PODCAST · religion
Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts
by Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage
Dhamma Talks, Chanting, Precepts and Meditation with Ajahn Dhammasiha, Ajahn Moneyyo, and other experienced Senior Buddhist Monks in the Theravada Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah. Recorded at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane, Australia.Our website: https://www.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel, including regular live streams on the weekend "Dhammatalks at Dhammagiri": https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724Our email Newsletter: https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterOur Spotify Playlists are here:https://open.spotify.com/user/8z4dmrysnbbnjtz9f0wzjgcre.
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Ajahn Dhammasiha Visiting Monasteries in Europe | Buddhist Monasteries in the Tradition of Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Dhammasīha describes monasteries of the Ajahn Chah tradition that he's going to visit on his travels from 13 May to 21 June. Talking about the 'Incineration Toilets' they have installed at Skiptvet Monastery in Norway leads Ajahn onto a little sidenote about 'Asubha Bhāvanā', contemplating the unattractive nature of the human body. Asubha is a very important meditation object, menitoned by the Buddha for example in the first section of the famous Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Sutta on the Foundations of Mindfulness), i.e. Kāyānupassana = Contemplation of the Body. You can find Ajahn Dhammasīha's full travel schedule, and links to the monasteries he visits, here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/ajahn-dhammasiha-travel-itineraryDhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterTravel Photos Ajahn Dhammasihahttps://travel-pics-ajahn-2.dhammagiri.net/Our Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#travel #buddhistmonasteries #buddhistmonk #ajahnchahtradition #buddhismineurope
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Breath Meditation: Gently Nudging Perception to Develop Contentment & Joy | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Anapanasati
There is no objectively 'right' of 'wrong' way how we perceive and experience the breath in Ānāpānasati (Mindfulness of In & Out Breath) meditation. Perception of internal phenomena is entirely subjective. However, there are ways of perceiving and feeling the breath that are conducive to deepening our samādhi & insight, and there are other ways of perceiving that have the opposite effect. Therefore, when doing breath meditation, we deliberately cultivate those perceptions and feelings that are helpful for us to deepen the meditiaton. The Buddha in particular advised to feel and experience our whole physical body when doing Anapanasati, and to cultivate contentment, gladness, joy, rapture, bliss and happiness with every inbreath and every outbreath. Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#breath #breathmeditation #anapanasati #meditation #buddhistmeditation #mindfulness #samadhi #samatha
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Stuck in Conventions | Transcending Social Conditioning to Realize Enlightenment | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Have you ever deliberately broken social conventions to follow your own true conviction? We can't realize awakening by just following the norms and expectations of society. Enlightenment, realizing the Dhamma, is a complete flip-over of all conventionality. We have to become aware how much we're conditioned by what's conventionally expected from us by society and family. Only once we're aware how much of our life we're doing not out of real conviction, understanding or insight, but simply due to following conventions, will we be able to transcend that conditioning and realize the Dhamma. Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#awakening #enlightenment #awareness #conditioning #socialconditioning #mindfulness #insight
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Entity View | Identity Formation | Anatta | Not Self | Sakkaya Ditthi | Asmi Mana | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasīha cites the following short Pali quote at the beginning of his Dhamma Talk : "Yena yena hi maññanti, tato taṃ hoti aññathā." "By whatever they conceive, that is becoming otherwise." = "Whatever they use as support for their illusion of identity, that is all changing and becoming otherwise" (Majjhima Nikāya/Middle Length Discourses #113, "Sappurisa Sutta" / "Discourse on the Authentic Person") In order to build up and maintain an illusion of self ('Entity View'/'Sakkāyadiṭṭhi'), we need prop ups. The self illusion has to be based on some foundation. In a profound sense, we try to make the five groups of clinging the foundation for our illusionary sense of self. On a more basic level, we use our name, title, degree, address, status symbols, knowledge, clothing, possessions, and so on as prop ups for our supposed identity. But whether on the profound level, or in the more basic manifestations, all these prop ups are actually impermanent and unsatisfactory themselves, and thus any self illusion based on them is unstable and liable to collapse as well, leading to constant anxiety (vicikicchā saṃyojana) and desperate attempts to stabilize and sustain the delusion against the onslaught of impermanence. Which necessarily leads to a whole lot of suffering. Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#self #anatta #nonself #illusion #delusion #conceit #attachment #upadana #clinging #ego #identity
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Illusion of Self | Attachment to Identity | Entity View | Sakkayaditthi | Upadana | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked to give examples of attachment to Self, clinging to the illusion of an identity, called Sakkāyadiṭṭhi = Entity View by the Buddha. The quote Ajahn mentions: "Yena yena hi maññanti, tato taṃ hoti aññathā." "By whatever they conceive, that is becoming otherwise." = "Whatever they use as support for their illusion of identity, that is all changing and becoming otherwise" (Majjhima Nikāya/Middle Length Discourses #113, "Sappurisa Sutta" / "Discourse on the Authentic Person") In other words, the prop ups we're using to build our delusion of entity will always fail, causing a threat to the illusion, and thus leading to anxiety, fear, worry and suffering, as we're deperately trying to maintain the illusion, despite its foundation crumbling right in front of us.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#self #anatta #nonself #illusion #delusion #conceit #attachment #upadana #clinging #ego #identity
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Knowing Your Phone vs Knowing What Your Phone Does To Your Mind | Social Media Addiction | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Our education system is set up to learn almost exclusively about external processes. But we don't learn about what's going on in our mind internally, we don't understand all these different feelings and emotions, we're not educated how to become aware or them and how to deal with them. For example, most people have a good knowledge how to use their mobile phone. They know how to use Youtube, how to publish a reel on Insta, how to upload a TikTok video, how to post on facebook, and so on... But are they aware what is the effect on their mind when they do all of the above? Do they understand their internal feelings and emotions that are caused by their posting & liking & disliking; and being liked & shared & going viral; or being disliked & staying unpopular and obscure? The quote Ajahn mentions in his talk is from the 'Xin Xin Ming' ('Faith in Mind'), the famous verses attributed to the Third Patriarch of the Chinese Chan (Zen) School, Jianzhi Sengcan . It opens with the well known first two lines: "The Perfect Way is easy for those who who not pick and choose; Do not like, do not dislike; all will then be clear..."Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#internet #mobilephone #onlineaddiction #socialmedia #liking #rating #disliking #dhammatalk
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AJAHN MEDHINO | Cleanliness as Way of Life | Guided Meditation & Final Instructions for One Day Retreat
