Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

On occasion of Vesak, commemorating the birth, supreme awakening and final Parinibbāna of the Buddha, Ajahn Moneyyo offers reflections on the marvellous qualities of the Bodhisatta. The Bodhisatta's birth was accompanied by several miraculous events, but his extraordinary qualities extend far back into the past into previous lifes. A description of his birth in the Buddha's own words can be found...

On occasion of Vesak Full Moon, which commemorates the birth, supreme awakening and final Parinibbāna of the Buddha, Ajahn Dhammasiha guides a meditation on 'Buddhānussati', recollection of the Buddha. An easy way of maintaining mindfulness on the Buddha is simply by mentally repeating 'Buddho' continuously, like a mantra.  However, the point of the meditation is not just the repet...

Live Recording (4min 36sec) of Ajahn Dhammasiha, Ajahn Moneyyo and Ven Dantacitto chanting 'Canda Paritta' ('Moon Protection') right at the maximum of the Vesak total lunar eclipse. The mood was really magic, you can hear the insects chirping in the background. In Buddhist mythology, an eclipse means that the moon deity Candimā is swallowed by the demon Rāhu. The Pali Chanting relates how Candimā...

Live recording of our program at Dhammagiri during the total lunar eclipse on Vesak Full Moon:00 to 15.19: Evening Chanting15.20: Recitation of the Buddha's First Words after Enlightenment, "Housebuilder Verse", Pali & English17.05 Welcome by Ajahn Dhammasiha and Intro into symbolic meaning of ceremony: When we take refuge in the Buddha, our mind can't be seized by the forces of darkness, but will...

This year, we will experience a full lunar eclipse at the Vesak Full Moon night Wed 26 May. At Dhammagiri, we will chant the 'Canda-Paritta' ('Moon-Protection'), as the eclipse is fully visible in Brisbane with maximum at 09.16pm. The moon deity Candimā is swallowed by the demon Rāhu, and then takes refuge in the Buddha in his distress. The Buddha chants one gāthā pointing out that the moon deity...

Ajahn Moneyyo offers reflections on the theme of 'Sakkāya-Diṭṭhi' (Identity View) and it's abandonment. Identity View is the first of the 10 Fetters that tie us into the endless circle of death and rebirth, and is abandoned at the experience of stream entry, the first stage of awakening, after which the final experience of Nibbāna will occur with necessity within maximum 7 lifetimes.

Ajahn Moneyyo discusses the four 'Iddhipāda' ('Bases of Power'/'Pathways to Success').The Basis of Power of Desire leading to Samādhi and Accompanied by Formations of StrivingThe Basis of Power of Energy leading to Samādhi and Accompanied by Formations of StrivingThe Basis of Power of Intent leading to Samādhi and Accompanied by Formations of StrivingThe Basis of Power of Investigation leading to...

For the Theravada Buddhist New Year 13th April, traditional Buddhists visit the monasteries to make merit, and also to receive blessings to increase their 'good luck'. Ajahn Dhammasiha points out that 'good luck', fortune telling, astrology, feng shui, amulets, charms, and so on are not really a suitable foundation to bring us happiness. If our precepts are not pure, and we are stingy and egotisti...

In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha suggests to develop the perception of: "Not-Self; Not-Me; Not-I; Not-Mine"  together with the breath as our meditation object. We we try to quieten down in meditation, we're often assailed by all kinds of thoughts, worries and images arising in our mind. Rather than fighting them or trying to suppress them, we regard all disturbing thoughts, emotion...

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the 4 kinds of attachment/clinging/grasping ('upādāna'):Clinging to SensualityClinging to views/opinionsClinging to rites/rituals/conventionsClinging to a delusion of 'Self'Attachment is the cause of our suffering, and only when we let go of all 4 forms of attachment through insight ('vipassana') will we be able to abandon suffering and experience liberation.www.dhamma...

We're often too much in our heads. Body Sweeping is a technique to bring our awareness back into the body. We move our mindfulness gently throughout our physical body: We try to feel and experience every limb and part of our own body directly from inside, from the top of our head down to the the tip of our toes. More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage: https://www.dhammagiri.net/news Our Youtube Ch...

Ajahn Nyanadipo is the abbot of Bodhipala Monastery near Adelaide. Originally from New Zealand, he came to Australia to ordain at Buddha Bodhivana Monastery, Warburton, while still in his late teenage years. He has trained for many years with Luang Por Kalyano, and is his seniormost disciple. In particular, he was instrumental in the physical development of Bodhivana; building, organizing, managin...

