Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Responding to a request for advice on how to deal with a very big mistake. Ajahn Brahm reveals how he was trained by his teacher to deal with mistakes and Ajahn shares some of the funny mistakes he has seen, especially as a young western monk in Thailand. 

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Ajahn Appichato offers a teaching on the Seven Factors of Enlightenment:

1. Mindfulness
2. Keen investigation of the Dhamma
3. Energy
4. Happiness/ joy
5. Calm/ tranquillity
6. Concentration
7. Equanimity

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Ajahn Brahmali talked to us about happiness and comfort before and during our meditation.  Meditation should not be a task, a duty, something we have to do.  We need to be patient with ourselves and allow ourselves to become peaceful, comfortable and happy to be in that moment.  A positive attitude [not forced], comfortable position and being happy will make for a good meditation.

After our guided beginners meditation Ajahn used his wit, humor and experience to answer our questions.  In answering our questions, Ajahn had us all on the edge of our seats for the rest of the evening.

All to soon it was time to go.

Fresh off a flight from California, Ajahn Brahm discusses the attitudes that lead to discrimination and their impact on people. Ajahn contemplates deeply on why people discriminate and why it's so wrong.

Ajahn looks at what can be done to overcome discrimination such as learning to cooperate rather than compete and he encourages us to not discriminate against anybody e.g. gender, race, religion, mental and physical disabilities, vegetarians, sexual orientation, criminals and so on.

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Ajahn Sujato explores what universal loving-kindness really means and makes this Dhamma talk more fun by talking about aliens.

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In response to people complaining about their lives being too stressful, Ajahn Brahm offers a teaching on how to deal with stress. Ajahn explains how it’s not your work and duties which make you stressful, but your attitude to what you are asked to do in life. Ajahn reveals how he stays stress free even though his workload and responsibilities are huge. 

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Dennis Sheppard is a long time lay practitioner of the Buddhist Society of WA and a hypnotherapist. Dennis offers a talk on consciousness from the viewpoint of hypnotherapy, meditation and Buddhism. Dennis looks at the difference of our awareness in meditation compared to when we are hypnotised and how our life conditions get embedded into our consciousness and what that really means.

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Ajahn Brahm talks about how to deal with the various pains we have in life - especially the big ones.

The Buddha taught there are two parts to the pain which we feel; the physical and the emotional. The physical part we can’t do much about its part of life, but our emotional response we can change and this is the key of how to deal with those chronic pains in life which we really don’t like. Ajahn shows us how to develop a positive attitude towards life difficulties.

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Ajahn Brahm explains how teenagers around the age of 15-17 are naturally interested in spirituality, meaning they are seeking somewhere or somebody who can give their life some meaning and possibly answer some difficult questions in life. Ajahn talks about how Buddhism can help them if presented in an enjoyable way. 

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Ajahn Appi guided the group through his favorite beginners meditation which focuses on breath and the sensations caused by breathing.  Ajahn then spoke on the benefits of meditation and encouraged us to experiment and investigate.  Ajahn then led the circum-ambulation of the court yard in celebration of  the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha.  The group then enjoyed a small Vesak feast.

Why do we sometimes find it very difficult to be peaceful?

Venerable Hasapanna explains what contentment is, why it is the key to having a peaceful and happy mind and how to develop it. Venerable clearly describes how our unhappiness and discontentment is caused by our judgemental, fault-finding, complaining mind and not our situation or environment.

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Ajahn Brahm explains how we don't need religious hierarchies for advice on how to solve life's problems. Rather, we need to rely on compassion and wisdom, which are qualities we can all draw on if we make an effort.

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As part of the day’s Vesak Celebrations, Ajahn Brahm offers a ‘Question and Answer Session’ for the Venerable Sangha panel. Questions are received from the live and online audience.

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Is religion just about the feel-good factor, helping us to feel better about business (suffering) as usual? Or does Buddhism do far more than just making people feel at ease with business-as-usual, and lead to authentic inner transformation?

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Ajahn Brahm describes from personal experience how to effortlessly still the mind by focusing on the breath and what then happens to your body and mind from doing this. Ajahn also talks briefly about some forms of meditation which he finds unhelpful.

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Ajahn Brahm often says “never allow your knowledge to stand in the way of truth." Ajahn elaborates on this saying and explains why there is no ultimate reality and the consequences of believing there is.

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Ajahn Brahm helps us to understand and be at peace with tragic events that occur in the modern world. Ajahn Brahm talks specifically about how Buddhists should respond to and deal with these real tragedies. And Ajahn reflects on how by relating the Buddha’s teachings to our real experiences we develop a better understanding of them.

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Ajahn Brahm talks about the banning of his speech on gender equality. Ajahn Brahm gives a powerful talk on how to bring about gender equity in Buddhism that is acceptance of full Bhikkhuni ordination. Ajahn looks at how social activism in Buddhism works and how people can reach any goal as long as it is worthwhile; meaning not just for your own happiness and peace but for the happiness and peace of all sentient beings, such as lowering consumption and materialism.

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Ajahn Brahmali reflects on the idea of Right View (Samma-ditthi); the first factor of the Noble Eightfold Path.

Ajahn looks at how Right View is a very powerful foundation and drive for our whole Buddhist practise. Ajahn talks about how to develop Right View and also enhance our confidence in the Buddha and our teachers.

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Tuesday 2nd May 2017 was a special day for the Armadale Meditation Group.  We celebrated 30 years of meditation and guidance by the monks of Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine.  For this special occasion Ajahn Brahm and Venerable Akaliko graced us with their presence.  Ajahn Brahm likes to refer to the group as Club Med.  Being typically Aussie, we like that.  Venerable Akaliko once remarked that on his way to Club Med one evening [his first teaching at Armadale], he was considering a topic for his Dharma talk when he realised that there is "no fail in Armadale".

The group has adopted these slogans and now we have T-shirts that clearly state who we are and how we feel about meditation.

For the benefit of the five new people who joined us for our celebrations, Ajahn gave us a guided beginners meditation.  Ajahn used his wit, humour, common sense and stories to describe the purpose of meditation and why worrying about the future or reliving the past, is pointless.  We can't change the past and we can't control the future, so why do we worry so.  Give it a miss and meditate instead.

After meditation Ajahn gave a Dharma talk and joined us for our 30th Year celebrations.