Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage

During his visit at Dhammagiri, Ajahn Vajiro responds to a question from the audience:

What's the reason that apparently only so few practitioners actually succeed to attain Nibbana?



Ven. Ajahn Vajiro was born in Malaysia in 1953 and has been a Buddhist monk for over 40 years.

In 1979, he met Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho when they made a visit to Hampstead Vihara in Oakenholt, England. He received higher ordination from Ajahn Chah personally in Thailand in 1980 at Wat Nong Pah Pong.

After helping with the opening of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK, he participated in the running of both Harnham Buddhist Monastery and Chithurst Forest Monastery. In 1993 he moved to New Zealand to lead the Bodhinyanarama community in Wellington for five years. Following this he entered a three-year retreat in Australia before returning to Amaravati in 2001.

In 2012 he moved to Portugal, where he had been closely involved in the establishment of ⁠Sumedharama Buddhist Monastery⁠ near Lisbon, which is where he is now based.


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Before departure to the large gathering of Sangha at Amaravati Ajahn Dhammasiha shares reflections on the importance of Sangha meeting in harmony for the longevity of the Sasana.

More than 140 monks are expected to gather on occasion of the Acariya Puja for Luang Por Sumedho's 90th birthday.

Meeting frequently in harmony, conducting business in harmony, and parting in harmony, are the first 3 conditions for non-decline of the Sangha expounded by the Buddha. Luang Por's birthday provides an excellent opportunity to us monks in the tradition of Ajahn Chah to do exactly this.

Another factor for non-decine is to honour the senior monks, the 'leaders of the herd', as the Buddha described them. Again, our meeting will serve this purpose.



By the way, we’ve got playlists of our Visiting Teachers, Chanting, Guided Meditations and Sutta Explorations available on our Spotify Profile here:

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Our Podcast is also available on our own Dhammagiri Website, no need for any special app, just listen in any browser:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast



More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/news



Our Youtube Channel:

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Our email Newsletter:

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Our Podcasts on Spotify:

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To commence free distribution of our Dhammagiri Tees 2nd batch, Ajahn Dhammasiha goes through the meaning of every symbol and writing on the shirt:

1. Twelve spoked Dhammacakka (Dhamma Wheel)

2. Tiratana (Three Jewels)


with Trident symbolizing Triple Gem
Vajira (Diamond/Thunder Bolt) symbolizing the power of wisdom that can cut defilements in the mind, just like a diamond that is harder than any other stone, or like a flach of lighting that can destroy the darkness of delusion
Lotus symbolizing the potential to rise above the dirt of the world to a state of total purity
8 Petals of the lotus symbolizing the Noble 8-Fold Path leading to that purity.

3. Tisaraṇa (Triple Refuge) - The Pali formula of going for refuge to the Triple Gem of Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha. This apparently simple declaration actually has profound implications. If we're truly taking refuge in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, than we're also endeavoring:


To keep the 5 Precepts and establish ourselves in Virtue
To practise generosity and kindness
To develop the Divine Abodes of Loving Kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy & Equanimity
To cultivate calm, tranquility, peacefulness and concentration
To develop mindfulness, awareness, wisdom, insight, knowledge, understanding.



By the way, we've got playlists of our Visiting Teachers, Chanting, Guided Meditations and Sutta Explorations available on our Spotify Profile here:

⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/user/8z4dmrysnbbnjtz9f0wzjgcre⁠⁠



Our Podcast is also available on our own Dhammagiri Website, no need for any special app, just listen in any browser:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast



More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/news



Our Youtube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724



Our email Newsletter:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletter



Our Podcasts on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD



Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhammagiri-buddhist-podcasts/id1534539834





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Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question about the meaning of 'akāliko' (timeless).

Timelessness is one of the qualities of the Dhamma, as described by the Buddha in the well known formula:


"Svākkhāto Bhagavatā Dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko, akāliko, ehipassiko, opanayiko, paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī'ti"


"The Dhamma is well expounded by the exhaulted one, visible here and now, timeless, inviting investigation, practicable, to be experienced for themselves by the wise."

There are two aspects of 'Timelessness' in regards to the Dhamma:


Regarding 'Dhamma' as conceptual teaching expressed in words, it's timeless in the sense that it just as valid and applicable now as it was 2,500 years ago at the time of the Buddha, and leading to the same results
Regarding 'Dhamma' as the state of freedom, Nibbāna, experienced internally in our heart as the result of liberating insight, it is timeless in the sense that Nibbāna totally transcends time. As there is nothing impermanent in the experience of the Deathless Element, there can't by any 'time'.

