Rejoicing in Goodness (meditation & talk)

0:00 Thanks to Ajahn Brahm for being here and to our driver who got us here and everyone else who probably had to face the Oxford congestion charge and all the other problems with traffic. Hopefully it was worth your while and tonight we are going to give a talk, Ajahn Brahm is going to give a talk about rejoicing in goodness and I think this is something all of us need to do because it's so easy to focus on what's wrong. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:26 So we're going to start with a short meditation just for 15 minutes or so and then a dharma talk about 45 minutes and some opportunity for question and answers. And we do still have a few seats here and scattered around if people want to face the front. Otherwise, yeah, we shall begin. So unfortunately, the sound system isn't working today. I don't know why, but... Report an error in the passage at 0:26 Highlight the passage at 0:26

0:54 Just raise your hands if you need us to yell. Okay. So handing over to Ajahn. And remember your tea under your tea cozy. Oh, yeah. And a nice warm hat in case you get cold. Report an error in the passage at 0:54 Highlight the passage at 0:54

1:09 Nice. Report an error in the passage at 1:09 Highlight the passage at 1:09

1:15 I recommend this. Report an error in the passage at 1:15 Highlight the passage at 1:15

1:20 Okay. So do a little guided meditation. So please, if you'd like to close your eyes. Nice. What's wrong with that? Nice. Report an error in the passage at 1:20 Highlight the passage at 1:20

1:31 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:31 Highlight the passage at 1:31

1:52 So Report an error in the passage at 1:52 Highlight the passage at 1:52

1:56 first of all, just close your eyes. It's always nice to close your eyes. It's like shutting off the world outside and focusing on the world inside. Report an error in the passage at 1:56 Highlight the passage at 1:56

2:13 Don't let anything from the outside disturb you. I agree. Report an error in the passage at 2:13 Highlight the passage at 2:13

1:41 if you have these kind of hats you can go like this when you're editing it's really good okay Report an error in the passage at 1:41 Highlight the passage at 1:41

2:17 Even things on the inside. Just be really kind to your body. Now, just looking at my body, I need to adjust my feet, so I did that. Report an error in the passage at 2:17 Highlight the passage at 2:17

2:34 How does your body feel? Report an error in the passage at 2:34 Highlight the passage at 2:34

2:40 Is there any part of it which is aching or sore? First of all, try something physical. Don't be embarrassed if you have a sore head or a sore tummy. Just rub it. Caress it. With as much kindness as you possibly can. Report an error in the passage at 2:40 Highlight the passage at 2:40

3:03 One lady who had really bad anxiety. I told her to be aware of how it feels. Number two, to be kind to it by just massaging her own stomach. And it went away. Report an error in the passage at 3:03 Highlight the passage at 3:03

3:27 I'm not making this up. She nominated me for Australian of the Year for that. I didn't win it, but that's not what I do things for. Report an error in the passage at 3:27 Highlight the passage at 3:27

3:37 I do things for healing people. Report an error in the passage at 3:37 Highlight the passage at 3:37

3:43 If you can't actually physically relax your body, just even mentally, emotionally wish it well. Body may be happy and well. Report an error in the passage at 3:43 Highlight the passage at 3:43

3:56 And that way, your mindfulness gets combined with kindness. The two of them together can relax the body so deeply. Many times, pain, sicknesses can disappear. Report an error in the passage at 3:56 Highlight the passage at 3:56

4:25 And after you relax your body, relax your mind. All the future, no matter what it's going to be, it hasn't happened yet. Report an error in the passage at 4:25 Highlight the passage at 4:25

4:37 All the past. I'll mention this later on. We just choose the past. We interpret it. So if you can remember goodness, the only things which come into your mind are the happy memories. Report an error in the passage at 4:37 Highlight the passage at 4:37

5:01 That allows you to relax. Report an error in the passage at 5:01 Highlight the passage at 5:01

5:07 It means the past and future can all disappear. Which is right here in this moment. Not trying to prove anything. Not trying to impress anybody. Just relaxing and being. Report an error in the passage at 5:07 Highlight the passage at 5:07

5:27 How does that feel? Report an error in the passage at 5:27 Highlight the passage at 5:27

5:35 And I try to, it's not try, just do it. Let go of all descriptions, all words. And go into the emotional. Report an error in the passage at 5:35 Highlight the passage at 5:35

5:48 understanding of this moment. Learning to be at peace, to be kind, and to let go of any problems at all. Report an error in the passage at 5:48 Highlight the passage at 5:48

6:02 Letting go, being kind, being peaceful. And Report an error in the passage at 6:02 Highlight the passage at 6:02

6:12 you feel what that does for your mind. See how deeply it can go, close to stillness. Retaining the kindness, gentleness, and peace. Report an error in the passage at 6:12 Highlight the passage at 6:12

6:31 I'm going to be quiet now. When the time comes I'll let you know. Report an error in the passage at 6:31 Highlight the passage at 6:31

