1. “Have you had experiences of clarifying motivation that go beyond the theoretical or abstract?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Spiritual urgency] // [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Pong] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “Was it suffering?” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Suffering] [Self-identity view]
Story: Ajahn Chah used ancient stones to mark the Wat Pah Pong sīmā. [Ajahn Chah] [Sīmā]
Quote: “Are these rocks heavy?” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Cessation of Suffering]
Sutta: SN 22.86: Dukkha and the ending of dukkha.
1. Background of the Amaravati Sunday Talks. [Amaravati] [Teaching Dhamma] // [Rains retreat] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah]
2. Recollection: Ajahn Chah was a memorable person; his influence has spread around the world. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah lineage ] [Ajahn Chah] // [Faith] [Ajahn Sumedho]
3. Recollection: My introduction to Ajahn Chah. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] // [Temporary ordination] [Travel] [Wat Phleng Vipassanā] [Forest versus city monks]
4. Recollection: Ajahn Chah’s community in 1975. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah lineage] [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong ] [Western Ajahn Chah lineage] [Thai Ajahn Chah monasteries] [Isan] [Personal presence]
5. Recollection: Ajahn Chah taught by example, but put the focus on the monastic training and community. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] [Ajahn Chah] // [Humility]
Quote: “He was unique in his ability to draw people in without it having to be about him.” [Ajahn Chah] [Personal presence ] [Personality]
6. Recollection: Why I stayed with Ajahn Chah. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Determination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Family] [Sequence of training] [Equanimity] [Personal presence]
7. Recollection: He was always willing to push us beyond what we thought we could do. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Fierce/direct teaching] [Ajahn Chah] // [Intuition]
Quote: “I hope you’re not afraid of suffering. … If you’re afraid of suffering, you’re not going to grow in wisdom here.” — Ajahn Chah to Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Jack Kornfield] [Fear] [Suffering] [Discernment]
Quote: “If you want to stay here, you have to stay at least five years.” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Sequence of training] [Determination]
Story: Ajahn Chah asks the young Ajahn Pasanno to become abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat. [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abbot] [Sickness]
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]
9. Recollection: Ajahn Pasanno’s first lunar observance night at Wat Pah Pong. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Wat Pah Pong] [Lunar observance days] [Ajahn Chah] // [Monastic life] [Pace of life] [Patience]
Quote: “You learn as you go. You expand your ability to go beyond the limitations you set for yourself.” [Learning]
Quote: “The more you resist and complain in your mind, the more you suffer.” [Aversion] [Suffering] [Habits]
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). [Ajahn Chah] [Requisites] [Ajahn Sumedho]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.23: Sāriputta gains faith from Venerable Assiji’s demeanor. [Great disciples]
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]
12. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Ajahn Chah’s compassion and empathy. [Compassion] [Ajahn Chah]
Quote: “I’ve been like that.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Munindo] [Suffering]
13. Recollection: Ajahn Chah enjoyed teasing people and playing with words. Recounted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Humor] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Gavesako] [Ajahn Amaro] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Compassion]
Stories: The Squirrel Story and the Donkey Story. [Kittisaro] [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life] [Patience]
Note: Kittisaro tells these stories himself here.
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. [Ajahn Chah] [Sickness] [Posture/Sitting] [Sitter's practice]
15. “When you first arrived at Ajahn Chah’s monastery, how did you communicate with him?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Language] [Ajahn Chah] // [Ajahn Sumedho] [Translation] [Paul Breiter] [Thai] [Isan]
Story: Venerable Varapañño could recite the Pāṭimokkha perfectly. [Pāṭimokkha]
16. “Can you tell us more about Ajahn Chah’s background?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Geography/Thailand] [Education] [Novices] [Ordination] [Ajahn Sao] [Forest versus city monks] [Death] [Ajahn Mun] [Thai sects]
Story: Six-year-old Chah plays at being a monk. [Ajahn Chah] [Monastic life]
17. “Can you speak about Luang Por Chah’s opinion about Thai superstitions and amulets?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/Thailand] [Superstition] [Amulets] [Ajahn Chah] // [Humor] [Ghost] [Generosity]
Story: A young supporter drafted into the military asks Ajahn Chah for protection. [Ajahn Chah] [Buddha images]
20. “Nowadays we have so much information about Dhamma, whereas when you began, you talked about following an example. How much did being in the presence of someone like Ajahn Chah mean? Could we now overlook this since we have so much information?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dhamma online] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Mentoring] [Personal presence] [Ajahn Chah] // [Amaravati] [Aspects of Understanding]
22. “People say that Westerners are much more individualistic than Asians. Do you think Ajahn Chah was good at understanding the Western way of thinking?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Culture/West] [Culture/Asia] [Ajahn Chah]
1. Quote: “Whatever speech doesn’t take into account the reality of impermanence is not the speech of wise person.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Right Speech] [Discernment] [Impermanence]
2. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: The sign of spiritual maturity is the inclination to disenchantment and relinquishment. [Meditation/Results] [Disenchantment] [Relinquishment] [Impermanence] // [Ajahn Chah]
3. When asked why there are thieves in Thailand, Ajahn Chah replies, “The Buddha didn’t tell them to do that. They do that themselves.” [Ajahn Chah] [Culture/Thailand] [Buddhist identity] [Stealing]
6. Quote: “No cracks, no Buddhism.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Stupas/monuments] [Impermanence] // [Recollection/Dhamma]
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 anatta are tools we rely on for transforming the heart.”
