Working with Moods
In this talk, Ajahn Vīradhammo answers a question about how to interact with others when one is experiencing negative moods.… Read the rest
Non-Becoming, Non-Anticipation
“In listening, establish a receptive consciousness – receiving the sounds… It doesn’t really matter what sounds are there, just let them come to you – pleasant sounds, unpleasant sounds, whatever. And get a feeling for a consciousness that is not trying to get anything or become anything – just receptive.”… Read the rest
Preoccupations
In this talk, Ajahn Vīradhammo speaks about maintaining kindness towards ourselves as an aid to developing watchfulness and availability in our practice.… Read the rest
Investigation of Dhamma in Theravāda Buddhism
In this talk given during a meditation retreat, Ajahn Vīradhammo speaks about deeply investigating Dhamma within the framework of Theravāda Buddhism.… Read the rest
Body Awareness
In this talk, Ajahn Vīradhammo gives meditation instructions focused around awareness of the body.… Read the rest
Just Listen
A guided meditation by Ajahn Vīradhammo, structured around using listening as the primary object of awareness.… Read the rest
Memory as Memory Only
In this talk given on a Saturday afternoon, Ajahn Vīradhammo offers a few reflections on how to relate to one’s memories in a useful way.… Read the rest
Where is the End of the World?
The Buddha said “Dear Rohatissa, you’re not going to find the end of the world, by traveling physically”. That’s when he said that the arising of the world, the ceasing of the world, and the path leading to the ceasing of the world, is right within this body.… Read the rest
What the Buddha Realized 2013-10-27 (at Boston Vihara)
If I have a sense of the goal, then everything else that I do – Sīla, Samādhi, and Pañña – should fit in. If I don’t have a sense of what I think the Buddha might have realized, and I do practices that don’t have that aim in mind, and aren’t informed by that aim, I can do things which are pleasing, but they can be hit and miss, and they aren’t understood fully, and then my practice can be very “hit and miss”: sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t work. So when people say to me “I don’t want to get enlightened, I just want to get a bit happier”, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I do think it’s a good idea to be happier. But to not try to pick up at least what the Buddha might have realized, to not have a sense of that, then I think one can’t understand why he taught what he taught. And he taught what he taught, because of his enlightenment, right? He didn’t teach an abstract philosophical theory.… Read the rest
Ways of Doing, Instead of Mere Philosophies
The first element that the Buddha would emphasize was Generosity. And all these elements, that he recommended, or pointed to, were ways of doing, rather than just positions, philosophical positions, or moral positions, which were simply intellectually taken. Rather, they were ways of living, ways of developing the heart. So they were “doings”, rather than “believings”.… Read the rest