Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

What we consider a 'bad' meditation session, e.g. the mind can't settle down and is struggling with strong emotions like anger, lust and anxiety, can be very useful to gain insight into our own character. Rather than being upset with ourselves thinking 'I can't really meditate'; or becoming frustrated and demotivated; we investigate the obstructions to gain insight and understanding into our own c...

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about one of the most profound aspects of the Buddha's teaching: Emptiness (Sunyata / Suññatā) On the most profound level, Emptiness means empty of Self, Me, Mine and I. An enlightend person, an arahant, has seen through and abandoned all delusions of I, me, mine and self. The Stream-Enterer (Sotāpanna, first of four stages of Awakening) has abandoned the delusion of Sakkāya...

Ajahn Dhammasiha guides us through a Buddhist meditation on Mindfulness of the In and Out Breath (ānāpānasati). He specially emphasizes the following points: 1. Feeling the whole physical body with every breath. 2. Calming and relaxing all bodily tensions with every breath. 3. Enjoying the meditation. Developing feelings of gladness, rapture and bliss with every breath. 4. Brightening the mind wit...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked how to apply the Buddha's teaching of Four Noble Truths in our daily life. The 4 Noble Truths are a core teaching of the Buddha, that is acknowledged as fundmental in all Buddhist traditions, including Therevada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. These thruths do not constitute a philosophical thought excercise, but are directly applicable to our experience of pain, disappointm...

Mindfulness of the In-and-Out-Breath, Ānāpānasati, was the favourite meditation object of the Buddha himself. He has given us very comprehensive and detailed instructions how to develop this form of meditation. However, many meditators, often even those practising regularly for many years, are not fully aware, or at least do not really apply, the instructions as provided by the Buddha. To encourag...

Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question by someone just getting started in their Dhamma practise. Ajahn talks about karma, generosity and kindness; and the future results of our karma. He mentions rebirth, the fact that our mind doesn't just vanish at death, but will connect with a new body in one of the different realms of existence, according to our karma and attachments. Ajahn recommends to...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked for advice to overcome ill will. Ajahn talks about the two fundamental approaches: Developing Loving Kindness, Compassion and Forgiveness to strengthen the opposite qualities in our mind Using wisdom to contemplate and understand anger. For instance, if we're mindful, we can notice that ill will actually feels bad, and that we ourselves are the first 'victim'...

Ajahn Dhammasiha explains the emotion of Saṃvega = Spiritual Shock/Spiritual Urgency. When we encounter Dukkha/Pain/Loss/Disappointment, the resulting sadness can make our heart dark and depressed. However, it's also possible to turn the pain we experience into a powerful motivation to practise the Buddha Dhamma with even more commitment and dedication, to ultimately free our heart from all su...

SHORT TALK 13 MIN Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to dedicate more attention to the quality of passive observation, rather than always being involved with doing things. We have to watch, observe, simply see how conditions unfold without interfering, in order to develop vipassana (insight). Yathābhūta Ñāṇadassana means seeing things as they really are, without distorting. We have to see the imperman...

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the meaning of: 'Ādi-kalyānam, majjhe-kalyānam, pariyosāna-kalyānam' (Beautiful in the Beginning, Beautiful in the Middle, Beautiful in the End), one of the unique qualities of the Buddha-Dhamma. He also reponds to a question about the most senior monk disciple of the Buddha, Ven Aññā-Kondañña, and how he got his name. Finally, Ajahn offers some reflections on...

Loving kindness is simply the intention of unconditional good will to all beings, without any distinction. Ajahn Dhammasiha explains benefits of a well established practice of loving kindness ('Mettā'). When we experience benefits of our metta practice (for instance healthy, peaceful sleep and waking up happily), they are the most powerful motivation to continue to develop our loving kindn...

Sometimes our mind may feel a bit dark, or frustated, or sad. If we can arouse the energy to do some act of kindness, some simple act of generosity or sharing, it will shine like a little star and illuminate our mind. As we accumulate more and more acts of good karma (puñña), we make our mind brighter and brighter, until it's illuminated like the star-spangled night sky. ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our S...