This is the concluding session of our 1 Day Meditation Retreat at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage with Ajahn Medhino. Venerable Ajahn Medhino has been ordained as a bhikkhu for 33 years. Originally from the Netherlands, he received his ordination as a Buddhist monk at Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand. However, for the last 12 years he has lived in Sri Lanka, where he has established a hermitage in Badulla district, at Udakiruwa Forest, located roughly between Bibile and Monaragala. Ajahn plans to develop the hermitage into a full fledged monastery that will be called Mahāvana Aranya Senasanaya / Wat Pa Mahavana. Luang Por Medhino speaks fluent English, Sinhala and Thai; and also some French and German (and native Dutch, of course 😉). Luang Por has kindly agreed to our invitation to visit Dhammagiri from 31 March to 07 April 2026, including leading a One Day Retreat on Easter Sunday 05 April. Details of Ajahn Medhino's program at Dhammagiri can be found here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/ajahn...Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#retreat #buddhistretreat #meditationretreat #vipassana #mindfulness #samadhi #samatha #awareness #dhammatalk
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AJAHN MEDHINO | Bringing the Mind Back to the Body | Instructions for One Day Meditation Retreat
This is the initial session of our 1 Day Meditation Retreat at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage with Ajahn Medhino. Ajahn explains the program and provides instructions for meditation, including a guided meditation. He also leads the community in taking the Triple Refuge and the five or eight precepts. Venerable Ajahn Medhino has been ordained as a bhikkhu for 33 years. Originally from the Netherlands, he received his ordination as a Buddhist monk at Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand. However, for the last 12 years he has lived in Sri Lanka, where he has established a hermitage in Badulla district, at Udakiruwa Forest, located roughly between Bibile and Monaragala. Ajahn plans to develop the hermitage into a full fledged monastery that will be called Mahāvana Aranya Senasanaya / Wat Pa Mahavana. Luang Por Medhino speaks fluent English, Sinhala and Thai; and also some French and German (and native Dutch, of course 😉). Luang Por has kindly agreed to our invitation to visit Dhammagiri from 31 March to 07 April 2026, including leading a One Day Retreat on Easter Sunday 05 April. Details of Ajahn Medhino's program at Dhammagiri can be found here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/ajahn...Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#retreat #buddhistretreat #meditationretreat #vipassana #mindfulness #samadhi #samatha #awareness #dhammatalk
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How to Develop Vipassana after Samadhi | 5 Groups of Clinging vs 4 Foundations of Mindfulness | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha explains suitable meditation objects for investigation (vipassana/insight/wisdom) that we can direct our attention to, after the mind emerges from Samatha/Samādhi meditation. Samādhi/Concentration imbues the mind with calm, tranquillity, hightened mindfulness, brightness and radiant awareness, as well as wholesome joy, rapture and bliss. At the same time, the five hindrances of sensual desire, aversion, laziness, restlessness and doubt are suppressed (or at least reduced). Of course, all these things are desirable and very pleasant to experience in and by themselves. However, even more important is that they provide the conditions for profound insight to arise. Whenever our mind has developed a certain level of calm/samatha, we should these mental qualities to develop insight/vispassana. We're not merely enjoying the bright and blissful qualities of samādhi, we're using them to do the work of developing wisdom, to see things as they really are (yathā-bhūta-ñāṇadassana), to investigate and analyse. So what are the areas of investigation the Buddha recommended for that purpose? And how are we to investigate them, in which way should we contemplate them? In this reflection, Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the 5 groups of clinging (pañcupādānakkhandhā) as suitable objects for profound insight contemplation: Rūpa = Form Vedanā = Feeling (pleasant of unpleasant of neutral) Saññā = Perception (Recognizing, labelling) Sankhārā = Mental formations, in particular intention (cetana) & thinking (vitakka)Viññāṇa = ConsciousnessAjahn also mentions the four foundations of mindfulness, which are highly suitable meditation objects for developing insight as well, and which tend to be easier to contemplate than the 5 groups of clinging.
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BHANTE ARIYANANDA | Contemplating Death & Impermanence in Beginningless Samsara | Dhamma Talk
Venerable Ariyananda Thero explains fundmental Buddhist contemplations. We have been circling through Saṃsāra, the wheel of repeated death and rebirth, since beginningless time. We don't know where we came from (what was our last rebirth?), we don't know where we're going (what will be our next rebirth?), and still we pretend everything's fine and try to be merry. Instead, the Buddha ecourages us to contemplate death and impermanence, so that we don't get lost in negligence, but make the effort to escape the round of death and birth through practising the Buddha's teaching and realizing the supreme securtity from bondage, the Deathless Element, Nibbāna. Venerable Angulgamuwa Ariyananda Mahāthera is the abbot of Na Uyana Aranya, the largest forest monastery in Sri Lanka: https://nauyana.org/ He has kindly accepted our invitation to visit Dhammagiri from 2nd to 4th April. You can find all details of his program with us here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/visiting-senior-monk-at-dhammagiri-buddhist-monastery Bhante will be accompanied by Bhante Pāsādika Thera (abbot of Dhamsuwa Forest Monastery near Melbourne), Bhante Buddhavihārī Thera, and Bhante Jinaratana Thera. Bhante has been a monk for 33 years. He has visited Dhammagiri once before in November/December 2010, giving special blessings to our newly arrived main Buddha statue. This visit was actually the first time Bhante Ariyananda gave formal teachings in English ourside of Sri Lanka. Bhante Ariyananda and Ajahn Dhammasiha have known each other for 31 years. Bhante has been a true Kalyāna Mitta to Ajahn Dhammasiha during his arrival at Nissaraṇa Vana: preparing him for ordination, helping him with his visa, teaching him some Sinhala, and introducing him to his Upajjhāya, Most Venerable Kadawedduwe Jinavaṃsa Mahāthera. Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#buddhism #dhamma #dhammatalk #buddhistmonk #buddhistmeditation #meditation #death #impermanence
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BHANTE ARIYANANDA THERO | Abbot Na Uyana Aranya | The Buddha's Scientific Approach to Meditation |
Ven. Ariyananda Thera explains fundmental priciples of Buddhist meditative practice, emphasising that the Buddha uses a scientific method that doesn't require belief based on pure faith, but that is open to and actually inviting investigation. Venerable Angulgamuwa Ariyananda Mahāthera is the abbot of Na Uyana Aranya, the largest forest monastery in Sri Lanka: https://nauyana.org/ He has kindly accepted our invitation to visit Dhammagiri from 2nd to 4th April. You can find all details of his program with us here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/visiting-senior-monk-at-dhammagiri-buddhist-monastery Bhante will be accompanied by Bhante Pāsādika Thera (abbot of Dhamsuwa Forest Monastery near Melbourne), Bhante Buddhavihārī Thera, and Bhante Jinaratana Thera. Bhante has been a monk for 33 years. He has visited Dhammagiri once before in November/December 2010, giving special blessings to our newly arrived main Buddha statue. This visit was actually the first time Bhante Ariyananda gave formal teachings in English ourside of Sri Lanka. Bhante Ariyananda and Ajahn Dhammasiha have known each other for 31 years. Bhante has been a true Kalyāna Mitta to Ajahn Dhammasiha during his arrival at Nissaraṇa Vana: preparing him for ordination, helping him with his visa, teaching him some Sinhala, and introducing him to his Upajjhāya, Most Venerable Kadawedduwe Jinavaṃsa Mahāthera. Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#science #buddhism #dhamma #dhammatalk #buddhistmonk #buddhistphilosophy