Ajahn Nyanadipo is the abbot of Bodhipala Monastery near Adelaide. Originally from New Zealand, he came to Australia to ordain at Buddha Bodhivana Monastery, Warburton, while still in his late teenage years. He has trained for many years with Luang Por Kalyano, and is his seniormost disciple. In particular, he was instrumental in the physical development of Bodhivana; building, organizing, managin...

On occasion of offering Forest Cloth at Magha Puja Full Moon, the Sangha at Dhammagiri recites 'Paritta'. These auspicious, protective verses of profound Dhamma-meaning are in 'Pali', the language spoken by the Buddha himself, and have been preserved and regularly recited by the Sangha for the last 2,500 years. The formal request to the Sangha to chant Paritta is recited by TumNext, Ajahn Moneyyo...

Empathy is the ability to imagine the feelings, emotions and views of others; to be able to perceive the situation from their perspective, almost as if we're experiencing or sharing their emotions. But if we only practice empathy, we may get overwhelmed ourselves, if we empathize with those who are experiencing extreme suffering. Compassion ('Karuṇā') goes beyond experiencing others' suffering; it...

Karuṇā, 'Compassion', is the heartfelt wish for all beings to be free from suffering.  It is one of the 'Brahmavihāras' , the 'Divine Abodes', which the mind can use as an internal dwelling place in meditation. It is also known as 'Appamañña-Vihāra' , an unlimited, infinite home for our mind. In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages the use of a short formula that we silently re...

Asked what meditation technique he's teaching, Ajahn Chah once famously answered: “I'm teaching torture” ('toroman' in Thai) Of course, this is not meant literally, as someone with profound insight and great compassion like Luang Por Chah would never act motivated by cruelty. So what did he actually mean? Ajahn Dhammasīha offers some reflections how we can interpret Ajahn Chah's “torture”, and how...

Ven Sīvali was one of the 80 'Great Disciples' of the Buddha. Due to his extraordinary good karma, he would always receive almsfood and requisites in abundance, even more than the Buddha himself. Consequently, he has become a symbol of good luck and wealth in in the Theravāda tradition. His birth was truly extraordinary as well: His mother Suppavāsa was pregnant for 7 years, and then almost died i...

Letting go is radically different from suppression, denial or displacement. In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to acknowledge whatever arises in out mind, even if it's negative and challanging emotions or memories.  If we just deny and suppress them, they will never be resolved, but just get pushed into the unconscious part of our mind, and wil later surface again - pot...

When our mind is assailed by negative emotions like anxiety, anger or frustration, recollection of the Triple Gem is an amazingly effective approach to subdue the unwholesome thoughts and fill the mind with goodness instead. For instance, we simply repeat the formula of homage to the Buddha for 108 times:"Iti pi so Bhagavā Arahaṃ Sammāsambuddho, Vijjā-caraṇa-sampanno Sugato Loka-vidū, Anuttaro Pur...

In our formal meditation, we may experience rapture and bliss of samādhi. But at other times, we may feel no happiness at all, but struggle with an unruly mind, challenging emotions, and a lot of internal pain. However, there is nothing 'wrong' with us, or with our mediation, if defilements and suffering arise. The important point is to be aware of it, to investigate that dukkha with mindfulness a...

Every Saturday at 7.30 am we conduct the ceremony of taking refuge in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, and committing to the 5 or 8 training rules. This morning, after the ceremony, Ajahn Dhammasiha explains how refuge in the Triple Gem connects us to the supreme being in the universe (the Buddha), to the supreme teaching (the Dhamma), and to the community of Noble Disciples who have realized the Dhamma....

In current society, so many of us struggle with anxiety and issues of low self esteem, even self-hatred. We should never underestimate how powerful the simple act of going for refuge to Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha can be to relieve our anxiety and to build up wholesome self esteem. The moment we take refuge, we connect and affiliate ourselves with the supreme being in the universe, with the supreme...

Mindfulness of the breath (Ānāpāṇasati) is reglularly used by many meditators to develop samādhi (concentration), and it is indeed an excellent meditation object for that purpose. But it can also be used to develop vipassana (insight), and it would be a regrettable limitation to our bhāvanā if we neglected that aspect. In this short Dhammatalk, Ajahn Dhammasiha expounds on instructions given by th...

Ānāpānasati (mindfulness of breathing) is an excellent meditation object, that can carry us all the way to Nibbāna. It was the Buddha's personal favorite meditation. However, meditators may not receive the full benefits, if they limit themselves to the samatha (samādhi/concentration) aspect of breath meditation. Fortunately, ānāpānasati can be used to develop both: Samatha / Samādhī = calm, co...