Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

By Dhammagiri Forest HermitageReligion & Spirituality Buddhism

Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts episodes

July 25, 2020 Buddhist Principles to Contain COVID-19 - Ajahn Dhammasiha
There are striking similarities in containing a virus causing a pandemic, and containg and eliminating the defilements (kilesas) in our heart. Both are very subtle, difficult to see, and have pernicious consequences once they are allowed to spread unlimited.Like we do testing to establish how far the virus has spread in the population, so we have to check our mind regularly to identify if any mindstates of anger, aversion, desire, or delusion have arisen. If there are any, they have to be isolated and contained, before they contaminate our mind all over.However, we have to interpret the results with wisdom, in order to take the most appropriate measures to contain the virus/difilements.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalkswww.castbox.fm/ch/2744970
34 min
July 23, 2020Breath Meditation is Fun | Guided Buddhist Meditation | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri | Anapanasati Mindfulness of Breathing
In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to develop the perception of beauty, joy and happiness while meditating on the breath.
Ānāpāṇasati, Mindfulness of the In and Outbreath, was the Buddha's own favourite meditation object. Fortunately, he left us extensive, detailed instructions how to develop this particular meditation.
The crucial factor is to enjoy meditating. If we only force ourselves with will power to sit on the cushion, but we actually hate what we're doing, we most likely will give up after some time. On the other hand, if we can meditate happily even just for 20 minutes, we most likely will extend that soon to 30 min, one hour, and so on... 😊
Therefore, before focussing on the breath itself, Ajahn Dhammasiha advises us to develop joy with all the fundmentals of meditation:
We learn to enjoy the present moment, relishing the freedom from not worrying about past and future

We train ourselves to be content with sitting still, not having to move the body, or to do any work

We're happy to turn our attention inside, not having to depend on any external input from the senses.

We learn to appreciate silence. We're delighted that we don't have to think about or plan anything for the period of meditation

Once we're happily settled internally - still, silent, quietly watching whatever arises in the present moment, we notice the breath naturally, all by itself.
How could we not notice the most prominent activity still happening in our body?

We're not trying to hold the breath forcefully.
Instead, we're trying to like the breath.
We perceive the breath as beautiful.
We enjoy every inbreath.
We delight in every outbreath.
We experience the breath as calming and soothing.

We feel our whole physical body with every breath.
We relax our whole body with each inbreath and outbreath.

We suffuse our whole body and mind with joy and happiness with every inbreath and outbreath.
If we train ourselves to enjoy our meditation practice, it will be much smoother and more steady than trying to push it along with sheer will power. We do not hold our meditation object like a police squad subdueing a suspect resisting arrest, but we hold it like a mother is holding her baby in her arms, with tender loving care.