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AJAHN MEDHINO | Life as Buddhist Hermit Monk in Sri Lanka | Solitary Dhamma Practice in the Jungle
Venerable Ajahn Medhino has been ordained as a bhikkhu for 33 years. Originally from the Netherlands, he received his ordination as a Buddhist monk at Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand. However, for the last 12 years he has lived in Sri Lanka, where he has established a hermitage in Badulla district, at Udakiruwa Forest, located roughly between Bibile and Monaragala. Ajahn plans to develop the hermitage into a full fledged monastery that will be called Mahāvana Aranya Senasanaya / Wat Pa Mahavana. Luang Por Medhino speaks fluent English, Sinhala and Thai; and also some French and German (and native Dutch, of course 😉). Luang Por has kindly agreed to our invitation to visit Dhammagiri from 31 March to 07 April 2026, including leading a One Day Retreat on Easter Sunday 05 April. Details of Ajahn Medhino's program at Dhammagiri can be found here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/ajahn...Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#buddhistmonk #hermit #srilanka #buddhiststory #dhammatalk #buddhisthermit
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10 Powers of the Buddha | Sutta Exploration MN 12 | Tathagata Dasabala | Ajahn Dhammasiha
In response to a question about the supernatural psychic powers and unique knowledge of the Buddha, Ajahn Dhammasiha examines a passage from 'Mahā Sīhanāda Sutta' ('The Greater Discourse on the Lion's Roar'), Majjhima Nikāya / Middle Length Discourses No 12. In this passage on the 'Tathāgata Bala' , the Buddha himself describes 10 powers he is endowed with, and 4 unshakeabilities. You can read and download the whole sutta in English here: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN12.htmlDhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#buddha #buddhism #sutta #sutra #suttaexploration #palicanon #majjhimanikaya
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Preparing the Mind to Listen to Dhamma | Buddhist Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Dhammasiha
With the visit of Bhante Ariyananda coming up, Ajahn Dhammasiha reminds us all: When it comes to listening to Dhamma, it's not about quantity of input. It's about quality, and in particular about the quality of the mind of the listener. Many of us have heard the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (First Discourse of Buddha) receited many times. But did we have the vision of Dhamma arising, did we attain stream entry like Ven. Aññā Kondañña did while listening to it only once? All the listening and reading and studying will not lead to awakening if the mind is not ready. We have to reduce the hindrances/defilements (nīvaraṇā), and increase the spiritual faculties (indriya), to boost our pāramī up to a level sufficient that we can realize the Dhamma we hear of contemplate. Like a 3G phone will not be able to connec to 5G signals, we won't be able to comprehend the Dhamma on a deep level if the foundations are still too week. Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#dhammatalk #listening #spriritualteacher #buddhism #dhamma #buddhistmonk
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AJAHN NYANADIPO | Dhamma Discussion at Dhammagiri | Subhadda Cetiya | Stories of Krooba Ajahns
Ajahn Nyanadipo is the abbot of Bodhipala monastery, the Ajahn Chah monastery near Adelaide. https://www.bodhipalamonastery.orgHe has recently passed the formal Thai examinations to qualify as an upajjhāya (preceptor who can ordain monks), being only the second foreign monks to do so. Ajahn shares inspiring stories of his monastic life, in particular meeting senior monks of our tradition and attending the Ajahn Chah commemoration at Wat Nong Pah Pong. Ajahn also talks about the large stupa project that he's overseeing: the construction of the 'Subhadda Cetiya', a 15 meter high stupa dedicated to Ajahn Chah, at Bodhipala monastery. Ajahn has visited Dhammagiri before, for instance in March 2021 he joined us for Magha Puja, when he gave the following Dhamma TalkDhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#dhammatalk #buddhistmonk #stupa #ajahnchah #buddhiststory #buddhistwisdom #buddhism
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Cultivating Metta Meditation | Tips & Tricks to Strengthen Our Loving Kindness | Ajahn Dhammasiha
After our guided mettā meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha shares some strategies how to overcome typical difficulties in our development of Loving Kindness, and to deepen our meditation.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#metta #lovingkindness #meditation #buddhistmeditation #empathy #compassion
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True Hero's Never Kill | Courage to Keep Precepts when It's Hard | Non-Violence | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha praises participants of our One Day Meditation Retreat for their commitment to virtue and unshakable ethical principles. By committing ourselves, without any if or when, to non-violence; to commit ourselves to abstain in all possible circumstance from any act of killing, we're making a powerful statement against war, and remove ourselves from any participation in war and violence. By developing bhāvanā to weaken and ultimately abandon greed, hatred and delusion, we work on removing the deep causes of any forms of war and violence. Ajahn shares several stories of persons who decided not to kill/not to shoot in very challenging situations, some of them possibly even saving the world from global nuclear war through their courageous decisions. These heros of not-killing and non-violence are unfortunately much less famous and much less appreciated than "heros" who receive the Victoria Cross and similar medals of "bravery" for killing. Often their steadfastness in obeying their conscience goes completely unnoticed, or worse, it may even lead to them being denigrated and attacked. Similar for those who dare to state the truth in challenging circumstances. Stating a simple truth, though it is disagreeable to those in power, can be a truly heroic act with far-reaching consequences. It may break the spell of false narratives and propaganda, and be of great long term benefit to many beings, even though the truth tellers may be attacked, or may even end up sacrificing their life for their act of truthfulness. Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#nonviolence #precepts #notkilling #commitment #ethics #buddhism #compassion
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AJAHN MONEYYO | Abandon Defilements, Like a Snake Shed's it's Worn Out Skin | SUTTA EXPLORATION, Uraga Sutta, Suttanipāta 1.1
Ajahn Moneyyo discusses the very first Sutta in Suttanipāta: "The Snake" / "Uragasutta".Snakes regularly have to shed their old skin, as it becomes too restrictive for their growing body. In the wilderness, one can sometimes find this old, worn out skin, left behind by the snake. The Buddha uses this process as a simile for a monk who abandons anger, desire and delusion, leaving all mental defilements behind, just like the snake leaves behind it's old skin. Naturally, abandoning defilements is no easy task, just as he snake has to struggle quite a bit to wriggle out of the old skin. But it is possible, it can be done.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#suttanipata #uragasutta #snake #serpant #buddhism
