I’ve committed some terrible acts, felt immense guilt for the suffering I caused for others and myself. In my mind I could think of only one way to break the cycle of hurt I did to others and myself. Instead this man showed me another way, and saved my life by shifting my outlook
I am Christian and most of church talks is about reading bibles and the talk of believing in God and then everything will be ok. When things go well, we thank God. When things go wrong, it is Satin’s doing. The explanations cannot save my suffering, my pain from the death, the cancer of my family. My heart is broken.😢
Three years later. I was surprised to wake up feeling calm with very little anxiety in me this morning. As I was breathing and watching my breath go in and out, I noticed it was quiet and had a soft rhythm and pace to it.
Incredible talk.. I was in tears at his response to the inconsolable woman.. He touches our pain with a healing hand.. We need to differentiate between temporary healing & ultimate healing.. Temporary healing is what we get from actions motivated by anger & revenge.. Ultimate healing is what Buddhism is about.. The truth is as solid as a rock..
I've been listening Venerable Ajahn Brahm for many months now. His teachings are just wonderful. He has helped me through these talks so many times. Ajahn Brahm, you are a wonderful person.
I ve been listening to Ajahn for 3 months now and he has made my life so much happier. I listen online all the way from Stevensville Ontario Canada. Sorry I missed his talk at the University of Toronto! I just watched my father slowing pass in a nursing home and was able to feel peace in knowledge that he was just freeing himself from a sick body.....on to a young healthy one DAD xoxo. Thanks Ajahn
Thank you for your teaching. I totally agree how much pressure /suffering society unnecessarily add to us or train us to add to ourselves. Everyone is different ,can be good at different things& should not be measured /judged by the same standard. I want more parents to listen to this because so many of them expect their children to be super perfect or to be what they can't be and its not healthy. Your teaching is valuable and it gives me peace. Thank you so much!
To my great joy I have discovered that for many years I have already been practicing your teachings; to my greater joy you always manage to teach me more. You have helped me handle a serious crisis in my life; thank you so very much.
What is a beautiful person ? A beautiful person is the way the live their life , The way they react to things, The kindness they have , Be in Peace with them self and Being ease with life Not expecting too much Just enjoy what we have ^_^
I wanted to thank Ajahn Brahm especially for his last answer about the wondering mind. The simile at the end for how to be nice to your mind really helped me today. I meditated for 17 minutes, and the time passed so quickly. I think I enjoyed it... :) :) :)
I love the compassion in AB's talks!.. He knows that all we suffer (or enjoy) is due to our own karma. He knows this, but he always chooses to bypass this fact, he plays it down, rather he helps us to deal with whatever has come.. embrace it, accept it, learn from it. transform it. Astounding. and Very Helpful.
I've been watching you for over two years now, I'm not sure how I've missed this particular talk. Thank you so much for this. I cringed at the "you're so lucky" part, and about a millisecond later, I was overcome with relief at understanding it. I think you've shown me a way forward. I don't have words to express my gratitude for that. ❤️
“My plan is to never expect things to go according to plan” For years I’ve been saying “I’m more of a ‘glass half-empty’ kind of guy” but THAT sounds a lot better. I’m gonna start using it
Thank you Ajahn for the beautiful talk. Always enjoy them so much and learn so much. Wish you great health and continue to teach for many many years! Love from tiny island Singapore.
i loved this talk, especially when i have suffered basically all my life, i have been teased for all sorts of reasons like before when i was unsure of how to deal with a younger brother, i was teased and occasionally called stupid, and since i have been in Canberra, i have this memory of a kid somewhere in Belconnen saying that i was like us, ,man now at that time i visioned many reasons why he would say it to me, maybe it was the fact that i was a kid,
Everyone hurts. The suffering of one is the suffering of many. Isolation creates ruined relationships, anger throughout relationships, family, society. Of course problems of our world can not be simply resolved over night. But transforming ones suffering into compassion and wisdom is a good start.
I love this. I think that it's true on a logical level. I don't feel it though. I can't imagine intangibles. I've been suffering with an illness for 4 months. I want to transform my suffering but all I feel is pain. How do I accept and imagine and believe so that I can feel what I think.
Your motive to isolate yourself is based on the self. You are scared to get hurt therefore you do not allow that to happen in the first place. If you live like that then you do not allow yourself to live free and remain a prisoner of your own fears. The human experience allows us to feel love, lost, joy, sorrow, anger all of this can be a beautiful experience. Every experience can be transformed to the opposite if you allow it to happen
I really wish i could believe in this. I think i understand the idea, if you don't indulge badness it should get bored and change into whatever gives it a reaction. But my experience is, when i preach love, people make the assumption that I'm weak. They'll do anything to humiliate me and take advantage of me for their own benefit. I just don't think i have the strength, I've been watching these clips so many times but i can't ignore "reality" anymore, i just can't. "reality" kills my spirit.
Does anyone here have (from experience) knowledge on how to invite something like torture into your heart? I’ve never been able to accept incredible pain despite wanting to, it seems like automatic reaction of the mind. Less intense pains like minor sicknesses, etc, yes. Large pains, no way. Been trying for over ten years. Advice appreciated :)
Dear Father of Modern Buddhism, painful events seem to be not to be such a big deal after all, taking your advice..my permanent music album will have happy and sad songs,and that's ok
Things just happen in life. Sometimes positive things sometimes what we consider negative. When they happen there is nothing we can do to take them back. All we can do is move forward and learn how to improve yourself because holding onto the pain and suffering will serve nobody good. I think that is his message thats all.
I agree that one should be extremely careful before saying something like that. Ajahn Brahm has told this story in another mp3 and I remember him saying that he had somehow figured out that it could be helpful given that woman's psychological stage, understanding of Buddhism, etc.. Maybe the point about the usual forms of empathy and therapies not working is part of this. Unfortunately I don't remember whether he mentioned how the woman took it..
One of Ajahn Brahm's monk friend, laughed when he's told that he had cancer.. This isnt less crazy than what he said abt being grateful for beinv raped. So if u read some of his book, u will understand what he said. Buddhism thought is just literally out of normal people thought. On his book, its been told that, when the monk heard abt the cancer news, he laughed. And the doc asked, why u laugh? And he said. Because this is good. If i die, thats good. If i recover, thats also good. And thats the most positive response that a human being can give... Of course he wont force everybody to have monk head and heart. He just try to inspire. If the only option u have is just be grateful, then why dont you?? Even its that a grateful feeling of being raped..
I'm afraid of hurting others because i know how easy it is to get hurt, therefore I've chosen to isolate myself, to protect others from me. Does that show lack of empathy do you think?
I'll try - I think "embracing" means accepting a situation as part of one's life, and even looking for something positive that one can gain from it. "Liking" means considering a situation as having been pleasant, and even wanting it to happen again.
because i was very ugly and i am fine with that, because that is the christian way to look beautiful, and call ugly people losers, i personally think that teasers just win the battle, you see people like me will win the war, i know the teasers who wins the battle is having a good time, but are they, they will get tired if i take his teasing like a man, or back then a cool kid, i was a cool kid, and i want to one day meet this kid, who is 40 now, and thank you for giving me self esteem, cool man
Trauma, little or large, can be dealt with through buddhist teachings and meditation. The typical trauma victim in this world is conditioned in such a way, that the reaction they give to a trauma is dam near impossible to overcome, although the assistance of 'qualified' personnel...
Told I would pump gas for a living. Been in telecommunications 17 years. Kind of how the chicken squats. Love working with the physically and mentally infirm.
Do anybody have the time to help me? I have alot of questions, alot of negativity I want to know how to get rid off. My mind is not very open right now, but I'll really try to fight myself.
reality is a bit an illusion anyway, two things stand out for me in your questions, and those are the things you missed out in his talks: YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE WHO YOU ARE, you say you have lots of negativity - so that is precisely what you need to embrace - that fact that u are a negative person and dont beat yourself up for that (btw the whole wordl is like that, so dont get pulled into believing that you are the only one being negative), you dont find negativity or yourself, u embrace it
"It's easy enough to be happy when life goes along like a song but the one worthwile is the one who can smile when everything goes all wrong"
This talk saved my life.
I’ve committed some terrible acts, felt immense guilt for the suffering I caused for others and myself. In my mind I could think of only one way to break the cycle of hurt I did to others and myself. Instead this man showed me another way, and saved my life by shifting my outlook
I was brought up as a Catholic but this guy makes so much sense and has practical advice.
