Thai Forest Dhamma

in the tradition of Lungphu Mun Bhuridatto

and his western disciples

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Talks from Ajahn Martin

This website now contains all of Ajahn Martin's recorded talks in English and German (a few in Thai and in French).

Most of the talks were given to laypeople at Baan Taad Forest Monastery who wished to receive instruction on Dhamma and meditation.
Most of the newer talks (from 2013 onwards) were given to newly ordained western monks. The talks are preserved exactly as they were originally given – they have not been cut or corrected. For that reason, they should not be transcribed or translated into another form without Ajahn Martin's written consent.

If you have any questions about the content of the talks, please send an email to th.forest.dhamma@protonmail.com.

Back to All Talks

Date Title Description Album Duration
31-12-14 Overcoming greed & hate
Facing unpleasantness, body contemplation, importance of the skin, loathesomeness and filthiness of the body, dealing with irritation, stages of enlightenment, drinking urine, daily reflection, kilesas working in the dark, finding the cause of greed and anger, stopping the avalanche of emotions, speeding up the mind with samadhi, nature of emotions and moods, the lies of the kilesas, finding our way home, training awareness.
Dhamma Talk 44:13
28-12-14 Investigating the body, birth & death
Listening to Dhamma talks, Investigating the skin, Guliver's travels, loathsomeness of the body, why do we love the body? Unplasant feelings, how the body breaks apart, the body is like a car, getting out of the body, ageing, living in our memories and expectations.
Dhamma Talk 20:22
26-12-14 When thoughts stop, what remains?
Investigating death, what dies and what is eternal? "I think therefore I am", when the body dissapears, when the whole universe dissapears – a preview of Nibbana. Learning vs knowing, animal corpses, old peoples homes, the power of the citta vs. The limitations of the body, observing forest animals, investigating pain, "we cannot overcome what we don't know", dealing with regrets, how the kilesas discourage us, "guilt is not a wholesome emotion", investigating anger, daily reflection, knowing the breath, how to reach deep samadhi.
Dhamma Talk 38:56
24-12-14 Living for the citta, not the body
Progression in meditation, seperation of concentration and wisdom, methods of body investigation, reflecting on ageing, sickness and death, loathesomeness of the body, kamma determines our body, prioritising the citta – not the body, benefits of simple living, what is real? - the 5 khandhas and the 4 elements. Feelings – are not self, the citta is eternal, turning off the commentator – getting to the knower, the 5 precepts are in our heart, listening to the heart, sticking to the meditation object, how Avijja controls us, stopping emotions and moods, resisting the kilesas, walking meditation, investigating pain and fear, nothing is impossible, daily reflection, no injustice – only kamma.
Dhamma Talk 1:27:07
21-12-14 Walking along the stony path
Looking at ourselves not others, video-game of life, hell, heaven, kamma, "what is the value of your thoughts?" training the citta has a lasting effect, not 'good' or 'bad' practice, Avijja – our false self, destruction of civilizations, sense restraint, reducing food and sleep, reading books, setting priorities in life, listening to the heart – not the commentator, daily reflection to uproot our problems, feeling sorry for ourselves – a trick of the kilesas.
Dhamma Talk 50:33
19-12-14 What is the body and why do we love it?
Dealing with expectations, how to enter samadhi, learning not to control, seperation of sati and concentration. Body investigation: ageing and sickness, teeth and hair – symbols of beauty, what is love? Reflecting of growing up – training the body, the biological robot, why are we disgusted by the body? Investigating pain as anicca/anatta/dukkha – finding its origin, destroying greed and hate, ordination, rebirth, why do we love the body? Becoming a Nun, transferring merit, past-life connections, body contemplation – to bring up greed and hate and deal with them, hell realm for monks.
Dhamma Talk 1:10:56
17-12-14 The value of parents
Talking too much, the 5 gravest acts, caring about parents, finding interest in the practise, past and future, body investigation – loathesomeness, observing animals' behaviour, learining by observing others, the morning meal, investigating food, fasting, discovery of the atom, the citta, citta of the Arahant, breathing through the skin, modern science.
