Amaravati Audiobook Collection

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 16, “Sotāpanna: The Spiritual Turning Point I” (from the third part, “Cultivation and Fruition”) on March 30, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Story and comments:

11:59:00–15:50:00 In light of AN 6.98, is Nibbāna permanent? Is it possible to pay attention to what’s happening and notice what isn’t changing?
15:57:00–19:37:00 Does Nibbāna exist? Is there a sutta about this?
19:39:00–24:20:00 What are the differences between disenchantment and dispassion? What are their characteristics?
27:06:00–28:28:00 Joseph Goldstein recognises stinginess about Dhamma (AN 5.260).
28:29:00–37:12:00 Could you repeat the five types of stinginess (AN 5.260)?
44:20:00–45:15:00 Out of curiosity, would accidentally killing [your parent] be equivalently bad kamma?
45:19:00–46:03:00 I find it striking that Aṅgulimāla, who killed so many people, managed to achieve arahantship.
46:11:00–56:46:00 The seven qualities of a sapurisa (good person; DN 33.2.3).
57:02:00–58:41:00 {teachers} explains the Ajahn Pasanno Archive.
58:44:00–01:00:36 The entire Amaravati audio archive has been transcribed using AI and is searchable by subject.

The post Chapter 16 – Sotāpanna: The Spiritual Turning Point I (part4) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 16, “Sotāpanna: The Spiritual Turning Point I” (from the third part, “Cultivation and Fruition”) on March 27, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and comments:

07:37:00–16:59:00 The suttas are the classic Dhamma texts, and there are a lot of books, etc., that expound the Dhamma as well. What sources to study to hear the true Dhamma?
16:59:00–18:05:00 AN 8.53 mentions Dhamma-Vinaya, not just Dhamma.
18:07:00–19:26:00 Is the Abhidhamma a collection of suttas?
20:35:00–29:10:00 About the heavens as other realms and/or states of mind.
31:15:00–35:39:00 I’ve come across the word ‘celestial state.’ Does that help to clarify the Christian definition of heaven?
42:41:00–49:06:00 How are yoniso manasikāra and sati-sampajañña related?
56:53:00–01:00:14 What should we do when we are stuck in aversion and not able to see the anatta aspect of it?
01:03:56–01:07:25 When the suffering passes, but you notice fear of it happening again, how do you deal with this?

The post Chapter 16 – Sotāpanna: The Spiritual Turning Point I (part3) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 16, “Sotāpanna: The Spiritual Turning Point I” (from the third part, “Cultivation and Fruition”) on March 26, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Reflections and teachings:

09:24–14:17 [Considering the large numbers of lay disciples whom the Buddha declared to have realised stages of awakening in DN 18.1] “I guess they were culturally more open to the path?”
14:19–16:02 Are once-returners always reborn in the human realm? … So they have a long human life?
16:05–18:18 Before arriving at [the noble] attainments, is it expected to exist and have a gradual progression of pāramis and come closer to stream entry?
18:18–22:23 If one cultivates certain pāramis during one’s lifetime, can one lose them in another lifetime?
27:58–29:42 Overview of the factors of stream entry: association with superior persons, hearing the true Dhamma, careful attention, and practice in accordance with the Dhamma.
29:46–30:26 A stream enterer is someone who embodies the Noble Eightfold Path (SN 55.5).
30:36–33:33 Stream entry is a really good retirement plan.
33:35–36:58 Our strongest habit is to practice Dhamma in accordance with self-view.
42:33–50:09 SN 55.21 indicates that the last mind-moment is not the primary determinant of rebirth.
50:17–51:30 The first part of the Highest Blessings chant (SNp 2.4; Chanting Book p. 46), ‘associating with the wise,’ is not sappurisa. Is it a synonym?
51:39–53:59 AN 10.61 explains that not drawing close to good people is the root of ignorance.

