Part of key topic Meditation Practices
12. “How are we to reflect on the use of food as not for fun, not for pleasure, only for the maintenance and nourishment of this body when offered Paul’s spectacular cooking?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Food] [Recollection] [Meditation retreats] // [Sense restraint] [Gratitude] [Vinaya]
Sutta: MN 2.14, Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 53. [Almsfood]
Quote: “That’s what the use of reflection is. It isn’t necessarily that you’re going to mandate what you’re feeling or thinking, but you’re keeping a perspective on it.” [Recollection]
Sutta: AN 5.208: Using toothwoods makes food taste better. [Cleanliness]
7. “Can you give a concrete description of how you recollect or contemplate? What’s going on in your mind while you do it? What resources or mental formations do you use?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Recollection] // [Learning] [Four Noble Truths] [Right Effort] [Directed thought and evaluation]
Quote: “The most effective contemplation takes place when the mind is still.” [Recollection] [Tranquility]
15. “When you have completed the practice, does everything become ‘down time?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Stages of awakening] [Recreation/leisure/sport] // [Clinging] [Almsfood] [Culture/Natural environment]
Quote: “It’s because we reflect on these ‘serious things’ that we can hold things lightly.” [Recollection]
Suttas: MN 2.13: Reflection on the requisites; AN 5.208: Benefits of chewing toothwood
1. Quote: “If you want to succeed in your practice, you have to think a lot. ... You have to think all the time about Dhamma.” — Ajahn Baen. Quoted by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Baen] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Investigation of states] [Recollection/Dhamma ] [Recollection] // [Chanting]
Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 6.
6. Quote: “We have to get out of the habit of being thieves.” — Ajahn Buddhadāsa. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Relinquishment] [Stealing] [Recollection] // [Aggregates] [Clinging] [Naturalness]
Quote: “The peace of Nibbāna is not something that you gain, that you get, that you claim ownership over; it’s by relinquishing and releasing these bases of identity.” [Nibbāna] [Recollection/Peace] [Release] [Self-identity view]
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. [Recollection] [Tranquility]
Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Yoniso manasikāra is a way of paying attention to the process of experience. [Pāli] [Characteristics of existence]