Episódios
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At Christmas time at Dhammagiri, Ajahn Dhammasiha asserts that he is a stong believer in Santa Claus. Not in the literal sense, but he believes in Santa as a symbol of generosity.Santa's job is to give gifts to all children in the world, and he's working very hard to get that all done in one day at Christmas. That's certainly a lot of good karma for him due to his generosity.Not surprising then, that we never see Santa angry or grumpy. Even if his beard is frozen at -20C, or the reindeer are playing up, and his rucksack of gifts is very heavy, he's always got a beautiful smile on his face.We can all 'believe' in Santa in the sense that we believe in the power of making good karma ('puñña') through giving and kindness, and in the result of good karma: Happiness!
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#santa #xmas #christmas #generosity #dana #giving
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Tan Ajahn Geoff Thānissaro answers questions of the audience at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane, Australia. At the first question about Ānāpānasati (mindfulness of the breath), he explains that we can experience the breath throughout the body, not just at the nose tip.
'Breath' doesn't mean just the air going into the nose & lungs, but the suptle energy connected with the breath, that we can feel throughout the body.
Ajahn Ṭhānissaro (Geoffrey DeGraff) is an American monk of the Thai Forest Tradition. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1971 with a degree in European Intellectual History, he travelled to Thailand, where he studied meditation under Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, himself a student of the late Ajaan Lee. He was ordained in 1976 and lived at Wat Dhammasathit, where he remained following his teacher’s death in 1986.
In 1991 he travelled to the hills of San Diego County, USA, where he helped Ajaan Suwat Suvaco establish Metta Forest Monastery. He became abbot of the Monastery in 1993.
He has published a large number of Sutta translations, Dhamma books and Dhamma talks on his website:
https://www.dhammatalks.org
Info about Dhammagiri:
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#dhamma #sati #mindfulness #buddhism #q&a
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Tan Ajahn Keng organized Ajahn Thanissaro's visit to Australia & NZ, and accompanied and looked after him for the whole duration.
Ajahn Keng Khemako is a Singaporean monk of the Thai Forest Tradition. He was ordained in 1987 under the recommendation of Ajahn Thanissaro. One of his main teachers was Luang Pu Jia Cundo, a first generation disciple of Ajahn Mun.
He received the title of Chao Khun in 2012. Currently, Ajahn Keng is the Abbot of Santi Forest Monastery (Malaysia) and the Abbot of a hill-tribes forest monastery in Om Koi, Chiangmai and President of Palelai Buddhist Temple (Singapore).
https://santiforestmonastery.org
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#mindfulness #sati #effort #buddhism #buddhiststory
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During his visit to Dhammagiri, Bhante Jinaratana shared these reflections on gratitude and sympathetic joy (muditā).
He also reades out a passage from Ajahn Lee's biography, to show how we can combine gratitude, muditā and recollection of sangha (sanghānussati) in reference to spiritual teachers.
About the Speaker:
Bhante Jinaratana was born in Toronto, Canada. He became interested in meditation as a student at the University of Toronto, and began attending intensive retreats in 2002.
After graduating with an H.B.Sc. (neuroscience, mathematics) in 2004, he taught English for a year in Nanning, P.R.C. Desiring to ordain, but without knowing a suitable place to do so, he travelled to Brisbane Australia and completed a Graduate Diploma in Education in 2008 at the Queensland University of
Technology.
During that time he had the opportunity to stay for an extended period at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage as eight-precept meditator. The guidance he received there helped him to gain the confidence to finally ordain.
Bhante Jinaratana received novice ordination at Na Uyana Forest Monastery in Sri Lanka in July 2011, and higher ordination in June 2012 (Na Uyana is the main monastery of the Shri Kalyani forest tradition, the same lineage where Ajahn Dhammasiha originally ordained). Most Venerable Na Uyane Ariyadhamma Mahāthera was the preceptor for bot ceremonies.
From 2019-2021 he stayed at Pa Auk Monastery, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar, meditating under the guidance of Sayadaw U Kumārabhivaṃsa and Most Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw Āciṇṇa.
He currently resides at Dhamsuwa Forest Monastery, Melbourne.