· · · silence, 7 minutes

13:09 It's getting very close now to the end of this meditation period. Only 15 minutes. Before you open your eyes, can you please inquire how you feel? Not with words, but how emotionally you feel. And Report an error in the passage at 13:09 Highlight the passage at 13:09

13:39 then ask why. What was the cause of any peace? Report an error in the passage at 13:39 Highlight the passage at 13:39

13:48 What was the cause of any joy? This is always Report an error in the passage at 13:48 Highlight the passage at 13:48

14:01 the best way of getting goodness into one's life and sharing it with others. When you're ready, please open your eyes to finish today's meditation. Very short. Report an error in the passage at 14:01 Highlight the passage at 14:01

14:25 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 14:25 Highlight the passage at 14:25

14:32 Is Report an error in the passage at 14:32 Highlight the passage at 14:32

14:37 everyone comfy? Good. Excellent. Again, nice to see you all. And the subject of this talk is how to put some goodness in your life. There's many levels of this because many of us have got what we call the fault-finding mind, always looking at things and finding difficulties with them. A lot of times, There is no difficulty with them. It's just what we add, not expecting what life is like. Like today. Today was very cold. Report an error in the passage at 14:37 Highlight the passage at 14:37

15:21 Was it? No, it should have been colder, so we had some snow. It's been years since I've seen snow. Is this working okay? Report an error in the passage at 15:21 Highlight the passage at 15:21

15:32 Yeah, good. Yeah, I know, but as long as it's recorded. If you can't hear, you're very lucky. Report an error in the passage at 15:32 Highlight the passage at 15:32

15:42 You can just carry on meditating. Report an error in the passage at 15:42 Highlight the passage at 15:42

15:49 Okay. Hello. You need to be exposed. Sorry about that. Report an error in the passage at 15:49 Highlight the passage at 15:49

15:57 Please come in. You're welcome. So the first thing about putting goodness in your life, I'm going to start with just ordinary things and then eventually come to deeper things and then very deep things and then extremely deep things and then the deepest you could ever get things. Let's see if I can go even further. To plumb the depths. Report an error in the passage at 15:57 Highlight the passage at 15:57

16:21 But anyway, the first thing which I thought of, because somebody was talking to me earlier about when they went to go and see prisoners, sometimes people who are in jail, why do they go to jail? Why can't they enjoy the time in jail? Why not? There was, you can put some goodness in even the most difficult situations. Report an error in the passage at 16:21 Highlight the passage at 16:21

16:49 I still remember this Thai monk. Chow Kun Taip Siddhimuni, if any of you want to know his name. And he got put in jail for something he never did because other people were jealous of him. He had two years inside of jail and he wrote a little book about it. He said, the best years of my life being in jail. Report an error in the passage at 16:49 Highlight the passage at 16:49

17:13 Imagine why. I think you can appreciate this. You don't have to organise any talks. You don't have to deal with very difficult monks you're supposed to respect. Report an error in the passage at 17:13 Highlight the passage at 17:13

17:27 You don't have to worry about organising retreats and stuff. Just have a nice easy life. So he said for two years when he was in jail, he had nothing to do. And anyway, being in jail as a monk or as a nun, what's the difference in your little room? You don't go anywhere. Even like being in a cell. That's what we're supposed to be as monks. Be in a cell. Live very simply. Just have a little food every day. Report an error in the passage at 17:27 Highlight the passage at 17:27

17:55 And no contact with the world. So being in a cell, in a monastery, or being a cell in a prison, what's the difference? In fact, being a cell in a prison, I have more seclusion. If I really want to go on a retreat, a very long, deep retreat, just punch a prison officer, very gentle, of course, because you're a monk, and you go in solitary. Report an error in the passage at 17:55 Highlight the passage at 17:55

18:28 You know, I love going in. I actually went in solitary for six months when I was a monk, not as a prisoner. I enjoyed that to the max. I never saw a human being or talked to them for six months. It's a great way of actually getting some peace and calm and goodness inside your mind. It was a great time. It was like a holiday. Do you go on holidays? If you go on holidays, where do you go on holiday? Where would you like to go? Report an error in the passage at 18:28 Highlight the passage at 18:28

18:57 Oh my goodness, going on a holiday is really busy. You have to do so many things. You're going to get visas and air tickets, and the air tickets are always delayed, or you can't actually get your luggage, it all gets lost, or you get frisked as if you were smuggling all sorts of stuff. So it's not very easy, is it, just going on a holiday by going overseas. But if you just go into a nice monastery and go and retreat, You have nothing to worry about. You really do get away from it all. You have a nice peaceful time and the food is brought to you. Report an error in the passage at 18:57 Highlight the passage at 18:57

