Livestream interview with Ven Anālayo April 20

Thank you for sharing. The video starts around minute 06:30.

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Hi @Aminah, I also found it to be a beautiful discussion and presentation which resonated with me. I appreciate that it did not get into arguments or even assertions of one point of view over another (e.g. who’s right, there is or is not rebirth) but rather was presented in a spirit of inclusiveness and open inquiry while at the same time clearly articulating that rebirth is part and parcel of the earliest strata of teaching.

I fully concur with you that the topic of death, the fact that we will all die, (and crucial to that how we live our lives & the condition of our minds, what’s wholesome, what’s not) is of utmost importance.

Speaking of resonating with how something is expressed, I would just like to say that your way of expressing yourself is something I very much resonate with. I find it warm, inviting, honest, engaging and wise (and I also love your humor). So I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your presence on this forum and for your role as a moderator.

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Oh Linda! That is just such an unbearably touching message; hugely deep thanks to you.

It comes as I just get back from seeing one of my dearest friends who told me they’ve learned about a serious, potentially drop-down-dead order of health condition. I take my duties as a Brit, that is being ridiculously reserved, very seriously, but still I found myself helpless against some public tears as I walked back home.

I was so glad to have Ven. Analayo’s reflection on death immediately in mind to turn over. It—that is the Buddha’s observations on the fundamental nature of life—is such a grounding, supportive framework to negotiate all this ‘life stuff’ within. So, yet once more, thanks so much for sharing the link.

As an aside follow-up point on some detail he mentioned (I hope I’m not overly assuming, but you seem to be quite familiar with Ven. Analayo’s work), do you happen to know if/where he might have written about metta? I was oddly heartened to hear him say he was an “angry type”; from the moment I first picked up one of the recordings of his Agama classes, I was deeply struck by the gentleness carried in his voice (again, while still being intellectually formidable). If he started out as an “angry type” that was hopeless at metta, there’s hope for me, yet! :wink:

As for your extraordinary compliment, all I can say is, ditto! I always keep an eye out for where you comment and only wish you’d come out to play a little bit more, as you invariably make wonderful, level-headed, insightful, and indeed, kind contributions. In turn, thank you for your presence here! :anjal:

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Dear @Aminah,

Thank you also for your kind and touching comment!

I was deeply struck by the gentleness carried in his voice (again, while still being intellectually formidable). If he started out as an “angry type” that was hopeless at metta, there’s hope for me, yet! :wink:

:joy: Yes, I know what you mean! Personally I’m one of those people for whom the traditional commentarial instructions for practicing metta (using the various phrases) did not work, so I had to find my own way. So, years ago when I first heard Ven Analayo talk about how the practice of metta is outlined in the suttas, it was very affirming to me. This is not to say that the traditional method isn’t valuable; it definitley has great benefits for some people, but we each have to find what works best for us in our own practice.

I am quite familiar with Ven Analayo’s work but the problem is he’s written so many articles and books that it’s difficult ot remember where everything is. But I can perhaps point to a few metta resources. Off-hand I can’t think of a particular paper he’s published specifically on metta. Many of his papers are available on-line and here’s a list of some publications if you don’t know about it.

He mentions metta in several of his books in different contexts but I think the most material is in Compasion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation. There’s a lot in Chapter II as well as some in other parts of the book (look in the index under metta).

Here are a couple links to references where he’s talked a bit about metta:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/2oid0e/bhikkhu_analayo_on_alternative_metta_methods/

Also in his comparative sutta study on-line courses, I believe in the 2nd year in ‘The Arahant & the Four Truths’ he discusses it quite a bit in one of the lectures, though off-hand I can’t say which one. The links to these lecture series are somewhere here on Discourse.

I am very sorry to hear about your friend and am glad you can be there to support her/him. Speaking of death (and illness) I highly recommend Ven Analayo’s book Mindfully Facing Disease and Death. Each chapter contains a translation of a sutta preceded by an introduction to the themes in that passage and followed by a discussion of it including suggestions for practice. One could read start to finish or pick up any chapter, based on personal interests, for contemplation. It covers working with ourselves as well as others when facing disease and death. I have personally found it immensely helpful.

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Thanks for those resources, @Linda. I hadn’t seen the Vishvapani interview before.

For me, Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation was very helpful in gaining a clearer understanding of how the brahmaviharas were understood and practiced in the early discourses.

