Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts
Dhamma talks, chanting, precepts, and meditation recordings from Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage in Brisbane, Australia. The podcast features teachings by Ajahn Dhammasiha, Ajahn Moneyyo, and other senior Buddhist monks in the Theravada Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah. It also includes live streamed weekend sessions and links to the community's website, YouTube channel, and newsletter.
Episodes
Nirvana is NOT Nothing | There IS an Unborn, Uncreated, Unconditioned | Nibbana | Ajahn Dhammasiha
The final goal of Dhamma practice, what it's all about, is to realize Nibbāna (Sanskrit: Nirvāṇa ). It's important to have an accurate understanding of our final objective, otherwise it would be difficult to develop our mind in the right direction. However, as Nibbana / Nirvana is totally beyond all concepts, words, notions and thoughts, even the Buddha can not possibly describe it accurat
Knowing, Not Interfering | Insight through Awareness | Vipassana | Ajahn Dhammasiha
To develop insight, vipassana, we have to learn to observe uninterested. We have to be like an objective researcher. We know what we experience, without reacting, interfering and manipulating. We shift our identification towards the 'Knower', rather than the 'Doer'. What we take up as object of our observation, we no longer identify with. We just mindfully know the emotion we'r
Remember Your Good Actions! | Recollection of Generosity | Caganussati | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Some people think: "When I do something good, I just do it and then forget about it. That's what the Buddha would want us to do." No, this is not what the Buddha teaches! The Buddha teaches the exact opposite: We should remember our good actions, we should recollect our generosity, we should be mindful of our virtue. Ajahn Dhammasiha explains why. Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:
What is Dear to Us will Bring us Suffering | Attachment is the Cause of Our Pain | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about one of the more challenging teachings of the Buddha: "Grief, pain, sorrow, frustration, depression and despair are born from what is dear to us, they originate from what we love." You can find the sutta Ajahn mentions in his talk at: Majjhima Nikāya / Middle Length Discourses No. 87 'Piyajātika Sutta' / 'Born from What is Dear' https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN8
Starting Dhammagiri 20 Years Ago | First Forest Monastery in Brisbane | Ajahn Dhammasiha
20 years ago on 13 August 2006, Brisbane Buddhist Vihara Inc (BBV) decided at a Special General Meeting to invite Ajahn Dhammasiha, to start a Forest Monastery associated with the tradition of Ajahn Chah in the Brisbane area. The next day on 14th August 2006, Dr Gamini Jayasinghe (President of BBV Inc) called Ajahn Dhammasiha to formally extend this invitation to him, and Ajahn accepted. Dr Gamini
Letting Go of Illusion of Ownership | Abandoning Mine-Making | Nekkhamma | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about Nekkhamma = Letting Go To truly renounce, to truly let go, we have to investigate the process of attachment happening in our mind. We can observe and investigate this process everytime when we're shopping. For example, if we buy a new phone, or any other object. The moment we pay and take the phone, our mental attitude changes profoundly
Enjoying Life in Italy vs Getting Out of Samsara | Zest for Life vs Disenchantment | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha shares how much he liked Italy and Rome at his recent visit to Santacittarama Monastery in Sabina, Italy. He was surprised how easy it is to get lost in 'Lebenslust' / 'Cheerful Enjoyment of Life', despite the fact that death is closing in on all of us, and that no safe place can be found in Samsāra. If we truly want to transcend all conditioned phenomena and experience Nibbāna, w
4 Noble Truths | First Teaching of Buddha | Entry to Rains Retreat | Dhammacakka | Ajahn Dhammasiha
The full moon in July marks one of the most important dates in the Buddhist calendar: Asalha Puja (Esala), the start of the Rains Retreat / Vassa for the Buddhist monastic Sangha, and the day when the Buddha delivered his first formal discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ('Discourse on Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma'). This date is also known as 'Dhamma Day'. Ajahn Dha
Yourself and Dhamma is Your Only Refuge | Attadipa Viharatha | Dhamma Talk | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha quotes and shares reflections on Samyutta Nikāya 22.43 (Connected Discourses of the Buddha, 22.43): "Attadīpā, bhikkhave, viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā!""Bhikkhus, live with yourself as an island, live with yourself as a refuge, with no other refuge; live with the Dhamma as an island, live with the Dhamma as your refuge, with no other refu
Harmony | Letting Go of Preferences to Preserve Concord | Samaggi | Ajahn Dhammasiha
