Mind

Ajahn Dtun

How to Concentrate for Longer Periods

Question & Answer

In this teaching, Venerable Ajahn Dtun addresses “How to CONCENTRATE longer period.” The subject is treated as a practical Dhamma question rather than something to settle through theory alone. The focus is on what it means for conduct, meditation, mindfulness and wisdom, and on how the issue can be understood through direct observation of body and mind. The supplied subtitles repeatedly touch on family responsibility, gratitude and the practice of Dhamma in relationships, samādhi, steadiness of mind and the development of concentration, and mindfulness of breathing and the use of the breath to steady attention. The discussion therefore stays close to practice: notice the causes that are present, observe the results they produce, and use the teaching to guide the next wholesome step rather than turning the topic into speculation. The practical emphasis is on training attention patiently rather than chasing unusual states. A meditation object is used to gather the mind, and mindfulness notices when attention has wandered. As steadiness develops, the practitioner can investigate experience with more clarity instead of being carried away by every thought, sensation or mood. For someone practising today, the useful question is not only how to understand how to concentrate longer period, but what can be cultivated now. The response points toward patient repetition: establish wholesome conduct, develop enough steadiness to see clearly, notice attachment when it appears, and use wisdom to understand rather than react automatically. In this way, difficulty itself becomes information about where the training is still weak. This video is relevant to viewers interested in Buddhist meditation, samādhi, mindfulness, breath meditation, Buddho, walking meditation and insight practice. Ajahn Dtun’s approach is direct and practice-centred. Buddhist terminology matters only insofar as it helps the practitioner restrain what causes harm, strengthen mindfulness, develop concentration where needed, and investigate conditions until the heart becomes less identified with what is changing. The broader message is gradual training. Progress is seen in a mind that is more honest, more stable and less easily pulled by greed, aversion, fear or confusion. Repeated practice turns a teaching from something merely understood in words into a Dhamma that changes how experience is met and how quickly the heart can let go. The teaching also encourages continuity. Rather than waiting for ideal conditions, keep creating the causes for clarity in ordinary life as well as formal meditation. What is repeatedly practised becomes stronger, and that accumulated strength is what allows mindfulness and wisdom to work when a difficult situation actually arrives. #AjahnDtun #Dhamma #Meditation #Samadhi #Mindfulness #ThaiForestTradition

Ajahn Chah

Part 10: Meditation Reveals the Hindrances

Short Teaching

Ajahn Chah teaches that meditation reveals the hidden habits of the mind. Hindrances, moods, distractions, mental habits, craving, anger, and confusion were already there — meditation simply makes them visible so they can be trained wisely.

Ajahn Chah

The Earthworm Worries About Dirt

Short Teaching

Ajahn Chah

If you let go a little, you will have a little peace

Short Teaching

These short reflections draw on the timeless teachings associated with Venerable Ajahn Chah, one of the most influential meditation masters of the Thai Forest Tradition. His teachings continually point us back to the most important place of practice — our own mind.

Ajahn Chah

The Essence of Buddhism Is Peace

Short Teaching

Ajahn Chah’s teachings have inspired generations of meditators with their simplicity, directness and profound understanding of the human mind. In these short reflections, his timeless Dhamma is presented in a clear and accessible way for anyone interested in Buddhist practice, mindfulness, meditation and freedom from suffering.

Ajahn Chah

Ajahn Chah on Sensual Desire: Understanding the First Hindrance

Selected Section

Sensual desire is not limited to sexual craving. In this teaching, the first of the five hindrances is examined as the mind’s tendency to turn toward remembered, imagined, or anticipated pleasures whenever meditation does not immediately satisfy it. Food, comfort, attractive sights, sounds, memories, fantasies, and other forms of sense pleasure can all become places where attention seeks warmth and distraction. The teaching is practical because it asks the meditator to recognize the movement of the mind rather than merely condemn desire. Sensual thoughts become an obstacle when they occupy attention, feed attachment, and prevent the mind from settling sufficiently for samādhi and insight. Seeing this process clearly is already part of the training: mindfulness reveals what the mind is reaching for, while restraint and wise reflection weaken the habit of automatically following it. This section belongs to a larger presentation of meditation practice and the hindrances. Its emphasis is not on suppressing experience by force, but on understanding why sensual attraction gains power and how practice gradually reduces that power. As interest in Dhamma deepens, the meditator learns to recognize the difference between temporary gratification and the more stable peace that comes from a mind less dependent on sensory stimulation. A useful reflection for anyone who finds meditation repeatedly pulled toward pleasant memories, plans, food, relationships, entertainment, or fantasy. The central question is simple: when the mind leaves the present moment in search of pleasure, can we see that movement clearly enough not to be carried away by it?

Ajahn Chah

The Middle Way Is in the Mind

Short Teaching

Ajahn Chah’s teachings have inspired generations of meditators with their simplicity, directness and profound understanding of the human mind. In these short reflections, his timeless Dhamma is presented in a clear and accessible way for anyone interested in Buddhist practice, mindfulness, meditation and freedom from suffering.

