Abhayagiri Talks

Ajahn Jotipālo reflects on mindfulness as a process of finding the silence in each present moment. This talk was offered on July 2, 2016 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

As he prepares to depart the community to spend the vassa at the Forest Hermitage, Ajahn Karuṇadhammo reflects on the importance of keeping harmony within a community. He expounds on the Buddha's teaching of the six principles for cordiality, which includes questions one can ask of one's own character that can reveal the presence of the fruits of stream entry. This talk was offered on June 27, 2016 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

After describing the significance and origin of the suttas, Ajahn Pasanno describes how we can benefit most from encountering the Buddha's teachings and mentions a few key points from the essay “Befriending the Suttas.” He goes on to read and discuss AN 5.48 “Situations,” which describes the inherent difficulties of the human condition. This teaching was offered as part 1 of the June 25, 2016 Upasika Day, “Suttas You've Never Heard Of,” at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno reads and explains two suttas from the Aṅguttara Nikāya: AN 7.6 “Treasures,” which describes seven bright qualities to cultivate in light of the human condition, and AN 8.39, which describes eight true refuges and five great gifts. This teaching was offered as part 2 of the June 25, 2016 Upasika Day, “Suttas You've Never Heard Of,” at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

The Upasika Day closes with a short meditation and chanting the sharing of blessings. This guided meditation was offered as Part 3 of the June 25, 2016 Upasika Day, “Suttas You've Never Heard Of,” at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

Still resonating with teachings from the afternoon's Upasika Day session on sutta study, Ajahn Pasanno reflects on ways of truly listening – both to external dhamma and the inner lessons of the heart. He then offers a teaching on one of the afternoon's topics – the seven treasures of the noble ones (AN 7.6), of which listening is one. This talk was offered on June 25, 2016 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery. ), of which listening is one.

Returning from solitary forest practice, Ajahn Jotipālo shares reflections on three “S”s that came up for him often over the two-week period – silence, simplicity, and sati (mindfulness). Moving from a contemplation on the stillness of the central object in icon art through reflections on ways emotions can bring us unnecessary pain, his recollections culminate in the insight that the choices we make now will inform the quality of our hearts when we've aged. This talk was offered on June 19, 2016 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Karuṇadhammo encourages us to not push away afflictive states of mind that come up in meditation but rather to experience them with patient endurance, allowing one to see these habitual tendencies arise and pass away again and again until they gradually lose their control. He speaks of how the monastic form supports this kind of practice, and how working with sense restraint as a lay person can do the same. This talk was offered on June 18, 2016 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

After a period of much busyness at the monastery, Ajahn Pasanno contemplates how viewing activities through the lens of the four basic elements can help us approach our lives from the simpler and more peaceful perspective of not-self. This talk was offered on June 12, 2016 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

In his farewell talk before leaving for Thailand, Ajahn Ñāniko reviews time he has spent at both Abhayagiri and in Thailand. He reflects on the importance and rewards of persistent effort, solitude and gratitude for others. This talk was offered on June 11, 2016 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.