41 events, 259 sessions, 2107 excerpts, 119:43:22 total duration
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Ajahn Chah
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Ajahn Pasanno
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Monastic life
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Suffering
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Relinquishment
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Teaching Dhamma
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Culture/West
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Mindfulness of breathing
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[Session] Reading: “Looking Within” from Me and Mine by Ajahn Buddhadāsa pp. 69-77. Read by Ajahn Ñāṇiko.
1. “Do you recall when Ajahn Buddhadāsa died?” [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] // [Translation]
2. Ajahn Ñaniko speaks about the time Luang Por Liem spent at Suan Mokh. [Wat Suan Mokkh] [Ajahn Liem]
Recollection: The Thai translations in the Wat Pah Pong chanting book come from Ajahn Buddhadāsa. [Chanting] [Wat Pah Pong] [Thai] [Translation] [Ajahn Buddhadāsa]
Recollection: Ajahn Liem reads and comments on the monthly poem in the Ajahn Buddhadāsa calendar. [Artistic expression]
1. Format of Gifts He Left Behind by Ajahn Dune.
2. Reading: Gifts He Left Behind by Ajahn Dune: Introduction. Read by Ajahn Ahiṃsako.
3. Story: The Queen invites the best neurosurgeons to help Ajahn Chah in a special suite in Chulalongkorn Hospital. [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness] [Royalty] [Health care] // [Saṅgha decision making]
Story: Ajahn Dune occupies the suite after Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Dune]
4. Reading: Gifts He Left Behind by Ajahn Dune: Biographical Sketch and pp. 105-109, 1, 3, 6-9, 11-12, 15-19, 77. Read by Ajahn Ahiṃsako.
5. “Ajahn Pasanno, did I hear correctly the other day that you met Luang Por Dune?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Dune] // [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Wat Burapha] [Personality] [Teaching Dhamma]
6. “His monastery is quite loud, isn’t it?” [Ajahn Dune] [Wat Burapha] [Seclusion]
7. Reading: “Its Easy if You are not Attached,” Gifts He Left Behind by Ajahn Dune, p. 77. Read by Ajahn Ahiṃsako. [Ajahn Dune] [Wat Burapha] // [Rains retreat]
Quote: “It’s the nature of light to be bright; it’s the nature of noise to be loud.” [Contact] [Sense restraint] [Discernment]
8. “I was reading that Reverend Heng Sure found that his meditation object was particularly bright and clear when he was around his teacher Master Hua. I wondered if you experienced anything like that when you paid respects to various Ajahns?” [Rev. Heng Sure] [Master Hsuan Hua] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Meditation] // [Conscience and prudence] [Respect for elders]
[Session] Reading: “The Principle of the Present,” Straight from the Heart by Ajahn Mahā Boowa, pp. 129-149. Read by Ajahn Cunda.
[Session] Reading: “In the Shape of a Circle,” Still, Flowing Water by Ajahn Chah p 77. Read by Ajahn Kaccāna.
1. “With your meditation object, when you turn to contemplate it in terms of the three characteristics: anicca, dukkha and anatta, and that doesn’t come up, does that mean you need to stabilize the mind more to see the object more clearly?” [Meditation] [Disenchantment] [Characteristics of existence] [Concentration] // [Self-identity view] [Knowledge and vision] [Relinquishment] [Dhamma]
[Session] Reading: Mindfulness of Death by Ajahn Plien, pp. 1-20. Read by Ajahn Ṭhitapañño.
1. “Was Ajahn Plien a disciple of Ajahn Lee’s?” [Ajahn Plien] [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo] // [Ajahn Waen]
2. “In the Pure Land tradition, there are practices that prepare one for death. Are there are specific recommendations that yourself or Ajahn Chah would give for preparation for that last moment before death?” [Pure Land] [Ajahn Chah] [Death] [Recollection/Death] // [Buddho mantra]
Story: Family members try to encourage a drunkard to recollect “Arahaṃ“ in his last moments. [Mantra] [Humor]
Story: Ajahn Chah’s response to Paul Breiter’s desire to teach meditation to dying people. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Meditation] [Fierce/direct teaching]
Story: Ajahn Karuṇadhammo advises Iris Landsberg to recollect “sorrowless, spotless, secure.” Told by Ajahn Kaccāna. [Recollection]
Sutta: Sn 2.4: Maṅgala Sutta (English chanting translation).