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Freeing the Heart from Darkness | Don't Allow the Evil We Witness to Darken Your Heart | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha was asked via email to talk about bringing peace to ourselves regarding Iran, Israel and US war, and all the other evil and insanity we witness being committed globally. As Brisbane just witnessed a total lunar eclipse ('Blood Moon') on Magha Puja Full Moon day, Ajahn shares the ancient Indian myth how Rāhu the evil demon swallows the moon deity Chandimā during an eclipse. In his distress, Chandimā remembers the Buddha and takes refuge in him. The Buddha chants a verse to Rāhu requesting him to release Chandimā, and Rāhu indeed lets go of the moon. Although this myth totally contradicts our astronomical understanding how an eclipse works, Ajahn Dhammasiha declares himself a true believer in its truth: meaning his is convinced of the metaphorical truth of the matter, not the literal meaning 😉The moon is a simile for our heartThe moon being swallowed by Rāhu is an allegory for our heart becoming dark due to sadness, anger or despair Taking refuge in the Buddha, and remembering that the Buddha's complete release from all oppression can be experienced by ourselves, frees our heart from darkness and unwholesome statesAjahn encourages us to remember the symbolism of the lunar eclipse whenever we notice our heart going dark. If we remember the Buddha and take refuge in him, the forces of evil will not be able to darken our heart. This is the most important thing. We may not be able to stop the evil happening externally, in the extreme we may even get killed ourselves by evil. However, as long as evil can't take over our own heart, we've still won the most essential battle. This doesn't mean that we have to be completely passive regarding evil. It only means that we do not commit evil ourselves in opposing it. We oppose evil only by means that are not violent, keeping the Buddhist precepts, and most importantly, based on compassion, kindness, truth and equanimity, never baswed on anger or hatred. To do that, we have to first make sure that anger, hatred, delusion or fear are not influencing our heart. We also have to keep in mind that it is utterly impossible to turn this human world into a perfect place without evil. It is part of the first noble truth that we live in a world with war and atrocities. However, if we free our own heart from evil, we will experience a devine world without evil in our next rebirth. And if we free our hear from any trace of greed, hatred & delusion, we will experience the state of total release, Nibbāna, where no trace of evil can ever reach.You can listen to a recording we did of Dhammagiri monks chanting the Moon Protection (Canda Paritta) during the total lunar eclipse for Veask Full Moon 2021 here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/canda-paritta-moon-protection-recitation-at-lunar-eclipse/id1534539834?i=1000523371067Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#evil #war #darkness #release #freedom #deliverence #lunareclipse #bloodmoon #chandaparitta
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Dhamma Talk Pha Pa Merit Making Ceremony | Offering Forest Cloth to Sangha on Magha Puja | Ajahn Dhammasiha
At our Pa Ba Ceremony of Offering Forest Cloth on Magha Puja Full Moon, Ajahn Dhammasiha gives a Dhamma Talk about the Ovādapātimokkha:Abstain from any evil deed accomplish what is good and true, And fully purify your mind - That is what all the Buddhas teach. Enduring patience is the best of all ascetic practices; The best of everything at all is called Nibbāna by the sage. If you cause harm to anyone you can't be called a genuine monk! Refrain from harming and abuse, and strictly keep the Buddha's rules; Be moderate when taking food, and dwell alone in solitude devoted to the Higher Mind - That is what all the Buddhas teach. The Buddha recited this concise summary of the whole practice leading to Nibbāna on the full moon of Magha, at the 'Sāvaka-sannipāta', the spontaneous gathering of 1,250 Arahant Bhikkhus, all of them ordained by the Buddha himself. Ajahn Dhammasiha also explains that the Veluvana (Bamboo Grove Monastery), the location of Magha Puja, was the first monastery ever offered to the Buddha. King Bimbisāra of the Kingdom of Magadha offered a park to the sangha, located outside the gates of his capital Rajagah. The Buddha accepted it and declared that the monks are now allowed to accept property the to be owned by the sangha communally (but not by individual monks). However, the monks continued to live in the open and under trees even in the newly offered monastery. The billionaire banker of Rajagaha saw the monks still living in the open, and asked the Buddha for permission to erect buildings for them. The Buddha granted permission, and from then on numerous structures were erected and offered to the sangha.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#buddhism #buddha #buddhistmonastery #rajagaha #rajgir #maghapuja #ovadapatimokkha
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The Teaching of All Buddhas: Don't Do Evil, Accomplish Goodness & Purify Your Mind | Ovadapatimokkha
Abstain from any evil deed accomplish what is good and true, And fully purify your mind - That is what all the Buddhas teach. Enduring patience is the best of all ascetic practices; The best of everything at all is called Nibbāna by the sage. If you cause harm to anyone you can't be called a genuine monk! Refrain from harming and abuse, and strictly keep the Buddha's rules; Be moderate when taking food, and dwell alone in solitude devoted to the Higher Mind - That is what all the Buddhas teach. The Buddha recited this concise summary of the whole practice leading to Nibbāna on the full moon of Magha, at the 'Sāvaka-sannipāta', the spontaneous gathering of 1,250 Arahant Bhikkhus, all of them ordained by the Buddha himself. Ajahn Dhammasiha introduces us to the location of the event, the Bamboo Grove Monastery ('Veḷuvana') at Rājagaha, and goes through the Ovādapātimokkha line by line (By the way, it's actually 14 lines of verse in the Pāli. When Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about 16 lines, he was thinking about the English translation, which has two lines more. It can be difficult to express meaning in English as succinct as in Pali, often one requires more words in modern languages to get the meaning accross)Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#buddhism #buddha #arahants #magha #maghapuja #ovadapatimokkha
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473
Ajahn Moneyyo Leads Paritta Chanting for Lunar New Near | Buddhist Pali Recitation Dhammagiri | Chinese New Year of Fire Horse
Chanting starts at 0.32 min.The sangha of Dhammagiri Buddhist Monastery recites auspicious paritta for Vietnamese/Chinese New Year of the Firehorse. Ajahn Moneyyo leads the chanting Tan Adicco recites the formal invitation to all devas & spirits Ajahn Dhammasiha joins the chanting as well. Spotify sometimes classifies our chanting podcasts as 'music' and then deletes them, as pure music tracks are not allowed on their podcast platform. To prevent that from happening, we have included a spoken intro, and some explanations about horse similes at the end, by Ajahn Dhammasiha. Being born in the year of the firehorse himself, Ajahn Dhammasiha enjoyed sharing quotes mentioning horses at the event, including his own translations. Read the horse quotes here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/horse-similes-in-pali-canonDhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#paritta #palichanting #buddhistchanting #chinesenewyear #firehorse2026 #firehorse #lunarnewyear #buddhism #dhamma
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472
Beauty, Strength & Speed: Horses in the Buddha's Teachings | Lunar New Year of Firehorse | Ajahn Dhammasiha
At the celebration of Lunar New Year of the Fire Horse 🐎🔥 in the Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean calendar at Dhammagiri, Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about several suttas and verses where the Buddha uses horses as similes. The longer sutta that Ajahn mentions first, with the 'Beauty, Strength & Speed' simile, is at Anguttara Nikāya/Numerical Discourses, Threes No 97.Being born in the year of the firehorse himself, Ajahn enjoyed sharing quotes mentioning horses at the event, including his own translations. Read the horse quotes here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/horse-similes-in-pali-canonBy the way, on the thumbnail you see Richie gallopping on Dhammagiri grounds with the Dhamma Hall in the background top right. We allow the neighbours' therapy horses to graze on our property.Horses 🐴 are highly trainable, and so is our mind. A royal stallion is distinguished by it's supreme beauty, strength and speed. Similar, a Dhamma practitioners are distinguished by their virtue, effort in developing wholesome states, and investigation of the 4 Noble Truths.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#chinesenewyear #firehorse2026 #firehorse #lunarnewyear #buddhism #dhamma #buddhistwisdom
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471