Dhamma Talk 49:20
14-12-14 Body contemplation leads to 3 supreme attainments
Find your own motivation; The 4 supreme attainments: Sotappana, Sakadagami, Anagami and Arahant; Investigation of the body leads to the first three; Body contemplation: everything that's going in is nice, everything that's coming out is so disgusting; Seeing people as skeletons; Seeing the body part by part; Dukkha and practice: “when you are happy, you don't practice”; Meaning of life: lot of philosophers (german and french) got crazy on this question.
Dhamma Talk 57:24
12-12-14 Awareness – catching our intentions
Removing thoughts: catching the thought, then half a thought, then a quarter of a thought up to the intention, but we need strong sati for this; Reducing time of sleep; Hell & Heaven: kamma and lifespan there; Kilesas: they work in the dark, pull out their tricks like a magician; “Fight for your own freedom”
Dhamma Talk 57:13
10-12-14 What's the purpose of our life?
Purpose of our life; Hell: “There is Hell, not on earth; there is Heaven, not on earth” - the Lord Buddha and his Arahants disciples could see them; Kamma: working like physics law, everything you do will come back onto you; Exposition of the 5 precepts; Exposition of the 4 Nobles Truths: “Without ideas (views and opinions), there would be no dukkha”, “Stop the thought engine”, “iPhone 6 or 5, what's the difference? Why do you need special cloth, a special car etc.? Happiness doesn't arise with these things”; Questions and answers (45 min)
Dhamma Talk 1:16:58
7-12-14 Why we come to practice – Dukkha
What is dukkha? What is its cause? What is the path out of dukkha? - Sila, Samadhi, Panna. The 5 precepts, the 8 precepts, effect of alcohol on practice, Avijja is in control, there are 2 voices in our heart, rollercoaster of life, heaven and hell, concentration and one pointedness, stopping thoughts, talking and the ego, accepting the evil within us, reflecting on our actions, sati – the shortcut to Nibbana, deep samadhi – pure knowingness, the present moment – no lonliness, anatta, not believing thoughts.
Dhamma Talk 51:00
5-12-14 Reaching emptiness with anapanasati
Seeing the mind by observing the breath, when the breath stops, Korean Buddhism, body investigation, loathesomeness of the body, looking at oneself, "taking it easy is one step towards hell", the body doesn't fight us – the kilesas do, "there are 2 souls inhabiting our chest", practising patiently, the basis of the mind.
Dhamma Talk 20:09
3-12-14 Breaking the kilesas by not giving in
Kilesas make the practise difficult, sitting all night, Thai massage, investigating dullness, opressiveness of the kilesas, fighting Avijja 'the champion', sleeping, the 5 khandhas that make 'us', simile of the pocket watch, illusion of the self, the movie of life, body investigation, hypnosis, past lives, investigating memories, appropriate effort.
Dhamma Talk 46:35
30-11-14 The world is an enormous magnet
When you want to get out, the world will try to pull you in like a magnet; body, energy and body's aura; Old age: old people only talk about their youth, thus preparing the next birth; Out-of-body experience; Nimitta of light: don't follow it, bring it back to the heart; Awareness: when you become aware more than 50%, you realize how much you are unaware the rest of the time.
Dhamma Talk 46:24
28-11-14 Understanding comes through experience
Progress in the practice: “Learn from your mistakes”; Overcoming sloth and torpor; Fight: tricks to fight the kilesas & Avijja; Pain investigation: “we sit in the plane for 11 hours without pain and now you sit for one hour, where is this pain coming from?”; Avijja: it is the emperor; Understanding and experience: when we really experience greed, hatred, pain, jealousy (etc.) then we can cut them off; Absorptions, samadhi and jhanas.
Dhamma Talk 51:43
26-11-14 What is reincarnated?
Doubt: one of the big hindrance; Reincarnation: what is actually reborn is kamma; Difference between citta & consciousness; Hell & Heaven: we don't believe in them so we don't see them; Dukkha: it's not only stress or suffering, it's discontent, disease etc.; Selfless: path of purification is to get rid of “self”; Samadhi: you feel safe and energized; Happiness and lay life: respecting the 5 precepts and practicing everyday, you can live a happy life; Kamma and free will: who makes the decision? Breath meditation: don't follow the sensations, you won't go to one-pointedness.
