Clear Mountain Monastery Project

Ajahn Kovilo, a senior Theravada Forest monastic who offers Dharma talks and guided practice, explores the Buddha’s map of 36 kinds of feeling boiled down to three paired moods. He contrasts clinging household joy, grief, and neutrality with renunciate joy, upward-turning grief, and liberating equanimity. Short reflections and vivid examples show how these moods unfold across senses and practice.

This is PART ONE of Clear Mountain's interview with Jack Kornfield. PART TWO is scheduled to air March 4th: https://youtu.be/Bi7XYeCVOrY 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:29 - How many times did you ordain, and what were those circumstances? 00:05:39 - Jack asks the Ajahns about Clear Mountain 00:08:05 - What's the purpose of this podcast? 00:09:84 - Is Enlightenment a permanent end to greed, anger, and delusion, or is it temporary? 00:23:38 - Is Enlightenment unshakable? 00:25:34 - What changes have been made in bringing the Dharma West? 00:26:41 - Shared practice? Democritization? Feminization? Integration? 00:26:51 - Your life is your practice. 00:27:49 - Bodhisattva Vows and Engaged Buddhism? 00:28:14 - Democritization 00:31:06 - How has your personal relationship with the Buddha changed over the years? 00:36:50 - What is your one message for listeners dealing with political fear and global anxiety? 00:43:34 - What is the one thing you miss most about monastic life? 00:44:22 - What is the one thing you miss least about monastic life? 00:45:13 - Would you re-ordain for one week if Dan Harris and Sam Harris did it with you? 00:45:59 - If you rewrote your book today, who would you name as the "Modern Buddhist Masters"? 00:48:15 - Which specific teaching of the Buddha has resonated with you the most? 00:49:29 - What type "spiritual bypassing" should American Buddhists watch out for? In this interview, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with Jack Kornfield, a pioneering bridge between Theravāda Buddhism and Western psychology, and a key architect of the mindfulness movement currently flourishing in the United States. The interview touches on such topics as Kornfield’s varied ordinations in Asia, the integration of psychology into modern Buddhist practice, perspectives on enlightenment, "democratization" of the Dharma, the necessity of compassion in a suffering world, and how the essence of non-clinging transcends traditional lineage boundaries. Jack's Biography: Jack Kornfield has been a pioneering force in bringing Theravāda Buddhism – and mindfulness more broadly – to the West. After serving in the Peace Corps in the late 1960s, Jack trained as a monk under our teachers' teacher Ajahn Chah, and - for varying lengths of time – also met and trained with such other monastic luminaries as: Mahasi Sayadaw, Ajahn Jumnien, Taungpulu Sayādaw, Ajahn Buddhadāsa, and Ajahn Maha Boowa. As a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in 1975 and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in 1987, Jack has spent decades bridging Eastern tradition with his background in clinical psychology. He is the author of several modern Spiritual classics, including: "Living Dharma" (formerly "Living Buddhist Masters", "A Path with Heart", "After the Ecstasy the Laundry", and "The Wise Heart". His most recent book is a collection of stories: "All in This Together". To learn more about Jack, visit: https://jackkornfield.com/ 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 describes how the Buddha's Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing (MN 118 - Ānāpānassatisutta - https://suttacentral.net/mn118/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false) can help provide us wiht a roadmap for how the mind can sublimate into increasingly refined states of samādhi, or meditative calm. Just as machine learning uses self-play to attain mastery over domains, our approach to meditation can be one of playfulness as we pit the Enlightenment Factors agains the 5 Hindrances. ----- 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 Phillip Moffitt, founder of Dharma Wisdom (https://dharmawisdom.org/), Life Balance Institute (https://dharmawisdom.org/signup-for-weekly-teachings/. Biography of Phillip Moffitt: Phillip Moffitt is a longtime Buddhist meditation teacher and writer whose work is rooted in the Theravada tradition. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he has spent more than 25 years offering teachings and guidance to students and served as co-guiding teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center from 2010 to 2018. His own path has been shaped by his primary teachers—the Venerable Luang Por Sumedho, the Venerable Bhikkhu Anālayo, Joseph Goldstein, and Sharon Salzberg. Out of decades of practice and study, he developed the Naturally Arising practice method and helped establish the online retreat center Dharma Ground. In addition to his dharma teaching, Phillip is the founder of Life Balance Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people cultivate the inner skills needed to meet life’s transitions with clarity and intention. Phillip is the author of three books: Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering; Emotional Chaos to Clarity; and Awakening through the Nine Bodies. The Nine Bodies: (A) Manifest Bodies (Sthūla) 1. Physical Body: Sthūla Śarīra (स्थूल शरीर) / Pāli: Thūla Sarīra 2. Vital Body: Prāṇamaya Śarīra (प्राणमय शरीर) / Pāli: Pāṇamaya Sarīra 3. Emotional Body: Bhāvanātmaka Śarīra (भावनात्मक शरीर) / Pāli: Bhāvanāttaka Sarīra (B) Subtle Bodies (Sūkṣma) 4. Etheric Body: Ākāśamaya Śarīra (आकाशमय शरीर) / Pāli: Ākāsamaya Sarīra 5. Astral Body: Antarātmā Śarīra (अन्तरात्मा शरीर) / Pāli: Antarātta Sarīra 6. Intuitional Body: Vijñānamaya Śarīra (विज्ञानमय शरीर) / Pāli: Viññāṇamaya Sarīra (C) Causal Bodies (Kāraṇa) 7. Spiritual Body: Ātmika Śarīra (आत्मिक शरीर) / Pāli: Attika Sarīra 8. Divine Body: Divya Śarīra (दिव्य शरीर) / Pāli: Dibba Sarīra 9. Cosmic Body: Kāraṇa Śarīra (कारण शरीर) / Pāli: Kāraṇa Sarīra 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!