Noble Friendship as Factor for Stream Entry | Kalyana Mitta | Sotapattiyangani | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the importance of 'Beautiful, Admirable Friendship' (Kalyānamittatā) for our Dhamma progress. "Having good spiritual friends is 100% of the holy life" (The Buddha, Saṃyutta Nikāya/Connected Discourses 45.2)Ajahn points out the connection with the 4 Factors of Stream Entry (Sotāpattiyangāni):Association with Good Persons (Sappurisa-saṃseva) Hearing the True Dhamma (Saddhamma-savanaṃ)Wise Attention (Yoniso Manasikāra) Practising Dhamma in Line with Dhamma (Dhammānudhamma-patipatti)Number one is personal contact with someone who has realized the Dhamma. Personal association with an Arahant or Streamenterer, even if only for a short time, is the first of four conditions to realize the Dhamma oneself. Ajahn Dhammasīha encourages us not to completely substitute that personal association with youtube, reading and listening to recordings. Without the personal contact, we may miss out on a crucial factor for gaining the vision of Dhamma ourselves.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#buddhism #friendship #goodfriends #buddhistwisdom #dhammatalk #dhamma #streamentry #sotapatti
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Spiritual Friendship | Admirable Friends is 100% of the Holy Life | Kalyana Mitta | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the importance of 'Admirable Friendship' for our spiritual progress. 'Kaḷyāṇa Mittatā' can be translated as 'Beautiful Friendship', 'Noble Friendship' or 'Good Spiritual Friendship'. It means a friend who causes our wholesome qualities like virtue, generosity, kindness and wisdom to increase when we associate with them, because they have developed these qualities themselves. Such a friend in a 'Kaḷyāṇa Mitta'. The opposite, a bad friend that causes us to get more angry, stingy and deluded, is called a 'Pāpa Mitta'. Bad Friendship is 'Pāpa Mittatā'. Underlining the crucial importance of good friendship for our Dhamma practice, the Buddha once famously said to Venerable Ānanda: "Having good spiritual friends is 100% of the holy life" (Saṃyutta Nikāya/Connected Discourses 45.2)Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#buddhism #friendship #goodfriends #buddhistwisdom #dhammatalk #dhamma
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Abandoning Anger | Contemplations to Transform Aversion into Metta or Equanimity | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked about a quote in Dhammapada Verses #3 to #5: He struck me, he defeated me, he hurt, abused, offended me! If we hold on to vengeful thoughts - our anger never fades away.He struck me, he defeated me,he hurt, abused, offended me! If we let go of vengeful thoughts - our anger surely fades away. More hatred will not calm down hate, it simply doesn't work like that. The opposite of hate alone will calm down hatred - that's the truth! Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#anger #irritation #aversion #metta #lovingkindness #equanimity #buddhism #buddhistwisdom
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4 Kinds of Karma: Dark, Bright, Mixed, and Kamma Leading to the End of Kamma | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the 4 kinds of Karma the Buddha has expounded: Dark Karma (Sanskrit 'Karma' = Pāli 'Kamma'): Bad actions like killing, stealing etc Bright Karma: Compassion, Kindness, Contentment, Truthfulness etc. Mixed Karma: A blend of various dark & bright actions. Karma that leads to the end of Karma The last one is the most profound and difficult to understand: Karma that's neither dark nor bright, but leads to the ending of Karma, awakening, the realisation of Nibbāna. "Kammaṃ akaṇhāsukkaṃ akaṇhāsukkavipākaṃ kammakkhayāya saṃvattati" See Anguttara Nikāya / Numerical Discourses, Book of Fours #233Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#karma #kamma #badkarma #goodkarma #endofkarma #goodness #awakening #enlightenment
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Ajahn Moneyyo | The Fruits of Recluseship (Life as monk/nun) | Samaññaphala Sutta | Pali Recitation
A Chanting of the Samaññaphala Sutta “The Fruits of recluseship” (Dīgha Nikāya No 2). King Ajātasattu visits the Buddha and asks him a seemingly innocent question: All ordinary professions like cooks, barbers, accountants etc. enjoy some visible results and gains from their profession – but what about contemplatives (monks and nuns)? Is it possible to point out any results that someone may gain from ordaining as monk or nun? The King’s question results in an awe-inspiring discourse, in which he explains the gradual training of a monk, from being inspired to ordain to gradually develop the heart and as result realizing higher and higher spiritual attainments up to the ultimate. An English translation is available here: https://suttacentral.net/dn2/en/bodhi The original Pāli text is available here, if you want to read or chant along (Paragraphs 189. to 194. and 212. to 250.): https://www.digitalpalireader.online/_dprhtml/index.html?loc=d.0.0.0.1.x.x.m A short overview of the Chanting: 0:00 min: The King’s Question 0:37 min: A perfectly awakened Buddha arises in the world, someone hears his teaching and then leaves behind his wealth and relatives to go forth into homelessness. 02:50 min: After ordaining he develops wholesome bodily and verbal action, purifies his livelihood and his virtue. 06:03 min: The monk who is endowed with this pury conduct does not see danger anywhere for his virtue and experiences the happiness of blamelessness. 06:48 min: The monk guards his sense faculties. 09:24 min: The monk develops mindfulness and clear comprehension in all body postures. 10:10 min: The monk develops contentment with his requisites. 10:52 min: The monk resorts to a secluded place in the wilderness to abandon the five hindrances. 16:50 min: The first jhāna. 18:18 min: The second jhāna. 20:15 min: The third jhāna. 22:06 min: The forth jhāna. The heart which has been purified, free from defilements, malleable and impertuable can be directed to various kinds of higher knowledges: 23:25 min: Gaining insight knowledge by seeing the material elements of the body and consciousness as separate. 25:55 min: Various psychic powers and finally insight into four noble truths leading to freedom from the corruptionsDhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#palichanting #chanting #buddhistchanting #buddhistrecitation #sutta #sutra #palicanon
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Spiritual Urgency Samvega | Transforming Pain into Motivation for Dhamma Practice | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the emotion that is called 'Saṃvega' in Pali, 'Spiritual Shock'. Saṃvega, spiritual urgency, doesn't feel nice, it's not a pleasant feeling. However, it is beneficial, as it urges us to practise the Dhamma with commitment and dedication. When we're experiencing pain and grief from loss and disappointments, we can transform this painful emotion into Saṃvega by contemplating the Buddha's teaching: We contemplate that, indeed, all conditioned formations are impermanent and thus ultimately disappointing. We contemplate that the Buddha has shown us the method, the Noble 8fold Path, to go beyond all conditioned phenomena and experience the total freedom from old age, sickness, death & suffering, Nibbāna. Contemplating thus, the grief is transformed into saṃvega, and we feel strong urgency to practise Dhamma to free ourselves from suffering.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724#suffering #grief #loss #bereavement #spiritualurgency #buddhism #buddhistwisdom
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465
How to be Kind but still Protect Oneself from Harm? | Metta & Self-Preservation | Ajahn Dhamamsiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked how we can practise mettā (loving kindness) and at the same time still set boundaries and protect ourselves from being harmed by others.WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#metta #lovingkindness #selfpreservation #selfprotection #settingboundaries
