Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Khemavaro, the Abbott of Wat Buddha Dhamma Monastery talks about how appreciation leads to contentment, stillness, peace, less doing and contentment can be used to developed wisdom. Ajahn also shares his experiences and reflections about what has happened in the last year and half while trying to re-establish Wat Buddha Dhamma as a Forest Monastery, and how things have changed since he was a disciple of Ajahn Brahm at Bodhinyana Monastery.

Ajahn Brahm elaborates on one of the pillars of Buddhism: The Middle Way, pointing out that it is very easy to wander off on a path of too much harshness to your body and mind (asceticism) or too much indulgence. Ajahn starts off by reflecting upon his time as a young western monk in Thailand.

Ajahn Brahm reminds us that the core teaching of the Buddha is suffering and the end of suffering and in this talk he covers a trilogy of topics:

1. How to deal with disasters, such as a recent oil spill in California.
2. How to interpret this middle path as a way of dealing with the disasters of life, and the middle way between indulgence and asceticism.
3. How to apply the Buddhist teachings to your daily life.

Ajahn Brahm gives a guided meditation for advance meditators. Ajahn starts off by reminding us while meditating to stop trying to get somewhere and talks about the how the judgemental mind and conceit hinder our meditation progress.

Ajahn Brahm reflects upon people’s entanglement with possessions, views & opinions and the past & future. Ajahn explains why and how we get entangled, as well as why and how we can let it go, so that we can live a much more peaceful, free existence. In this talk Ajahn also advises us how to let go of grief.

On the actual day of Vesak (birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha) in 2010, Ajahn Brahmali gives a teaching on the life and qualities of the Buddha and how his example can be an inspiration for our own practice. Ajahn reminds us that the person who sees the Buddha, also sees the Dhamma, and the person who sees the Dhamma, also sees the Buddha.

Ajahn Brahm muses about a famous old saying coined by Thomas Gray: ignorance is bliss. Ajahn also looks at whether running away and ignoring the world brings peace and happy.

Should we follow tradition or change it? What are the advantages of keeping or changing tradition? What actually is the tradition we should follow anyway? And does it have a place in our modern world? Ajahn gives an in depth answer in this talk and advises us most importantly to search for truth and meaning.

Ajahn Appi guided the group through a beginners meditation with the focus on breath and the sensations caused by breathing.  Ajahn then spoke on the benefits of meditation and concluded the session with a recital of a Tibetan Mantra.

Ajahn Brahm talks about the flip side of positivity and offers an even more skilful approach rather than just trying to be positive. Ajahn describes the highs and lows of life as being natural and not something that we should try and avoid, but things we should investigate with wisdom.

Is Buddhism an atheistic religion? Does it believe in a God? And what do Buddhists worship? Ajahn Brahm takes on this topic, pointing out the consequences of believing in a supernatural being and looking into who created our universe or world. Ajahn goes deeper by talking about meditation experiences (jhanas) and how the mind is chief and more powerful than anything else in the world. 

Straight from teaching a meditation retreat, Ajahn Brahm reveals ways of letting go. Ajahn offers a teaching on how to train your mind to let go, to be peaceful and happy. And reflects upon why we find it so hard to let go of our hurts and difficulties and how beneficial letting go is for us and others.

In the lead up to various elections occurring, Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on how Buddhist principles apply to governance, of not only a country but of societies, work departments, the family unit and our own life. Ajahn teaches us how to contribute to good governance on all levels in our society and get things done the Buddhist way.

Ajahn Brahmali discusses how the Buddha's core teachings have given rise to the numerous traditions and teachings of Buddhism that exist today. Through textual comparison, scholars can today point to those core teachings of the Buddha that are common across the early existent canons of the various Buddhist schools. These early teachings are where Ajahn Brahmali believes we should focus our attention if we are to uncover the Buddha's original teachings.

Ajahn Dhiravamso talks about the difference between blind religious faith and the attitudes of faith, reason and wise investigation praised by the Buddha.

Why is it sometimes so hard to be kind to the ones we love? Ajahn Brahm discusses how developing the mind with meditation can encourage and support the practice of kindness and understanding towards others.

Post Traumatic Stress can be overcome.  Ajahn encourages us to not make matters worse by adding to what, for a lot of people, is a time in their lives they can never forget.  Ajahn tells us, don't forget, rather forgive and open up our hearts, accept it for what it was and move on.

Ajahn took us through a body sweep before a 30 min guided meditation.  Ajahn then gave a talk on Post Traumatic Stress further encouraging us to open our hearts, accept and move on.

The entire evening was lightened by Ajahn Brahm's jokes and irrepressible sense of humour.

Ajahn Brahm talks about truth not being a goal, but a process of understanding. Real truth is direct experience derived from a peaceful mind developed through meditation. Wisdom developed through meditation then leads to a deeper understanding of life and respect for one another.

Ajahn Brahm offers a Buddhist perspective on what Freedom is and how it can be achieved. Ajahn gives us clarity on this spiritual subject he says is so misunderstood, yet so important in our lives. And he talks about how freedom of the heart is gained by meditation practice and letting go of control.