Online Gatherings |
Livestream Recordings - July & Aug. 2025
Online Gathering - 08 August 2025
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Q & A - 27 August 2025
1: Dear Ajahn, is it true that some well practiced monks and nuns can read minds? If so, how is this actually possible?
Are there any benefits to developing such a skill? |
2: How do we cultivate kindness that is stable over time without being upset by the flaws, selfishness, or unreasonable expectations of the recipients of that kindness? Is there a kindness without clinging?
3: If a butcher is doomed to have a negative rebirth because of the lives that they have been involved in taking, would a cook or a chef have the same negative rebirth due to the beings lives that they were tangentially involved in taking as well?
4: Does creating taste temptations, possibly increasing cravings or clinging in others create bad kamma? I really enjoy cooking but I don't want to do anything to build demerit.
5: Clinging and desire cause rebirth, would artists of paintings and musical artists that cause many people to have craving and clinging to their work have a negative rebirth and increase demerit?
3: If a butcher is doomed to have a negative rebirth because of the lives that they have been involved in taking, would a cook or a chef have the same negative rebirth due to the beings lives that they were tangentially involved in taking as well?
4: Does creating taste temptations, possibly increasing cravings or clinging in others create bad kamma? I really enjoy cooking but I don't want to do anything to build demerit.
5: Clinging and desire cause rebirth, would artists of paintings and musical artists that cause many people to have craving and clinging to their work have a negative rebirth and increase demerit?
Online Gathering - 13 August 2025
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Q & A - 13 August 2025
Q1: Dear Ajahn, hearing about this plane that crashed recently in India, where all but one passenger died, I felt very sad and confused.
Why did it happen, how is such a thing possible? |
Q2: On right speech the Buddha said: when not asked one says good of others and bad of oneself, and when asked: one says little bad of others and little good of oneself. Could you elaborate please? Specially in saying bad of oneself when not asked, because when I do that, others think that I'm stupid. Thank you.
Q3: Thank you for your comforting words over the years. Please give a dummy explanation of Anatta /No-Self and how understanding this teaching can be applied in our everyday life, when there is so much injustice, pain and cruelty in the world.
Q4: Can good monks and nuns still fall in love? Would monks tend to see ‘falling in love’ as a kind of temporary insanity?
Q5: Dear Ajahn, What does forgiving actually mean? What is abandoned by forgiving? If someone repeatedly hurts us, does forgiveness ever become the wrong answer?
Q3: Thank you for your comforting words over the years. Please give a dummy explanation of Anatta /No-Self and how understanding this teaching can be applied in our everyday life, when there is so much injustice, pain and cruelty in the world.
Q4: Can good monks and nuns still fall in love? Would monks tend to see ‘falling in love’ as a kind of temporary insanity?
Q5: Dear Ajahn, What does forgiving actually mean? What is abandoned by forgiving? If someone repeatedly hurts us, does forgiveness ever become the wrong answer?
Online Gathering - 29 July 2025
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Loving Kindness practice as a Support to Intensive Meditation
- 29 July 2025 |
Online Gathering - 24 July 2025
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Questions & Answers
- 24 July 2025 Commentary on the current sex and extortion scandal in a few places in Thailand. |
Q1: Dear Ajahn, is it possible to attain enlightenment in one lifetime in the Theravada tradition? It is said that through the Vajrayana this is possible and can be seen in various Tulkus and Rinpoches. But then we have such cases as Ajahn Chah in Theravada or Shunryu Suzuki Roshi in Zen, to name a few, outside of the Vajrayana. Thank you;
Q2: I've been lazy and gluttonous for a long time. I also struggle with worry. This year I began to try uposatha day 8 precepts practice. I struggled with the precept regarding not lounging on things. I'm usually lounging. Should I do an outdoor uposatha, keeping the body actively moving, or should I train for physical strength to sit on the floor or some such thing? How to deal with the feeling of being "unsupported" by sensory contacts during this time of intense practice? Is finding some contentment by looking at nature acceptable? What to do if intense emotion (such as worry) arises?
Q3: Dear Ajahn, what should a person think about during the dying process, so that it is not so scary? I have a monkey mind, which I find difficult to control. Please give some guidance, thank you.
Q4: Dear Ajahn, recently I participated in a ‘forest bathing’ session, which was deeply peaceful and reminded me of the Day of Mindfulness sessions offered by Plum Village that I’ve attended before. It included mindful breathing, open awareness, and mindful walking, all rooted in present-moment awareness—just with different terminology. My question is regarding right livelihood. Would facilitating such sessions be considered ethical and in line with the path of right livelihood? I’m asking as I’ve been invited to co-run such sessions with friends, and my role would be to guide a mindful eating segment. As it is currently envisioned as a paid program, I am reflecting deeply on whether it is appropriate to earn a living through this.
Q2: I've been lazy and gluttonous for a long time. I also struggle with worry. This year I began to try uposatha day 8 precepts practice. I struggled with the precept regarding not lounging on things. I'm usually lounging. Should I do an outdoor uposatha, keeping the body actively moving, or should I train for physical strength to sit on the floor or some such thing? How to deal with the feeling of being "unsupported" by sensory contacts during this time of intense practice? Is finding some contentment by looking at nature acceptable? What to do if intense emotion (such as worry) arises?
Q3: Dear Ajahn, what should a person think about during the dying process, so that it is not so scary? I have a monkey mind, which I find difficult to control. Please give some guidance, thank you.
Q4: Dear Ajahn, recently I participated in a ‘forest bathing’ session, which was deeply peaceful and reminded me of the Day of Mindfulness sessions offered by Plum Village that I’ve attended before. It included mindful breathing, open awareness, and mindful walking, all rooted in present-moment awareness—just with different terminology. My question is regarding right livelihood. Would facilitating such sessions be considered ethical and in line with the path of right livelihood? I’m asking as I’ve been invited to co-run such sessions with friends, and my role would be to guide a mindful eating segment. As it is currently envisioned as a paid program, I am reflecting deeply on whether it is appropriate to earn a living through this.
Online Gathering - 10 July 2025
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Holy Mountains Pilgrimage Commentary
Ajahn describes his pilgrimage to China. - 10 July 2025 |