19:35 You don't have to worry about anything. The past and the future all disappear. You have a wonderful time in the present moment. It's so easy. People should go on retreats rather than going on cruise lines. You would like to go on a cruise line somewhere and just go and visit some amazing... No, of course you don't. All you see is the sea. Report an error in the passage at 19:35 Highlight the passage at 19:35

19:55 You can see that on a video. You know, sometimes people ask you, have you seen some of these wonderful sights in the world, like Niagara Falls? I did go to Niagara Falls once in 1969. You can test it out for yourself on the internet. That year, Niagara Falls was dry. Report an error in the passage at 19:55 Highlight the passage at 19:55

20:18 No water went over it at all. It was turned off. Check it out, it's true. Niagara Falls. No water going over. They were repairing something or other. So if you want to see a waterfall, just go in your shower and turn it on. That's a fall. Same thing. It's just a different size, that's all. If you want to see a wall, just go to one of the cottages here in Oxford and look at the wall which surrounds it. Same thing as the Great Wall of China. Report an error in the passage at 20:18 Highlight the passage at 20:18

20:48 It's the Great Wall of Oxford. Long Wall Street. Long Wall Street. Okay. That's good enough. So what else do you want to see in this world? Don't forget about it. Instead, just find some peace. That's the best thing to explore. In the peace, you get far more joy and happiness, far more goodness. Don't you ever want to get away from it all? I see lots of people, they go on a holiday, they go and say, get away from it all. They don't get away from it all. Report an error in the passage at 20:48 Highlight the passage at 20:48

21:20 You get more stupid people you go and camp with or have a holiday with or go to the beach with. You don't get away from it at all. You just see more people. Isn't it much better to learn how to be peaceful, to be free, and to be really happy? So anyway, in this prison I went to, just to teach, one of the guys was getting very, very miserable, and so I had to teach him how to put some goodness in his life. Report an error in the passage at 21:20 Highlight the passage at 21:20

21:50 He said, I don't have any goodness. I'm in jail for many years. I said, that doesn't matter. See the good side of being in jail. He said, there isn't a good side. I said, of course there is. You're a good person. He said, no, I'm not. Yes, you are. Okay, challenge. So I said, get out a piece of paper, lie down in the centre. On the left side, put all the bad things you've done last week. Report an error in the passage at 21:50 Highlight the passage at 21:50

22:17 And he got out of the pen and filled it all really quickly. So it's very easy to remember all the bad things he's done. Okay, other side of the piece of paper, all the good things you've done. Report an error in the passage at 22:17 Highlight the passage at 22:17

22:28 He said, I can't feel that out at all. I haven't done any good things all week. That's impossible. No, it's not. You don't know me. I'm a bad person. I don't do good things. I said, yes, you do. He said, no, I don't. So then I asked some of his friends in jail, what good thing has this guy done today? Report an error in the passage at 22:28 Highlight the passage at 22:28

22:52 And they answered straight away, I'll always remember this, he fed the cat. Put that down. That's nothing. Of course it's a lot. Put it down. Fed the cat a source of milk. How many people of you have fed a cat today? Report an error in the passage at 22:52 Highlight the passage at 22:52

23:10 Fed a dog. That's good enough. Fed a monk. Yeah, fed a monk. That's also good. Feeding a monk is just like feeding a cat or feeding a dog. We always accept it. We're always very happy afterwards, even if it causes us stomach ache. We will never let you know that. Report an error in the passage at 23:10 Highlight the passage at 23:10

23:30 But anyway, enjoy it. When you actually enjoy it, The generosity, the kindness of people. Someone getting me a nice cup of tea, which I haven't drunk. Probably get too cold before I can drink it. But nevertheless, to celebrate the little goodnesses in life. So I said, look, that's a brilliant thing you've done. Fed the cat. Is that the first time you fed the cat? Oh no, no, I gave it, of course I gave it a nice pat and a little stroke. Report an error in the passage at 23:30 Highlight the passage at 23:30

23:58 It's a wonderful thing. Put that down too. And once you put one or two things down, It was amazing. I didn't even need to ask afterwards. He put so many other things down. And once he started going, he filled out the right-hand side of the page so easily. Report an error in the passage at 23:58 Highlight the passage at 23:58

24:16 He did do good things. Why is it we block the good things we do in our life? Why is it we don't remember the good things other people do as well? But most of all, our own goodness. Remember the bad things you've done. What bad things have you done today? Report an error in the passage at 24:16 Highlight the passage at 24:16

24:37 Can you answer me that? You don't need to say it out loud, but you know what you've done. What good things have you done? It's much harder. Why? Why is it that we're afraid of goodness and we seem to celebrate the faults we see in life? Report an error in the passage at 24:37 Highlight the passage at 24:37

25:00 Look, let's stay with the government. Why are you laughing? You know, the government aren't evil people. They're just like you and I. We try to do our best. And a lot of times, the things we do wrong, we always get criticized for. Report an error in the passage at 25:00 Highlight the passage at 25:00