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Problems with Ghosts? | 5 Precepts & Metta Loving Kindness to Ward Off Spirits | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Be skeptical if there's really any spirit involved, and first investigate other possible explanations Do NOT use 'black magic' or any other negative energy based on anger of fear against the spirit The best protection is very pure 5 precepts and stong mettā (loving kindness). This is good for ourselves always and in any case, whether the 'ghosts' are real or not Sharing merits & chanting Dhamma dedicated to the ghost can help them to move on to a better plane of existence Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked if someone we know could be reborn as a ghost and then cause us problems. When we hear such stories, or experience something strange ourselves, we shouldn't immediately assume that there's really a spirit around. Often, when people think they are troubled by ghosts or evil spirits, the real reason for their problems is actually something else. For example mental disorders, even psychosis, or simply projection of internal psychological tensions to an imaginary external cause. However, if after careful analysis of any other possible causes one still is convinced that there is a ghost or spirit causing issues, the protection is very pure 5 precepts and strong loving kindness. Purtiy of virtue manifests in the spiritual real much more visible and physical than in the human world, and it would be difficult for a ghost to cause any harm to a truly virtuous person. Well developed mettā can manifest as a blinding light to malicious spirits, they can't even get close. In fact, it's very difficult for ghosts to influence the coarse physical reality we live in as humans at all, other than perhaps a strange sound, or an apparition of some hazy shape (in particular to those sensitive to extrasensory perception), or similar quite subtle manifestations. Ghosts rather deserve our compassion, as they are in a rebirth caused by stinginess, egotism and materialism, and now suffer from deprivation of fundmental needs like food and drink, that can only be relieved by the compassion of others. WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#ghosts #spirits #ghost #spirit #metta #dhammatalk #buddhism #precepts
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AJAHN MONEYYO | The Buddha - A Portrait: Perfect in knowledge and conduct
This is a portrait of the Buddha by Ajahn Moneyyo based on the most ancient sources: The Sutta Pitaka and Vinaya Pitaka dating from before 400 BC. It is a recollection of the Buddha as perfect in knowledge and conduct (Vijjācaraṇa sampanno) and as the knower of the cosmos (Lokavidū) - Two of his unique qualities that we can remember about him.Learn about the way of life, the amazing qualities, meditativeattainments, psychic powers and the final knowledge of awakening of the Buddha. Click here to see the whole "Life of the Buddha" series. Chapters: 0:00 Intro, the physical appearance of the Buddha 8:21 A monk who never saw the Buddha goes to meet him... 12:23 How did the Buddha live? 20:37 The virtuous behavior of the Buddha 28:25 The Buddha's love for silence and seclusion 33:04 An overview of the Buddha's supreme spiritual qualities 33:35 The supreme compassion of the Buddha 35:18 The total fearlessness of the Buddha 43:03 The meditative attainments of the Buddha 46:31 The psychic powers and higher knowledges of the Buddha 51:19 The ultimate knowledge of awakening 57:12 Who was the Buddha? The All-Transcender Quotes Suttas (discourses of the Buddha): Anguttara Nikaya 10:81 (Numerical Discourses of the Buddha) The Buddha - The Lotus that has transcended the world https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN10_81.html Anguttara Nikaya 4:34 and Itivuttaka 112 - Why the Buddha is called "The Tathāgata":https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti112.html Samyutta Nikaya 23:2 (Connected Discourses of the Buddha) How someone is reconed as "a being":https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN23_2.html Majjhima Nikaya 72 (Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha) The Buddha has transcended form, feeling, perception, formation and consciousness and is liberated from them. He is unfathomable and immeasurable like the ocean:https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN72.html Udana 5:6 (The monk who never saw the Buddha goes to meet him):https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Ud/ud5_6.html Majjhima Nikaya 91 (Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha) The Brahmin Student who followed the Buddha for seven month describes his conduct and behaviour:https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN91.htmlMajjhima Nikaya 77 (Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha) Noisy wanderers become silent when they see the Buddha coming because they know he likes silence: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN77.html MORE INFORMATION Dhammagiri WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics
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Respect for Samadhi | Cultivating Samādhi Practice Prevents Decline of Saddhamma | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about five conditions that slow the decline of the True Dhamma (Saddhamma): Respect and deference to the Buddha Respect and deference to the DhammaRespect and deference to the SanghaRespect and deference to the Training (Sikkha)Respect and deference to SamadhiIt's striking that the Buddha mentions respect for samādhi, but not repect for wisdom. There is no doubt that wisdom is the supreme quality to attain awakening and realize Nibbāna. However, wisdom appears less likely to be neglected. This is why the Buddha focusses on samādhi. In particular, we can see that 'cintamayā paññā', wisdom based on thinking, is practised a lot. We have endless amounts of Buddhist books, talks, videos, podcasts, and do read and listen and watch and think about the content. But without wisdom, thinking tends to be under the power of the defilements. We think according to our desires, likes, dislikes and aversions. Only samādhi can suppress the defilements, so that wisdom can see things as the truly are and realize the Dhamma.But how many persons are truly practising samādhi, compared to the very many who read and study and watch and listen and think a lot? That's why the Buddha emphasized the importance of Samādhi! WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#dhammatalk #samadhi #concentration #buddha #saddhamma #dhamma #respect
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AJAHN CATTAMALO | Dhamma Discussion Q&A | Final Session One Day Retreat Dhammagiri | Dhammasakaccha
Ajahn Cattamalo responds to questions and comments of the audience after the meditation session, at the end of our One Day Full Moon Retreat.Venerable Ajahn Cattamalo has been a monk for 37 years. Born in Germany, he was ordained in the Wat Nong Pa Pong tradition of Venerable Ajahn Chah, North East Thailand in the year 1988. He spent 7 years at Wat Pah Nanachat and in various monasteries throughout Thailand practising and studying with different meditation teachers of the forest traditionSince 2008 he is the founding senior monk of Muttodaya Waldkloster (Muttodaya Forest Monastery) in Germany. Associated both with the tradition of Ajahn Chah and the Dhammayut tradition, in particular Luang Por Tongdaeng, Muttodaya is located in the beautiful spruce forest of the Fichtelgebirge in Frankonia, Bavaria. Ajahn Cattamalo and Ajahn Dhammasiha know each other for over 30 years. They met first at Island Hermitage, Polgasduwa, Sri Lanka in April 1994, when Ajahn Dhammasiha was still a lay person during his first ever stay in a Buddhist monastery. WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#dhammatalk #buddhism #buddhistmonk #buddhistwisdom #mindfulness #insight #vipassana
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The Buddha and Ven Mahakassapa: Conditions for the True Dhamma to Last Long | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha shares the story how Ven Mahakassapa first met the Buddha. Later, closer to the time of the Buddha's Parinibana, Ven Mahakassapa approches the Buddha and asks: "In the beginning, we had few rules and many persons attaining awakening. Now we have so many rules, but only few persons realize the Dhamma: What's the reason for that?"The Buddha explains that it's a natural process of impermancence for the True Dhamma (Saddhamma) to gradually vanish. However, monks, nuns, male & female lay followers can extend the lifespan of the True Dhamma if they establish five conditions: Respect and deference to the Buddha Respect and deference to the DhammaRespect and deference to the SanghaRespect and deference to the Training (Sikkha)Respect and deference to SamadhiWebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#dhammatalk #buddhiststory #mahakassapa #buddha #saddhamma #dhamma #respect
