Abhayagiri Talks

Ajahn Karunadhammo describes how his time as a hospice worker during the AIDS epidemic motivated him to explore the Dhamma. He reflects on how to use compassion wisely to help others, the vastness of samsara, and the truth of suffering.

Ajahn Naniko discusses how to measure progress on the path of practice. We should assess our progress in five year increments, not on a day-to-day basis. He explains the importance of faith and the other spiritual faculties to maintain our commitment to realization.

Ajahn Naniko offers reflections on the benefits, purpose, and meaning of bhikkhu ordination.

Ajahn Pasanno provides guidance on various aspects of mindfulness of breathing. He discusses using the breath as a home base to find balance between dullness and agitation, to bring gladness and brightness to the mind, to investigate impermanence, to attend to the fading away of moods, impressions, thoughts.

Ajahn Karunadhammo discusses the constant motion of the mind and how we can stop this through meditation, insight and relinquishment. He mentions certain phrases to inspire one to develop nirodha, cessation.

Ajahn Amaro reflects on a number of points in the discourses where the Buddha describes similes for what happens after the Buddha’s parinibbāna. He discusses the Buddha’s reluctance to speak and emphasis on the limited nature of language and our five khandas for understanding the nature of nibbāna. This Dhamma talk was given in September 1999.

At the anagarika ordination for Matt, Ajahn Pasanno offers reflections on the perception of a samana, taking on the values of simplicity and renunciation, and internalizing the three refuges. This ordination occurred on April 22, 2018 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Karunadhammo discusses truthfulness, one of the ten paramis. He mentions the importance of truth in speech, relations, and full penetration of the Four Noble Truths. Fully developing the parami of truth can take us all the way to liberation.

Songkran is Thai new years day when customarily people offer ritual hand washing to elders and monks. The community gathered this year for the ritual hand washing and blessing. Ajahn Pasanno offers reflections on respectfulness, humility, and the qualities of the Buddha.

We view experience as if there is a continuity, but Ajahn Pasanno says we create this illusion of stability. He urges us to investigate anicca - impermanence, uncertainty, and inconstancy. It is a doorway into truth; a tool to view our experience and not be entangled withn it. We can use it to release into non suffering.