Clear Mountain Monastery Project

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Jonas Mago, PhD candidate at McGill University, about his research dealing with the neuroscience of jhāna meditation. BIO Jonas Mago is a cognitive neuroscientist and wellbeing aficionado, deeply invested in understanding the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms underlying human flourishing. His research explores contemplative practices designed to cultivate wholesome states of mind—spanning meditation, prayer, collective cultural rituals, and psychedelic therapies. I approach these topics from an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating cognitive science, neurobiology, computational modeling, and phenomenology to investigate mechanisms of self-regulation and transformation. He is currently pursuing my doctoral studies in Neuroscience at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Michael Lifshitz, with co-supervision from Prof. Dr. Karl Friston. His academic journey includes a master’s degree in Mind, Language, and Embodied Cognition from the University of Edinburgh (UK) and undergraduate studies in Liberal Arts and Sciences at University College Maastricht (Netherlands). Research into the Neuroscience of Jhāna Meditation: Jhana meditation represents a unique and profound set of states achieved through deep concentration. My research focuses on the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these states, working with expert Jhana practitioners in North America, Myanmar, Thailand, and India. Using fMRI, EEG, and computational modeling, I aim to develop a comprehensive neuro-computational model that elucidates how these states emerge, their underlying mechanisms, and their impact on other cognitive functions. Learn more at https://www.jonasmago.com/ A recent podcast with Jonas Mago may be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-jhana-meditation-facilitates-insight-and/id1680606350?i=1000681849225 The link to the 6:45-7:30 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 – 7:30 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 session, Ajahn Kovilo examines prayer and its potential use in Buddhist practice - exploring such issues as a possible place for prayer in a Buddhist contemplative life, specifics of how one might pray in a Buddhist sense, and offering reflections on the Serenity Prayer: May there be the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things that I can, And the wisdom to know the difference. 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!

CHAPTERS 0:00:00 Intro 0:00:21 Welcome 0:00:35 Luang Por Vajiro’s Biography 0:01:45 Luang Por’s Current Practice and Teachings 0:03:42 The Influence of Ajahn Chah and Luang Por Sumedho 0:09:45 Contrasting the Goenka/U Ba Khin and Forest Traditions 0:14:00 “Joy at Last to Know There Is No Happiness in the World” 0:15:55 The Most Sustaining Element for Remaining as a Monastic 0:20:23 From Luang Por’s Book: “Be Grateful for Gratitude” 0:23:11 Bringing the Practice of Gratitude to a Lay Practitioner’s Life 0:28:51 Luang Por Dtun: “Mind Seeing the Mind” 0:30:57 Guidance for Remaining Grounded as Bhikkhus While Creating a Monastery from the Ground Up 0:37:47 How Kalyāṇa Mittā (Spiritual Friendship) Matures Over Time 0:40:36 Stories of Gaining Faith in Luang Por Chah 0:42:44 How Does One Judge One’s Spiritual Progress? 0:45:50 Anecdote About the Sand Dunes That Caught on Fire 0:50:04 Chanting as a Practice 0:53:42 Everyone Finds Their Own Truth… Not! 0:57:13 Lessons the Sangha Has Learned in Accommodating a Wide Variety of Personalities Through the Robes Over Many Years 1:00:42 Gratitude to Luang Por Vajiro 1:01:15 Outro Description In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with Luang Por Vajiro, abbot of Sumedharama Monastery in Portugal, about his path to robes, the pursuit of a happiness apart from the world, the Eight Worldly Winds, the value of spiritual friendship, sustaining a monastic life, how to extinguish the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion, and much more! SOURCE REFERENCES Daniel M. Stuart: Insight in Perspective - https://www.projektverlag.de/Insight-in-Perspective Luang Por Vajiro: Allowing Intuition, Revelation, and Insight - https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/26/allowing-intuition-desktop-2023-04-12.pdf The Eight Worldly Winds - https://www.lionsroar.com/buddhism/eight-worldly-concerns/ Luang Pu Dune Atulo: Mind Seeing the Mind - https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/dune/giftsheleft.html?t Bio Luang Por Vajiro was born in Malaysia in 1953 and has been a buddhist monk for over 40 years. In 1979, he met Luang Por Chah and Luang Por Sumedho when they made a visit to Hampstead Vihara in Oakenholt, England. He received higher ordination from Ajahn Chah personally in Thailand in 1980 at Wat Nong Pah Pong. After helping with the opening of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK, he participated in the running of both Harnham Buddhist Monastery and Chithurst Forest Monastery. In 1993 he moved to New Zealand to lead the Bodhinyanarama community in Wellington for five years. Following this he entered a three-year retreat in Australia before returning to Amaravati in 2001. In 2012 he moved to Portugal to establish Sumedharama Monastery, near Lisbon, where he now serves as abbot. To learn more, visit https://sumedharama.pt/home-en/ 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 talk, Ajahn Nisabho speaks about the two levels of Right View taught by the Buddha, and how holding both allows us to honor the conditioned realm while also looking beyond it, both in terms of personal practice and social identity. Additionally, the Buddha provides us with a different paradigm for what constitutes true privilege in life, complicating current cultural narratives. 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 session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho answer questions about the five aggregates (khandhas) of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, specifically addressing the Pheṇa Sutta (SN 22.95) in which the Buddha says that: 1. form (rūpa) is like a lump of foam 2. feeling (vedana) is like water bubble from a raindrop landing in water 3. perception (saññā) is like a mirage, 4. mental formations (saṅkhārā) are like a pithless plantain tree 5. consciousness (viññāṇa) is like a magician’s illusion at a crossroads. 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 talk, Ayya Niyyānika, speaks about how to cultivate a sense of care instead of aversion to the circumstances of the world. My mind will not get bent out of shape And no evil speech will I spew With kind care And continued warm heart No anger inside Is the way to go in all situations. Ayyā Niyyānika's Bio: Ayyā Niyyānika is a fully ordained Buddhist monastic in the Theravada tradition. Ayya uses they/them pronouns. They received their initial monastic training within the Dhammadharini community from 2014 through 2019 and then was with the Aloka Vihara community for three years. The past year and a bit have been a time of travel, integration, and deepening in practice. They visited a variety of monastic and lay communities in the West and in Asia, taking time for retreat and study as well as community involvement. To learn more, visit https://passaddhivihara.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!

