Clear Mountain Monastery Project
Alle afleveringen
100 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Where Is Your Joy? Curing the Dry Heart in Modern Buddhism | Ajahn Nisabho
1 november 2026 · 50 min
In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about the critical imbalance underlying many Western and modern practitioners' approach to practice. When we lean into a narrow, ascetic vision of practice without understanding the Buddha's emphasis on joy, we risk the heart's withering. To nourish the mind, the Buddha provided us powerful teachings on generosity, faith, community, and even creativity. Lees meer
Chapters
00:00 Introduction & Bringing Nourishment to the Heart
01:24 Thanatos & The Super-Ego: The Trap of Practice Violence
03:26 Returning Home: Intuiting Truth vs. Excessive Renunciation
06:05 The Dry Heart (Chetokhila Sutta)
09:06 Gladness as the Basis for Samadhi
12:39 Cultural Context & "Acid Mixed with Acid"
18:07 Chanda (Zeal) and the 19 Beautiful Qualities of Mind
20:41 A Holistic Ecosystem: Generosity, Chanting, & Dharmanusati
25:43 The Role of Art & Beauty on the Path
37:49 Q&A & Story: Walking Out of the Mountains with Guan Yin
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Between Two Worlds: A Deep Lay Life Lived in the Monastery | Debbie Stamp Q&A
29 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
A conversation with Debbie Stamp, upāsaka steward and founding force of Abhayagiri Forest Monastery (www.abhayagiri.org) Lees meer
00:00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:02:36 Debbie's Role at Abhayagiri
00:03:13 Moments of Faith Leading to Monastery Life
00:06:29 Early Faith Experience in Catholicism
00:07:38 Transition from England to Rural California
00:09:22 Meeting and Connecting with Luang Por Pasanno
00:15:37 Navigating the Space Between Monastery and Lay Life
00:18:10 Working Internally with Belonging and Suffering
00:25:05 Advice for Women Considering Ordination
00:27:23 Understanding What It Means to Follow the Heart
00:39:27 Working with Anger and Perspective Shifts
00:41:46 Thriving as a Female Layperson in a Male Monastic Space
00:48:08 Personal Relationship to the Triple Gem
00:51:29 Meaning and Reflection on "Anicca Vata Saṅkhāra"
00:54:23 Influential Teachers and Expressions of Gratitude
00:58:15 The Dhamma of Caregiving and Family End-of-Life Support
01:07:10 Gratitude and Reflections on 30 Years of Abhayagiri
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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“Don’t Worry, Everything is Out of Control”: The Mixed Karma of Voting or Not | Ajahn Sona Q&A
26 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
In this Q&A session, Ajahn Sona speaks about how to hold the fraught political landscape of the present, the significance of our daily actions and intentions as "political" acts, the karma of voting (or not!), the cultivation of deep concentration, and more. For more information about Ajahn Sona and Birken Forest Monastery, visit: https://birken.ca/ Lees meer
Ajahn Sona Biography:
Ajahn Sona is a first-wave Western Theravada-ordained monk and the Abbot of Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery (‘Birken’). With over thirty years in the robes, he is now referred to as ‘Luang Por’ (‘Venerable Father’) by his closest disciples – a traditional honorific for senior monks of the Thai Forest Tradition.
After several years of practice as a lay hermit, the young Bhikkhu Sona took full monastic ordination in 1989 with Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Mahathera at the first Theravada forest monastery in the United States (The Bhavana Society, West Virginia). He later switched to the Thai Forest Tradition and trained at Ajahn Chah’s monasteries in northeastern Thailand for several years. Ajahn Sona now draws on both the Sri Lankan and Thai scholastic and meditative traditions in his teachings, in addition to his modern western sensibilities. His pre-monastic education in philosophy, humanities, and classical Western music have aided him in understanding the Western psyche and in establishing paradigm bridges between East and West.
Ajahn Sona is also deeply interested in the ecological movements of this environmentally critical time, both at the practical and philosophical levels. The off-grid monastery, which he has carefully curated over the last two decades, employs the latest in green design technologies and principles
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- S…
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Not a Faith, but an Education: Epistemic Humility & the Buddhist Approach to Truth | Ajahn Nisabho
25 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 15 min
In this Q&A, done with the Pali Canon - Majjhima Nikaya - Book Club (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69n9ObQ6zIo), Ajahn Nisabho answers questions regarding truth as revealed in three Suttas, the Cāṅki Sutta (MN 95), the Subha Sutta (MN 99), and the Dhammacetiya Sutta (MN 89). Using the three discourses as a framework, we see how the Buddha taught us to protect, realize, and honor truth. To find out more about the Pali Canon - Majjhima Nikaya - Book Club, visit https://majjhima.club/en/. Lees meer
- Cāṅki Sutta (MN 95): https://suttacentral.net/mn95/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false
- Subha Sutta (MN 99): https://suttacentral.net/mn99/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin
- Dhammacetiya Sutta (MN 89): https://suttacentral.net/mn89/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin
You can find summaries of these Suttas, and more, on Clear Mountain's Mission Majjhima Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLomY-Sp4p5YsIVG0DmvJhUcR6YaXR_3wf
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction & Ordination Story
07:47 - Living a Life Worthy of Death
11:44 - Why the Majjhima Nikaya?
14:46 - MN 95: Epistemic Humility & Knowing the Truth
44:20 - MN 99: Intention & Lay Practice
54:40 - MN 89: King Pasenadi & Monuments to the Dhamma
58:34 - Q&A: Do You Need Jhanas for Enlightenment?
01:04:40 - Q&A: Navigating Difficult Sutta Passages
01:08:58 - The Rare Opportunity of the Dhamma & Closing Blessing
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Insane Compassion—Into the Fire With a Former Radical, Lesbian, Separatist Feminist | Robina Courtin
22 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 7 min
A conversation with Venerable Robina Courtin (https://robinacourtin.com/): Lees meer
00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:13 Meaning of the saying "Everything exists on the tip of a wish."
00:03:08 Wish that brought Venerable Robina into robes
00:05:52 Inspirations that sparked faith in Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa
00:08:10 Concept of the guru as a fourth jewel in Tibetan Buddhism
00:08:52 Reasons for feeling safe with two male Tibetan teachers
00:12:08 Evolution and deepening of the relationship with teachers over decades
00:17:15 Origins and physical experience of prostration practice
00:21:55 Recitations/commitments accompanying prostrations in different traditions
00:22:54 Working with inmates through the Liberation Prison Project
00:28:48 Parallels between incarcerated individuals and the four heavenly messengers
00:30:42 Transitioning from feminism into a male-dominated monastic hierarchy
00:31:09 Navigating monasticism and advice for women entering spiritual traditions
00:36:20 Differences between ordination and lay life across Buddhist schools
00:40:09 Central role of karma and addressing concerns about victim blaming
00:43:34 Explaining karma in relation to innocent suffering and everyday good fortune
00:45:40 "Hinayāna"?
00:46:24 Comparing the scope and levels of different Buddhist Vehicles
00:52:14 Nature and reality of deities, Bodhisattvas, and Green Tara
00:57:11 Relating to diverse, wrathful, and peaceful deity manifestations
00:59:24 Meaning, mechanics, and karmic benefits behind water bowl offerings
01:02:29 Applying Dharma to world news without falling into depression or panic
01:05:25 Practical morning intentions and simple daily vows for lay practitioners
Biography of Venerable Robina Courtin:
Ordained since the late 1970s, Ven. Robina has worked full time since then for Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). Over the years she has served as editorial director of Wisdom Pub…
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Not So Great Expectations: The Danger of “What if?” & Shoulding Ourselves & Others | Bhante Rāhula
18 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 11 min
In this talk, Bhante Rāhula, visiting from Paññabhumi Monastery in Jalisco, Mexico, speaks about the danger of expectation, and how attachment to our desires inevitably leads to suffering. By seeing this dynamic with wisdom, replacing expectation with aspiration, and cultivating gratitude, we can escape from the vicious cycle. Sadhu! Visit https://www.bhanterahula.com/ or https://dhamma-pb.org/en to learn more. Lees meer
Bio
Bhante Rāhula, born in Mexico, has spent the last 22 years in Asia in various periods, where he has practiced and studied the Dhamma.He was ordained in Myanmar by Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa, who is his preceptor. Since 2004 he has received meditation guidance from Sayadaw U Tejaniya. For 6 years, Bhante studied Suttas and Abhidhamma with Sayadaw Dr. Ukkamsacara in Macau. In 2019, he completed a course on Buddhist scriptures from Harvard University. He underwent monastic Vinaya training for 2 years in Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary in Malaysia under the guidance of Ven. Ariyadhammika, where he also led retreats and Dhamma activities for the local community. Currently, Bhante is constructing the Mexican Buddhist Center (Paññābhūmi) to introduce and propagate the Buddha’s teaching in South America. He is also actively involved in diverse programs to aid parts of the society in overcoming drug addiction and alcoholism, as well as supporting educational campaigns for children and teens to prevent such problem in this region. Visit bhanterahula.com or https://dhamma-pb.org/en to learn more.