Bhante has kindly accepted our invitation to visit Dhammagiri for 3 weeks in November/December.
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#mudita #gratitude #sympatheticjoy #brahmavihara
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Tan Ajahn Geoff Ṭhānissaro is leading our Sangha of 8 monks here at Dhammagiri in chanting the blessing and anumodanā before the meal (rejoicing in the good karma of the almsfood donors & sharing good karma with departed relatives).
The blessing is recited in Pali, the original language of the Buddha.
You may notice that it sounds different from the way we recite the blessing in the lineage of Ajahn Chah. As Ajahn Geoff, Ajahn Keng and Ajahn Jiep have ordained and trained in the Dhammayuttika Nikāya, they often recite Pali in the 'Makhot' style, whereas the Mahānikāya monks (including Ajahn Chah lineage) always chant in 'Sangyot' style.
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Buddhist Pali Chanting
#buddhistchanting #palichanting #blessing #anumodana #sharingmerits
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Live Question and Answer Session with Tan Ajahn Geoff Thanissaro at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane, Australia.
Ajahn Ṭhānissaro (Geoffrey DeGraff) is an American monk of the Thai Forest Tradition. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1971 with a degree in European Intellectual History, he travelled to Thailand, where he studied meditation under Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, himself a student of the late Ajaan Lee. He was ordained in 1976 and lived at Wat Dhammasathit, where he remained following his teacher’s death in 1986.
In 1991 he travelled to the hills of San Diego County, USA, where he helped Ajaan Suwat Suvaco establish Metta Forest Monastery. He became abbot of the Monastery in 1993.
He has published a large number of Sutta translations, Dhamma books and Dhamma talks on his website:
https://www.dhammatalks.org
Info about Dhammagiri:
Dhammagiri Website
Our Spotify Playlists
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Dhammagiri Youtube Channel
Pics
#dhamma #Q&A #buddhism #insight #vipassana #wisdom
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One of best known features of the Dhamma is the teachings on 'Anattā' ('not-Self' or 'non-self'). It is rightfully regarded as one of the hallmarks of the Buddha's teaching, something that distinguishes it from all other spiritual or philosophical doctrines and religious beliefs.
And yet, there is considerable bewilderment as to the exact meaning of anattā, even among knowledgeable, well practised Buddhists, or in scholarly discussions. For instance, one can often hear the opinion that the Buddha teaches that "there is no self".
But did the Buddha ever literally say: "there is no self"?
There is at least one occasion where the Buddha is asked point-blank by the wanderer Vacchagotta whether an Attā exists or whether it does not exist:
"kiṃ nu kho, bho Gotama, atth'attā ti? ... kiṃ pana, bho Gotama, natth'attā ti?"
[Saṃyutta Nikāya 44.10 = Connected Discourses 44.10]Fascinatingly, the Buddha refuses an answer to either question, but instead remains silent.
And there is another quote where the Buddha explains that anyone who clings to either of the following two views as true and absolute:
"My self exists" ("atthi me attā ti")
"My self does not exist" ("n'atthi me attā ti")
[Majjhima Nikāya #2 'Sabbāsavasutta' = Middle Length Discourses #2 'All the Taints']has "gone into the thicket of views, the desert of views, the contortion of views, the vacillation of views, the fetter of views".
So what, then, does the Buddha teach regarding self?
He teaches that:
"all phenomena are not self"."Sabbe dhammā anattā"
[e.g. Dhammapada Verse 279]He teaches that form is not self, feeling is not self, perception is not self, volition is not self, consciousness is not self. He teaches that the eye is not self, forms are not self, ear, sounds, nose, fragrances, tongue, flavours, body, sensations, mind, ideas are not self.
Some may object that this is merely splitting hairs. They may feel that there is virtually no difference between saying that there is no self, and saying that all phenomena are not self. But it's a huge difference. The statement "there is no self" is building up a merely intellectual opinion, it is establishing a doctrine which in itself becomes ground for clinging, and immediately puts one in direct conflict with anyone who believes the opposite, that "there is a self".
