Cultivating Gratitude

อาจารย์ ปสันโน

Cultivating Gratitude

A sense that somebody wants to help us out, somebody wants to do something that’s of benefit to others; that’s something to be grateful for. When people want to do that, we should pay attention to those things and recognize them. That’s when a lot of gratitude comes, when we pay attention to others and to the efforts that they make. Also, when we put ourselves into a frame of mind that is willing…

Appreciate the Kindness of Benefactors

อาจารย์ มหา บัว

Appreciate the Kindness of Benefactors

The Lord Buddha’s Dhamma teaches us to be aware of and appreciate the kindness that is bestowed on us by people we are indebted to such as our parents or teachers, by those who took care of us or who taught and trained us. We should respect and honor them and help them when necessary. We shouldn’t be stubborn or cocky, boasting that we are highly educated and have high status. We should always rem…

Openness of the Heart

อาจารย์ วีรธัมโม

Openness of the Heart

An important part of my own inner life involves continually bringing attention to the heart chakra. When I’m conversing with people, I’ll very often let my attention rest at the heart. This allows me to listen with empathy and be more in touch with the tone of the conversation, rather than just the specific details of what’s being said. For me, this kind of empathic listening is more about underst…

What might I do...?

Ajahn Prateep

What might I do...?

“It has been about ten years since the time I last lived at Abhayagiri, but I always think about the Krooba Ajahn [Luang Por Pasanno], the monks and laypeople. Everyone is probably doing well, though the monastery has likely changed a lot. Thinking about the time I spent at Abhayagiri, practicing with Luang Por Pasanno and the other monks, as well as the laypeople, I feel gratefully indebted to ev…

Seeing the Danger

อาจารย์ ชา

Seeing the Danger

One night during the retreat, there occurred an incident that Luang Por found so inspiring that, years later, he would often relate it to his disciples. Ajahn Khe had kindly offered to help Luang Por with his study of the Vinaya. Following a long and fruitful session one late afternoon, Luang Por, having taken his daily bath at the well, climbed up the hill to practise meditation on its cool, bree…

The Mystery of the Breath Nimitta

อาจารย์ โสณะ

The Mystery of the Breath Nimitta

The terms “nimitta” or “sign” and patibhaga-nimitta or “counter-part sign” are frequently referred to in this essay, and it is best to clarify their meaning at the outset. The “sign” means a characteristic mark or phenomenon which accompanies and helps identify an experience. For example, the flu is often accompanied by weakness and nausea; here nausea would be a sign of the flu. Extreme joy may b…

Thirsting

อาจารย์ สุทันโต

Thirsting

…So one way of training ourselves and being a student of dukkha is to become very sensitive to that dissonance that arises in the heart, that sense that feels somehow incomplete or problematic. Do the counterintuitive thing and stop. Create some clarity so that you can feel that in a way that’s appropriate. Ask yourself, “Why? What’s wrong? What do I really want here? What do I expect here?” When…

Stories From My Life; Don’t Believe What You See

Ajahn Ratanawanno

Stories From My Life; Don’t Believe What You See

Many of you might try to think, “What’s he going to talk about?” Don’t think about that; just listen. When we practice Dhamma, most of the time and for many people including me, I set up the goal. I set up what I’m going to get before I really practice it. I just plan and I see by my understanding, trying to figure out what it should be before I really practice it. I set up the image of the result…

Picking Up and Putting Down

อาจารย์ จันดี

Picking Up and Putting Down

The thing that we put down is light; the thing that we pick up is heavy. It’s lightness and ease that come from putting things down. But it’s like a burden when, of course, we pick things up. This is something that we can all experience for ourselves, especially on the external level in terms of physical objects. When we pick up something, the longer that we hold it, the heavier and heavier it bec…

Learning with Q and A

Ajahn Achalo

Learning with Q and A

Whenever in the position of offering reflections or teachings, it would seem that the best that one can ever do is to come from the sincere intention of sharing what you think is useful or relevant, according to your own experience - or from what you have studied or heard from beings who are wiser. Sometimes though, people are struggling with doubts in areas that one might never have guessed or ev…