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AJAHN CATTAMALO | Training the Mind to Know Body & Mind | Buddhist Dhamma Talk at Dhammagiri
Ajahn Cattamalo shares Dhamma and answers questions from the audience during our One Day Full Moon Retreat at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane.Venerable Ajahn Cattamalo has been a monk for 37 years. Born in Germany, he was ordained in the Wat Nong Pa Pong tradition of Venerable Ajahn Chah, North East Thailand in the year 1988. He spent 7 years at Wat Pah Nanachat and in various monasteries throughout Thailand practising and studying with different meditation teachers of the forest traditionSince 2008 he is the founding senior monk of Muttodaya Waldkloster (Muttodaya Forest Monastery) in Germany. Associated both with the tradition of Ajahn Chah and the Dhammayut tradition, in particular Luang Por Tongdaeng, Muttodaya is located in the beautiful spruce forest of the Fichtelgebirge in Frankonia, Bavaria. Ajahn Cattamalo and Ajahn Dhammasiha know each other for over 30 years. They met first at Island Hermitage, Polgasduwa, Sri Lanka in April 1994, when Ajahn Dhammasiha was still a lay person during his first ever stay in a Buddhist monastery. WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#mind #dhammatalk #buddhism #buddhistmonk #buddhistwisdom #mindfulness #insight #vipassana
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AJAHN CATTAMALO | GUIDED BREATH MEDITATION | Anapanasati | Mindfulness of the Breath | Dhammagiri
Ajahn Cattamalo leads a 25 min guided Buddhist meditation on Anapanasati (Mindfulness of the Breath) during the New Year's Eve event at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane.Venerable Ajahn Cattamalo has been a monk for 37 years. Born in Germany, he was ordained in the Wat Nong Pa Pong tradition of Venerable Ajahn Chah, North East Thailand in the year 1988. He spent 7 years at Wat Pah Nanachat and in various monasteries throughout Thailand practising and studying with different meditation teachers of the forest traditionSince 2008 he is the founding senior monk of Muttodaya Waldkloster (Muttodaya Forest Monastery) in Germany. Associated both with the tradition of Ajahn Chah and the Dhammayut tradition, in particular Luang Por Tongdaeng, Muttodaya is located in the beautiful spruce forest of the Fichtelgebirge in Frankonia, Bavaria. Ajahn Cattamalo and Ajahn Dhammasiha know each other for over 30 years. They met first at Island Hermitage, Polgasduwa, Sri Lanka in April 1994, when Ajahn Dhammasiha was still a lay person during his first ever stay in a Buddhist monastery. WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#meditation #buddhistmeditation #breathmeditation #guidedmeditation #anapanasati #mindfulness #sati #samadhi #samatha #vipassana
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AJAHN CATTAMALO at Dhammagiri | New Year's Day Dhamma Talk | "What's Nice about Being a Monk"
Before the auspicious paritta chanting on New Year's Day, Ajahn Cattamalo shares some short Dhamma reflections at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage. Venerable Ajahn Cattamalo has been a monk for 37 years. Born in Germany, he was ordained in the Wat Nong Pa Pong tradition of Venerable Ajahn Chah, North East Thailand in the year 1988. He spent 7 years at Wat Pah Nanachat and in various monasteries throughout Thailand practising and studying with different meditation teachers of the forest traditionSince 2008 he is the founding senior monk of Muttodaya Waldkloster (Muttodaya Forest Monastery) in Germany. Associated both with the tradition of Ajahn Chah and the Dhammayut tradition, in particular Luang Por Tongdaeng, Muttodaya is located in the beautiful spruce forest of the Fichtelgebirge in Frankonia, Bavaria. Ajahn Cattamalo and Ajahn Dhammasiha know each other for over 30 years. They met first at Island Hermitage, Polgasduwa, Sri Lanka in April 1994, when Ajahn Dhammasiha was still a lay person during his first ever stay in a Buddhist monastery. WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#buddhism #dhamma #dhammatalk #buddhistwisdom #buddhiststory #insight
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Gratitude: Count Your Blessings | Guided Buddhist Meditation | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Kataññu Katavedi
At the end of the year, we're usually focussed on resolutions for the future. But we may overlook good things we already have, and good qualities we already have developed in our character. Reflecting on all the good things we can be grateful for doesn't mean denying all the bad things happening in the world. However, if we're only focussed on the bad stuff, our mind is in danger to become angry of depressed.If we acknowledge all the good things we receive, our mind will be uplifted and joyful.In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to recollect those fundamental things we usually take for granted, but which are in reality great blessings.Instead of having a long list of complaints, rather let us consider what we have to be grateful for:Born as a human being in a peaceful, wealthy country like AustraliaIn reasonable good health with unimpaired mental facultiesAt a time when the teaching of Buddha is still availableWhen we have 'Kalyaṇa-Mitta' (good spiritual friends)When we have Forest MonasteriesAnd when we have at least some confidence/faith in the Triple Gem(...)( There are many more, feel free to fill in all the other blessings you can find in your own meditation 😊 )When we count our blessings, we feel contenment, satisfaction and joy in our meditation, and the mind can settle down easily.WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#meditation #buddhistmeditation #buddhism #dhamma #blessings
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Santa Meditation - Empty the Heavy Sack! | Guided Meditation | Buddhist Xmas | Ajahn Dhammasiha
In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha uses Santa Claus as a metaphor for the process of emptying the mind.Santa's job is to give gifts to all the kids for Christmas. He's working very hard to fulfill this task, travelling on his sleigh carrying a very big and heavy sack with all the presents. Similarly, our mind is carrying around the heavy load of all kinds of different emotions, feelings, moods, worries, desires, hopes, concerns, phantasies, images, thoughts... and so on.When Santa takes the gifts out of his sack, his task is simply to give it away to the kid that requested that particular gift. Whether the gift is some beautiful doll, or some ugly monster, or some boring game, Santa is not getting involved at all:He's not terrified at the monsterHe's not attached to the handsome doll trying to keep it for himselfHe's not throwing away some yukky looking Ninja Turtle in disgustWhatever he finds in the sack, he just acknowledges it and then gives it away to the kid it's meant for, without clinging or aversion to the gifts.Similarly, whatever comes up in our mind, we just acknowledge it for what it is, but don't get involved at all. We don't attach to the pleasant stuff, we're not averse to the unpleasant mental objects, no liking, no disliking, no holding on. It's not our's anyhow, so we just give it all away, letting go, emptying our mind.WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#xmas #christmas #meditation #buddhistmeditation #buddhism #dhamma
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454
Be Like Santa Claus - Give Everything Away! | Buddhist Xmas | Christmas | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to "be a good Santa".A good Santa Claus will give all the gifts to the kids.A bad Santa may cheat and keep the most expensive presents for himself.Similarly, our task as followers of the Sakyan Sage is to not hold back, but to give absolutely everything away.Not literally giving away, but letting go of absolutely everything:Whether it's material objects, or relationships, loved ones, or our own feelings, emotions, thoughts, views, intentions, consciousness...If we're a good Santa, we let go completely without holding back.WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#xmas #christmas #dhammatalk #buddhism #buddhistwisdom #dhamma