On the other hand, to state "phenomena are not self", or "form is not self" is aimed at letting go. It's not an attempt at philosophical speculation, the development of views and opinions in one's head. Instead, it is a meditation instruction, it is a tool to be used to abandon attachment. The Dhamma is not trying to establish 'absolute' truth by means of words, thoughts and notions. It's not an abstract philosophy. Instead, it's a pragmatic instruction that is applicable ('opanāyika') to our personal situation, a medicine to treat the suffering we feel in our heart. It's whole purpose is simply to induce letting go. Once we contemplate and clearly see form, feeling, perception, intention and consciousness as not self, not me, and not mine, the heart lets go of them.
With this insight, the whole delusion of self is destroyed and abandoned for good, as it is impossible for the delusion of self to be established anywhere else than on these 5 groups of clinging. In fact, it's quite impossible to even meaningfully express an intellectual view of a self other than in reference to them.
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#anatta #notself #nonself #emptiness #sunyata #dhamma
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Ven Jinaratana Thera uses the very well known novella: "A Christmas Coral" from Charles Dickens to explain fundamental Buddhist principles like generosity, kamma, and finding more meaningful happiness in life.
He also speaks about the importance of framing our perception according to Dhamma principles.
About the Speaker:
Bhante Jinaratana was born in Toronto, Canada. He became interested in meditation as a student at the University of Toronto, and began attending intensive retreats in 2002.
After graduating with an H.B.Sc. (neuroscience, mathematics) in 2004, he taught English for a year in Nanning, P.R.C. Desiring to ordain, but without knowing a suitable place to do so, he travelled to Brisbane Australia and completed a Graduate Diploma in Education in 2008 at the Queensland University of
Technology.
During that time he had the opportunity to stay for an extended period at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage as eight-precept meditator. The guidance he received there helped him to gain the confidence to finally ordain.
Bhante Jinaratana received novice ordination at Na Uyana Forest Monastery in Sri Lanka in July 2011, and higher ordination in June 2012 (Na Uyana is the main monastery of the Shri Kalyani forest tradition, the same lineage where Ajahn Dhammasiha originally ordained). Most Venerable Na Uyane Ariyadhamma Mahāthera was the preceptor for bot ceremonies.
From 2019-2021 he stayed at Pa Auk Monastery, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar, meditating under the guidance of Sayadaw U Kumārabhivaṃsa and Most Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw Āciṇṇa.
He currently resides at Dhamsuwa Forest Monastery, Melbourne.
Bhante has kindly accepted our invitation to visit Dhammagiri for 3 weeks in November/December.
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#dickens #xmas #christmas #buddhism #dhamma #reframing
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At the Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Ajahn X Dhaniyo relates a powerful Buddhist simile:
A man with 4 wifes is about to die. He gets a chance to talk to his four wifes a last time, but is bitterly disappointed about how they react to his impending death; except for the fourth wife, the one he loved least and showed the least affection...
Ajahn X (Phra Suthanai Dhaniyo) has been a monk for 22 years, and has lived and trained for 16 years with Luang Por Liem at Wat Nong Pah Pong, Ajahn Chah's original monastery. Currently he resides at Bodhisaddha Monastery, Wilton near Sydney.
He visited us together with Ajahn Saalii Sujīvo specially for our robe offering ceremony, and kindly agreed to give a Dhamma talk in English for the occasion, part of which contained the simile of the four wives.
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#buddhiststory #buddhism #dhamma #4wives #death #karma
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At our Robe Offering Ceremony, Tan Ajahn Uttamapanyo (Phra Yanmethi Petruang) kindly conducted the ceremony of taking refuge in Triple Gem & observance of 5 precepts for us.
Ty is leading the lay community in requesting the refuges & precepts.
The ritual is conducted in Pali, the language of the Buddha.
Requesting Triple Refuge & Five Precepts
Mayaṃ Bhante,
tisaraṇena saha
pañca-sīlāni yācāma.
Dutiyampi,
mayaṃ Bhante
tisaraṇena saha
pañca-sīlāni yācāma.
Tatiyampi,
Mayaṃ Bhante
tisaraṇena saha
pañca-sīlāni yācāma.
(English trsl., not chanted during session:
"Venerable Sir,
we request the Triple Refuge
together with the 5 precepts.
For the second time...
For the third time...")
Homage to the Buddha Recited by Monk 3x
Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!
