Selfishness
Unskillful qualities / Conceit-related / Selfishness
Part of tag cluster Conceit and guilt in key topic Unskillful Qualities
Also a subtag of Conceit-related
9 excerpts, 48:31 total duration

Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 20 – Apr. 28, 2001

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2. “Did Ajahn Chah pass his teaching style to you or do you use your own separate style?” Answered by Ajahn Sumedho and Paul Breiter. [Personality] [Ajahn Chah] [Teaching Dhamma]

Story: Ajahn Sumedho, first abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat. Told by Ajahn Sumedho. [Ajahn Sumedho] [Abbot] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Sequence of training] [Culture/West] [Joseph Kappel] [Selfishness] [Aversion] [Suffering] [Guilt/shame/inadequacy] [Humor]

Quote: “The special thing about Luang Por Chah was that he was at ease and completely himself.” — Ajahn Sumedho [Contentment]

Response by Paul Breiter: “The elements are there, but different teachers are expressing them in a living way.”


Metta Retreat, Session 2 – Sep. 10, 2008

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6. “Please explain how to cultivate muditā. I’ve heard it described as ‘poor man’s happiness.’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Empathetic joy] [Happiness] // [Divine Abidings] [Jealousy] [Selfishness]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 3 – Nov. 25, 2013

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12. “Some monks have told me I’m selfish for being so focused on release. They say I should help others more. What are your thoughts?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Release] [Selfishness] [Generosity]


Desire or Aspiration, Session 1 – Jun. 14, 2015

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10. “Any advice for cures for burnout? I’m in a helping profession and feel depleted and exhausted. I need help getting the balance between giving and receiving.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Depression] [Work] [Health] [Generosity] [Compassion] // [Culture/West] [Idealism] [Commentaries] [Selfishness]

Quote: “Compassion in the English language means ‘to suffer with.’ If you end up suffering with too much, you end up burnt out.” [Language] [Suffering]

Quote: “Don’t think you’re a ten-wheeled dump truck when all you are is a wheelbarrow.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah]

Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 291: Classical cultivation of goodwill and compassion, first to yourself. [Goodwill]

Quote: “Our ability to be with others and to help and to give is dependent on our being kind and compassionate to ourselves.” [Spiritual friendship] [Self-reliance]


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11. “Is sexuality and wanting an intimate connection with another considered a negative desire?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire] [Relationships] [Desire] [Unskillful qualities] // [Food] [Clear comprehension] [Compassion] [Selfishness] [Discernment] [Precepts] [Trust]

Quote: “It’s not so much a matter of thwarting desire, but understanding how desire works so we can build those bonds of trust and care.”


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 8 – Nov. 28, 2015

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4. “I was wondering if the merit we have done for meditation practice can be dedicated to the people (dead or alive) we pray for? How do we know it? Also, I have heard that the merit from practicing meditation will accumulate and stay with ones who have practiced that, which also carries over throughout the life or the subsequent incarnations. Can you clarify this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Merit] [Prayer] [Rebirth] // [Theravāda] [Mahāyāna] [Vajrayāna] [Science] [Faith] [Selfishness]

Stories told by Ajahn Paññānanda about dedication of merit. [Ajahn Paññānanda] [Culture/Thailand] [Superstition] [Death]


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18. “I often feel overwhelmed with the greed, hatred, ill-will, and delusion that the corporate world exerts over the masses to the benefit of only themselves and that is destroying the planet’s ability to renew itself. Could you speak about Buddhist involvement in social change movements?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Politics and society] [Activism ] [Unwholesome Roots] [Commerce/economics] [Selfishness] [Environment ] // [Truth] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Non-profit organizations]

Ajahn Pasanno reflects on the results of his efforts to preserve forests in Thailand. [Geography/Thailand] [Learning] [Greed] [Corruption]

Quote: “Can I set an example myself and can I help encourage other people who are interested?”


Teen Weekend 2017 – Sep. 2, 2017

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14. “What are the biggest misconceptions about being ordained?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Monastic life] // [Selfishness]

Story: Ajahn Pasanno visits Ajahn Buddhadāsa: “Don’t be selfish!” [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Ajahn Pasanno] [Selfishness]


Madison Insight Retreat 2023, Session 2 – Oct. 14, 2023

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19. “When one moves through the world with compassion and lovingkindness, how does one avoid feeling depleted? In a world of ‘individuals,’ most take more than they give and to always be giving can be exhausting.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Compassion] [Goodwill] [Selfishness] [Generosity] [Depression] // [Not-self] [Four Noble Truths] [Cause of Suffering]

Quote: “When we are attentive to freedom from suffering, there’s an inexhaustible well of goodness there.” [Cessation of Suffering] [Skillful qualities]