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453
TAN SAMVARO | The Essence of Dhamma Practice | Essential Buddhist Teaching | Ven Saṃvaro
Ven. Samvaro has stayed with us for here at Dhammagiri for one month in November to December 2025. In this short (10 min) video, recorded after the Saturday morning Changting and Refuge & Precepts Session, Tan Samvaro answers a question from the audience: With all the various Buddhist teachings we here about, what's the gist of them all? What do we really have to focus on in our practice? Venerable Saṃvaro is currently resident at Vimutti Monastery, Auckland, New Zealand, looking after the management of the monastery, and conducting most of the Dhamma teachings there: https://atba.nzWebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#dhammatalk #buddhism #meditation #buddhistmeditation #buddhistwisdom
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452
10 Ways to Make Good Karma | Ten Bases for Punya | Dasa Puññakiriyavatthu | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the 10 Foundations for Making Good Karma (Dasa Puñña-kiriya-vatthu):Generosity (Dāna) Virtue (Sīla) Mental Cultivation / Meditation (Bhāvanā) Reverence / Respect (Apaciti) Service, Offering One's Labour & Skills & Talents, e.g. our now monthly held Working Bees 🔨👨🌾⛏️👩🌾 ✂️(Veyyāvacca) Transference of Merits / Sharing Good Karma with Past Relatives (Pattānuppadāna) Rejoicing in Other's Good Karma (Abbhānumodanā) Teaching Dhamma (Desana) Studying Dhamma (Savana) Straightening One's Right View (Diṭṭhujukamma)WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#dhamma #buddhism #dhammatalk #buddhistwisdom #meditation #buddhistmeditation
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451
We Meditate to Let Go, Not to Get Anything | Buddhist Dhamma Talk | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to refocus our meditative effort on letting go. We can get overly obsessed with focussing on a particular meditation object, and lose sight of our general mindstate: We may fall back into the long established habit of acquiring things, of trying to get something. Instead, everything in our cultivation of bhāvanā should aim towards letting go. WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#dhammatalk #buddhism #theravada #meditation #buddhistmeditation #lettinggo #buddhistwisdom
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450
Contentment, Full Body Awareness, Knowing Right Measure when Eating, Wakefulness | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about steps in the Buddha's 'Gradual Training' that lead on from fully established virtue to the develpment of samādhi. Sense Restraint / Indriya-saṃvara Contentment / Santuṭṭhi Maintaining full awareness of all bodily movements / Sampajāna-kārī Wakefulness / Jāgariyam-anuyutta Knowing the right measure when eating food / Bhojanasmiṃ Mattaññutā These steps form the necessary foundation for the next stage in the gradual training: Abandoning the five hindrances to develop samādhi in solitude. If we struggle to unify our mind in samādhi, we should give more attention to these five.WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#buddhism #dhammatalk #contentment #wakefulness #awareness #buddhistwisdom #buddhistteachings #insight
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449
Dispassion, Cessation & Letting Go to Underlie All Dhamma Practice | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Viraga Nirodha Patinissagga
In the last Tetrad of Ānāpānasati, the last four steps of Breath Meditation, the Buddha teaches us to breathe in and out focussing on: Anicca - ImpermanenceVirāga - Fading Away of Passion = Dispassion Nirodha - Ending/CessationPatinissagga - Letting GoHowever, these four contemplations do not apply only to breath meditation. In fact, they should be underlying principles of our whole Dhamma practice: Whether it's generosity and kindness, or purifying our ethical behaviour through keeping precepts, or practising sense restraint, or cultivating any meditation object - all of it should be done with these four modes, these four guidelines informing and directing our efforts in bhāvanā.WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#lettinggo #ending #nirodha #viraga #dispassion #dhammatalk
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448
TAN JAYADHAMMA | Guided Meditation | 'Tuning In' | 6 Sense Spheres, 5 Hindrances, Distractive Thoughts
Tan Jayadhamma has stayed at Dhammagiri for 7 months, spending the vassa (rains retreat) 2025 with us. Just before leaving, he kindly offered this comprehensive guided meditation as a parting gift. His one hour guided meditation consitsts of three parts on the theme of "tuning in": Part one explores the six sense spheres, based on the Buddha's simile of the six animals found at SN 35.247. Part two focuses on the five hindrances, with the Buddha's simile of the five bowls of water found at AN 5.193. Part three zooms in on the mind and how to remove distracting thoughts, with five different methods the Buddha taught at MN 20. WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#meditation #buddhistmeditation #tuning #intune #balance #insight #wisdom
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447
TAN JAYADHAMMA | Tuning In | Balance in Meditative Practice | Dhamma Talk at Dhammagiri
Tan Jayadhamma has stayed at Dhammagiri for 7 months, spending the vassa (rains retreat) 2025 with us. Just before leaving, he kindly offered these reflections on balance in practice, based on the Soṇa Sutta (AN 6.55) and the Buddha’s simile of the lute. His talk explores the meaning of sama (“in tune”), the five spiritual faculties as five strings, and how to maintain harmony in practice.WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#dhamma #dhammatalk #meditation #buddhistmeditation #tuning #intune #balance
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446
Calm and Insight: Advice to New Meditator | New to Meditation | Samatha & Vipassana | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha provides advice to a newcomer to meditation. Although it was his first time visiting Dhammagiri, and only the second attempt in his life to practice formal meditation, he had sat through a full our of guided meditation forehand, and had also joined the almsfood offering earlier in the day. Ajahn Dhammasiha gives a broad outline of the development of the two main aspects of Buddhist meditation:Samatha / Samādhi / 'Concentration' Vipassana / Wisdom / Insight. Ajahn also gives some general encouragement helpful to establish a regular meditation practice.WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#meditation #buddhistmeditation #introtomeditation #samatha #vipassana #insight
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445
AJAHN NANDIYO | Disenchantment Leading to Peace | Buddhist Dhamma Talk | Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage
In this Dhamma discussion, Ajahn Nandiyo first shares some of his personal experiences at Bodhinyanarama Monastery, NZ, and in Thailand & Australia. Then he responds to a question about internal peace, and how disenchantment (nibbidā) through contemplating our experiences both high and low can lead to that peace. Ajahn Nandiyo is the abbot of Bodhinyanarama Monastery, Wellington, New Zealand: https://bodhinyanarama.net.nz/He accepted our invitation to attend our robe offering ceremony, and kindly agreed to conduct teachings for our One Day Retreat program on Sunday 16 November. WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#buddhism #dhammatalk #peace #disenchantment #nibbida
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Dhamma Talks, Chanting, Precepts and Meditation with Ajahn Dhammasiha, Ajahn Moneyyo, and other experienced Senior Buddhist Monks in the Theravada Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah. Recorded at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane, Australia.Our website: https://www.dhammagiri.netOur Youtube Channel, including regular live streams on the weekend "Dhammatalks at Dhammagiri": https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724Our email Newsletter: https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterOur Spotify Playlists are here:https://open.spotify.com/user/8z4dmrysnbbnjtz9f0wzjgcre.
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