Buddhist Society of Western Australia

An online Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Brahmali and Venerable Karunika facilitated by Piotr Planeta from Portal Sasana – https://m.youtube.com/user/sasanaPL.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Dhamma Talks on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the talk you want and then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Ajahn Brahmali talks about the three essential qualities for meditating:  renunciation, mindfulness and happiness.

To find and download more Guided Meditations on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the meditation you want and then type the date into the Podcast search box e.g. 01-09-2018 or try 1 September 2018.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Brahmali explains how having the right view reduces our suffering and leads us further along the Buddhist practice.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Brahmali guides a meditation session for about 30 minutes.

To find and download more Guided Meditations on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the meditation you want and then type the date into the Podcast search box e.g. 01-09-2018 or try 1 September 2018.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Brahmali teaches us to cultivate a positive perception, which in return helps us to maintain our mindfulness during our meditation.

To find and download more Guided Meditations on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the meditation you want and then type the date into the Podcast search box e.g. 01-09-2018 or try 1 September 2018.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Brahmali explains the importance of right perception in our spiritual practice, and how this guides us to become a more moral and kind person, and experience deep meditation.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Dhamma talk by Ajahn Brahmali on the 30 April 2023, at the Buddhist Society of Victoria (BSV). 

Please visit the BSV Podcast Channel and BSV YouTube Channel

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Dhamma Talk ‘What Makes Buddhism Unique’ and Questions and Answers by Ajahn Brahmali given on the 24^th September 2023 via video conference for Anukampa.

Anukampa is a UK Charity and pioneering project that is raising funds to develop the first Theravada Bhikkhuni Monastery in the UK, where women can train towards full ordination. Donations of any amount are very gratefully received to help us achieve this noble aim, welcome you as guests and continue to spread the priceless Dhamma teachings.

Please visit www.anukampaproject.org/donate for more information.

Teaching retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwkXh2KWUXs (YouTube Channel: Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project)

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

This talk is republished with permission by Metta Centre, teaching retrieved from http://Dhamma Talks – Metta Centre.

Identity politics often revolves around the idea that people have fixed identities defined by their race, gender, religion, socio-economic standing, etc. This understanding can sometimes lead to social division and animosity. From a Buddhist point of view, however, it is a mistake. People are ever-changing, especially when one takes account of rebirth. True social harmony and brotherhood emerges from seeing identity as an ever-evolving construct without real essence.

Ajahn Brahmali will also be participating in a fun Buddhist Trivia session as part of Metta Convention Week! For more info and to register please visit https://www.mettacentre.com/the-metta...

** Outline **

00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:33 - Meditation
00:10:30 - The Buddha's advice on teachers
00:13:47 - Changeability of identity
00:15:25 - Change leading to connections & commonality
00:16:21 - Rebirth
00:19:08 - Separation / "othering" is artificial
00:21:54 - Create unity
00:23:05 - Compassion and non-self
00:23:58 - Simile of the sick person
00:28:56 - Transforming identity
00:31:18 - Identifying with good qualities
00:32:37 - Meditation
00:34:09 - Ladder of more wholesome identities
00:35:28 - Finally overcoming identity
00:36:56 - Identity Politics conclusion
00:40:59 - Q: Self-compassion
00:43:42 - Q: Main insight of Enlightenment
00:45:12 - Q: Pride, the 3 conceits
00:48:33 - Q: Hindrances leading to pride
00:50:57 - Q: Disadvantaged groups, compassion
00:54:18 - Q: Balance between compassion & self-protection?
00:55:42 - Conclusion & dedication
00:57:25 - Announcements

** About the presenter **
Ajahn Brahmali was born in Norway in 1964. His interest in Buddhism and meditation started after a visit to Japan. Having completed degrees in engineering and finance, he began his monastic training as an Anagarika in England at Amaravati and Chithurst Buddhist Monasteries. Listening to the teachings of Ajahn Brahm, he decided to travel to Bodhinyana Monastery, located near Perth, and has been there since 1994. He later received higher ordination under Ajahn Brahm.