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for detail…
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”Devas Take an Interest”: A Former Professor’s Vision of the Hidden Forces Among Us | Ajahn Pavaro
15 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 19 min
A conversation with Ajahn Pavaro, senior monastic and teacher at Tisarana Buddhist Monastery in Perth, Ontario (https://tisarana.ca/) and sometimes Anandagiri Monastery, Thailand (https://www.peacebeyondsuffering.org/anandagiri.html) Lees meer
00:00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:01:51 Early Faith and Path to Ordination
00:09:44 Philosophy Studies and Existential Wonder
00:15:07 Creative Outlets and Joy in Monastic Life
00:20:49 Woodworking and Crafting at the Monastery
00:24:28 Jungle Practice, Metta, and the Viper
00:36:14 The Decision to Ordain
00:49:44 Daily Intentions and Unseen Agencies
00:53:43 Practical Intentions and Chants for Lay Practitioners
01:00:06 Living in the World of Devas and Other Realms
01:15:33 Final Benediction and Words of Encouragement
Ajahn Pavaro's Biography:
Ajahn Pavaro is a Canadian-born bhikkhu who brings with him a wealth of experience and wisdom from both his academic and monastic journeys. Before entering monastic life, he was a university lecturer in Calgary, Alberta, teaching comparative religion—a field that deeply reflects his lifelong interest in understanding the spiritual paths of humanity. Ajahn Pavaro began his monastic training in 2001 under the guidance of his teacher, Ajahn Sona, at Birken Forest Monastery in British Columbia. Over the years, his practice and training have taken him across the globe. He spent his seventh year as a monk with his preceptor, Luang Por Pasanno, at Abhayagiri Monastery in California. Later, he moved to Thailand, where he spent nearly a decade at Anandagiri Forest Monastery with Ajahn Achalo, benefitting from the teachings of renowned elders of the Wat Nong Pah Pong Sangha, including Luang Por Liam and Ajahn Anan. Several years ago, Ajahn Pavaro returned to Canada to reside at Tisarana Monastery in Perth, Ontario. This Rains Retreat, however, Ajahn is back in Thailand at Anandagiri.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Eveni…
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Walk to the Mountain: A Vision Lands | A 3-Day Community Pilgrimage Documentary
12 oktober 2026 · 14 min
https://www.clearmountain.org/ Lees meer
https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery
https://www.friendsofclearmountain.org/land-development/
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction & Setting the Intention
02:15 Day 1: Beginning the Pilgrimage Journey
05:30 Day 2: Reflections, Community, and the Trail
09:45 Day 3: Arrival and The Vision Lands
12:10 Conclusion & Reflections on the Mountain
VISION
Clear Mountain Monastery is a Buddhist forest monastery. In Theravāda Buddhism and within the Early Buddhist Texts, the forest tradition represents a return to the simple way of life taught by the Buddha. Monastics aspire to live as the early disciples did: dwelling in the forest, studying the teachings, and devoting themselves to meditation. Monastics and laity exist in a relationship of mutual generosity, in which they support one another on the Buddha’s path towards complete liberation of the heart—Nibbāna.
From 2021 to 2026, Clear Mountain’s first monastics, Ajahn Nisabho and Ajahn Kovilo, generally lived on the quiet periphery of Seattle, going for alms most mornings at Pike Place Market. On Saturday mornings, those interested gathered at Amistad School next to Saint Mark’s Cathedral for meditation and teaching, and a community based on mutual generosity took root.
In mid-2026, after years of searching, Clear Mountain acquired 90 acres of forested land in North Bend, Washington, only 40 minutes from Seattle. The property, both close enough to remain accessible to those in the city and secluded enough to allow monastic retreat, represents an ideal location for the monastery to grow.
Clear Mountain envisions a flourishing home for up to 20 monastics—a sanctuary rooted in nature, quiet simplicity, and traditional monastic discipline (Vinaya). From this peaceful foundation, the monastery will warmly welcome the lay community to join in a rich variety of shared spiritual activities, including: daily meal offerings; chanting and meditation (pūjas); Sutta and Pāli scriptural study; onl…
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Finding (Stevie) Wonder in Your Practice: Joy as an Indispensible Spiritual Tool | Bhante Rāhula
11 oktober 2026 · 48 min
In this talk, Bhante Rahula, visiting from Paññabhumi Monastery in Jalisco, Mexico, speaks about joy as an essential spiritual tool which we may access by appreciating all the good we've done. To pause now, and appreciate the great care that's gone into finding Clear Mountain a home, can serves a cause for great wellbeing, and a happiness that outlasts the world. Sadhu! Visit bhanterahula.com or https://dhamma-pb.org/en to learn more. Lees meer
Bio
Bhante Rāhula, born in Mexico, has spent the last 22 years in Asia in various periods, where he has practiced and studied the Dhamma.He was ordained in Myanmar by Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa, who is his preceptor. Since 2004 he has received meditation guidance from Sayadaw U Tejaniya. For 6 years, Bhante studied Suttas and Abhidhamma with Sayadaw Dr. Ukkamsacara in Macau. In 2019, he completed a course on Buddhist scriptures from Harvard University. He underwent monastic Vinaya training for 2 years in Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary in Malaysia under the guidance of Ven. Ariyadhammika, where he also led retreats and Dhamma activities for the local community. Currently, Bhante is constructing the Mexican Buddhist Center (Paññābhūmi) to introduce and propagate the Buddha’s teaching in South America. He is also actively involved in diverse programs to aid parts of the society in overcoming drug addiction and alcoholism, as well as supporting educational campaigns for children and teens to prevent such problem in this region. Visit bhanterahula.com or https://dhamma-pb.org/en to learn more.
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountai…
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Talking Back at Māra: ”I Hate to Waste a Perfectly Good Disaster” | Ayya Sudhamma Q&A
8 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 13 min
In this session, Ayya Sudhamma, abbess of Charlotte Buddhist Vihara (https://www.charlottebuddhistvihara.org/), joins Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho for a conversation. Read her renderings of the Therigatha at: https://therigatha.org/ Lees meer
Ayya's biography:
Venerable Sudhammā is one of a handful of Theravada Mahātherīs born in the West. After receiving her initial monastic training under the renowned teacher Bhante Gunaratana of the Bhavana Society, West Virginia, Ayyā Sudhammā has since gone on to become a beloved Buddhist teacher and pioneer of Buddhism in America. She was the first Western women to become fully ordained in Sri Lanka, she co-founded the North American Bhikkhuni Association, and hosted the first-ever Theravada Bhikkhuni Sangha proceeding in the USA. In 2013 Ayya founded the Charlotte Buddhist Vihara in her hometown of Charlotte, NC, where she continues to offer regular Dhamma programs.
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The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 - 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11:00 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6:00 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Recalibrating Sanity Through Unbounded Space | Ajahn Kovilo
3 oktober 2026 · 44 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo discusses various skilful means—specifically ones related to a felt sense of spaciousness—for relating to the 5 hindrances of: Lees meer
00:00 Introduction to unbounded mind vs little mind
08:12 (1) sensual desire
11:45 (2) ill-will
17:21 (3) sloth and torpor
20:35 (4) restlessness and worry
24:50 (5) doubt
An overarching relationship is drawn between:
(a) the Buddha's comparison of a vast, lakelike mind with a constricted, confined, salty mind (https://suttacentral.net/an3.100/en/sujato) and
(b) the Buddha's comparison of the mind afflicted with the five hindrances to various types of unclean water (https://suttacentral.net/an5.193/en/sujato).
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Punk Rock Dhamma: Bringing Down the Edifice With Curiosity, Humility ... But Not AI | Bhante Sujato
1 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
This is PART TWO of Clear Mountain's interview with Bhante Sujāto, co-founder of SuttaCentral.net and abbot of Lokanta Vihara. Watch PART ONE here: https://youtu.be/dJvntE6aw-s Lees meer
00:00:00 Introduction & Textual Curiosity Across Buddhist Genres
00:16:51 Comparative Studies of the Creation of the Bhikkhuni Order
00:24:59 The Trojan Horse Simile of Picking and Choosing & How to Hold Varrying Views
00:31:51 The Buddha, Bodhisattva, and Arahant Awakenings
00:38:18 The Buddha as Distinct From Arahants?
00:41:08 Maintaining Inter-Tradition Epistemological Humility?
00:47:00 A Buddhist Perspective on Artificial Intelligence - "Start Generating"
01:01:22 What Mendicant Would Grace the Gosinga Sal Tree Grove?
