Dhammatalk and Discussion/Q&A in the Theravada Buddhist Forest Tradition, lineage of Ajahn Chah. The times of the Livecast are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net Our live videos are also available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DhammagiriForestHermitage/ For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive

Dhammatalk and Discussion/Q&A in the Theravada Buddhist Forest Tradition, lineage of Ajahn Chah. The times of the Livecast are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net Our live videos are also available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DhammagiriForestHermitage/ For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive

On occasion of Visākhā Pūjā, Ajahn Dhammasiha relates the events leading up to the Buddha's Supreme Awakening under the Bodhi Tree. Initially, the Bodhisatta practised extreme austerities in the believe that only through pain one can eradicate desire and attain perfect release. He fasted and tortured his own body until he almost died. When he collapsed, the Bodhisatta fortunately remembered how he had attained Samādhi (the first Jhāna) as a little child, sitting in the shade of a Roseapple tree. The insight occurred to him that the happiness of Jhāna is not be be feared of avoided, as it is utterly seperated from sensuality or unwholesome states. He realized that the wholesom, spiritual rapture and bliss of Samādhi is not an obstruction to awakening, but actually an essential part of the path. Eating and regaining his strength, he found a suitable location for developing samādhi, and after attaining the various jhānas, he sat down under the Bodhi Tree with the famous resolution: "Even if my blood and flesh completely dry out until only skin, sinews and bones remain; I will not break this posture unless I have attained complete freedom from suffering!" ... More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive .

Ajahn Dhammasiha offers reflections on the Final Parinibāana of the Lord Buddha on occasion of Vesak. He explains why the Buddha decided to spend his last rains retreat not in the famous Jetavana at Savatthi, like the last 15 years, but instead with the Licchavis in Vesāli. He describes several main events at the Buddha's final passing, including the Buddha's last words, and the verses spoken by his great disciple Ven Anuruddha. At the end, the community recites a passage from Anguttara Nikāya/Numerical Discourses, Book of Ones, #13.1; 13.5 & 13.6, extolling the unique qualities of the Buddha. More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive .

Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the "Great Renunciation", how the Buddha left the pampered life as prince behind, and set out alone to find freedom from suffering and death: The Buddha's father, King Suddhodhana, had confined his son, the young Bodhisatta, in the pleasure palace, where he tried to keep all suffering away from him. He wished for him not to renounce, but to continue in household life, and to become a most powerful wheelturning emperor. No old or sick persons were ever allowed into his presence, and all flowers were removed before he could see them wilting. However, when the Bodhisatta went on an outing to the pleasure gardens, he encountered a very old man. Having never seen anyone old at all, he enquired from his Charioteer, Channa: "Who is that? What happened to him?" Being informed by Channa, he returned straight back to the palace and started contemplating. "Will I become so old one day as well? What about my beautiful wife Yasodhara? How about my own father and family?" The same happend on similar outings when he encountered a sick person and a dead body, and finally, on the last outing, the Bodhisatta saw a calm and peaceful looking renunciant. He resolved to leave the palace life behind right today, and to become a homeless ascetic himself. He rode out into the Indian Full Moon Night on his white stallion Khantaka, cut of his hair and beard with his sword, and started his spiritual journey. Ajahn Dhammasiha points out that this story is also a powerful metaphor for our own mind. Like the Buddha's father, our own mind tries to hide the realites of old age, sickness and death from ourselves, so that we can continue "living in the pleasure palace" = enjoying the sensual pleasures in life. If we can break out of this delusion, we can set out on a spiritual search, just like the Bodhisatta. More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive .

Ajahn Kāruṇiko has been a Bhikkhu for 37 years. He ordained at Cittaviveka Monastery as a disciple of Luang Por Sumedho in the early 80ies, and has served as abbot of Cittaviveka from 2015 to 2020. He has also spent 3 years with Luang Por Anan at Wat Marp Jan in Tailand. Cittaviveka is the first monastery of the tradition of Ajahn Chah outside of Thailand. Ajahn Chah has personally visited the property, and provided guidance and encouragement to Ajahn Sumedho during the very difficult foundation and renovation period. You can learn more about Chithurst Monastery here: https://www.cittaviveka.org We're grateful that Luang Por Karuniko was able to finally visit Dhammagiri, after a delay of 2 years due to pandemic restrictions in Australia, and for his generous sharing of Dhamma. More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive .

Ven. Ajahn Kāruṇiko has been a Bhikkhu for 37 years. He ordained at Cittaviveka Monastery as a disciple of Luang Por Sumedho in the early 80ies, and has served as abbot of Cittaviveka from 2015 to 2020. He has also spent 3 years with Luang Por Anan at Wat Marp Jan in Tailand. Cittaviveka is the first monastery of the tradition of Ajahn Chah outside of Thailand. Ajahn Chah has personally visited the property, and provided guidance and encouragement to Ajahn Sumedho during the very difficult foundation and renovation period. You can learn more about Chithurst Monastery here: https://www.cittaviveka.org We're very grateful that Luang Por Karuniko was able to finally visit Dhammagiri, after a delay of 2 years due to pandemic restrictions in Australia, and for his generous sharing of Dhamma. More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive .

On occasion of Ajahn Karuniko's visit, Ajahn Dhammasiha talks about the foundation of Cittaviveka Monastery in 1979. Cittaviveka, in Sussex, England, is the first monastery of the tradition of Ajahn Chah in a Western country. Ajahn Dhammasiha relates crucial events of its establishment, as described in the book "The Chithurst Story" by George Sharp. It required great courage and dedication from George Sharp as secretary of the 'English Sangha Trust', and very hard work and sacrifice by the sangha and countless volunteers, to turn a derelict English country manor into beautiful Chithurst monastery with a thriving community of monks, nuns and lay guests. You can read the details in the free PDF version of book here: https://amaravati.org/dhamma-books/the-chithurst-story-before-beyond/ There's also a BBC documentary on youtube, filmed in the early days of Cittaviveka and containing footage of Ajahn Chah during his visit there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K_AFgRgRu4 (this version contains Thai and Chinese subtitles, and is much better visual quality (720p) than the other versions available on youtube.) There's another BBC Documentary, "The Mindful Way" from 1979, about life at Ajahn Chah's monastery Wat Nong Pah Pong (unfortunately only in 240p): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GOQp0fTIo4 More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive .

"We ourselves have to be our own saviour, No one else can be our saviour. If we train ourselves well, We have found a Saviour that's hard to find." "Attā hi attano nātho, Ko hi nātho paro siyā. Attanā hi sudantena Nāthaṃ labhati dullabhaṃ" Dhammapada Verse #160 It is a hallmark of the Buddha Dhamma that it doesn't point to any external agency, any supreme god or deity, to effect deliverance for us. Instead, the Buddhas can only point out the path, but we have to walk it ourselves. This is perhaps a bit inconvenient, as we have to do the work ourselves. But on the other hand, it means that we do not depend on anyone outside either. Together with the guidance of the Buddha, and the support of Dhamma and Sangha, we have the full potential in ourselves to discipline and develop our mind until we attain release from all suffering. More information about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage visit: https://www.dhammagiri.net For Dhammagiri audio podcasts, you can download the 'CASTBOX' app for Android or iphone to join live. Or listen to recordings later on any device here https://castbox.fm/ch/2744970 Recordings of all our livecasts are also available on SPOTIFY - just search for 'Dhammagiri Buddhist Podcasts' on Spotify app. Dhammagiri Newsletter: https://www.tinyletter.com/Dhammagiri/Archive .