On Asalha Puja night commemorating the Buddha’s Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma, Ajahn Pasanno reflects on the fundamental teaching of the Four Noble Truths. They provide an anchor, a template to understand dukkha and the path to its cessation. Ajahn Pasanno urges us to investigate what is the movement, impulse in terms of causes that take me to this place of discontent? We should resist the impulse of “I making” and “mine making” which creates a separate self. He discusses causes and conditions as non linear. We need a certain amount of intellectual analysis to understand our suffering, but in the end.we have to come back to the quality of feeling and knowing dukkha; being the one who knows. This talk was offered on July 8, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Jotipalo answers questions about monastic training, monastery life, and the Dhamma. This talk was offered on July 2, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

What is a skilllful mindfulness practice which evaluates and investigates our experience? Ajahn Karunadhammo discusses five mental factors which can be used to assess our experience: contact, feeling, perception, intention and attention. With these, we can recognize unwholesome habitual tendencies and create different responses to experience in line with Dhamma. These mental factors are not personal, although we often take the factor of intention for example, to be me or mine. In a mature practice, we can stop the world of fabrication altogether and allow the momentum of the mind to unwind, relax, let go. This talk was given on July 1, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery

How do we know our meditation practice is balanced? When wholesome mind states increase and unwholesome mind states decrease. Ajahn Pasanno discusses the four protective meditations which help to create balance in practice. The first two: contemplation of the Buddha’s qualities and metta uplift and brighten the mind. The second two: contemplation of the body and contemplation of death are sobering and help us to deal with desire and to stay on task with the practice. This talk was offered on June 25, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

After returning from his walk down to San Diego, Ajahn Yatiko recounts some of his experiences and reflections around dealing with aggression and negative energy he had on the trip. This reflection was offered on July 16, 2011 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery. This talk was included in the 20th anniversary compilation of talks.  Further talks from this compilation can be found at:http://www.abhayagiri.org/20/

Recalling a recent heat wave, Ajahn Jotipalo asks “Where is the escape from extreme heat and cold?” Using a Korean koan, he answers, “In the midst of it.” That is where the mind can know conditions as they are - without proliferation, desiring another experience or attachment. Be the knower, not the owner of the experience, he urges.. Ajahn Jotipalo also reflects on his recent trip to Amaravati and retreat with Ajahn Sumedho. This talk was given on June 23, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

When beginning meditation, Ajahn Pasanno suggests clarifying our aspiration for happiness to set the tone for our practice. He further expounds upon each of the 16 steps of breath meditation and encourages us to be flexible and experiment.  This talk was given as part of the 2013 Thanksgiving Retreat. All talks from the 2013 Thanksgiving Retreat can be found at: http://www.abhayagiri.org/media/discs/APasannoRetreats/2013%20Thanksgiving%20Retreat/Index.html

On June 17, 2017, Sāmaṇeras Sampanno and Suddhiko took Bhikkhu precepts with the Chanting Acariyas Luang Por Pasanno, Ajahn Karuṇadhammo, and Ajahn Jotipālo.

The core of the Buddha’s teaching is suffering and the cessation of suffering. Using Phra Ajaan Dune Atulo’s formulation of the four noble truths, Ajahn Pasanno discusses the suffering that results when the mind goes outside the mind. That is, when we identify with the movement of mind, thought, moods. The antidote to this suffering is to know each phenomena as it arises in the present and to be ready to release our attachment to it. Ajahn Pasanno encourages us to experiment with knowing and letting go. What is the quality of knowing? How can I let go? This talk was given on June 11, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

After reflection on community retreat harmony and the desire to be understood, Ajahn Ñaniko relates his experience of the unexpected death of a friend in a cave in Thailand and urges heedfulness, quoting the sutta “One Excellent Day.” This talk was given as a part of the 2013 Thanksgiving Retreat.