Ajahn Dhammasiha explains 5 powerful benefits we can receive from the simple ceremony of Taking Refuge in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, together with committing to the 5 precepts:

(Naturally, if suffering from anxiety of depressive disorders, it may not be possible to fully cure it by just taking refuge, you may wish to seek help from medical professionals as well.

However, taking refuge is very powerful to prevent the mind from mild anxiety or depression developing into serious health conditions preventatively, and to support any comprehensive treatment plan for those who already suffer from a major disorder)

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Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question how we can develop gratitude methodically.

Being grateful (Kataññū Katavedī) has been praised by the Buddha as belonging entirely to the sphere of a truly good person. However, he also pointed out that it is a rather rare character trait.

Gratitude may not always come naturally, so we have to make a deliberate effort to develop that character trait.

For example, we can start doing Buddha Pujas with an emphasis on a feeling of gratitude to the Buddha for pointing out the way leading to the end of all suffering.

Another good exercise is simply writing down a list of all the things we have received in our life from others that were beneficial and helpful to us.

Of course, we could just as well keep a list of all bad things we had to endure. Both lists are 'objectively' valid.

But how does it make us feel to dwell on them?

How do we feel after thinking for an hour about anything bad anyone may have done to us?

How do we feel after thinking for an hour about all the good we have received?

Simply doing that much will show us how much more enjoyable, emotionally uplifting, and leading to a sense of contentment it is to dwell on the 'gratitude list', rather than the 'complaints' list 😊

Ajahn also responds to a question about the meaning of 'timeless' as an epithet of the Dhamma.

Like when we chant the fundamental qualities of the Dhamma:

"The Dhamma has been well expounded by the Exalted One, visible here and now, 'TIMELESS'..."

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This is the ceremony of taking refuge in the Triple Gem of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, followed by taking of the FIVE precepts.

We do this ceremony at Dhammagiri:

Requesting Triple Refuge & FIVE Precepts

Mayaṃ Bhante,

Dutiyampi,

Tatiyampi,

(English trsl., not chanted during session:

"Venerable Sir,

we request the Triple Refuge

together with the 5 precepts.

For the second time...

For the third time...")

Homage to the Buddha Recited by Monk 3x

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Homage to the Buddha Repeated by Laity 3x

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

(English translation, not chanted during session:

"Homage to the Exhaulted, Noble, and perfectly enlightened one!" 3x)

Taking Refuge in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha 3x

(recited line by line by monk, and repeated line by line by laity)

Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyampi Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyampi Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyampi Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyampi Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

(English translation, not chanted during session:

"I take refuge in the Buddha.

I take refuge in the Dhamma.

I take refuge in the Sangha

For the second time, I take refuge...

For the third time, I take refuge...")

Taking the 5 Precepts

(recited line by line by monk, and repeated line by line by laity)

(English translation, not chanted during session:

Monk Recites Blessing

Imāni pañca-sikkhāpadāni

sīlena sugatiṃ yanti,

sīlena bhogasampadā,

sīlena nibbutiṃ yanti -

tasmā sīlaṃ visodhaye!

(English translation, not chanted during session:

These five training steps

lead through virtue to a good rebirth,

lead through virtue to the acquisition of wealth,

lead through virtue to the extinction of suffering -

therefore, may your purify your virtue!)

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This is the ceremony of taking refuge in the Triple Gem of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, followed by taking of the EIGHT precepts.

We do this ceremony at Dhammagiri:

Requesting Triple Refuge & 8 Precepts

Mayaṃ Bhante,

Dutiyampi,

Tatiyampi,

(English trsl., not chanted during session:

"Venerable Sir,

we request the Triple Refuge

together with the 8 precepts.

For the second time...

For the third time...")

Homage to the Buddha Recited by Monk 3x

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Homage to the Buddha Repeated by Laity 3x

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa!

(English translation, not chanted during session:

Taking Refuge in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha 3x

(recited line by line by monk, and repeated line by line by laity)

Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyampi Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Dutiyampi Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyampi Buddhāṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyampi Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

Tatiyampi Sanghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

(English translation, not chanted during session:

"I take refuge in the Buddha.

I take refuge in the Dhamma.

I take refuge in the Sangha

For the second time, I take refuge...

For the third time, I take refuge...")

Taking the 8 Precepts

(recited line by line by monk, and repeated line by line by laity)

Imāni aṭṭha-sikkhāpadāni samādiyāmi (3x)

(English translation, not chanted during session:

I undertake these eight training steps!")

Monk Recites Blessing

Imāni aṭṭha-sikkhāpadāni

sīlena sugatiṃ yanti,

sīlena bhogasampadā,

sīlena nibbutiṃ yanti -

tasmā sīlaṃ visodhaye!

(English translation, not chanted during session:

These eight training steps

lead through virtue to a good rebirth,

lead through virtue to the acquisition of wealth,

lead through virtue to the extinction of suffering -

therefore, may your purify your virtue!)

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When cultivating bhāvanā (meditation), naturally we have to be mindful of and focussed upon our meditation object; for instance 'Buddho', or the breath, or mettā; and so on...

However, if we try to exclusively focus only on the meditation object with all we've got, the effort quickly becomes ineffective, or even couterproductive.

Instead, while meditating, we always have to check out:

In other words, we always have to do Cittānupassanā ('Mindfulness of the Mind') to some extend, even if the primary focus of our meditation is an aspect of the body, or feelings, or some other kammaṭṭhāna (meditation object).

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Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to the question how Karuṇā (Compassion) differs from Mettā (Loving Kindness).

Compassion is the wish for all beings to be free from pain and suffering in any form.

Loving Kindness is the wish for all beings to be happy and well.

Though both belong to the 4 'Divine Abidings' (4 Brahmaviharas), and are closely related, in actual experience they feel quite distinct when developing them:

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Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to connect with nature, and to contemplate the 4 Great Elements externally as we experience them in the natural environment.

It's difficult to contemplate only in the abstract, something that we don't really feel or experience.

Once we can clearly feel and perceive these elements in our own direct experience, it's much easier to contemplate them as impermanent, unsatisfactory and not-self.

Once we can clearly feel and perceive these elements in our own direct experience externally, it's much easier to also feel and contemplate them internally.

Even apart from insight- ontemplation, just connecting with nature in direct experience is a grounding experience very helpful in itself, to balance our artificial live with its screens and virtual reality and internet, and bring consciousness back to physical reality in the here and now.

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Ven Jinaratana Thera offers guidance how we can experience and contemplate the four elements ('Cātu-mahā-bhūtikā') in in our own bodies.

Bhante Jinaratana was born in Toronto, Canada. He became interested in meditation as a student at the University of Toronto, and began attending intensive retreats in 2002. After graduating with an H.B.Sc. (neuroscience, mathematics) in 2004, he taught English for a year in Nanning, P.R.C. Desiring to ordain, but without knowing a suitable place to do so, he travelled to Brisbane Australia and completed a Graduate Diploma in Education in 2008 at the Queensland University of Technology. During that time he had the opportunity to stay for an extended period at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage as eight-precept meditator. The guidance he received there helped him to gain the confidence to finally ordain.

Bhante Jinaratana received novice ordination at Na Uyana Forest Monastery in Sri Lanka in July 2011, and higher ordination in June 2012 (Na Uyana is the main monastery of the Shri Kalyani forest tradition, the same lineage where Ajahn Dhammasiha originally ordained). Most Venerable Na Uyane Ariyadhamma Mahāthera was the preceptor for both ceremonies. From 2019-2021 he stayed at Pa Auk Monastery, Pyin Oo Lwin Myanmar, meditating under the guidance of Sayadaw U Kumārabhivaṃsa and Most Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw Āciṇṇa. He currently resides at Dhamsuwa Forest Monastery, Melbourne.

Bhante has kindly accepted our invitation to visit Dhammagiri for 10 days in April.

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In this sutta, the Buddha compares the work of a goldsmith to the work of a meditator trying to purify their mind.

Both have to pay attention to 3 qualities at the appropriate time, without overdoing any of them:

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Ven Jinaratana Thera explains how we can starve the 5 hindrances ('anāhāra pañca-nīvaraṇa') in order to gradually weaken and overcome their obstructive influence on our mental development. Like all sankhāras, the five hindrances are conditioned, i.e. they depend on some form of nutriment for their existence.

If we reduce the nutriment that's feeding the hindrances, they will become weaker and weaker, allowing our samādhi and wisdom faculty to overcome and finally completey eradicate them.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Bhante Jinaratana was born in Toronto, Canada. He became interested in meditation as a student at the University of Toronto, and began attending intensive retreats in 2002. After graduating with an H.B.Sc. (neuroscience, mathematics) in 2004, he taught English for a year in Nanning, P.R.C.

Desiring to ordain, but without knowing a suitable place to do so, he travelled to Brisbane Australia and completed a Graduate Diploma in Education in 2008 at the Queensland University of Technology.

During that time he had the opportunity to stay for an extended period at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage as eight-precept meditator. The guidance he received there helped him to gain the confidence to finally ordain.

Bhante Jinaratana received novice ordination at Na Uyana Forest Monastery in Sri Lanka in July 2011, and higher ordination in June 2012 (Na Uyana is the main monastery of the Shri Kalyani forest tradition,

From 2019-2021 he stayed at Pa Auk Monastery, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar, meditating under the guidance of Sayadaw U Kumārabhivaṃsa and Most Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw Āciṇṇa.

He currently resides at Dhamsuwa Forest Monastery, Melbourne.

Bhante has kindly accepted our invitation to visit Dhammagiri for 10 days in April.

Our Podcast is also available on our own Dhammagiri Website, no need for any special app, just listen in any browser:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast

More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/news

Our Youtube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724

Our email Newsletter:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletter

Our Podcasts on Spotify:

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Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes:

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