Ancient Greek Monks & the Writing of the Pali Canon | Ajahn Sona Q&A

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction and Welcome
1:12 - Bio of Luang Por Sona
3:21 - Luang Por Sona's summary of his research into Greek Monks
22:10 - Is this knowledge that there were ancient Greek Monks due to recent research? (or has this been common knowledge all along?)
44:13 - Why didn't the Buddha lay out any guidance for recording the Dhamma?
52:41 - When is the earliest that Greek Monks were writing down the Suttas?
59:48 - In researching this huge technological shift in communication media at that time from memory to writing, how has it informed your thinking regarding these new shifts we are observing from books, to video and audio that are at least as monumental?
1:04:32 - Regarding effective delivery by video, Ajahn Kovilo comments on the physical correlates of the well-trained mind, that even when playing Ajahn Sona’s talks at 15x speed, Ajahn’s head is still very still!
1:09:56 - This idea that the Greeks - there was this bridge - and the teachings traveled to the Mediterranean, I’m also really interested in what significant aspects of what we’ve seen before considered western “culture”, especially Christian Monasticism and Christina thought, which of those elements were deeply influenced by Buddhism. So the ripples in both directions of that bridge, I’d be curious about.
1:16:56 - Will you be writing a book to this effect?
1:19:45 - Could pinning of the advent of writing in the Suttas to several centuries earlier than we thought which can cast it as a causal factor in so many developments in Buddhist thought including Abhidhamma, certain strands of debate, perhaps the fracturing into the Mahayana and Theravada?
In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho speak with Ajahn Sona of Birken Forest Monastery and learn about his recent research into early Western Buddhist Monks. The discussion touches on such topics as the appearance of Ionian (Greek) monks in Pāli Commentaries, the Western connection with the Pāli Canon being written down, the early Greek influence on Buddhist Art (e.g. Gandharan sculptures), the relationship between Ancient greek philosophy and Abhidhamma, and more.
For more information about Ajahn Sona and Birken Forest Monastery, visit: birken.ca/
Ajahn Sona Biography:
Ajahn Sona is a first-wave Western Theravada-ordained monk and the Abbot of Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery (‘Birken’). With over thirty years in the robes, he is now referred to as ‘Luang Por’ (‘Venerable Father’) by his closest disciples - a traditional honorific for senior monks of the Thai Forest Tradition.
After several years of practice as a lay hermit, the young Bhikkhu Sona took full monastic ordination in 1989 with Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Mahathera at the first Theravada forest monastery in the United States (The Bhavana Society, West Virginia). He later switched to the Thai Forest Tradition and trained at Ajahn Chah’s monasteries in northeastern Thailand for several years. Ajahn Sona now draws on both the Sri Lankan and Thai scholastic and meditative traditions in his teachings, in addition to his modern western sensibilities. His pre-monastic education in philosophy, humanities, and classical Western music have aided him in understanding the Western psyche and in establishing paradigm bridges between East and West.
Ajahn Sona is also deeply interested in the ecological movements of this environmentally critical time, both at the practical and philosophical levels. The off-grid monastery, which he has carefully curated over the last two decades, employs the latest in green design technologies and principles.
To participate in the Saturday chanting, use the pdf found here:
cdn.amaravati....
Tune in with fellow practitioners every Wednesday evening from 6 - 6:45 pm or Saturday morning from 9:30 am - 11 am for a Dhamma Talk and Q&A with Ajahn Kovilo or Ajahn Nisabho. Saturday mornings begin with a thirty-minute meditation. Wednesday evening Q&A's are followed by a discussion on Zoom from 6:45 pm - 7:30 pm. See www.clearmount... or visit linktr.ee/clea... for details. Welcome!