Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on the theme of:Vivekanissitaṃ - Founded on SolitudeVirāganissitaṃ - Founded on Fading Away/DispassionNirodhanissitaṃ - Founded on Ending/cessationVossaggapariṇāmiṃ - Culminating in RelinquishmentWhichever Dhamma Practice we're engaged in, the Buddha urges us to base that activity on these four foundations.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

The Buddha distinguishes three kinds of seclusion:Physical Seclusion ('Kāyaviveka')Mental Seclusion ('Cittaviveka') = SamādhiSeclusion from all Aquisitions/Attachments ('Upadhiviveka') = Realization of NibbānaWe have to develop them gradually, deepening them step by little step, based on each other. We can start with bodily seclusion, by at least occasionally retiring into an empty room for an hour, without any gedgets, mobile, internet, social media or interaction with anyone. www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

After the meditation session, Ajahn Dhammasīha offers a few short reflections on impermanence ('anicca').We can contemplate the unreliable, inconstant nature of all conditioned phenomena both externally and internally.We can observe 'anicca' in the objects of our desires and aversions, and we can contemplate the impermanent nature of all desires and aversions themselves.However strong they may appear, if we look carefully, we notice that all defilements are conditioned phenomena as well, contineously arising, changing and passing away due to conditions.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive.

Ajahn Dhammasiha describes how we can deepen our 'Recollection of the Buddha' ('Buddhānussati'), using the mantra:"Bhagavā-Arahaṃ-Buddho-Buddho-Arahaṃ-Bhagavā".A bell will sound louder, longer and more sonorous, the bigger and heavier it is built, due to it's larger resonance-body. Similarly, our mind will have a stronger response to the mantra, if we have built up a large mental 'resonance body', by knowing a lot about the Buddha and it's unique qualities, and by developing the quality of confidence 'saddhā' through devotional practices.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

Purity of our precepts provides the foundation for our meditative practice. It's no coincidence that not taking the life of any being is always mentioned first by the Buddha whenever he expounds the precepts to us. The importance of umwavering commitment to Not-Killing can hardly be overstated. Whatever the situation, whatever pressure is exerted on us, we will not give in, but uphold non-violence.Sometimes we may not know for sure, we may be in doubt if a particular action really causes death. In that case, the Buddha provided us with the guiding principle: "If in doubt, don't do it."We first have to make sure that our action really causes no harm. We can go ahead only once we actually know it's safe. As long as we are unsure or in doubt, we don't do it.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive.

To add anything into Wikipedia, they require a reference to some published source. They won't accept "original research", something really new that's not yet published anywhere. Insight meditation (vipassanā) is the opposite of Wikipedia: Real insight (bhāvanā-mayā-paññā) has to be something new that we realize on our own. Just thinking the same words, remembering the concepts (saññā) we read in the Suttas or heard from the great meditation masters doesn't qualify. We have to be willing to investigate fearlessly without bias, and accept whatever the real data is. Whether we like it or not, whether it agrees with prejudice, fashion, expectations, hopes and wishes or not. We have to see the data as it truly is, and then draw the conclusions from it. www.dhammagiri.org.au www.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitage www.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJw www.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to develop a desire to know, to be aware, to try to understand and analyse and figure out whatever we encounter.

We cultivate that commitment to mindfulness and wisdom all the time, when we engage with external events in every day life, and when we encounter internal phenomena in our formal meditation practice.

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When we want our body to look more beautiful, we can go to the beauty parlor to look better with a new hairdo, manicure and make up. But at the same time, we all know that the mind is much more important than the body. So, where do we go to make our mind more beautiful?What makes our mind ugly is the defilements: Greed, anger, jealousy, arrogance, lazyness and so on. What makes our mind beautiful is wholesome qualities like loving kindness, compassion, generosity, calm and wisdom.Therefore, the monastery is a "beauty parlor" for the mind. When we offer dana at the monastery, pay respects to the Triple Gem, and listen to the Dhamma, we're abandoning the stains that make our heart ugly, and we develop the qualities that beautify our heart.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

On the first Full Moon in the Rains Retreat, Ajahn Dhammasiha reminds of the crucial importance of the 4th Buddhist Precept:Musāvādā veramaṇi sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmiI commit to the training-rule to abstain from lyingOf all the defilements, delusion/ignorance ('moha'/avijjā') is the most pernicious. It has serious karmic consequences, and is very difficult to overcome. But if we intentionally, knowingly lie to others, we're increasing their ignorance/delusion, and thus cause them significant harm. At the same time, we create much bad karma for ourselves.However, there is also a deeper aspect of truthfulness, which is relevant to our internal meditative practice. We're fond of lying to ourselves: "Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies, tell me, tell me lies..." is the well known song of Fleetwood Mac, that we love to sing to ourselves all the time.As Dhamma practitioners, we have to be brutally honest with ourselves, so that we can destroy the web of delusions that we're constantly spinning around ourselves:"This feeling will last forever!""If I get this job/partner/money..., I will be perfectly happy!""This is my house/spouse/child..., they belong to me"We have to be uncompromising in our commitment to truth. Whatever social pressure, embarrassment or material losses may result, we stay with the truth, no matter what. If we're committed to even risk our lifes for the sake of truth, then we've got a fighting chance to overcome the deep-seated delusions in our mind as well.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

On the first Full Moon Day of this year's Rains Retreat, Ajahn Dhammasiha dedicates his Dhamma Talk to the first Buddhist precept:"Pāṇātipātā veramaṇi sikkhāpdaṃ samādiyāmi"."I undertake the training-rule to abstain from killing any living being".Ajahn quotes from a military study that found the majority of US American soldiers in 2nd World War deliberately avoided shooting to kill. They tried to shoot intentionally high or low, or not at all, even in the middle of battle when their own life was in danger.[S.L.A. Marshall: "Men Against Fire - The Problem of Battle Command"]Of those who fired to kill, the vast majority later suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The very small percentage who shot to kill, and did not suffer from PTSD, showed the profile of 'psychopatic personality' in psychological testsInterestingly, nowadays even drone operators, who do the killing remotely in bunkers thousands of kilometers from the battlefield, and who were not exposed to any danger themselves, still get PTSD. This shows that the condition is not caused by exposure to danger alone, but can result simply from the bad karma, and the feeling of regret and remorse caused by killing other humans.Ajahn mentions other instances where "Heros of the First Precept" showed great courage in order NOT to kill. They face danger and disadvantages, but are willing to take it, rather than killing another human:The Soviet Navy officer Vasily Arkhipov on a submarine during the Cuban missile crisis. Under attack by American depth charges, the Soviet submarine captain wanted to launch a nuclear torpedo in return. But he needed the agreement of two other officers to proceed. One officer agreed, but Vasily objected, and finally prevailed in a heated argument. His courageous decision probably averted global nuclear war.The German Stasi officer Harald Jäger. He was in charge of a border crossing in the Berlin Wall. On 09/11/1989 a huge crowd of Est Germans started to gather at his crossing, pushing and demanding to get across to West Berlin. He decided, on his own authority, against explicit order, to completely open the checkpoint, avoiding a boodbath and triggering further openings at other checkpoints.On a weekend where rubber bullets are being fired in Australia, Ajahn reminds us all to maintain unwavering commitment to not-killing. The Buddha's teaching on non-violence is unambiguous: No social pressure, orders, commands, heated emotions, views, or anything at all could ever justify the intentional killing of a human being.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive