Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

On New Year's Eve we offered a special ceremony for those who wish to really commit themselves to observance of the 5 precepts for the following year. Quite a substantial group showed up and made that powerful commitment.The sequence of the ceremony is as follows:Buddha Puja with Evening Chanting (some Chants in Pali, some in English)Requesting the Triple Refuge & Five PreceptsTaking refuge in Buddha, Dhamma & SanghaCommitting to the 5 Precepts for all of 2021A few words of acvice by Ajahn Dhammasiha, encouraging participants in their resolution to train in the five 'Trainingsteps' to purify their virtueShort Guided Meditation, where Ajahn recommends to 'feel out' the uplifting, energizing effect such a powerful resulution has on our mind (silent period has been edited and reduced to half a minute for this podcast)Paying respect to Buddha, Dhamma and Sanghawww.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.

Ajahn Dhammasiha brings up the metaphor of a 'Sneaky Santa Claus', who is not distributing all the gifts in his sack to the kids, but instead keeps some of the stuff for himself. That would be a bad Santa.Similarly, we would be sneaky meditators if we continued to hold on, cling, and identify with anything at all that we encounter in our mind during meditation. Like Santa's task is to empty his sack completely by distributing all the gifts, so our task in meditation is to empty the mind completely from all clinging to emotions, thoughts, memories, past & future...; from any identification with anything whatsoever.www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

Could it be that a Buddhist monk believes in Santa Claus?Yes, it could be, in the sense that he believes in Santa as a symbol for generosity. Santa's sole job is to bring gifts to all the kids all over the world. Giving is good karma. Good karma means happiness. Consequently, we find that Santa is always represented as smiling, jovial and happy - a perfect embodiment of the quality of generosity and kindness, and the resulting happiness!Additionally, Santa is also a symbol for karma. In order to actually get the requested gifts from Santa, we have to be good boys and girls. The baddies won't get any gifts! Likewise, only when we generate lots of good karma ('puñña') will our wishes become reality.But it's also important to generate wholesome aspirations: We have to be judicious what to put onto our wishlist. We don't want to waste all our good karma for getting only superficial things like material riches. Instead, be better aspire for spiritual qualities like kindness, virtue, mindfulness, wisdom and knowledge.www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

This Dhamma discussion begins with someone sharing the recent story of a 7 year old kid in rural Sri Lanka, who started talking about his past life as an astronaut/pilot, and how he died in an accident. Amazingly, the little boy speaks fluent Hindi (not normally spoken in Sri Lanka) and fluent English, even with native English accent!This leads to an interesting exchange with Ajahn Dhammasiha and other members of the audience about karma, rebirth, the transition from one life to the next, and the well known "judgment-scene" described in various cultures and religions, where the departed after their death encounter a court scene, where all their good and bad actions are recorded and examined.www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

Ven Sīvali was one of the 80 'Great Disciples' of the Buddha. Due to his extraordinary good karma, he would always receive almsfood and requisites in abundance, even more than the Buddha himself. Consequently, he has become a symbol of good luck and wealth in in the Theravāda tradition.His birth was truly extraordinary as well: His mother Suppavāsa was pregnant for 7 years, and then almost died in childbirth when her labour lasted 7 days. Barely recovered, she invited Buddha and Sangha for a series of 7 days almsoffering.Already the day after his birth the little baby could speak, and had a Dhamma discussion with Ven Sāriputta, the Buddha's chief disciple. Suppavāsa was exceedingly happy that her baby was a child prodigee that could speak about Dhamma right after birth. When asked by the Buddha, she even stated that she would love to have 7 kids just like him!(Completely forgetting that the day before she had reached the peak of pain and suffering because of that child!!)The Buddha then spontaneously exclaims the following verses:Pain in the disguise of pleasure,The repulsive masquerading as lovely,Suffering in the semblance of happinessOverwhelm those who are heedless.[Udāna/'Inspired Exclamations' 2.8 'Suppavāsa Sutta']www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

This time we're including our regular Sunday afternoon chanting/puja at the beginning, as some may be interested to hear what we're chanting.You can read the text for our chanting in the Amaravati Chanting Book Vol 1 here:https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/30/Chanting-Book-Vol-1-Web.pdfPage 18: Dedication of Offerings (Pali Language)Page 20: Homage to the Buddha & Recollection of the Buddha (Pali)Page 24: Recollection of the Dhamma (Pali)Page 26: Recollection of the Sangha (Pali)Page 37: The Buddha's Words on Loving Kindness (English)Page 41: Reflections on Universal Well Being (English)Page 43: Suffusion with the Divine Abidings (English)Next, in the guided meditation Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to develop contentment in our meditation. Trying to push, and wishing and wanting to attain anything is the slowest way, which will actually only lead to frustration.Instead, we're completely content with the breath in the present moment, not trying to get anywhere. Perfect contentment here and now, just watching the breath in silence and stillness, is the 'fastest' way into samādhi.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiriwww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

It's so important for our Dhamma practice that we have an example to emulate and inspire us. Therefore, the Buddha has declared a pair of disciples as the exemplars for us to model our practice on:For monks: Ven Sāriputta and Ven MahāmoggallānaFor nuns: Ven Khemā and Ven UppalavaṇṇāFor male lay disciples: Citta & HatthakaFor female lay disciples: Khujjuttarā & NandamātāIn this Dhammatalk Ajahn Dhammasiha focuses on Khujjuttarā, the top standard for female lay disciples, who was a servant in the palace of King Udena. Listening to the Buddha she became a stream-enterer and then shared the teachings with the 500 wifes of the king, ultimately leading all of them to realize the Dhamma.Most amazingly, her teachings are preserved to this day in a part of the Tipiṭaka called 'Itivuttaka' ('Thus was it said'), allowing us to study and practise according to these original instructions.www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

We derive numerous benefits from developing Sīla (Virtue) and keeping precepts:We protect other beings from harmWe protect ourselves from harmWe avoid making bad karma, and instead generate good karma every day we manage to keep our preceptsWe create conditions for a happy rebirthWe set a good example to othersWe train ourselves in determination, effort & mindfulnessWe beautify the mind and equip it for the experience of enlightenmentThe last one is the most exalted benefit precepts provide. With pure virtue, we experience freedom from remorse ('avippaṭisāra') and blameless happiness ('anavajja-sukha'). That happiness will lead to rapture, tranquility, bliss and samādhi, and with samādhi the mind can develop the full 8fold Path and realize awakening.We do not cling to precepts as an end in itself, but we understand this process and wisely use the precepts as a means to achieve our ultimate objective: Happiness, Samādhi & Nibbāna!www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

From photoshop to 'brush up your appearace' on Zoom, from fake news to fake fact checks to fake elections to fake election challenges, from fake bodyparts to botox to facelift to faking a non-existent jet-set lifestyle for instagram followers - we live in times of Peak Fake.To practise the path of Dhamma, Ajahn Dhammasiha urges us to stop faking it and instead become true, frank, honest, genuine, authentic. The danger in faking things is not only that we may deceive and ultimately disappoint others, but at some stage the dividing line between fake and real becomes blurry, and we may not be able to clearly distinguish anymore ourselves what's real and what's not real.Rather than ending up believing our own fakery, we have to aim at brutal honesty with ourselves if we ever hope to realize the only state that's really real: 'Amosa-dhammaṃ Nibbānaṃ'www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

We live in times of 'peak fake', where people hire a fake mock-up of a lear-jet cabin to take photos of themselves pretending to their Instagram followers that they're living the jet-set livestyle!To follow the path of Dhamma, we have to go into the opposite direction, we have to become real, true, authentic in our words, thoughts and actions. If we can't be frank, genuine and truthful even in simple external matters, we will never see through the deep-fake happening inside our minds all the time: The 5 groups of clining faking that they are permanent, that they are owned by us, and that they can give us true, lasting happiness.In reality all 5 of them are fake:The body/form is insubstantial like a lump of foamFeeling is like the bubbles popping up in a puddle in heavy rainPerception is like a mirageIntention/volition is like a banana tree - we can peel away layers after layers from the stem, but will never reach real hardwoodConsciousness is like a magic show (or nowadays, we could also compare it to a movie/video/computer virtual reality)Saṃutta Nikāya/Connected Discourses, 22 Khandhasaṃyutta, #95 'Simile of the lump of Foam'Once we see that they are fake we can let go of them and experience liberation.www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks