by Ajahn Kovilo | Jan 17, 2022 | Ajahn Kovilo, Essays, Writings
In Pali, there is a specific word for the feeling you get when you see a YouTube video of a five-year old giving his new toy fire engine to a homeless child on the street. It’s the same emotion you get when you’re meditating with your non-Buddhist sibling...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Jan 10, 2022 | Uncategorized
Buddhist Self-Confidence? : A Conversation with Ajahn Kovilo and Ven. Nisabho In this conversation, Ajahn Kovilo and Ven Nisabho will discuss the concept of “self-confidence” in light of the Buddha’s teachings on not-self. Play & Download iTunes...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Jan 3, 2022 | Uncategorized
“Quantitative Intelligence” – The KAKe Test (“Mattaññū” AN 7.64) with Ajahn Kovilo In this session, Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on “quantitative intelligence” (mattaññū) as discussed in the Dhammaññu...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Dec 24, 2021 | Uncategorized
Five Khandhas, Five Paths to Liberation (Part 3): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Tan Nisabho speaks about how we can use the khandhas, or loci of identity, described by the Buddha as means towards liberation of the heart. Play & Download iTunes...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Dec 20, 2021 | Uncategorized
Five Khandhas, Five Paths to Liberation (Part 2): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Tan Nisabho speaks about how we can use the khandhas, or loci of identity, described by the Buddha as means towards liberation of the heart. Play & Download iTunes...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Dec 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
Five Khandhas, Five Paths to Liberation (Part 1): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Tan Nisabho speaks about how we can use the khandhas, or loci of identity, described by the Buddha as means towards liberation of the heart. Play & Download iTunes...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Dec 11, 2021 | Ajahn Nisabho, Writings
Members of the community come to meet Tan Nisabho during his daily alms round at Pike Place Market in late November. Autumn came with a middle-aged woman who sat down with us one Saturday morning at a cafe and began to speak about her daughter’s death. The mornings...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Dec 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Rev. Heng Sure Q&A – 800 Miles of Bowing & 6 Years of Silence: Devotion & Renunciation on the Path In this interview Rev. Heng Sure speaks about his the various “Dhamma Doors” that led him more deeply into the practice, from meeting his...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Nov 29, 2021 | Uncategorized
“Temporal Intelligence” – Buddhist Time Management (Kālaññū AN 7.64) with Ajahn Kovilo In this session, Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on “temporal intelligence” (kālaññū) as discussed in the Dhammaññu Sutta (AN...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Nov 24, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Dhammic Art of Not Arguing with Your Relatives: A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Ven. Nisabho describes the six approaches towards achieving “a state without conflict” outlined by the Buddha in MN 139. Ranging from the profound to the...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Nov 21, 2021 | Uncategorized
Being Generous with Your Time: A Conversation with Ajahn Kovilo and Ven. Nisabho In this conversation, Ajahn Kovilo and Ven Nisabho discuss the meaning of the popular idea of “being generous with your time,” and will explore possible tensions with the...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Nov 18, 2021 | Ajahn Kovilo, Essays, Writings
This interview with Ajahn Kovilo – centering around his experience as a monastic university student – took place at Dharma Realm Buddhist University in October of 2021 and was originally published on their website, here. Venerable Ajahn Kovilo, a fully ordained...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Nov 12, 2021 | Uncategorized
Ajahn Sona Q&A – Did Socrates Have Jhāna?: Dhammic Influence & Resonance Through History In this interview, Ajahn Sona speaks about the threads of the Buddha’s teaching one finds throughout history and into the modern era, and the meaning of such...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Nov 5, 2021 | Uncategorized
Illuminating the Subconscious and Jedi Order Dynamics: Q&A with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this session Tan Nisabho answers questions regarding altering subconscious patterns to more far-reaching topics. Play & Download iTunes Google Play Spotify...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Oct 27, 2021 | Uncategorized
“Intrapersonal Intelligence” – Knowing Thyself in Buddhism (“Attaññū” AN 7.64) with Ajahn Kovilo In this session, Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on “intrapersonal intelligence” (attaññū) as discussed in the Dhammaññu Sutta (AN 7.64)....
