Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Sujato talks about some common problems we face in meditation, such as taking idioms too literary, trying to stop our mind from thinking and also worrying about reaching meditation stages and using meditation techniques. Ajahn looks at the process of breath meditation and explains how this is not about making your mind peaceful because that is doing and controlling.

“The breath wants you to calm down. If you only will let it, get out of the way, stop trying to control and let the breath soothe you, let peace come to you.”

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Ajahn Sujato discusses the fundamental, essential teaching of the Buddha ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’. In this talk, Ajahn discusses not just what the Noble Eightfold Path comprises but also what is not in the Noble Eightfold Path such as rituals.

The Noble Eightfold Path (The Middle Way)

1. Right view
2. Right intention
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right samadhi or concentration

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Ajahn Sujato speaks about how the Sangha works. Ajahn describes how the Buddhist monastic community lives and functions and how the organisation’s principles and structure teaches us to apply the Dhamma in all kinds of practical ways.

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Ajahn Sujato explores what universal loving-kindness really means and makes this Dhamma talk more fun by talking about aliens.

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

Ajahn Sujato uses this opportunity to describe his recently published book entitled ‘The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Text’, written by himself and Ajahn Brahmali. Ajahn explains what the book’s about and why they produced it.

Ajahn talks about the benefits of reading and discussing the suttas, but points out that the most important thing is your own experience of the Dhamma, understanding suffering and practising the eight fold path to overcome suffering. 

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Ajahn Sujato talks about the relationship or connection between our environment, climate change and the Dhamma, Buddhism. Ajahn takes a close look at how our existence is interdependent with our environment and everything going on around us and reflects upon how to deal with our emotions about climate change such as despair, depression and fear of the future.

Little did we know until his arrival that this would be the last time Bhante would teach at the Armadale Meditation Group, at least for the forseeable future.  Despite his leaving for duties elsewhere, he gave us a sound explanation of meditation and an excelent guided beginners meditation.  The Q&A included questions about where he was going and why.  A most important task and a task worthy of his stature.  He is missed by all and we await his return.

Bhante Sujato is an always welcome teacher at AMG.  He gives a good explanantion, guides us well through a beginners meditation and is always open to Q&A,

Bhante Sujato explains meditation as simply as possible then guides us through the meditation followed by a Q&A that ran us over time.  No-one was concerned and all left happy.

This talk by Ajahn Sujato came at a watershed moment in 2009 when the first fully ordained nuns (bhikkhunis) were ordained in Western Australia. Ajahn Sujato explains what it means to be fully ordained, why it is important, and why it is important to have fully ordained nuns in the contemporary world so that there are equal opportunities for both women and men to follow the whole of the Buddhist path, just as was the case in the time of the Buddha.

Bhante Sujato gives a detailed talk about the nature of jhana – the measureless absorption of the mind in a blissful state of samadhi; the culmination of the meditation practice.

Did you know that Buddhism introduced dieting and abseiling to the world? Bhante Sujato is a serious Buddhist scholar with a sense of humour, introducing the ancient world of the Buddha to a modern audience.

We all have a bit of a fascination with evil - dictators, murderers, con men, etc - and most great stories are interesting because they deal with the topic of evil. But what really is evil? Bhante Sujato investigates what evil really is from a Buddhist perspective.

Bhante Sujato reflects upon contemporary movements within Buddhism and society more broadly to remove discrimination and create a fairer and more equal world.