Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts

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 Queensland in summer it's virtually im...

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 and laity depend on each other, neit...

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 (Anatta) our heart can become disenchante...

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 months of progress within just one we...

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 killing refers to animals just as t...

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 kindness, compassion & thorough ...

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'/'The Simileof...

In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to simply be aware of what we experience in the present moment.

Observing, knowing, being mindful of what is, without trying to change the experience, without trying to achieve or attain anything.

However, though we are aware and mindful, we do not 'engage' with what we observe. We don't react, we don't take it up, we see it as impemanent and not me, not mine...

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the benefits of Buddhānussati, recollecting the Buddha.

This meditation object can be particular helpful if we're finding ourselves overwhelmed by emotions. Reciting "Iti pi so..." or "Buddho" loudly, and totally focussing the mind on the Buddha, can cut through strong defilements or emotional turmoil, and bring our mind back to a more wholesome state.

Ajahn also answers a questi...

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the 4 'Agati', the 4 wrong courses of action:

1. Chanda-Gāmini = Going in Direction of Desire
2. Dosa-Gāmini = Going in Direction of Aversion
3. Moha-Gāmini = Going in Direction of Confusion
4. Bhaya-Gāmini = Going in Direction of Fear

If we move in the direction of lust, anger, delusion and anxiety, we're moving in the wrong direction: Not away from suffering, but into more and more suffering....

Amazingly, the Buddha stated in Pāsādika Sutta (Dīgha Nikāya/Long Discourses #29) that his followers are devoted to the persuit of happiness.

However, it has to be qualified what kind of happiness we're after:

• We're not persuing happiness based on evil and unwholesome actions
• We're not persuing pleasures of the senses
• However, we are devoted to persue the joy, rapture and bliss of samādhi/jhāna

Ajahn Dh...

Ajahn Dhammasiha shares reflections how to cultivate mindfulness (Sati) in daily life.

He points out the importance of being aware/mindful of our intentions, as intention (cetana) is what creates karma.

We also have to be mindful of our emotions and feelings (3rd & 2nd Satipaṭṭhāna/Foundation of Mindfulness). Pleasant and unpleasant feeling (vedanā) is the primary motivator for all our actions.

Finally, it's so important to dev...

What we consider a 'bad' meditation session, e.g. the mind can't settle down and is struggling with strong emotions like anger, lust and anxiety, can be very useful to gain insight into our own character.

Rather than being upset with ourselves thinking 'I can't really meditate'; or becoming frustrated and demotivated; we investigate the obstructions to gain insight and understanding into our own character and the working of our min...

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about one of the most profound aspects of the Buddha's teaching:

Emptiness (Sunyata / Suññatā)

On the most profound level, Emptiness means empty of Self, Me, Mine and I.

An enlightend person, an arahant, has seen through and abandoned all delusions of I, me, mine and self.

The Stream-Enterer (Sotāpanna, first of four stages of Awakening) has abandoned the delusion of Sakkāya-Diṭṭhi (Entity-View), he is empty ...

Ajahn Dhammasiha guides us through a Buddhist meditation on Mindfulness of the In and Out Breath (ānāpānasati).

He specially emphasizes the following points:

1.

Feeling the whole physical body with every breath.

2.

Calming and relaxing all bodily tensions with every breath.

3.

Enjoying the meditation. Developing feelings of gladness, rapture and bliss with every breath.

4.

Brightening the mind with every breath...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked how to apply the Buddha's teaching of Four Noble Truths in our daily life.

The 4 Noble Truths are a core teaching of the Buddha, that is acknowledged as fundmental in all Buddhist traditions, including Therevada, Mahayana and Vajrayana.

These thruths do not constitute a philosophical thought excercise, but are directly applicable to our experience of pain, disappointment and suffering. They show us a p...

Mindfulness of the In-and-Out-Breath, Ānāpānasati, was the favourite meditation object of the Buddha himself. He has given us very comprehensive and detailed instructions how to develop this form of meditation.

However, many meditators, often even those practising regularly for many years, are not fully aware, or at least do not really apply, the instructions as provided by the Buddha.

To encourage everyone to receive the full resu...

Ajahn Dhammasiha responds to a question by someone just getting started in their Dhamma practise.

Ajahn talks about karma, generosity and kindness; and the future results of our karma.

He mentions rebirth, the fact that our mind doesn't just vanish at death, but will connect with a new body in one of the different realms of existence, according to our karma and attachments.

Ajahn recommends to go back to what the Buddha himself...

Ajahn Dhammasiha is asked for advice to overcome ill will.

Ajahn talks about the two fundamental approaches:

1. Developing Loving Kindness, Compassion and Forgiveness to strengthen the opposite qualities in our mind
2. Using wisdom to contemplate and understand anger. For instance, if we're mindful, we can notice that ill will actually feels bad, and that we ourselves are the first 'victim' of our anger.

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