Bhante Sujāto's Biography:
Born in Perth in 1966, Bhante Sujato left a career as a musician to become a Buddhist monk at Wat Nanachat in 1994. Some years later, he returned to Perth to study with Ajahn Brahm at Bodhinyana Monastery, before going on to found Santi Forest Monastery in New South Wales in 2003. In 2005 he, together with Rod Bucknell and John Kelly, founded SuttaCentral which has become the unchallenged juggernaut of Early Buddhist Textual Study. In 2015, seeing the need for a complete, accurate, plain English translation of the Pali texts available entirely for free, he undertook the task, spending nearly three years in isolation and completing the four main Nikāyas in 2018, and the early books of the Khuddaka Nikāya by 2021. In 2019, Bhante Sujato moved to Sydney to establish Lokanta Vihara (the Monastery at the End of the World) to explore what it means to follow the Buddha’s teachings in an era of climate change, globalised consumerism, and political turmoil.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
Sunday Evening “Mission Majj…
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What’s To Give Light Must Endure Burning: Suffering’s Alchemy in Theravāda Practice | Aj. Nisabho
27 september 2026 · 52 min
In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about the definitions of "dukkha", and the importance of understanding its various meanings in order to practice skillfully towards its ending. To truly embody the directive of the First Noble Truth is to initiate the alchemy of release. Lees meer
Chapters
00:00 - Understanding Dukkha (Translations & Etymology)
02:11 - The Malunkyaputta Sutta & Leaves in the Hand
04:33 - The Four Noble Truths as a Path of Practice
10:10 - The Two Types of Dukkha: Characteristics vs. Clinging
16:44 - Suka, Dukkha, and Nibbāna
19:50 - Turning Towards Suffering with Gratitude & Khanti
31:02 - Pain Meditation as a Direct Practice
33:45 - Rumi Poem: Fire and Water
36:17 - Q&A Session
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Into the Mire of Buddhist Controversy? How Christian Jealousy Birthed SuttaCentral | Bhante Sujato
24 september 2026 · 55 min
This is PART ONE of Clear Mountain's interview with Bhante Sujāto, co-founder of SuttaCentral.net and abbot of Lokanta Vihara. Watch PART TWO being premiered next Wednesday here: https://youtu.be/h1RotjMuH_M Lees meer
00:00 Introduction
01:56 Bhante Discovers the Suttas
07:01 The Origin Story of SuttaCentral
13:52 How Comparative Agama Study Supports Pāli Sutta Practice
20:59 Key Insights Uncovered Through Comparative Text Studies
29:45 Navigating the Impact of Text-Critical Studies on Faith
36:38 The Necessity of Jhāna and Its Role on the Path to Awakening
48:00 Layering Text-Critical Study with Traditional Pāli Canon Study
Bhante Sujāto's Biography:
Born in Perth in 1966, Bhante Sujato left a career as a musician to become a Buddhist monk at Wat Nanachat in 1994. Some years later, he returned to Perth to study with Ajahn Brahm at Bodhinyana Monastery, before going on to found Santi Forest Monastery in New South Wales in 2003. In 2005 he, together with Rod Bucknell and John Kelly, founded SuttaCentral which has become the unchallenged juggernaut of Early Buddhist Textual Study. In 2015, seeing the need for a complete, accurate, plain English translation of the Pali texts available entirely for free, he undertook the task, spending nearly three years in isolation and completing the four main Nikāyas in 2018, and the early books of the Khuddaka Nikāya by 2021. In 2019, Bhante Sujato moved to Sydney to establish Lokanta Vihara (the Monastery at the End of the World) to explore what it means to follow the Buddha’s teachings in an era of climate change, globalised consumerism, and political turmoil.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.c…
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The Key of Compassion: Finding Meaning Behind Bars | Thubten Chodron
21 september 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
The Key of Compassion (Free Download): https://sravastiabbey.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/The_Key_of_Compassion_v2026-04-09_ClearMtn_Secured.pdf Lees meer
In this interview, Ven. Chodron speaks about the new book, "The Key of Compassion: Finding Meaning where
In The Key of Compassion, incarcerated men articulate how they landed in prison, the reality of life behind bars, the benefits of educational programs, and how the Buddha’s teachings on nonviolence and compassion changed them. Through evocative stories, poetry, and artwork, they show us that compassion is possible, no matter where you are. Buddhist nun Thubten Chodron shares her experience of introducing inmates to these teachings and the revolutionary effect it has had on their lives.
You can find out more about the Sravasti Abbey prison project at https://sravastiabbey.org/who-we-are/how-we-help/
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
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- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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From Uganda to the Dalai Lama: The Chronicles of an African Seeker in India | Bhante Buddharakkhita
20 september 2026 · 58 min
In this talk, Bhante Buddharakkhita, visiting from Uganda, speaks about his journey from Africa into Buddhism, and how the first four blessings described by the Buddha in the Maṇgala Sutta (Discourse on Blessings - https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/ChantingGuide/Section0051.html) can help keep us on the path. Learn more at https://bhantebuddharakkhita.org/ and https://ugandabuddhistcenter.org/ Lees meer
Bio
Bhante first encountered Buddhism in 1990 while studying and living in India. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk by the late Most Venerable U Silananda in 2002 at the Tathagata Meditation Center in San Jose, California. He then spent eight years under the guidance of Bhante Henepola Gunaratana at the Bhavana Society, West Virginia. He is the founder and Abbot of the Uganda Buddhist Center in Uganda. Learn more at https://bhantebuddharakkhita.org/ and https://ugandabuddhistcenter.org/
Chapters
00:00:00 - Chanting & Opening Blessings
00:01:08 - The 4 Wheels of Success (Mangala Sutta)
00:02:49 - Early Journey: Discovering Buddhism in India
00:06:29 - Traveling to Dharamshala to Meet the Dalai Lama
00:08:57 - Private Audience with the Dalai Lama & "Find Friends"
00:11:08 - Returning to Uganda & Scuba Diving in Thailand
00:13:33 - Finding Meditation Teachers & Starting the Uganda Buddhist Center
00:14:47 - 1. Associating with the Wise vs. Unwise
00:17:22 - Meeting Difficult People & Compassion in Action
00:21:44 - 2. Staying in a Suitable Place
00:23:20 - 3. Meritorious Deeds Done in the Past
00:26:46 - 4. Establishing Oneself in the Right Path (Kusala)
00:32:01 - VISA, Mastercard & American Express: Remembering the Noble Eightfold Path
00:36:56 - Story of the Uganda Monastery, Forgiveness & Bullet Hole
00:41:02 - Q&A: Key Friends & Early Spiritual Influences (Mother, Teachers, Animals)
00:49:16 - Q&A: 5 Techniques to Overcome Unwholesome States of Mind
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesda…
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Hello Dukkha, My Old Friend: American Suffering through the Eyes of a Tough Canadian | Ajahn Pasanno
17 september 2026 · 1 uur
In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with Luang Por Pasanno about dukkha (suffering & unsatisfactoriness), in its personal, social, physical, and psychological aspects. Lees meer
Bio
Luang Por Pasanno is one of the most senior disciples of Luang Por Chah. He is the former abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat, and founder of Wat Poo Jom Gom, Wat Dtao Dum, and co-founder of Abhayagiri Monastery in California. https://www.abhayagiri.org/
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction & Welcome to Ajahn Pasanno
00:45 - What is Dukkha? (The Simile of Canadian Tires in Winter)
04:40 - The Two Kinds of Dukkha: First Arrow vs. Second Arrow
07:47 - "Hello Dukkha, My Old Friend": Developing Early Insights
09:31 - Finding Faith in the Cessation of Suffering through Luang Por Chah
10:40 - A Classic Wat Pah Nanachat Story: Sitting Through Patimokkha
20:30 - Dealing with Physical Pain & The True Meaning of Patient Endurance (Khanti)
26:18 - Facing Mental Pain & Becoming Abbott During Luang Por Chah's Illness
32:33 - Seeking Spiritual Friendship (Kalyāṇamittatā) & Support
38:12 - Luang Por Dune’s Reframing of the Four Noble Truths
40:40 - Navigating Worldly News, Politics, & Modern Anxiety
45:11 - Plant Seeds for Good: Lessons from Nature Care
47:43 - The Paradox of Living in Community
50:16 - The Heartwood of the Dhamma (Unshakable Deliverance of Mind)
53:29 - American Patterns of Dukkha & Absorption into Self
57:15 - Where to Reside When Free From Suffering: Stillness and Awareness
58:12 - Final Advice for Clear Mountain Monastery
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 - 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11:00 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6:00 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountai…
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Lunar Spirituality: The Nocturnal Dharma of Liminal Dreaming & Dream Yoga | Andrew Holecek PART TWO
12 september 2026 · 1 uur 13 min
This is PART TWO of Clear Mountain's interview with Andrew Holecek—scholar, practitioner, and "student of the night" (https://www.andrewholecek.com/). Watch PART ONE here: https://youtu.be/9wqSc5M1z-Q Lees meer
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:31 Definition of Nocturnal Meditation
00:04:24 The Value of Waking Consciousness
00:15:58 Exploring the Liminal State
00:16:07 Historical Context of Early Wakefulness Teachings
00:29:03 The Role of Beliefs and Intentions in Sleep
00:35:21 Distinguishing Lucid Dreaming from Dream Yoga
00:43:35 Transforming Fear and Nightmares in Dreams
00:51:32 Deity Yoga and the Plasticity of Identity
Andrew Holecek's Biography:
Dr. Andrew Holecek is an author, concert pianist, and interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner of Vajrayāna Buddhism. A member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, he holds degrees in music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery, in addition to having completed a traditional Tibetan three-year meditation retreat under the guidance of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. He serves as Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, is a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University, and is actively involved in scientific research on dark retreat with the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Tiny Blue Dot Science Foundation. He is also the author of 10 books including: Preparing to Die; Dream Yoga; The Lucid Dreaming Workbook; and his latest book Total Eclipse of the Mind: Unleashing the Power of Darkness for Creativity, Healing, and Transformation.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit …
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Zen & the Art of Poetry at the Edge: Everything is Waiting For You | David Whyte Q&A
10 september 2026 · 59 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho engage in a conversation with poet David Whyte (https://davidwhyte.com/). Lees meer
00:00:00 Introduction & Spiritual Background
00:09:48 David Recites "The Bell and the Blackbird"
00:12:35 Marshaling Art for Spiritual Growth
00:19:16 Overcoming Acedia & Finding Joy
00:24:55 David Recites Blessing for the Morning Light
00:26:24 David Recites "The Well of Grief" & Metabolizing Suffering
00:31:43 Facing the Conversation You Don't Want to Have
David Whyte's biography:
David Whyte grew up with a strong, imaginative influence from his Irish mother among the hills and valleys of his father’s Yorkshire. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The author of twelve books of poetry and five books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalaya. He brings this wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops.