by Ajahn Nisabho | Oct 24, 2021 | Uncategorized
“Eight Thoughts of a Great Being” (Part 2): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Ven. Nisabho speaks about the second four of the eight thoughts of a great being described by the Buddha in AN 8:30. From developing mindfulness to delighting in...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Oct 21, 2021 | Photo Galleries
by Ajahn Nisabho | Oct 18, 2021 | Uncategorized
“Eight Thoughts of a Great Being” (Part 1): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Ven. Nisabho speaks about the first four of the eight thoughts of a great being described by the Buddha in AN 8:30. From developing humility to fostering energy, specific...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Oct 16, 2021 | Newsletters
After a brief break, the Saturday Morning Meditation, Teaching, & Coffee Social at Amistad School’s Skinner Auditorium will again by livestreamed on Clear Mountain’s YouTube channel each Saturday from 9:30 -11 am. Online viewers will have the...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Oct 15, 2021 | Newsletters
After several months of waiting, Clear Mountain’s steward organization, the CMM Exploratory Foundation, has been granted tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit status by the IRS. As monastics and organizations composed of Sangha members cannot deal with money directly,...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Oct 15, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Four Love Languages of Buddhism: A Conversation with Ajahn Kovilo & Ven. Nisabho In this conversation, Ajahn Kovilo and Ven Nisabho will discuss the four “bonds of fellowship” (sangahavatthu), namely: 1) generosity, 2) kind words, 3) beneficial...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Oct 11, 2021 | Newsletters
Due Covid-19 and other concerns, we’re eliminating the potluck from our weekly Saturday morning community gathering at Saint Mark’s Cathedral Bloedel Hall. Instead of sharing a meal after meditation and a teaching, participants will have the chance to speak about...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Oct 11, 2021 | Uncategorized
Ayya Santussikā Q&A – Building Faith Brick-by-Brick: How We Grow on the Path In this interview, Ayya Santussika speaks about her path to robes, and how we can build faith little-by-little in our lives. Play & Download iTunes Google Play Spotify...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Oct 11, 2021 | Ajahn Kovilo, Translations
“Monks, these four types of people who are capable, educated, and self-possessed, who have studied much, memorized the teachings, and have practiced the teachings according with the teachings make the assembly shine bright.What four? 1) A monk who is capable,...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Oct 4, 2021 | Uncategorized
“The Citadel of Dhamma” (AN 6.67): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Ven. Nisabho investigates an analogy the Buddha gives comparing the practice to a citadel, or fortress. How can we best fortify ourselves against the forces of the world?...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Sep 30, 2021 | Photo Galleries
by Ajahn Nisabho | Sep 28, 2021 | Uncategorized
“Five Means of Dispelling Distracting Thoughts” (MN 20): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Tan Nisabho speaks about the Buddha’s instructions on ways one can transcend problematic thinking and how they can be applied to our daily...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Sep 22, 2021 | Uncategorized
Dhammic Intelligence: 6 Meanings of “Dhamma” (“Dhammaññū” AN 7.64) with Ajahn Kovilo In this session, Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on having “Dhammic Intelligence” in as discussed in the Dhammaññu Sutta (AN...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Sep 18, 2021 | Uncategorized
So the True Teaching Might Last a Long Time: A Conversation with Ajahn Jayasaro In this interview, Ajahn Jayasaro answers questions about how to steward the monastic order and one’s own practice in an era of change. Touching on issues related to respect,...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Sep 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
Choosing a Teacher & the Patron Saints of Buddhism: Q&A with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this Q&A session, Ven. Nisabho speaks about how one can choose a teacher on the path and the distinctive qualities of the Buddha’s great disciples. Play & Download...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Sep 9, 2021 | Uncategorized
Genius Givers and Super Friends: A Talk by Ajahn Kovilo In this talk, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about the importance of kalyanamitta, spiritual friendship, and how we can look to the community surrounding us for people embodying spiritual powers. Play & Download iTunes...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Aug 30, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Domain of Meditation, Doubt, Death, & Ritual: Q&A with Tan Nisabho In this Q&A session, Ven. Nisabho speaks about a variety of subjects, from the constraints of a meditative approach to the use of ritual in overcoming skeptical doubt. Play &...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Aug 26, 2021 | Uncategorized
The World is Falling Apart in Its Eagerness to Reveal What Lies Underneath: A Dhamma Talk with Ven. Nisabho In this talk, Ven. Nisabho speaks about how the characteristic of impermanence can be seen as a guide on our path towards awakening. Play & Download iTunes...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Aug 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
Cleaning the Mind’s Movie Theater: Q&A with Ven. Nisabho In this Q&A session, Ven. Nisabho speaks about the importance of purifying mind states as opposed to simply addressing passing thoughts. Play & Download iTunes Google Play Spotify...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Aug 20, 2021 | Ajahn Nisabho, Writings
I arrived in Seattle in late June and took up residence in a small hut behind the house of a couple, Dave and Alison, who offered the space to me in an act of great generosity. Their home rests in a quiet suburb on the Kitsap peninsula, a short ferry ride across the...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Aug 17, 2021 | Uncategorized