I just wanted to add one more resource – Early Buddhist Meditation Studies. It’s geared toward practitioners and has four chapters, with the last chapter covering the brahmaviharas. It’s available as a free PDF on the list of publications that Linda provided (under “Books”, it’s #6).

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In case this link goes “stale” at one point too, the talks are also available right here :smile:

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Dear Linda,

So much thanks to you (and all other contributors) for these wonderful resources (as well as the reminder that I never did get round to listening to Ven. Analayo’s second Agama course)!

I’ve had my computer off for most of today, but by coincidence(ish) in that period I listened to the Dharmaseed talk and was happy to hear the discussion on metta come up at the end.

Quite so! I very much appreciated his apology on Friday for being so prolific! How’s anyone meant to keep up?! :smiley: Well, I rather suppose it is a matter of starting somewhere and going from there - your recommendation of his book on death seems like a very good place to begin. As mentioned in my first comment, I find it such an interesting, even uplifting, subject.

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Dear @Linda, @Aminah, @cjmacie and @musiko and anyone else that has access to any other resources related to Ven Analayo,

May I humbly suggest that you all create separate threads for the links you’ve provided so kindly here? Ven Analayo is very much worth listening to and I think there is something there for everyone. If there were separatet topics you may well reach a wider audience. May I also suggest “tagging” each topic with “Ven Analayo” so that those who use the search function on D&D can put in his name and immediately be presented with these wonderful resources.

With metta and gratitude

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Thank you for providing this link @Linda . I am booked into a 7-day retreat with Anālayo next July and I found the second, autobiographical, section very pertinent. I’ll be following up the links on metta from this thread because my personal experience has been somewhat similar to his, although I did not use the EBTs as a resource as he did.

(Thank you to the person who spotted a typo in this. I have corrected it and another. Fairly confident that it now reads as I intended.)

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:slight_smile: did you mean “retreat”? …not “threat”? :slight_smile: I was going to edit it but then thought best to check with you… :slight_smile:

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What a excellent conversation and talk. Thank you for sharing this nourishment.

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Death, and one response to dying.

with metta,

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thanks @anon29387788
How do I add a tag to my post above? I just tried to and can’t see where. There’s a place in the upper right called ‘additional tags’ and I tried to type in ‘Analayo’ there but it wouldnt’ take.

Also just wanted to say I have had problems with having so many different threads/discussions as it’s difficult to find things. Many times I can’t locate a past post which I remember is somewhere on Discourse.

Of course your reminder to use tags is great, thanks, but I’ve noticed that often peole ask a questios or wonder where something is in one thread that has already had links in another (so like me, I assume they don’t know about the previous one or haven’t been able to easily find it). So I wonder about having threads per teacher for example or some other idea that would mean less threds, not more. Then everything would be easy to find in one place. I realize for some teachers, like Ajahn Brahm’s talks, this could get unwieldly though. So, I’m happy to go along whatever you think is best. But I do find the sheer number of posts in Discourse means it’s often difficult to find things (even with using the search, at least at the level I know how to use it).

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Dear Linda

Thanks for this comment.

I’m just going to tag @Vimala and @Sujato here so they’re aware of this valuable feedback.

Okay let me see if I can do it.

Okay, that worked.

If you want to add anything further to it or edit it try adding the tag and then you have to click on the “tick”. There’s a “tick” and a “cross” - click on the tick. I have also found that it can be a bit “temperamental” and also won’t let you have spaces between words…

I think it’s a good idea. Perhaps a few more catergories within catergories? Is that the kind of thing you’re thinking of Linda?

Thanks again, not just for your feedback, but for this incredibly lovely talk.

Much metta

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@anon29387788 (and as I said to @aminah earlier, thanks also to you and the other moderators as well for your roles as moderator & all your good and helpful communciation)

Thanks for adding the tag. I just checked and see it’s there now but not sure why it didn’t work when I did it.

Perhaps a few more catergories within catergories? Is that the kind of thing you’re thinking of Linda?

Yes, exactly.

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Not exactly @anon29387788, but have now edited it. Thanks for your attention to detail. :slight_smile:

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Ah!! Of course, it seems so obvious now! :slight_smile:

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I just heard from a friend that the interview & presentation by Ven Analayo is also now also available on youtube

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Linda, this is such good news. I was concerned that people who don’t read the comments would miss it so I edited your original post by quoting your statement with the new link. I hope that’s okay.

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thanks @anon29387788!

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