David’s life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in three normally mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings that most poets inhabit, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry and the world of vocation, work and organizational leadership.
The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 - 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11:00 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6:00 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/cl…
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Meditating in Total Darkness: Divine vs Diabolical Darkness | Andrew Holecek PART ONE
5 september 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
This is PART ONE of Clear Mountain's interview with Andrew Holecek—scholar, practitioner, and "student of the night" (https://www.andrewholecek.com/). Watch PART TWO here: https://youtu.be/mGqZDbIVK0c Lees meer
00:00:00 - Introduction & Andrew Holecek's Background
00:01:44 - Lunar Spirituality Bio & Background
00:07:01 - Overview & Significance of Dark Retreat
00:10:34 - Physical Setup and Environments
00:12:03 - Sutra vs. Tantra Approaches
00:18:26 - Comfort, Challenge, and Danger Zones
00:24:03 - Testing Personal Limits and Session Duration
00:25:34 - Preparing for Total Darkness
00:33:17 - The Perception of Light and Openness
00:34:24 - Home Simulations vs. Retreat Centers
00:39:42 - Psychotherapy and Contemplative Practice
00:40:43 - Indications and Contraindications
00:53:34 - Signs of Dissociation and Knowing When to Stop
01:03:55 - Time Perception and Circadian Rhythms
01:07:22 - Egolocation and Boundaries of the Self
Andrew Holecek's Biography:
Dr. Andrew Holecek is an author, concert pianist, and interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner of Vajrayāna Buddhism. A member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, he holds degrees in music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery, in addition to having completed a traditional Tibetan three-year meditation retreat under the guidance of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. He serves as Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, is a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University, and is actively involved in scientific research on dark retreat with the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Tiny Blue Dot Science Foundation. He is also the author of 10 books including: Preparing to Die; Dream Yoga; The Lucid Dreaming Workbook; and his latest book Total Eclipse of the Mind: Unleashing the Power of Darkness for Creativity, Healing, and Transformation.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!…
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From Seattle to North Bend: A Lotus With Every Step | Ayya Anandabodhi, Ajahn Kovilo & Ajahn Nisabho
2 september 2026 · 45 min
00:00 Chanting Together Lees meer
00:52 Ayyā Ānandabodhi — Walking Right Here
08:04 Ajahn Kovilo — Walking With Stillness: The World Moving Through Us
16:58 Ajahn Nisabho — Path as Duty: Monastery as Container
26:59 Question: Navigating Career Transitions
31:53 Question: Managing Boredom in Relationships
37:25 Question: Balancing Duty and Presence
In this session, directly preceding their three-day pilgrimage from St. Mark's Cathedral in Capitol Hill, Seattle to the new Clear Mountain property in North Bend, Ayyā Ānandabodhi and Venerable Satima join Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho in reflecting on the why and how of Buddhist pilgrimage ("tudong") and walking meditation more broadly.
To learn more about Ayyā Ānandabodhi and Venerable Satima, visit www.parayanavihara.org
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Returning to Nature through Wuwei: Simplifying, Sensitizing, & Surrendering | Jason Bartlett Q&A
30 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 30 min
ESSAYS Lees meer
Return to Simplicity Through Wuwei: https://luminousdharma.org/return-to-simplicity-through-wuwei/
Returning to Nature: https://luminousdharma.org/returning-to-nature-advanced-dharma-practice/
PAIRED VIDEO: https://youtu.be/qlU00qmHq1E
DESCRIPTION
Returning to Simplicity is an approach to Buddhist practice based on radical surrender. What we set down is the whole apparatus of impulse, obsession, discriminating, ruminating, and holding concepts about how the world should be. We are not setting down the arising of these things, but our investment in them. What we take up instead is feeling the world as it actually is.
The Buddha encouraged exploring body, mind, and environment as "not I, not me, not mine." In this discussion we look at how that seeing may be uncovered and directly experienced, and how life can open into freedom when things are entrusted back to natural function. To learn more, visit https://luminousdharma.org/.
BIO
Jason Bartlett teaches a practical, cross-traditional approach to Buddha Dharma centered on "returning to nature" — a method of releasing the sense of self by entrusting whatever arises spontaneously and uncontrolled to nature itself, drawing on prajñāpāramitā, tathāgatagarbha, and early Taoist teachings. He began meditating in 1993 at age 17, and his practice expanded over the years to include Chan, Korean Seon, and Theravāda traditions, along with study of the Pāli suttas and Mahāyāna sūtras. Following his brother's death in 2019, he founded Luminous Dharma to offer teachings freely. His mentors include Venerable Sucitta Mahātherī, Santikaro Upāsaka, Leigh Brasington, and Venerable Wu Kai Shīfù. To learn more, visit https://luminousdharma.org/.
CHAPTERS
0:00 – Opening & Bio Introduction
3:08 – "How would you describe returning to simplicity?"
9:34 – "How would you speak about people embodying this in daily life?"
13:33 – "Can you give listeners practical ways to embody the skill of release?"
18:05 – "How would you su…
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Essence, Energy, & Emptiness: Taoist Energy Alchemy for Buddhist Liberation | Ajahn Nisabho
23 augustus 2026 · 55 min
In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho the Buddha's directions towards developing jhāna through mindfulness of breathing, as articulated in the Ānāpānassati Sutta (MN 18 - https://suttacentral.net/mn118/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false). Taoist articulations of how to refine the body's energies provide practical tools for practitioners looking to refine the mind through these stages. Specifically, Jason Bartlett's "Awakening Alchemy" methodology, described in the talk and essay below, give in-depth guidance about the approach. Lees meer
Video: Buddhist Lotus, Taoist Roots: An Ancient Blueprint for Modern Practice | Jason Bartlett Q&A: https://youtu.be/qlU00qmHq1E
Awakening Alchemy Essay: http://Luminousdharma.org/awakening-alchemy/
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Buddhist Lotus, Taoist Roots: An Ancient Blueprint for Modern Practice | Jason Bartlett Q&A
20 augustus 2026 · 2 uur 6 min
ESSAY: http://Luminousdharma.org/awakening-alchemy/ Lees meer
PAIRED VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_GUvwlg8bHI
DESCRIPTION
Awakening Alchemy is a system of body, breath, energy, and spirit practices that cultivate and transform our being on multiple levels. Its concepts and approach are rooted in principles found within East Asian medicine, Taoist cultivation, and Buddhism. In this discussion we establish the principles and working points that serve as the foundation for this style of practice.
As with all techniques, these practices affect each person differently. If you experience problematic symptoms or stress while trying them, please discontinue the practice and consult a skilled practitioner of traditional East Asian medicine as needed. To learn more, visit https://luminousdharma.org/.
BIO
Jason Bartlett teaches a practical, cross-traditional approach to Buddha Dharma centered on "returning to nature" — a method of releasing the sense of self by entrusting whatever arises spontaneously and uncontrolled to nature itself, drawing on prajñāpāramitā, tathāgatagarbha, and early Taoist teachings. He began meditating in 1993 at age 17, and his practice expanded over the years to include Chan, Korean Seon, and Theravāda traditions, along with study of the Pāli suttas and Mahāyāna sūtras. Following his brother's death in 2019, he founded Luminous Dharma to offer teachings freely. His mentors include Venerable Sucitta Mahātherī, Santikaro Upāsaka, Leigh Brasington, and Venerable Wu Kai Shīfù. To learn more, visit https://luminousdharma.org/.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and guest biography
01:59 How did the Awakening Alchemy approach develop?
05:35 What are the Three Treasures (jing, qi, shen)?
09:29 How do the Three Treasures map onto satipatthana and the four jhanas?
11:58 How do heaven, earth, person and fire and water map onto the body?
16:26 How do we practically work with the Three Treasures?
18:44 Phase one: how do we settle into yin until yang is born?
