Online Meetings |
Livestream Recordings - Jan. to Apr. 2024
10 April 2024
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Pornography and the Path of Purification
Questions and Answers
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13 March 2024
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Deepening Practice Through Pilgrimage
Ajahn reviews the recent pilgrimage to India.
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03 January 2024
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Questions
Q1 I feel deeply saddened about the situation in Gaza and compelled to do something to respond to it to raise my voice and call for peace. And I do some things within my means and reach, which is not much, but I do it anyway. I am seeing some Buddhist teachers and communities also raising their voices, sending letters to leaders and opening up petitions for peace.
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But many Buddhist teachers and communities are silent on the matter. I am surprised and confused about this silence. I am not sure I understand what it means. If it is not too much to ask, could you please share your views on this? And in your opinion, what is a skilful way to respond not only to this but any humanitarian matter going on in the world?
Q2 May I know how do we know who we can consider as our Kalayamitta, ‘wise spiritual friend?’ Does it mean the person will encourage us on the path and not make us feel less of a person, or inferior than them? If we do feel less of a person, or as though that person is superior to us, does it mean this person is not suitable to be our kalayamitta? Even though the person may have helped us a lot bringing us towards the path.
Q3 I've had a few very joyful moments when contemplating Anatta, feeling as if I’m escaping the ‘jail of the Khandas’. It feels like there’s an intimacy waiting, a coming ‘home’, a knowing of and being known by the other, what Bhikkhu Bodhi calls ‘mental continuums’ who are currently or recently were acting out the I-ing in their ‘own’ Khandas. Is this right view or wishful thinking? Is the joy that arises from this understanding considered wholesome? Even if the view might be somewhat deluded? Is this to be developed?
Q4 When we meditate upon ‘anatta’, ‘not-self’, and see body disappear we are still contemplating with our mind, so where is the mind? Also, when the brain dies in a coma situation, does the mind still remain active? If so, where is this mind? Is this just an invisible force that moves from one birth to another?
Q5 Do you have any advice on how we can make ourselves be in a retreat-like setting on a daily basis? When we are still living our lay life. How do we continue to keep up with mental cultivation? Thank you. 6) Dear Ajahn, the second noble truth states that desire for sensuality, desire for being and desire for non-being are the root cause of suffering, I can clearly make a distinction between sensual desire such as desire for music and a desire to become a more patient person which is a wholesome desire and should be cultivated. But when it comes to the desire to become, to be… when we aspire to “become” a more patient and wise person, how can we understand and relate to this “desire to become”?
Q2 May I know how do we know who we can consider as our Kalayamitta, ‘wise spiritual friend?’ Does it mean the person will encourage us on the path and not make us feel less of a person, or inferior than them? If we do feel less of a person, or as though that person is superior to us, does it mean this person is not suitable to be our kalayamitta? Even though the person may have helped us a lot bringing us towards the path.
Q3 I've had a few very joyful moments when contemplating Anatta, feeling as if I’m escaping the ‘jail of the Khandas’. It feels like there’s an intimacy waiting, a coming ‘home’, a knowing of and being known by the other, what Bhikkhu Bodhi calls ‘mental continuums’ who are currently or recently were acting out the I-ing in their ‘own’ Khandas. Is this right view or wishful thinking? Is the joy that arises from this understanding considered wholesome? Even if the view might be somewhat deluded? Is this to be developed?
Q4 When we meditate upon ‘anatta’, ‘not-self’, and see body disappear we are still contemplating with our mind, so where is the mind? Also, when the brain dies in a coma situation, does the mind still remain active? If so, where is this mind? Is this just an invisible force that moves from one birth to another?
Q5 Do you have any advice on how we can make ourselves be in a retreat-like setting on a daily basis? When we are still living our lay life. How do we continue to keep up with mental cultivation? Thank you. 6) Dear Ajahn, the second noble truth states that desire for sensuality, desire for being and desire for non-being are the root cause of suffering, I can clearly make a distinction between sensual desire such as desire for music and a desire to become a more patient person which is a wholesome desire and should be cultivated. But when it comes to the desire to become, to be… when we aspire to “become” a more patient and wise person, how can we understand and relate to this “desire to become”?