Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast, Treasure Mountain website and Treasure Mountain facebook page.

On this episode of Spirit Stories our guest is Ayya Santussika, the abbott of Karuna Buddhist Vihara in northern California.

Ayya Santussika was born in Illinois in 1954 and grew up on a farm in Indiana. While being a single mother, she received BS and MS degrees in computer science. She worked as a software designer and developer for fifteen years in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her search for deeper meaning and ways to be of service led her to train as an interfaith minister in a four-year seminary program that culminated in a Masters of Divinity degree. She began traveling in Asia from 1999, learning from master teachers, particularly in Thailand. It was these experiences, along with time spent at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in California that caused her faith to develop to the point of choosing to live and practice as a Theravadan nun.

Ayya Santussika entered monastic life as an anagarika (eight-precept nun) in 2005, then ordained as a samaneri (ten-precept nun) in 2010 and a bhikkhuni (311 rules) in 2012 at Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara in Los Angeles. She has trained in large and small communities of nuns, including Amaravati and Chithurst monasteries of the Ajahn Chah tradition in England.

Links related to this interview:

• Karuna Buddhist Vihara
• Donate to Karuna Buddhist Vihara

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Tuesday 13th September 2022

Shona Olykan joins the Armadale Meditation Group on-line live. Armadale Meditation Group (AMG) is designed to teach you about meditation. The classes generally begin with chanting the Metta Sutta, then receiving meditation instructions and meditating together, followed by asking questions and finally if time remains listening to a Dhamma talk. However, the layout can vary. Due to social distancing regulations, these weekly Tuesday night teachings are happening via Zoom from Bodhinyana Monastery.

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram, Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) with Steven Towler on the 22 August 2022. These weekly teachings give an introduction into Meditation and some guidance and basics into the practice of the Buddhist Path. They usually consist of a short talk, thirty minute meditation and then questions & answers.

Steven Towler has been a Buddhist for over fifty years. He studied and practised meditation with several well known teachers of the Thai forest tradition. He has translated text from teachers such as Luang Poo Tate, Luang Ta Maha Boowa and Acharn Piak from Thai to English.

Please support BSWA in making these teachings available by donating via Patreon or our General Expenses Fund.

To download the audio, click on the audio tracks' title to open up in Podbean.

More dhamma teachings are available from:

• BSWA Podcast Channel (Dharma talks and guided meditations)
• BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel (retreats and suttas)
• BSWA YouTube Playlists
• Books and articles are available on our website.

Teaching retrieved from CBSWA please visit https://thecbswa.org to find out how to attend the monastery in person.

Tuesday 06th September 2022

Mark Milton joins the Armadale Meditation Group on-line live. Armadale Meditation Group (AMG) is designed to teach you about meditation. The classes generally begin with chanting the Metta Sutta, then receiving meditation instructions and meditating together, followed by asking questions and finally if time remains listening to a Dhamma talk. However, the layout can vary. Due to social distancing regulations, these weekly Tuesday night teachings are happening via Zoom from Bodhinyana Monastery.

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast, Treasure Mountain website and Treasure Mountain facebook page.

On this episode of Treasure Mountain Podcast we have a guest who has been a mentor to me and remains a personal friend. Dennis Sheppard has been involved with Buddhist community since 1978, joining with the Buddhist Society of Western Australia as a young man interested in meditation and spiritual practice, and going on to serve multiple terms as president, as well as serving in several other capacities including designing several buildings for both monastics and the lay community.

In this interview with Dennis Sheppard:

• Getting involved with Buddhism in Australia in the late 1970s and what that was like
• Sending lay people to Thailand to request Ajahn Chah to send monks to Australia
• How Ajahn Jagaro changed the Buddhist Society of WA and his lasting legacy
• The impact of Ajahn Jagaro's departure and the commencement of Ajahn Brahm's tenure as Spiritual Director
• What the early years of the Buddhist Society of WA were like, the challenges they faced and how they overcame them.