Glad you're around, may you forever be well!!
Buddhists don't have page boys to serve in the monastery.
totally agree！
I am Christian and most of church talks is about reading bibles and the talk of believing in God and then everything will be ok. When things go well, we thank God. When things go wrong, it is Satin’s doing. The explanations cannot save my suffering, my pain from the death, the cancer of my family. My heart is broken.😢
Ajahn Brahm's dhamma talks have helped me become a mentally happier person and my refuge. Love his humour too.
Accept your suffering
Embrace the pain
Incorporate it
Learn from it
Use it to grow
Plant your garden with the dung
Ajahn Brahm communicates a great combination of logic, spirituality, and practicality.
Yes he is uniqely good at this
I have been saved for another day. Thank you...
Three years later. I was surprised to wake up feeling calm with very little anxiety in me this morning. As I was breathing and watching my breath go in and out, I noticed it was quiet and had a soft rhythm and pace to it.
My mam introduced me to Ajahn Brahm and, I can tell you now, my outlook on life has vastly changed. Thankyou.
My dad was into meditation and when a doc told him he had terminal cancer he smiled and thanked the doc....
go visit cancertutor.com and cancerfightingstrategies.com, medical cannabis oil is probably his best bet - see rick simpson
He died in 1985 but thx :-)
remedyke1 really
Incredible talk.. I was in tears at his response to the inconsolable woman.. He touches our pain with a healing hand.. We need to differentiate between temporary healing & ultimate healing.. Temporary healing is what we get from actions motivated by anger & revenge.. Ultimate healing is what Buddhism is about.. The truth is as solid as a rock..
Ok la 8pm, but it was the last time. The list is not the only way I could have a good time. The
I've been listening Venerable Ajahn Brahm for many months now. His teachings are just wonderful. He has helped me through these talks so many times. Ajahn Brahm, you are a wonderful person.
‘One of my favorite talks. It’s one of my “go to” videos. I’ve picked up so many life lessons from this talk.
I ve been listening to Ajahn for 3 months now and he has made my life so much happier. I listen online all the way from Stevensville Ontario Canada. Sorry I missed his talk at the University of Toronto! I just watched my father slowing pass in a nursing home and was able to feel peace in knowledge that he was just freeing himself from a sick body.....on to a young healthy one DAD xoxo. Thanks Ajahn
This man is brilliant.
Thank you for your teaching. I totally agree how much pressure /suffering society unnecessarily add to us or train us to add to ourselves. Everyone is different ,can be good at different things& should not be measured /judged by the same standard. I want more parents to listen to this because so many of them expect their children to be super perfect or to be what they can't be and its not healthy. Your teaching is valuable and it gives me peace. Thank you so much!
I listen to your talks every night before I go to sleep. Thanks for these pearls of wisdom and advice.
❤❤❤just love AB❤❤❤the best teacher ever!!!
To my great joy I have discovered that for many years I have already been practicing your teachings; to my greater joy you always manage to teach me more. You have helped me handle a serious crisis in my life; thank you so very much.
What is a beautiful person ? A beautiful person is the way the live their life , The way they react to things, The kindness they have , Be in Peace with them self and Being ease with life Not expecting too much Just enjoy what we have ^_^
Exactly I'm happy to have just enough
The last advice was truly helpful. Thank you!
I wept.
A very beautiful talk.
Ajahn's talks are so simple and meaningful. I gain lot s of insight by listening to him. Much merit to you Ajahn.
Kanthi, Vancouver, BC, Canada
This talk made me cry.
Same.
it also always makes me cry
bitch me too!!! the fuck
I wanted to thank Ajahn Brahm especially for his last answer about the wondering mind. The simile at the end for how to be nice to your mind really helped me today. I meditated for 17 minutes, and the time passed so quickly. I think I enjoyed it... :) :) :)
what do you mean you think you enjoyed it. all meditating shod be enjoyable. if not stop and do something else
This is exactly what I needed.Thank you very much.
MY PLAN IS NEVER TO EXPECT THINGS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN
this is my new mantra
You choose a wonderful take away from the talk
This is one of the best videos ever.!!!!
I love the compassion in AB's talks!.. He knows that all we suffer (or enjoy) is due to our own karma. He knows this, but he always chooses to bypass this fact, he plays it down, rather he helps us to deal with whatever has come..
embrace it, accept it, learn from it. transform it. Astounding. and Very Helpful.
I've been watching you for over two years now, I'm not sure how I've missed this particular talk. Thank you so much for this. I cringed at the "you're so lucky" part, and about a millisecond later, I was overcome with relief at understanding it. I think you've shown me a way forward. I don't have words to express my gratitude for that. ❤️
Aaaah... just listening to Ajahn Brahm makes me feel so much better!!!
“My plan is to never expect things to go according to plan”
For years I’ve been saying “I’m more of a ‘glass half-empty’ kind of guy” but THAT sounds a lot better. I’m gonna start using it
So happy to have found you and your talks. thanks for being and keep talking. Sending lots of warm thoughts to you.
He is such a great storyteller and so easy to listen to. Thank you.
Thanks for the talk Ajahn Brahm
The dung of your life metaphor was absolutely beautiful.
I absolutely love the dung analogy!!! :)
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qc, Canada Thank you Buddhist Society WA. Thank you Ajahn Brahm! :o)
Thanks Ajahn Brahm
Thank you Ajahn for the beautiful talk. Always enjoy them so much and learn so much. Wish you great health and continue to teach for many many years! Love from tiny island Singapore.
i loved this talk, especially when i have suffered basically all my life, i have been teased for all sorts of reasons like before when i was unsure of how to deal with a younger brother, i was teased and occasionally called stupid, and since i have been in Canberra, i have this memory of a kid somewhere in Belconnen saying that i was like us, ,man
now at that time i visioned many reasons why he would say it to me, maybe it was the fact that i was a kid,
This has really helped me out
Everyone hurts. The suffering of one is the suffering of many. Isolation creates ruined relationships, anger throughout relationships, family, society.
Of course problems of our world can not be simply resolved over night. But transforming ones suffering into compassion and wisdom is a good start.
Ajahn Brahm please come to Toronto.
I love this talks and I now I love my sufferings too. thank you so much :-)
"I plan that things won't go according to plan!" So wise words from the master of comedy and dhamma!
loved this so much
strikes a personal chord... thank you ajahn
usted es uno de los mejores budista
Love this talk sooooooo much
I love this. I think that it's true on a logical level. I don't feel it though. I can't imagine intangibles. I've been suffering with an illness for 4 months. I want to transform my suffering but all I feel is pain. How do I accept and imagine and believe so that I can feel what I think.
I love this guy!!!
Happy "Anniversary" of Monkdom. Well done.
Sadu sadu sadu .venerable Brahma wanso swami.. please come to Sri Lanka...we are Like to see you. we need hear to damma desana of you.
He is lovable:) !!
Ajahn Brahm, I also would like you to come to Toronto.
Really enjoyed this talk thoroughly! :-)
Finally! Welcome back!
Ah, in ninjutsu, it is written, "Make friends of misery, so that when you meet misery you see an old friend."
Great talk
Sadhu sadhu sadhu 💐
Sadho Sadho Sadho❤
Embracing means you are a part of it.
If you like something you see it from a distance.
A singer embraces singing, a fan likes singing.
Fantastic!
Became a monk on my birthday! Not that that's that crazy, but I like it :).
Dear Ajahn!
You are very wise guy!, but i can't accept that there is any reason whatsoever for human suffeing
Your motive to isolate yourself is based on the self. You are scared to get hurt therefore you do not allow that to happen in the first place. If you live like that then you do not allow yourself to live free and remain a prisoner of your own fears. The human experience allows us to feel love, lost, joy, sorrow, anger all of this can be a beautiful experience. Every experience can be transformed to the opposite if you allow it to happen
I really wish i could believe in this.
I think i understand the idea, if you don't indulge badness it should get bored and change into whatever gives it a reaction.
But my experience is, when i preach love, people make the assumption that I'm weak.
They'll do anything to humiliate me and take advantage of me for their own benefit.
I just don't think i have the strength, I've been watching these clips so many times but i can't ignore "reality" anymore, i just can't. "reality" kills my spirit.
Does anyone here have (from experience) knowledge on how to invite something like torture into your heart? I’ve never been able to accept incredible pain despite wanting to, it seems like automatic reaction of the mind. Less intense pains like minor sicknesses, etc, yes. Large pains, no way. Been trying for over ten years. Advice appreciated :)
often we have the choice to react with peace and calm
Dear Father of Modern Buddhism, painful events seem to be not to be such a big deal after all, taking your advice..my permanent music album will have happy and sad songs,and that's ok
I'm having a hard time decerning between "embracing" and "liking" something. Could someone please help?
Thanks!
Sadhu sadhu sadhu 🙏🙏🙏
Things just happen in life. Sometimes positive things sometimes what we consider negative. When they happen there is nothing we can do to take them back. All we can do is move forward and learn how to improve yourself because holding onto the pain and suffering will serve nobody good.
I think that is his message thats all.
concur, enthusiastically!
I agree that one should be extremely careful before saying something like that. Ajahn Brahm has told this story in another mp3 and I remember him saying that he had somehow figured out that it could be helpful given that woman's psychological stage, understanding of Buddhism, etc.. Maybe the point about the usual forms of empathy and therapies not working is part of this. Unfortunately I don't remember whether he mentioned how the woman took it..
The poet's name is Du Fu, my favorite Chinese poet.
i dont understand if you expect the worst, its that being negative? and we should think positive?
Thank you very very much! :D
One of Ajahn Brahm's monk friend, laughed when he's told that he had cancer..
This isnt less crazy than what he said abt being grateful for beinv raped.
So if u read some of his book, u will understand what he said. Buddhism thought is just literally out of normal people thought.
On his book, its been told that, when the monk heard abt the cancer news, he laughed. And the doc asked, why u laugh? And he said. Because this is good. If i die, thats good. If i recover, thats also good.
And thats the most positive response that a human being can give...
Of course he wont force everybody to have monk head and heart. He just try to inspire.
If the only option u have is just be grateful, then why dont you??
Even its that a grateful feeling of being raped..
I'm afraid of hurting others because i know how easy it is to get hurt, therefore I've chosen to isolate myself, to protect others from me.
Does that show lack of empathy do you think?
How can you learn from spinal pain or terminal cancer? Don't get me wrong,I am a huge fan of AB. just curious
The science you talk about is to let his teachings transform us. We should become the scientific evidence of the teachings we believe in :)
I'll try - I think "embracing" means accepting a situation as part of one's life, and even looking for something positive that one can gain from it. "Liking" means considering a situation as having been pleasant, and even wanting it to happen again.
thank-you
My favorite story (from 17:45) :P
Thanks
❤
because i was very ugly and i am fine with that, because that is the christian way to look beautiful, and call ugly people losers, i personally think that teasers just win the battle, you see people like me will win the war, i know the teasers who wins the battle is having a good time, but are they, they will get tired if i take his teasing like a man, or back then a cool kid, i was a cool kid, and i want to one day meet this kid, who is 40 now, and thank you for giving me self esteem, cool man
Trauma, little or large, can be dealt with through buddhist teachings and meditation. The typical trauma victim in this world is conditioned in such a way, that the reaction they give to a trauma is dam near impossible to overcome, although the assistance of 'qualified' personnel...
🙏
Told I would pump gas for a living. Been in telecommunications 17 years. Kind of how the chicken squats. Love working with the physically and mentally infirm.
My partner decided to leave me because I like to him once. I can’t change his mind. I am really hurt.
Please advise me how to transform this.
I don't know how to transform it. But if you find love for yourself and your surroundings, it may fill the hole of where their love once was.
How many monks do you know?
Do anybody have the time to help me? I have alot of questions, alot of negativity I want to know how to get rid off.
My mind is not very open right now, but I'll really try to fight myself.
reality is a bit an illusion
anyway, two things stand out for me in your questions, and those are the things you missed out in his talks: YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE WHO YOU ARE, you say you have lots of negativity - so that is precisely what you need to embrace - that fact that u are a negative person and dont beat yourself up for that (btw the whole wordl is like that, so dont get pulled into believing that you are the only one being negative), you dont find negativity or yourself, u embrace it
I think it's more about malicious lying / fraud. For example, saying a school is on fire when it's not, etc. which is illegal.
Lowering expectations is also a RACE ti the bottom mentality, but living in balance is far more difficult and yes attainable but by few
I'm doing nothing....next day...I'm not finished yet
great monk