Sharing Merits with Departed Loved Ones - Who Can Receive Them? | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Transferring Good Karma

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 of Tens, #177, 'Jānussoni-sutta'. In this discourse, the Buddha explains that direct material benefit in the form of food, drink, clothing & shelter can only be transferred to loved ones reborn in the 'Peta-loka', ('Realm of Hungry Ghosts'/'Deprived Spirits'). It's so important for them, and they really depend on it so much for satisfying their basic needs, that the Buddha established it as a duty for us to regularly share merits with departed relatives, just in case that they ended up in this realm. Moreover, we had relatives also in our countless previous lives. Therefore, even if the relative we're thinking of primarily is not reborn among the deprived spirits (and won't required our sharing anyhow in a deva or human rebirth), the Buddha asserted that there will always be some relative from on of our past lives that can benefit from our sharing. Consequently, we should include all past relatives when sharing merits, additionally to the main recipient. ⁠⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pics⁠ #merits #sharingmerits #Karma #pastrelative #lovedones

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, 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. Ajahn Amaro has written a number of books, including an account of an 830-mile trek from Chithurst to Harnham Vihara called Tudong - the Long Road North, republished in the expanded book Silent Rain. His other publications include Small Boat, Great Mountain (2003), Rain on the Nile (2009) and The Island - An Anthology of the Buddha's Teachings on Nibbana (2009) co-written with Ajahn Pasanno, a guide to meditation called Finding the Missing Peace and other works dealing with various aspects of Buddhism. ⁠Dhammagiri Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Spotify Playlists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dhammagiri Youtube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pics⁠ .

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 .