Clear Mountain Monastery Project

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/

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!

- 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!

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.

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_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

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

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 https://linktr.ee/clear_mountain_mona... for details. Welcome!

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho engage in a conversation with poet David Whyte (https://davidwhyte.com/).

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/clear_mountain_monastery for details. Welcome!

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

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!

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_mona... for details. Welcome!