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33 min
July 23, 2020 Right Effort to Defeat Coronavirus - Ajahn Dhammasiha
The four kinds of 'Right Effort' ('Sammā-Vāyāma', 6th factor of Noble 8Fold Path) provide useful guidance for dealing with a pandemic:Preventing unwholesome states from arising = We have to be proactive, even before daily new infections increase, we have to implement physical distancing, testing, contact tracing, isolation & good hygieneAbandoning unwholesome states that have arisen = Once daily infections reach a critical limit, one has to introduce even more stringent measures, till numbers come downArouse wholesome states = We not only try to fight the virus and cure the sick, but we all have to make efforts to increase our health status, and to strengthen our natural immune systemDevelop wholesome states that are already there to the highest possible extent = Even if there are only few cases, don't become complacent - why not aiming for full elimination of virus?www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks
35 min
July 21, 2020 Letting Go of Comfort Food and Sleep Indulgence - Aj Dhammadharo
At our regular Refuge & Precepts session at Dhammagiri, Ajahn Dhammadharo encourages our meditators to experience the sense of freedom we gain if we let go of addiction to food as a means to find comfort and consolation.Similar with sleep: If we at least occasionally push through the desire to sleep to our heart's content, we ralize that we can feel free and happy, even if we do not always satisfy our perceived need to rest.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
49 min
July 17, 2020 Enhancing Our Dhamma Practice in the Rains Retreat - Ajahn Dhammasiha
Every year, the monks and nuns observe a 3 months retreat period of intensified meditative practice, the 'Vassa' (Rains Retreat).However, it's traditionally also a time for the lay community to crank up their Dhamma practice. Ajahn Dhammasiha suggests various ways how we can strengthen our bhāvanā during the vassa:Resolutions (adhiṭṭhāna).Clearing up any weakness in our 5 precepts.Observing the 8 precepts at least once a months, or still better once a week.Offering almsfood and listening to Dhamma at the monastery more regularly.Reading one of the collections of the Buddha's teaching, e.g. the 'Middle Length Discourses'.Reading the 'Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah', or else his biography 'Stillness Flowing'. (Have you tried having it read out to you with 'text to speech' function on your mobile yet?)More regular Buddha Pūjā & Chanting.Learning the Chanting by Heart.Sitting regularly for at least 20 to 30 min every day.Trying out walking meditation.Trying out reflection on generosity and virtue as a meditation object...... ...www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
46 min
July 16, 2020 "Back to Normal - 150k Die Every Day" Reflection on Death with Ajahn Dhammasiha
A short reflection (only 10 min) by Ajahn Dhammasiha, following the Sunday afternoon meditation. He points out that in Australia, every day around 440 people die in the average. In the US the number is above 7,500 per day, and worldwide some 160,000 persons pass away every day in the average. In other words, coming out of lockdown and going back to 'normal' does not mean we're now free from sickness and death. Even if no one dies from Coronavirus, we all will die from somthing else or other one day.If we reflect like that on death ('maraṇussati'), we understand what a unique opportunity the Buddha has opened up for us: Complete freedom from sickness, death and rebirth!If we reflect like that, we feel strong motivation, even enthusiasm for our Dhamma practice.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
11 min
July 05, 2020 'The Cure for All Disease' - The Buddha's First Teaching with Ajahn Dhammasiha
On Āsāḷhā Full Moon the Buddha dlivered his first formal discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. He expounds the Four Noble Truths, and identifies craving (taṇhā) as the cause of old age, sickness, death and all suffering we experience. Once we can completely let go of all craving, the necessary condition for suffering is removed, and sickness, ageing, death and rebirth consequently come to an end as well.In other words, the cure for COVID-19 has already been found some 2,500 years ago by the Buddha, and on Āsāḷhā Full Moon he started handing our 'prescritpions' to us how to cure ourselves from all disease, and from old age, death, and any form of misery, too!All we have to do is following "The Great Physician's" (Mahābhisakko) prescritpion to the letter, follow the Noble Eightfold Path, and we can cure ourselves from everything.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
27 min
July 05, 2020 GUIDED MEDITATION: Breath and 4 Noble Truth with Ajahn Dhammasiha
In this guided meditation on occasion of Āsāḷhā Full Moon / Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Ajahn Dhammasiha is encoraging us to use breath meditation to investigate the four noble truths. We use the breath as anchor for our awareness, and then carefully observe how craving takes us away from the breath, with the result that we experience dukkha (suffering/stress/discomfort).If craving (taṇhā) leads us away from the present moment into past and future, the result is an increase in dukkha. If we let go of craving, we are able to stay in the present moment, and all dukkha connected with past and future comes to an end.Thus, we can directly observe aspects of the first, second, and third noble truth in our own experience.We can gain the same insight by observing the five hindrances (pañca nīvaraṇā) arisig, based on craving, and consequently generating dukkha in our mind. Again, the moment we let go of that craving, the hindrance will cease, and the dukkha caused by the hindrance will end as well.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
40 min
July 04, 2020 Reflections on the Buddhist Four Noble Truths with Ajahn Dhammasiha
The Buddha delivered his first formal teaching, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, on Āsāḷhā Full Moon. When he expounded the Middle Way and the Four Noble Truths, Ven Aññā Kondañño was the first one to realize the Dhamma and to see that "Whatever is subject to origination is also subject to cessation".This full moon also marks the beginning of the yearly 3 months 'Rains Retreat' ('Vassa') for the monks.Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on the 4 Noble Truths (Cattāro Ariyasaccāni). He emphasizes that the four noble truths are an eminently practical teaching, not some philosophical system of mere thoughts and ideas, but a meditative technique to apply in our heart to free us from all pain and suffering. Therefore, each of the 4 Noble Truths has a duty attached to it, advising us what we actually should do with it.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
21 min
July 04, 2020 Āsāḷhā Dhamma Talk by Aj Dhammadharo
On occasion of Āsāḷhā Full Moon, commemorating the Buddha's first formal discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Ajahn Dhammadharo offers reflections on the Four Noble Truths.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
42 min