Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

By Dhammagiri Forest HermitageReligion & Spirituality Buddhism

Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts episodes

May 24, 2020 Recognizing Wholesome & Unwholesome - Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn responds to a question how we can clearly distinguish wholesome and unwholesome mindstates. In our times of increasing uncertainty about what is good or evil, with some even holding the view that any lifestyle choices should be seen as equally valid options, it's necessary to remind ourselves that the Buddha emphatically declared that good and evil, dark and bright, beneficial and unbeneficial actually do exist, and have vastly different karmic consequences, and should be distinguished with clear awareness & wisdom.In fact, the second 'Factor of Enlightenment' ('Sambojjhanga'), 'Dhammavicaya' ('Investigation of Phenomena') is often explained by the Buddha as the ability to investigate, recognize and understand exactly this distinction. (e.g. in Saṃyutta Nikāya 46.#2 / Connected Discourses of the Buddha, page 1569)www.vimeo.com/dhammatalkswww.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive
33 min
May 23, 2020 "Sitting Above the Clouds" - Ajahn Dhammadharo
Ajahn Dhammadharo refers to a poem by Ajahn Buddhadasa, titled "Sitting Above the Clouds", and offers some Dhamma reflections on that theme.When we can see our moods and emotions as unsubstantial, impermanent clouds, that are just passing through and do not really belong to us, that are not really 'me', 'mine', or 'Self', we can rise above them and "sit above the clouds" ourselves.www.vimeo.com/dhammatalkswww.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive
49 min
May 17, 2020 Spiritual Happiness - Ajahn Dhammasiha
In the second foundation of mindfulness ('satipaṭṭhāna'), contemplation of feeling ('vedanānupassana'), the Buddha instructs us to mindfully distinguish with full awareness whether feelings we experience are of a non-wordly, spiritual nature, or whether they are connected with sensuality.Not everything that feels good is actually beneficial, and not everything that feels unpleasant is necessarily bad for us. We have to reject the worldy happiness, but we deliberately cultivate, develop and even indulge in spiritual, non-sensual happiness.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.vimeo.com/dhammatalkswww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive.
35 min
May 17, 2020 Spiritual Happiness | Guided Buddhist Meditation | Ajahn Dhammasiha at Dhammagiri
To develop samatha meditation (samādhi/calmness/concentration), the crucial ingrediance is happiness, even rapture and bliss.
But it has to be spiritual happiness ('nirāmisa sukha'/'nekkhamma-sita sukha'), completely aloof from sensuality or unwholesome states.
Ajahn Dhammasiha suggests to carefully feel out whichever meditation object works best for us to generate non-worldy happiness in our heart, and then to gently and gradually allow it to unfold into gladness, joy, rapture and bliss

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32 min
May 17, 2020 Essential or Not? - Ajahn Dhammasiha
In the current Queensland Health Direction, any religious activity is classified as "non-essential". To make matters worse, even among the long, long list of "non-essential" activities, one has to scroll to the very bottom of the whole list to finally find religious activities. Even these start with 'Weddings'.Ajahn Dhammasiha suggests that a society that considers any practice of religion as rock-bottom non-essential should not be surprised to struggle with problems of mental disorders, depression, substance abuse, suicide and so on.We have to get our priorities right, and in terms of Dhamma, 'non-essential' applies to all sankhāras, conditioned phenomena that are impermanent, unreliable and ultimately disappointing. Truly 'essential' (Pali: 'Sāra') is only the 'Unconditioned', Nibbāna, and by extension any activity that leads us to the Unconditioned.In Dhammapada verses #11 & #12, the Buddha points out that we have to be able to distinguish the essential from the non-essential, else we'll end up in big trouble.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.vimeo.com/dhammatalkswww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive.
25 min
May 16, 2020 'Restraint' - Ajahn Dhammasiha
When we are now gradually coming out of lockdown in Australia, there is a danger that we get carried away and become too careless.Ajahn reminds us of a verse from Dhammapada, that is highly applicable right now"Restraint by body is good,it is good to restrain our speech.Restraining our mind is good,it's good to be restrained all around.A monk restrained in every wayis released from all suffering"Dhammapada Verse #361www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.vimeo.com/dhammatalkswww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive.
48 min
May 11, 2020 Noble Friendship, Gratitude & Attachment - Ajahn Dhammasīha
Could gratitude lead to attachment?Is friendship a form of attachment, and does that mean we have to let go of all friends?How does development of gratitude relate to our practice of samādhi in formal meditation?Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on these questions.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
41 min
May 10, 2020 Gratitude on Mother's Day | Guided Meditation with Ajahn Dhammasiha | Buddhism
On occasion of Mother's Day, Ajahn Dhammasīha guides a meditation on the theme of Gratitide.
The Buddha considered Kataññūtā-Kataveditā ('Gratitude-Thankfulness') to be entirely the domain of a good person, and ingratitude as a typical characteristic of a bad person.
Anguttara Nikāya/Numerical Discourses, Book of Twos, #33
In particular, he pointed out that there are two persons where it is extremely difficult to ever repay them for all the good they have done to us, even if we carried them around on our back for a hundted years, or even if we could make them king or queen of the whole earth. These two persons are our mother and our father.
Anguttara Nikāya/Numerical Discourses, Book of Twos, #34
However, the Buddha also pointed out that it is very rare to actually encounter a grateful person.
Anguttara Nikāya/Numerical Discourses, Book of Fives, #195
Consequently, we all have to make an effort to develop the quality of gratitude in our heart deliberately and with diligence, and to strive to use every opportunity when we can acknowledge and reciprocate the good we have received from countless.

More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:
https://www.dhammagiri.net
Our Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJw
Our email Newsletter:
https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive
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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36 min
May 10, 2020 Mother's Day Reflections by Ajahn Dhammadharo
On occasion of Mother's Day, Ajahn Dhammadharo offers reflections how to develop gratitude to parents, how it relates to our meditative development, and why it is such an essential quality to cultivate, which has been praised by the Buddha and all Krooba Ajahns.ww.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks.
50 min
May 05, 2020 Vesak Reflections for BUBS, Kuala Lumpur, by Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha has been invited by Bandar Utama Buddhist Society (BUBS), KL, Malaysia, to offer some Dhamma reflections on occasion of their eVesak Celebration. https://bubs.my/wesakAs they have chosen 'Cultivate the Liberation of Mind by Loving Kindness' as the motto for this year's Vesak, Ajahn explains how their communal effort to cultivate a heart of loving kindness is like a powerful live podcast, that can be 'tuned in' by countless beings. He encourages everyone not to be sad that they can't have physical proximity to each other. Never mind whether our bodies are far from each other, if we cultivate mettā, our minds are very close, in fact mentally we all live together at the 'same address': the 'Brahmavihāra' ('Divine Abode') of Loving Kindness.Ajahn also points out various examples of the Buddha's supreme loving kindness manifesting in his actions, in particular how he continues caring for others even as he is in severe pain and dying himself.He urges us to combine mettā with wisdom by reflecting what we truly mean if we wish 'happiness' to others. The highest happiness is the 'paramaṃ sukhaṃ' of Nibbāna, which the Buddha first ralized in his heart, and then shared with his father, mother, step-mother, ex-wife, son, brother, numerous Sakyan relatives, and countless beings, as an expression of his boundless loving kindness.www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks
34 min