26:06 How …
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A How-To Guide to Space! Is There A Final Frontier? | Ajahn Kovilo
16 augustus 2026 · 49 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about four doors to entering into the perception of space (ākāsa-saññā or ākāsānañcāyatana-saññā): Lees meer
1) transcending form (rūpasaññānaṃ samatikkamā);
2) setting down resistance (paṭighasaññānaṃ atthaṅgamā);
3) unhooking duality (nānattasaññānaṃ amanasikārā);
4) resting in space (‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati).
Bhikkhu Sujato Translation:
"With the...surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, one enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space."
Bhikkhu Bodhi Translation:
"With the...surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ some bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite space."
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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We All Bow to Something: Adhiṭṭhāna, Vows, & the Architecture of Aspiration | Ajahn Nisabho
9 augustus 2026 · 46 min
In this talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks the importance in practice of directing attention and intention to shape our path and experience. The word "adhiṭṭāna" ("determination" or "vow") describes such training, as does the Buddha's frequent admonishment to his discples, "Evañhi vo … sikkhitabbaṃ" ("Thus you should train yourselves..."). Lees meer
Some Suttas where the Buddha speaks about this setting of intention include the Mahāgosiṅga Sutta (MN 32 - https://suttacentral.net/mn32/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false), AN 2.5 (https://suttacentral.net/an2.5/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin)
Ajahn Kovilo and others have compiled an anthology of the Buddha's other encouragements towards training in "Thus Should You Train Yourselves" (https://www.clearmountain.org/2024/06/11/thus-should-you-train-yourselves/)
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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How to Laugh First: Renunciate ProTips for Beautiful Breaths & Truckloads of Bliss | Ajahn Brahm Q&A
6 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 15 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Ajahn Brahm, abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery (https://bswa.org/). The discussion delves into Ajahn's path to ordination, advice for achieving deep samādhi, thoughts on Stream Entry, stories of devas, tales of Luang Por Chah, and more. Lees meer
00:00:00 Introduction and Greetings
00:00:27 Humor in Meditation and Teaching
00:01:50 Key Moments and Faith leading to Ordination
00:02:43 Joining the Cambridge University Buddhist Society
00:05:15 Psychic Research and Hunting Ghosts
00:07:18 The Impact of Deep Meditative Experiences
00:07:52 Instructions for Mindfulness of Breathing
00:10:29 Frequency of Deep Experiences in Students
00:11:34 Guiding Students Through the "Beautiful Breath"
00:13:35 The "Cheshire Cat" Simile for Deep Meditation
00:14:54 Addressing the Fear of Attachment to Bliss
00:15:35 Advice for Those Struggling to Reach Deep States
00:18:16 Reflections on Cultural Advice and Identity
00:19:44 Defining "Nibbidā" (Disenchantment or Disgust)
00:21:41 Teaching Mindfulness in Prisons
00:23:51 The Story of the Imprisoned Thai Monk
00:26:26 Avoiding Overwhelm in Monastic Administrative Roles
00:26:49 Lessons from a Monastery Bushfire
00:29:12 The Story of the Nine Bottles of Pepsi
00:36:41 Rational Belief in Devas and Making Determinations
00:38:21 The Story of the Winning Horse in Singapore
00:41:58 Thoughts on Bodhisattvas and Enlightened Beings
00:44:27 Comparing the Bodhisattva Ideal and the Theravada Path
00:46:47 Addressing Skepticism Toward Rebirth and Devas
00:49:00 Recalling Early Life and Past Life Memories
00:52:03 Ending Doubt and the Experience of Stream Entry
00:53:39 Reflecting on a False Experience of Enlightenment
00:59:29 Advice for a Younger Self at Key Junctures
01:02:18 Finding Hope Amidst Suffering and World Events
01:04:09 Lightning Round: Cleaning vs. Meditation
01:04:57 Lightning Round: The Biggest Test of Patience
01:05:27 Lightning Round: On Sitting Quietly …
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Mahāyāna Satipaṭṭhāna: Thich Nhat Hanh’s Theravāda Bonafides | Brother Pháp Lưu Q&A
3 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Brother Pháp Lưu, the eldest non-Vietnamese American monk in the Plum Village tradition who is currently at Deer Park Monastery (https://deerparkmonastery.org/). Lees meer
Biography of Brother Pháp Lưu:
Ordained as a monk since December 13, 2003, Brother Chân Pháp Lưu (Brother Stream) received Transmission of the Lamp from Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh to teach in 2011. He helped start Wake-Up, the international movement for young people, as well as the Happy Farm, Plum Village’s organic farming community, and has been working with Wake-Up Schools since its inception in 2012 to bring mindfulness to schools.
He has served as a monastic editor several of Thích Nhát Hạnh’s books including Happy Teachers Change the World, Stepping Into Freedom, Cracking the Walnut, The Admonitions and Encouraging Words of Master Guishan, and How to Focus.
Brother Phap Luu leads mindful backpacking retreats in nature around Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California and recently co-authored a book with Brother Phap Xa called Hiking Zen.
Brother Stream has been working lately with scientists at Dartmouth College and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to develop research on the effect of Plum Village mindfulness practices on children. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Thích Nhát Hạnh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
He is the 201st disciple of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and belongs to the 43rd generation of the Lâm Tế lineage and the 9th generation of the Liễu Quán school.
The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 …
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From Dharma Prince To Homeless Beggar: A Tibetan Tudong In Love With The World | Mingyur Rinpoche
3 augustus 2026 · 59 min
In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo & Ajahn Nisabho speak with Mingyur Rinpoche (https://tergar.org/) Lees meer
00:00 Introduction
03:29 Monastic Background and Biography
06:22 Motivation for the Wandering Pilgrimage
10:30 Utility and Traps of the Self-Image
15:36 Near-Death Experience in Kushinagar
24:48 Dynamic Between Effort and Non-Effort
30:36 Innate Qualities of Awareness, Love, and Compassion
40:56 Pointing-Out Instructions and Lineage Transmission
46:05 Nature of Mind as Mundane vs. Transcendent
52:20 Preparing for the Process of Dying
58:03 Closing Blessing and Remarks
Mingyur Rinpoche Biography:
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (born 1975) is a Tibetan Nepali master of the Karma Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, a bestselling author, and the leader of the international Tergar Meditation Community. Raised by his father, the prominent Dzogchen and Mahamudra meditation master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, he began studying meditation at age nine, entered formal training at Sherab Ling Monastery in India at age eleven, was recognized by the 16th Karmapa and by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as a tulku-incarnation of historical Adept Meditation masters at age twelve, began his first 3-year retreat at age 13, became functioning abbot of Sherab Ling at age twenty, and received full monastic ordination at age twenty-three. In addition to completing the construction of Tergar Monastery in Bodhgaya and overseeing Tergar Osel Ling Monastery in Kathmandu, Rinpoche embarked on a transformative four-year wandering retreat/pilgrimage in 2011 recounted in his book _In Love with the World: A Monk's Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying. He is also well-known globally for his accessible approach to meditation, detailed in his international bestselling books The Joy of Living (2007) and Joyful Wisdom (2009), and through his stepwise online courses available through Varjrayana Online (https://vajrayana.tergar.org/)
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekl…
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The Buddha’s Blueprint for Wellbeing: It’s Not Just For Buddhist | Ajahn Kovilo
2 augustus 2026 · 41 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about the Four Noble Truths and the Discourse on Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dhamma in honor of Āsāḷha Pūjā. Lees meer
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Q&A: Perceiving Nibbāna, Bodhisattvas vs. Arahants, & Can Laypeople Attain Jhāna? | CM Monks
30 juli 2026 · 1 uur
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho celebrate Āsāḷha Pūjā by speaking about the Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma Sutta (SN 56.11 - Dhammacakkappavattanasutta), and its articulation of the Four Noble Truths. They they take questions dealing with topics ranging from the difference between Bodhisattvas and Arahants, to the nature of Nibbāna, to the benefits of memorization. Sadhu! Lees meer
An article by Ajahn Kovilo on memorizing long Dhamma may be found here: https://www.clearmountain.org/2020/08/01/article-a-fun-way-to-memorize-long-dhamma-with-a-special-focus-on-the-dhammapada/
A recording and text for chanting the Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma Sutta (SN 56.11 - Dhammacakkappavattanasutta) may be found on page 2 of the Amaravati Chanting Book: https://amaravati.org/dhamma-books/chanting-book-volume-two/
The full Sutta text may be found here: https://suttacentral.net/sn56.11/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false
A recording may be found here: Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_FNHIPiTns
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The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Have You Forgotten Your Freedom? Prison Program Leaders & a Monk on Liberation Behind Bars | GRIP
29 juli 2026 · 1 uur 7 min
In this session, Ajahn Nisabho speaks with Kim Grose Moore and Tommy "Shakur" Ross from the GRIP (Guiding Rage Into Power) Training Institute (https://grip-traininginstitute.org/) about their work in prisons teaching inmates to transform trauma and anger into meaningful internal change. The program, inspired by Dhammic principles and practices, has helped almost 2000 graduates move towards genuine freedom of heart, even while behind bars. Lees meer
To learn more about GRIP and support, visit https://grip-traininginstitute.org/
To sign up for their newsletter, visit https://secure.everyaction.com/pDQIgRHaHUaPNnI5Xurq-A2
Biography of Kim:
Kim Grose Moore is the Executive Director of the GRIP Training Institute, where she leads transformative restorative justice programs across California. By guiding incarcerated individuals through a deep process of trauma healing, and learning mindfulness and emotional intelligence, Kim works to break cycles of violence and develop Peacemakers in the most unlikely of places: prison.