11. “Is Nibbāna unconditioned? Can Nibbāna make a connection with you, or do you have to go to Nibbāna?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Nibbāna] [Unconditioned ] [Impermanence] // [Characteristics of existence]
Sutta: Ud 8.3: Nibbāna Sutta (Chanting Book translation).
Quote: “The place where there’s no coming, no going, no standing still. What’s that?” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah]
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] [Ajahn Chah] [Spaciousness] [Mindfulness]
Sutta: MN 44.12: The bases of samādhi.
Simile: Unification of mind is like a bowl of fruit. [Unification] [Ajahn Chah]
3. “Could you speak about the practice of being mindful of craving and allowing it to pass?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Unskillful qualities] [Mindfulness] [Craving] [Cessation] // [Hindrances] [Relinquishment] [Recollection/Dhamma] [Faith] [Memory]
Quote: “If we don’t understand the obstacle, we can’t be free from it.” [Discernment] [Liberation]
Quote: “You’ve got to be really careful because the mind is a liar and a cheat.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Nature of mind] [Heedfulness]
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.
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]
12. “When someone opens up about issues or something difficult they are dealing with, when should one just listen and when should one say something that might help?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Listening ] [Right Speech] [Compassion] // [Spiritual friendship] [Trust] [Virtue] [Goodwill] [Admonishment/feedback] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Abbot] [Ajahn Chah]
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 Thate] [Ajahn Dune] [Ajahn Chah]
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.
2. “Is renunciation like surrender?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Renunciation] [Relinquishment]
Quote: “You let go a little, you get a little peace. You let go a lot, and you get a lot peace. Let go completely, and you get complete peace.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Tranquility]
4. “Luang Por Chah’s teaching, ‘Not go forward, not go backward, not stand still;’ is this like empty?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Emptiness] // [Relinquishment]
1. “What is the difference between concentration and mindfulness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Mindfulness] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Ajahn Chah] [Unification ] [Translation] [Equanimity] [Etymology] [Spaciousness]
Teaching from Ajahn Sumedho: The point that includes versus the point that excludes. [Ajahn Sumedho]
3. “If you live long enough and you start to have Alzheimer’s or dementia, if you’re well-practiced throughout your whole life, you’ll still be grounded in something, right?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Ageing] [Sickness] [Memory ] [Long-term practice] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah]
Story: Despite having dementia, Venerable Mahāghosānanda attends a meeting of Buddhist leaders at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Abhayagiri monks look after him and delight in his presence. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Preah Mahāghosānanda] [Spirit Rock] [Upatakh] [Abhayagiri] [Personal presence] [Dalai Lama]
Reflection: When Ajahn Chah was sick, his cognitive functions deteriorated, but his citta was unwavering. [Ajahn Chah] [Heart/mind] [Nature of mind] [Translation] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro]
Quote: “You don’t have to worry about Ajahn Chah. His mind is bright and pure.” — Ajahn Phut. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Phut] [Ajahn Chah] [Dependent origination] [Chanting] [Wat Pah Nanachat]
Reference: Vipassanā-bhūmī, Amaravati Chanting Book Volume 2, p. 67.
Reflection by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo: The mind is another sense base. It’s not who you are. [Sense bases] [Not-self]
5. Reflection by Ajahn Pesalo: The balance between community and self-reliance. [Saṅgha] [Self-reliance ] [Abhayagiri] // [Faith] [Ajahn Chah] [Trust ] [Monastic life] [Present moment awareness]
Quote: “One’s attitude towards practice should be: ‘If he can do it, I can do it.’” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa. [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Meditation]
Quote: “You are the awareness. All of us are the awareness.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Knowing itself]
Quote: “Give it 40 years.” — Ajahn Sucitto. [Ajahn Sucitto] [Determination] [Patience]
1. Reflection from Ajahn Chah about rich people: “They may have money, but they don’t know what’s enough.” Related by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Commerce/economics] [Greed] // [Wat Pah Pong] [Relinquishment] [Happiness] [Contentment]
3. Recollection: Ajahn Sumedho meets Master Hsuan Hua in the Bay Area in 1980. Recounted by Ajahn Amaro. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Master Hsuan Hua ] [James Baraz]
Quote: “I never thought I would meet another monk like Luang Por Chah. And I just did.” — Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Chah]
4. Recollection: When I first went to Wat Pah Pong. Recounted by Ajahn Damrong. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Damrong] [Wat Pah Pong] // [Tranquility] [Ajahn Chah] [Work]
6. Quote: “Sumedho, why do Westerners walk so fast?” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Ajahn Damrong. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Culture/West] [Pace of life]
2. Reflection by Ajahn Jundee: We bow to the qualities of the Buddha. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Bowing] [Buddha] // [Ajahn Chah] [Buddha images] [Tudong]
Story: Venerable Sāriputta would bow in the direction of Venerable Assaji. [Great disciples] [Respect]
Vinaya: Mahāvagga 1.23: Venerable Sāriputta meets Venerable Assaji.