Links from the episode:

• The Buddhist Society of Western Australia website
• Dennis Sheppard's website

Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram, Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) with Steven Towler on the 15 August 2022. These weekly teachings give an introduction into Meditation and some guidance and basics into the practice of the Buddhist Path. They usually consist of a short talk, thirty minute meditation and then questions & answers.

Steven Towler has been a Buddhist for over fifty years. He studied and practised meditation with several well known teachers of the Thai forest tradition. He has translated text from teachers such as Luang Poo Tate, Luang Ta Maha Boowa and Acharn Piak from Thai to English.

Please support BSWA in making these teachings available by donating via Patreon or our General Expenses Fund.

To download the audio, click on the audio track’s title to open it up in Podbean.

More dhamma teachings are available from:

• BSWA Podcast Channel (Dharma talks and guided meditations)
• BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel (retreats and suttas)
• BSWA YouTube Playlists
• Books and articles are available on our website.

Teaching retrieved from CBSWA please visit https://thecbswa.org to find out how to attend the monastery in person.

Dr Brian Walker is a member of the Legislative Council in the Parliament of Western Australia for the Legalise Cannabis Party.

He has practised medicine for many years in many different countries, before finally settling into practice as a GP at Serpentine Medical Centre. He has front-line experience treating patients in hospitals, emergency departments, and general practice.

If you are familiar with the book Dying To Be Me, which detailed the near death experience by Anita Moorjani, it should be noted that Dr. Walker was Anita’s GP back in Hong Kong. She met up with him in the US 3 years ago and did a beautiful interview which is available on Youtube.

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Nissarano gives a Dhamma talk from Newbury Buddhist Monastery, Victoria, Australia (www.nbm.org.au) on the 17th July 2022. Please visit the BSV Podcast Channel and BSV YouTube Channel

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Teaching retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyNIh4DIAOk (YouTube Channel: BSV Dhamma Talks)

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast, Treasure Mountain website and Treasure Mountain facebook page.

On this episode of Sage Advice, Venerable Mettaji returns to offer his advice on the topic of giving from the heart.

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Tuesday 30th August 2022

Mark Simpson joins the Armadale Meditation Group on-line live. Armadale Meditation Group (AMG) is designed to teach you about meditation. The classes generally begin with chanting the Metta Sutta, then receiving meditation instructions and meditating together, followed by asking questions and finally if time remains listening to a Dhamma talk. However, the layout can vary. Due to social distancing regulations, these weekly Tuesday night teachings are happening via Zoom from Bodhinyana Monastery.

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram, Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) with Steven Towler on the 8 August 2022. These weekly teachings give an introduction into Meditation and some guidance and basics into the practice of the Buddhist Path. They usually consist of a short talk, thirty minute meditation and then questions & answers.

Steven Towler has been a Buddhist for over fifty years. He studied and practised meditation with several well known teachers of the Thai forest tradition. He has translated text from teachers such as Luang Poo Tate, Luang Ta Maha Boowa and Acharn Piak from Thai to English.

Please support BSWA in making these teachings available by donating via Patreon or our General Expenses Fund.

To download the audio, click on the audio track’s title to open it up in Podbean.

More dhamma teachings are available from:

• BSWA Podcast Channel (Dharma talks and guided meditations)
• BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel (retreats and suttas)
• BSWA YouTube Playlists
• Books and articles are available on our website.

Teaching retrieved from CBSWA please visit https://thecbswa.org to find out how to attend the monastery in person.

Ajahn Brahm guides a meditation

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Ajahn Brahm guides a meditation for approximately half an hour.

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

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast, Treasure Mountain website and Treasure Mountain facebook page.

In this episode our guest is Venerable Mettaji, formerly Stephen Mayers, a man who has had a journey from the heights of corporate success down into the valley of trial and loss. This has led him on to ordaining as a bhikkhu - a Buddhist monk - later in life. But through all the ups and downs of Venerable Mettaji’s journey there has been a will to serve others stemming from a well-spring of kindness. In this episode we’re going to learn about that journey and some of the unexpected ways behind the scenes that he is serving the growing Buddhist community in Australia with a heart of kindness.

