Ven Jinaratana There offers guidance how we can experience and contemplate the four elements ('Cātu-mahā-bhūtikā') in in our own bodies. Paṭhavī-dhātu = Earth Element /Solidity Āpo-dhātu = Water Element / Liquidity Tejo-dhātu = Fire Element / Heat (or lack of heat, i.e. cold) Vāyo-dhātu = Wind Element (energy movement) Bhante Jinaratana was born in Toronto, Canada. He became interested in meditation as a student at the University of Toronto, and began attending intensive retreats in 2002. After graduating with an H.B.Sc. (neuroscience, mathematics) in 2004, he taught English for a year in Na ..read more

In this sutta, the Buddha compares the work of a goldsmith to the work of a meditator trying to purify their mind. Both have to pay attention to 3 qualities at the appropriate time, without overdoing any of them: Calming the mind with samādhi / cooling the gold in the smelter Arousing the mind with energetic effort / heating the gold Looking on with equanimity / observing the gold with equanimity 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: htt ..read more

Bhante Jinaratana explains how we can starve the 5 hindrances ('anāhāra pañca-nīvaraṇa') in order to gradually weaken and overcome their obstructive influence on our mental development. Like all sankhāras, the five hindrances are conditioned, i.e. they depend on some form of nutriment for their existence. If we reduce the nutriment that's feeding the hindrances, they will become weaker and weaker, allowing our samādhi and wisdom faculty to overcome and finally completey eradicate them. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Bhante Jinaratana was born in Toronto, Canada. He became interested in meditation as a uni ..read more

Ajahn Thee Sabbajayanto shares his experience of arriving in Australia at age 16 for school and further studies. He didn't know any English, and had to start learning it by 'being thrown in at the deep end'. Naturally, it wasn't easy, and although he liked Australia a lot, he had to work very hard to adjust to a language and culture very different from Thailand. After school, he finished flight school and became a fully licensed commercial pilot, and could have applied for permanent residency in Australia. However, by that stage he decided that he really wants to be a Buddhist monk, and he r ..read more

On occasion of Easter, Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about a subject that is common to virtually all religions: Loving Kindness. Loving Kindness, in Pali known as 'Mettā', is the intention of unconditional good will to all beings without exeception or discrimination. Whatever religion, or no religion at all, whatever race or nationality or sex or age or colour, whether they like us or hate us, the Buddha urges to have loving kindness to absolutely all beings, without exception, without expecting anything in return, without them having to fulfill any conditions for receiving our loving kindness. We al ..read more

Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question on the meaning of Bhava Taṇhā & Vibhava Taṇhā. In the four Noble Truths, the Buddha explains three forms of craving (taṇhā): Sensual Craving (Kāma Taṇhā) Carving for Existence/Being/Becoming (Bhava Taṇhā) Craving for Annihilation/Non Existence (Vibhava Taṇhā) Craving is the cause of suffering, so we have to abandon all three types of craving to realize freedom from death and dukkha. Ajahn Dhammasiha offers some reflections especially on the meaning of 'craving for non-existence". He also makes some suggestions how emotions like anger can feed our s ..read more

For our Full Moon Program, a student group from University of Queensland ('UQBUDS') has joined with many interesting questions. Subjects brought up include: Anxiety about Uncertainty Overindulgence 'Good' attachements? Benefits of Samatha and Vipassana How can we always feel happy? Helping others to improve themselves by Dhamma practice Teaching meditation to elderly, frail patients in nursing home 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 ..read more

Ajahn Dhammasiha shares fond memories of one of his personal spiritual heros, who has strongly influenced his approach to Dhamma practice right at the start of his monastic life in Sri Lanka. He provides some background info about Ven. Nyanavimala, one of the early Western Buddhist monks, who lived in Sri Lanka for +50 years from the mid 1950ies. When he passed away in 2006, he was the most senior Westen monk in the world with more than 50 'vassa' (rains retreats). Ven Ñāṇavimala was well known and highly respected for his uncompromising dedication to Dhamma practice, for his asceticism and fr ..read more

After the meditation session, Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on the realationship of Samatha/Samādhi (Calmness/Concentration) & Vipassana (Insight). After the samatha meditation has weakened the mental hindrances, and suffused our mind with joy and brightness, we can develop insight by simply obesrving phenomena as they truly are. If we are not distorting our experience of feelings, emotions, thoughts and perceptions due to delusion, but observe them as they really are, we recognize their impermanent and therefore ultimatley unsatisfactory nature. And why would we want to hold on and ..read more

Luang Por Vajiro is asked how one can maintain motivation in one's daily Dhamma practice, without getting distracted by the numerous duties, responsibilities and issues inherent in lay life. Luang Por also responds to a variety of other questions. One particular interesting reflection he offers is about our urge to make others happy. On closer reflection, wanting to make others happy may not be as selfless as it superficially appears. Sometimes the true motivation is actually discontent with the way others are. We don't really like the way they are, and our supposed intention "to make them hap ..read more