One of the most important conditions for progress in one's Dhamma practice and bhavana is harmony in the community one is living in, whether it's the monastic sangha, a lay family, or a work environment. The negative effects of conflicts on our own mind and meditative progress are so severe that it's worthwhile to make major sacrifices to preserve harmony. In particular, letting go of our preferen
Feeling the Whole Body in Breath Meditation | Anapanasati | Mindfulness of Breathing | Ajahn Dhammasiha
In the Buddha's own instructions for Breath Meditation (Anapanasati), the third step is: "Sabba-kaya-patisamvedi assasissami/passasissamit ti sikkhati""One trains oneself to breathe in/out feeling the whole body"Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on the meaning of this step, and how to cultivate it in one's own meditation.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri
Protection against Snake Bite | Loving Kindness to Snakes | Khandhaparitta | Ajahn Dhammasiha
The Buddha has given a special Pali Recitation to protect the monks (or anyone) against snake bite, the Khandhaparitta. The power of this protection rests mostly on developing loving kindness (Metta) to all the various kinds of snakes, and to all other animals and beings in general.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur emai
Contentment is the greatest wealth - Dhammapada Verse 204 | Teachings of the Buddha | Ajahn Moneyyo
A teaching on Dhammapada Verse 204 of the Buddha: Contentmet is the greatest wealth.How can we relate to our material posessions in a skillfull way, so that we use them for a good purpose rather than increasing our defilements?No matter how much you have - you can always want more and have the feeling that you haven't enough yet, even if you already have $ 1 billion. While someone with relatively
Ven. Maha Moggallana - The Master of Psychic Powers - Great Disciples of the Buddha | Early Buddhism
The Buddha says that every perfectly awakened one has a pair of monk disciples who are the most outstanding among all the several thousand Arahants (completely liberated disciples). The Buddha calls them "the pair of chief disciples, an excellent pair". For our Buddha the pair of chief disciples were Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Mahamoggallana.This is a Dhamma-Talk recollecting the life and the outstan
Great Disciples of the Buddha - Introduction - The benefits of recollecting the Sangha | Meditation | Ajahn Moneyyo
The Buddha was not only perfect in knowledge and conduct and developed supreme purity, compassion, wisdom and liberation but he was also the unsurpassable trainer of trainable people and teacher of gods and humans and as supreme teacher he had the ability to guide others to awakening.Just like the sun is not only bright and radiant only for itself, but also provides the energy for the entire ecosy
Ven. Sariputta - The Greatest Disciple of the Buddha foremost in wisdom | Great Disciples of the Buddha
The Buddha says that every perfectly awakened one has a pair of monk disciples who are the most outstanding amongall the several thousand Arahants (completely liberated disciples).The Buddha calls them "the pair of chief disciples, an excellentpair". For our Buddha the pair of chief disciples were Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Mahamoggallana. This Dhamma-Talk by Ajahn Moneyyo is recollecting the life an
Thinking in Meditation | Vitakka & Bhavana | Buddhist Meditation and Thoughts | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about thoughts coming up while we're meditating. How can we abandon unwholesome thoughts, and can we perhaps even use thoughts to further our meditation if they are of a wholesome nature.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newslet
Faith Follower vs Wisdom Follower | Saddhanusari vs Dhammanusari | Noble Disciples | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked about the meaning of Saddhanusari and Dhammanusari. Both are considered 'Noble Individuals' by the Buddha, although they have not yet attained stream entry. However, their spiritual faculties have matured so much that they will definitely experience sotāpatti in this life, at the latest at death. Their distinction is that one has an emphasis on the faith faculty (
Ajahn Dhammasiha Visiting Monasteries in Europe | Buddhist Monasteries in the Tradition of Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Dhammasīha describes monasteries of the Ajahn Chah tradition that he's going to visit on his travels from 13 May to 21 June. Talking about the 'Incineration Toilets' they have installed at Skiptvet Monastery in Norway leads Ajahn onto a little sidenote about 'Asubha Bhāvanā', contemplating the unattractive nature of the human body. Asubha is a very important meditation ob
Breath Meditation: Gently Nudging Perception to Develop Contentment & Joy | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Anapanasati