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Bhante Rāhula of Paññābhūmi Monastery, Guadalajara, Mexico. To learn more about Bhante Rāhula and support Paññābhūmi Monastery: - email: bh.rahula@gmail.com - join Bhante's WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/JEQSFwwuKwl83yQcUT1Bkw (Dhamma sharing in Spanish) - join Bhante's every Sunday Zoom meeting at 7am Mountain Time: https://zoom.us/j/7426068348?pwd=c3BqT3dNcnkxcFFwVFQvNkRnUHlTQT09 (ID: 7426068348; Contraseña: metta) (Dhamma sharing in Spanish) - visit Bhante's YouTube Channel (chiefly Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/c/Anatom%C3%ADadelaMenteAbhidhamma - watch the video of Paññabhumi Monastery: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xjy8qq4k7od0v28siq2yl/PB-PINDAPATA.mov?rlkey=ni2kjcgakko6q8l7zz2pt0nn7&st=aot1feug&dl=0 - retreat in Houston: May 23rd-26th Bhante Rāhula's 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. The link to the 6:45-7:30 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 – 7:30 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 session, recorded on New Year's Eve 2024 as part of the Clear Mountain New Year's Vigil, Ajahn Kovilo reflects on insights gained from the book "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones" by James Clear and how they can support our practice of generosity, ethics, and wisdom. Ajahn Kovilo introduces the "habit loop" of Cue, Craving, Response, Reward, and the mnemonic frameworks of: - OAES (always) making the Noble Eightfold Path: Obvious, Attractive, Easy, & Satisfying! and - NEVR (never) practicing the craving that leads to dukkha by making bad habits: Non-obvious, Eerie, Vexing, & Repulsive! 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 talk, Tan Jāgaro speaks about how our individual Dhamma practice ripples out into the world around us, in particular referencing his experience wandering monastic "tudong" and walking for alms these past several years. 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 session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Gregory Kramer, founder of the Insight Dialogue Community. To learn more about Gregory, visit: https://gregorykramer.org/ Brief Bio of Gregory: Gregory Kramer is the Founder and Guiding Teacher of the Insight Dialogue Community, and has been teaching Insight Meditation since 1980. He developed the practice of Insight Dialogue and has been teaching it since 1995, offering retreats in North America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. He has studied with esteemed teachers, including Anagarika Dhammadina, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Mahanayaka Thero, Achan Sobin Namto, and Ven. Punnaji Maha Thero. Gregory is the author of: _Insight Dialogue: The Interpersonal Path to Freedom_ (2007), _Seeding the Heart: Lovingkindness Practice with Children_ (1997), _Meditating Together, Speaking from Silence: the Practice of Insight Dialogue_ (2003), and _Dharma Contemplation: Meditating Together with Wisdom Texts_ (2011). His newest book is _A Whole-Life Path: A Lay Buddhist’s Guide to Crafting a Dhamma-Infused Life_ (2020). Gregory lives in Washington State, in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The link to the 6:45-7:30 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 – 7:30 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!