Sometimes pain and suffering are an opportunity for us to grow and learn. When you criticize yourself, you inhibit your ability to succeed. Praise uplifts people and has a positive effect on relationships. The power of precepts lie in the fact that when we are guided by them, the mind moves in the direction of truth and calmness. Charles Martin spoke on the topic of humility and how it can be attained. He discussed the importance of virtuous conduct and how samatha (tranquility) can also be a contributing factor.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 12th October 2001. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

Conflicts come from a sense of injustice and injustice comes from a sense of karma. Start learning to accept life as it is and not what we want it to be. The law of karma tells us that we always get what we deserve, which often results in feelings of injustice. When we take control of our destiny, these feelings of injustice dissipate. There is karmic rebound in the form of regret and guilt, which can lead to even more disharmony and anger. We learn from our mistakes and try not to punish ourselves. Focusing on the faults of others can lead to conflict, but focusing on our own faults can also lead to conflict. We should try to focus on the good in others and ourselves to create a more peaceful world.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 5th October 2001. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

The first type of love we hear all about in our culture is romantic love, which involves an infatuation with one person. The second type of love is a detached love which is greater because it allows you to be at peace with separation, with death and with all the bad things that life can bring. In the loving-kindness meditation, you open the door to the present moment, to silence, and to the emptiness that allows you to connect with everything. It’s a love which is happy to let the other person go. Buddhist love is a type of love that relieves people from suffering. It is a type of love that is selfless and detached. It is a type of love that grows over time. What is love at a Buddhist Perspective? Love is often misunderstood and mistrusted. It can be a very dangerous thing when it’s based on ownership or attachment. In Buddhism, love is based on the simple principle of wanting someone to be happy. And the third type of love is the power of emptiness, the power of nothing. This is why all the great beings which I have met in my life, these are all monks who have that type of love.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 20th July 2001. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

Rebirth is a very useful way to review our life, to reflect on our relationships, and to gain perspective on what is important. This talk is about how deep, beautiful meditation can reveal the truth of things, and also how deep, beautiful meditation can be fun. Rebirth is a reality which can be found out for yourself through the practice of meditation. Ordinary memory is unreliable, real memory through meditation is true. Regarding rebirth, we gain a solid ground for being good and responsible, and take long term perspective on the trials and tribulations of one life in comparison to the trials and tribulations of one year in school or one year in the office.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 13th July 2001. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

When we let go of things, we find freedom and happiness. Renouncing simplifies life and makes more time for things that are important. Renouncing things brings joy, understanding, and freedom. In order to live a simple life and achieve enlightenment, Buddhist traditions emphasize the need for renunciation. Meditation is a practice that can help you deal with your emotions, renounce your attachments to your body, and experience peace and freedom before death. Becoming a monk or nun freed you from your desires, allows you to connect with people more easily, and give you a sense of inner peace and strength. 

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 6th July 2001. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

Happiness is the gap between two moments of suffering. Suffering is the gap between two moments of happiness. How do you deal with suffering in life? Accept it and learn from it. Suffering is part of life, but it’s also an opportunity to learn and grow. When someone says something we don’t like, don’t carry it around being crazy. Let go. Suffering happens. It’s in the world, but it will pass. Sit down and have a cup of tea to keep your energies ready for when things change. 

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 29th June 2001. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

Meditation is a way to let go of things that are keeping you from getting to know yourself better, like your emotions and your thoughts. Meditation makes you happy because it leads to wisdom and peace. This is why Buddhism is spreading in the world: because it is a truth that resonates with people on many levels. Buddhism is a way to free yourself from the suffering of this world. It’s a path to liberation. Buddhism is growing due to its teaching that comes from people’s experiences, rather than scriptures or theories. Buddhism is growing in the world because it offers a happiness which surpasses this world. It’s these beautiful things, the ending of things, the ending of suffering, the ending of problems, the freedom in the heart, the freedom in the mind, the bliss and the joy which make it so popular.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 22nd June 2001. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

Conflict can arises from memory being uncertain. Arguments can break up relationships, friendships and cause suffering. When we argue, we often forget that what’s important is living in harmony together. Chicken or duck? What’s important is the friendship and harmony and love and care and the working together. Arguments can be helpful to have in our lives in order to understand each other better, but when they turn into fights, they’re not constructive. Spiritual practice means pointing out that it’s more important to focus on loving kindness and peace.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 8th June 2001. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

Meditation teaches you how to be still and to get more energy. Contentment is knowing that you’ve done all that you need to do and that you can now rest. Contentment is the highest wealth, and learning to be content every now and again is a way to reach peace in your life. When you get close to a beautiful breath, you can actually do nothing to it. It becomes effortless. You can relax and allow the beautiful breath to happen. If you’re trying hard to meditate, you’re not doing it right. All you need to do is be content, and the breath will come all by itself.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 20th October 2001. It has now been remastered and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.

The five aggregates is a Buddhist teaching on the nature of mind which points out that there is nothing substantial to consciousness or our self-view. Understanding this is key to freedom. In this talk, I’m going to talk about the five aggregates: body, mind, feeling, perception, and mental formations. When you realize that you are not your body, things start to get simple. As far as worrying about your appearance, old age, sickness, and death, these things don’t matter because you know you are not this body. You’re just a mind. The six senses are beauty and ugliness, pleasure and pain, praise and blame, nice sounds and rotten sounds, and mind happiness and mind suffering. These are all inseparable, and you cannot have just one without the other.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded on cassette tape on 27th April 2001. It has now been remastered and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.