Story: A couple asks Master Hua what kind of dog they should get. [Master Hsuan Hua] [Animal] [Rebirth]
1. Information about Twigs and Branches of the Bodhinaya and the sections that Ajahn Kovilo reads. [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Ajahn Chah] [Dhamma books] // [Translation] [Ajahn Jundee] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Sumedho]
2. Reading: Reflections about Wat Pah Pong by Ajahn Toon from Twigs and Branches of the Bodhinyana. Read by Tan Kovilo.
3. “Was there some consistency around how Ajahn Chah taught monks in a large community and how he taught monks in a small community? It sounds like when there were eleven monks he was very involved.” [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Mentoring] // [Ageing]
4. “Was Ajahn Jun around when you were training?” [Ajahn Jun] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Liem] [Ajahn Boon Choo]
Story: Ajahn Sumedho gets upset at Ajahn Chah for not admonishing lax monks. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Admonishment/feedback]
5. Story: Ajahn Jayasaro spends a Rains Retreat with Ajahn Koon. Told by Ajahn Cunda. [Ajahn Jayasaro] [Ajahn Koon] [Novices]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Personality]
1. Introductory comments by Ajahn Pasanno and Tan Pamutto clarify some of the terms in the reading.
2. Reading: “Ordination: Going Forth” from The Ways of the Peaceful by Ajahn Liem pp. 23-33. Read by Tan Pamutto.
[Session] Reading: “Breath Meditation Condensed” from An Unentangled Knowing by Upasikā Kee Nanayon, pp. 29-36. Read by Tan Khemako.
1. “I recall hearing about some aspects of the korwat at Upasika Kee’s center, do you know any of those particular details?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Protocols] // [Medicinal requisites] [Vegetarianism]
2. “Was it a women only center or separated between men and women?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Women in Buddhism]
3. “Do you think all those rules were written down like Ajahn Chah regulations?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Protocols] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong]
4. “Did she have any well-known disciples that went on to do other things?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon]
5. “It’s interesting with vegetarianism, some follow that and there are others that don’t?” [Vegetarianism] [Buddha/Biography] [Ajahn Mun] [Ajahn Gunha] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] // [Protocols]
6. “Do you think the vegetarian choice at certain centers and monasteries relates to different temperaments or personalities?” [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]
7. “My guess is they were not smoking at Upasika Kee’s, is that right?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Smoking] // [Health care]
8. “When she is talking about the mind at normalcy, her description is having the meditation object always at least in the background, constantly in awareness, being aware of the mind-state and also doing whatever you are doing, walking, washing dishes etc. Her emphasis is on cultivating it so this is something that you would be doing twenty-four hours a day. When Ajahn Chah spoke of normalcy of the mind, did he describe it in the same way?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Mindfulness of mind] [Ajahn Chah] // [Discernment] [Happiness] [One pointedness]
9. Comment: She talks about within this state of normalcy constantly contemplating the three characteristics of all phenomena occurring in awareness. To me that sounds like juggling a bunch of things! [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Conditionality]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discernment]
10. Comment: So the ability to hold the meditation object, go through your daily routines, keep an eye on the mind tone, and watch the stress flavor of all arising phenomenon seems like a fairly advanced practice state to arrive at and maintain twenty-four hours a day. [Continuity of mindfulness] [Everyday life] [Mindfulness of mind] [Suffering]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: It’s a great option if you don’t want to suffer. [Cessation of Suffering] [Happiness]
11. “She talks about making a story out of denying your defilements. Does the story of having fun denying your defilements come from that space of dwelling in that state of continuous mindfulness, or does continuous mindfulness come about from going through the suffering of forcing yourself not to enjoy anything?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Unwholesome Roots] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Conditionality] // [Discernment]
