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What’s the Point?

Ajahn Viradhammo explores the meditation theme, Nibbana. He helps us understand how to use the subtle theme of peace as an object of meditation.… Read the rest

Ven. Khema wanders away

In our monastic training tradition a monk spends his third year “abroad”. Tan Khema completed his 3rd rains retreat (Vassa) in October. Today he left to visit family and friends before heading to Bodhivana Monastery near Melbourne, Australia, where Ajahn Kalyano is the abbot.  The community at Tisarana wishes safe travels and good faring for Tan Khema.… Read the rest

Tension & Anger

Ajahn Viradhammo answers questions about how to relax when there is tension in the mind and body and also talks about dealing with anger by being aware of it and understanding instead of focusing on it as an object to get rid off.… Read the rest

The Frustration of Desire

Ajahn Viradhammo speaks about how desire is frustrated when we cannot get what we want. If we allow this experience to be a teaching for ourselves we can learn how to transcend both the unwholesome desire and the suffering that is arising out of not satisfying it.… Read the rest

Abhayagiri’s Firefighter Stories

Abhayagiri’s Firefighter Stories: From Ajahn Jotipalo:

About the “Loop Trail”  I asked the crew from New Mexico how it was fighting the fire.  They had been on the property for about 5 days.  They said it was the weirdest thing, like the monastery refused to burn.  They said one evening (probably the day Timothy Luke was forced to leave Mt Tabor, and he reported seeing 200 foot tall flames on the ridge)  that 10 battalions (20 to a battalion) were out on the loop trail fighting the fires coming down from the ridge.  They reported that the fires got down to the loop trail but the fire wouldn’t cross the trail.  They said it was like the monastery refused to burn, and none of them could explain it.  They reported their hair sanding on it’s end and then the fire reversed itself and went back up the mountain.  Everybody was kind of freaked-out, as they had never seen anything like this.  I asked several of the other crews about their experience and they all reported about this.

I tried to thank every crew member I could, and S Tissaro has photos of me crying and hugging these guys!
20:02 16Oct2017
… Read the rest

Abhayagiri Survives the Redwood Fire

Ajahn Jotipalo of Abhayagiri Monastery in California posted this news tonight after having visited the property today and talking with the fire crews there:

“We just got back from the property.  About as good of news as we could have hoped for.  There are still about 100 personnel on the property, as fires are still smoldering, but it appear no structures were damaged, except maybe a bridge or two on the “loop trail” – which we should rename the “Sacred Loop Trail” Or “Dhamma Protectors Trail”  more on that later.
More soon about stories talking to the fire fighters.  We are staying at CTTB (City of Ten Thousand Buddhas) tonight, LP Pasanno is giving a talk,  S Tissaro is staying at the monastery, to look after water and be of service if he firefighters need answers.” 19:45 16Oct2017

… Read the rest

Venerable Sirimedho

Sirimedho Bhikkhu (formerly Peter Pauls) was born in Ontario to a Mennonite family and raised in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. After returning to Ontario, his spiritual search took him on a pilgrimage to India and a couple of long retreats at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS). This culminated in a strong desire to ordain. Unfortunately, during this time he became chronically ill. After many years, during which he visited Tisarana and forest monasteries regularly, he recovered well enough to pursue ordination. He took on Anigarika precepts at Tisarana on January 5th 2017, ordained as a Samanera (novice) on December 15, 2017 in Chennai, India and was accepted in to the Bhikkhu Sangha on September 16, 2018  with Luang Por Viradhammo as Preceptor.… Read the rest

Venerable Amarasiri

Amarasiri Bhikkhu (formerly Siddarth Deepak) was born and raised in Chennai, India. His education and career led him to live in many parts of the world. Venerable Amarasiri moved to Toronto in 2009 and attended a Vipassana retreat in the Goenka Tradition where he was inspired by the teachings and practice of Theravada Buddhism. On his very first visit to Tisarana, his interaction with Ajahn Viradhammo impacted Ven. Amarasiri to commit to Theravadin Monastic life. He subsequently took Anagarika precepts on the 29th of November 2016, Samanera Precepts on 20th September 2017 and was accepted into the Bhikkhu Sangha on September 16, 2018, with Luang Por Viradhammo as Preceptor.… Read the rest