There is no objectively 'right' of 'wrong' way how we perceive and experience the breath in Ānāpānasati (Mindfulness of In & Out Breath) meditation. Perception of internal phenomena is entirely subjective. However, there are ways of perceiving and feeling the breath that are conducive to deepening our samādhi & insight, and there are other ways of perceiving that have the o
Stuck in Conventions | Transcending Social Conditioning to Realize Enlightenment | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Have you ever deliberately broken social conventions to follow your own true conviction? We can't realize awakening by just following the norms and expectations of society. Enlightenment, realizing the Dhamma, is a complete flip-over of all conventionality. We have to become aware how much we're conditioned by what's conventionally expected from us by society and family. Only once we&#
Entity View | Identity Formation | Anatta | Not Self | Sakkaya Ditthi | Asmi Mana | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasīha cites the following short Pali quote at the beginning of his Dhamma Talk : "Yena yena hi maññanti, tato taṃ hoti aññathā." "By whatever they conceive, that is becoming otherwise." = "Whatever they use as support for their illusion of identity, that is all changing and becoming otherwise" (Majjhima Nikāya/Middle Length Discourses #113, "Sappurisa Sutta" / "Discourse on the Authenti
Illusion of Self | Attachment to Identity | Entity View | Sakkayaditthi | Upadana | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked to give examples of attachment to Self, clinging to the illusion of an identity, called Sakkāyadiṭṭhi = Entity View by the Buddha. The quote Ajahn mentions: "Yena yena hi maññanti, tato taṃ hoti aññathā." "By whatever they conceive, that is becoming otherwise." = "Whatever they use as support for their illusion of identity, that is all changing an
Knowing Your Phone vs Knowing What Your Phone Does To Your Mind | Social Media Addiction | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Our education system is set up to learn almost exclusively about external processes. But we don't learn about what's going on in our mind internally, we don't understand all these different feelings and emotions, we're not educated how to become aware or them and how to deal with them. For example, most people have a good knowledge how to use their mobile phone. They know how to us
AJAHN MEDHINO | Cleanliness as Way of Life | Guided Meditation & Final Instructions for One Day Retreat
This is the concluding session of our 1 Day Meditation Retreat at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage with Ajahn Medhino. Venerable Ajahn Medhino has been ordained as a bhikkhu for 33 years. Originally from the Netherlands, he received his ordination as a Buddhist monk at Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand. However, for the last 12 years he has lived in Sri Lanka, where he has established a hermitage in Badull
AJAHN MEDHINO | Bringing the Mind Back to the Body | Instructions for One Day Meditation Retreat
This is the initial session of our 1 Day Meditation Retreat at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage with Ajahn Medhino. Ajahn explains the program and provides instructions for meditation, including a guided meditation. He also leads the community in taking the Triple Refuge and the five or eight precepts. Venerable Ajahn Medhino has been ordained as a bhikkhu for 33 years. Originally from the Netherlands,
How to Develop Vipassana after Samadhi | 5 Groups of Clinging vs 4 Foundations of Mindfulness | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha explains suitable meditation objects for investigation (vipassana/insight/wisdom) that we can direct our attention to, after the mind emerges from Samatha/Samādhi meditation. Samādhi/Concentration imbues the mind with calm, tranquillity, hightened mindfulness, brightness and radiant awareness, as well as wholesome joy, rapture and bliss. At the same time, the five hindrances of se
BHANTE ARIYANANDA | Contemplating Death & Impermanence in Beginningless Samsara | Dhamma Talk
Venerable Ariyananda Thero explains fundmental Buddhist contemplations. We have been circling through Saṃsāra, the wheel of repeated death and rebirth, since beginningless time. We don't know where we came from (what was our last rebirth?), we don't know where we're going (what will be our next rebirth?), and still we pretend everything's fine and try to be merry. Instead, the Buddha ecourages us
BHANTE ARIYANANDA THERO | Abbot Na Uyana Aranya | The Buddha's Scientific Approach to Meditation |
Ven. Ariyananda Thera explains fundmental priciples of Buddhist meditative practice, emphasising that the Buddha uses a scientific method that doesn't require belief based on pure faith, but that is open to and actually inviting investigation. Venerable Angulgamuwa Ariyananda Mahāthera is the abbot of Na Uyana Aranya, the largest forest monastery in Sri Lanka: https://nauyana.org/ He has kindly ac
AJAHN MEDHINO | Life as Buddhist Hermit Monk in Sri Lanka | Solitary Dhamma Practice in the Jungle
