Buddhist Society of Western Australia

How can people have so many different beliefs? How can people believe in things that are contrary to plain evidence? How can people, even in the same family, have arguments over these beliefs? Ajahn Brahm talks about the “distortions of the cognitive process” (vipallasa) and how this causes so much confusion in the world, and offers some practical strategies to make sure we aren’t the ones with distorted views – and therefore more happy and free in life.

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.

Ajahn Brahm brings the concept of Enlightenment down to Earth through offering the simile of the mist, and how sometimes we lose our direction even though we think we’re on the right track. Ajahn Brahm clears the mist of unknowing so that we have a clearer sense of the path to Enlightenment, and complete freedom.

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.

We spend half our lives complaining. But does anyone really listen? Does it really help the situation? So why do we complain so much? Ajahn Brahm offers a different perspective on complaining, pointing us towards changing our attitude rather than changing everything around us, and finding greater peace and contentment in the process.

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.

What is the purpose of our life? If we don’tb know what the purpose of our lives are we end up have a meaningless existence and getting depressed. Ajahn Brahm explains what the spiritual meaning of life is, and how to live with purpose.

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.

Ajahn Brahm gives advice on how to let go of the friends and family that we love when they die.

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.

What do we mean by freedom? Freedom is something we all aspire towards and it would be beneficial if we know what freedom really is. In Buddhism freedom is an inner freedom from suffering. Ajahn Brahm goes on to talk about the real meaning of freedom.

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.

In response to a question about evil in the world, Ajahn Brahm explains that from a Buddhist perspective there is no being that is intrinsically evil, there’s just stupidity and ignorance that lead beings to hurt one another. We can use Right View to change the way we look at things and build a better world. This talk is about how we can change our view of things and have a deeper, better life because we no longer cling onto ideas of ‘evil’.

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.

Ajahn Brahm reflects upon the great power and deep wisdom of the life of his teacher Ajahn Chah.

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.

What does Buddhism have to say about religious fundamentalism? What can be done about it? Ajahn Brahm explains….

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.

Ajahn Brahm talks about conflict and how to deal with it.

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.

Is Buddhism a religion? Or is it a way or life or a philosophy? What is it? And what are Buddhists supposed to do? Ajahn Brahm uses his characteristic humour and wisdom to answer these questions.

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.

Ajahn Brahm explores craving. Are there different types? Are some forms of craving necessary for survival? Is all craving ‘bad’? Ajahn Brahm shares the secret of finding a balance in the here and now by understanding the nature of craving, the different types of craving, and how to work giving up the types of craving most harmful to us whilst holding on (for the mean time) to those cravings which have some use to us and others.

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.

Is power any good at all? What is real power and how is it going to be of benefit to people in the world? How do people get addicted to power and become unwilling to give it up? Ajahn Brahm discusses these questions about the nature of power from a Buddhist perspective.

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.

Ajahn Brahm opens the talk by pointing to how much popularity and traction mindfulness techniques are developing in the contemporary world. He then goes on to explain how developing mindfulness with compassion can be transformative for anyone who practices it.

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.

One question often asked by those new to Buddhism is “What holy books do you follow?”. Ajahn Brahm responds by telling them that just as the Muslims follow the Koran and the Christians follow the Bible, Buddhists follow meditation. That means that the ultimate reference and authority within Buddhism, the real truth, is direct experience derived from a peaceful mind developed through meditation. This is the ultimate source of wisdom and truth.

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.

Should we “tolerate” other people? Or is that just a bit patronising, or even a put-down? Ajahn Brahm explores what tolerance really means and ways in which we can do even better than tolerance.

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.

“Meditation is better than sex!” So says Ajahn Brahm who is happy to celebrate the benefits of celibacy.

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.

Is it really possible to be happy in the world? Or is there something inherently wrong with the system, and no matter what we do with our relationships, with our circumstances, with our mind, that we can’t really be happy? Ajahn Brahm takes us deeper into the notion of what happiness really is, and how true happiness can be found. The Buddha’s teaching of acceptance and letting go of states leads to the kind of deep happiness that cannot be found by shopping in the ‘happiness industry’ of this world. As Ajahn Chah famously said: “Joy at last -to know there is no happiness in the world!”

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.

Often we are tempted to try to take charge of things in the world and fix the world’s problems. Ajahn Brahm queries this urge to control, and says that another way is to understand and adapt. Indeed control freakery is very much the cause of the problems of the world and being another control freak is not necessarily the answer at all. Ajahn Brahm also refers to the example of the Buddha who could have become a “wheel turning monarch” ruling over much of the world, but instead chose to become the world’s wisest teacher.

Buddhist reflections on social, political and environmental action leading towards the creation of a better world.

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.

Ajahn Brahm points out that there’s really nothing very wrong with procrastination, and that it’s our perfectionism and constant doing that is the real problem. So why do today what we can put off for tomorrow? Just be happy for now. And if you can be happy you’re on the track to understanding the meaning of life.

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.