Ajahn Dtun

Learning to Stop Comparing and Find Peace Within

Selected Section

Venerable Ajahn Dtun – Beyond Superiority and Inferiority Venerable Ajahn Dtun offers a profound reflection on Māna—the subtle tendency of the mind to compare itself with others: “I am better than them,” “I am equal to them,” or “I am not as good as them.” Although these comparisons may appear ordinary and natural, Ajahn Dtun explains that this self-referencing tendency is deeply rooted in the mind. It can quietly influence how we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we experience our own place in the world. For some people, the mind constantly feels inferior. We look at the lives, abilities, achievements, or spiritual progress of others and feel that we are falling behind. At other times, the mind moves in the opposite direction, creating a sense of superiority—believing that we are better, more capable, or more developed than others. Both are forms of comparison. Ajahn Dtun explains that these tendencies are connected with Māna, and that fully letting go of this subtle conceit is a very deep stage of spiritual development. It is not simply a matter of telling ourselves to “stop comparing.” Rather, it requires gradually understanding the nature of the self that is constantly measuring, judging, and positioning itself in relation to others. One practical approach is to learn how to bring the mind back to a more balanced perspective. When we feel that we are not as good as others, Ajahn Dtun suggests recognising that there are always people who may be facing much greater difficulties and hardships. Seeing this can help us understand that our own situation may not be as bad as the mind has imagined. This does not mean comparing ourselves with those who have less in order to feel better. Rather, it is an opportunity to correct an exaggerated perception and return the mind to a more balanced and realistic attitude. Ajahn Dtun also reminds us that every person is different. There is no need to measure our journey against someone else's. Instead of continually looking outward and asking, “Where do I stand compared with them?”, we can turn our attention inward and ask: “What is happening within my own heart?” This is where genuine spiritual practice begins. Ajahn Dtun encourages us not to become overly interested in whether others are better or worse than ourselves. Our responsibility is to work with our own mind—to recognise our own defilements, cultivate goodness, and gradually develop the heart. Yet this does not mean becoming indifferent to the goodness of others. If someone is able to come to the monastery frequently, practise more often, give generously, or develop qualities that we ourselves have not yet developed, we can choose a completely different response. Instead of jealousy, comparison, or feelings of inadequacy, we can offer our anumodana—rejoicing in their goodness. This quality is known as Muditā, the ability to rejoice in the goodness and happiness of others. When another person does something wholesome, we do not have to see their goodness as a threat to our own worth. Their goodness can become a reason for our own heart to rejoice. This is a beautiful transformation of the mind. Instead of thinking: “They are doing more than me.” we can learn to think: “How wonderful that they are able to cultivate goodness. May they continue to grow in the Dhamma.” When the mind can genuinely rejoice in another person's goodness, comparison begins to lose its power. The heart becomes lighter. There is less need to prove ourselves, less need to compete, and less suffering created by constantly measuring our lives against the lives of others. Ajahn Dtun's teaching therefore points us toward a very practical form of inner freedom: stop measuring your worth through other people. Everyone is walking according to their own conditions, their own kamma, their own capabilities, and their own stage of development. Our task is not to become someone else. Our task is to understand and cultivate our own heart. And when we can rejoice sincerely in the goodness of others, their progress no longer becomes a source of comparison. It becomes an opportunity to cultivate goodness within ourselves. This is the beauty of Muditā—a heart that can be happy because another person is doing well. May this teaching by Venerable Ajahn Dtun help us recognise the subtle ways in which comparison operates within the mind, release the need to feel superior or inferior, develop a more balanced attitude toward ourselves and others, and learn to rejoice sincerely in the goodness of those around us. 🍃 The Still Path 🍃 🔔 Subscribe for more authentic Dhamma teachings #AjahnDtun #Dhamma #Buddhism #Māna #Mudita #Meditation #ThaiForestTradition #AjahnChah #BuddhistTeachings #DhammaTalk #MindTraining #InnerPeace #SelfAwareness #SpiritualPractice #Muditā

Ajahn Dtun

Why the Same Gift Can Bring Different Fruit

Question & Answer

🔅Does helping people in the community create the same kind of merit as making offerings to monks and those devoted to Dhamma practice? In this teaching, Venerable Ajahn Dtun explains an important distinction in Buddhist generosity. Helping people in society is genuinely wholesome. Caring for the elderly, the sick, orphans, people with disabilities, or anyone in need requires loving-kindness, compassion, and a generous heart. Such actions create goodness and bring happiness to the person who gives. However, Ajahn Dtun explains that although generosity is wholesome in both cases, the results or “fruit” of giving can differ according to the qualities of the recipient. In Buddhism, someone who maintains sīla, develops samādhi, cultivates wisdom, and works to reduce greed, anger, and delusion may be considered a particularly fertile “field of merit.” The more purified and developed the recipient’s mind, the greater the potential fruit of an offering made with a wholesome intention. This does not mean that helping ordinary people is unimportant or without merit. Ajahn Dtun clearly encourages us to help others whenever we are able. Generosity toward people who are suffering still develops compassion, kindness, and goodness within our own heart. The distinction is about the different results that generosity can produce. Ajahn Dtun gives a simple analogy: imagine planting the same rice seed in two different fields. One field is dry, full of weeds, poorly irrigated, and lacking fertile soil. The crop may still grow, but the harvest will be limited. The other field has rich soil, sufficient water, good irrigation, and proper conditions. The very same seed can produce a much greater harvest. Generosity works in a similar way. The intention to give is wholesome, but the “field” in which that generosity is planted can affect the resulting fruit. Ajahn Dtun therefore encourages a balanced approach. Help people in society. Support those who are suffering. Practise compassion wherever possible. And when the opportunity arises, also support monks, practitioners, and those sincerely cultivating the path of virtue, concentration, and wisdom. Both are forms of goodness. The seed is wholesome — but the harvest may not always be the same. #AjahnDtun #Dhamma #Generosity #Dana #Merit #BuddhistTeachings #Sangha