Dhamma Talk 1:06:35
23-11-14 Reaching the one who knows
Observing the content of the mind won't lead to the citta, the one who knows; Respect for the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha; Exposition of the 4 Noble Truths; Realms of existence and cause of rebirth there; Kamma: no way to get rid of it; Generosity: “the generosity in Thailand is unparalleled”, 3 kinds of happiness that comes with generosity; Gratitude: no it's not our right to get all that is given to us; Respect: a great virtue that leads to heaven... something we have successfully gotten rid of in the West; Direspect about the Buddha and Dhamma: we study a little bit of the texts and we think we know better; Self: once you get rid of “Self” there is no dukkha; Anatta: observe everything as not you, like watching a movie; how to reach the one who knows / the citta with “Buddho” or the breath; Investigation of jealousy.
Dhamma Talk 1:00:37
21-11-14 Hell is just right there
Dukkha: it drives us to go here and there; 5 precepts; Hell: it does exist, it's not a myth; the world is perfect in itself but we don't perceive it; Upacara & appana samadhi: the body disappears slowly as well as the senses; Sila/Samadhi/Panna: we have to develop them in “tridem”
Dhamma Talk 38:09
19-11-14 Do you have enough dukkha?
Avijja: sickness, pain, hunger, Avijja suggests everything and we say “Yes, my Lord”. When we make this voice disappear then we see the amazing clarity in our heart; Equanimity: in samadhi there is upekkha (equanimity), the problem is when we get out of samadhi.
Dhamma Talk 22:14
13-11-14 Find the point between in-breath and out-breath
Breath meditation: try to find the point between the in-breath and out-breath; Appana samadhi: breath disappears, don't be afraid, you will not die.
Dhamma Talk 32:36
11-11-14 Anatta: you are not this movie
Appana samadhi / One-pointedness: all that is left is this “knowingness” without an object, no feeling, no universe, pure & calm “knowingness”; Anatta; Wisdom liberates us from dukkha, not knowledge from books; Investigate everything: pain, fear etc.
Dhamma Talk 37:34
10-11-14 You can only help people who are willing to change
Kamma: you can only help people who are willing to change; Depending on the life you choose, you will meet different kinds of Kamma. Anicca: thoughts and memories are constantly changing, sometimes we only remember the nice part.
Dhamma Talk 42:55
8-11-14 Dukkha is unease
Explanation of the 4 Noble Truths. Dukkha: boredom, restlessness are also dukkha. It pushes us to do this and that. Attachment and desire, wanting and not wanting are the origin of dukkha; Samadhi: 'Buddho' and breath meditation; Investigation of the body, feelings, thoughts, memories: they are all not “me”, they are all dukkha, they are all anicca; Body contemplation: “the skin is the big delusion”; Buddhist practice is to understand the truth in different ways.
Dhamma Talk 27:37
22-10-14 Thinking a lot is tiring
Daily reflection at home: it shows you what's going wrong during the day; Thinking: so tiring to think about this and that; Generosity/Respect/Gratitude: in the West, we got rid of those values.
Dhamma Talk 26:34
21-10-14 Pain: have you seen where it retracts?
Pain investigation: try to locate the pain, when it comes from; Sati: like a flashlight, you see things bright; Listening to Dhamma Talks: sometimes it “clicks” on the 7th time we listen to the same talk; Paramis to be Sotappana or Arahant.
Dhamma Talk 44:47
20-10-14 Samadhi: don't follow the pleasant feelings
Sanna: what sanna is; Boredom & Samadhi: upacara and appana samadhi can never be boring, kilesas bring up boredom; Instructions to go to one-pointedness; Body contemplation: it brings irritation, anger and we learn to deal with them.
Dhamma Talk 1:11:15
29-09-14 Conceit: the end of our practice
Talk given to monks. Relation teacher/pupil: being one's another burden; Conceit: it is THE thing detrimental to our practice, a dead monk according to Luangta; Method of a teacher to make the conceit of his pupil visible; wrong sati and correct sati; Being a golden apple: being a perfect monk outside but rotten inside, always looking outside, at others, never inside; Dhamma study: like a snake, can be harmful if you grab it by the tail on the wrong side; Finding fault of others, you feel you're perfect.
