Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Vayama uses the Buddhist teaching of the Iddhipadas (Roads to Success), especially the quality of aditthana (determination) which is a wholesome desire to overcome the unwholesome desires of sensual craving which lead to suffering.

We've all had problems with the boss from hell, the partner from hell, etceteras. Ajahn Brahm points out how all these difficult people have something to teach us, and a skillful way to go about dealing with these people is to calm the whole situation down using the same attitude that helps us calm our own mind.

Being empathetic is generally considered to be a positive in modern society, and within Buddhism. But Ajahn Brahm takes a different perspective on empathy, pointing out that often our empathy is directed to the negative feelings of others. There is a time and place for this, but we need to keep this in balance and also take some time to get some space away from the world to find calm and stability within.

Responding to the charge that Buddhism is "passive", Ajahn Vayama contends that the practice is very active, and very active at the point where we are not used to thinking of being active: namely, the mind. Through actively developing the mind, our speech and actions begin to change in accordance with the changes occurring within.

Ajahn Brahm focuses on how to develop the quality of mindfulness - a practice that has been central (e.g. it's a factor of Eightfold Path and Seven Factors of Enlightenment) to the teaching of Buddhism from the start. He goes on to talk about the varying degrees of attention and the ability to know what's going on in the mind and body.

Why does the universe come from? Why do we exist at all? Ajahn Brahm answers these questions from a Buddhist perspective.

With people coming to him expressing their concerns about disasters and tragedies in the world, Ajahn Brahm talks about how to deal effectively with tragedy and loss in life.

Ajahn Vayama reflects upon the occasion upon which the Buddha gave his first teaching - the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta - The Discourse on Setting In Motion The Wheel Of Dhamma. Ajahn Vayama discusses the circumstances around this first teaching of the Buddha and the meaning of that teaching.

Ajahn Brahm reinterprets the Buddhist principle of “viriya” – often interpreted within Buddhist schools as being “energy” or “effort” – by point out that the root of the work “vira” means “hero”, and that we can interpret “viriya” (which is one of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment”) as “heroism” or “courage”. It’s this attitude of courage that can help us to face and overcome many of life’s challenges.

Ajahn Brahm explains the Buddhist path as developing deeper levels of happiness until the highest happiness is attained: Enlightenment.

^{Ajahn Vayama exhorts us to practice in a way to see things as they really are, by connecting with the experience of the five external senses (the body) and the Three Characteristics of existence (impermanence, suffering, non-self).}

Ajahn Brahm gives us a deeper understanding of what true freedom - spiritual freedom - really is.

Ajahn Vayama helps us to ground our minds in the reality of the present moment through mindfulness of the body.

On the occaision (in 2002) of coming out of a six month long silent meditation retreat, Ajahn Brahm shares part of that experience with the audience in this talk.

Ayya Hasapanna talks about our quirks of behaviour, our idiosyncracies - how they are shaped, how they shape us, and how we can be at peace with the behaviours of others and ourselves.

Ajahn Nyanadhammo discusses the final few weeks of the life of the Buddha including his final teachings, and his final passing away (parinibbana) as told in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta.

Ajahn Vayama tells the story from the time of the Buddha of the woman who struck tragedy, but went on to become an fully awakened nun.

Ajahn Nyanadhammo gives a talk around a teaching given by the Buddha in which he answers 10 questions which are central to the search for meaning.

Ajahn Nyanadhammo discusses how to set up the mind in meditation.

Ajahn Vayama gives a talk about relationships in the modern world from a Buddhist perspective.