Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Brahmali discusses the topic of new forms of artificial intelligence and computer intelligence, and the idea of the Singularity, and what this means for humanity. Furthermore, based on these new developments he discusses what it means to be human in this context.

Getting calm and peaceful in meditation is nice and a good outcome from meditating, but as Ajahn Brahmali explains, the aim of meditation is to get in touch with something very profound inside of us and to transcend this world. Ajahn Brahmali talks about how to give rise to a sense of joy and happiness in meditation that can take us to a higher level in meditation.

Ajahn Brahmali discusses the place of Buddhism in the context of modern secular society. This talk looks at how as Buddhism comes to the West that it offers an opportunity to look at Buddhism in a historical context and to see what is the essence of Buddhism and what are the cultural accretions that form around that essence. He goes on to also talk about how there is a risk of Western culture diluting the essence of Buddhism. This is what Ajahn Brahmali identifies as "secular Buddhism" developing in the West, which has some useful practices and some that are potentially harmful to the essence of Buddhism.

It has been some time since we've had Ajahn Bramali at Armadale Meditation Group and he is most welcome.  A guided beginners meditation with a Q&A after from Ajahn Brahmali.

We don't see him often but love it when we do.  A beginners meditation with Ajahn Brahmali.

Tax time 2015 and stress is the norm.  Well, a guided beginners meditation with Ajahn Brahmali will help with any stress.

Ajahn Brahmali gives us a guided meditation for beginners followed by a Q&A session.

Ajahn Brahmali offers instruction and a guided meditation using loving-kindness as the focus.

Inspired by recent events that have caused people some anxiety, Ajahn Brahmali offers advice on how we can skillfully deal with situations when things are looking bad and the future is threatened.

From a Buddhist perspective, thinking about death isn't a negative, dark and depressing act, but rather, thinking about death can be very useful, putting life in perspective, and even leading the mind in to peace. Ajahn Brahmali gives advice on how to wisely contemplate death.

To understand Buddhism and to understand life, we must understand the truth of suffering in life. The Four Noble Truths are oriented around suffering, it's cause and freedom from suffering. Ajahn Brahmali uses this talk to put things into perspective and understand the problem of suffering.

Ajahn Brahmali gives a fascinating talk on the future of Buddhism, citing what the Buddha himself said on this topic, and connecting it with what it means to practice in the current age.

Dependent Origination is a profound explanation of how life works at the core of the Buddha's Teachings. Ajahn Brahmali offers a practical and easy to understand overview of the teaching on Dependent Origination.

Ajahn Brahmali points out that if you want to be happy it is much wiser to work directly on the mind rather than trying to find happiness indirectly via external stimuli. To work with the source of happiness (the mind) is much more efficient, and in this way we can change the mind directly which we never can through manipulating external things like possessions or fame, etc. Working to develop the mind is a much wiser, more direct and more far reaching method for developing happiness in life.

If were are able to see impermanence in the world we are able to see life as it really is. However, really seeing and understanding the quality of permanence in life is harder than we think. Ajahn Brahmali discusses what the problem of impermanence really means and how seeing it clearly can lead to greater freedom.

Many people - even many Buddhists - know very little about, or have mistaken ideas, about who the historical Buddha really is. Ajahn Brahmali sets aside the myths and legends and gives an historical account of the life of Siddhartha Gautama - the Buddha, and connects this to how it can enhance our practice in the here and now.

As Ajahn Brahmali explains, the pali word anicca is usually translated in english as "impermanence", in can also mean unreliable or uncertainty. These english words can all describe this concept of 'anicca', which is central to the Buddhist teaching, that ALL phenomena are anicca. Whilst this may seem obvious to many, to really see the truth of the full extent of anicca in our lives is very difficult. To really understand anicca is to be free of all attachment and suffering.

Ajahn Brahmali talks about what loving kindness (metta) is, how it is useful for our practice, and how we are to develop the quality of loving kindness in the heart.

Ajahn Brahmali discusses the ultimate question: What is the meaning of life?

Ajahn Brahmali gives a talk to provide insight into the profound topic of dependent origination, and how this applies to the spiritual practice.