‾‾‾‾‾‾Ξ‾‾‾‾‾‾ ‘THE VENERABLE BOJANGLES’ Dhamma talk @Baan Aree with Pandit Bhikkhu Fri. 7th Feb : in English 6-8pm ____Ξ____ Overview: Dharma talk with Pandit Bhikkhu. There’s no charge, no need to reserve, and mats/chairs are provided. 6:00pm gather (coffee shop on site) 6:25 meditation 7:45 dhamma talk, Q&A 8:00 finish (promptly) We’re glad to …
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First Friday Dhamma talks
‾‾‾‾‾‾Ξ‾‾‾‾‾‾ AUG/SEPT/OCT First Fridays Dhamma talk @Baan Aree with Pandit Bhikkhu in English 6-8pm ____Ξ____ Overview: Dharma talk with Pandit Bhikkhu. There’s no charge, no need to reserve, and mats/chairs are provided. Friday 2nd August: MY MIND’S SUCH A SWEET THING Friday 6th September: RICKY GERVAIS IS WRONG ABOUT RELIGION Friday 4th October …
Meditate, Mondays
MEDITATE, MONDAYS freestyle meditation every week Suk 23 (Asoke), 6:30 – 8:00pm *** temporarily suspended *** _______________________________ Overview: Join a friendly group for meditation every Monday night from 6.30 pm to 8.00 pm in Asok. Brief instructions and tips will be given by either a British monk, a former monastic, or by experienced lay teachers. …
A 2500 year old MP3
Buddhist teachings were not systematically written down for 1000 years. So, people ask, how can we have any idea what the Buddha really taught? Well, in fact we do have a very good idea. Writing was considered an inferior form of record keeping compared to recitation. The rote learning of recitation makes for a remarkably …
Notes: Self Meditation – talk four in the Eight Steps of Yoga
∇∇∇∇∇ Notes on Talk Four 2015 Dhamma Talk Series Pranayama : Self Meditation Breath meditation is a staple of all contemplative traditions. On the one hand I meet wannabe philosophers who only want to talk about things like non-duality. On the other hand I meet people who want to sit with the breath and attain all …
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Bhikkhkuni’s in Thai Media
Here is some news in Thai regarding the ordination of Bhikkhunis (female monks) in Thailand. While many Westerners have a clear cut view, the fact is this is a divisive issue in Thailand, and not at all clear cut. Certain Bangkok English medium writers do not help the issue by presenting it as black and white -an opposition …
Non-duality and Buddhism
A short look at Enlightenment in advance of our event about the Indian sage Ramana Maharshi Saturday. We’ll be asking some of the following questions: The practise of Buddhism is for Enlightenment – spiritual release from suffering. Quite what that is, of course, you won’t know until you experience it directly. But saints and sages …
Does Metta meditation affect the recipients?
Does offering metta meditation actually affect other people? Let our pets decide … ! ____________________________________ Metta meditation, or ‘loving kindness’ meditation is a staple of Buddhism. One arouses the feeling unconditional loving kindness in any way that is expedient, and then ‘offers’ it outwards towards all world beings. Insight meditation (vipassana, yoniso manasikara) makes you …
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2014
Another year has passed. I did not write any of my thesis. I did teach too many classes at University. I barely joined any events in my temple and they must be wondering if I still live there. I did join countless events across Bangkok. And another year deeper into middle age has flitted by. …
Before your head splits into seven pieces
Pu came to the temple wanting to make some offerings. She had a ubiquitous yellow bucket. she was well dressed and in her mid 30s. If you want to know, at the time, she owned a small book business. In the temple she kept asking about Karma. – We always know something is up when …
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Notes: Fifth event – Long-listed for Enlightenment
〈Δ〉 Notes for talk five in the 2014 dhamma talk series Long-listed for Enlightenment Each week during the Rains Retreat Series of Talks in Bangkok the notes will be published. If anything is mentioned during the session that needs clarification or links for further details, then it will be easily found. We talk about staying in the present …
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The Feed Forward Loop
〈Δ〉 WHEN I first encountered Buddhism, it was amazing. The Four Noble Truths seemed like heavenly manna falling to earth. The teachers seemed just as amazing. I was home. I found myself willing to give a lot up in order to pursue Buddhism. I was not a natural meditator, and it was hard work. Ordination as a …
The Day I Quit Bad Days
People ask me why I became a Buddhist monk. I’d like to tell them the truth, but it gets me into trouble. I was depressed. I had no ambition except to propel myself out of this world as soon as I could find the space to do so. This had gone on for 5 years, …
What a ‘Wake’ means
You will die, I will die. What of it? Presumably, after death either you will not be around to experience it, or you will be around to realise it was an illusion after all. (Either way is ok with me!) People who knew you might hold a ‘wake’, which originally referred to a night long …
Watching the Mind
When I was a young(er) man my main character was one driven by depression. I was an unhappy kid. Home was oppressive, and the alternative was to ‘go out’. Having lots of friends, but none close, I’d do the rounds, finding different groups of people to hang out with each night. But what I really …
English Breakfast – with Pandit
How I came to be famous for nearly 2 years. Quite often I do a radio or TV show – mostly journalists fishing for something of novelty, and sticking a mic in my face for a few minutes, and then disappearing forever. I don’t often hear anything back except for an occasional comment from a …
Kayan Yogi program
For a long time I have invited speakers to give talks and lead sessions in Bangkok. Plus the occasional day-long session or weekend retreat. But really – if you want to progress in real Buddhism, the experiential practise, you have to put bum to cushion and keep up a regular meditation practise that is a …
Mental management, body healing
June 2013 we meet to discuss the topic of meditation and healing. Specifically, with all the current crop of magazines sporting outrageous claims of meditation being the key to health, healing everything from headaches to cancer we need to ask how much of a connection there really is. On the one hand we can measure …
“I Shall Please” – the placebo effect
“The placebo effect is the measurable, observable, or felt improvement in health or behavior not attributable to a medication or invasive treatment that has been administered“ Here’s the question – meditation groups, prahnic breathing, Qi Kong, Tai Chi and yoga groups all advertise their courses in terms of health benefits, but is this real and …
Can Anyone Go to Heaven, if they Just be Good?
A well known book ‘Anyone Can Go to Heaven, Just be Good‘ published in Malaysia, suggests exactly what it’s title suggests. According to Buddhism, what happens after you die depends on how you have lived your life. Live in a good, bright and wholesome way, and you will rise ‘up’ to heavenly realms. Do bad …
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