Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast, Treasure Mountain website and Treasure Mountain Facebook page. 

In this episode of Sage Advice we have as our guest, Ajahn Hasapanna of Dhammasara Monastery in Western Australia. Ajahn Hasapanna was born in Ipoh, Malaysia in 1960. During her days as a lay person she and her family generously supported Ajahn Sujato when he was practicing in Ipoh. The main influence in Ajahn Hasapanna’s spiritual development is the monastic lifestyle of the forest tradition. When Ajahn Hasapanna had developed enough courage and inspiration to become a nun, Ajahn Sujato pointed her towards joining Dhammasara Nuns Monastery.

She joined Dhammasara in 2002, beginning her monastic training as an Anagarika (a trainee nun). She then ordained as a Ten Precept Nun with Ajahn Vayama as her teacher. She subsequently ordained as a bhikkhuni in 2009 with Ayya Tathaaloka as her preceptor in a ceremony at Bodhinyana Monastery, WA, Australia.

Currently, Ajahn Hasapanna is the Abbot of Dhammasara Nuns Monastery and the Assistant Spiritual Director of The Buddhist Society of WA (Inc). She is heavily involved in teaching and training nuns, anagarikas and lay people. She is the main teacher to 18 monastic trainees at Dhammasara.

In this episode we are going to ask Ajahn Hasapanna the big one: how we can have everything and be happy! Yes, that’s right it is possible to have it all and be happy!

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Links from this episode:

• Ajahn Hasapanna's teachings
• Dhammasara Monastery

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna recommends body contemplation to calm down our anger.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna teaches us about the importance of being honest and also not deceiving ourselves. (Being truthful is an essential part of the Buddhist practice and is one of the five precepts i.e. no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying and no intoxicants that cloud mind).

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna reminds us that we cannot escape from the pain of physical suffering, but we can reduce our mental suffering and she offers advice on this.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna describes strategies for calming down our thinking mind while meditating.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna explains how you can choose to be happy in various situations by practising gratitude and forgiveness.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna teaches us that judging our meditation experience is counter productive. Instead Ajahn suggests us to have acceptance of unpleasant and negative feeling we experience during meditation.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna reminds us that getting rid of our unwholesome habits and defilement are difficult, it is a gradual training.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna explains what is "right effort" and what we need to let go.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna answers the question "How can we maintain a positive mind when we're suffering?"

Ajahn Hasapanna also gave a talk on 12 July 2013 called The Joy of Letting Go.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Using your will power to force yourself to meditate is counterproductive. Ajahn Hasapanna teaches us about the importance of meditation quality over quantity, perseverance and finding joy in your Buddhist practice.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna teaches that trying to achieve something in meditation, or using our will power to sit for a long time is counter-productive. Instead we need to make the causes for our mind to become peaceful. We lay the foundation for peace and joy to arise in our meditation by living well and practicing present moment awareness throughout the day.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.