Her leadership is informed by 15 years of faith-based community organizing in the San Francisco Bay Area, focusing on housing, immigration, and criminal justice reform. A Buddhist chaplain in the Theravada tradition and a former Rhodes Scholar, Kim anchors her activism in the principle that "the first revolution is internal." She views the Dharma and mindfulness as the essential foundations for both personal transformation and the broader pursuit of a more just and equitable society.
Biography of Tommy:
Tommy “Shakur” Ross was paroled in 2022 after serving 37 years of incarceration. During that time, he committed himself to personal transformation and achieved extensive growth through education, training, and service. His experience includes work as a peer health educator, circle keeper, group facilitator, podcaster, mentor, event planner and organizer, and restorative justice practitioner.
In 2013, Shakur officially participated in the GRIP Program at San…
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”There Won’t Be a Second”: A Devotional to Luang Por Sumedho, the Most Ordinary Human | Ajahn Vinita
26 juli 2026 · 43 min
In this session, Ajahn Vinita, longtime attendant and student of Luang Por Sumedho, speaks with deep devotional warmth and sweetness about his affection and love for his teacher, the "simplest, most ordinary human" he's ever met. The talk, given on the Saturday preceding Luang Por Sumedho's 93rd birthday, is made especially poignant in that it was given at Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral where Luang Por served as alter boy while growing up in Seattle. Lees meer
Ajahn Vinita Biography:
Born in Sri Lanka, Ajahn Vinitha ordained as a novice at age 17 in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw. After ten years training in Sri Lanka, he had the opportunity to attend to (upaṭṭhāk) Luang Por Sumedho on one of Luang Por's visits to the island. Before returning to England, Luang Por invited Ajahn Vinita to come to England to ordain under him at Amaravati Monastery. Since that time, Ajahn Vinita has diligently lived and trained with Luang Por Sumedho and served the Western Sangha for over 20 years. Ajahn Vinita is currently staying at the Alberta Insight Meditation Centre in Canada.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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The Miraculous Nature of the Ordinary: A Daylong Retreat on Gratitude | Bhante Rahula
23 juli 2026 · 2 uur 21 min
Gratitude Retreat Part 1: https://youtu.be/Bs-ymolbjqs Lees meer
In this second portion of the daylong gratitude retreat given in June of 2026, Bhante Rahula speaks about the essential practice of cultivating gratitude for the blessings in our life, and the blessings we give to others. Such recollections represent a great support in practice, and our lives, and can be cultivated through practical means. Bring a pen and paper! Special thanks to Luis Navarro (Memo) for inserting the wonderful visuals. To learn more, visit www.bhanterahula.com.
Bio
Bhante Rāhula, born in Mexico, has spent the last 22 years in Asia in various periods, where he has practiced and studied the Dhamma.He was ordained in Myanmar by Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa, who is his preceptor. Since 2004 he has received meditation guidance from Sayadaw U Tejaniya. For 6 years, Bhante studied Suttas and Abhidhamma with Sayadaw Dr. Ukkamsacara in Macau. In 2019, he completed a course on Buddhist scriptures from Harvard University. He underwent monastic Vinaya training for 2 years in Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary in Malaysia under the guidance of Ven. Ariyadhammika, where he also led retreats and Dhamma activities for the local community. Currently, Bhante is constructing the Mexican Buddhist Center (Paññābhūmi) to introduce and propagate the Buddha’s teaching in South America. He is also actively involved in diverse programs to aid parts of the society in overcoming drug addiction and alcoholism, as well as supporting educational campaigns for children and teens to prevent such problem in this region. To learn more, visit www.bhanterahula.com.
00:00 – Introduction: Working with the Mind After a Meal
00:26 – The Three Inner Enemies: Desire, Aversion, and Not Knowing
06:29 – Desire vs. Attachment: The Hummus Story
10:12 – Aversion, Pessimism, and Fear Is a Liar
15:03 – Introducing Gratitude as the Antidote
16:41 – Gratitude List Exercise Begins
20:00 – Group Sharing: What Gratitude Uncovers
42:15 – War…
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What Do You Want to Do with the Time You Have Left? The Radical Courage of Practice | Bhante Rahula
18 juli 2026 · 1 uur 11 min
Gratitude Retreat Part 2: https://youtu.be/RJ1mAYVhJ-Y Lees meer
In this first talk of the daylong gratitude retreat given in June of 2026, Bhante Rahula speaks about how to use practice to take stock of our moment in life, and use it skillfully to cleanse the mind and heart. To learn more, visit www.bhanterahula.com.
Bio
Bhante Rāhula, born in Mexico, has spent the last 22 years in Asia in various periods, where he has practiced and studied the Dhamma.He was ordained in Myanmar by Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa, who is his preceptor. Since 2004 he has received meditation guidance from Sayadaw U Tejaniya. For 6 years, Bhante studied Suttas and Abhidhamma with Sayadaw Dr. Ukkamsacara in Macau. In 2019, he completed a course on Buddhist scriptures from Harvard University. He underwent monastic Vinaya training for 2 years in Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary in Malaysia under the guidance of Ven. Ariyadhammika, where he also led retreats and Dhamma activities for the local community. Currently, Bhante is constructing the Mexican Buddhist Center (Paññābhūmi) to introduce and propagate the Buddha’s teaching in South America. He is also actively involved in diverse programs to aid parts of the society in overcoming drug addiction and alcoholism, as well as supporting educational campaigns for children and teens to prevent such problem in this region. To learn more, visit www.bhanterahula.com.
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Billionaires Crying All Night, Because They Don’t Understand Dukkha | Luang Por Damrong Siribaddho
17 juli 2026 · 39 min
00:00 Intro & THAI Part-1: On Merit, Meditation, Impermanence, and Karma Lees meer
15:10 ENGLISH TRANSLATION Part-1
24:25 Question: Expressing Gratitude and Asking About Sitting Together
25:24 Ayya Anandabodhi Gratitude and Luang Por Damrong Sucitto Response
29:43 ENGLISH TRANSLATION Part-2
32:38 Question: Requesting a Monastic Blessing
In this talk, Luang Por Damrong Siribadaddho, one of the most senior disciples of Ajahn Chah, teaches that material wealth and physical health are impermanent, urging the community to find true happiness by cultivating inner peace through generosity, morality, and meditation.
Biography:
Luang Por Damrong SIribaddho, or Phra Khru Bhaddadhammasiri, is a direct disciple of Luang Por Chah who has been in robes for 57 years. He is the is abbot of Wat Pah Nam Khamgeung (วัดป่าน้ำคำเกิ่ง) in Ubon, Thailand.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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The Warrior Practice of Nooks & Crannies: A Wholehearted Guide to ”Korwat” | Ajahn Nyaniko Q&A
16 juli 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo will be interviewing Ajahn Nyaniko—abbot of Abhayagiri Monastery in California—about the Thai Forest methods of training the heart as found in the teachings of Luang Por Chah, Luang Por Baen, and in his own experience leading a monastic community of sincere seekers. The interview is organized around the teachings and "korwat" (monastic training protocols) found in the book "The Way Forward" by Luang Por Baen (as translated by Ajahn Nyaniko). "Training Thai Style" Lees meer
- pdf of "The Way Forward": https://dn710703.ca.archive.org/0/items/TheWayForwardLuangPorBaen/The%20Way%20Forward%20-%20Luang%20Por%20Baen%20.pdf
Ajahn Nyaniko's Biography:
Ajahn Nyaniko was born and raised in California. In 2001, at the age of 20, he visited Abhayagiri and decided to request anagarika ordination. In 2002 he took novice ordination, and in July 2003 he was ordained as a bhikkhu. He received his basic training from Luang Por Pasanno and Luang Por Amaro at Abhayagiri, and has also spent over six years training in Thailand. Since Ajahn Pasanno stepped back from his leadership role in 2018, Ajahn Nyaniko has guided the Abhayagiri community first as co-abbot with Ajahn Karunadhammo and now as sole abbot.
The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm Zoom session following the livestream may be found on the event listing at https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/events/wednesday/.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 - 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11:00 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6:00 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Life is Just Breath... Yet Sooo Many Problems! | Luang Por Damrong Sucitto
14 juli 2026 · 30 min
00:00 Intro and THAI Part-1: On Taking Precepts Lees meer
07:13 ENGLISH TRANSLATION Part-1
10:28 THAI Part-2: Main Talk
21:47 ENGLISH TRANSLATION Part-2
In this talk, Luang Por Damrong Sucitto, one of the most senior disciples of Ajahn Chah, speaks about the importance of keeping sīla, or virtue, and of finding the deeper truths of the heart through observing the breath.