25:25 It's a tough job being in government. And if I often say this, no matter who you are, what you're doing, too much criticism does not make us better, makes us worse. Report an error in the passage at 25:25 Highlight the passage at 25:25

25:41 It's a really, really, really tough job. Not as tough as being an abbot. Report an error in the passage at 25:41 Highlight the passage at 25:41

25:48 Abba is actually a male word, like the head monk. You know what the female equivalent of that is? I'm going to say it anyway. It's not Abbet, Abyss. Report an error in the passage at 25:48 Highlight the passage at 25:48

26:05 Is that true? The female form of Abbot, Abyss. Abyss, yeah. That's why we don't use that one. Report an error in the passage at 26:05 Highlight the passage at 26:05

26:18 So a lot of times when we find fault, we have an unbalanced mind. People are trying to do the best. Okay, I'm going to say this. I've had the interesting experience of meeting quite a few heads of state. It's part of my job being a senior monk in Australia. And one of those people which I saw being a senior monk was the then president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Report an error in the passage at 26:18 Highlight the passage at 26:18

26:56 He did some very bad things, but he also tried to do some good things as well. And the first time I saw him, he was honest with me. He really impressed me. He just got up in the morning, and he was serving me the dhana, the food for breakfast. And he said to me, looked at me, and he said, I'm a failure. And that caught my attention. Have you heard sort of, Senior politicians, presidents saying they were a failure. Because I was a monk, I was alone. He said, I'm a failure. Report an error in the passage at 26:56 Highlight the passage at 26:56

27:37 He joined politics to try and find a solution, a non-violent solution to the trouble with the Tamil Tigers. This is what he told me. He said he failed. When somebody says something like that, you can kind of feel some of the pressure they have. In a job like that, and actually to always criticize those politicians rather than giving them some forgiveness and some goodness. Report an error in the passage at 27:37 Highlight the passage at 27:37

28:11 I used to be, I was born in this country, and this was quite a positive country when I was really young. You know, we just try and do our best and have some forgiveness and not criticize people too much, especially politicians. Honestly, how many of you would like to be a politician? Report an error in the passage at 28:11 Highlight the passage at 28:11

28:37 That's one of the reasons why we get such a low... I shouldn't say this, but you know what I mean. It's because it's not a job which people aspire towards. Report an error in the passage at 28:37 Highlight the passage at 28:37

28:50 It's not inspiring. All the best kind of people, people with really good ideas, who really want to work hard, end up doing something else. Report an error in the passage at 28:50 Highlight the passage at 28:50

29:00 If we add a bit more goodness in society, not just praise people just, you know, because it's going to be in our financial interest, because praise people because they really are good people. Have you met good people before? Really good people who sacrifice themselves, really work hard for others. A lot of times you don't know them. Report an error in the passage at 29:00 Highlight the passage at 29:00

29:20 They're not doing it for personal gain or for popularity. They're doing it because it's something which needs to be done and they can do it. It's wonderful when they do things like that. Report an error in the passage at 29:20 Highlight the passage at 29:20

29:32 So because of that, that's one of the reasons why when we celebrate goodness rather than always finding fault, we can create a much, much, much better world. Report an error in the passage at 29:32 Highlight the passage at 29:32

29:44 And if there is any mistake, this is one of the sayings from the Chinese culture. And that saying is, rather light a candle than complain about darkness. Report an error in the passage at 29:44 Highlight the passage at 29:44

30:01 Complaining, finding fault is so easy. How many people have found fault with you? Report an error in the passage at 30:01 Highlight the passage at 30:01

30:12 Do you deserve that? Do you? No, of course not. A lot of times people just don't understand the difficulties, the pressures, the limitations we're under. But sometimes you go that extra bit and you do something because you really feel it needs to be done, even though you get criticism. I know that feeling. Report an error in the passage at 30:12 Highlight the passage at 30:12

30:38 Why? Because I started the... ordination for women as Theravāda Bhikkhunis. I got kicked out of the group in which I had most of my friends. Report an error in the passage at 30:38 Highlight the passage at 30:38

30:55 And it's, I know my stuff. I'm not just give jokes or, you know, meditation. I know my sort of Buddhist Vinaya. I used to be the expert on it before I taught others. I know the rules. And this is not breaking any rule at all. This is totally acceptable, totally what the Buddha wanted to do. Well, I find fault with that. Report an error in the passage at 30:55 Highlight the passage at 30:55

31:21 Isn't it a beautiful thing to do? I'm very happy that I've done that. Sometimes I kind of wonder, because I do many funeral services in my life, what happens at funerals? At funerals, do people get up to do these, they call them eulogies? When they come up and say, oh, the terrible things which your auntie did before she passed away, no one ever does that. Report an error in the passage at 31:21 Highlight the passage at 31:21

31:52 Why? Report an error in the passage at 31:52 Highlight the passage at 31:52

