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]
1. “After more than 50 years, is the practice getting easier?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Long-term practice ] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Mindfulness] [Happiness]
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]
11. “Luang Por Sumedho describes sati-sampajañña as intuitive awareness. But contemplating the four aspects of sampajañña (purpose, suitability, etc.) engages the logical, thinking mind. If these arise intuitively, it’s wonderful, but to cultivate them, I think a lot.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Clear comprehension ] [Intuition] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [Mindfulness] [Translation] [Bhante Sujato] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro]
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]
2. “I feel like the point you’re making about an exclusive versus an inclusive unification or one-pointedness is in line with the way I’ve been practicing Zazen. … [Mindfulness and concentration both feel like they have the quality of open awareness that is inclusive. … Is concentration a more developed kind of mindfulness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Unification] [Zen] [Mindfulness] [Concentration] [Spaciousness]
6. “You have lived with intense physical pain for some time due to many injuries. You don’t mention it often or show it at all really. What methods do you use to confront that most coarse form of dukkha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Kovilo. [Pain ] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Suffering] // [Mindfulness] [Goodwill] [Patience] [Pāli] [Perfections] [Fear]
Quote: “We have the resources within ourselves to not be intimidated by pain or discomfort.” [Self-reliance]