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Ajahn Dhammasiha's formal Dhamma Talk at the Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage.
Ajahn reflects on the power of puñña (good karma/'merits'), and the importance of harmony and cooperation when making good karma together.
He also goes through the five precepts forming the fundamental ethics of a Buddhist lay practitioner:
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#robeofferingceremony #karma #punya #puñña #goodkarma #harmony #concord
At our Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri, our Sangha of 7 Buddhist monks recites 'Paritta'. These auspicious protective verses are believed to ward off misfortune, protect from various dangers, and bestow blessings on all those listening.
Paritta verses have been recited in Pali, the language of the Buddha, for more than 2,000 years. The most important ones are still in their original form, as originally spoken by the Buddha himself some 2,500 years ago.
Ajahn Saengchai Ratananyano from Bodhisaddha Monastery, Wilton near Sydney, is leading the chanting.
Ajahn Den Atthakaro from Bodhipala monastery near Adelaide recites the traditional invitation to all devas and spirits at the beginning.
Ajahn Varadhammo from Bodhisaddha Monastery, Ajahn Dhammasiha & Ajahn Moneyyo from Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, and Tan Khema & Tan Dhammavitakko from Buddha Bodhivana Monastery, Warburton near Melbourne, are all joining in.
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#paritta #buddhistchanting #kathina #robeoffering #buddhistceremony
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked if there are procedures for laity after breaking precepts in the same way as for monks.
Ajahn explains that the Buddha laid down eleborate procedures only in the Vinaya for the monks & nuns, but not for laity.
However, we can always ask for forgiveness from the Triple Gem. In fact, the full version of the evening chanting includes asking forgiveness from Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha.
Ajahn continues by sharing the story of King Ajatasattu confessing the murder of his own father, stream enterer King Bimbisāra, to the Buddha. He does that in full public with 1,250 arahant monks present, and also his own 500 wifes and whole court.
You can read about that amazing story, a true Shakespearian drama, in the introductory section of the 'Sāmañña-phala-sutta' (Discourse on the Fruits of the Holy Life), Dīgha Nikāya/Long Discourses #2.
The most important thing after a transgression is to fully recognize it as such, make amends as far as possible, and then to abstain from doing it again in the future. Then one lets go of the past, forgiving oneself, and rather than dwelling in guilt, one tries to make as much good karma as possible, to weaken and overcome the bad karma one has created.
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#confession #forgiveness #dhammatalk #dhamma #buddhiststory
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked whether eating meat is causing bad karma.
Ajahn explains that INTENTIONAL KILLING of other beings is bad karma. The crucial factor for bad karma is intention.
Therefore, even if one's actions have a causal relationship with the death of other beings, but completely without intention, it's not breaking the first precept or causing bad karma.
For example, in Queensland in summer it's virtually impossible to drive a car for an hour without causing the death of insects smashing against the windscreen. However, that's normally not the intention when driving the car, the intention is simply to get to one's destination.
It would be totally impossible to live as a human, without ever being causally involved in the death of other beings. Even as a total vegan, and refraining from using leather or silk, even then the production of cotton for clothing, or the cultivation of vegan food, could still not be done without some beings dying.
Therefore, intention is really the crucial factor to focus on.
Usually, if someone buys meat of fish in a supermarket, there is no intention of killing. Consequently, buying and eating meat is not breaking the first precept.
On the other hand, if someone deliberately becomes vegetarian or vegan, or simply reduces meat/fish consumption, with the intention that less beings will be slaughtered, this is good karma, because there's intention to reduce killing and suffering.
If more humans were aware how much pain and torture and suffering animals have to endure, not only in the slaughterhouse, but actually for their whole life in unimaginably cruel factory farming, I believe many more would go vegetarian, or at least reduce their meat & fish consumption.
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#vegan #vegetarian #veganism #buddhism #animals #dhammatalk
On the eve of the large Kathina Robe Offering event at Bodhisaddha Monastery, as the senior Ajahn of the 12 monks attending, Ajahn Dhammasiha was invited to share Dhamma for the occasion.
Ajahn emphasizes the importance of harmony for the successful completion of the ceremony.
Harmony within the sangha, harmony within the lay community, and harmony between lay and monastic communities.
Monastics and laity depend on each other, neither could perform the Robe Offering Ceremony on their own, so they have to work in concord.
Ajahn points out causal conditions for establishing, maintaining and strengthening harmony in the sangha. Naturally, the same conditions also apply to maintain harmony in lay communities, and they apply for harmony and concord in the family as well.
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#harmony #concord #robeoffering #kathina #ajahnchah
Ajahn Moneyyo gives an introduction and practical instructions to develop mindfulness of the body by contemplating the 32 Bodyparts, the 9 cemetery contemplations and the 4 elements according to the discourse about the 4 foundations of mindfulness (4 Satipatthānā, Middle Length Discourses Nr. 10).
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN...
By seeing the body as impermanent (Aniccā) and not-self (Anatta) our heart can become disenchanted and realize a peace and liberation beyond ageing and death.
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#mindfulness #mindfulnessmeditation #meditation #insight #vipassana
During an all-night meditation, or during a retreat period, we tend to exert maximum effort. However, no one can maintain maximum effort for a very long time.
Unfortunately, once we can't maintain the high level anymore, we often end up relaxing too much.
Unfortunately, it's much easier and faster to regress in our bhāvanā, than to quickly progress.
So we may end up losing hard earned 3 months of progress within just one week of carelessness.
Therefore, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to look at the minimum standard we maintain throughout. A high minimum level of effort, which we never fall below, can have a more powerful impact on our total progress than occasional spurts of extreme effort.
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#effort #meditation #dhamma #bhavana #dhammatalk #buddhism #mindfulness
Right after the end of the rains retreat period, the Dhammagiri monks had been invited to visit the iconic Australia Zoo.
Ajahn Dhammasiha uses the occasion to share reflections on Dhamma teachings about animals. Of all the major religions, Buddhism has the clearest and most impactful teachings about showing compassion and loving kindness to animals.
For example, the first precept to abstain from killing refers to animals just as to humans. As a follower of the Buddha, we should never intentionally kill even an ant of mozzie.
Ajahn also shares stories of animal encounters between the Buddha & famous monks, and animals like elephants and tigers. You can see some photos of our encounters with koalas, tigers, giraffes and echidnas here:
https://latest-pics.dhammagiri.net
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#animals #animalprotection #kindness #dhammatalk #dhamma #buddhism
Dhamma talk by Ajahn Dhammasiha on occasion of Pavarana Full Moon.
It is important to be able to receive feedback on our actions. We can learn much from constructive criticism, if it is done with good will, by knowledgeable persons.
Is is so difficult to see one's own weaknesses and shortcomings, but quite easy to recognize them in others. Consequently, feedback and criticism based on loving kindness, compassion & thorough knowledge of the Buddha's teaching and discipline can be an invaluable opportunity to see through one's own delusions and actually improve oneself.
However, for feedback to be effective, it has to be experessed in the correct manner, and at the right time.
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#feedback #criticism #dhammatalk #buddhism #buddhistmonks #buddhistmonastery #buddhistwisdom
Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Dhammasīha, offering reflections on the Buddha's teaching:
"Suññam idaṃ attena vā attanīyena vā!"
= "Empty of Self and Empty of Anything belonging to Self"
When we contemplate our body, thoughts, feelings, emotions, even our meditation object, as not Self and not belonging to any Self, suddenly everything becomes so much lighter, so much less difficult and painful, so much more bearable.
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#notself #anantta #buddhistphilosophy #dhamma #dhammatalk #buddhism
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