Dhamma Talk 28.07
21-09-14 Dealing with dullness
Talk given to monks.
Dhamma Talk 07:52
20-09-14 Don't be obstinate
Short admonishment to monks. Obstinacy: if you don't see the point, what is the point to teach you?
Dhamma Talk 07.37
15-09-14 Fighting dullness
Talk given to monks. Dullness: “of course it will pass away, it's its nature” but it will come back if you don't put up a fight. Kilesas: “how long will I tolerate this oppressor?” Sati: “the moment you start seeing how unmindful you are, then things start moving”. Feeling sorry about oneself: if you investigate, you will see what you like about this feeling. Luangta: “I do understand Luangta when he said he closed his eyes when seeing the effort put by his monks”.
Dhamma Talk 00:29:08
8-09-14 Ego, conceit and vanity
Ego: “cogito ergo sum”, what makes the ”ego”: a mixture of body, feelings, thoughts and memories. Strong belief in us that we can change the world. 3 types of conceit: thinking we are superior, inferior or equal to others. Don't compare yourself with others, you are just as you are. Vanity: like a beautiful soap bubble, no essence inside like we with the 5 groups (body, feelings, thoughts, memories, consciousness). Nibbana: beyond 'self' is Nibbana, that's where we want to go.
Dhamma Talk 27:05
31-08-14 Anatta, like being immersed in a video game
Anatta: like being immersed in a video game, we play a game we call 'life', we have no control on the body, feelings, thoughts etc. We have to investigate the 5 groups (body, feelings, thoughts, memories and consciousness), seeing them as anatta, following their own rules.
Dhamma Talk 20:14
29-08-14 The only way is to go through the difficulties
Talk given to monks. Evening reflection: observe until clear understanding, body contemplation: do you want to hug a dead dog whose body opens up? Perseverance: too confortable, not enough dukkha to persevere, Dukkha: you have to swin through the fire of dukkha.
Dhamma Talk 29:08
22-08-14 A bhikkhu should not be wasteful
A bhikkhu should not be wasteful (short dhamma talk to monks)
Dhamma Talk 07:07
18-08-14 The 4 stages of enlightenment
Sila: 5 precepts; Samadhi: train the mind to get it aware and calm; Sila/samadhi/panna are inter-dependent; Generosity/respect/gratitude: 3 pre-requesites to practice the path; Samadhi: upacara samadhi is a must on the path to charge up the battery; Panna: investigating the 5 groups/khandhas starting with the body and bodily feelings; the 4 stages of enlightement and the fetters uprooted on the path; Kamma: whatever we do onto others will come back on us. Q&A: Generosity: not only letting go material things but also views and opinions; Alcohol : “it doesn't bring you any joy, it's just to get rid of the dukkha”, with even half a glass of beer or wine, you cannot concentrate anymore; Seeing hells and heavens through meditation.
Dhamma Talk 38:07
15-08-14 The path has to be adjusted in every situation
Short Dhamma Talk to monks
Dhamma Talk 05:01
9-08-14 Seeing dukkha, seeing pain
Dhamma Talk 01:21:38
2-08-14 Desana mostly in thai
Dhamma Talk 35.27
8-07-14 Why is it not possible for you to develop sati?
Talk given to monks. Sati is our eyes, without it we can't see. While sweeping or doing other activities, don't think, just be present. You chew on the same thought chains for hundreds of times, isn't it boring? Without sati, you can't see the kilesas, you won't be able to see things as they are.
Dhamma Talk 17:13
21-06-14 Set yourself a goal in your life
Kamma: getting a job, house etc. is due to our kamma. Reflection: “what do you want to do with the rest of your life?” Explanation of taking refuge in the Buddha/Dhamma/Sangha. The more we go on the path and see the results, the more our faith increases. Hindrance: one of the big obstacles is to have expectations, being open-minded is the path of practice. Difference between symbols and experience. Being grateful toward one's parents. Generosity: examples of the Thai generosity. Generosity/respect/gratitude are all warm/pleasant feelings arising from an open heart. Method to open the heart. Daily reflection to see the patterns and the tricks we are falling in.