31:57 Because it's not really helpful. Instead, I love, I'm being honest with you now, I love going to funeral services because I hear all the inspiring things which some of these people, I've never seen them or never really know them, their family life. And how much they worked and how much they sacrificed to get their family sort of a life. And some of these, because the Buddhist community, especially over in Australia, came from so many different countries. Report an error in the passage at 31:57 Highlight the passage at 31:57

32:32 And I love hearing their stories. Not just the Buddhists, actually one of the Buddhist community came over to Australia in a boat after the turmoil in Southeast Asia. And the first person he saw in the boat, he was so happy to see them as he came close to the shore of Western Australia. Two fishermen, Aussie fishermen, and they shouted out at him, Welcome to Australia, mate! Report an error in the passage at 32:32 Highlight the passage at 32:32

33:06 Have a beer! Report an error in the passage at 33:06 Highlight the passage at 33:06

33:10 It's not the best Buddhist welcome, but it was heartfelt. This is what people said. Welcome to Australia, have a beer. Is that what the government officials say when migrants land in the UK? Report an error in the passage at 33:10 Highlight the passage at 33:10

33:31 So what happened? He came into Australia, he worked hard, did very well, and he spent two seasons or two stints as the governor of South Australia. That's how much he was respected, democratically elected to be the governor of that state. And he was... A Buddhist from Vietnam. So good on him, as they say over in Australia. Report an error in the passage at 33:31 Highlight the passage at 33:31

34:07 These are sort of examples which show when you're welcomed. Okay, are you finding fault with me now? Report an error in the passage at 34:07 Highlight the passage at 34:07

34:18 The kindness is something which is beautiful. And it's wonderful when we're kind to people and they legitimately were in really big trouble in those days. So anyway... That's the sort of thing which goodness actually creates. When you actually turn people away, you're not including them. It can be refugees today. It can be gays, lesbians, transgenders. It can be people who are different than I am. Report an error in the passage at 34:18 Highlight the passage at 34:18

34:52 People who don't look the same as I do for whatever reason. There's something kind of wrong with that. That's why as a Buddhist I always love to be inclusive wherever I can. Report an error in the passage at 34:52 Highlight the passage at 34:52

35:05 The only reason why I'm not just supporting bhikkhunis, females as being fully ordained Buddhist monastics, and still have to defend that, which is crazy. And the only reason I did that, then once you started that growing, that's putting goodness in the world. It's not just thinking about it or writing a book about it, it's actually doing something. Report an error in the passage at 35:05 Highlight the passage at 35:05

35:32 The next thing which... I remember after giving a talk at one place over in Perth, this man came up and he said to me, looked straight at me and he said, religions have been very cruel to gay people. Report an error in the passage at 35:32 Highlight the passage at 35:32

35:51 And the way he said that, I've never, ever, ever forgotten that. He was maybe in his 50s or 60s. I said, not Buddhism, I'm not going to allow that. Report an error in the passage at 35:51 Highlight the passage at 35:51

36:04 And that's one of the reasons why. Everybody's welcome. Not just gays, obviously. Lesbians, transgenders, whoever you are. Welcome. Isn't it your experience as well? I'd rather have a person who is gay, transgender, lesbian, or whatever, who are really good people. You get to know them. They're kind. I'm heterosexual. I was heterosexual. Now I'm, I suppose, non-sexual or whatever sexual because I'm a monk. I've been a monk for 51 years now. Report an error in the passage at 36:04 Highlight the passage at 36:04

36:37 So what do I know about that subject? Report an error in the passage at 36:37 Highlight the passage at 36:37

36:42 But nevertheless, being inclusive is beautiful. That's one of the reasons why whoever you are, welcome. How does that feel, that goodness of someone being respected? And that's also one reason why one of the other stories which really impressed me was a story which was not from a Buddhist sutta, which was from Oscar Wilde, not Oscar Wilde, sorry, was from the Russian Tolstoy, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 36:42 Highlight the passage at 36:42

37:21 His Empress Requestions. This really impressed me because, number one, he was not sort of some leader of the religion which I respected. He was from outside, seeing things from a different perspective. This little story was written by Leo Tolstoy. And published in a little book with many other short stories to raise money for the Jewish community at that time in Russia, which was really being discriminated against. Report an error in the passage at 37:21 Highlight the passage at 37:21

37:53 And the story was about an emperor who, he was fed up with ordinary religions, always arguing, fighting, trying to say who's the best, and not cooperating with one another. Report an error in the passage at 37:53 Highlight the passage at 37:53

38:11 Have you seen religious leaders cooperating? Report an error in the passage at 38:11 Highlight the passage at 38:11

38:21 Yeah. Thank you for saying that because I'm supposed to be a religious leader. Report an error in the passage at 38:21 Highlight the passage at 38:21

