5) Abandoning by Avoiding | "It's Sometimes Good to Avoid" (MN 2) with Ajahn Kovilo
Channel: Clear Mountain Monastery
Date: 2021-07-31

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction
0:38 - Homage to the Triple Gem
1:00 - Dharma Talk
33:12 - Q&A - Ajahn Kovilo reflects on “bad friends”
41:35 - Q&A - Would you elaborate on “vexation” from the Sutta - how it manifests, etc?

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo gives a talk and brief Q&A focusing on "abandoning by avoiding" as discussed in the Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2). https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html
Specifically the quote:
“What taints, bhikkhus, should be abandoned by avoiding? Here a bhikkhu, reflecting wisely, avoids a wild elephant, a wild horse, a wild bull, a wild dog, a snake, a stump, a bramble patch, a chasm, a cliff, a cesspit, a sewer. Reflecting wisely, he avoids sitting on unsuitable seats, wandering to unsuitable resorts, and associating with bad friends, since if he were to do so wise companions in the holy life might suspect him of evil conduct. While taints, vexation, and fever might arise in one who does not avoid these things, there are no taints, vexation, and fever in one who avoids them. These are called the taints that should be abandoned by avoiding."

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Tune in with fellow practitioners every Saturday morning at 10:00 am PT and Monday evening at 6:30 pm PT on YouTube or Facebook for a Dhamma Talk or Q&A with Tan Nisabho, Ajahn Kovilo or another monastic friend of Clear Mountain via Livestream. Welcome!

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