A video tour of the splendid Ancient Buddhist Cave of the Ring Bearing Doves (Kizil Cave 123). The Kizil Caves complex is one of the largest of the ancient Buddhist cave sites in the mountains of China's Turfan region. There are 236 cave temples in Kizil, carved into the cliff stretching from east to west for a length of 2 km. Of these, 135 are still relatively intact. When this cave temple was built around the sixth century, Kucha was the capital of a regional kingdom ruled by the Indo-European Tocharians. Scriptures, styles, and rituals were transmitted along the silk road from Buddhist kingdoms in India and from Gandhara, today Pakistan and Afghanistan. Hundreds of caves, mostly with vaulted ceilings, were hewn out of the soft rock. By contrast, Kizil Cave 123, known as the “Cave of the Ring-Bearing Doves”, has a square shape and is crowned by a dome, which is unusual. The dome is decorated with stunning paintings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. On the side walls two large identical Buddhas dominate. The reconstructed Kizil Cave 123 is now part of the Humboldt Forum in Berlin. A few photos of the Cave: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cave_of_the_Ring-Bearing_Doves_(Cave_123).jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cave_with_the_Ring-Bearing_Doves,_Kizil,_Cave_123,_431-533_AD,_wall_paintings,_view_2_-_Ethnological_Museum,_Berlin_-_DSC01806.JPG https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cave_with_the_Ring-Bearing_Doves,_Kizil,_Cave_123,_431-533_AD,_wall_paintings,_view_1_-_Ethnological_Museum,_Berlin_-_DSC01804.JPG More about the Kizil Cave Complex in China: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kizil_Caves AUDIO PODCASTS In addition to these videos, we also publish about two new Dhamma talks and guided meditations every week as audio podcasts. The latest podcasts, and some 300 earlier ones on a wide variety of subjects, are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts/itunes, Castbox, Google Podcasts, and many other podcast apps. Just search for "Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts" on your favourite podcast app. Or you can simply listen with with your browser directly from the Dhammagiri podcasts page: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast MORE INFORMATION Dhammagiri Website: https://www.dhammagiri.net Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Dhammagiri Podcasts: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast

The Kaṭhina season is traditionally the time when both lay community and monastic sangha cooperate in a grand ceremony meant to mark the end of the yearly retreat period. It is long considered as one of the most auspicious times in the year to make merit ('puñña' = good karma), when the laity present robes and other requisites to the Sangha in a joyful spirit, full of appreciation for the monks resolute striving in their meditation during the rains retreat. For this years Robe Offering Ceremony we have invited monks from Buddha Bodhivana Monastery, Warburton near Melbourne, Bodhisaddha Monastery, Wilton near Sydney and Bodhipala monastery near Adelaide. 11.45 am Triple Refuge & 5 Precepts Robe Offering Ceremony Anumodanā & Blessing Invitation to Teach Dhamma Dhammatalk Formal Request to Recite Paritta Invitation to Devatā Paritta Chanting by Sangha 02.00 pm End of Program AUDIO PODCASTS In addition to these videos, we also publish about two new Dhamma talks and guided meditations every week as audio podcasts. The latest podcasts, and some 300 earlier ones on a wide variety of subjects, are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts/itunes, Castbox, Google Podcasts, and many other podcast apps. Just search for "Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts" on your favourite podcast app. Or you can simply listen with with your browser directly from the Dhammagiri podcasts page: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast MORE INFORMATION Dhammagiri Website: https://www.dhammagiri.net Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Dhammagiri Podcasts: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast

In the "Fire Sermon" (Adittapariyaya Sutta) the Buddha is teaching 1000 former fire worshipping ascetics that our five senses, the mind and the sense objects are burning in the fire of desire, aversion and delusion. However, the Buddha is also teaching the way of practice how to extinguish the fire and he says if we understand one thing deeply we can make our mind uninflammable for desire, aversion and delusion, so that our mind can never be set on fire again and has realized complete peace. This one thing that we have to understand is wise attention and unwise attention (yoniso manasikara and ayoniso manasikara)...more about it in this Dhamma-Talk. A translation of the Adittapariyaya Sutta: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN35_28.html A few discourses about yoniso manasikara and ayoniso manasikara: Majjhima Nikaya 2 https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN2.html Samyutta Nikaya 46:51 https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN46_51.html AUDIO PODCASTS In addition to these videos, we also publish about two new Dhamma talks and guided meditations every week as audio podcasts. The latest podcasts, and some 300 earlier ones on a wide variety of subjects, are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts/itunes, Castbox, Google Podcasts, and many other podcast apps. Just search for "Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts" on your favourite podcast app. Or you can simply listen with with your browser directly from the Dhammagiri podcasts page: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast MORE INFORMATION Dhammagiri Website: https://www.dhammagiri.net Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Dhammagiri Podcasts: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast

This is the story of the relics of Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Maha Moggallana, the two chief disciples of the Buddha, that had been enshrined in Sanchi Stupa No. 3 for 2300 years before they were re-discovered by british archaeologists. Some original drawing from the excavations: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Sanchi_Stupa_3_relic_series.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Sanchi_Stupa_No_3_relics.jpg Sanchi Stupa No. 3 today: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Sanchi_Stupa_No_3.jpg/1280px-Sanchi_Stupa_No_3.jpg More information about the Sanchi Stupa complex and the relics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanchi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relics_of_Sariputta_and_Moggallana The relics were later divided in three portions and are now enshrined in the Chethiyagiri Vihara in Sanchi in India, in the Mahabodhi Society, in Colombo, Sri Lanka and in the Kaba Aye Pagoda in Myanmar near Rangoon. AUDIO PODCASTS In addition to these videos, we also publish about two new Dhamma talks and guided meditations every week as audio podcasts. The latest podcasts, and some 300 earlier ones on a wide variety of subjects, are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts/itunes, Castbox, Google Podcasts, and many other podcast apps. Just search for "Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts" on your favourite podcast app. Or you can simply listen with with your browser directly from the Dhammagiri podcasts page: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast MORE INFORMATION Dhammagiri Website: https://www.dhammagiri.net Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Dhammagiri Podcasts: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast

1. We start by developing Loving Kindness just to one being, whoever we find most easy. Even an animal like a cat or cute puppy will do. Then we have to keep on going until we actually FEEL somthing. Loving Kindness is an emotion, not just a thinking exercise. Even if we take a long time with just one being, that's fine. Once we can really feel the emotion, a lot has been accomplished, and it's quite easy to include more beings and spread out our Mettā 2. We have to include ourselves. It may appear like that's not so important, as there are countless other beings that we want to radiate kindness towards. However, in reality we ourselves are very important, and loving kindness to ourselves is a BIG part of our practice. 3. Loving Kindness kindness doesn't mean agreeing with or condoning or supporting any harmful, unwholesome actions. We're still fully aware and mindful and con perfectly distinguish wholesome and unwholesome. However, we're wishing well even to those that act nasty, in the sense that we wish them to develop kindness and wisdom, that they abandon all anger and hatred. In addition to our Youtube videos, we usually publish about 2 new Dhammatalks/GuidedMeditations every week as audio podcast. All the latest podcasts, and some 300 earlier ones on a wide variety of subjects, are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts/itunes, Castbox, Google Podcasts, and many other podcast apps. Just search for "Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts" on your favourite podcast app. Even without any podcast app, you can simply listen with your browser at the following link directly on our own Dhammagiri website: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage: https://www.dhammagiri.net Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive .

One of the most beautiful Buddha Statues I've ever seen. Gandhara style, from 2nd century CE. Museum for Asian Art, Humboldt Forum, Berlin. Perfect synthesis of Indian culture, expressing the profound inner qualities of peace, calm, wisdom and compassion, and at the same time exhibiting the supreme beauty of bodily form as in Greek/Hellenistic art. Audio is the traditional chant describing the most important qualities of the Buddha, as he described himself. It's chanted in the ancient Indian Pali language, the language of the Buddha. Learn more about Gandhara Buddhist art on our latest blog article: https://www.dhammagiri.net/post/two-buddhas-and-one-symbol More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage: https://www.dhammagiri.net Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhammagiri-buddhist-podcasts/id1534539834 .

