Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Brahm talks about devotional practises and rituals in Buddhism and how we must be very careful we are not devoted to the rituals themselves or in his words ‘not devoted to the container, but to the content’. Ajahn explains the importance of doing these practises with context that is an understanding of what the practise means and why you are doing it.

Ajahn Brahm talks about the value of friendships and offers practical advice on how to strengthen and build up our friendships and create a sense of community. Ajahn takes a look at the Buddhist way of dealing with the loneliness in this world.

Ajahn Brahmali gives an introduction about how sila, contentment and support in your spiritual life help to remove meditation obstacles and ensure good progress.

Ajahn Brahmali gives a talk on the importance of the Sangha or monastic community in Buddhism. Ajahn considers the Sangha’s purpose or role in Buddhism, as well as why they matter and the Buddha’s reasons for making the monastic order.

Ajahn Brahmali elaborates on the Buddha's teaching that it is attachment that causes suffering and letting go is the cause for happiness. Ajahn points out that attachments are part and parcel of being a human being. Ajahn explains why attachments lead to suffering and how we can remove and reduce our attachments to that there is less suffering when impermanence comes round and tears these things away from us, which eventually it must do.

Responding to a request on how to deal with difficult people at work. Ajahn Brahm offers advice on how to develop tolerance towards difficult people, as well as towards the many other difficulties we face in life. Because as Ajahn points out difficulties and difficult people are part of life and therefore we have to learn to deal with them.

In response to a question on how to stop getting angry when watching sport, Ajahn Brahm gives an insightful teaching on the problems caused by our dysfunctional way of looking at winning and losing and modern society’s obsession with competitions and separating people into winners and losers.

Ajahn Brahm devotes this talk on the Buddhist attitude towards depression. Ajahn breaks this talk into what he believes are the three major causes of depression in our modern world:

Inherit negativity and fault-finding

Over indulgence in cravings

Some of the nature of our existence can be depressing

Ajahn kindly gives us the goods to help us overcome depression; our negative mind states.

Bhante explains metta meditation, how it will affect every aspect of our daily lives before guiding us through a combined metta and breath meditation.  After the guided meditation Bhante answered questions about the meditation then opened to general comments and questions.

Bhante concluded the evening with stories that showed how love and kindness worked for Bhante G at Heathrow.

Metta [loving kindness]. In Buddhist belief, this is a Brahma-vihara (divine abode) or an immeasurable that leads to a meditative state by being a counter to ill-will. It removes clinging to negative state of mind, by cultivating kindness unto all beings.

Ajahn Khemavaro, the Abbott of Wat Buddha Dhamma Monastery talks about how appreciation leads to contentment, stillness, peace, less doing and contentment can be used to developed wisdom. Ajahn also shares his experiences and reflections about what has happened in the last year and half while trying to re-establish Wat Buddha Dhamma as a Forest Monastery, and how things have changed since he was a disciple of Ajahn Brahm at Bodhinyana Monastery.