Ajahn Nitho says he hears people say they don't have time to practice and it is so difficult to find the time and a quiet place to meditate. Many people think, including himself before he became monk that meditation is where you really see the effect of the practice. But Ajahn emphasises that meditation is just one part of the Eightfold Path and meditation is built on practicing the other 7 parts, which can be practiced and applied in our daily life 24/7 i.e. while driving, working, cooking and so on.
The Noble Eightfold Path: (The Middle Way):
1. Right view
2. Right thought or intention
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right samadhi or stillness
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Guest Speaker Venerable Hue Can from the Mahayana Tradition shares her wisdom on how to share and care selflessly without hidden agendas and the importance and benefits of sharing our merits with all beings. Venerable points out that Buddhism is to be practiced, that is we must apply what we learn. More specifically Buddhist practise is correcting and dropping our bad habits and following, keeping and practicing the good habits. Talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre.
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Guest speaker Venerable Fa Xun describes how the Buddha has provided us with a practical way to end all suffering and to make our life more meaningful and happy. The way to end all suffering is through the Noble Eightfold Path. Talk given during the rains retreat at Dhammaloka City Centre on the 18 July 2008.
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It's wet and cold outside. Still Ajahn Brahm starts the evening with a joke about his own voice. He explains that he has the "Pony" virus... It makes his voice a little "horse". Clearly a little unwell and tired from his recent trip, still he is happy. Ajahn as always, has us laughing from the start. Even joking that to fit the microphone headset, we will need to widen it to allow for his new big head. The reason for his new big head, Ajahn Brahm has been appointed a "Member of the Order of Australia". Ajahn received this honour for services to Buddhism and gender equality. How do we get to this level of contentment, peace and harmony. As Ajahn explains, we meditate and practise as often as we can.
To begin our meditation, Ajahn asks us to look as closely as we can at our own bodies, to be happy with who and what we are. Look deeply into those areas that may be troubling us, like a sore throat and make ourselves comfortable as much as possible.
After meditation Ajahn opened to questions. The first question was "what is a good life". There went the rest of the night. How-ever, Ajahn still managed to inject a few jokes and funny stories into the explanation.
This session was enjoyed by all present from children to elderly and so can be easily done by beginners and experienced alike.
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Bhante Upasama always starts the evening a little differently to what we expect. Bhante also points out that many of us have a great many expectations about meditation and life in general. Doing this leads us to disappointment or dukkha. Bhante explains that the job of a meditator is to rest the mind. Not to achieve something or do another task. Just to rest the mind from our normally very active lives.
In keeping with being different, Bhante then led the group in a 30 minute silent meditation without guidance, asking each of us to simply do nothing. Just allow the meditation to progress, think about nothing, just allow the thoughts to arise and pass.
This meditation is best suited to intermediate and advanced meditator.
After meditation Bhante talked on the purpose of meditation. Letting us know that it isn't a job, not another task for us to do.
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Ajahn Khemavaro is the Abbot of Wat Buddha Dhamma and as such, doesn't get out much. To have him at the Armadale Meditation Group for our Tuesday night was a rare privilege. So many thanks to Ajahn Santutthi of Wat Dhammayanaram for inviting him across the country for a visit and our Co-ordinator Marlene for inviting him to our group.
Ajahn began the evening talk explaining meditation and comparing it to cleaning our homes. Just as when our homes become dusty and unkempt, they need to be cleaned or cleared. So to our minds from time to time need to be cleaned or cleared. When we return home we often flop down into our favourite chair and simply "chill out". We do our best to forget the day and not plan for the future. Often as not we sit in front of our TV or computer and just get lost. All this to only have it all return the following day. Ajahn explains that by using a simple mantra [being mindful], even when working, we can overcome most of the things that bother us.
Ajahn then reminded us that if our body is not comfortable the meditation will be difficult. So we are encouraged to find a body position that can be maintained for at least 30 minutes. Ajahn then guided us through a 30 minute meditation using a simple mantra. This meditation is suitable for beginners and experienced meditators alike.
After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A.
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Ajahn Brahm gives a public talk on the 7th March 2018 at the Library of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), hosted by the Independent Learning Centre of CUHK, with the title “Highway to Happiness: Tips for Students, Teachers and Everyone" CUHK Independent Learning Centre https://www.ilc.cuhk.edu.hk/
Teaching retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxUBdLdu8zY (YouTube Channel: Bodhinyana International Foundation HK)
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Ajahn Brahmali, barely off the plane from Singapore and almost straight to us at AMG. Ajahn began by reinforcing those simple to follow but often forgotten instructions we should all follow when meditating. Ajahn doesn’t just give us the instructions, Ajahn includes an explanation that we all can follow and easily implement.
Ajahn then guided us in our meditation. This meditation is approximately 40 minutes and easily done by beginners and experienced meditators.
Following meditation Ajahn talked to us about Vesak Day. Ajahn related to us some of the main aspects of the Buddha’s life. Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and eventual death. More importantly he talked to us about the often overlooked aspect of the Buddha, that he comes across from the sutta as being a very ordinary human. Ajahn then points out that what the Buddha had, that made him the Buddha, was insight into how our minds work.
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Ajahn Brahm teaches us how to be comfortable with the feelings and changes we experience while growing old. Some of the questions asked at the end include: How to console people who are distraught about their loved ones dying, especially those who do not believe in life after death? Does the mind age too? And how do you cope when your body falls apart and you have no control?
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.