Quote: “Relinquishment isn’t so much a giving up something that we have but enjoying the non-moving to get or trying to make.” [Relinquishment] [Cessation of Suffering] [Not-made-of-that]
Simile: Learning to drive or walk. — Ajahn Kaccāna. [Similes]
12. “What do you mean when you say try something and note “it’s not working” or “it is working?” How do you know it’s not just another defilement sneaking in and saying “this isn’t working?”” [Right Effort] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Clear comprehension] [Happiness] [Habits]
13. “Is that where when one isn’t meditating per se but where virtue would come in to inform whether we have slipped or not?” [Virtue] // [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Ajahn Chah] [Conscience and prudence] [Similes] [Spiritual friendship]
Quote: “The defilements have their wisdom also.” — Ajahn Chah [Unwholesome Roots] [Discernment] [Delusion]
14. “She talks about virtue being the other hand of discernment in the meditation experience, and whenever discernment discerns stress, virtue is what lets go of the cause of stress, that virtue does the disbanding of it. Is virtue an unusual word to use there?” [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Virtue] [Discernment] [Cessation of Suffering] [Dispassion] // [Pāli] [Conscience and prudence] [Ajahn Chah]
Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 14: Many levels of sīla. [Commentaries] [Eightfold Path]
15. “When the habit pattern of defilement is so strong, and even with the mind seeing the suffering, still the mind says, “I’m not going to give that up,” do you have any suggestions for softening that, for working with that?” [Habits] [Unwholesome Roots] [Clinging]
Response: “No, just keep suffering.” [Suffering]
16. Comment by Ajahn Jotipālo: In this talk, Upasika Kee goes through dependent origination and emphasizes catching it at sense-contact. I’ve always been taught that it’s feeling where you can break it. [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Dependent origination] [Contact] [Mindfulness of feeling]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire] [Mindfulness] [Investigation of states]
17. “You were talking about the positive aspect of relinquishment, and that’s what will motivate giving up, that positive aspect of giving up and letting go. When it’s painful giving up and you give up, you can say, ‘Wait, I’m just focusing on the negative aspect of giving up, I need to switch my mind to the benefits of relinquishment?’” [Relinquishment] [Suffering] [Appropriate attention] // [Self-identity view] [Clinging] [Humor] [Humility]
18. Discussion about where there may be regret and longing linked to giving up something, although on reflection after relinquishment it can then feel like a non-event, no big deal. [Clinging] [Relinquishment] [Cessation of Suffering]
[Session] Reading: Readings from Venerable Father by Paul Breiter (commercial), pp. 28-36, 37-45, and 52-54. Read by Ajahn Pesalo.
1. “What became of Venerable Araññabho?” [Disrobing] [Chithurst]
2. “Did Venerable Araññabho stay at Wat Pah Nanachat?” [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Wat Pah Pong]
3. “How long did Venerable Varapañño spend in robes?” [Disrobing] // [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong]
Story: “I need a lawyer!”
Comment by Ajahn Pesalo: Even living for years in close proximity to Ajahn Chah isn’t enough to guarantee people will remain in robes.
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
4. “How do monks treat intestinal worms?” [Monastic life] [Health care] [Sickness] [Killing]
5. “Was there much coming and going between Wat Pah Pong and Wat Pah Nanachat?” [Wat Pah Pong] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
6. Ajahn Pasanno tells how he went to Wat Pah Nanachat to make a bowl stand but got sick with scrub typhus. An extended discussion ensues. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Monastic crafts] [Sickness] // [Rains retreat] [Joseph Kappel] [Kittisaro]
[Session] Reading: “From the Darkness to the Light,” unpublished talk by Ajahn Liem in Krooba Ajahn. Read by Ajahn Sudhīro.
1. “Did you participate in massage sessions with senior monks besides Luang Por Chah?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Upatakh]
2. “How does one incline the mind towards recollecting one’s own good actions?” [Recollection/Virtue] [Merit] [Aversion] [Gladdening the mind] // [Emotion] [Feeling] [Kamma] [Investigation of states] [Vajrayāna]
[Session] Reading: “By Way of Introduction” and “Why Meditate?” from The Skill of Release by Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo pp. 1-3 and pp. 20-31. Read by Ajahn Suhajjo.
