The Fortress of Dhamma: The Buddha's teachings on Spiritual Safety and Advancement

Speaker: Bhante Sampanno (Online, Joining from Thailand)

Mon 28 Sept | 7.00-8.30pm AEST

Location: Online (Zoom link below)

Cost: Free

Bhante Sampanno shares the Dhamma with us on the last Monday of each month

Join us as we examine the sutta on the Simile of the Fortress, (AN 7.63, The Fortress), a teaching explaining the qualities necessary for success on the path of Dhamma. In this teaching, the Buddha compares the key factors of the spiritual life, those involved in both defending ourselves, and advancing on the path, to the requisites of a royal frontier fortress. Especially of interest are the insights it provides on the role of samma-samadhi (right concentration), and its relation to other path-factors.

Link to text: SuttaCentral — AN 7.67, The Fortress — Important: SuttaCentral's current numbering places this text at AN 7.67, whereas some traditional/older numbering systems and Access to Insight have it as AN 7.63.

About the Speaker: Tahn Sampanno is a Monk of 9 Vassas in the Ajahn Chah lineage of the Thai Forest tradition. Originally from the USA, at the age of 24 he first ordained in the Korean Mahayana tradition at Songgwangsa Monastery, in Suncheon, South Korea. After spending 6 years as a monk in Korea and while searching for monasteries with greater emphasis on Vinaya practice and the study of the Early Buddhist teachings, he became aware of the Thai Forest tradition. In 2016 he reordained, receiving higher ordination from Luang Por Passanno and the Sangha at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery. Since 2024 he has been living in Thailand, practicing under the guidance of Luang Por Anan of Wat Marp Jan and Tan Ajahn Achalo of Anandagiri Forest Monastery.

Online event: Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an interactive session online by clicking on this link to access the session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83506489824?pwd=cmpNQ1ljSmFVYURLWVN1dWllYUN1dz09

Meeting ID: 835 0648 9824 | Passcode: 718905

Alternatively, you can dial in from your telephone (call charges apply): +61 2 8015 6011