(3x)
Homage to the Buddha Repeated by Laity 3x
Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!
(3x)
(English translation, not chanted during session:
"Homage to the Exhaulted, Noble, and perfectly enlightened one!" 3x)
Taking Refuge in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha 3x
(recited line by line by monk, and repeated line by line by laity)
Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyampi Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyampi Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
(English translation, not chanted during session:
"I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dhamma.
I take refuge in the Sangha
For the second time, I take refuge...
For the third time, I take refuge...")
Taking the 5 Precepts
(recited line by line by monk, and repeated line by line by laity)
Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi
Adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi
Kāmesu micchācārā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi
Musāvādā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi
Surā-meraya-majja-pamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi
(English translation, not chanted during session:
"I undertake the training to abstain from killing any living beings.
... to abstain from stealing.
... to abstain from sensual misconduct.
... to abstain from lying.
... to abstain from alcohol or any other drugs that cause intoxication and heedlessnes.")
Monk Recites Blessing:
Imāni pañca-sikkhāpadāni
sīlena sugatiṃ yanti,
sīlena bhogasampadā,
sīlena nibbutiṃ yanti -
tasmā sīlaṃ visodhaye!
(English translation, not chanted during session:
These five training steps
lead through virtue to a good rebirth,
lead through virtue to the acquisition of wealth,
lead through virtue to the extinction of suffering - therefore, may your purify your virtue!)
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#buddhistchanting #palichanting #triplerefuge #precepts #buddhistceremony #buddhistmonastery #buddhistritual
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On the weekend of our Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri, we had 9 monks staying for 2 nights in the monastery.
In this recording, Tan Ajahn Uttamapanyo is leading the sangha in the recitation of blessings and anumodana for long life, strength, health, prosperity and good fortune; and to share good karma with all beings.
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#buddhistchanting #palichanting #blessing #anumodana #buddhistmonk #buddhistmonastery
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Ajahn X (Phra Suthanai Dhaniyo) has been a monk for 22 years, and has lived and trained for 16 years with Luang Por Liem at Wat Nong Pah Pong, Ajahn Chah's original monastery.
Ajahn shares some of his experiences of life at Wat Pah Pong, and reflects on teaching he has received from Luang Por Liem personally.
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#buddhism #dhamma #ajahnchah #buddhistmonk #wisdom
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Vipassana comes from the Pali verb 'Vipassati' = 'to see clearly'.
To practise Vipassana, we have to train ourselves to watch as a neutral, uninvolved, observer. We can't interfere or manipulate things we observe, just as a researcher can't manipulate the experiment, if he wants to really find out how reality works.
However, there are certain areas, certain features of reality the Buddha is pointing us to. They are there all the time, we don't have to create them, they are part of nature. But we overlook them constantly due to delusion, and if the Buddha points out where to direct our 'Clear Seeing' towards, then it's easier to finally recognize what has been always there, but hidden but defilements:
Anicca - Impermanent, unreliable, unsure Dukkha - Ultimately disappointing, suffering Anattā - Not Self, not me, not mineThere's also a post in our Dhamma Reflections blog on the same subject here.
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#vipassana #insight #mindfulness #sati #dhamma #meditation
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Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked about the difference between perception (Pāli: saññā) and consciousness (Pāli: viññāna), and how we can distinguish these two in our experience.
The question is important, as both are part of the 5 Groups of Clinging (pañcupādānakkhandhā), which are the five focal points of attachment and identification.
To abandon attachment, and to see through the illlusion of self, we have to carefully investigate the 5 Groups of Clinging as they arise in our present experience. And to investigate them successfully, naturally, we have to know what each of them actually are, and how they differ.
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#consciousness #perception #awareness #clinging #attachment #dhamma
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Prompted by a question from the audience, Ajahn Dhammasiha shares reflections on the theme of developing Sympathetic Joy (Muditā).
Muditā is on of the four Divine Abodes (Brahma-vihāra), together with loving kindness, compassion and equanimity.
Sympathetic Joy is the quality of rejoicing and feeling happy in other beings success.
It's the very opposite of envy and jealousy.
Ajahn suggests a similar approach as in developing mettā: We imagine someone we really like anyhow, and then remember some wholesome achievement they accomplished.