1. “Can you reflect upon Ajahn Lee’s positive approach to the nutriments?” [Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo] [Nutriment] [Sutta]
2. “Which of the three unwholesome roots is most prominent when the mind is lazy?” [Energy] [Unwholesome Roots] [Sloth and torpor] // [Delusion]
[Session] Reading: “River and Ocean” and “Collected Teachings” from Mae Chee Kaew: Her Journey to Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment by Ajahn Dick Sīlaratano pp. 206-207 and pp. 231-242. Read by Tan Khantiko.
1. “Is bhavataṇhā both the desire to exist and the desire to be a certain way?” [Becoming] // [Self-identity view]
2. “Is vibhavataṇhā the thought, “I am this way and I don’t want to be this way?”” [Craving not to become]
3. “How do the kilesas relate to the concept of the shadow?” [Western psychology] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Characteristics of existence] [Self-identity view] [Mae Chee Kaew]
4. “I seem to make a virtue of laziness and don’t quite believe the teachings about doing without food and sleep. Do you have any advice for me?” [Sloth and torpor] [Ascetic practices] // [Skillful qualities] [Unskillful qualities]
5. “Could say more about seeing the unwholesomeness or shadow?” [Unwholesome Roots] // [Mindfulness] [Idealism] [Delusion]
6. Comment: There can be this view that the enlightened mind doesn’t have any thoughts or defilements. It’s just perfectly clear and stable and there’s nothing going on. [Liberation] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Unwholesome Roots] [Concentration]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno: Clear and stable and nothing going on are two different things.
Follow-up: “Does the enlightened mind not have any unwholesome thoughts or does it just not pick up unwholesome thoughts?” [Unskillful qualities] [Proliferation] [Clinging] [Cause of Suffering]
Story: A palmist looks at Ajahn Chah’s hands. [Ajahn Chah] [Aversion] [Personality]
7. The character of Ajahn Chah and his relatives. [Ajahn Chah] [Personality] [Aversion] [Humor] // [Leadership]
Recollection: Ajahn Chah’s older brother had the same personality. [Family]
8. Comment by Ajahn Ñāṇiko: Ajahn Chah’s brother didn’t have an inferiority complex. [Ajahn Chah] [Family] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy]
9. A retreatant expresses appreciation for the concept of non-stickiness. [Gratitude] [Release] [Nibbāna]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Idealism] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Personality] [Mae Chee Kaew] [Language]
10. Story: Ajahn Ñaniko meets Ajahn Mun’s nephew. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Mun] [Family]
11. “Ajahn Chah distinguished between the peaceful mind and the mind that has appeased the kilesas. But when the kilesas are present, is it useful to be peaceful about them?” [Ajahn Chah] [Concentration] [Unwholesome Roots] [Tranquility] // [Suffering] [Delusion]
12. A retreatant expresses appreciation for Upasika Kee Nanayon’s exhortation to be honest with ourselves. [Unwholesome Roots] [Upasikā Kee Nanayon] [Truth] [Gratitude]
“You can lie to the entire world if you like, but you must never lie to yourself.” – Mae Chee Kaew: Her Journey to Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment by Ajahn Dick Sīlaratano, p. 235. [Mae Chee Kaew] [False speech]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view] [Culture/West]
13. “Can you recommend any practices to develop honesty with ourselves?” [Truth] [Delusion] // [Unwholesome Roots] [Direct experience]
Quote: “You can’t take yourself too seriously. That’s really deadly.” [Humor] [Self-identity view]
Quote: “Do we have to sweep all of this?” “No, just sweep what’s in front of your broom.” [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Cleanliness]
[Session] Reading: “The Middleness of the Middle Way” from Samaṇa by Ajahn Mahā Boowa, pp. 127-134. Read by Anagārika J.R..
1. Reading: Unpublished talk on peace by Ajahn Piak given to Wat Pah Nanachat monks going to Dtao Dum. Read by Anagārika J.R..