In this Valentine's Day session, Ajahn Kovilo speaks about the Metta Sutta (https://suttacentral.net/kp9/en/amaravati?lang=en), detailing three methods for practice: 1) the Who-Method - focusing on who on spreads metta to, 2) the What-Method - attending to what phrase or words one uses to practice metta, & 3) the Where-Method - noticing from where and to where one radiates of feels metta. 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 Ayya Sobhanā, former vice-abbot of Dhammadharini Monastery and current abbot of Empty Cloud Monastery. Biography of Ayya Sobhana: Ayya Sobhana is a Harvard graduate and trained with master Dhamma and meditation teacher Venerable Dr. Henepola Gunaratana Nāyaka Mahāthero (known as "Bhante G") since 1989. She “went forth” into monastic life as a Sāmanerī in 2003 at the Bhavana Society of West Virginia with Bhante Gunaratana as her teacher, and obtained full Bhikkhuni ordination at Dambulla, Sri Lanka in 2006, with the Most Venerables Padukke Sumithra Mahātherī and Sīri Sumangala Mahāthero as her bhikkhunī and bhikkhu preceptors. Her primary practice is the Eightfold Noble Path, that is, integration of meditation with ethical living and compassionate relationships for the sake of liberation. ------- The link to the 7:00-7:45 pm PT 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!

A talk on how monastery design and daily rituals like bowing shape commitment to refuge. Practical routes into practice are explored, from retreats and sitting to using 'buddho' as a breath anchor. The Eight Streams of Merit and the five ethical precepts are highlighted as ways to drench the mind in goodness. Emphasis on making the Dhamma personally meaningful and cultivating practice beyond the cushion.

Ajahn Kovilo, a senior teacher in the Thai Forest Tradition, offers a compact talk on the monastic alms bowl and the Buddha’s four nutriments. He explores mindful breathing, the one-bowl practice, sensory contact as food, intention as inner nourishment, and consciousness as subtle nutriment. Listeners are invited to try practical, humble exercises and gentle ethical reflections.

Bhante Jayasāra, a Theravāda monk who makes early Buddhist teachings practical for modern life, joins to discuss convert Buddhism and his path from Catholicism to the suttas. He explains the Bara (Burden) Sutta and dependent origination as a workable 'matrix.' He describes Maggasekha, Dhammapalooza, life at Bhavana Society, and how insight into anicca deepens genuine metta.

You can find the guided death meditation referenced in the Q&A here: https://www.youtube.com/live/tTAidK4aK9U?si=kwEvgYTE8u1Ct0KV&t=1310 In this Q&A session, Ajahn Nisabho answers question regarding the effect of the final moment before death on rebirth, Buddhist last sacraments, the nature of the citta, the relationship of metta and emptiness, and more! -------- 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!