In this New Year Dhamma talk, Bhante Joe reflects on goal-setting in Buddhism and why the Buddha’s training revolves around a clear aim: Nibbāna, the end of suffering. He explains how effective spiritual goals rely on balancing two vital capacities—the rational faculty (breaking a large aim into realistic, workable steps) and the intuitive faculty (recognizing opportunities and obstacles as kamma ripens). Using practical analogies such as “candy goals” versus nourishing goals and the logic of wise investment, he encourages prioritizing virtue (sīla), generosity (dāna), and meditation (bhāvanā)—goals that give lasting returns, build momentum, and support progress on the path to liberation.
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Linktree
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Website
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Welcome!
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 — New Year’s Greeting & Setting Intentions
0:25 — Buddhism as a Goal-Based Path: Nibbāna as the Aim
0:35 — The Buddha’s Quest: Ending Rebirth and Suffering
1:06 — Two Keys to Achieving Goals: Rational Mind + Intuition
1:24 — Break Big Goals into Small Steps (Making Nibbāna Practical)
2:22 — Realistic Goal-Setting: Why Awakening Is Possible (But Not “Tomorrow”)
3:00 — Kamma & Determination: Mysterious Openings and Obstacles
3:50 — Rational Planning vs Intuitive Navigation (The “Big City” Metaphor)
4:09 — Taking Stock: Wholesome & Unwholesome Qualities (Personal Sub-Goals)
5:10 — Generosity Done Wisely: Learning from Success and Mistakes
5:56 — Balance Simile: Walking Smoothly with Both “Feet”
6:29 — Why We Do Everything: Happiness vs Suffering (The Hidden Driver)
7:03 — “Candy-Bar Goals” vs Nourishing Goals (Short-Term vs Long-Term Benefit)
8:25 — The Investment Metaphor: Compounding Returns Through Practice
9:26 — Best New Year Resolutions: Meditation, Generosity, Virtue
10:13 — Thai Forest Goal Tips: Why Truthfulness Builds Power
10:26 — Keeping Promises Creates Momentum (Externally and Internally)
11:32 — The Prince Simile: When Nibbāna Starts to Feel Within Reach
12:46 — Why Goal-Setting Matters in Buddhism (The Buddha as Supremely Goal-Oriented)
13:18 — New Year Determinations: Choosing High-Priority Goals
14:04 — The Best Aim: Determinations for the Ending of Suffering
This Dhamma talk discusses the importance of using the Buddha's teachings for the practical purpose of ending suffering, rather than ontological knowledge about the world. It also discusses how the teaching on not self is not meant to lead to a state where one 'realizes' no self, but to a state where the mind is untouched by the world.
In this talk, Bhante Joe reflects on “de-meshing with the world”: how the world praises outward expansion—more roles, more projects, more involvement—while the Dhamma points in the opposite direction, toward inward contraction and release. Using the idea of papañca (proliferation), he explains how the mind rushes out, mixes with things, and then suffers when those entanglements shift. The talk clarifies dispassion not as dullness or negativity, but as a liberating cooling of obsession and addiction, where the mind regains choice, balance, and a broader range of genuine happiness. Through generosity, precepts, kindness, and meditation, we gradually separate the mind from what burdens it and learn the peace of renunciation.
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Tune in with fellow practitioners for online meditation and Dhamma teachings!
Website
www.dhammavinayapatipada.com
LUMA CALENDAR
https://luma.com/dhamm...
Linktree
https://linktr.ee/dham...
Monthly calendar
https://dhammavinayapa...
Welcome!
Timestamps
00:00:00 Intro: meeting a tudong teacher in Thailand
00:00:55 Going against the grain: the world’s push toward “expansion”
00:01:28 Papañca: proliferation/expansion of the mind
00:03:49 The Dhamma’s direction: contracting and drawing inward
00:05:20 Practice tools: precepts, generosity, meditation (and disentangling)
00:06:20 Dispassion clarified: not dullness—freedom from obsession
00:07:10 Passion and suffering: a relationship example
00:09:19 Addiction and narrowing happiness (how fixation shrinks the mind)
00:11:47 Inner happiness expands as the mind withdraws
00:12:47 The difficult phase: withdrawal, cravings, endurance
00:13:51 “Renunciation is good”: letting go as peace
00:14:14 The Buddha’s arc of withdrawal & closing encouragement
Ajahn Nissarano is the abbot of Newbury Buddhist Monastery. He trained at Bodhinyana monastery for almost ten years setting out to stay in Thailand and later Sri Lanka. He spent 13 years in Sri Lanka, eight of which were in a solitary cave.
For more information on Ajahn Nissarano's teachings, Newbury Buddhist Monastery, and the Sanctuary of Stillness Retreat Centre, see https://www.bsv.net.au/.
A Dhamma discussion based on the question (paraphrased)
'We've talked about how ease is important in practice, is there a role for more rigorous practices?'
This talk discusses how inspiration is a skill. It discusses strategies for making the mind inspired and for using inspiration well when it arises.
*Note: this talk was given as a backup for our regular monthly meditation session for North America. For more information about our monthly events, see our Luna calendar...
https://luma.com/user/dhammavinayap
A Dhamma discussion based on the question (paraphrased...)