Venerable Ajahn Medhino has been ordained as a bhikkhu for 33 years. Originally from the Netherlands, he received his ordination as a Buddhist monk at Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand. However, for the last 12 years he has lived in Sri Lanka, where he has established a hermitage in Badulla district, at Udakiruwa Forest, located roughly between Bibile and Monaragala. Ajahn plans to develop the hermitag
10 Powers of the Buddha | Sutta Exploration MN 12 | Tathagata Dasabala | Ajahn Dhammasiha
In response to a question about the supernatural psychic powers and unique knowledge of the Buddha, Ajahn Dhammasiha examines a passage from 'Mahā Sīhanāda Sutta' ('The Greater Discourse on the Lion's Roar'), Majjhima Nikāya / Middle Length Discourses No 12. In this passage on the 'Tathāgata Bala' , the Buddha himself describes 10 powers he is endowed with, and 4 unshak
Preparing the Mind to Listen to Dhamma | Buddhist Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Dhammasiha
With the visit of Bhante Ariyananda coming up, Ajahn Dhammasiha reminds us all: When it comes to listening to Dhamma, it's not about quantity of input. It's about quality, and in particular about the quality of the mind of the listener. Many of us have heard the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (First Discourse of Buddha) receited many times. But did we have the vision of Dhamma arising, did we attain
AJAHN NYANADIPO | Dhamma Discussion at Dhammagiri | Subhadda Cetiya | Stories of Krooba Ajahns
Ajahn Nyanadipo is the abbot of Bodhipala monastery, the Ajahn Chah monastery near Adelaide. https://www.bodhipalamonastery.orgHe has recently passed the formal Thai examinations to qualify as an upajjhāya (preceptor who can ordain monks), being only the second foreign monks to do so. Ajahn shares inspiring stories of his monastic life, in particular meeting senior monks of our tradition and atten
Cultivating Metta Meditation | Tips & Tricks to Strengthen Our Loving Kindness | Ajahn Dhammasiha
After our guided mettā meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha shares some strategies how to overcome typical difficulties in our development of Loving Kindness, and to deepen our meditation.Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsOur email Newsletter:https://www.dhammagiri.net/newsletterLatest Photoshttps://latest-pics.dhammagiri
True Hero's Never Kill | Courage to Keep Precepts when It's Hard | Non-Violence | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha praises participants of our One Day Meditation Retreat for their commitment to virtue and unshakable ethical principles. By committing ourselves, without any if or when, to non-violence; to commit ourselves to abstain in all possible circumstance from any act of killing, we're making a powerful statement against war, and remove ourselves from any participation in war and viole
AJAHN MONEYYO | Abandon Defilements, Like a Snake Shed's it's Worn Out Skin | SUTTA EXPLORATION, Uraga Sutta, Suttanipāta 1.1
Ajahn Moneyyo discusses the very first Sutta in Suttanipāta: "The Snake" / "Uragasutta".Snakes regularly have to shed their old skin, as it becomes too restrictive for their growing body. In the wilderness, one can sometimes find this old, worn out skin, left behind by the snake. The Buddha uses this process as a simile for a monk who abandons anger, desire and delusion, leavin
Freeing the Heart from Darkness | Don't Allow the Evil We Witness to Darken Your Heart | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha was asked via email to talk about bringing peace to ourselves regarding Iran, Israel and US war, and all the other evil and insanity we witness being committed globally. As Brisbane just witnessed a total lunar eclipse ('Blood Moon') on Magha Puja Full Moon day, Ajahn shares the ancient Indian myth how Rāhu the evil demon swallows the moon deity Chandimā during an eclipse. In his
Dhamma Talk Pha Pa Merit Making Ceremony | Offering Forest Cloth to Sangha on Magha Puja | Ajahn Dhammasiha
At our Pa Ba Ceremony of Offering Forest Cloth on Magha Puja Full Moon, Ajahn Dhammasiha gives a Dhamma Talk about the Ovādapātimokkha:Abstain from any evil deed accomplish what is good and true, And fully purify your mind - That is what all the Buddhas teach. Enduring patience is the best of all ascetic practices; The best of everything at all is called Nibbāna by the sage. If you cause harm
The Teaching of All Buddhas: Don't Do Evil, Accomplish Goodness & Purify Your Mind | Ovadapatimokkha
Abstain from any evil deed accomplish what is good and true, And fully purify your mind - That is what all the Buddhas teach. Enduring patience is the best of all ascetic practices; The best of everything at all is called Nibbāna by the sage. If you cause harm to anyone you can't be called a genuine monk! Refrain from harming and abuse, and strictly keep the Buddha's rules; Be mo
Ajahn Moneyyo Leads Paritta Chanting for Lunar New Near | Buddhist Pali Recitation Dhammagiri | Chinese New Year of Fire Horse