[Session] Reading: Paticcasamuppāda: Practical Dependent Origination by Ajahn Buddhadāsa, selections from pp. 22-45. Read by Debbie Stamp.
1. “Could you describe ways to work with delighting and wanting around the pleasure of food?” [Food] [Craving] [Happiness] [Unattractiveness] [Disenchantment] // [Elements] [Mindfulness of body] [Clinging] [Impermanence] [Dependent origination]
Sutta: AN 5.208: The benefits of chewing toothwoods. [Cleanliness]
2. “How should we relate to the Buddha’s statement that sensual pleasure is to be feared?” [Sensual desire] [Sense bases] [Fear] // [Culture/West] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy]
Sutta: MN 66.19: Sensual pleasure is to be feared.
3. “Could you reflect on how Ajahn Buddhadāsa portrays mindfulness and ignorance as opposites?” [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Mindfulness] [Ignorance] // [Dependent origination]
4. “Could you say more about the positive causal process that is the opposite of paticcasamuppada?” [Dependent origination] [Conditionality] [Mindfulness] // [Skillful qualities] [Right Mindfulness] [Factors of Awakening]
Sutta: SN 12.23 Upanisa: Dukkha is a cause for faith. [Suffering] [Faith]
Sutta: AN 10.61 Avijjā: The Five Hindrances are a cause for ignorance. [Hindrances] [Ignorance]
5. “When I look at neutral objects, dullness often arises. Is this suffering?” [Feeling] [Contact] [Sloth and torpor] [Unskillful qualities] [Suffering] // [Craving not to become] [Delusion] [Ignorance] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension]
Comment by Ajahn Jotipālo: Lack of desire is not enlightenment. [Desire] [Liberation]
1. Reading: “A Short Biography” from No Worries by Ajahn Liem pp. 101, 104-115. Read by Beth Steff.
2. Reading: “Following the Footsteps of the Enlightened Beings,” a talk by Ajahn Liem at an Australian Sangha Association conference. Read by Beth Steff.
3. “Was there a time in Thai history when meditation was a routine part of childhood education?” [History/Thai Buddhism] [Children] [Learning] [Meditation] // [Three Refuges] [Chanting] [Right View]
Reflection: Ajahn Liem’s mother and sister were nuns with similar demeanor. [Ajahn Liem] [Family] [Mae Chee] [Wat Pah Pong] [Personality]
4. Story: Trying to wash Ajahn Liem’s cup. Told by Ajahn Jotipālo. [Ajahn Liem] [Ajahn Jotipālo] [Upatakh]
5. Recollection: Ajahn Liem leads by example. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno.
6. “Is Ajahn Liem continuing to take care of his health?” [Ajahn Liem] [Health] // [Medicinal requisites] [Food] [Health care]
7. “Does Ajahn Liem attend morning and evening pūjā?” [Ajahn Liem] [Pūjā] // [Culture/Thailand] [Wat Pah Pong]
Story: Ajahn Liem silently walks around and looks at the monks during morning pūjā. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko.
Follow-up: “Did Ajahn Chah go to morning and evening pūjā?” [Ajahn Chah]
Follow-up: “In the early years of Wat Ban Tad, was it always practice on your own?” [Wat Pah Ban Tat] [Thai sects] [Ajahn Tongrat] [Ajahn Baen]
Story: Too many monks skip pūjā to massage Ajahn Liem. Told by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Upatakh]
Recollections: Bhante Gunaratana comes to morning jūjā early. Recounted by Ajahn Jotipālo and Beth Steff. [Bhante Gunaratana]
