Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Responding to a debate between Sam Harris and Deepak Chopra which appeared to be lacking in science and philosophy and resembled more the arguments had every day between ordinary people, Ajahn Brahm criticises intellectual materialism for lacking heart nor a sense of humour. The purpose of both religion and science should not be defending doctrines and books, but developing a deeper understanding of life and respect for one another. As Ajahn Brahm states,"We mistake the ideas for the truth. We mistake the theories for the underlying emotional freedom which those theories are supposed to be pointing. The sign posts are not the destination."

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.

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.

Why practice self-compassion? A public talk at University of Toronto on October 17, 2014.

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

People often want to take the easy way. This includes in Buddhism where there are no shortage of "short cuts to Enlightenment". However, as Ajahn Brahm explains, there are no effective short cuts, only the Eightfold Path. And whilst we may not always get what we want, we usually get what we need.

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.

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.

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.

Ajahn Brahm explains why guilt is pointless and often very emotionally damaging, and how becoming aware of this helps us to let go of guilt and experience a greater sense of peace.

Where does wisdom come from? Not from universities - they teach old knowledge. Wisdom comes from a deep, all-round knowing in the present moment - it is empowered by a mind stabilized by the deep silence and peace of meditation. Ajahn Brahm how silence is the source of deepest wisdom.

Is everything really interconnected? Is being disconnected always such a bad thing? Ajahn Brahm challenges the prevailing orthodoxy within Buddhism by pointing out when things are interconnected, when they're not, and how understanding this can be useful on our path to find peace and happiness.

Ajahn Brahm teaches us how to deal with difficult emotions and to learn how to experience more positive emotions, more often.

Everything we do by body, speech or mind has an ethical dimension, and there are consequences for our behaviour and our actions. We are all accountable for our actions, and Ajahn Brahm explains how we sometimes get so caught up in getting through the day that we often forget or put out of mind the longer term consequences of our actions, and offers advice on how to change.

Ajahn Brahm on Mindfulness – Presented at the Brahm Centre Charity Seminar in Singapore on 10 Nov 2014.

Ajahn Brahm talks about different sects of Buddhism, how it all came to be this way and what it means. Ultimately it's all the same cake, just different icing on top.

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on the Four Brahmaviharas (the Divine Abodes) of metta (loving-kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy) and upekkha (equanimity) in Toronto.

Do we have the right to believe whatever we want? Should there be limits on what people can believe? Ajahn Brahm takes on this contentious topic, pointing out that certain extreme beliefs can be dangerous to oneself and others, and we need to be careful about what we believe.

Is it really possible to find happiness in our busy modern lives? Ajahn Brahm talks about the path to happiness in the context of our modern lives.

Many people complain about how Christmas has become so materialistic, but as Ajahn Brahm points out that there are numerous benefits to the Christmas (or Buddhamas if you’re a Buddhist) period, including the time off in which we can relax and find some peace.