Monastics in American Buddhism: An Interview with Bhikkhu Bodhi We have yet to see how the traditional monastic Sangha will fit into and influence Buddhism in the US. In this interview, Bhikkhu Bodhi shares his thoughts on the role of monastics in America and how...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Aug 11, 2021 | Uncategorized
Why Monks Don’t Vote: A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Ven. Nisabho explains why the monastic Sangha remains outside of the political realm, and how to protect the recollection of the transcendent in our daily lives. Play & Download iTunes...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Aug 4, 2021 | Uncategorized
How We Use What We Use – Rejoicing in Less (MN 2): A Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Kovilo In this session, Ajahn Kovilo gives talk and brief Q&A focusing on “abandoning by using” as discussed in the Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2):...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Jul 27, 2021 | Uncategorized
Our Waking Breath (Part 3): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu A detailed overview of breath meditation as described in the Ānāpānasati, or “Mindfulness of Breathing” sutta. New scholarship by Bhante Analayo and others points to an interpretation of the...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Jul 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
Our Waking Breath (Part 2): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu A detailed overview of breath meditation as described in the Ānāpānasati, or “Mindfulness of Breathing” sutta. New scholarship by Bhante Analayo and others points to an interpretation of the...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Jul 17, 2021 | Uncategorized
Our Waking Breath (Part 1): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu A detailed overview of breath meditation as described in the Ānāpānasati, or “Mindfulness of Breathing” sutta. New scholarship by Bhante Analayo and others points to an interpretation of the...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Jul 7, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Dhamma as Song: A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In this talk, Ven. Nisabho speaks to parallels between the Dhamma and music. Play & Download iTunes Google Play Spotify...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Jul 5, 2021 | Uncategorized
It is Possible! (AN 2.19): A Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Kovilo Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on the essence of faith in Buddhism as addressed in the “Wholesome Sutta”. What is it that the Buddha said was possible in Dhamma practice?...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Jun 27, 2021 | Uncategorized
It is Possible! (AN 2.19): A Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Kovilo Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on the essence of faith in Buddhism as addressed in the “Wholesome Sutta”. What is it that the Buddha said was possible in Dhamma practice?...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Jun 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
Principles of Communal Harmony (MN 48): A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu The Buddha gave clear instructions for how to live harmoniously in community. These six principles help guide practitioners in their personal and communal lives. Play & Download iTunes...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Jun 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
It is Possible! (AN 2.19): A Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Kovilo Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on the essence of faith in Buddhism as addressed in the “Wholesome Sutta” (AN 2.19). What is it that the Buddha said was possible in Dhamma...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Jun 12, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Citadel, the Hymn, & the Beauty of Restraint: A Q&A with Nisabho Bhikkhu While restraint and structure are necessary for our practice, fixating on them can lead us to forget the refined states which are their aim. Play & Download iTunes Google Play...
by Ajahn Nisabho | May 27, 2021 | Uncategorized
Pain, Pleasure, & Beyond: A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu Moving towards the more refined forms of happiness praised by the Buddha allows us to cultivate a sense of well-being that is more robust, stable, and sweet than all we’ve known before. Play &...
by Ajahn Nisabho | May 19, 2021 | Uncategorized
Dependent Origination & Ignorance: A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu Our ignorance of the true nature of our experience leads us to grasp suffering time and again. Only through practice can we begin to see clearly and abandon the cause of stress. Play &...
by Ajahn Kovilo | May 16, 2021 | Uncategorized
Personality & Buddhist Practice: A Dhamma Discussion with Ajahn Kovilo and Ven. Nisabho In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ven. Nisabho will discuss “The Big Five” personality traits in relationship to Buddhist practice....
by Ajahn Nisabho | May 7, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Drum of the Deathless & Specific Conditionality: A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In numerous discourses, the Buddha points to the “stability” of the natural processes that lead to phenomena arising. As we practice, we begin to see the world as a...
by Ajahn Kovilo | May 4, 2021 | Uncategorized
A Monk’s Social Duties (DN 31): A Dhamma Talk and Q&A with Ajahn Kovilo This talk discusses the reciprocal relationship between monastics and laypeople with specific reference to the Sigālaka Sutta: https://suttacentral.net/dn31/en/sujato Play & Download...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Apr 28, 2021 | Uncategorized
Buddhist Affirmations and Purity of Bodily Conduct: A Dhamma Talk with Ajahn Kovilo In this session, Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on Buddhist Affirmations and Purity of Bodily Conduct as found in “The Greater Discourse at Assapura” (MN 39...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 27, 2021 | Uncategorized
Purity of Purpose & the Eight Thoughts of a Great Being: A Dhamma Talk with Nisabho Bhikkhu In “The Eight Thoughts of a Great Being”, the Buddha elaborates on the qualities that characterize the pure heart, such as humility, mindfulness, and wisdom....