Bio
Luang Por Damrong Sucitto (หลวงพ่อดำรงค์ สุจิตโต - พระครูภาวนาสารคุณ)
Luang Por Damrong Sucitto (Phra Khru Bhāvanāsāraguṇa), direct disciple of Luang Por Chah and monk for over 50 years, is abbot of Wat Pah Pluem Phatthana (วัดป่าปลื้มพัฒนา) in Buriram, Thailand.
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Drunk on Life: Seeing Ducks as Chickens & Life as Flickerless Flame | Luang Por Jundee
12 juli 2026 · 1 uur 17 min
00:00:00 THAI - Luang Por Jandee on Three Types of Drunkenness Lees meer
00:15:46 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
00:32:40 Q1 - Practicing Right View as a layperson
00:33:31 THAI - Right View
00:34:36 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
00:36:08 THAI - Luang Por Chah on Right View
00:36:44 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
00:37:48 Q2 - Cultivating good health vs. getting drunk on health
00:39:06 THAI - Good Health
00:41:03 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
00:42:38 Q3 - A surprising teaching from Luang Por Chah
00:43:31 THAI - Surprising Teaching
00:45:35 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
00:48:41 Q4 - Finding encouragement during monastic suffering
00:49:43 THAI - Answer on Monastic Suffering
00:51:32 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
00:54:32 THAI - Final Summary and Inspiration
01:03:54 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
01:09:54 THAI - Concluding Remarks
01:12:39 ENGLISH TRANSLATION
01:14:27 THAI - Closing Blessing
In this talk, Luang Por Jundee, one of the most senior disciples of Luang Por Chah, expands on two original poems speaking to the brevity of life and need to be heedful. To see things with Right View, we must understand their nature to arise and pass away, and understand ourselves as subject to the same forces. As it becomes accustomed to these truths of nature, the heart may find peace. Also, it will learn, in the words of Luang Por Chah, to see ducks and ducks, chickens and chickens, and the papaya salad of practice as irresistible.
Luang Por Jundee's talk was followed by a Dhamma teaching from Luang Por Damrong Sucitto, another of Ajahn Chah's most senior disciples, on finding truth in one's own breath and practice.
Bio
Luang Por Jundee (หลวงพ่อจันดี กันตสาโร)
Luang Por Jundee Kantasāro, direct disciple of Luang Por Chah and monk for almost 50 years, is the abbot of Wat Pah Ampawan (วัดป่าอัมพวัน) in Chonburi, Thailand.
Luang Por Damrong Sucitto (หลวงพ่อดำรงค์ สุจิตโต - พระครูภาวนาสารคุณ)
Luang Por Damrong Sucitto (Phra Khru Bhāvanāsāraguṇa), direct disciple of Luang Por Chah and monk for over 50 years, is abbot of Wat Pah Pluem Pha…
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Relationship Advice from Two Celibate Monks: Seclusion without Delusion | Aj. Kovilo & Aj. Nisabho
9 juli 2026 · 53 min
In this Q&A session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho discuss seclusion of body (kāya-viveka) and seclusion of mind (citta-viveka), how to apply the fourth establishment of mindfulness (mindfulness of dhammas) in meditation, ways of dealing with aversion, skillful means of nonviolent communication, and the benefits of retreat versus stays at monasteries. Lees meer
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:45 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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All the Pendence! Independence, Interdependence, Co-Dependence, & Dependence | Ajahn Kovilo
4 juli 2026 · 34 min
In this talk—given on July 4th, 2026—Ajahn Kovilo speaks about dependence (nissaya, paccaya), interdependence (aññāmaññapaccaya), and independence (anissita) in their various Theravāda Buddhist contexts. Lees meer
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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The Interbeing of Nun and All: A Joyful, Engaged Life with Thich Nhat Hanh | Kaira Jewel Lingo Q&A
2 juli 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with Kaira Jewel Lingo, teacher, author, and former nun whose work integrates the traditions of Zen and Vipassana with a focus on social, racial, and environmental justice (http://www.kairajewel.com/). Lees meer
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:38 Discussion on the dichotomy of softness and directness in teaching
00:02:35 Personal history: Growing up in spiritual and international communities
00:03:05 Key moments leading to Buddhist faith and ordination
00:07:41 The search for spiritual community after leaving childhood home
00:08:22 First encounter with Plum Village and Thich Nhat Hanh
00:09:53 Early inspirations from Catholic nuns in Kenya
00:10:33 Specific resonances of Buddhist teachings compared to Christianity
00:12:37 Transition from yoga and meditation to practical Buddhism
00:13:54 Mindfulness as a common language for international community
00:14:05 Impact of reading Old Path White Clouds and learning about Thich Nhat Hanh
00:16:38 The practice of curiosity and mindfulness in daily activities
00:20:09 Building trust through shared practice in diverse groups
00:22:32 Overview of the Five Mindfulness Trainings and gatha practice
00:24:44 A portrait of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's life and work
00:26:12 The origin and application of Engaged Buddhism
00:28:12 Thich Nhat Hanh's commitment to peace and nonviolence despite exile
00:30:10 Foundations of the Plum Village lineage and core sutras
00:31:44 Interfaith respect and the unification of spiritual traditions
00:33:40 Adapting mindfulness for secular contexts and specific groups
00:36:48 Advice on finding and building community in a modern age
00:40:20 Creating a sangha in families and local groups
00:41:51 Deep dive into the Five Mindfulness Trainings as a North Star
00:45:19 Why Thich Nhat Hanh reframed precepts as Mindfulness Trainings
00:48:29 Navigating ethical dilemmas and nourishing compassion
00:52:49 Addressing race, privilege, and inc…
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An Engineer’s Guide to Buddhism: A Google Acts of Peace & Joy on Demand | Chade-Meng Tan Q&A
29 juni 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
In this interview, Ahahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with early Google engineer and author Chade-Meng Tan (https://chademeng.com/). He is also the founder of Buddhism.net (https://buddhism.net/). Lees meer
00:01:21 Meng's early life and path to Buddhism
00:06:21 Integrating Buddhist inspiration into Google
00:16:15 Scaling transformation and transcendence in society
00:23:15 The accessibility of joy and its training methods
00:32:42 Inspiring spiritual depth in world and business leaders
00:40:21 Meditation strategies for computer programmers
00:45:27 Corporate management principles for monastic delegation
00:49:22 Managing digital devices and mental distractions
00:55:03 Skillful leadership, resilience, and systemic recovery
Chade-Meng's Biography:
Chade-Meng Tan (Meng) is an award-winning engineer, international bestselling author, movie producer and philanthropist. He is Co-founder of Buddhism.net (https://buddhism.net/) and Co-chair of One Billion Acts of Peace (https://chademeng.com/about/bio/billionacts.org), which has been nominated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and seven other Nobel Laureates for the Nobel Peace Prize. He was also Executive Producer of the movie Walk With Me (https://walkwithmefilm.com/), and Adjunct Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in the National University of Singapore. He co-founded the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI, pronounced “silly”). He retired from Google as its Jolly Good Fellow at the age of 45. Meng led the creation of a groundbreaking mindfulness-based emotional intelligence course at Google called Search Inside Yourself, which was also the title of Meng's first New York Time's bestselling book.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission M…
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Five Recollections to Counter Intoxication With Youth, Health, & Life | Ajahn Kovilo
28 juni 2026 · 49 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about bringing loving-awareness and creativity to one's practice of the Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection: Lees meer
1) "I am of the nature to age. I have not gone beyond aging."
2) "I am of the nature to sicken. I have not gone beyond sickness."
3) "I am of the nature to die. I have not gone beyond dying."
4) "All that is mine, beloved and pleasing, will become otherwise, will become separated from me."
5) "I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related through my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do, for good or for ill, of that, I will be the heir."
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Fantastic Monastics! | Ayya Niyyānika, Ajahn Pandit, Ajahn Cunda, Bhante Rāhula, & Maechee Paññāsiri
26 juni 2026 · 24 min
In this series of five talks given on June 20 for Clear Mountain's fourth annual Almsgiving Ceremony, we hear from 5 monastics: Lees meer
00:00:00 - Ayya Niyyānika on how practice begins now, rather than when the monastery is finished;
00:02:45 - Ajahn Pandit on the story of Anaruddha, and the relentlessness of worldly life;
00:09:38 Ajahn Cunda on the wisdom of finishing work internally every day;
00:13:43 Bhante Rāhula on the joy of seeing the four Buddhist communities gathered together;
00:19:15 Maechee Paññāsiri on how a monastery is a mirror for our own minds.
Ayya Niyyānika's:
Ayya Niyyānika trained for eight years in California bhikkhunī communities before traveling throughout the West and Asia to deepen their understanding of renunciation, Saṅgha, and global Buddhist practice. Now part of Passaddhi Vihara in the Pacific Northwest, they center their monastic practice on embodiment rooted in kindness and wise compassion.
Ajahn Pandit's:
Ajahn Pandit is a British monk and founder of the Little Bangkok Sangha. Ordained in Thailand in 1996, he holds degrees in psychology and Buddhist Studies from Mahā Chulalongkorn University.
