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Good Dhamma talk 👍 I am happy to see many younger Theravada monks with integrity lately. For many years, the old ones have said everything is in decline, but I have seen some excellent Dhamma talks from young monks lately, and it's great to see.
I take not self for granted because I have no problems understanding it. But when I try to tell people what is self, nobody ever understands what I am saying. There are very big differences between people's ability to understand spiritual concepts. It's easy to think others can understand what you understand, but that's often not true.
Hint: what part/s of you never age, get ill, rest, sleep, or decay? What is it that is always whole+complete regardless of how many pieces of your body are cut off? It's not a trick question, and you can see if you care to look.
@@varapanno ummm, wow, that's difficult to describe. I listened 2x. It's not just one thing. The good down to earth description of the difficulties of finding a perfect meditation environment. The examples you used of environmental hindrances, the dry sarcasm in the way you talk, how nothing is interested in making anything pleasant for us, the excellent way you described all of the various dynamics - in part, I thought it was funny because you did such an excellent coverage of the topic. I thought you did an excellent job. I didn't feel like you left anything out. In part, I laughed in the same way you might smile if you see a gymnast do something amazing, and do it perfectly, or a diver, etc. Let me listen a 3rd time, because it's been a day or so and I need to refresh my memory.
@@varapanno You know, as I listen again, right away it strikes me that this is the 1st time in 20+ years that I have heard a younger native English voice give a Dhamma talk. Usually, I listen to Ajahn Chah, or Maha Bua, or Thanissaro Bhikkhu, or someone from another culture and language, or men over 65 or so, and it wasn't until yesterday that I heard 2 native English speaking bhikkhus talk, with younger voices, and I was just very impressed. You and someone around 25 from the USA. So, that was the first thing. And as I said elsewhere, I hear many older men saying there are less than a handful of great teachers in Thailand and they are not being replaced because it is almost impossible for, say men born after the 1960s, to detach enough from sensuality, from clinging, and to exert hard enough, to push things to the point where you are willing to give up your life for what you are after ... And I was happy just to hear somewhat younger native English speaking bhikkhus with a good understanding, able to give such comprehensive and quality Dhamma talks. And I know some things myself, and I know this is not BS, and I really hope that monks attain what is to be attained, and that the way, and knowledge of the way, is not lost. Because, you know, it was lost. And it wasn't easy to regain. I'm talking about Thailand for example. Without some of the things that were done, Buddhism may be sitting at the level of voodoo today.
@@varapannoNext thing that strikes me is that I know you are talking with grounded experience, from the heart. You aren't just telling people what you have been told. So, I am happy to see that. I can see that you know enough from your own experience to present information to people in a grounded realistic sensible fashion. And there's no theory in anything you say. You're only saying what you know. There's a quality in what you share that says: this man is worth listening to, I better keep my ears open and pay attention.
@@varapanno The part that made me laugh was when you described the environmental hindrances and related things. And your examples or similes are often humorous. But I like the vigor of your words. That's very rare and unique. Usually, voices are old, or academic, or textbook like, or soft, slow, even, quiet, etc. This is unique for me. In a good way. It's like comparing freshly harvested greens to something in a restaurant or frozen or canned food isle. Something more alive and fresh. More nutritional.
Hi Bhante. These Dhamma expositions are much appreciated, but I doubt that this level of teaching would be accessible to the minds of the many. A conclusion arose long ago that if people would suddenly see the real meaning and content of the Dhamma teachings, they would get downright scared ("brutal" truth) due to the massively shocking realization that everything is actually NOT, even them, and much attention is needed so that one does not fall into absolute nihilism. The illusory conditioning starts right at birth, a personal name is given and thus the sense of false individual personality gets tremendously boosted. The everyday life is lived from a delusional individual perspective, and languages do enforce this by using personal pronouns. That is the reason why their use is very restricted in this comment, for example. Well at least those relating to persons. All aspects of everyday life go against the realization of reality, everyday "normal" life is inherently personal in nature because of kammas having been embodied in a specific and delimited form, whether physical (men, animals) or ethereal (devas, petas), and this unfortunate circumstance makes the realization of reality an extremely hard task. No wonder the Buddha had to be persuaded by Brahma Sahampati to try and teach people with little dust in their eyes about these ultimate realizations so unimaginably hard to grasp due to their nature being diametrically opposed to everything that is considered normal and de facto. BTW No one is reborn in hell or heaven, the quality of the impersonal kammas released after the breakup of the body determines a new shape according to their quality. Bad kammas will be embodied in a new being dwelling in the nether realms, and good kammas will be embodied in a new being dwelling in the upper realms, the old body being left to disintegrate due to the kammic content relating to that former body having exhausted itself.
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🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Another excellent talk. Thank you Bhante 🙏🙏🙏
It is profound: You are not the doer of deeds. What a mystery to contemplate! Thank you Venerable Bhikkhu.
An interesting observation on your part. You are not the doer of deeds..nice one.
Good Dhamma talk 👍
I am happy to see many younger Theravada monks with integrity lately. For many years, the old ones have said everything is in decline, but I have seen some excellent Dhamma talks from young monks lately, and it's great to see.
