This talk was given on the occasion of Vesak 2026. Ajahn Viradhammo reflects on the quality of "Humility" as opposed to "conceit". Which is descried as the sense of "My making" and "I making". "The mind not engaging in the conceits through stories" Coming back to the theme of the foreground and the background, a sense of listening, through awareness.

This talk was given as part of Vesak reflections, that celebrate the Buddha's birth and entry into pari-nibbanna. Luang Por reflects on the question: Was the Buddha humble? Humble in this context refers to a mind, without a sense of "conceit", or I making and my making. Without "self narratives"

Freedom can't be something that is "fascinating", it has to be bigger than the dualistic polarity of the conditioned world. That is something beyond fascination and boredom. The modern consumerist world want to keep us fascinated, keep us "engaged", so we continue to consume. What happened when we step outside that constant stimulus. And boredom sets in?

Ajahn Viradhammo reflects on the "foreground" and "background" idea that he often speaks about. The background is the awareness, and the foreground is the objects that arise and cease in awareness. When those objects are unpleasant or pleasant to we become obsessed by them, and "become" them. Or can we stay as the background watching phenomena arise and cease?

Ajahn Sucitto describes how the pursuit of certainty and comfort acts as a barrier to the deep discharge of the pain of being. Discharge becomes available through allowing and handling the weight and intensities of unresolved dukkha. When approached with honesty and accuracy, there is the possibility to experience what is real, the unconditioned.

Ajahn Sucitto reflects on how ways of relating at the monastery provide training for accessing the true place of citta. In the monastery we are encouraged to get beyond self-views of “have to”, “is it good enough” and “am I worthy” so the deeper qualities of citta - warmth, generosity, gratitude - can manifest.

Ajahn Sucitto responds to a question about dana parami, describing the gift of safety that can be provided by keeping precepts and sustaining open awareness. He reminds us that in the field of dana we are also in a position to receive generosity, partaking of the good fruit we have grown.

Addressing the universal need to find meaning, Ajahn Sucitto describes how faith and wisdom work together in this search to set us free. He encourages the group, upon leaving the supports of the monastery structures and routines, to sustain forms of practice and personal protocols for wholesome actions as a way to keep one rooted in what has true meaning.

Ajahn Sucitto describes how our efforts to be good and “get it right” tend to come from a constricting place. Such efforts are accompanied by self-consciousness, criticism and stress which block access to the innate good qualities of our own heart. This talk outlines a way to move from the strategies of the head to the opening of the heart by coming into the body.

In this morning talk, Ajahn Sucitto points to a gut intelligence we all have that can be relied on to save us from the thinking mind. The thinking mind creates suffering. Our embodied (gut) intelligence is a savior, a source of safety; it always tells the truth.