by Ajahn Kovilo | Apr 22, 2021 | Uncategorized
“The Greater Discourse at Assapura” (MN39) : a Q&A with Ajahn Kovilo In this session, Ajahn Kovilo answers questions about “The Greater Discourse at Assapura” (MN 39 https://suttacentral.net/mn39/en/sujato). Special emphasis is given to...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Apr 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
Getting Our Happiness Together | Ajahn Kovilo Ajahn Kovilo discusses a common pattern found in the Pali canon: the “Paths to Gladness”. In this framework, the Buddha lists various causes for a wholesome sense of gladness and relates how this mental ease...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
Discipline and Dhamma; Temple and Light | Nisabho Bhikkhu Discipline in meditation and morality is an essential part of the spiritual path, but only if held in balance with the other qualities, such as creativity, rejoicing, and loving-kindness. Just as temple walls...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Wind Touching Water: Mindfulness of Breathing (Part Four) | Nisabho Bhikkhu A detailed overview of breath meditation as described in the Ānāpānasati, or “Mindfulness of Breathing” sutta. New scholarship by Bhante Analayo and others points to an...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Wind Touching Water: Mindfulness of Breathing (Part Three) | Nisabho Bhikkhu A detailed overview of breath meditation as described in the Ānāpānasati, or “Mindfulness of Breathing” sutta. New scholarship by Bhante Analayo and others points to an...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Wind Touching Water: Mindfulness of Breathing (Part Two) | Nisabho Bhikkhu A detailed overview of breath meditation as described in the Ānāpānasati, or “Mindfulness of Breathing” sutta. New scholarship by Bhante Analayo and others points to an...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Wind Touching Water: Mindfulness of Breathing (Part One) | Nisabho Bhikkhu A detailed overview of breath meditation as described in the Ānāpānasati, or “Mindfulness of Breathing” sutta. New scholarship by Bhante Analayo and others points to an...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Tudong Contentment | Ajahn Kovilo In this talk from November 2018 given at Abhayagiri Forest Monastery, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about his recent experience walking pilgrimage, or tudong, in Caliornia with Tan Nisabho. Play & Download iTunes Google Play Spotify...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Sun, Shade, & the Shifting Nature of Happiness on the Path | Nisabho Bhikkhu What we consider happiness, or “sukha”, shifts as we progress on the spiritual path. As we gain insight, old, more coarse, pleasures lose their appeal and the more sublime...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Triple Gem, the Gulag, & a Canopy of Meaning | Nisabho Bhikkhu The “Triple Gem” of Buddhism – the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha – can also be thought about as undeluded awareness, truth, and its manifestation in the world. Such a...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Mourning & Daybreak | Nisabho Bhikkhu The path of practice and meditation allows us to approach and deal with the great loss inherent in life. Along with the First Noble Truth’s directive to turn towards and comprehend our pain, the Buddhist path provides...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Mar 25, 2021 | Uncategorized
A Buddhist Conception of Grace | Nisabho Bhikkhu The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism provide a framework for understanding the traditionally Christian concept of grace. Only by comprehending our suffering, the directive of the First Noble Truth, can we enter into the...
by Ajahn Kovilo | Aug 1, 2020 | Ajahn Kovilo, Essays, Writings
Memorization Tools Seminar - Abhayagiri 2019 | Ajahn Kovilo https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Memory_Seminar_2019.mp3 Click here to watch a companion video called “Dhamma Mnemonics” on YouTube. “Whatever a person frequently...
by Ajahn Nisabho | May 25, 2018 | Ajahn Nisabho, Writings
My plan was to walk from Escondido, a town South of LA, to Metta Forest Monastery by a circuitous route totaling about ninety miles and passing through Thich Nacht Hahn’s Deer Park Monastery. Things started badly. Greyhound kindly scheduled my trip to Escondido...
by Ajahn Nisabho | Sep 1, 2015 | Ajahn Nisabho, Writings
While I had expected tudong, the traditional practice of Buddhist monks wandering on foot, to be a challenge in rural Australia, I didn’t think the first day of my monastic walkabout would end in an ambulance. As Tan Panya, my traveling companion, and I sit in...
