Clear Mountain Monastery Project

In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks the importance in practice of directing attention and intention to shape our path and experience. The word "adhiṭṭāna" ("determination" or "vow") describes such training, as does the Buddha's frequent admonishment to his discples, "Evañhi vo … sikkhitabbaṃ" ("Thus you should train yourselves...").

Some Suttas where the Buddha speaks about this setting of intention include the Mahāgosiṅga Sutta (MN 32 - https://suttacentral.net/mn32/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false), AN 2.5 (https://suttacentral.net/an2.5/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin)

Ajahn Kovilo and others have compiled an anthology of the Buddha's other encouragements towards training in "Thus Should You Train Yourselves" (https://www.clearmountain.org/2024/06/11/thus-should-you-train-yourselves/)

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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!

- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)

- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)

- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)

See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Brahm, abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery (https://bswa.org/). The discussion delves into Ajahn's path to ordination, advice for achieving deep samādhi, thoughts on Stream Entry, stories of devas, tales of Luang Por Chah, and more.

00:00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:00:27 Humor in Meditation and Teaching

00:01:50 Key Moments and Faith leading to Ordination

00:02:43 Joining the Cambridge University Buddhist Society

00:05:15 Psychic Research and Hunting Ghosts

00:07:18 The Impact of Deep Meditative Experiences

00:07:52 Instructions for Mindfulness of Breathing

00:10:29 Frequency of Deep Experiences in Students

00:11:34 Guiding Students Through the "Beautiful Breath"

00:13:35 The "Cheshire Cat" Simile for Deep Meditation

00:14:54 Addressing the Fear of Attachment to Bliss

00:15:35 Advice for Those Struggling to Reach Deep States

00:18:16 Reflections on Cultural Advice and Identity

00:19:44 Defining "Nibbidā" (Disenchantment or Disgust)

00:21:41 Teaching Mindfulness in Prisons

00:23:51 The Story of the Imprisoned Thai Monk

00:26:26 Avoiding Overwhelm in Monastic Administrative Roles

00:26:49 Lessons from a Monastery Bushfire

00:29:12 The Story of the Nine Bottles of Pepsi

00:36:41 Rational Belief in Devas and Making Determinations

00:38:21 The Story of the Winning Horse in Singapore

00:41:58 Thoughts on Bodhisattvas and Enlightened Beings

00:44:27 Comparing the Bodhisattva Ideal and the Theravada Path

00:46:47 Addressing Skepticism Toward Rebirth and Devas

00:49:00 Recalling Early Life and Past Life Memories

00:52:03 Ending Doubt and the Experience of Stream Entry

00:53:39 Reflecting on a False Experience of Enlightenment

00:59:29 Advice for a Younger Self at Key Junctures

01:02:18 Finding Hope Amidst Suffering and World Events

01:04:09 Lightning Round: Cleaning vs. Meditation

01:04:57 Lightning Round: The Biggest Test of Patience

01:05:27 Lightning Round: On Sitting Quietly Alone

01:05:49 Lightning Round: Favorite Sutta

01:06:15 Lightning Round: Most Influential Teacher After Ajahn Chah

01:09:45 Final Reflection: A Favorite Memory of Ajahn Chah

01:14:52 Closing Advice for Young Monastics

Ajahn Brahm's Biography in Brief:

Ajahn Brahm (Ajahn Brahmavamso Mahathera), born in London in 1951, is a Theravada Buddhist monk. Ajahn Brahm grew up in London and earned a degree in Theoretical Physics from Cambridge University. Disillusioned with the world of academe, he trained as a monk in the jungles of Thailand under Ajahn Chah. A monk for over thirty years, Ajahn Brahm is the abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery, in Serpentine, Western Australia—one of the largest monasteries in the southern hemisphere; and he has also been influential in establishing Dhammasara Nuns' Monastery northeast of Perth. He is the Spiritual Director of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia, and spiritual adviser for various Buddhist centers throughout Asia and Australia. His books include "Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditator's Handbook", "Who Ordered this Truckload of Dung", "The Art of Disappearing," and "Don't Worry Be Grumpy".

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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!

- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)

- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)

- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)

See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo & Ajahn Nisabho speak with Mingyur Rinpoche (https://tergar.org/)

00:00 Introduction

03:29 Monastic Background and Biography

06:22 Motivation for the Wandering Pilgrimage

10:30 Utility and Traps of the Self-Image

15:36 Near-Death Experience in Kushinagar

24:48 Dynamic Between Effort and Non-Effort

30:36 Innate Qualities of Awareness, Love, and Compassion

40:56 Pointing-Out Instructions and Lineage Transmission

46:05 Nature of Mind as Mundane vs. Transcendent

52:20 Preparing for the Process of Dying

58:03 Closing Blessing and Remarks

Mingyur Rinpoche Biography:

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (born 1975) is a Tibetan Nepali master of the Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, a bestselling author, and the leader of the international Tergar Meditation Community. Raised by his father, the prominent Dzogchen and Mahamudra meditation master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, he began studying meditation at age nine, entered formal training at Sherab Ling Monastery in India at age eleven, was recognized by the 16th Karmapa and by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as a tulku-incarnation of historical Adept Meditation masters at age twelve, began his first 3-year retreat at age 13, became functioning abbot of Sherab Ling at age twenty, and received full monastic ordination at age twenty-three. In addition to completing the construction of Tergar Monastery in Bodhgaya and overseeing Tergar Osel Ling Monastery in Kathmandu, Rinpoche embarked on a transformative four-year wandering retreat/pilgrimage in 2011 recounted in his book _In Love with the World: A Monk's Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying. He is also well-known globally for his accessible approach to meditation, detailed in his international bestselling books The Joy of Living (2007) and Joyful Wisdom (2009), and through his stepwise online courses available through Varjrayana Online (https://vajrayana.tergar.org/)

Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!

- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)

- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)

- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)

See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about the Four Noble Truths and the Discourse on Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dhamma in honor of Āsāḷha Pūjā.

Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!

- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)

- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)

- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)

See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho celebrate Āsāḷha Pūjā by speaking about the Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma Sutta (SN 56.11 - Dhammacakkappavattanasutta), and its articulation of the Four Noble Truths. They they take questions dealing with topics ranging from the difference between Bodhisattvas and Arahants, to the nature of Nibbāna, to the benefits of memorization. Sadhu!

An article by Ajahn Kovilo on memorizing long Dhamma may be found here: https://www.clearmountain.org/2020/08/01/article-a-fun-way-to-memorize-long-dhamma-with-a-special-focus-on-the-dhammapada/

A recording and text for chanting the Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma Sutta (SN 56.11 - Dhammacakkappavattanasutta) may be found on page 2 of the Amaravati Chanting Book: https://amaravati.org/dhamma-books/chanting-book-volume-two/

The full Sutta text may be found here: https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false

A recording may be found here: Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_FNHIPiTns

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The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/.

Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!

- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)

- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)

- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)

See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!