Chanting starts at 0.32 min.The sangha of Dhammagiri Buddhist Monastery recites auspicious paritta for Vietnamese/Chinese New Year of the Firehorse. Ajahn Moneyyo leads the chanting Tan Adicco recites the formal invitation to all devas & spirits Ajahn Dhammasiha joins the chanting as well. Spotify sometimes classifies our chanting podcasts as 'music' and then deletes them, as pure musi
Beauty, Strength & Speed: Horses in the Buddha's Teachings | Lunar New Year of Firehorse | Ajahn Dhammasiha
At the celebration of Lunar New Year of the Fire Horse 🐎🔥 in the Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean calendar at Dhammagiri, Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about several suttas and verses where the Buddha uses horses as similes. The longer sutta that Ajahn mentions first, with the 'Beauty, Strength & Speed' simile, is at Anguttara Nikāya/Numerical Discourses, Threes No 97.Being born in the year of
Noble Friendship as Factor for Stream Entry | Kalyana Mitta | Sotapattiyangani | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the importance of 'Beautiful, Admirable Friendship' (Kalyānamittatā) for our Dhamma progress. "Having good spiritual friends is 100% of the holy life" (The Buddha, Saṃyutta Nikāya/Connected Discourses 45.2)Ajahn points out the connection with the 4 Factors of Stream Entry (Sotāpattiyangāni):Association with Good Persons (Sappurisa-saṃseva) Hearing the
Spiritual Friendship | Admirable Friends is 100% of the Holy Life | Kalyana Mitta | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the importance of 'Admirable Friendship' for our spiritual progress. 'Kaḷyāṇa Mittatā' can be translated as 'Beautiful Friendship', 'Noble Friendship' or 'Good Spiritual Friendship'. It means a friend who causes our wholesome qualities like virtue, generosity, kindness and wisdom to increase when we associate with them, because t
Abandoning Anger | Contemplations to Transform Aversion into Metta or Equanimity | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked about a quote in Dhammapada Verses #3 to #5: He struck me, he defeated me, he hurt, abused, offended me! If we hold on to vengeful thoughts - our anger never fades away.He struck me, he defeated me,he hurt, abused, offended me! If we let go of vengeful thoughts - our anger surely fades away. More hatred will not calm down hate, it simply doesn't work like that. The op
4 Kinds of Karma: Dark, Bright, Mixed, and Kamma Leading to the End of Kamma | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the 4 kinds of Karma the Buddha has expounded: Dark Karma (Sanskrit 'Karma' = Pāli 'Kamma'): Bad actions like killing, stealing etc Bright Karma: Compassion, Kindness, Contentment, Truthfulness etc. Mixed Karma: A blend of various dark & bright actions. Karma that leads to the end of Karma The last one is the most profound and difficult to understan
Ajahn Moneyyo | The Fruits of Recluseship (Life as monk/nun) | Samaññaphala Sutta | Pali Recitation
A Chanting of the Samaññaphala Sutta “The Fruits of recluseship” (Dīgha Nikāya No 2). King Ajātasattu visits the Buddha and asks him a seemingly innocent question: All ordinary professions like cooks, barbers, accountants etc. enjoy some visible results and gains from their profession – but what about contemplatives (monks and nuns)? Is it possible to point out any results that someone may gain fr
Spiritual Urgency Samvega | Transforming Pain into Motivation for Dhamma Practice | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the emotion that is called 'Saṃvega' in Pali, 'Spiritual Shock'. Saṃvega, spiritual urgency, doesn't feel nice, it's not a pleasant feeling. However, it is beneficial, as it urges us to practise the Dhamma with commitment and dedication. When we're experiencing pain and grief from loss and disappointments, we can transform this painful emoti
How to be Kind but still Protect Oneself from Harm? | Metta & Self-Preservation | Ajahn Dhamamsiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked how we can practise mettā (loving kindness) and at the same time still set boundaries and protect ourselves from being harmed by others.WebsiteOur Spotify Playlists
Problems with Ghosts? | 5 Precepts & Metta Loving Kindness to Ward Off Spirits | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Be skeptical if there's really any spirit involved, and first investigate other possible explanations Do NOT use 'black magic' or any other negative energy based on anger of fear against the spirit The best protection is very pure 5 precepts and stong mettā (loving kindness). This is good for ourselves always and in any case, whether the 'ghosts' are real or not Sharing merits & chanting Dhamm
The Buddha - A Portrait: Perfect in knowledge and conduct | Early Buddhism | Recollection of the Buddha
This is a portrait of the Buddha by Ajahn Moneyyo based on the most ancient sources: The Sutta Pitaka and Vinaya Pitaka dating from before 400 BC. It is a recollection of the Buddha as perfect in knowledge and conduct (Vijjācaraṇa sampanno) and as the knower of the cosmos (Lokavidū) - Two of his unique qualities that we can remember about him.Learn about the way of life, the amazing qualities, med