38:29 You know one of the things which I did, and this is true, you can check it out if you wish, over in the cathedral in Perth, the Anglican Cathedral, he got to be friendly with the dean, John Shepard, and he... I had this wonderful idea which I jumped at. You give good talks, Ajahn Brahm. Why don't you come to our cathedral in Perth and give the Sunday sermon? Report an error in the passage at 38:29 Highlight the passage at 38:29

39:03 Of course I jumped at that. Wonderful, thank you. So that day, I will never forget that, I gave the sermon. They gave all the other basmatas, whatever they do. But when it came to the sermon, they said, we're now going to invite... The Buddhist monk Ajahn Brahm to give the Sunday sermon. And half the congregation were from my Buddhist center in Perth. Report an error in the passage at 39:03 Highlight the passage at 39:03

39:32 I told them all about it. They were very happy to come and listen. Half the people were Anglicans and no one knew who was who. That's what I loved about it. There was a total sort of combining of everybody because they didn't sit in the Buddhist on the left. Which is on the right. We're all mixed up together. And I gave a sermon, and it was a good sermon. Because of that, it was a wonderful feeling that we can work together. Report an error in the passage at 39:32 Highlight the passage at 39:32

40:02 We can live together. You know, we can just enjoy each other's company. Yeah, we have a little difference, just like Oxford and Cambridge, which is the best. I'm not going to go into that. But nevertheless... Of course I can. But nevertheless, that's not the point. The point is we can have some harmony by looking at the goodness. Report an error in the passage at 40:02 Highlight the passage at 40:02

40:29 Okay, I'm now going to go deeper into this. I'll go back to the Emperor's Three Questions in a moment. That's the Tolstoy story. But then once I was also, because I really try to do interfaith work. I think that's really important, one of the things I should be doing as well. So I get to know... So many people. One of the people I got to know by doing some work to heal cancers. Buddhist meditation attitudes and perceptions are great if anybody has a cancer and they go into remission. Report an error in the passage at 40:29 Highlight the passage at 40:29

41:00 There's many stories about that which I've... I'm not going to go into that story now because otherwise I've only got... I've only got another 20 minutes. I better... But anyway, I get to know other volunteers. You know, from other religions who do such work as well. And one of those volunteers was a Anglican pastor. Report an error in the passage at 41:00 Highlight the passage at 41:00

41:25 So he said he was also working in a posh Anglican school in Perth. You know, they're really elite schools. And so he said, why didn't you come and give a talk at the assembly? You know, when you go to school. After, you know, beginning of the day with the announcements by the principal and then the Sunday, sort of a little talk. So he said, can you do that today? Report an error in the passage at 41:25 Highlight the passage at 41:25

41:52 I said, yeah, sure. And then I had to wait outside. It was an all-boys school at that time. I had to wait outside the hall while all the kids settled down. And then I entered the hall together with the chaplain, the headmaster and me. And the headmaster said, This is a very strict Anglican school. So when we go in, we do a little bow to the statue of Jesus. Report an error in the passage at 41:52 Highlight the passage at 41:52

42:22 But you're a Buddhist, you don't have to do that. That's what he said. And I said, I looked at him and said, No, I demand my right to bow to your statue of Jesus. That's all I said. And that principal looked at me. And then looked at the chaplain and said, you know, who are we inviting to come to our church? And he said, I know Ajahn Brahm, just let him do it. Report an error in the passage at 42:22 Highlight the passage at 42:22

42:55 And so that's what I did when I went into the hall. And then that was my sermon. Why? Why did I do that? And I said, I can always see something good in anybody, in each one of you, prisoners, politicians, anybody. Report an error in the passage at 42:55 Highlight the passage at 42:55

43:18 You can see something good in them, and that's what I will respect. I can see something good in your statue of Jesus, and that's what I'm going to bow to. And my whole talk was why I bow to the Buddha three times. Report an error in the passage at 43:18 Highlight the passage at 43:18

43:34 What am I bowing to? You see a statue of the Buddha, you see monks and nuns always bowing here, bowing there, bowing there. Report an error in the passage at 43:34 Highlight the passage at 43:34

43:45 Of course I tell jokes about it. I say, people over in Asia, they bow a lot, especially the women, they bow a lot. That's why they get so thin and so attractive. Report an error in the passage at 43:45 Highlight the passage at 43:45

43:59 It's only a joke, don't you see? Report an error in the passage at 43:59 Highlight the passage at 43:59

44:04 It exercises your tummy muscles. Very good exercise. But anyway, Report an error in the passage at 44:04 Highlight the passage at 44:04

44:14 you see, I need to do some more bowing. But I said, no, what I really do, I bow to what that image means to me. And to me, the first thing I bow to is like virtue. All the time in my life, I've been a monk for 51 years now, and I love virtue. I respect it so much. Even simple things. If I say I'm going to come here today, I will come here. I'll do everything I can to make sure I keep my promises. Report an error in the passage at 44:14 Highlight the passage at 44:14

