Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

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 (P...

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. Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

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 t...

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 - Impermanence Virāga - Fading Away of Passion = Dispassion Nirodha - Ending/Cessation Patinissagga - Letting Go However, these four contemplations do not apply only to breath meditation. In fact, they should be underlying principles of our whole Dhamma prac...

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...

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. ⁠Websit...

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 Buddhis...

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:...

After the Saturday morning Refuge and Precepts Ceremony, Ajahn Nandiyo guided a short meditation session. He encourages us to be in the witness position, to know and observe conditions, rather than trying to own and control them. Whether externally, like the severe thunderstorm with many fallen trees we've just experienced at the monastery; or internally, when various emotions arise in the min...

The 'Discourse on Burning', also known as 'Fire Semon', is considered the third formal discourse of the Buddha. It is distinguished by the highest reported number of attainments:  1,000 monks attained total release, Nibbāna, while listening to the Buddha teaching.  The Buddha starts this discourse with the challenging claim that the whole world is on fire! 🔥 But what is meant by &...

Ajahn Dhammasiha's formal Dhamma Talk at the Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage. Ajahn reflects on the power of puñña (good karma/'merits'), and the importance of harmony and cooperation when making good karma together. He also goes through the five precepts forming the fundamental ethics of a Buddhist lay practitioner: We train ourselves to abstain from intentionall...

At our Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri, our Sangha of 7 Buddhist monks recites 'Paritta'. These auspicious protective verses are believed to ward off misfortune, protect from various dangers, and bestow blessings on all those listening. Paritta verses have been recited in Pali, the language of the Buddha, for more than 2,000 years. The most important ones are still in their original f...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked if there are procedures for laity after breaking precepts in the same way as for monks. Ajahn explains that the Buddha laid down eleborate procedures only in the Vinaya for the monks & nuns, but not for laity. However, we can always ask for forgiveness from the Triple Gem. In fact, the full version of the evening chanting includes asking forgiveness from Buddha, Dhamm...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked whether eating meat is causing bad karma. Ajahn explains that INTENTIONAL KILLING of other beings is bad karma. The crucial factor for bad karma is intention. Therefore, even if one's actions have a causal relationship with the death of other beings, but completely without intention, it's not breaking the first precept or causing bad karma. For example, in Queensl...

On the eve of the large Kathina Robe Offering event at Bodhisaddha Monastery, as the senior Ajahn of the 12 monks attending, Ajahn Dhammasiha was invited to share Dhamma for the occasion. Ajahn emphasizes the importance of harmony for the successful completion of the ceremony. Harmony within the sangha, harmony within the lay community, and harmony between lay and monastic communities. Monastics a...

Ajahn Moneyyo gives an introduction and practical instructions to develop mindfulness of the body by contemplating the 32 Bodyparts, the 9 cemetery contemplations and the 4 elements according to the discourse about the 4 foundations of mindfulness (4 Satipatthānā, Middle Length Discourses Nr. 10). https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN... By seeing the body as impermanent (Aniccā) and not-self (Ana...

During an all-night meditation, or during a retreat period, we tend to exert maximum effort. However, no one can maintain maximum effort for a very long time. Unfortunately, once we can't maintain the high level anymore, we often end up relaxing too much. Unfortunately, it's much easier and faster to regress in our bhāvanā, than to quickly progress. So we may end up losing hard earned 3 mo...

Right after the end of the rains retreat period, the Dhammagiri monks had been invited to visit the iconic Australia Zoo. Ajahn Dhammasiha uses the occasion to share reflections on Dhamma teachings about animals. Of all the major religions, Buddhism has the clearest and most impactful teachings about showing compassion and loving kindness to animals. For example, the first precept to abstain from...

Dhamma talk by Ajahn Dhammasiha on occasion of Pavarana Full Moon. It is important to be able to receive feedback on our actions. We can learn much from constructive criticism, if it is done with good will, by knowledgeable persons. Is is so difficult to see one's own weaknesses and shortcomings, but quite easy to recognize them in others. Consequently, feedback and criticism based on loving k...

Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Dhammasīha, offering reflections on the Buddha's teaching: "Suññam idaṃ attena vā attanīyena vā!" = "Empty of Self and Empty of Anything belonging to Self" e.g. Majjhima Nikāya/Middle Length Discourses #106, 'Āneñjasappāya Sutta'/'Conducive for the Imperturbable' Also Majjhima Nikāya/Middle Length Discourses #22, 'Alagaddūpama Sutta&...

In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to simply be aware of what we experience in the present moment. Observing, knowing, being mindful of what is, without trying to change the experience, without trying to achieve or attain anything. However, though we are aware and mindful, we do not 'engage' with what we observe. We don't react, we don't take it up, we see it...

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the benefits of Buddhānussati, recollecting the Buddha. This meditation object can be particular helpful if we're finding ourselves overwhelmed by emotions. Reciting "Iti pi so..." or "Buddho" loudly, and totally focussing the mind on the Buddha, can cut through strong defilements or emotional turmoil, and bring our mind back to a more wholesome...

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the 4 'Agati', the 4 wrong courses of action: Chanda-Gāmini = Going in Direction of Desire Dosa-Gāmini = Going in Direction of Aversion Moha-Gāmini = Going in Direction of Confusion Bhaya-Gāmini = Going in Direction of Fear If we move in the direction of lust, anger, delusion and anxiety, we're moving in the wrong direction: Not away from suffering, but int...

Amazingly, the Buddha stated in Pāsādika Sutta (Dīgha Nikāya/Long Discourses #29) that his followers are devoted to the persuit of happiness. However, it has to be qualified what kind of happiness we're after: We're not persuing happiness based on evil and unwholesome actions We're not persuing pleasures of the senses However, we are devoted to persue the joy, rapture and bliss of samā...

Ajahn Dhammasiha shares reflections how to cultivate mindfulness (Sati) in daily life. He points out the importance of being aware/mindful of our intentions, as intention (cetana) is what creates karma. We also have to be mindful of our emotions and feelings (3rd & 2nd Satipaṭṭhāna/Foundation of Mindfulness). Pleasant and unpleasant feeling (vedanā) is the primary motivator for all our actions...