Respect for Samadhi | Cultivating Samādhi Practice Prevents Decline of Saddhamma | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about five conditions that slow the decline of the True Dhamma (Saddhamma): Respect and deference to the Buddha Respect and deference to the DhammaRespect and deference to the SanghaRespect and deference to the Training (Sikkha)Respect and deference to SamadhiIt's striking that the Buddha mentions respect for samādhi, but not repect for wisdom. There is no doubt that wis
AJAHN CATTAMALO | Dhamma Discussion Q&A | Final Session One Day Retreat Dhammagiri | Dhammasakaccha
Ajahn Cattamalo responds to questions and comments of the audience after the meditation session, at the end of our One Day Full Moon Retreat.Venerable Ajahn Cattamalo has been a monk for 37 years. Born in Germany, he was ordained in the Wat Nong Pa Pong tradition of Venerable Ajahn Chah, North East Thailand in the year 1988. He spent 7 years at Wat Pah Nanachat and in various monasteries throughou
The Buddha and Ven Mahakassapa: Conditions for the True Dhamma to Last Long | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha shares the story how Ven Mahakassapa first met the Buddha. Later, closer to the time of the Buddha's Parinibana, Ven Mahakassapa approches the Buddha and asks: "In the beginning, we had few rules and many persons attaining awakening. Now we have so many rules, but only few persons realize the Dhamma: What's the reason for that?"The Buddha explains that it's a
AJAHN CATTAMALO | Training the Mind to Know Body & Mind | Buddhist Dhamma Talk at Dhammagiri
Ajahn Cattamalo shares Dhamma and answers questions from the audience during our One Day Full Moon Retreat at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane.Venerable Ajahn Cattamalo has been a monk for 37 years. Born in Germany, he was ordained in the Wat Nong Pa Pong tradition of Venerable Ajahn Chah, North East Thailand in the year 1988. He spent 7 years at Wat Pah Nanachat and in various monasteries th
AJAHN CATTAMALO | GUIDED BREATH MEDITATION | Anapanasati | Mindfulness of the Breath | Dhammagiri
Ajahn Cattamalo leads a 25 min guided Buddhist meditation on Anapanasati (Mindfulness of the Breath) during the New Year's Eve event at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane.Venerable Ajahn Cattamalo has been a monk for 37 years. Born in Germany, he was ordained in the Wat Nong Pa Pong tradition of Venerable Ajahn Chah, North East Thailand in the year 1988. He spent 7 years at Wat Pah Nanachat
AJAHN CATTAMALO at Dhammagiri | New Year's Day Dhamma Talk | "What's Nice about Being a Monk"
Before the auspicious paritta chanting on New Year's Day, Ajahn Cattamalo shares some short Dhamma reflections at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage. Venerable Ajahn Cattamalo has been a monk for 37 years. Born in Germany, he was ordained in the Wat Nong Pa Pong tradition of Venerable Ajahn Chah, North East Thailand in the year 1988. He spent 7 years at Wat Pah Nanachat and in various monasteries thr
Gratitude: Count Your Blessings | Guided Buddhist Meditation | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Kataññu Katavedi
At the end of the year, we're usually focussed on resolutions for the future. But we may overlook good things we already have, and good qualities we already have developed in our character. Reflecting on all the good things we can be grateful for doesn't mean denying all the bad things happening in the world. However, if we're only focussed on the bad stuff, our mind is in danger to be
Santa Meditation - Empty the Heavy Sack! | Guided Meditation | Buddhist Xmas | Ajahn Dhammasiha
In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha uses Santa Claus as a metaphor for the process of emptying the mind.Santa's job is to give gifts to all the kids for Christmas. He's working very hard to fulfill this task, travelling on his sleigh carrying a very big and heavy sack with all the presents. Similarly, our mind is carrying around the heavy load of all kinds of different emotions
Be Like Santa Claus - Give Everything Away! | Buddhist Xmas | Christmas | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to "be a good Santa".A good Santa Claus will give all the gifts to the kids.A bad Santa may cheat and keep the most expensive presents for himself.Similarly, our task as followers of the Sakyan Sage is to not hold back, but to give absolutely everything away.Not literally giving away, but letting go of absolutely everything:Whether it's material objects, or relations
TAN SAMVARO | The Essence of Dhamma Practice | Essential Buddhist Teaching | Ven Saṃvaro
Ven. Samvaro has stayed with us for here at Dhammagiri for one month in November to December 2025. In this short (10 min) video, recorded after the Saturday morning Changting and Refuge & Precepts Session, Tan Samvaro answers a question from the audience: With all the various Buddhist teachings we here about, what's the gist of them all? What do we really have to focus on in our practice?