44:51 Virtuous, I hope I'm trustworthy, that I don't sort of say one thing and do another. Virtue is something which says that these inspiring things in life are real, they can be done, and they are being done. The virtuous things. Like supporting a nun's monastery over in Oxford. I don't need to do that. I've got my own monastery, and that's enough work for two people. Sorry, Elise? Yeah. So what am I doing? Report an error in the passage at 44:51 Highlight the passage at 44:51

45:23 Sort of helping other monasteries. Of course I will. What are you doing by just, if there's a way I can serve, I will. Why that virtue? Because that gives me so much happiness. And it's a way of spreading happiness in the world. And whenever I, because I'm a Buddhist, you know, you know all the story about the Buddha. And that was such a virtuous lifestyle. Report an error in the passage at 45:23 Highlight the passage at 45:23

45:47 And that's why I'm impressed by it. That's my first bow. I put my head down to the virtue of a Buddha. When you put your head down and virtue goes up above you, it's a gesture of paying immense respect. So my first bow will be to virtue. And my second bow is to stillness, peace. Isn't peace important? It's amazing, even if there is some argument or controversy. Report an error in the passage at 45:47 Highlight the passage at 45:47

46:22 If you can be still, it's amazing how quickly those... Conflicts are solved. And I mean that. One of the teachers, who's my student over in Perth, she would introduce quiet time in the school every day. First thing in the morning, starting with five minutes and then six minutes and then seven minutes, up to ten minutes. But she said her kids, this was year six, which was like 11-year-olds, every time there was a conflict, you know, boys and girls in that school, One of the kids would put their hand up and said, can we have a quiet time now, please, miss? And everybody would agree that they'd all sit quietly for five minutes. Report an error in the passage at 46:22 Highlight the passage at 46:22

47:09 And then after that, the problem was actually solved. You know, that people could time to reflect on what they had just done. And they called it quiet time, not meditation, because it was a very strong Christian area. And the... I remember talking to the principal of that school and the principal said, again, lots of the parents come to complain. Report an error in the passage at 47:09 Highlight the passage at 47:09

47:36 This teacher is teaching our kids meditation. And he said, no, it's quiet time. It's the same thing. And the teacher said, the principal said, I don't care, but look at your kids. This is some of the best results at the end of the year I've ever had. I've seen this. I'm a Christian myself. I go to church, said the principal, but it works. Report an error in the passage at 47:36 Highlight the passage at 47:36

47:56 So he defended her to the hilt. And that was a wonderful example of what happens when people can actually just stop for five minutes, have quiet time. Report an error in the passage at 47:56 Highlight the passage at 47:56

48:08 I thought I'd try to introduce that in the parliaments of the world, in the Sri Lankan parliament, the British parliament, Australian parliament. Would that work? You bet it would. But anyhow, that quiet time. Report an error in the passage at 48:08 Highlight the passage at 48:08

48:28 Stillness or peace is so important, not just as what we hope to have in our life, but how we get there. It's amazing if there's any big argument somewhere. Quiet time, please. If everybody sat quietly, they'd be reflecting on how they feel. And they soon find out that when they know how it hurts not to be peaceful, not to be at peace with your friends or the person sitting next to you. Report an error in the passage at 48:28 Highlight the passage at 48:28

48:59 How much that is terrible. That's why peace becomes important. And it's not just a peaceful existence together. It's just what it does to you in your heart. Peace, the stillness which happens in meditation, automatically gives you a huge boost of happiness. It's a wonderful thing to experience. And I say this, I don't mind saying it, even just recently. Report an error in the passage at 48:59 Highlight the passage at 48:59

49:30 I'm a very busy monk, but during our rains retreat, this is during the summertime in UK, wintertime over in... That's not right, is it? Yeah. Usually July to August, September, October. I usually have my own retreat. I don't teach anybody. I just stay in my hut in solitude. I have a cave. Cave's a great place to stay in and meditate in. You don't hear anything. So I was in my cave. Usually I go in there for two weeks. This year, I got a big bonus. Report an error in the passage at 49:30 Highlight the passage at 49:30

50:11 One month of solitary retreat. You don't know how beautiful that is. I do this also because I just want to make sure that all the other work and travel which I do, make sure it's not affecting the meditation. Report an error in the passage at 50:11 Highlight the passage at 50:11

50:27 So you go in there and you really... So I tell the monks, I bliss out and really get some really beautiful bliss. This was some of the most beautiful happiness I've experienced in years. Report an error in the passage at 50:27 Highlight the passage at 50:27

50:45 I don't mind confessing that. I'm not saying I'm a great meditator. I'm just saying just what happens when you know how to meditate and you can let go. Just the quality was just delicious. So am I interesting you? That's what happens. For those of you who think Ajahn Brahm is getting attached to happiness, absolutely no. It's what the Buddha told you to do. They call it when you're meditating, breathing in and breathing out, developing, they call it pīti sukha, happiness and joy. Report an error in the passage at 50:45 Highlight the passage at 50:45

