditation] [Concentration] [Jhāna] [Insight meditation] // [Craving] [Relinquishment] [Etymology] [Translation] [Right Mindfulness] [Right Effort]

Quote: “Samādhi is a holiday for the heart.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho]

Simile: Samādhi is like a chicken in a bamboo coop. [Similes] [Spaciousness] [Mindfulness]

Sutta: MN 44.12: The bases of samādhi.

Simile: Unification of mind is like a bowl of fruit. [Unification]


Kathina Q&A with the Chithurst Community, Session 1 – Oct. 11, 2025

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10. “How do we recognize when we’re being taken advantage of when we’re trying to offer compassion? How do we draw a line to maintain our compassion without it impeding?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Abuse/violence] [Compassion ] // [Discernment] [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching]

Suttas: SN 22.86.13; MN 22.37.

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Reflection: The qualities of the Buddha: wisdom, compassion, purity. [Recollection/Buddha ] [Arahant] [Pūjā]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 3: Homage to the Buddha. [Recollection/Buddha ]

Story: A person asks the same question four times. [Questions]


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14. “Sometimes we hear that with practice, some qualities change, but other qualities don’t change very much over a long time of practice. When I read certain biographies [of Buddhist teachers], it seems like certain rough qualities can remain even though the mind is pure. How to know the difference in oneself and others?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Long-term practice] [Personality ] [Teachers] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Unskillful qualities] // [Suffering] [Unwholesome Roots] [Relinquishment] [Hindrances]

Ajahn Pasanno describes the personality of great teachers he has met. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Ajahn Tate] [Ajahn Dune] [Ajahn Chah]

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Reflection: The arahant disciples of the Buddha were able to free their minds, but they all had different personalities. [Arahant] [Buddha] [Great disciples ]

Sutta: SN 14.15 Caṅkama Sutta: Monks with different personalities gather around the great disciples.

Note: Ajahn Pasanno mentions the similarly-themed Cūḷagosiṅga Sutta (MN 31) by name, but describes the content of the Caṅkama Sutta.


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