New to Buddhism: How to Start? | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri

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 defilements (kilesa) and free ourselves from suffering with their help. Confidence / Faith / Conviction (saddhā) Energy / Persistant Effort (viriya) Mindfulness (sati) Unification of mind / 'concentration' (samādhi) Wisdom (paññā) Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pics⁠ #spiritualfaculties #pancindriya #faith #energy #mindfulness #samadhi #wisdom

Ajahn Dhammasiha reflects on skilfull means to overcome the 5 hindrances (Pañca Nīvaraṇā). It is exactly these 5 obstructions which stop our mind from unifying in samādhi, and weaken our wisdom: Sensual desire (kāmacchanda) Ill Will / Anger / Aversion (byāpāda) Laziness / Tiredness / Sloth & Torpor / Lack of energy (thīna-middha) Restlessness & remorse (uddhacca-kukkucca) Doubt / Wavering / Vacillation (vicikicchā) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Pics⁠ #5Hindrances #samadhi #insight #vipassana #dhammatalk

The Buddha explains in this short but powerful discourse: If we're trying to find all our happiness only in socializing and interacting with friends & family, we will not be able to enjoy the happiness of solitude. Without enjoying the happiness of solitude, we will never understand our own mind. If we don't understand our own mind, we can't realize stream entry, sammā samādhi and Nibbāna. Sutta Study of Anguttara Nikāya, Sixes, No 68 Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Book of Sixes No 68 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Pics #Solitude #Seclusion #Nibbana #Awakening #Dhammatalk

Ajahn Dhammasiha goes through the 8 factors of the Noble Eight Fold Path, and explains how they are relevant to guide our action and speech, both in daily life as well as in our formal meditation. The Noble 8-Fold Path Ariyo Aṭṭhangiko Maggo, also know as the 'Middle Way' Majjhimā Paṭipadā is one of the most fundamental teachings of the Buddha, mentioned prominently already in his very first formal teaching, the Discourse on Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma. In fact, the Noble Eightfold Path constitutes the Fourth Noble Truth, the way leading to the end of suffering. However, if we don't know in detail what are the 8 factors of the Noble 8fold Path, we won't be able to practise on progress along that path. If we know them well, we can apply one or several of them troughout our daily activites, and make bhāvanā (meditation/cultivation/development) an integral part of our daily life. Right View Right Intention Right Communication Right Action Right Job Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Samādhi (Concentration/Unification of Mind) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Pics .

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked by a newcomer to Buddhism for some advice how to get started with both study and practice of the Buddha's teaching. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠ Pics #buddhism #dhamma #generosity #virtue #meditation

Ajahn Dhammasiha leads a guided meditation on Mettā, Loving Kindness, cultivating the intention of unconditional good will to all beings without distinction. In particular, he encourages us to 'get the feeling going, i.e. to not just 'think' about loving kindness, but to recognize and nurture the ulifting, joyful emotion we feel while practising mettā. He also points out how important it is to develop loving kindness to ourselves. Finally, he shares some reflections on cultivating mettā while walking, and on maintaining the intention of good will to everyone throughout once daily life. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠ #buddhism #dhamma #meditation #metta #lovingkindness

Question & Answer session with Ajahn Amaro on the occasion of his first Australia visit at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Queensland, Brisbane. Ajahn Amaro is the abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery near London, UK. Born in England in 1956, Ven. Ajahn Amaro received a BSc. in Psychology and Physiology from the University of London. Spiritual searching led him to Thailand, where he went to Wat Pah Nanachat, a Forest Tradition monastery established for Western disciples of Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah, who ordained him as a bhikkhu in 1979. Soon afterwards he returned to England and joined Ajahn Sumedho at the newly established Chithurst Monastery. He resided for many years at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, making trips to California every year during the 1990s. In June 1996 he established Abhayagiri Monastery in Redwood Valley, California, where he was co-Abbot with Ajahn Pasanno until 2010. He then returned to Amaravati to become Abbot of this large monastic community. PHOTOS OF AJAHN AMARO AT DHAMMAGIRI Pics of Ajahn's visit at Dhammagiri can be seen here: https://www.dhammagiri.net/ajahnamaro and here: https://latest-pics.dhammagiri.net/ MORE INFORMATION Dhammagiri Website: https://www.dhammagiri.net Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletter Dhammagiri Podcasts: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast .

Although Nibbāna is beyond all description and can not possibly comprehended by the thinking mind through language and concepts, the Buddha still used various similes to convey some idea to us what Nirvāṇa is all about. In particular, many times he compared the eperience of Nibbāna to a fire gone out. However, there's a big problem with that simile nowadays: Our current understanding how fire functions is very different from the theory of fire in ancient India. In our time, after a fire has gone out, we simply regard it as non-existant. But that would be a serious misunderstanding regarding the experience of Nibbāna. The statement that an enlightened person after death doesn't exist anymore has been explicitely rejected by the Buddha as not applicable (of course, to state that he exists is just as inapplicable). In ancient India, fire was regarded as 'clinging' to the fuel dependent on which it burns. When the fire goes out (e.g. through exhaustion of its fuel), the fire is released and enters a non-manifest state. Indian's at the time of the Buddha would not see an extinguished fire as non-existant. Instead, they believed an extinguished fire is simply freed from its entrapment to the fuel, and has entered a state in which it can't be defined or described. As Ajahn Geoff Thanissaro will visit Dhammagiri end of November, Ajahn Dhammasiha uses the opportunity to introduce us to an excellent essay of Ajaan Ṭhānissaro on exactly this subject: "The Mind Like Fire unbound" By the way, our Spotify Playlists can be found 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 .

In this short guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to be aware of the breath, but also to be aware of not turning our meditation into an excercise of I-Making and Mine-Making ('Ahaṃ-Kāra' & 'Mamaṃ-Kāra'). By the way, our Spotify Playlists can be found 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

Ajahn Amaro, Ajahn Dhammasiha and Ajahn Moneyyo recite the traditional Pali verses for sharing good karma with departed relatives, expressing their anumodanā (rejoicing) for all the kind support they received during Ajahn Amaros visit, and sending blessings to all beings. English Translation: As all the water in the streams is flowing to the boundless sea, Just likewise all your offerings are flowing to the spirit world. And all you wish for and desire shall soon and safely be attained; May wholesome wishes be fulfilled just like the moon at full-moon night just like a jewel sparkling bright. May all distress come to an end, may all desease be quickly healed, May all your problems be resolved, may you live long and happily. When someone's always honouring the elders worthy of respect, Then they will grow in these four things: long life, strength, beauty, happiness. 'They gave to me, they cared for me, they were my relatives and friends'; Give offerings to departed ones remembering what they've done for you! No crying or lamenting helps; your sadness and your grief is of No benefit to those you love, it will not do them any good. But all the offerings that you give to the community of monks Will reach your Loved Ones instantly and bring them long-term happiness. Your relatives, who've passed away, have now received your loving homage, and your lofty offerings. Your food and requisites give strength to all the monks - you've made a huge amount of wholesome karma now! By the way, our Spotify Playlists can be found 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