Abhayagiri Talks

Luang Por Sumedho met with the Abhayagiri community at tea time to answer questions and share Dhamma reflections. This Q&A was recorded on July 19, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

On the first day of the vassa, visiting Abbot Ajahn Siripanno describes the Buddha’s journey to Deer Park to find his five friends and teach them the Middle Way. Ajahn Siripanno urges us to begin our work with the Four Noble Truths and keep it there -to understand craving and becoming, not by a technical approach but looking directly into experience. He quotes from Ajahn Liam’s frequent reference: Dhammapada 171, “Come, see this world like a bedecked and decorated royal chariot; fools are utterly taken in by it, but the wise ones have nothing to do with it.” When we look inward, we see the play of the senses and the trickery of the mind are not real; they arise and pass away. This talk was offered on July 16, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery. This talk was offered on July 16, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

Luang Por Pasanno discusses the qualities of respect and reverence towards wholesome dhammas as establishing stillness, stability, and standing in the presence of Nibbana. This talk was included in the 20th anniversary compilation of talks.

Ajahn Pasanno discusses the Buddha’s first teaching, the Four Noble Truths as a template to understand the habits of the mind. He asks, “What is the appropriate response to the ordinary experience of dukkha? Patient knowing; being present with awareness and clarity so we can completely understand dukkha. With this, we can learn to let go of suffering without trying to suppress it and without fear. Cultivating the 8 fold path creates a ripple effect of causes and conditions for goodness and wellbeing in ways we might not expect. This talk was offered on July 9, 2017 at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery.

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.