Thank you for the teaching Bhante🙏
Trying my best. Thank you for the support.
I take not self for granted because I have no problems understanding it. But when I try to tell people what is self, nobody ever understands what I am saying. There are very big differences between people's ability to understand spiritual concepts. It's easy to think others can understand what you understand, but that's often not true.
indeed. one has to 'see' for oneself.
@@varapanno I am very surprised that most can't. I don't know what to make of it, except the road must be very very long.
Hint: what part/s of you never age, get ill, rest, sleep, or decay? What is it that is always whole+complete regardless of how many pieces of your body are cut off? It's not a trick question, and you can see if you care to look.
This talk made me laugh. Maybe try night time like the Buddha seemed to do 😊 I like walking meditation by day, and sitting by night.
what made you laugh?
@@varapanno ummm, wow, that's difficult to describe. I listened 2x. It's not just one thing.
The good down to earth description of the difficulties of finding a perfect meditation environment. The examples you used of environmental hindrances, the dry sarcasm in the way you talk, how nothing is interested in making anything pleasant for us, the excellent way you described all of the various dynamics - in part, I thought it was funny because you did such an excellent coverage of the topic. I thought you did an excellent job. I didn't feel like you left anything out. In part, I laughed in the same way you might smile if you see a gymnast do something amazing, and do it perfectly, or a diver, etc. Let me listen a 3rd time, because it's been a day or so and I need to refresh my memory.
@@varapanno
You know, as I listen again, right away it strikes me that this is the 1st time in 20+ years that I have heard a younger native English voice give a Dhamma talk. Usually, I listen to Ajahn Chah, or Maha Bua, or Thanissaro Bhikkhu, or someone from another culture and language, or men over 65 or so, and it wasn't until yesterday that I heard 2 native English speaking bhikkhus talk, with younger voices, and I was just very impressed. You and someone around 25 from the USA. So, that was the first thing. And as I said elsewhere, I hear many older men saying there are less than a handful of great teachers in Thailand and they are not being replaced because it is almost impossible for, say men born after the 1960s, to detach enough from sensuality, from clinging, and to exert hard enough, to push things to the point where you are willing to give up your life for what you are after ... And I was happy just to hear somewhat younger native English speaking bhikkhus with a good understanding, able to give such comprehensive and quality Dhamma talks. And I know some things myself, and I know this is not BS, and I really hope that monks attain what is to be attained, and that the way, and knowledge of the way, is not lost. Because, you know, it was lost. And it wasn't easy to regain. I'm talking about Thailand for example. Without some of the things that were done, Buddhism may be sitting at the level of voodoo today.
@@varapannoNext thing that strikes me is that I know you are talking with grounded experience, from the heart. You aren't just telling people what you have been told. So, I am happy to see that. I can see that you know enough from your own experience to present information to people in a grounded realistic sensible fashion. And there's no theory in anything you say. You're only saying what you know. There's a quality in what you share that says: this man is worth listening to, I better keep my ears open and pay attention.
@@varapanno
The part that made me laugh was when you described the environmental hindrances and related things. And your examples or similes are often humorous. But I like the vigor of your words. That's very rare and unique. Usually, voices are old, or academic, or textbook like, or soft, slow, even, quiet, etc. This is unique for me. In a good way. It's like comparing freshly harvested greens to something in a restaurant or frozen or canned food isle. Something more alive and fresh. More nutritional.
Hi Bhante. These Dhamma expositions are much appreciated, but I doubt that this level of teaching would be accessible to the minds of the many. A conclusion arose long ago that if people would suddenly see the real meaning and content of the Dhamma teachings, they would get downright scared ("brutal" truth) due to the massively shocking realization that everything is actually NOT, even them, and much attention is needed so that one does not fall into absolute nihilism. The illusory conditioning starts right at birth, a personal name is given and thus the sense of false individual personality gets tremendously boosted. The everyday life is lived from a delusional individual perspective, and languages do enforce this by using personal pronouns. That is the reason why their use is very restricted in this comment, for example. Well at least those relating to persons. All aspects of everyday life go against the realization of reality, everyday "normal" life is inherently personal in nature because of kammas having been embodied in a specific and delimited form, whether physical (men, animals) or ethereal (devas, petas), and this unfortunate circumstance makes the realization of reality an extremely hard task. No wonder the Buddha had to be persuaded by Brahma Sahampati to try and teach people with little dust in their eyes about these ultimate realizations so unimaginably hard to grasp due to their nature being diametrically opposed to everything that is considered normal and de facto. BTW No one is reborn in hell or heaven, the quality of the impersonal kammas released after the breakup of the body determines a new shape according to their quality. Bad kammas will be embodied in a new being dwelling in the nether realms, and good kammas will be embodied in a new being dwelling in the upper realms, the old body being left to disintegrate due to the kammic content relating to that former body having exhausted itself.
Thank you for the comment. Sounds like you have thought about this for some time. Keep at it.
@@varapanno Some 20 years in Theravada already ☺. Keep up the good work and have a nice day 👍!
see on you buddhist.cafe.
@@varapanno Yep, already a member ☺
ok nice. next time you login kindly check your messages.