Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

By Dhammagiri Forest HermitageReligion & Spirituality Buddhism

Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts episodes

July 29, 2024 Better than the Olympics | Buddhist Dhamma Talk | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha compares the benefits of watching or even participating in the 2024 Olympics in Paris with the benefits of Dhamma practice.
He also urges us to use the effort athletes are applying to make it to the Olympics as an encouragement for us to apply similarly singleminded effort in our bhāvanā (meditation), in particular as the benefits of bhāvanā (the complete end of birth, aging, death & suffering) are vastly superior to even winning a Gold Medal.

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36 min
July 26, 2024 4 Noble Truths & Bravery | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Buddhism
In his Dhamma talk, Ajahn Dhammasiha emphasizes that the Buddha's teachings are applicable, practical, pragmatic (opanāyika).
In particular, he reminds us of the duty the Buddha has pointed out for each of the 4 Noble Truths, what we actually have to do with them.
Ajahn also responds to a question about bravery in our Dhamma practice, and how courage relates to the the Noble 8 Fold Path.

⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠
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⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠
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31 min
July 22, 2024First Teaching of the Buddha | Asalha Full Moon | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
On Āsāḷhā Full Moon, Ajahn Dhammasiha discusses the the first discourse of the Buddha, the sutta on 'Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma' (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta).
In particular, he describes how the Buddha's teaching on the 4 Noble Truth is similar to the approach of a good doctor:
A good doctor first has to assess the patients true condition by carefully noting all symptoms: For example, fever & cough & weekness.

Then he has to find the cause of the problem to provide a diagnosis: For example, infection of lungs with pneumokokkal bacteria, causing pneumonia with above symptons.

Then he will have to remove the cause to cure the sickness: For example, antibiotics against the bacteria.

Then he provides a suitable treatment plan including prescription for medicine: For example, penicillin 3 times a day with the meal; rest in bed; keeping warm.
The Buddha follows exactly the same approach:
Assess our true existential condition: Subject to birth, aging, sickness & death, and various other forms of pain and suffering.

Find the underlying cause: Craving (Taṇhā).

Remove the cause to free us from death and suffering: Abandon craving.

Treatment plan / Prescription: Noble 8-Fold Path

Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠
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39 min
July 19, 2024 How to Let Go of Attachments? | Ajahn Dhammasiha | SHORT Dhamma Talk
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked how we can let go of attachments.
He explains that letting go can not be done by an act of willpower.
We need wisdom, insight, in order to let go.
If we can see that anything that we are attached to will NOT give us lasting happiness, but ultimatley causes us disappointment and suffering, then the heart will let go automatically.

Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠
⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠
⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠
⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠

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5 min
July 15, 20243 Events in the Buddha's Life on Asalha Fullmoon | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about three main events in the Buddha's life that we commemorate on Āsāḷhā Full Moon Day:
Teaching of the first formal discourse, the 'Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'

Conception of the Bodhisatta / Dream of Queen Mahāmāyā with the Bodhisatta approaching her in the form of a white elephant with 7 tusks and entering her body via her right side

Great renunciation of the Bodhisatta (Mahābhinikkhamana), leaving the household life in the palace, and riding out into the Indian full moon night on his white horse Khantaka, to become an ascetic

⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠
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35 min
July 11, 2024 Sankharas are like Sand Washed away by the Waves | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri
When we stand barefoot with our feet in the water at the beach, we can notice how the waves are washing away the sand from under our feet. We don't stand on firm ground, the sand we stand on is constantly eroding, making our posture unstable, unreliable and impermanet.
Ajahn Dhammasiha uses this experience as a simile for sankhārā ('conditioned phenomena'). Everything that is conditioned, that arises due to causes and conditions, will inevitably change and vanish when the conditions are exhausted.
Just like standing on eroding sand, our illusion of Self is resting on sankhārā (form, feelings, perceptions, intentions, consciousness...). But this illusion is unstable, as the sankhārā it stands on are unstable themselves.
If we see that clearly, we won't be able to by into the illusion anymore, and it collpses, feeing us to experience what is Not-Self, Not-Impermanent, Unconditioned, Nibbāna!

Dhammagiri Website
Our Spotify Playlists
Newsletter
Dhammagiri Youtube Channel

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45 min
July 08, 2024Involuntary Good Karma? | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri | Buddhism
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked how much good karma we generate if we are doing the good action not voluntary, but we are forced to do it by external circumstance, like for instance a court order for 'community service'.
Another question is about food offered at the monastery:
Does it have any special qualities, different from food one would eat at a commercial restaurant?

How about taking the left over food back home again, can one do that, or perhaps should one even do that?