A family has come to share merits with their mother/grandmother/great-grandmother, who they lost a few days ago, at the age of 96 years. In the Dhamma discussion, Ajahn Dhammasiha explains that 'Letting Go' in the way the Buddha actually meant it differs redically from letting go out or heedlessness, negligence and 'I just can't bother'. Often we feel like there's something wrong with letting go, because we may only be familiar with letting go based on carelessness and neglect. For example, it would be outright cruel to let go of a close loved one in the sense of quickly completely forgetting about them. However, this is not what happens when we let go based on widom and insight into impermanence. The Buddha actually stongly encouraged to remember past relatives. He considered it a duty to share good karma with them regularly. Even an Arahant, who has completely let go of all attachments, still has all the wholesome emotions. Only the defilements of greed, hatred, delusion and so on are abandoned. Wholesome emotions like loving kindness, compassion, gratitude, respect, rejoicing in goodness, and so on, are still there, and are even reaching their highest potential, once they are no longer impeded by the defilements. For example the Buddha himself: Although he had zero attachments to anyone or anything after the experience of Sambodhi, he was actually better and more effective in looking after his relative than we can ever hope for. He succeeded in guiding basically all close relatives, and many of the more distant relatives, to freedom from death and suffering. Have we been able to do anything like that for our relative, who we are attached to? Therefore, we should never fear letting go based on wisdom, as we will be even better in practising kindness and compassion to loved ones and all beings without attachment! In addition to our Youtube videos, we usually publish about 2 new Dhammatalks/GuidedMeditations every week as audio podcast. All the latest podcasts, and some 300 earlier ones on a wide variety of subjects, are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts/itunes, Castbox, Google Podcasts, and many other podcast apps. Just search for "Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts" on your favourite podcast app. Even without any podcast app, you can simply listen with your browser at the following link directly on our own Dhammagiri website: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage: https://www.dhammagiri.net Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive .

Buddhist Pāli Chanting of the very first Sutta in the Suttanipāta: "The Serpent" / "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 a particular mental defilement or deluded mode of cognition just like the snake leaves behind it's old skin. And as result of leaving behind the defilement he gives up "the here and the beyond" like a snake its old worn out skin as well. A Dhammatalk about the meaning of the Sutta can be found here: https://castbox.fm/episode/AJAHN-MONEYYO-%22Abandon-Defilements%2C-Like-a-Snake-Shed's-it's-Worn-Out-Skin%22---SUTTA-EXPLORATION%2C-Uraga-Sutta%2C-Suttanip%C4%81ta-1.1-id2744970-id519029375?country=us An English translation of the Pāli Chanting: 1. One who removes the anger that has arisen as one removes with herbs a snake's spreading venom: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 2. One who has entirely cut off desire as if plucking a a lotus growing in a lake: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 3. One who has entirely cut off craving having dried up its fast-flowing stream: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 4. One who has entirely swept up conceit as a great flood does a fragile bridge of reeds: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 5. One who finds no core in states of existence as one seeking flowers in udumbara trees finds none: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 6. One who has no irritations inwardly, having transcended such and such states of existence: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 7. One whos thoughts have been burned out, entirely well excised internally: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 8. One who has neither run too far nor run back, who has transcended all this proliferation: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 9. One who has neither run too far nor run back, having known about the world, "All this is unreal": That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 10. One who has neither run too far nor run back, devoid of greed, [knowing] "All this is unreal": That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 11. One who has neither run too far nor run back, devoid of desire, [knowing] "All this is unreal": That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 12. One who has neither run too far nor run back, devoid of aversion, [knowing] "All this is unreal": That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 13. One who has neither run too far nor run back, devoid of delusion, [knowing] "All this is unreal": That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 14. One who has no latent tendencies at all, whose unwholesome roots have been uprooted: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 15. One who has no states born from distress as a condition for returning to the near shore: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 16.One who has no states born from desire, causes for bondage to existence: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. 17. Having abandoned the five hindrances, untroubled, crossed over perplexity, free of darts: That monk gives up the here and the beyond as a serpent sheds its old worn-out skin. AUDIO PODCASTS In addition to these videos, we also publish about two new Dhamma talks and guided meditations every week as audio podcasts. The latest podcasts, and some 300 earlier ones on a wide variety of subjects, are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts/itunes, Castbox, Google Podcasts, and many other podcast apps. Just search for "Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts" on your favourite podcast app. Or you can simply listen with with your browser directly from the Dhammagiri podcasts page: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast MORE INFORMATION Dhammagiri Website: https://www.dhammagiri.net Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Dhammagiri Podcasts: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast