Livestream recordings in July and August 2021

18 August 2021

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Questions

1 - What contributes to forming of personality? Should latent personality or old habits be changed as we further our practice? Should we intentionally change ourselves to be more "mature" and "grown up"? 

2 - Usually after meditation the mental energy is so bright and awake and so powerful that could not fall asleep at night, can you advise how to  balance it out, what is the best way to deal with it.

3 - Is Ajahn planning any online retreat?

4 - For a patient with dementia, how is his/her state of mind in terms of mindfulness when he/she departs from this world? 

5 - In this covid pandemic, could it be possible for a person to die "accidentally" meaning that it’s not due to his karma but because of circumstances such as unknowingly contracting covid from a friend, or no hospital bed available, or lack of oxygen masks or ICU facilities when he was ill. So due to such circumstances he died even though its not his time yet?
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6 - Could you please explain mental formations. If my understanding is correct, feelings and perceptions are part of mental formations. But feelings, perceptions, and mental formations are separate aggregates, so how does this actually work?

04 August 2021

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Questions

Q1 - It is said 'Mind is the fore-runner". Is it correct to say all phenomenan are mind-made? Is the heavenly realm and hell realm mind-made as well? 

Q2 - I find difficulty in finding spiritual companionship on the Theravadin Buddhist path as, my experience has been that, people are focused on own spiritual attainment and say the path is alone and to contemplate oneself using Dhamma. What should a lone spiritual seeker do with an  emotional/mundane problem?

Q3 - Do you have suggestions for introverts dealing with lots of social interaction, particularly in the context of having to return to in-person working settings, set even more starkly in contrast by a long period of remote working.

 Q4 - How should a pregnant person cultivate for the little one in the womb to be healthy baby that he/she can continue to practice the Dhamma during this difficult time of Covid. Knowing that by becoming a human is not easy. I am currently doing daily sitting and keeping to my precepts in a daily basis. Is it sufficient?

Q5 - As I start the cultivation journey, I take it very casually and things seems to be smooth and easy both meditation and reading sutta. However recently when I decide to read Surangama sutta, the mind gets very restless, the monkey mind gets very distracting and faith is slightly shaken. I am confused.

​Q6 - Which is a good source to refer to on the Sutta Pitaka that provides a simple and clear explanation in English? How to make use of the Sutta Pitaka to help us to deepen our Dhamma understanding?

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Links for resources mentioned:

1. “In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon". Foreword by the Dalai Lama.

An Anthology of Discourses

​2. Bhikkhu Bodhi has an online series "Exploring the Word of the Buddha - A systematic study of the MN"

Exploring the Word of the Buddha

25 July 2021

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Rains Retreat Pledges

Students of Ajahn make public their pledges for using the time of the 2021 Rains Retreat/ Vassa

21 July 2021

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Questions

Q1 - Can you please explain how to contemplate the 5 aggregates and how to see it as empty in our daily life.

Q2 - Even though there are no separate and permanent self entities you speak about karma as if there were. It puzzles me. Could you please explain some more about this?

Q3 - Do devas also have breath like humans to practice breath meditation? I heard that one can only make merits in human realm, is this true? If so, what is the difference that causes beings in other realms unable to make merits?

Q4 - During my meditation, I noticed I was too caught up with the in-breath and out-breath to the point of creating the breath to ensure that there is an in-breath and an out-breath. Hence, it becomes unnatural. Subsequently I explored a method of being aware of the breath movement instead. I found this method helps me to be more aware of my breath. However, I am not sure if this is the correct method.

09 July 2021

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Ajahn Achalo becomes a Thai citizen

Ajahn recounts the background and process of his being granted Thai citizenship by His Majesty the King of Thailand

08 July 2021

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Questions

Q1 - In one of the Buddha’s previous lives, it was said he practiced generosity and gave up his wife and children.  It resulted in them becoming slaves. 
​Should one practice generosity without harming others?  
Some monks said this story is not true and said most of the Jakarta tales are not real.  
​What is Ajahn’s view?

Q2 - The Ajahn Chah tradition emphasizes meditation.  Is the Abhidhamma also studied in the Ajahn Chah tradition?  Or how important is it?

Q3 - I wanted to ask if Phra Acana Buddha image at Wat Si Chum "temple of the bodhi tree" is one of the blessed Buddha statues in Thailand?  

Q4 - Since we are joining in the dhamma talk from the comfort of our home, is it alright to wear pyjamas or are we supposed to change into proper white tops?

Q5 - I meditate not to attain Nirvana.  I meditate to attain positive mind and positive body and to be in Peace in my present life.  Is this wrong Bhante?

Online Dhamma Talks

Watch and listen to more livestream recordings of all virtual gatherings with Ajahn Achalo along with full details on all topics discussed and the questions answered month by month since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Most recent Dhamma Talk

Library of the monthly listings