Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

Tan Ajahn Keng organized Ajahn Thanissaro's visit to Australia & NZ, and accompanied and looked after him for the whole duration. Ajahn Keng Khemako is a Singaporean monk of the Thai Forest Tradition. He was ordained in 1987 under the recommendation of Ajahn Thanissaro. One of his main teachers was Luang Pu Jia Cundo, a first generation disciple of Ajahn Mun. He received the title of Chao Khun...

During his visit to Dhammagiri, Bhante Jinaratana shared these reflections on gratitude and sympathetic joy (muditā). He also reades out a passage from Ajahn Lee's biography, to show how we can combine gratitude, muditā and recollection of sangha (sanghānussati) in reference to spiritual teachers. About the Speake r: Bhante Jinaratana was born in Toronto, Canada. He became interested in meditation...

Tan Ajahn Geoff Ṭhānissaro is leading our Sangha of 8 monks here at Dhammagiri in chanting the blessing and anumodanā before the meal (rejoicing in the good karma of the almsfood donors & sharing good karma with departed relatives). The blessing is recited in Pali, the original language of the Buddha. You may notice that it sounds different from the way we recite the blessing in the lineage of...

Live Question and Answer Session with Tan Ajahn Geoff Thanissaro at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane, Australia. Ajahn Ṭhānissaro (Geoffrey DeGraff) is an American monk of the Thai Forest Tradition. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1971 with a degree in European Intellectual History, he travelled to Thailand, where he studied meditation under Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, himself a student of t...

One of best known features of the Dhamma is the teachings on 'Anattā' ('not-Self' or 'non-self'). It is rightfully regarded as one of the hallmarks of the Buddha's teaching, something that distinguishes it from all other spiritual or philosophical doctrines and religious beliefs. And yet, there is considerable bewilderment as to the exact meaning of anattā, even among knowledgeable, well practised...

Ven Jinaratana Thera uses the very well known novella: "A Christmas Coral" from Charles Dickens to explain fundamental Buddhist principles like generosity, kamma, and finding more meaningful happiness in life. He also speaks about the importance of framing our perception according to Dhamma principles. About the Speake r: Bhante Jinaratana was born in Toronto, Canada. He became interested in medit...

At the Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Ajahn X Dhaniyo relates a powerful Buddhist simile: A man with 4 wifes is about to die. He gets a chance to talk to his four wifes a last time, but is bitterly disappointed about how they react to his impending death; except for the fourth wife, the one he loved least and showed the least affection... Ajahn X (Phra Suthanai Dhaniyo) has...

At our Robe Offering Ceremony, Tan Ajahn Uttamapanyo (Phra Yanmethi Petruang) kindly conducted the ceremony of taking refuge in Triple Gem & observance of 5 precepts for us. Ty is leading the lay community in requesting the refuges & precepts. The ritual is conducted in Pali, the language of the Buddha. Requesting Triple Refuge & Five Precepts Mayaṃ Bhante, tisaraṇena saha pañca-sīlāni...

On the weekend of our Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri, we had 9 monks staying for 2 nights in the monastery. In this recording, Tan Ajahn Uttamapanyo is leading the sangha in the recitation of blessings and anumodana for long life, strength, health, prosperity and good fortune; and to share good karma with all beings. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Ajahn X (Phra Suthanai Dhaniyo) has been a monk for 22 years, and has lived and trained for 16 years with Luang Por Liem at Wat Nong Pah Pong, Ajahn Chah's original monastery. Ajahn shares some of his experiences of life at Wat Pah Pong, and reflects on teaching he has received from Luang Por Liem personally. ⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playl...

Vipassana comes from the Pali verb 'Vipassati' = 'to see clearly'. To practise Vipassana, we have to train ourselves to watch as a neutral, uninvolved, observer. We can't interfere or manipulate things we observe, just as a researcher can't manipulate the experiment, if he wants to really find out how reality works. However, there are certain areas, certain features of real...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked about the difference between perception (Pāli: saññā) and consciousness (Pāli: viññāna), and how we can distinguish these two in our experience. The question is important, as both are part of the 5 Groups of Clinging (pañcupādānakkhandhā), which are the five focal points of attachment and identification. To abandon attachment, and to see through the illlusion of self, we...