1. Ajahn Pasanno introduces Ajahn Koon and Twigs and Branches of the Bodhinyana. [Dhamma books] [Ajahn Koon]
2. Reading: Interview with Ajahn Koon in Twigs and Branches of the Bodhinyana.
3. Story: Ajahn Tongrat walks past a pregnant woman and says, “Oh, there’s a really good monk in your stomach there.” [Ajahn Tongrat] [Ajahn Koon] [Almsround]
4. Recollection: Ajahn Chah didn’t let Western monks stay with Ajahn Koon since it was close to the Laos border. [Ajahn Chah] [Military] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism] // [Ajahn Koon] [Ajahn Anando]
5. Story: Ajahn Chah prevents supporters from bringing Ajahn Sumedho special food. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Food] [Ajahn Chah]
6. “Were there short periods of time when you lived with Luang Por Koon?” [Ajahn Koon] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Wat Keun] [Ajahn Puriso]
1. Introduction to The Natural Character of Awakening and Chao Khun Upāli. Teaching by Ajahn Jotipālo and Ajahn Pasanno. [Chao Khun Upāli] [Ajahn Mun] [Forest versus city monks]
Story: Ajahn Mun takes on the role of abbot at a city temple out of respect for Chao Khun Upāli’s request. [Abbot]
2. Reading: The Natural Character of Awakening by Chao Khun Upāli, pp. 58-67. Read by Ajahn Jotipālo.
3. “Do you have any advice for monks taking on additional practices (āditthanas)?” [Ajahn Chah] [Determination] // [Ascetic practices] [Appropriate attention] [Virtue] [Sense restraint] [Unwholesome Roots] [Middle Path]
4. “What is the distinction Chao Khun Upāli makes between lokuttara discernment and higher discernment?” [Chao Khun Upāli] [Discernment] [Impermanence] [Aggregates] [Suffering] [Cause of Suffering] // [Commentaries] [Ajahn Chah] [Study monks]
5. “What is the difference between abandoning craving and realizing the abandoning of craving?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Impermanence] [Aggregates] [Cause of Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Commentaries] [Doubt] [Relinquishment] [Concentration] [Gladdening the mind] [Desire] [Becoming] [Right View]
Sutta: SN 56.11 Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. [Four Noble Truths]
Sutta: MN 121 Cūḷa Suññata Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on Emptiness [Emptiness]
Quote: “The characteristic of cessation is not just ending something and annihilating [it], but it’s being willing and able to stop. The nature of the mind is that it doesn’t like to stop. And it’s [through] that not stopping that we keep creating that sense of me.” — Ajahn Pasanno [Cessation] [Nature of mind] [Self-identity view]
6. “How many Somdets and Chao Khuns are there at any given time?” [History/Thai Buddhism] [Monastic titles] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Ajahn Liem]
7. “What’s the Thai for ‘Supreme Patriarch’?” [Thai] [Monastic titles]
1. Reading: Background of the talk “Steady Practice” from Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 818. Read by Ajahn Ahiṃsako.
2. Recollection: Background of Wat Keun. [Wat Keun] // [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic titles] [Environment] [Ajahn Puriso] [Military] [Animal]
Story: Ajahn Chah ordains a group of university students and takes them to Wat Keun. [Temporary ordination]
3. Reading: “Steady Practice” from Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, pp. 277-290. Read by Ajahn Ahiṃsako.
4. “How do you balance Ajahn Chah’s instruction to put away the books with the desire to study and understand the teachings?” [Ajahn Chah] [Learning] [Sutta] [Study monks] // [Culture/West] [Faith] [Doubt]
5. “Did Ajahn Chah ever tell a student to study?” [Ajahn Chah] [Learning] // [Eightfold Path] [Study monks] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]
Quote: “These are not absolute statements. When Ajahn Chah says something, he’s pointing. He just doesn’t work that way. And we take it as an absolute.” [Teaching Dhamma] [Proliferation]
Story: Ajahn Chah monks who became study monks. [Ajahn Bunjong] [Ajahn Mahā In]
6. “How does one cultivate self-supervision?” [Ajahn Chah] [Desire] [Self-reliance] [Postures] [Continuity of mindfulness] // [Mindfulness of body] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Quote: “The body is like a mirror for the different moods and state of the mind as we’re experiencing things.” [Similes] [Mindfulness of mind]
Follow-up: “I try to practice body awareness when my mind is being supervised...” [Long-term practice] [Ajahn Sucitto]
Sutta: MN 10 Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta [Right Mindfulness]