References – MN 109: The Longer Discourse on the Full-Moon Night 
Sutta / Majjhima Nikāya / MN 109: Mahāpuṇṇamasutta

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Reading: MN 109: Mahāpuṇṇama Sutta. Read by Ajahn Pasanno. [Aggregates]

The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness [2013], Session 21


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Reflections by Ajahn Pasanno on MN 109: The danger in clinging to khandhas. [Clinging] [Self-identity view] [Aggregates]

Reference: Reflection on dukkha from the Morning Chanting.

Sutta: SN 22.59 Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta (Chanting book translation).

The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness [2013], Session 21, Excerpt 1


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“Have any teachers explained the meaning of the questions in MN 109?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Questions] [Aggregates]

Commentarial explanation of the context of MN 109. [Teaching Dhamma] [Culture/India] [Views] [Culture/West] [Christianity]

Sutta: DN 1: Brahmajāla Sutta.

The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness [2013], Session 21, Excerpt 3


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Readings from A Burden off the Mind by Ajahn Ṭhānissaro, pp. 17-20 By Ajahn Pasanno:

§8: excerpt from MN 28: Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta.

§9: excerpt from SN 22.57.

§10: excerpt from MN 44: Cūḷavedalla Sutta.

§11: excerpt from SN 22.57.

§12: excerpt from SN 22.57.

§13: excerpt from Sangīti Sutta (DN 33).

§14: excerpt from MN 44: Cūḷavedalla Sutta.

§15: excerpt from SN 22.57.

§16: excerpt from SN 22.57.

§17: excerpt from MN 109: Mahāpuṇṇama Sutta.

Sutta: SN 22.1, Khandhasaṁyutta, “Nakulapitā.”

The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness [2013], Session 24


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MN 44.14 defines perception and feeling as mental formations. I thought those were just conditional arising on account of contact (MN 109.9)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Perception] [Feeling] [Volitional formations] [Conditionality] [Contact] // [Pāli]

Ajahn Buddhadasā‘s translation of the Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118; Chanting Book translation) translates cittasaṅkhāra as the mental conditioner. [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Translation] [Mindfulness of breathing]

Reference: Mindfulness with Breathing by Ajahn Buddhadāsa, p. 72.

Follow-up: “The bodily fabrication doesn’t seem to involve volition, but vitakka and vicāra do.” [Body/form] [Volition] [Directed thought and evaluation] [Aggregates]

Comment: In the Ānāpānasati Sutta, much of the practice is intentionally calming different saṅkhāras. [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of body]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno.

The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness [2013], Session 24, Excerpt 5


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“The obtuse bhikkhu who thought about what self is touched by the results of action (MN 109.14)—that’s the place where kamma comes into the question?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view] [Kamma] [Aggregates] // [Views] [Middle Path] [Doctrine-of-self clinging] [Characteristics of existence]

Follow-up: “Right view talks about being being reborn. Is this a conventional use of language? It’s not talking about selves being reborn?” [Right View] [Rebirth] [Language]

Sutta: SN 5.10: Simile of the chariot. [Conventions]

The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness [2013], Session 21, Excerpt 4


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Readings by Ajahn Pasanno:

The Island by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, Chapter 14, pp. 256-258:

Suttas: Snp 800-3; MN 2.7-8; MN 109.15-18.

Sutta: MN 2: Sabbāsava Sutta.

Sutta: MN 109: Mahāpuṇṇama Sutta.

Readings from The Island [2025], Session 34