3. Recollection: Ajahn Chah would go to a village and ask, “Are there any people here?” Recounted by Ajahn Jundee. Translated by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Chah] // [Virtue] [Similes]
3. “What have you seen be the key difference between those who blossom and those who wilt [in monastic life]?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] // [Truth] [Energy] [Patience]
Quote: “The quickest way to Awakening is to look straight at the heart, point right at it, [and say] ‘Liar!’” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation]
4. “There are certain monastic traditions, like the Pa Auk tradition, where monks will have an interview with their teacher every day to get meditation advice. You don’t do that; that’s not a characteristic of the Thai Forest Tradition. You mentioned that you led and trained others like a duck. Could you explain that metaphor?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pa Auk Sayadaw] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Similes] [Monastic life] // [Questions] [Dhamma]
Simile from Ajahn Chah: I teach like a duck rather than teach like a chicken. [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma]
Quote: “You have to learn to teach yourself.” [Self-reliance]
6. “What’s the biggest story you’ve had to work through yourself? Did you have any moments when you really had to step up?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Monastic life] // [Fear] [Ajahn Chah] [Delusion] [Admonishment/feedback]
Quote: “I want to live in a way that is exemplary and free. I don’t want to live under the tyranny of my own anxiety and delusions.” [Liberation]
7. “Many people think monastic life is a training in meditation. You mentioned Ajahn Chah’s approach to training was trying to inculcate virtue and Right View. How do you teach these to others?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Virtue] [Right View] [Teaching Dhamma] [Monastic life] // [Happiness] [Contentment] [Gratitude] [Self-identity view] [Idealism] [Spaciousness] [Relinquishment]
14. “Has Ajahn Chah ever used physical force to discipline his stubborn disciples out of kindness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Compassion] [Monastic life] // [Ajahn Pasanno]
Story: Ajahn Chah kicks Ajahn Ñāṇadhammo in the chest. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Ñāṇadhammo]
7. “I notice that I would go after something like getting a degree, but after I got there, the excitement dissipated. Any suggestions on being present in the moment?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Purpose/meaning] [Drawbacks] [Disenchantment] [Present moment awareness] // [Contentment] [Becoming]
Quote: “Desire is not quenchable.” [Craving]
Sutta: Dhp 251: There is no river as wide as taṇhā. [Similes]
Quote: “I’ve never seen any wealthy people come to the monastery. … They still don’t have enough.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Greed ]
1. “Could you describe dukkha? One of your similes that I love relates dukkha to Canadian tires in the wintertime.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pāli] [Similes] [Suffering] // [Translation] [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Ajahn Pasanno]
4. “When did you first have faith that there was truly a way out?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Cessation of Suffering] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Suffering] // [Ajahn Chah]
5. “There’s a story about waiting for the afternoon sweet drink all night long (Stillness Flowing by Ajahn Jayasaro, p. 504). Was this you?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Medicinal requisites] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Suffering]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno’s first Pāṭimokkha at Wat Pah Pong. [Wat Pah Pong] [Pāṭimokkha] [Posture/Sitting] [Mae Chee]
Reflection: Ajahn Chah provided the opportunity to reflect about difficulty (Thai toramon). [Ajahn Chah] [Fierce/direct teaching ]
Quote: “I don’t teach wisdom. I just give toramon.” — Ajahn Chah. [Ajahn Chah] [Discernment]
7. “I’m also curious about mental pain. In 1992, you were invited by Ajahn Chah to become the abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat when you were less than ten years in robes. Shortly after, Ajahn Chah became paralyzed and was no longer able to communicate. You took groups of monks every week to pay respects to him, and for ten years were looking after him. Can you explain how you related to that whole mass of dukkha that must have come up? How do you advise others dealing with similar things?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] [Abbot] [Sickness] [Suffering] // [Grief] [Fear] [Leadership] [Humility ] [Pain] [Self-identity view]
8. “How can you acknowledge the limitations of the personality and of the circumstance but find a deeper wisdom beyond that? For those who find themselves in difficult situations with life and think that release of suffering in this life is beyond them, what thoughts would you offer?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Personality] [Discernment] [Everyday life] [Cessation of Suffering] [Suffering] // [Spiritual friendship ] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Ajahn Chah] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Abbot] [Thai Ajahn Chah lineage] [Ajahn Dune] [Community] [Culture/West] [Saṅgha]