Next we use a mantra like formula, like for instance:
"May you enjoy all your success!" or similar.
We continue till we can really feel the corresponding emotion.
However, we have to be careful that we only delight in wholesome success...
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#mudita #sympatheticjoy #brahmavihara #divineabidings #buddhism
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In the famous discourse on the 'Foundations of Mindfulness' (Satipaṭṭhāna) the Buddha promises us that we can attain Nibbāna or Non-Returning in just 7 days, if we practise as descibed by him.
Why, then, are we still enmeshed in suffering?
Ajahn Dhammasiha describes six obstructions that we have to abandon first - otherwise we're not able to practise Satipaṭṭhāna in the way the Buddha described them:
Delight in Work Delight in Chatting (including social media!) Delight in Sleep Delight in Socialising (including social media!) Lack of Sense Restraint Not knowing the Right Measure when Eating [Anguttara Nikāya/Numerical Discourses, Book of Sixes, #117Dhammagiri Website
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Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to two closely related questions from the audience:
1.
We may experience highs and lows in our meditation practice. Sometimes it even seems like we're suddenly back to zero, almost like riding a roller coaster.
How can we make our Dhamma practice more consistant?
2.
How can we prevent unwholesome mindstates from arising?
This is actually the first of 4 factors of Right Effort (sammā-vāyāma), number six in the Noble Eightfold Path: Rather than trying to abandon unwholesome states once they have come up, it's better to 'nip them in the bud', as they say, by eliminating the conditions that potentially cause defilements to arise in the first place.
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#dhamma #buddhism #dhammatalk #dhammatalks #righteffort #sammavayama
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Dependent Origination (Paṭicca Samuppāda) is one of the core teachings of the Buddha.
However, it is a teaching that the Buddha himself described as 'deep, profound, subtle, difficult to see...'.
Ajahn Dhammasiha explains how we can observe aspects of dependent origination during a common, every-day activity:
Taking food from a buffet! 🍚🍛🥄🥣
Ajahn offers reflection how we can observe the relationship of:
Sense Contact (phassa)
Craving (taṇhā)
Clinging / Grasping (upādāna)
While taking food from the buffet.
The moment we lift up some food from the buffet, and put it onto our plate, something remarkable and very powerful happens in our mind:
We now regard this food as 'mine', it has somehow become 'my food'.
However, nothing has changed in the food. It's still the same food. But once it's on our plate, something has very much changed in our mind, 'mine-making' has occurred.
We have actively done something to dramatically change our attitude to that food, by taking possession of it mentally.
This same process of mine-making we do all the time, every moment with all 5 groups of clinging (pañc'upādānakkhandhā):
Form / Body (rūpaṃ) Feeling (vedanā) Perception (saññā) Intention / Will (sankhārā) Consciousness (viññāṇaṃ)However, it's more difficult to clearly see in regards to these 5 groups of clinging.
What's happening with our mind at the buffet is easier accessible to direct observation, and can get us started in investigating upādāna.
If we can carefully, mindfully observe how we're doing 'mine-making' while taking food from the buffet (or even while buying a new iPhone from the shop), we can hopefully understand how upādāna arises in our mind, and then STOP mine-making.
That would be all that's required to fully liberate ourselves:
If we stopped all mine-making, our heart would be fully released and experience Nibbāna!
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#upadana #minemaking #dependentorigination #paticcasamuppada #dhamma
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Loving Kindness is an extremely beneficial mental quality, and an excellent meditation object. However, in some situations Compassion (Karuṇā) or Sympathetic Joy (Muditā) may work even better to overcome unwholesome mind states, and develop wholesome ones.
(Of course, there is also the extremely important 4th 'Divine Abiding' (Brahmavihāra), namely Equanimity (Upekkhā), but that will have to be covered in another talk)
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#karuna #compassion #mudita #sympatheticjoy #brahmavihara #divineabodes
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Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question from the audience:
What's the meaning of Anatta ( Not Self ) ?
In particular, Ajahn reflects about the important distinction between Not Self (anatta), which the Buddha expounded very frequently, and No Self (natth'attā), which the Buddha actually never taught.
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