Our Spotify playlists can be found on our Spotify Profile here:
⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/user/8z4dmrysnbbnjtz9f0wzjgcre⁠⁠

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:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD

Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhammagiri-buddhist-podcasts/id1534539834

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33 min
July 04, 2024 AJAHN AMARO | Seeing Impermanence (Anicca) | Dhammagiri | Buddhist Dhamma Talk
Dhammatalk by Ajahn Amaro about seeing impermanence and how it can help us to be liberated from self-view, on the occasion of his first Australia visit at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Queensland, Brisbane.
Ajahn Amaro is the abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery near London, UK, the largest Western monastery in the lineage of Ajahn Chah.
Born in England in 1956, Ven. Ajahn Amaro received a BSc. in Psychology and Physiology from the University of London. Spiritual searching led him to Thailand, where he went to Wat Pah Nanachat, a Forest Tradition monastery established for Western disciples of Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah, who ordained him as a bhikkhu in 1979. Soon afterwards he returned to England and joined Ajahn Sumedho at the newly established Chithurst Monastery. He resided for many years at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, making trips to California every year during the 1990s.
In June 1996 he established Abhayagiri Monastery in Redwood Valley, California, where he was co-Abbot with Ajahn Pasanno until 2010.
In 2010, he was invited to return to Amaravati, to become the successor of Luang Por Sumedho as abbot of this large monastic community. He was appointed an official 'Upajjhāya' (preceptor), with the authority to formally ordain Buddhist monks, and has since ordained and trained a large group of monks and nuns as his direct disciples.

⁠Pictures of Ajahn Amaro's visit at Dhammagiri⁠
⁠Website of Ajahn's monastery, Amaravati⁠
⁠Website of Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage⁠
⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠

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1 hr 19 min
July 01, 2024 AJAHN AMARO | Was it Difficult to Become a Buddhist Monk? | Dhammagiri
Q&A session with Venerable Ajahn Amaro during his visit to Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane, Australia.
Tan Ajahn Ajahn is asked if it was tough for him in the beginning, when he was a newly ordained monk at Ajahn Chah's monastery in Thailand in 1979.
Ajahn answers that he didn't find it difficult at all in the first year, but quite the opposite, he could hardly believe his good fortune to have found exactly the place, lifestyle and community that he would aspire to. And people would even love to offer food and support to him, for doing exaclty what he likes to do anyhow himself!
Ajahn Amaro also responds to a few other questions, for example about the highest happiness of Nibbāna:
Who actually exxperiences this highest happiness, if the Buddha teaches that everything is not a Self?

Ajahn Amaro is the abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery near London, UK, the largest Western monastery in the lineage of Ajahn Chah.
Born in England in 1956, Ven. Ajahn Amaro received a BSc. in Psychology and Physiology from the University of London. Spiritual searching led him to Thailand, where he went to Wat Pah Nanachat, a Forest Tradition monastery established for Western disciples of Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah, who ordained him as a bhikkhu in 1979. Soon afterwards he returned to England and joined Ajahn Sumedho at the newly established Chithurst Monastery. He resided for many years at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, making trips to California every year during the 1990s.
In June 1996 he established Abhayagiri Monastery in Redwood Valley, California, where he was co-Abbot with Ajahn Pasanno until 2010.
In 2010, he was invited to return to Amaravati, to become the successor of Luang Por Sumedho as abbot of this large monastic community. He was appointed an official 'Upajjhāya' (preceptor), with the authority to formally ordain Buddhist monks, and has since ordained and trained a large group of monks and nuns as his direct disciples.

Pictures of Ajahn Amaro's visit at Dhammagiri
Website of Ajahn's monastery, Amaravati
Website of Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage
Dhammagiri Youtube Channel

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55 min
June 28, 2024Joyful Meditation | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri | Buddhist Dhamma Talk
We can train ourselves to enjoy meditation, or actually any kind of activity.
Perception is not-self, it depends on conditions, and if we cultivate the right conditions, then our perception will change accordingly.
The ability to turn ones perception around has been called 'Ariya-Iddhi' (Noble Psychic Power) by the Buddha. The enlightened Arahants can see the attractive as disgusting, or the revolting as delightful, or they can percieve it as neither repulsive nor pleasant, but just observe it with equanimity.
Once we develop that skill, even only to a limited extend, our life will be much easier:
Just imagine you perceive doing the dishes, or cleaning the toilet, or any required chores, as being fun - all tough duties are suddenly very easy!

Just imagine you perceive the experience of breathing in and out as exceedingly delightful, even blissful - breath meditation will be so easy!
By noticing how much our perception can be deliberately changed, we also undermine the delusion that perception (saññā) is self.

Our Spotify playlists can be found on our Spotify Profile here:
⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/user/8z4dmrysnbbnjtz9f0wzjgcre⁠⁠

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:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD
Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhammagiri-buddhist-podcasts/id1534539834

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29 min