10 Ways to Make Good Karma | Ten Bases for Punya | Dasa Puññakiriyavatthu | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the 10 Foundations for Making Good Karma (Dasa Puñña-kiriya-vatthu):Generosity (Dāna) Virtue (Sīla) Mental Cultivation / Meditation (Bhāvanā) Reverence / Respect (Apaciti) Service, Offering One's Labour & Skills & Talents, e.g. our now monthly held Working Bees 🔨👨🌾⛏️👩🌾 ✂️(Veyyāvacca) Transference of Merits / Sharing Good Karma with Past Relatives (Pattānu
We Meditate to Let Go, Not to Get Anything | Buddhist Dhamma Talk | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to refocus our meditative effort on letting go. We can get overly obsessed with focussing on a particular meditation object, and lose sight of our general mindstate: We may fall back into the long established habit of acquiring things, of trying to get something. Instead, everything in our cultivation of bhāvanā should aim towards letting go. Website
Contentment, Full Body Awareness, Knowing Right Measure when Eating, Wakefulness | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about steps in the Buddha's 'Gradual Training' that lead on from fully established virtue to the develpment of samādhi. Sense Restraint / Indriya-saṃvara Contentment / Santuṭṭhi Maintaining full awareness of all bodily movements / Sampajāna-kārī Wakefulness / Jāgariyam-anuyutta Knowing the right measure when eating food / Bhojanasmiṃ Mattaññutā These steps form t
Dispassion, Cessation & Letting Go to Underlie All Dhamma Practice | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Viraga Nirodha Patinissagga
In the last Tetrad of Ānāpānasati, the last four steps of Breath Meditation, the Buddha teaches us to breathe in and out focussing on: Anicca - ImpermanenceVirāga - Fading Away of Passion = Dispassion Nirodha - Ending/CessationPatinissagga - Letting GoHowever, these four contemplations do not apply only to breath meditation. In fact, they should be underlying principles of our whole Dhamma practic
TAN JAYADHAMMA | Guided Meditation | 'Tuning In' | 6 Sense Spheres, 5 Hindrances, Distractive Thoughts
Tan Jayadhamma has stayed at Dhammagiri for 7 months, spending the vassa (rains retreat) 2025 with us. Just before leaving, he kindly offered this comprehensive guided meditation as a parting gift. His one hour guided meditation consitsts of three parts on the theme of "tuning in": Part one explores the six sense spheres, based on the Buddha's simile of the six animals found at SN 35.247. Part two
TAN JAYADHAMMA | Tuning In | Balance in Meditative Practice | Dhamma Talk at Dhammagiri
Tan Jayadhamma has stayed at Dhammagiri for 7 months, spending the vassa (rains retreat) 2025 with us. Just before leaving, he kindly offered these reflections on balance in practice, based on the Soṇa Sutta (AN 6.55) and the Buddha’s simile of the lute. His talk explores the meaning of sama (“in tune”), the five spiritual faculties as five strings, and how to maintain harmony in practice.Website
Calm and Insight: Advice to New Meditator | New to Meditation | Samatha & Vipassana | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha provides advice to a newcomer to meditation. Although it was his first time visiting Dhammagiri, and only the second attempt in his life to practice formal meditation, he had sat through a full our of guided meditation forehand, and had also joined the almsfood offering earlier in the day. Ajahn Dhammasiha gives a broad outline of the development of the two main aspects of Buddhis
AJAHN NANDIYO | Disenchantment Leading to Peace | Buddhist Dhamma Talk | Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage
In this Dhamma discussion, Ajahn Nandiyo first shares some of his personal experiences at Bodhinyanarama Monastery, NZ, and in Thailand & Australia. Then he responds to a question about internal peace, and how disenchantment (nibbidā) through contemplating our experiences both high and low can lead to that peace. Ajahn Nandiyo is the abbot of Bodhinyanarama Monastery, Wellington, New Zealand:
AJAHN NANDIYO | Guided Meditation | Knowing, Not Owning or Controlling | Vipassana | Insight
After the Saturday morning Refuge and Precepts Ceremony, Ajahn Nandiyo guided a short meditation session. He encourages us to be in the witness position, to know and observe conditions, rather than trying to own and control them. Whether externally, like the severe thunderstorm with many fallen trees we've just experienced at the monastery; or internally, when various emotions arise in the min
The Fire Sermon | Third Teaching of the Buddha | Adittapariyaya Sutta | Ajahn Dhammasiha
The 'Discourse on Burning', also known as 'Fire Semon', is considered the third formal discourse of the Buddha. It is distinguished by the highest reported number of attainments: 1,000 monks attained total release, Nibbāna, while listening to the Buddha teaching. The Buddha starts this discourse with the challenging claim that the whole world is on fire! 🔥 But what is meant by 
