Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

Devaka, the long serving President of our Management Committee, and Liz, currently serving as Secretary on the Committee, call in to share some information on administrative work for the Sangha. In our modern environment with all it's complexity, regulations and red-tape, most people underestimate how much work is required in the background to maintain even a smaller monastery like Dhammagiri.Bhikkhus are strictly prohibited by the Buddha to own, accept or handle money in any form. Consequently, all financial affairs of the Sangha need to be managed by a 'steward'/'custodian'. In our case, finances for Dhammagiri are managed by the charitable association "Brisbane Buddhist Vihāra Inc" (BBV Inc) and it's management committee.It is a great responsibility, and consequently great good karma, to act as steward for the sangha, and execute countless administrative duties on behalf of the sangha.In Anguttara Nikāya Fives #34, the Buddha explains the karmic benefits of being a "donor, supporter, manager and custodion of the sangha" ("dāyaka, kāraka, sanghupaṭṭhāka, dānapati").Those who "can get things done" are described as: "Dakkho analaso tatrupāyāya vīmaṃsāya samannāgato, alaṃ kātuṃ alaṃ saṃvidhātuṃ." ("Smart, dexterous, hard-working, endowed with the intelligence and skill to get things organized and done.")www.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

The Buddha attained Final Nibbāna lying between the twin Sāla trees in the Sāla grove of the Mallas of Kusināra. 500 monks, all the inhabitants of nearby Kusināra town, and devas from 10 world systems had assembled to witness the event.Although dying from a severe illness with excruciatingly painful feelings, the Buddha continues teaching and consoling everyone present until his last moments. He finally enters all the different jhānas for a last time, and, just when emerging from the 4th jhāna, he attains the 'Anupādisesā Nibbānadhātu' ('Nibbāna Element without Remainder').Ven Anuruddha, the foremost disciple in divine eyesight and comprehension of other persons' minds, uses his psychic powers to directly observe the Buddha's mind at that moment. He utters the following verse:"There was no breathing in or out, Unmoving, and intend on peace, The Such-One with a steadfast mind, The One with vision is released. Detached, his heart remained unbowed; Equanimous, he did endure the pain. Just like a fire gone out from lack of fuel, His heart is totally released."Dīgha Nikāya (Long Discourses of the Buddha), #16.6Ajahn Dhammasiha offers some reflections on the occasion.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

Joy

Calm

Inspiration

Urgency

Brightness

Mindfulness

Equanimity

More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:

The Buddha experienced 'Sammāsambodhi' ('Perfect Enlightenment') on the Visākhā Full Moon night in May, sitting all night in profound meditation under the Bodhi Tree near Nerañjarā River at Bodh Gaya.Ajahn Dhammadharo offers a guided meditation and reflections on the theme of the Buddha's Awakening and the events surrounding it.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

Queen Mahāmāyā gave birth to the Bodhisatta in beautiful Lumbini Grove, shaded by large Sālā trees, standing and holding on to the branch of a blossoming Asoka tree. The newborn Bodhisatta walked 7 steps to the North and declared solemnly that this is his last rebirth.Ajahn Dhammasiha explains that the most authentic report on the birth, in the Buddha's own words, can be found at Majjhima Nikāya #123 'Acchariya Abbhuta Sutta' (Middle Length Discourses Sutta #123).He points out how the Buddha himself adds one more marvellous quality to the long list of miracles reported by Ven Ānanda: the Tathāgata has perfect mindfulness and full awareness of all feelings, perception and thoughts arsing and passing away in his mind.Ajahn encourages us all to become 'Mothers of the Bodhisatta' in the sense that we all should nourish and develop the potential for awakening in our mind, to ultimately 'give birth' to the experience of the deathlass, Nibbāna.www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

Lockdowns can lead to 'Cabin Fever', i.e. by being confined in limited space together 24/7, people can become very irritated at each other. They may experience strong emotions of aversion triggered by character traits and little quirks which they now have to endure without any chance to get away.Ajahn Dhammasiha quotes a Sutta from Anguttara Nikaya, Book of Twos #36 (Connected Discourses of the Buddha, page 155), where the Buddha points out a class of "Peaceful Minded Devas", who are able to share the space on the tip of a needle without encroaching or afflicting or irritating each other. The Buddha explains that they have developed this ability right here in the human world, and he recommends us to likewise develp calm sense faculties and a peaceful mind, so that our thoughts, words and actions will be calm and peaceful as well, and we can live happily and in harmony together even in long term confinement.www.dhammagiri.netwww.facebook.com/dhammagiri-forest-hermitagewww.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwwww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive

With questions about Anatta ('Not-Self') via both email and messages during the live podcast, Ajahn Dhammasiha shares some reflections on this subject.He points out that the Buddha did not teach Anattā to establish a doctrine or philosophy, but he intended it as a meditative tool for the explicit purpose of undermining and ulltimately totally uprooting all attachment, clinging and identification with all physical and mental phenomena.The delusion of Self stands and falls with the directly linked delusions of 'I', 'me', 'mine', 'ownership' & 'possessions'. Ownership can not be determined in an absolute, objective way, it is an attitude created and constructed in our mind. We 'regard' something as a possession; we 'assume' a Self. The Buddha now challenges us to investigate whether that assumption makes any sense, and whether it leads to an increase or to a decrease of our suffering.As all conditioned phenomena under direct observation reveal themselves to be impermanent, unreliable, unsure, and ultimately unsatisfactory, we have to admit that to claim possession of them and regard them as me, mine and Self is not appropriate or smart, and will in the end always enmesh us in suffering.Consequently, we train ourselves to see all feelings, perceptions, emotions, thoughts, intentions, bodies and material objects as well as consciousness of the 6 senses as: "N'etaṃ mama, n'eso 'ham-asmi, na meso attā ti" ("This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my Self")Cf. 'Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta'/'The Characteristic of Not-Self', Saṃyutta Nikāya 22.59, Connected Discourses of the Buddha page 901www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.castbox.fm/ch/2744970www.tinyletter.com/dhammagiriwww.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

Ven Ajahn Khemasiri has been the abbot of Dhammapala monastery in Kandersteg, Switzerland, for many years.https://dhammapala.ch/home-eng/After his retirement last year, he had the opportunity to again live the homeless life of a 'samaṇa', and has been travelling to meet spiritual friends ('Kalyāṇa-mitta'), spend time in different monasteries of our tradition, and to share the Dhamma. He has spent the winter retreat in Amaravati Monastery near London, and is currently experiencing the British lockdown in that location.Ajahn quotes the 'Sedaka-Sutta', Saṃyutta Nikāya 47.19 (Connected Discourses of the Buddha p. 2648) as a guideline to skillful respond to the pandemic: Protecting ourselves (through developing satipaṭṭhāna) we protect others; protecting others (through developing patience, kindness & compassion), we protect ourselves.He talks about countering the 'Coronavirus' with the Karūṇavirus 😉He encourages us be fully aware even of unpleasant, challenging emotions, and explains the benefits.He talks about equanimity and how to distinguish it from indifference.https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970  www.dhammagiri.net www.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri  www.vimeo.com/dhammatalks

Ajahn Dhammasīha challenges us to reflect on the idea of 'being stuck in a lockdown' on a deeper level. Are we truly free when the government enforced lockdown is lifted? Or do we not remain 'stuck' inside our body, and 'locked down' in attachment and delusion all the time?He quotes Suttanipāta verse 778, the famous verses on “The Cave” from the Chapter of Octads, where the Buddha compares our situation to being imprisoned inside the cave of our body, deeply submerged in delusion. Only through abandoning sensuality and releasing our mind from attachment to the physical body can we end the 'lockdown' and gain real freedom.Human beings stuck inside their body-cave,Smothered, covered and constraint by ignorance;They are far from solitude and blissful states:Sensuality is hard to overcome.(...)Comprehend perception, and you cross the flood,Sages don't get stuck, they dont' claim ownership.Heedful and with barb removed you travel light,Freed from longing for rebirth in any world. (Suttanipāta Verses 778 & 785)By the way, this talk has also been recorded on video for our vimeo Dhammatalks channel. If you're curious what the scene looks like in the monastery during the live podcasts, you can see it here:https://vimeo.com/410885984www.dhammagiri.org.auwww.vimeo.com/dhammatalkswww.tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archivewww.castbox.fm/ch/2744970