The post Chapter 16 – Sotāpanna: The Spiritual Turning Point I (part2) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapters 15, “Practices and Perspectives III“ and 16 “Sotāpanna: The Spiritual Turning Point I” (from the third part, “Cultivation and Fruition”) on March 25, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Comments and teachings:

06:00:00–10:50:00 The gist of [AN 4.96 and AN 4.99] seems to be about refraining from; the way to really benefit yourself and others is not to do. When you hear it, it feels quite negative.
15:16:00–16:44:00 I’ve often felt like I’ve made this deal (SN 56.35).
21:34:00–30:31:00 Is it possible to repeat the preparatory stages [before the Buddha teaches the Four Noble Truths] (Mv 1.7.5)?
35:05:00–39:13:00 Explanation of the five lower fetters (SN 45.179).
39:18:00–42:53:00 Explanation of the five higher fetters (SN 45.180).
43:02:00–46:14:00 When an arahant passes, is there a process for that passing? Do the suttas describe it?
46:22:00–50:04:00 You hear about the teachings about the different stages of enlightenment—these fetters going at these stages. When I first heard about it, it was kind of helpful, but it sounded so complicated. Luang Por [Sumedho] would teach that it is here and now, it’s right now, and that was so liberating. … How can you use this talk of the fetters and different stages in a way that is helpful?
50:09:00–58:21:00 Are the Pāli terms for anger and ill-will similar? With anger, you don’t necessarily wish harm on someone else; it just arises, and it’s involved with sakkāyadiṭṭhi …
58:34:00–01:01:37 Because a sotāpanna is supposed to have finished sakkāyadiṭṭhi, does that mean that if they do any actions which involve [unskillful qualities], they don’t carry any kamma?

The post Chapter 15 and 16 – Practices and Perspectives III (part4) and Sotāpanna: The Spiritual Turning Point I (part1) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 12, “Knowing, Emptiness and the Radiant Mind” (from the second part, “The Terrain”) on March 24, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Reflections:

04:59–08:18 When Ajahn Chah went to America, he emphasised the importance of sīla.
22:33–26:59 On the similes for the insubstantiality of the aggregates in SN 22.95.
27:02–33:40 How does [disenchantment towards the aggregates] square with taking delight in the natural world?
33:41–35:33 In each of the five similes for the aggregates in SN 22.95, there is a form but no essence.
35:37–38:00 Everything arises from emptiness, right?
38:20–39:23 Wasn’t there a teaching that everything arises from interest, and there is a sequence that ends in Nibbāna?
39:27–50:02 In what ways does engaging with the natural world, which is always changing, contribute to renunciation and realisation? In the modern world, such conditions are becoming rarer. What is the answer?
50:08–53:50 The meaning of the word ascetic and the nature of forests.

The post Chapter 12 – Knowing, Emptiness and the Radiant Mind (part 3) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 12, “Knowing, Emptiness and the Radiant Mind” (from the second part, “The Terrain”) on March 23, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Recollections and comments:

23:31–24:43 When the Buddha had a backache and the only time he got relief was in the signless concentration of mind (DN 16.2.25), there still seems to be that non-emptiness connected with the six sense bases (MN 121.11-13) …
28:24–29:20 Have you found the instructions for contemplating the formless realms helpful in your own practice?
29:23–38:06 Is my understanding correct that everything is empty, nothing is there from the horses to the … (MN 121)? When the body dies, and with it the senses, do [the body and the senses] disappear in the same way the horses disappear [in MN 121]?
40:22–45:04 Ajahn Chah would often make the distinction between holding and not clinging.
45:07–47:16 The principle of letting go is that nothing is destroyed … we are not buying into the future.
47:19–49:37 In animitta samādhi, is the mind one-pointed or just sharp? Does it fall into the world of jhāna?

The post Chapter 12 – Knowing, Emptiness and the Radiant Mind (part 2) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 12, “Knowing, Emptiness and the Radiant Mind” (from the second part, “The Terrain”) on March 20, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Stories, reflections and comments:

05:13:00–07:45:00 Ajahn Buddhadāsa gives up formal studies and returns to the forest and the suttas.
09:35:00–12:44:00 The other characteristics, like impermanence, dukkha, and anattā – are these considered to be the third quenching elements?
12:50:00–19:52:00 The connection between tathatā and suññatā – would you like to expound a bit more?
28:45:00–29:49:00 When I’ve heard the phrase ‘abiding in emptiness’ used, it hasn’t been a reification; it has been exactly what the sutta (SN 35.85) says: abiding in a place that’s empty of self.
37:55:00–49:48:00 On “Passion is a maker of measurement; aversion is a maker of measurement…” (SN 41.7).
40:58:00–43:09:00 Ajahn Pasanno comes across handwritten notes about Ajahn Chah’s teachings in the library at Wat Pleng.
46:08:00–47:54:00 On the Buddha’s experience of chronic pain in DN 16.2.25.
52:34:00–53:53:00 Could you explain again how anicca is related to signlessness? (Vism 21.70; Path of Purification p. 686; The Island p. 203)
53:56:00–58:50:00 It’s interesting that the Buddha usually speaks of wholesome qualities in the negative, like non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion. Even the precepts are phrased negatively. Could you say that’s pointing towards emptiness?
58:52:00–01:00:11 Of these three pairs (impermanence and signlessness; unsatisfactoriness and desirelessness; selflessness and emptiness; Vism 21.70, quoted in The Island p. 686), is it skilful to direct the mind towards one, or will one appear naturally?
01:00:14–01:00:05 I’m curious about the timeline when the Buddha established the Five Precepts for householders.
01:05:05–01:08:10 The eight training precepts that some monastic traditions ask you to take as a layperson when you are reading suttas or attending Dhamma classes—do different Theravāda forms include these?

The post Chapter 12 – Knowing, Emptiness and the Radiant Mind (part 1) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 15, “Practices and Perspectives III” (from the third part, “Cultivation and Fruition”) on March 19, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Reflections, quotes, etc.

04:39–05:11 The result of the training is that one is freed from greed, hatred, and delusion.
07:54–12:43 When Ajahn Chah reached full liberation, did we wait two years just to be sure?
12:47–15:15 You talked about the end of striving, the end of straining, the end of forcing just now. Yesterday you were talking about standing on one side and neither straining nor moving back. It seems to be a bit of a paradox. Do we strain now and stop when we get there?
15:18–19:46 How did the Buddha deal with this issue of people becoming enlightened contemporaneously with him and getting a little bit crazy? His contemporaries also had siddhis [psychic powers] and practices? How did he distinguish between Buddhist and non-Buddhist attainments?
19:53–23:29 I was trying to imagine what it would be like to look into the world through the eyes of an arahant. Something like looking through The Matrix or looking at people as children….
38:54–41:25 A woman has a dream that she will give birth to an old monk and keeps the precepts easily during her pregnancy.
41:27–46:11 Ajahn Amaro is invited to give a two-minute Dhamma talk at 10 Downing Street on Visākha Pūjā.
46:35–47:14 Ajahn Sumedho’s copy of the Majjhima Nikāya has MN 123.22 highlighted in purple and yellow.
52:03–53:47 The Buddha is always inclined towards drawing conversations to a close (MN 122.6).
57:34–58:38 I’m struck that very often in the sutras, the Buddha himself does not speak. A question arises, someone else answers it, and at the end he just says, ‘Yes, that’s how it is.’

The post Chapter 15 – Practices and Perspectives III (part 3) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 15, “Practices and Perspectives III” (from the third part, “Cultivation and Fruition”) on March 18, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Reflections, comments, etc.

07:47–09:13 A Tibetan monk expresses appreciation for Ajahn Chah’s 1979 visit to Manjurshri Institute.
32:45–33:11 It’s wonderful to hear Ajahn Chah’s brutal honesty about what it’s like being a teacher.
44:05–46:56 When I heard that Ajahn Amaro spent two years [not lying down], I was very impressed. But thinking about how Luang Por Sumedho watched Ajahn Amaro do this for two years and then said, ‘Ah, finally you’re stopping!’ Why do you let people make their own experience?
07:47–09:13 Comparing the diversity of expression in the Six Sets of Six (MN 148) to the Mahāgosiṅga Sutta (MN 32).
53:22–54:21 [This discussion of ‘Nibbāna is the cessation of becoming’ (AN 10.7)] reminds me of the last testament of a well-known teacher: “Rest in purity and evenness and do something for the benefit of others.”

The post Chapter 15 – Practices and Perspectives III (part 2) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Pasanno read and commented on chapter 15, “Practices and Perspectives III” (from the third part, “Cultivation and Fruition”) on March 17, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Reflections, quotes, etc.

