I just got back from Baan Aree listening to a dhamma talk by Phra Ajahn Prasong Paripunno from Wat Bang Pla Kod. I'd never seen him before, never heard his talk, nor have I read his book "หักหอกเป็นดอกไม้". I just love listening to dhamma talks, and Baan Aree is easy to get to so I go to almost all of them.
I felt like I came home as I hadn't set foot there for almost a month after "the incident." Though Baan Aree will never be the same, I still love the place. Now it has a melancholic atmosphere, or is it my imagination?
Phra Ajahn Prasong often conducts a Sunday activity for kids at Baan Aree once a month. As expected, he is a gifted story teller and an excellent teacher for attention-deficit individuals like little kids. He has many tricks to keep us with him. Like, he kept saying, "Hello, is everyone with me?" Yes, he did say "Hello" in Thai. (I think he picked up that expression from the US as he was an abbot at a monastery in Chicago).
He even had us play a game with him to practice our awareness. We were asked to do only when being told "With mindfulness, ...." For example, if he said "With mindfulness, put your hands up." Then we put our hands up. If he didn't say "with mindfulness", we're not supposed to move. If we move, then we're kicked out of the game. Because I was so darn mindful, I failed on the very first trial. Being so obedient, I did what was told, regardless of the keyword. Phra Ajahn was very adorable and tricky.
By the way, he looks really nerdy with glasses, a big head on a small body, and he also appears very kind. He smiles all the time and constantly cracks jokes. And his jokes worked because they came from him, with his facial expressions, his voice, and his innate charm. This is the funniest talk I've been to. Of course, I laugh at other talks, but his jokes are more innocent, child-like and universal. Luangpor Pramote's or Luangpor Sumedho's jokes tend to be a bit more satirical and darker, like stuff small kids won't get. In terms of being hilarious, Luangpor Prasong is in the same league as Ajahn Brahm.
He also indirectly got us to do a mindfulness exercise that keeps us active while listening. After he cracked a joke and we laughed, he asked us to "Raise your hands if you were laughing out of your habits (his word: ความเคยชิน) or with mindfulness." Once our hands were raised, he said, "Good that you realize you did it out of your habits. It means you are being mindful. The rest of the class, please say สาธุ to congratulate your friends for their mindfulness." And we did this exercise at least ten times. So the idea of being aware of what one is doing is gradually drilled into our heads.
I almost forgot the way he treated us like kids, e.g., getting us to ask for the five precepts and do a bit of chanting together. Then we had to repeat after him that no matter what happens, what color of one's shirt, what spiritual teachers we have, we shall not get mad at each other. Yes, he had us hold our palms in a prayer position and repeat after him while being instructed to smile to our neighbors and friends in the hall.
Other stuff that I like:
Baan Aree generally uploads all the dhamma talks on its website.
I'm so sleepy now but I felt I should write while I'm having this strong urge to.
I felt like I came home as I hadn't set foot there for almost a month after "the incident." Though Baan Aree will never be the same, I still love the place. Now it has a melancholic atmosphere, or is it my imagination?
Phra Ajahn Prasong often conducts a Sunday activity for kids at Baan Aree once a month. As expected, he is a gifted story teller and an excellent teacher for attention-deficit individuals like little kids. He has many tricks to keep us with him. Like, he kept saying, "Hello, is everyone with me?" Yes, he did say "Hello" in Thai. (I think he picked up that expression from the US as he was an abbot at a monastery in Chicago).
He even had us play a game with him to practice our awareness. We were asked to do only when being told "With mindfulness, ...." For example, if he said "With mindfulness, put your hands up." Then we put our hands up. If he didn't say "with mindfulness", we're not supposed to move. If we move, then we're kicked out of the game. Because I was so darn mindful, I failed on the very first trial. Being so obedient, I did what was told, regardless of the keyword. Phra Ajahn was very adorable and tricky.
By the way, he looks really nerdy with glasses, a big head on a small body, and he also appears very kind. He smiles all the time and constantly cracks jokes. And his jokes worked because they came from him, with his facial expressions, his voice, and his innate charm. This is the funniest talk I've been to. Of course, I laugh at other talks, but his jokes are more innocent, child-like and universal. Luangpor Pramote's or Luangpor Sumedho's jokes tend to be a bit more satirical and darker, like stuff small kids won't get. In terms of being hilarious, Luangpor Prasong is in the same league as Ajahn Brahm.
He also indirectly got us to do a mindfulness exercise that keeps us active while listening. After he cracked a joke and we laughed, he asked us to "Raise your hands if you were laughing out of your habits (his word: ความเคยชิน) or with mindfulness." Once our hands were raised, he said, "Good that you realize you did it out of your habits. It means you are being mindful. The rest of the class, please say สาธุ to congratulate your friends for their mindfulness." And we did this exercise at least ten times. So the idea of being aware of what one is doing is gradually drilled into our heads.
I almost forgot the way he treated us like kids, e.g., getting us to ask for the five precepts and do a bit of chanting together. Then we had to repeat after him that no matter what happens, what color of one's shirt, what spiritual teachers we have, we shall not get mad at each other. Yes, he had us hold our palms in a prayer position and repeat after him while being instructed to smile to our neighbors and friends in the hall.
Other stuff that I like:
- Love = Kindness (เมตตา) which, in Pali, has the same origin as the word for friends (มิตร)
- Quoting Luangpor Buddhadasa: If we can't keep the five precepts, we should keep only one rule: to love others because this single rule will automatically help us keep the rest.
- ยอมแพ้คน เพื่อชนะกิเลส อย่ายอมแพ้กิเลส เื่พื่อเอาชนะคน Surrender to people so as to win over defilements. Don't yield to defilements to defeat people.
- (This one is funny with his story) When good things happen, don't lose them. If you ever lose them, don't despair. And don't believe in anything so easily.
Baan Aree generally uploads all the dhamma talks on its website.
I'm so sleepy now but I felt I should write while I'm having this strong urge to.
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