Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 12, “Knowing, Emptiness and the Radiant Mind” (from the second part, “The Terrain”) on March 20, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.
Stories, reflections and comments:
05:13:00–07:45:00 Ajahn Buddhadāsa gives up formal studies and returns to the forest and the suttas.
09:35:00–12:44:00 The other characteristics, like impermanence, dukkha, and anattā – are these considered to be the third quenching elements?
12:50:00–19:52:00 The connection between tathatā and suññatā – would you like to expound a bit more?
28:45:00–29:49:00 When I’ve heard the phrase ‘abiding in emptiness’ used, it hasn’t been a reification; it has been exactly what the sutta (SN 35.85) says: abiding in a place that’s empty of self.
37:55:00–49:48:00 On “Passion is a maker of measurement; aversion is a maker of measurement…” (SN 41.7).
40:58:00–43:09:00 Ajahn Pasanno comes across handwritten notes about Ajahn Chah’s teachings in the library at Wat Pleng.
46:08:00–47:54:00 On the Buddha’s experience of chronic pain in DN 16.2.25.
52:34:00–53:53:00 Could you explain again how anicca is related to signlessness? (Vism 21.70; Path of Purification p. 686; The Island p. 203)
53:56:00–58:50:00 It’s interesting that the Buddha usually speaks of wholesome qualities in the negative, like non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion. Even the precepts are phrased negatively. Could you say that’s pointing towards emptiness?
58:52:00–01:00:11 Of these three pairs (impermanence and signlessness; unsatisfactoriness and desirelessness; selflessness and emptiness; Vism 21.70, quoted in The Island p. 686), is it skilful to direct the mind towards one, or will one appear naturally?
01:00:14–01:00:05 I’m curious about the timeline when the Buddha established the Five Precepts for householders.
01:05:05–01:08:10 The eight training precepts that some monastic traditions ask you to take as a layperson when you are reading suttas or attending Dhamma classes—do different Theravāda forms include these?
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