Ajahn Viradhammo gives a reflection about whether happiness is something a meditator should be trying to achieve from his/her meditation, or whether it is more skillful to cultivate wholesome thoughts that are inherently ‘happy’. He gives examples of thoughts of loving-kindness (Metta) and gratitude. (Talk recorded at Tisarana on 11 November 2019. Duration 36:48)… Read the rest
Tan Khemako delves deeper into this simile in response to a question from a retreat attendee. He explains how our minds have been conditioned to create a conceptual overlay covering the raw phenomena that we experience. Clinging to these concepts is what causes our suffering. (Dhamma Talk recorded at Arnprior on 27 November 2019. Duration 1:00:40) … Read the rest
All of us are being affected by the current Coronavirus pandemic, and we can see how difficult this is for many people around the world. This stress and uncertainty in our lives can help us to see what we really take as our refuge. This short talk given by Ajahn Sumedho in 2007 highlights the importance of taking refuge in that which is wholesome: the Buddha, as an example of enlightenment, the Dhamma as the way to liberation, and the Sangha, those who give us encouragement and inspiration on the path. He also emphasizes taking Awareness as our refuge. Rather than getting caught up in what is happening around us or our own moods, if we pause to recognize ‘the way it is’ without judgement, taking Awareness as our center, we will find we are able to act more skillfully and be able to provide help to those who may be distressed. (Talk given by Ajahn Sumedho at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in 2007. Duration 20:10)… Read the rest
On the first day of this retreat in Thailand Ajahn Viradhammo gives a 20 minute reflection on the importance of being heedful of the three types of craving. He then gives a guided meditation on body awareness, encouraging mindfulness of the whole body. (Talk given at Pak Chong on 24 November 2019. Duration 42:25) … Read the rest
When we are participating in daily activities there will be many situations which trigger our defilements. Instead of thinking of these scenarios as obstacles to our development, or that our reactions are somehow wrong, we can use them as an aid to seeing the nature of our mind and incline it towards non-attachment. (Talk recorded at Tisarana on 4 December 2019. Duration 34.43)… Read the rest
Ajahn Khemasiri answers questions at tea time from Tisarana's resident community about: Understanding the feeling of something missing (1:00); The nature of Samadhi (15:00); How to connect with people who don't share your values anymore (41:00); How to do comtemplation of body parts (59:00); Bare awareness as a meditation technique (72:00); How to strengthen Metta/Mudita practice (79:00) (Q&A recorded at Tisarana on 18 August 2019. Duration 1:28:59)… Read the rest
Tan Khemako talks about Anicca. He suggests the word ‘uncertain’ is a good rendering of this Pali word because it describes the unpredictable, unstable nature of all phemomena (Talk recorded at Arnprior on 25 November 2019. Duration 54:22)… Read the rest
Ajahn Viradhammo answers a question about the use of the word viññāṇa in the Pali Canon. He makes reference to the book The Isand by Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno which contains a chapter on the Buddha’s rare use of the word as a synonym for Nibbana (Q&A recorded at Arnprior during the OBS retreat on 20 September 2019. Duration 42:24) … Read the rest
Ajahn Viradhammo expounds on the first three fetters which block the fruition of Stream Entry. He explains that holding to ideals can be difficult to observe in ones mind because oftentimes we have attached to them since childhood. (Q&A recorded at Arnprior during the OBS retreat on 19 September 2019. Duration 31:32)… Read the rest
Ajahn Viradhammo talks about the nature of obsessive thinking and how a meditator can perceive it as a mind object. He uses the example of worrying, and suggests that by allowing the feeling of fear to be present in ones mind, without indulging in it or repressing it, will lead to insight and liberation from this habit. (Q&A recorded on the third day of the OBS retreat at Arnprior on 18 September 2019. Duration 55.08) … Read the rest