Links related to Venerable Mettaji and this episode:

• The Australian Sangha Association
• Bodhinyana Monastery

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Tuesday 23rd August 2022

Chris Lafrentz joins the Armadale Meditation Group on-line live. Armadale Meditation Group (AMG) is designed to teach you about meditation. The classes generally begin with chanting the Metta Sutta, then receiving meditation instructions and meditating together, followed by asking questions and finally if time remains listening to a Dhamma talk. However, the layout can vary. Due to social distancing regulations, these weekly Tuesday night teachings are happening via Zoom from Bodhinyana Monastery.

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram, Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) with Venerable Kassapa on 1 August 2022. These weekly teachings give an introduction into Meditation and some guidance and basics into the practice of the Buddhist Path. They usually consist of a short talk, thirty minute meditation and then questions & answers.

Venerable Kassapa has trained at Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine, WA (Buddhist Society of WA monastery – abbot Ajahn Brahmavamso), where he has been a resident since 2013.

Currently Venerable Kassapa is staying at Wat Dhammayanaram two to three weeks at a time and then returning to Bodhinyana for a week. Venerable has committed to help out the temple (for possibly up to 1-2 years), to assist the Cambodian monk Bhante Sukkhakamo by keeping him company and helping with things, such as this teaching engagement. Venerable Kassapa has been helping the temple on and off since he became a monk.

Please support BSWA in making these teachings available by donating via Patreon or our General Expenses Fund.

To download the audio, click on the audio track’s title to open it up in Podbean.

More dhamma teachings are available from:

• BSWA Podcast Channel (Dharma talks and guided meditations)
• BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel (retreats and suttas)
• BSWA YouTube Playlists
• Books and articles are available on our website.

Teaching retrieved from CBSWA please visit https://thecbswa.org to find out how to attend the monastery in person.

Ajahn Hasapanna guides a meditation

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Dhamma talk by Ajahn Mudito on the 05 Jun 2022, at the Buddhist Society of Victoria (BSV). 

Bhante Mudito was born in a remote village in Northern-Finland. After completing military service, he travelled to the United States where he attended chef school and worked in a high-end hotel for a few years. While living in New York his long-time interest in Buddhism evolved as he started meditating with different groups. He sought after many teachers and found many of them to be too lofty of simply too boring. But then the stars aligned when Ajahn Brahm wrote his hit book Open the Door of your Heart and on the book promotion tour he came to New York where Mudito fell in love with Ajahn and his simple teachings. He has followed Ajahn Brahm ever since and in 2010 he went to stay in Bodhinyana and ordained as a monk in 2012.

Please visit the BSV Podcast Channel and BSV YouTube Channel

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Tuesday 16th August 2022

This podcast hosted by Sandra Henville is just a 50 minute meditation and as such doesn't follow the usual format :-)  It is literally just a meditation session and delightful for it.

Sandra Henville joins the Armadale Meditation Group on-line live. Armadale Meditation Group (AMG) is designed to teach you about meditation. The classes generally begin with chanting the Metta Sutta, then receiving meditation instructions and meditating together, followed by asking questions and finally if time remains listening to a Dhamma talk. However, the layout can vary. Due to social distancing regulations, these weekly Tuesday night teachings are happening via Zoom from Bodhinyana Monastery.

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. 

In this episode of Sage Advice, we have Venerable Mudu from Bodhinyana Great Southern calling in from the deep south of Western Australia, here to share his advice on finding a way back to peace when everything falls apart.

For more information about Venerable Mudu:

• On Venerable Mudu and the Bodhinyana Great Southern Hermitage project

For more information about Treasure Mountain Podcast:

• Treasure Mountain webpage - to find out more, leave a message or join the mailing list
• Treasure Mountain on Facebook

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

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.