Ajahn Cunda:
Raised in Chicago, Ajahn Cunda moved to California and ordained as a bhikkhu at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in 2008, training there for over eight years under Luang Por Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro. After practicing widely at various international forest monasteries across Canada, Australia, England, and Italy, he returned to Abhayagiri in 2022 and will begin a one-year retreat at Birken Monastery in this July.
Bhante Rāhula:
Born in Mexico, Bhante Rāhula ordained in Myanmar under Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa and spent over two decades in Asia studying scripture and meditation under prominent masters, including a course at Harvard University in 2019. He now runs the Mexican Buddhist Center (Paññābhūmi) to spread the Buddha's teachings in the region while actively leading addiction recovery and youth prevention programs.
Maec…
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The Dhamma of Asking Questions: Deep Listening Advice From A Professional Interviewer | Steve James
25 juni 2026 · 1 uur 7 min
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Steve James, meditation teacher & host of the Guru Viking Podcast (https://www.guruviking.com/). Lees meer
00:00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:01:32 Formative faith moments and vocation
00:06:18 Life on an English canal boat
00:08:40 The rhythm of travel and interviewing
00:10:59 Interviewing the same guest over time
00:14:20 Most moving and luminous conversations
00:17:21 Handling negative reactivity in conversation
00:22:24 Balancing internal and external awareness
00:23:50 Advice for engaging with teachers and mentors
00:29:50 Finding beauty in people on different paths
00:34:45 Questions that bring out conversational depth
00:41:06 Personal frameworks for organizing experience
00:48:15 Belief alignments and the "pie chart" of faith
00:55:30 Personal relationship to the Buddha
00:59:44 Navigating dual vs. non-dual teachings
Steve James' Biography:
Steve James is an international educator specializing in somatic practices, meditation, and contemplative inquiry. Through public workshops and private consultancy, he facilitates deep explorations into mystic traditions and relational dynamics. He is the creator of the Movement Koan Method and the host of the Guru Viking Podcast, a platform through which he interviews a wide range of Buddhist and non-Buddhist spiritual teachers and adepts, and through which we first came to know of Steve. To learn more about Steve, visit https://www.guruviking.com/ or tune in to his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GuruViking
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountai…
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”Beware of the Perfect Monastery”: From Spiritual Idealism to Spiritual Realism | Ajahn Sudanto
21 juni 2026 · 16 min
In this talk given on June 20 on the occasion of Clear Mountain's fourth annual Almsgiving Ceremony, Ajahn Sudanto—abbot of The Pacific Hermitage in White Salmon, WA—speaks about moving past the initial "romantic phase" of spiritual life into a resilient commitment. Celebrating Clear Mountain Monastery's new land, he warns that longing for flawless conditions is a delusion, reminding us that true practice requires anchoring faith with determination, rising above liking and disliking to weather the inevitable ups and downs of the journey. For more information about Ajahn Sudanto and the Pacific Hermitage, visit: https://pacifichermitage.org/ Lees meer
Ajahn Sudanto's bio:
Born in Portland, Oregon in 1968, Ajahn Sudanto discovered Buddhism while earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Oregon, sparking an open-ended spiritual journey through India and Southeast Asia. He eventually traveled to Thailand for intensive study and meditation at Wat Pah Nanachat, where he took full ordination as a bhikkhu in 1994 under Ajahn Pasanno. After five years of training within the Ajahn Chah forest tradition, he relocated to California to live and train with the emerging sangha at Abhayagiri Monastery. Following a successful summer retreat in the Columbia River Gorge in 2007, the Abhayagiri community tasked him with leading the establishment of the Pacific Hermitage in White Salmon, Washington, in 2010. Later, he took a year-long sabbatical spanning 2021 and early 2022, which he spent residing at Abhayagiri and Birken Forest Monastery in British Columbia before returning to his teaching duties.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmounta…
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Uncompromising Attunement: Navigating Hellish, Hungry, & Exalted Realms & Places | Ayyā Ānandabodhī
21 juni 2026 · 14 min
In this talk given on June 20 on the occasion of Clear Mountain's fourth annual Almsgiving Ceremony, Ayya Ānandabodhi—abbess of Pārāyana Vihara in Port Townsend, WA—speaks about the joy of spiritual community, the danger of letting an untethered mind wander into modern-day 'hell realms,' and how to anchor ourselves in the present moment through the dual foundations of ethical living (sīla) and somatic awareness of the breath. For more information about Ayya Ānandabodhī or Pārāyana Vihara, visit: https://parayanavihara.org/ Lees meer
Ayya Ānandabodhī's bio:
Ayya Ānandabodhī was born and raised in Wales, UK. Ayya first encountered the Buddha’s teaching in her early teens while reading about the Four Noble Truths. This was life-changing and from that moment she experienced a deep confidence in the Buddha’s insight and a wish to understand his teachings more deeply. At the age of 24, Ayya began monastic training at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England under the guidance of Ajahn Sumedho. Seventeen years later she moved to the USA with a wish to create more opportunities for women monastics. In 2011 she took full Bhikkhunī Ordination, joining the worldwide revival of the Theravāda Bhikkhunī Order. Ayya Ānandabodhī loves to share the Dhamma. Ayya’s practice is guided by early Buddhist scriptures, living in community, and through nature’s pure and immediate Dhamma.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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Interested & Excited: Gardening the Heart & Tooling Up Your Cultivation | Ajahn Cunda
14 juni 2026 · 54 min
In this session, Ajahn Cunda—Abhayagiri-ordained senior monk and good friend of Ajahns Kovilo and Nisabho—speaks about cultivation as a garden and a tool kit ... and how to use a shovel and washing machine! Lees meer
Ajahn Cunda's Bio:
Ajahn Cunda was raised in a warm and loving family in the Northern suburbs of Chicago and moved to California in 1996. His interest in Buddhism began in high school, continued in college, led him on a spiritual search to Asia, and eventually drew him towards Theravāda meditation practices. It was not until he first came into contact with the monks of Abhayagiri, however, that he understood how monastic training could lead to a life of wisdom and peace. Ajahn Cunda moved to Abhayagiri in late 2005, and after two years training as an Anagārika and Sāmaṇera, ordained as a Bhikkhu on May 22, 2008. Under Luang Por Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro, he trained at Abhayagiri for eight and a half years. In 2014, Ajahn Cunda moved to Tisaraṇa Monastery in Canada, to practice under the guidance of Luang Por Vīradhammo. In 2017, he began living in several western monasteries, including Bodhivana and Dhammagiri in Australia, Chithurst in England, and Santacittārāma in Italy, before returning to Abhayagiri in early 2020. In 2021, Ajahn Cunda spent a year at the Pacific Hermitage and returned to Abhayagiri in 2022. In July of 2026 Ajahn Cunda plans to begin a stay at Birken Monastery (Canada) for a one year retreat.
Tune in with fellow practitioners for Clear Mountain’s weekly online and hybrid events!
- Wednesday Evening Teaching & Discussion (6:00 – 7:30 pm PT, YouTube then Zoom)
- Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social (9:30 - 11 am PT, Online & In-Person)
- Sunday Evening “Mission Majjhima!” Sutta Teaching & Discussion (5:00 - 6 pm PT, Online)
See https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/ or visit https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!
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The Hard Knox of Metta: How to Survive Prison, Forgive Your Prosecutor, & Love Anyone | Amanda Knox
9 juni 2026 · 1 uur
In this interview, Ajahn Nisabho speaks with Amanda Knox, who was falsely convicted of murder in 2009, about her journey to find meaning in prison and forgiveness afterwards. The conversation delves into Amanda's practice of meditation, loving-kindness (metta), and advice for those struggling to forgive. Lees meer
Bio
Amanda Knox is an exoneree, journalist, public speaker, author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, Waiting to Be Heard, and host of the podcast Hard Knox. Her second book, FREE: My Search for Meaning came out in 2025. Between 2007 and 2015, she spent nearly four years in an Italian prison and eight years on trial for a murder she didn’t commit. She has since become an advocate for criminal justice reform and media ethics. She sits on the advisory council for the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, serves as an Innocence Network Ambassador and is on The Innocence Center Board of Directors. And she is the recipient of the 2024 Innocence Network Impact Award and the 2025 Catalyst of Change Award from the Washington Innocence Project. To find out more, visit https://www.amandaknox.com/.
00:00 Introduction
01:48 Amanda Knox's background and bio
03:06 What led to the Italian prison
05:22 Wishing for a meditation practice during the darkest times
05:49 The moment of conviction — an existential crisis
08:27 Accepting "this is my life"
10:14 Surviving day by day without a practice
12:44 Life after prison: who am I now?
13:32 The Vipassana retreat disaster
15:56 What brought her back to practice
18:48 Don Salo: the Catholic priest who became her lifeline
22:31 Plagued by "why" questions — and metta practice
24:50 The idea of reaching out to her prosecutor
27:28 Questioning her own motives
29:33 Showing up to give, not to get
32:16 The Four Noble Truths and turning toward suffering
35:44 Reaching out to the prosecutor
38:01 Finding common ground with the man who imprisoned her
40:59 The meeting in Perugia — arriving without attachment
41:2…