Ajahn Brahmali’s knowledge of the Pali language and the Suttas is excellent. He completed the only full English translation of the Vinaya Piṭaka (Monastic Law). It is available on the SuttaCentral website and will be published as a book in the next few years. Bhikkhu Bodhi, who translated most of the Pali Canon into English, called Ajahn Brahmali one of his major helpers for the recent translation of the “Numerical Discourses of the Buddha”. Ajahn Brahmali has also published a number of essays, including the book “The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts” in collaboration with Bhante Sujato. Most of his publications are available online at bswa.org.

Ajahn Brahmali’s clear and thoughtful talks make the teachings of the Buddha easily accessible to all. He travels extensively in Australia, Asia and Europe to share his knowledge and experience through teachings and retreats.

** About Metta Centre **
To find out more about the Metta Centre & how you can support us you can visit https://www.mettacentre.com
#buddhism #dhammatalk #dharmatalk #meditation #identity #compassion

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Re-upload of guided meditation by Ajahn Brahmali

To find and download more Guided Meditations on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the meditation you want and then type the date into the Podcast search box e.g. 01-09-2018 or try 1 September 2018.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Re-upload of guided meditation by Ajahn Brahmali

To find and download more Guided Meditations on Podcast, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the meditation you want and then type the date into the Podcast search box e.g. 01-09-2018 or try 1 September 2018.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

In the final part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato and Venerable Sunyo discusses Right Liberation:

• Liberation from what exactly?
  o Defilements
  o Suffering = the five aggregates = existence
  o Liberation in both respects
• Liberation and Nibbāna (SN 23.1, SN 1.2)
• The meaning of “Nibbāna”
• The two types of Nibbāna (Iti 44, Thag 15.2)
  o Nibbāna at enlightenment
  o Nibbāna at passing away
• Nature of Nibbāna
  o Awakening vs. enlightenment
  o Only potsherds being left (SN 12.51)
  o All feelings become cool at the end of life (MN 140)
• Anattā: no entity comes to an end, only suffering (MN 72, SN 22.85)
• Conceit and enlightenment (MN 140, Ud 1.10)
• To help others, aim for enlightenment yourself; get out of the mud (MN 8)
• Some say Nibbāna is cessation, others that it is a kind of eternalism; so how do we choose?
  o We need to zoom out and take a bird’s eye view
  o The safe bet: let go of as much as possible. “Nothing is worth holding on to” (MN 37)
  o The view of cessation of existence is closer to non-clinging (MN 60)
• What’s the purpose of extinguishment? (SN 23.1)

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

In the 3rd part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato and Venerable Sunyo discusses the myths and misconceptions:

• Myth 1: Nibbāna is a kind of consciousness
• Myth 2: Nibbāna is kind of mind
• Myth 3: Extinguished fires keep existing
• Myth 4: The Buddha/arahants do not suffer
• Myth 5: Cessation is just annihilation
• Myth 6: Only the clinging aggregates are suffering, not the pure aggregates
• Myth 7: Nibbāna is “the unborn” thing, the “deathless” thing
• Myth 8: Nibbāna is a state or sphere.

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

In the 3rd part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato and Venerable Sunyo discusses the myths and misconceptions:

• Myth 1: Nibbāna is a kind of consciousness
• Myth 2: Nibbāna is kind of mind
• Myth 3: Extinguished fires keep existing
• Myth 4: The Buddha/arahants do not suffer
• Myth 5: Cessation is just annihilation
• Myth 6: Only the clinging aggregates are suffering, not the pure aggregates
• Myth 7: Nibbāna is “the unborn” thing, the “deathless” thing
• Myth 8: Nibbāna is a state or sphere.

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

In the 2nd part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali and Venerable Sunyo continues on with what is Right Knowledge and talks about:

• Four noble truths (ariyasacca)
• Dependant Origination (paticca samupada)
• Three insights (tevijja)
• Six senses (salayatana)
• Five aggregates (pancupadanakkhanda)
• Three characteristics (tilakkhana)

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.