Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Brahm tells us about the conditions that contribute to unwholesome actions, such as the influence of drugs and alcohol, bad company and lack of compassion.  Ajahn shares the story of ‘The Cow That Cried’.

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Ajahn Brahm talks about why we do things, what motivates us and why we sometimes lose our motivation? Is your motivation for status or to impress others? Make peace, be kind, be gentle - let that be your motivation.

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Ajahn Appi explained briefly why many of us need to learn meditation.  Without going to deeply into technical terms, he listed many of the things that meditation can help with.  He furthered this with a talk about two reasons why people meditate.

Following the introduction talk Ajahn lead the group through a thirty minute meditation beginning with a 1 minute mantra meditation.  Meditation then progressed to a focus on the abdomen rising and falling as we breath.  Approximately halfway through we moved our focus to the area around the mouth as we breath.

Following the meditation Ajahn opened to questions.

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Ajahn Appichato understands how difficult it is to develop deep meditation as a lay person. Ajahn offers us advice on how to develop and sustain mindfulness throughout the day by practicing short meditations and mantras. Ajahn also advises us on how to calm our excessive thinking.

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Spiritual practice should be a joyful experience. "If you made more problems by coming here, then there is something terribly wrong with what we're teaching," says Ajahn Brahm. Ajahn teaches us how to relax and to become more happy, kind and lighthearted.

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Ajahn Brahm guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.
Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Brahm answers the questions. Why do Buddhists have and keep five precepts? Why do some people not keep precepts? Ajahn focuses particularly on why Buddhists keep the precepts of no sexual misconduct and intoxicants that cloud the mind such as alcohol and drugs.

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Everybody wants to be happy. Venerable Hasapanna points out that happiness is an essential ingredient on the Buddhist path for developing wisdom and attaining enlightenment. Venerable talks about skilful ways to achieve happiness in life, with many examples from her own life.

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Ajahn used his experience when writing the book “Good? Bad? Who knows?”, to encourage us not to try constantly for perfection but rather to accept who we are and what is happening in our lives.  We can’t see the future, we can’t change the past, so just be happy in the present.

Ajahn then guided us through a meditation suitable for beginners and experienced alike.

Following the meditation Ajahn kept us well entertained with stories plus jokes about life experiences.  As Ajahn says “Good? Bad? Who knows?”.  If something happens that seems a disaster, look for the silver lining or rather, accept it for what it is and live in the moment”.

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Ajahn Brahm explains Vipassana and Samatha meditation and tells us the story entitled "Meditation Mountain." Furthermore, Ajahn teaches us how to develop stillness through kindness. 
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Why can't we just have a sense of tolerance for one another? Ajahn Brahm teaches us how to expand our circle of compassion towards others. Ajahn also teaches us how to practice compassion towards difficult situations.

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Ajahn Brahm guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.
Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

On the invitation of the Prime Minister, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe Ajahn Brahm delivers two Dhamma talks and an interview at the 7^th World Buddhist Summit in Sri Lanka – November 2017. Recorded at the Temple Trees Auditorium by Dharmavahini Foundation. 

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

On the invitation of the Prime Minister, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe Ajahn Brahm delivers two Dhamma talks and an interview at the 7^th World Buddhist Summit in Sri Lanka – November 2017. Recorded at the Temple Trees Auditorium by Dharmavahini Foundation. This talk is entitled: The Importance of Meditation. 

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

On the invitation of the Prime Minister, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe Ajahn Brahm delivers two Dhamma talks and is interviewed at the 7^th World Buddhist Summit in Sri Lanka in November 2017. Recorded at the Temple Trees Auditorium by Dharmavahini Foundation. This talk is entitled: Effective Management.

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Ajahn Brahm shares some techniques on how to deal with addictions. (Apologies for the clunky edit at the start!)

Why do have to think so many useless thoughts? Ajahn Brahm says it's because we want to escape the present moment. Ajahn offers us practical advice on how to make peace with the present moment.

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"Stop trying to make things perfect. This is as good as it gets," says Ajahn Brahm.  Ajahn teaches us that the ultimate reality is a "work in progress" and is never finished, so he encourages us to relax and be content with our life and let things be.

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Ajahn Brahm guides a meditation for approximately 30 minutes.

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

Often we reject or ignore the reality of uncertainty. Yet the only thing that is certain about life is that it's uncertain. This uncertainty (anicca) is according to Buddhism a fundamental and universal quality of existence. Ajahn Brahm explains how best to relate to the uncertainty of life.

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