Creating Good Karma in Harmony | Importance of 5 Precepts | Robe Offering Ceremony Dhammagiri | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha's formal Dhamma Talk at the Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage. Ajahn reflects on the power of puñña (good karma/'merits'), and the importance of harmony and cooperation when making good karma together. He also goes through the five precepts forming the fundamental ethics of a Buddhist lay practitioner:We train ourselves to abstain from intentionally
Paritta Recitation | Robe Offering Ceremony | Auspicious Protective Pali Chanting | Dhammagiri
At our Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri, our Sangha of 7 Buddhist monks recites 'Paritta'. These auspicious protective verses are believed to ward off misfortune, protect from various dangers, and bestow blessings on all those listening.Paritta verses have been recited in Pali, the language of the Buddha, for more than 2,000 years. The most important ones are still in their original fo
King Confesses to Buddha he Murdered his own Father | Asking Forgiveness from Triple Gem | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked if there are procedures for laity after breaking precepts in the same way as for monks.Ajahn explains that the Buddha laid down eleborate procedures only in the Vinaya for the monks & nuns, but not for laity. However, we can always ask for forgiveness from the Triple Gem. In fact, the full version of the evening chanting includes asking forgiveness from Buddha, Dhamma
Is Eating Meat Bad Karma? | Are Buddhists Vegans? | Dhamma Talk | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked whether eating meat is causing bad karma. Ajahn explains that INTENTIONAL KILLING of other beings is bad karma. The crucial factor for bad karma is intention. Therefore, even if one's actions have a causal relationship with the death of other beings, but completely without intention, it's not breaking the first precept or causing bad karma. For example, in Queensl
Harmony | Dhamma Talk at Robe Offering Ceremony Bodhisaddha Monastery | Kathina | Ajahn Dhammasiha
On the eve of the large Kathina Robe Offering event at Bodhisaddha Monastery, as the senior Ajahn of the 12 monks attending, Ajahn Dhammasiha was invited to share Dhamma for the occasion. Ajahn emphasizes the importance of harmony for the successful completion of the ceremony. Harmony within the sangha, harmony within the lay community, and harmony between lay and monastic communities. Monastics a
AJAHN MONEYYO | Mindfulness of the Body: 32 Bodyparts, 9 Cemetery Contemplations, 4 Elements | Asubha | Aniccā
Ajahn Moneyyo gives an introduction and practical instructions to develop mindfulness of the body by contemplating the 32 Bodyparts, the 9 cemetery contemplations and the 4 elements according to the discourse about the 4 foundations of mindfulness (4 Satipatthānā, Middle Length Discourses Nr. 10).https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN...By seeing the body as impermanent (Aniccā) and not-self (Anatt
Long-Term Minimum Effort vs Short-Term Heroic Effort | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhamma Talk on Buddhism
During an all-night meditation, or during a retreat period, we tend to exert maximum effort. However, no one can maintain maximum effort for a very long time. Unfortunately, once we can't maintain the high level anymore, we often end up relaxing too much. Unfortunately, it's much easier and faster to regress in our bhāvanā, than to quickly progress. So we may end up losing hard earned 3 mo
Animals in Buddhism | Kindness and Respect to Animals | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhamma Talk
Right after the end of the rains retreat period, the Dhammagiri monks had been invited to visit the iconic Australia Zoo. Ajahn Dhammasiha uses the occasion to share reflections on Dhamma teachings about animals. Of all the major religions, Buddhism has the clearest and most impactful teachings about showing compassion and loving kindness to animals. For example, the first precept to abstain from
Inviting Feedback | Constructive Criticism | Pavarana Ceremony | End Rains Retreat | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Dhamma talk by Ajahn Dhammasiha on occasion of Pavarana Full Moon. It is important to be able to receive feedback on our actions. We can learn much from constructive criticism, if it is done with good will, by knowledgeable persons. Is is so difficult to see one's own weaknesses and shortcomings, but quite easy to recognize them in others. Consequently, feedback and criticism based on loving k
Anatta: Empty of Self or Belonging to Self, even Thoughts | Emptiness Sunyata | Ajahn Dhammasiha
Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Dhammasīha, offering reflections on the Buddha's teaching:"Suññam idaṃ attena vā attanīyena vā!"= "Empty of Self and Empty of Anything belonging to Self"e.g. Majjhima Nikāya/Middle Length Discourses #106, 'Āneñjasappāya Sutta'/'Conducive for the Imperturbable'Also Majjhima Nikāya/Middle Length Discourses #22, 'Alagaddūpama Sutta'
