Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Bhante Bodhidhaja gives a Dhamma talk from Newbury Buddhist monastery regarding an introduction to sila (ethical behaviour e.g. the five precepts), covering habit, protection and kamma. Bhante also quotes the following suttas in the talk: 

• A Simile of Water - https://suttacentral.net/an7.15/en/sujato
• With Cunda - https://suttacentral.net/an10.176/en/sujato

Find entire Sila Series on bswa.org here:

• Sila Series - An Overview (1/5)
• Sila Series - The First Precept - no killing (2/5)
• Sila Series - The Second Precept - no stealing (3/5)
• Sila Series - The Third Precept - no sexual misconduct (4/5)
• Sila Series - The Fourth and Fifth Precepts - no lying and no intoxicants that cloud the mind (5/5)

Teaching given from Newbury Buddhist Monastery, Victoria, Australia – 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.

Teaching retrieved from https://bsv.podbean.com/e/dhamma-talk-an-introduction-to-sila-ethical-behaviour-bhante-bodhidhaja-5-jul-2020/

Bhante Bodhidhaja gives us an overview of how meditation fits in with the rest of the Buddhist practices and encourages us to be kind and to keep the five precepts.

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.

This guided meditation is part of the corona dhamma daily series of daily meditation and dhamma teachings offered by the monks at Bodhinyana Monastery to support the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

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

This guided meditation is part of the corona dhamma daily series of daily meditation and dhamma teachings offered by the monks at Bodhinyana Monastery to support the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

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

This guided meditation is part of the corona dhamma daily series of daily meditation and dhamma teachings offered by the monks at Bodhinyana Monastery to support the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

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

This guided meditation is part of the corona dhamma daily series of daily meditation and dhamma teachings offered by the monks at Bodhinyana Monastery to support the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

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

Bhante Bodhidhaja surprised us tonight by bringing a laptop computer, a projector, speakers and a well made presentation on meditation. Before becoming a Buddhist Monk, Bhante was a school teacher and continues to teach, but not ABC nor 123. Instead he employees his skills and training to teach Buddhist Meditation.

Bhante began his presentation by explaining that though the monks when teaching may seem to repeat previous instructions, if we look a little closer we find subtle variations. This is done because what suits one, may not suit another. With this firmly in-mind, Bhante began his presentation and it came as no surprise to all that no-one had previously been taught meditation this way. Bhante through his presentation explained what happens within our mind when we are triggered into a fight or flight mode. Bhante used humour often to make the point.

Bhante then guided the group in a thirty minute meditation first focusing on completely relaxing the body, then the mind. This meditation is well suited to beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation Bhante continued his presentation with a slight shift in topic to Metta. A subject appropriate given in the western world, Valentines day was so recent. Bhante also referenced and recommended we listen to a podcast on ABC Radio National that is right on topic called “All In The Mind”.  In addition Bhante recommends we view and read the following.  The first one is to a poem written by Bhante some years ago tittled "Love Means Letting Go".  The second are quotes from Ayya Khema on the topic of love.  Bhante then opened to Q&A.

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Venerable Bodhidhaja doesn't get to Club Med often, certainly not as often as we'd like. How-ever, when he does it's always to an audience that greatly appreciates the session.

Venerable commenced with an explanation with comparisons, of the Four Noble Truths. Rather than quote the sutta, Venerable termed them in a manor more easily understood by us all and relating to our meditation practice. The focus of his talk is in letting go during meditation, something we all struggle with to one degree or another.

After the introduction Venerable lead the group in meditation for slightly longer than usual and in a method not seen by the majority of us. Venerable asked us to imagine that we were slowly filling with warm, comforting water. Commencing with our feet and working slowly to the top of our heads. An interesting meditation that was thoroughly enjoyed by all and suitable for beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation Venerable talked on gratitude, a subject well needed at this time of year and very much a part of a monks life. Venerable suggested the following to assist us;

Reflecting on the good during every long trip [commuting to work].
Gratitude countdown from 10 to 0 or ABC.
A gratitude jar or journal
Acknowledgement [in conversation, sms or e-mail]
Reflecting with gratitude before bed, upon waking and when commuting.

As is usual with Venerable he included references that are on-line and open to all of us;

In A Nutshell [Kurzgesagt] – An antidote to dissatisfaction.

A Grateful Day – Brother David Steindl-Rast.