Dhamma Talk 56:00
21-06-14 Metta: guided meditation **
Explanation of the 4 Brahmaviharas: metta (kindness/well-being), karuna (compassion), mudita (joy for others), upekkha (equanimity) (5 min). Metta guided meditation (30 min). Explanation of metta practice: effect on oneself and other beings.
Guided Meditation 40:26
20-06-14 What exactly is kamma?
Kamma: law of cause and effect. Physics laws are a subset of kamma. Kamma also applies to speech, body actions and thoughts. 99.9% of what happens to us come from our own doing/kamma. Investigation and understanding our character tendencies that lead to this kamma coming back to us. Intention is what creates kamma, but people don't know their true intentions. Examples of kamma that leads to wealth, poverty, beauty, ugliness, long life etc.
Dhamma Talk 01:08:34
19-06-14 Sati Panna, the only weapons to get rid of the kilesas
Sati-Panna: only tools to get rid of the kilesas. Samadhi/one-pointedness to train sati. Deep state of samadhi: recharged like putting 2 fingers in an AC outlet, preview of Nibbana. 100% interest is 100% concentration. Kilesas: the ones that bring discomfort, hindrances. Sati: where there is sati, there are no kilesas. Panna: start by investigating your life (from 1 y.o to now), training this body to digest, walk, talk, think etc.: “how much fun is that?”. After 40/45, it starts breaking apart. Respect/Generosity/Gratitude: 3 virtues to develop (+ keeping the 5 precepts) to enter the heavenly realms. Also a necessity to go deeper in our practice. Cycle of birth and death: Luangta says “if I take the bones of all my human lives and would scatter them over Thailand, there wouldn't be an empty place”. Skin: if we had a microscope, we would see how disgusting it is (holes etc.)
Dhamma Talk 01:04:53
17-06-14 Overview of the Dhamma teaching of the Lord Buddha
“What do you think will happen when you die?”: cycle of birth and death, realms of existence. Exposition on the 4 Noble Truths. Sila: exposition on the 5 precepts. Samadhi and Sati: concentration on one point until everything disappears (thoughts, senses, all this Universe). Panna: samadhi sharpens the blade of panna. Investigation of the 5 groups (body/feeling/memory/thoughts/sense awareness). Exposition of Anicca/Dukkha/Anatta. Definition of the kilesas: soldiers of Avijja, army of greed/hatred with delusion behind and avijja as the general.
Dhamma Talk 44:00
14-06-14 Break all these symbols apart
Talk given to monks. Danger of comfort and routine: “our life of a monk is predictable, however the practice is not predictable”. Sati: breaking/splitting activities into small actions/body movements; “without sati, we cannot get free”. Dukkha: it drives you to think and do this and that; “the Dukkha must be so heavy, why can't you see it?” Body investigation: tear it apart until the citta understands this body is just a mess of flesh and bones. Symbols: “what does it mean to take a shower or wash cloth? How does it feel?” Kilesas: “you say: 'yes my Lord'”
Dhamma Talk 32:01
2-05-14 Monks don't throw things away
Talk given to monks. Effort: being a monk for a while, be careful about the feeling of comfort. Dukkha: you have to see it, that's our motivation. Use of the requisites: story of how Ven. Ananda uses the requisites (robes) and never throws things away.
Dhamma Talk 08:43
29-03-14 Constantly worried about the body
In the practice, constantly worried about the body (too hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, tired etc.) “ We have not understood the nature of the body”. Methods of body contemplation: 1- Investigate/compare what this body gave you and what you have to do for it every day (feed it, cloth it, put it so rest, heal it) since you're born. “ This body is really needy like a child, what does it bring us ? Except worries about death, sickness etc.?” 2- Investigation of body parts: Dirtiness of the nails/hair/teeth/skin when you don't look after them. Remove the skin and look what is below: flesh, blood, pus etc. Look at the stomach and the food you ate. Zoom in on the skin: the pores, the fat underneath. “ The skin is the big deceiver” 3- Disassemble the body and reassemble it again and again. Cut it into bit and pieces. “Where is the body? Is that mine?” 4 – Seeing the 4 elements (earth / water / fire / air): see the elements in the body parts, “what is the nature of this body?” Seeing disintegration of the body. Body contemplation brings anger, it undermines the power of the kilesas. Need good concentration to visualize the body parts.