However, even though the supreme timelessness of Nibbāna is not easy to realize, we can get an idea of timelessness already on earlier stages of the path:


The experience of 'samādhi'/'jhāna' (blissful internal unification of mind; 'concentration') is largely timeless in the sense that there are no changes experienced as long as the state lasts. Someone experiencing 4th jhāna may sit for 12 hours, but on emerging from it, wouldn't know how long it lasted, as there are no changes to measure time in samādhi. They would have to check external clues like a clock or position of the sun to gauge the time passed. However, samādhi can't give us absolute timelessness, as the experince will end once the conditions sustaining it are exhausted

However, jhāna is also not exactly easy to experience for most. But we can get at least a whiff of timelessness already at a fairly basic level of Dhamma practice: Present Moment Awareness


If we simply observe whatever phenomenom arises in the present moment, we experience timelessness in the sense that all worries and concerns re past and future drop away. This is usually more than 90% of all our worries. Unless we experience physical pain right here and now, all our suffering tends to be memories of the past, or worries about the future.

Simply by staying pin-point right here in the presence, we can get a break from most of our suffering in the timeless experience of the here-and-now!



Our playlists of Visiting Teachers, Chanting, Guided Meditations and Sutta Explorations available on our Spotify Profile here:

⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/user/8z4dmrysnbbnjtz9f0wzjgcre⁠⁠



Our Podcast is also available on our own Dhammagiri Website, no need for any special app, just listen in any browser:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast





More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/news



Our Youtube Channel:

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Our email Newsletter:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletter



Our Podcasts on Spotify:

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Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes:

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Ajahn Dhammasiha explains 5 powerful benefits we can receive from the simple ceremony of Taking Refuge in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, together with committing to the 5 precepts:


Taking Refuge reduces anxiety
Taking Refuge uplifts our heart and protects us from feeling down and depressed
Taking Refuge is an act generating heaps of good karma, if we really mean it and do it wholeheartedly. And the Buddha called good karma a synonym for happiness 😊
Taking Refuge helps us to develop wholesome self esteem. If we have nothing to look up to and revere, we actually feel miserable.That's why people always look for somthing to 'worship', even just celebrities, and sport/movie/pop stars (Taylor, we're looking at you 😉). If we express respect, reverence and devotion to the supreme being, the Buddha, the supreme teaching, the Dhamma, and the supreme community, the enlightened disciples of the Buddha, we feel inspired and respect ourselves
In a world of meaningless materialism, we find meaning for our life, we have a purpose, a goal in our life, we strive to avoid evil, do good and purify our mind

(Naturally, if suffering from anxiety of depressive disorders, it may not be possible to fully cure it by just taking refuge, you may wish to seek help from medical professionals as well.

However, taking refuge is very powerful to prevent the mind from mild anxiety or depression developing into serious health conditions preventatively, and to support any comprehensive treatment plan for those who already suffer from a major disorder)



By the way, we've got playlists of our Visiting Teachers, Chanting, Guided Meditations and Sutta Explorations available on our Spotify Profile here:

⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/user/8z4dmrysnbbnjtz9f0wzjgcre⁠⁠



Our Podcast is also available on our own Dhammagiri Website, no need for any special app, just listen in any browser:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast





More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/news



Our Youtube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724



Our email Newsletter:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletter



Our Podcasts on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD



Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhammagiri-buddhist-podcasts/id1534539834





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Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question how we can develop gratitude methodically.

Being grateful (Kataññū Katavedī) has been praised by the Buddha as belonging entirely to the sphere of a truly good person. However, he also pointed out that it is a rather rare character trait.

Gratitude may not always come naturally, so we have to make a deliberate effort to develop that character trait.

For example, we can start doing Buddha Pujas with an emphasis on a feeling of gratitude to the Buddha for pointing out the way leading to the end of all suffering.

Another good exercise is simply writing down a list of all the things we have received in our life from others that were beneficial and helpful to us.

Of course, we could just as well keep a list of all bad things we had to endure. Both lists are 'objectively' valid.

But how does it make us feel to dwell on them?

How do we feel after thinking for an hour about anything bad anyone may have done to us?

How do we feel after thinking for an hour about all the good we have received?

Simply doing that much will show us how much more enjoyable, emotionally uplifting, and leading to a sense of contentment it is to dwell on the 'gratitude list', rather than the 'complaints' list 😊



Ajahn also responds to a question about the meaning of 'timeless' as an epithet of the Dhamma.

Like when we chant the fundamental qualities of the Dhamma:

"The Dhamma has been well expounded by the Exalted One, visible here and now, 'TIMELESS'..."



By the way, we've got playlists of our Visiting Teachers, Chanting, Guided Meditations and Sutta Explorations available on our Spotify Profile here:

⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/user/8z4dmrysnbbnjtz9f0wzjgcre⁠⁠



Our Podcast is also available on our own Dhammagiri Website, no need for any special app, just listen in any browser:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast



More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/news



Our Youtube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724



Our email Newsletter:

https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletter



Our Podcasts on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD



Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhammagiri-buddhist-podcasts/id1534539834





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