Hey, Bhante... what I find sometimes with myself is this: I’ll sit down, and then there’s this resentment or anger from something during the day. Someone said something wrong to me or whatever, right? So I’ll be trying to look for the root or the background of that. Do I think that I don’t count? Or that my opinion doesn’t matter? So I’m always trying to theorize: What’s the second noble truth here? What is the craving or the clinging behind this?
... Is there a belief there? Why is there contact sparking in that way? So I’m always trying to look for a belief or expectation behind it. And maybe I’m just trying to avoid something unpleasant here and now, right?
This talk examines the lives of the Buddha's lay noble disciples in ancient and modern times to see what lessons their lives can hold for practitioners today. It also examines the Buddha's specific advice to laypeople in the Pali Canon that can act as a checklist for lay practice.
An interview with Ajahn Kovilo of Clear Mountain Monastery.
Links
Website
www.clearmountainmonastery.org
The Wellbeing Cascade: https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/2024/06/11/the-wellbeing-cascade/
Thus You Should Train Yourselves
https://www.clearmountainmonastery.org/2024/06/11/thus-should-you-train-yourselves/
This talk discusses how the Buddha defines the self as a process. We can create selves that are based on increasingly refined levels of happiness, until we don't need to create a self at all.
Dhamma discussion based on the question...
'..sort of following the connection from last week, the comments you made about observing cause and effect and especially observing causes of happiness today. I was wondering if you could clarify the difference between the latter two types of happiness that you mentioned. So, happiness from stillness and that from absence. Could you speak a little bit more about that?'
An ovāda and Dhamma discussion based on developing an increasing sensitivity to different types of happiness as a means to progress on one's path.
This ovāda discusses the importance of keeping in mind the purpose for which we meditate and evaluating our success or failure against that purpose
A simple guided breath meditation suitable for beginners
A Dhamma discussion based on the question...
"Bhante, I have some questions regarding discernment. First, is the only type of discernment which leads to the destruction of defilements and cutting fetters, insight into the three characteristics? Secondly, are we supposed to A) actively produce discernment in meditation, or B) are we cultivating our minds in a way that will cause discernment to arise naturally? Whichever it is, can you please explain how this is done?"
This ovāda discusses the Buddha's statement that the in and out breath is a body among bodies.
A Dhamma discussion based on the question...
@ Bhante Joe I have a question around balancing contentment and striving. When I was meditating last night I saw how much dissatisfaction I was experiencing over not having the type of meditation experiences I had the last time and wanted again this time. The perceptions and feelings were not as strong and pleasant.
I tried forcing it for a bit, and then saw how I was suffering because I was forcing, not for what I couldn't experience. So, then I had a thought to just let the experience of the breath be enough the way it is in this moment. I stopped forcing my mind to try and relate to it in any particular way, and stopped obsessing about the meditation being as pleasant or deep as the last one.
Basically, I was practicing contentment with what was. But then I got to wondering if maybe I was just quitting when I should have pushed through and created the perceptions and feelings I was hoping for.
How do we know when it's the right time to strive and the right time to just be content and be with what is?
(line breaks added)
This Sutta and Vinaya study discusses controversies regarding working out and keeping the precept not to eat after solar noon.
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Note: the distinction between milk fat and milk protein appears to be the reason why milk is not allowed after noon, but butter is. Also note that whey protein powder is derived from milk.
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Relevant Sutta and Vinaya Passages:
Majjhima Nikāya (MN)
MN 2 – Sabbāsava Sutta (All the Effluents) — Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN2.html
Pātimokkha Rules (Vinaya)
Pācittiya 37 (Pc 37) — Food at the wrong time (BMC discussion & full rule context)
https://www.dhammatalks.org/vinaya/bmc/Section0019.html#37
Nissaggiya Pācittiya 23 (NP 23) — The five tonics (7-day limit)
Index: https://www.dhammatalks.org/vinaya/bmc/Section0030.html
Medicine chapter note: https://www.dhammatalks.org/vinaya/bmc/Section0044.html
Mahāvagga (Vinaya)
Mv VI (Bhesajjakkhandhaka) — Allowance of the five products of a cow
https://www.dhammatalks.org/vinaya/Mv/MvVI.html (see “The allowance of the Five Products of the Cow”)
Cullavagga / Khandhaka (Vinaya)
Senāsanakkhandhaka — Assigning lodgings (Dabba Mallaputta)
https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-kd16
Saṅghādisesa (Vinaya)
Saṅghādisesa 8 — Background with lodging-assignment formula
https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-bu-vb-ss8/en/brahmali
A Dhamma discussion based on the question...
"Dear Bhante, between asubha and 4 elements contemplation for the body, which is a better one to get insight into annata and cut the fetter of Sakkāya-diṭṭhi?
I was watching a video of Ajahn (X) and it was mentioned there that asubha is primarily to reduce lust and 4 elements is for insight into annata. Would that be the case? Because in my understanding asubha breaks up the body into impersonal things as well, wouldn’t this give insights into annata as well?
Im asking this because 4 elements is a more abstract meditation topic for me as of now, asubha for the body seems easier to do. What would you suggest Bhante?"
This ovāda discusses the importance of balance and experimentation in Buddhist practice.