One of our retreatants noticed a crow attacking its mirror image in the glass sliding door. He doesn't reckognize that the image it actually himself. Instead, he thinks it's another crow intruding into his territory. Ajahn Dhammasiha uses this as a metaphor for unskilful effort in meditation. In particular, we can't overcome the delusion of self by fighting it. If we take it for real,...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked about the importance of faith in the Buddha's teaching. The Pali term for the first of five spiritual faculties is 'saddha'. It could also be translated as 'confidence', 'conviction' or 'trust'. Ajahn discusses various conditions that nurture our conviction and make it very strong. He also explains that faith and knowledge are not contr...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked: "How do we observe the mind?" Ajahn offers some reflections on superficial layers of the mind (like thinking) and deeper layers that can only be accessed in Samādhi. Ajahn also responds to a second question on mindfulness of feelings: "How to Distinguish wordly and spiritual feelings?" Spiritual happiness generated through good karma, generosity, virt...

Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question about Euthansia. He explains that the Buddha never encouraged or condoned the killing of other human beings at all, never mind the supposed motive or justification. The first precept to abstain from intentionally killing of living beings is unambiguous - it has no 'exceptions' under any circumstance. Any killing of human beings is very serious karma....

Āsāḷhā is the full moon marking the beginning of the 3 months rains retreat (Vassa). It's also the day commemorating the first formal teaching of the Buddha, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ('Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma'). Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on the 4 Noble Truths (Cattāri Ariya-Saccāni) that the Buddha expounded in that discourse. In particular, he points out...

On occasion of Asalha Full Moon, Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on the Four Noble Truths. Whenever we experience pain and disappointment; when we feel hurt, offended, depressed, upset; we usually search for some EXTERNAL cause for all this suffering. Maybe we come to the conclusion that our boss, or our mother in law, or our spouse, or the kids, or the politicians and those in power are to bl...

Ajahn Dhammasiha recently spent at few days in Bodh Gaya, India, to visit and mediate at the Mahabodhi Temple . This is the very spot where the Buddha attained supreme awakening. In fact, it is said that the 3 previous Buddha's in our aeon, also realized Sambodhi in this same spot. Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the amazing strength of the spiritual energy one can experience at the 'Vajirāsa...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked about supportive conditions to make our Metta Meditation (Loving Kindness) stronger and more successful: Loving Kindness to Oneself! Make sure you really include yourself when you extend Mettā to all beings Compassion (Karuna). Use other Divine Abidings (Brahmavihāra) as appropriate, in particular Compassion/Karunā. If we struggle to extend metta to anyone, we may be more...

In our meditation, we usually hope to find calm, happiness, bliss and enlightenment. But what we often encounter instead are all kinds of challenging and highly disagreeable mindstates. Defilements and distractions of all sorts assail the heart. Ajahn Dhammasiha reminds us that these negative states are very normal to encounter in meditation. Unless we're someone with great pāramī, like Venera...

The Buddha has given us the following amazing promise: "In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear, open, evident, and free of patchwork, those who have sufficient faith in me, sufficient affection for me, are all going to be reborn in heaven." (The Buddha, Majjima Nikāya/Middle Length Discourses, #22 'Alagaddāpama Sutta'/'The Simile of the Snake) Even if we can...

Ajahn Dhammasiha explains how to contemplate the Four Noble Truths ('Cattāri Ariyasaccāni') within the framework of Breath Meditation ('Ānāpāṇasati'): We start by mindfully observing, feeling and experiencing every inbreath and outbreath We allow our mind to gradually settle down, simply being mindful of each and every breath We mindfully observe when Craving ('Taṇhā') aris...

This is the story of the Buddha's greatest miracle presented by Ajahn Moneyyo: The Fire Sermon (Adittapariyaya Sutta) and the conversion of the three Kassapa brothers and their 1000 disciples. Chapters: 0:00 Let's start... 0:24 The three Kassapa Brothers 6:23 The Buddha arrives at Uruvela Kassapa's ashram 09:04 The fiery battle with the Naga King 14:22 Sakka and Brahma come to visit the Buddha 16:...

Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to give more importance to developing forms of wholesome joy. Like muditā, rejoicing in other beings good actions and accomplishments. However dark the world sometimes may appear to us, if we look carefully, we can still find countless acts of goodness, kindness and beauty occurring all around us. Rather than focussing on problems, and indulging in the faultfinding m...