The Virtue Project

Share Tree App & Character Cards

Venerable then opened to Q&A.

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Bhante Bodhidhaja shares a chant on universal well-being; then gives a brief teaching on the Four Brahmaviharas and how they relate to meditation.The Four Brahmaviharas are also known as the four immeasurables or boundless states:
Mettà – loving-kindness
Karunà – compassion
Mudita – sympathetic joy
Upekkhà – equanimity

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

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.

Bhante Bodhidhaja always starts the session a little differently to most and tonight was no exception. He arrived carrying a bucket with a number of not often seen in a meditation class, strange props. Having been a primary Teacher with some acting experience, Bhante is adept at using props. Bhante asked us to use our imagination to do body painting. After the surprise and laughter subsided Bhante explained that the paint [imaginary], would consist of three primary paints each consisting of the sub parts;

     care             interest             gratitude
     kindness     curiosity           rejoicing
     warmth       awareness

Having mixed the ingredients, we are instructed to paint our bodies during the meditation, from top to toe using first a brush then a roller for the larger areas. As we do this, we are asked to feel the sensation on that area, of the brush, roller and paint. In doing this we will be in the present moment and most definitely focused on that particular part of our body.

Just prior to commencing the guided meditation, Bhante asks us to recite in our own minds the following mantra:

     Nothing to Do
     No-where to Go
     Time to Relax and Let The Peace Grow

Having been suitably instructed we are then led by Bhante in a slightly longer than 30 minute meditation, that surprised most if not all. At the end of the meditation there were smiles all round.

This meditation is suitable for beginners and experienced alike.

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

We are frequently encouraged to watch our breath during meditation. It is a time honoured practice we all use during meditation. Venerable Bodhidhaja references a novel written by Michael Ende titled Momo to encourage us to truly listen to what is happening in our minds rather than watching. Venerable uses this method because of the difference in how we define watching and listening. For many of us, when we watch an activity we are inclined to form an opinion or to perhaps wish it to be different. We are thinking. Not what we really want to do. So by just truly listening with the utmost attention and empathy, we don't tend to engage or form thoughts and opinions. A thought arises, we listen rather than watch and we let it go.

Venerable then guided us in an entirely relaxing, different meditation practice that encouraged us to listen with full attention and empathy, rather than watch our thoughts. Venerable commenced with a body scan and then softly moved to breath meditation. The meditation is well suited to beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation Venerable opened to questions.

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

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Ajahn Bodhidhaja talks about how things going wrong in our lives can spiral downwards in a vicious cycle, but how through practicing wholesome behaviour and mindfulness a virtuous cycle upwards can develop. Ajahn Bodhidhaja reflects upon the dual nature within ourselves, and offers tools to help develop the virtuous cycle.

This talk was recorded by the Buddhist Society of Victoria. You can subscribe to their Youtube channel here.

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

Rather than describing meditation as a means to an end, or a tool we use to achieve nibbana, Venerable Bodhi describes meditation to us as coming home to stillness and peace.  Venerable goes on to describe how we have unlearned the way to enjoy silence, stillness and peace.  Venerable tells us that meditation is actually quite easy, it's something that everyone can do.  The hard part is to maintain it, to be there and actually prolong that moment and to come back to it when our thought process interrupts.  To start again is always difficult for a beginner.  Venerable describes all these situations really well and encourages us to persevere and practise.

Venerable then leads the group through a 30 minute guided meditation with the primary focus on our body.  The meditation is well suited to beginners and more experienced alike.

After meditation Venerable gives a talk on karuna or caring.  Karuna is a Sanskrit word and is used in Buddhism. It is translated to mean any action that is taken to diminish the suffering of others and could also be translated as "compassionate action".  Venerable’s talk on karuna is well presented and easy to follow, encouraging us to care for ourselves and others mindfully.



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

USA CIA with Venerable Bodhidhaja.  USA is an acronym for unburden settle arrive.  CIA is an acronym for the mind or central intelligence agency.  Venerable used these acronyms to get us interested and grab our attention.  Venerable then described the basics of meditation in terms easily understood by all beginners and experienced alike.  Venerable then guided us through a 30 minute meditation well suited to beginners encouraging us to treat each thought that arose by saying to it "I value your presence" and then let it go.

Venerable then opened to questions giving very detailed answers using synonyms and practical examples.