09:03–11:07 The Buddha described his teachings as a vīriyavāda, a teaching that requires effort (AN 3.137).
11:30–12:43 About desire: “Are you going to eat the coconut shells?” | Ajahn Chah.
13:10–19:21 When you contemplate some situation, as long as there is still some tension or some feeling, does that mean that you did not come to the right understanding of it? But once you understand the situation, there would be no unpleasant, painful feelings about it.
26:49–28:32 On MN 106.13: “This is personality as far as personality extends.”
31:04–33:54 Is it correct that if something happened before and I remember it, it means there is some clinging?
33:57–37:00 The abandonment of all path factors and saṅkhāras—how much autonomy is there, and how much is ripening and falling away and paying attention?
37:10–41:47 When the mind feels quiet and peaceful, but there’s still something niggling away that doesn’t feel quite right, how do you work with that?
41:51–42:52 Patience isn’t a strategy; it’s an abiding place | Ajahn Sucitto
46:26–50:33 Reading and reflection on AN 9.36: “This is peace, this is exquisite …” (quoted in _The Island_ p. [270](The Island p. 270)).

The post Chapter 15 – Practices and Perspectives III (part 1) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 8, “Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness”, and subchapter 9, “The Unconditioned and Non-Locality” (both from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 15, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

28:36 Q&A (1);
31:57 Q&A (2);
38:44 Q&A (3);
53:48 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment;
54:27 Q&A (4).

The post Chapter 8 and 9 – Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness (part 7) and The Unconditioned and Non-locality (part 1) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 8, “Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness” (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 12, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

11:13 Q&A (1);
12:25 Q&A (2);
21:40 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment;
27:05 Q&A (3);
27:45 Q&A (4);
39:16 Q&A (5);
44:59 Comment;
55:47 Q&A (6).

The post Chapter 8 – Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness (part 6) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 8, “Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness” (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 11, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

13:18 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment;
15:11 Q&A (1);
24:19 Comment (1);
49:22 Q&A (2);
57:46 Comment (2).

The post Chapter 8 – Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness (part 5) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 8, “Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness” (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 10, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

05:56 Comment (1);
09:44 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment;
11:14 Comment (2);
17:26 Comment (3);
18:22 Q&A (1);
36:29 Comment (4);
37:42 Q&A (2);
47:32 Comment (5);
52:58 Q&A (3).

The post Chapter 8 – Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness (part 4) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 8, “Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness” (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 9, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

15:11 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment;
21:01 Comment (1);
22:08 Comment (2);
31:22 Q&A (1);
44:05 Q&A (2);
52:28 Comment (3);
56:55 Q&A (3).

The post Chapter 8 – Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness (part 3) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 8, “Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness” (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 8, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

06:50 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment;
08:04 Q&A (1);
17:46 Q&A (2);
31:36 Q&A (3);
36:42 Q&A (4);
38:50 Q&A (5).

The post Chapter 8 – Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness (part 2) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 8, “Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness” (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 5, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

14:50 Q&A (1);
30:14 Comment (1);
38:40 Comment (2);
47:02 Q&A (2);
56:05 Comment (3);
01:02:21 Comment (4).

The post Chapter 8 – Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness (part 1) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 7, Attending to the Deathless (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 4, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

07:06 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment (1);
22:48 Q&A (1);
26:09 Q&A (2);
28:29 Q&A (3);
34:47 Comment;
35:45 Q&A (4);
44:18 Q&A (5);
01:01:25 Q&A (6);

The post Chapter 7 – Attending to the Deathless (part 2) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapters 6 and 7, Atammayatā: “Not Made of That” and “Attending to the Deathless” (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 3, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

09:25 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment (1);
13:52 Q&A (1);
14:24 Ajahn Pasanno & Ajahn Karunadhammo;
15:09 Q&A (2);
18:06 Q&A (3);
28:44 Q&A (4);
31:51 Q&A (5);
33:49 Comment (1);
36:15 Q&A (6);
48:53 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment (2);
55:56 Comment (2);

The post Chapters 6 and 7 – Atammayatā: “Not Made of That” (part 2) and Attending to the Deathless (part 1) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

There was a reading on March 1, but no edited file from that day exists. Unfortunately, the file went missing in the editing workflow.

Ajahn Amaro read and commented on subchapter 6, Atammayatā: “Not Made of That” (from the second chapter, “The Terrain”) on March 2, 2025, during the Winter Retreat at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK.

Questions and answers:

13:04 Ajahn Pasanno’s comment;
25:58 Q&A (1);
27:15 Q&A (2);
31:04 Q&A (3);
39:22 Comment (1);
43:42 Ajahn Pasanno & Ajahn Amaro;
01:00:58 Q&A (4);
01:05:23 Comment (2);

The post Chapter 6 – Atammayatā: “Not Made of That” (part 1) appeared first on Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.