Prompted by a question from the audience, Ajahn Dhammasiha shares reflections on the theme of developing Sympathetic Joy (Muditā). Muditā is on of the four Divine Abodes (Brahma-vihāra), together with loving kindness, compassion and equanimity. Sympathetic Joy is the quality of rejoicing and feeling happy in other beings success. It's the very opposite of envy and jealousy. Ajahn suggests a simila...

In the famous discourse on the 'Foundations of Mindfulness' (Satipaṭṭhāna) the Buddha promises us that we can attain Nibbāna or Non-Returning in just 7 days, if we practise as descibed by him. Why, then, are we still enmeshed in suffering? Ajahn Dhammasiha describes six obstructions that we have to abandon first - otherwise we're not able to practise Satipaṭṭhāna in the way the Buddha described th...

Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to two closely related questions from the audience: 1. We may experience highs and lows in our meditation practice. Sometimes it even seems like we're suddenly back to zero, almost like riding a roller coaster. How can we make our Dhamma practice more consistant ? 2. How can we prevent unwholesome mindstates from arising? This is actually the first of 4 factors of Right E...

Dependent Origination (Paṭicca Samuppāda) is one of the core teachings of the Buddha. However, it is a teaching that the Buddha himself described as 'deep, profound, subtle, difficult to see...'. Ajahn Dhammasiha explains how we can observe aspects of dependent origination during a common, every-day activity: Taking food from a buffet! 🍚🍛🥄🥣 Ajahn offers reflection how we can observe the relati...

Loving Kindness is an extremely beneficial mental quality, and an excellent meditation object. However, in some situations Compassion (Karuṇā) or Sympathetic Joy (Muditā) may work even better to overcome unwholesome mind states, and develop wholesome ones. (Of course, there is also the extremely important 4th 'Divine Abiding' (Brahmavihāra), namely Equanimity (Upekkhā), but that will have to be co...

Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question from the audience: What's the meaning of Anatta ( Not Self ) ? In particular, Ajahn reflects about the important distinction between Not Self (anatta), which the Buddha expounded very frequently, and No Self (natth'attā), which the Buddha actually never taught. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Ajahn Dhammasiha and Ajahn Moneyyo recite the traditional Pali verses of blessing, anumodanā, and sharing of merits with departed loved ones. This is what we chant every day for our kind and generous donors, when they offer alsmfood for the monks' daily meal. You can read the full Pali text and English translation in this blog post on our website . Below is only about half the chant, as much as fi...

A couple getting married was interested to get some advice on Buddhist teachings how to make a marriage work, so that it lasts long and both spouses can live in harmony. Ajahn Dhammasiha cites a study done in Italy with functional MRI brain scans, that claimed to have found that the feeling of romantic love biologically is not designed to last for decades. In fact, the researchers considered the a...

"For one dependent, there is wavering. Without dependence, there's no wavering. Without wavering, there's tranquility. With tranquility, there's no inclination. Without inclination, there's no coming and going. Without coming and going, there's no passing away and rearising. Without passing away and rearising, there's no here or there or anywhere in between. This, just this, is the end of sufferin...

It's so important not to only look at all the bad things happening, or to be mostly focussed our own faults. Without denying negative events, we can discoved so much that's good, wholesome and admirable, both in ourselves and in others. If we only pay attention to the bad things, we feel miserable. If we notice and appreciate all that's good, we fill our lives with rejoicing, joy and muditā. Ajahn...

At almsoffering before the meal, the monks usually chant the blessing, anumodanā & verses for sharing merits with the spirits of departed relatives. Does that sharing of good karma really reach the departed? Under what conditions, in which sphere of rebirth can they they benefit most from sharing merits? Ajahn Dhammasiha quotes from Anguattara Nikāya (Numerical Discourses of the Buddha), Book...

On occasion of his first visit to Australia at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage , Brisbane, Ajahn Amaro shares insights about the four noble truth, one of the most fundamental teachings of the Buddha. In particular, Ajahn provides guidance how to apply contemplation of the 4 Noble Truths in our daily life. Ajahn Amaro is the abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery near London, UK. Born in England in 1956...

Ajahn Dhammasiha shares reflections on the five faculties (pañcindriya), crucial spirtual qualities in our heart that power our Dhamma practice. We can gradually develop each of these using suitable skillful means. Fortunately, they are not erased at death, but carry accross to our next life, allowing us to cultivate them over several life times, till they are strong enough to eradicate the defile...