Dhamma Talk 55:00
21-03-14 No end avoiding unpleasant situations
“Don't worry, be happy... and be born again & again & again... but for this you don't need me”. There's no end to things we have to do in the world. Story of the Lord Buddha and Ananda encountering unfriendly villagers. “The present moment... the only place where we can change things”. Most people have 90% to 99% dukkha (unhappiness) and 1% to 10% sukkha (happiness), how can we not see it? “For years, the main concern of many meditators is the body (too hot, too cold etc.)”
Dhamma Talk 18:03
17-03-14 The heavy dukkha of the body
“The body is the source of all our unhappiness and dukkha”. Be clear why you come to practice in a monastery. 3 difficult things to achieve: being born as a human, finding the true religion / Dhamma, meeting an arahant. Biggest obstacle for humams: kama raga (sexual craving). We earn money mostly for the needs of the body (food, cloth, shelter). We don't see what's inside the body: flesh, blood, pus, tendons, digested/undigested food etc. Tiredness, hunger, thirst: all this dukkha comes from the body. We are attached to the body because of the 6 senses it gives us. Observe unpleasant feelings and don't identify with them. Body is the key that leads us on the way out of dukkha. Illness, accidents, being rich/poor: it's just concerns the body, never the citta/mind.
Dhamma Talk 1:01:09
13-03-14 All the things we do is because of dukkha
At least 8 to 12 hours of meditation a day. Person without sati is like a dead person. Most of us are control freaks. Whatever we put inside the body is beautiful, whatever comes out stinks and is disgusting. “We don't want to see dukkha”. “We kill time until we die and we're born again”. Stop running after pleasant sensations and away from unpleasant sensations. Skin is thin like paper and hides the ugliness of the body. Once we really understand the 1st Noble Truth (Dukkha), we have only one choice/will/intention: to get out (Nibbana). Eating/washing/sweeping are just very similar body movements but we like this and dislike that. Face up dukkha vedana (painful bodily feelings) and observe it. Develop sati and don't waste time.
Dhamma Talk 52:18
8-03-14 We think we know... just know without thinking
“Without a point of reference, we don't know where the mind is going”. Example of Luangta Maha Boowa. “If you want to think about something, think about the 32 parts of the body”. Daily reflection: recall your day but don't judge. “We think we know, that's where we get confused”. “See from moment to moment, we don't know when we will die, let's just live in the present moment”. “The more we're concentrated on the Buddho, the more we know what's going on around us”. “If there is past and a future, then the 'I', the ego appears”. Rest in samadhi, then investigate the body. “We cannot get enough of the senses”. Going to the heavens and hells when the citta is outside of the body, or look at the body itself.
Dhamma Talk 39:07
4-03-14 Get calm and find the shelter in the heart
Fighting and angry words not allowed in the wat. 2 people fighting = 2 people guilty. Most important thing: calm the mind. 100% interest is 100% concentration. Body/feelings/memories/thoughts are just tools used either by Avijja/kilesas or by the Dhamma. Constant fight to support Dhamma. “None of the satisfaction experienced in the world surpasses the satisfaction of upacara samadhi”. The kilesas want us to give up because it undermines their power. “When fear of death comes, let's see what dies!” Whatever we see in others is in us, look in yourself and you will see. Samadhi: from waking up to going back to sleep, persistence and endurance to stay on the breath or the Buddho. Important to have a fixed point of reference. Training the mind is the most difficult thing in the world, working in a coal mine is easier!
Dhamma Talk 34:41
18-02-14 Fight the kilesas with sati panna
Talk given to monks.
Dhamma Talk 21:28
7-02-14 Reducing conceit and develop gratitude
Talk given to monks.
Dhamma Talk 17:16
17-01-14 Faith, samadhi and satori
Dhamma Talk 39.01