Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Brahm offers advice on how best to deal with traumatic or tragic events and reminds us that ultimately we are responsible for our own happiness, even in tough times.

Ajahn Brahm gives a guided meditation and talks about how to avoid distractions.

Ajahn Brahm challenges the benefits of planning and offers a humorous teaching on how wonderful life is when things do not go according to plan. He points out that when you have plans things go wrong and when you don’t have plans things go interesting.

Ajahn Brahm talks about how inspiration can energize our meditation practice and allow us to go beyond the boundaries we normally set for ourselves. Ajahn says inspiration is one of the most important parts of the spiritual life because it is difficult to be kind, generous, loving, forgiving and so on without authentic examples of great acts of generosity and kindness. It is inspiration which encourages us to add our own acts of beauty to this world and those acts spread inspiration to others and make this world a beautiful place.

How many times have you been disappointed? Why is it that sometimes we look at life and feel disappointed? Ajahn Brahm takes a look at what is the cause of our disappointments and says the first reason is because we expect so much of each other, of life and of ourselves. Ajahn offers some practical advice for dealing with disappointments and unreasonable expectations from within and without.

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk about the Theravada Tradition also called the Forest Tradition. Ajahn Brahm reveals the lessons we can learn from nature and points out that part of the Theravada Tradition is to learn much of our understanding and wisdom by living in the forests, within nature.

Ajahn encourages us to relax physically as much as possible before we start to meditate, explaining that meditation is not a chore.  Venerable then gives a guided beginners meditation.  Following meditation Ajahn gave us a talk and encouraged us to not foster negative thoughts to meditation, thus making it a chore but rather, to be as kind to ourselves as possible right from the beginning, no matter how long we meditate for.

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on the practice, challenges and benefits of seclusion, such as retreats. Ajahn explains why people find it so hard to stay by themselves and why he never feels lonely. Ajahn reflects upon how monks and nuns are not escaping life, we are. He points out that living as a hermit, monk or nun forces you to learn about yourself and to develop a relationship with yourself, because you can’t escape yourself. Whereas always needing people, television, radio and busyness is a form of escapism.

Ajahn Brahmali talks about understanding the allure and danger of sensual pleasures and alternatively cultivating the deeper sense of pleasure to be found in the spiritual path.

Ajahn Brahm teaches that  being in the present moment brings peace and contentment. We apologise the recording is missing the very start of the meditation. 

Ajahn Brahm talks about the core Buddhist values of virtue/ goodness, peace and compassion/ kindness and how these form the basis for skilful interaction with others and are the guiding principles to everything he does in life.

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on the first line of the Dhammapada: “the mind is the forerunner of all things”. Ajahn reveals what and how powerful the mind is. As well as how Buddhism has a deep understanding of meditation and the nature of the mind, such as how it works and how it can be used to do amazing things.

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on the benefits of disappointments, frustration and not getting things our way, because it teaches us to let things go more and to flow with things. He offers suggestions for dealing with our problems, such as forgiveness and seeing that what's really important in life are the people and our spiritual development. Ajahn Brahm goes on to talk about the problems of power and trying to control our environment.

Ajahn Vayama ponders what it is Buddhist practitioners are trying to accomplish in terms of the mind? Ajahn Vayama reveals what we are practising and why. And shares advice on how to be mindful of our body and mind.  

Ajahn Sucitto reflects upon how there are many interesting treasures or parts of Buddhism to learn and practice, such as morality, meditation, samadhi, loving kindness, generosity, non-attachment, karma and more. He talks about how these parts all bind together into one whole. 

Venerable explained Buddha’s Eight Worldly Winds by giving real world examples such as our need for praise and to blame.  Venerable then led us through a body sweep meditation to truly relax us.  Venerable then gave a talk on how to avoid suffering and the "Buddha’s Eight Worldly Winds".

Ajahn Sucitto explores the Buddhist teaching ‘suffering and the end of suffering,’ ‘unsatisafactoriness and the end of unsatisfactoriness’. He investigates what this teaching means and says another way to express this is ‘kamma and the end of kamma’ and ‘the kamma that leads to the end of kamma’. Ajahn Sucitto talks about how kamma is relevant to the cessation of dukkha.

Ajahn Brahm gives an overview on what it’s like to be a monk or nun. Ajahn talks about the monastic rules, such as why they need rules, their purpose and what happens when they keep or break them. He points out the importance of understanding the purpose of the rules, so that one keeps them for the right reasons and he explains how they are conducive to happiness, wellbeing and prosperity.

Venerable Hasapanna talks about how to inspire your meditation by finding appreciation in yourself.

Responding to a recent question on whether it is possible for women to become enlightened? Ajahn Vayama gives a talk on the history of the nun’s order and shares stories of the fully enlightened nun’s in the past and women who have left their families and sometimes royal privileges to enter the monastic life. Hence demonstrating that women have the same capacity and potential for spiritual growth as males.

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