51:22 And it gets really intense, the best happiness and joy you've ever had in your life, even when you're really sick. This is really weird. I've experienced so many beautiful meditations in my life. When I had scrub typhus in a really bad hospital in Ubon Ratchathani over in Thailand about 45 years ago, actually more than that, 46, 47 years ago, and there was just no energy, fever, felt terrible, nothing was working, so he decided to meditate. Report an error in the passage at 51:22 Highlight the passage at 51:22

51:56 And also posture. Do you really need a good posture to get into the deepest of meditations? No. Because I remember just when I came out afterwards, I looked at my posture. One leg was over here, one leg was over there. You know what it's like when you visit someone in a hospital who's really sick? Legs and arms all over the place, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 51:56 Highlight the passage at 51:56

52:15 But still you can get into some bliss states, just the mind. It really works. That's why, honestly, this putting goodness into life, it's amazing when you can do it, how you can do it, and how beautiful that is when you find some peace. And develop that peace, make it really, really deep. So that's why I worship peace. Personal, with others, and just in life. Report an error in the passage at 52:15 Highlight the passage at 52:15

52:47 Imagine if Oxford was really peaceful. If when you wanted to go somewhere, other people would let you in. A very peaceful, refined community. So that's my worship peace. That's my second bow, always, the peace. My third bow. It's to compassion, to kindness. That's the other thing which I really love, which inspires me. You know, when you see someone, they're going the extra mile, not more than a mile. Report an error in the passage at 52:47 Highlight the passage at 52:47

53:20 They just go to the end of the universe, you know, for you. Have you ever seen people do that for you or for someone else? It just really makes your heart sort of, just that life is worthwhile. One of those... ...things which I saw early on in my monastic life. When I came over to Australia, there was one refugee there for some reason or another. Report an error in the passage at 53:20 Highlight the passage at 53:20

53:43 The rest of her family was sent over to Oregon in the US, and she ended up alone in Perth. And after a little while, she was Laotian, a Laotian refugee. She found out that her mum over in the United States was really sick, was actually dying. Do you love your mums? Report an error in the passage at 53:43 Highlight the passage at 53:43

54:06 Of course you do. And if you find out that they're that sick, you drop everything you did to actually go visit her, to be with her for that last few days of her life. And she came because, you know, I'm a Buddhist monk. She came for counselling. And she said, look, I don't know what to do. My mum is dying over in the US. Report an error in the passage at 54:06 Highlight the passage at 54:06

54:30 And I haven't got enough money. I'm a refugee. I haven't got any money to go and visit her. What should I do? As a monk, you've got all these rules. And you don't have any money. And you can't just get any money out of the box. That's stealing. So I was trying to sort of console her. And as I was consoling her, and she was saying more and more about the situation she was in, a refugee, her mum was dying. Report an error in the passage at 54:30 Highlight the passage at 54:30

55:00 It was real. She had no money to get an airfare. There was another lady visiting, just tidying up. She was a nurse. She couldn't work because she'd had some injury on her back and was still being investigated. Report an error in the passage at 55:00 Highlight the passage at 55:00

55:16 And I knew her. She didn't have much money. But then she opened her bag, took out her, not credit cards, didn't have those in those days. It was her checkbook. She signed a check without putting any... Limit on it. No numbers. Just signed it. A blank check. And gave it to this lady. Go and buy a ticket and go see your mum. Report an error in the passage at 55:16 Highlight the passage at 55:16

55:47 I don't know how she could ever afford that. She managed to afford it somehow. Have you ever given a blank check to somebody? Just whatever you need to get over and see your mum. That's really important. That was one of the most compassionate and kind acts I've ever seen. I knew both people. I knew what it meant. Report an error in the passage at 55:47 Highlight the passage at 55:47

56:09 I managed to survive somehow. That's what I call compassion and kindness. Not just little bits, but, you know, just someone really needs it. And you just give whatever. I try to do my best for whatever I can do. Sometimes I'm a bit careful. You know, when you feel that an accompanist needs a bit more of a boost. Trying to... Report an error in the passage at 56:09 Highlight the passage at 56:09

56:37 I've got to be careful because it's got to be legal also. I wish you had some more loopholes for compassion in the law. Report an error in the passage at 56:37 Highlight the passage at 56:37

56:47 Honestly, I do. How can I get some funds? I don't need it in a monastery. I can bring it over here or something. There's so many regulations and laws. But nevertheless, you're trying to do your very best to make sure that a good thing gets support. So those become the three emperors' questions. The three... Report an error in the passage at 56:47 Highlight the passage at 56:47

57:10 Tolstoy's Sorry? Yeah. No, wasn't I? It was three bowels. The three bowels. Okay. Three bowels. Yes. Thank you. Yeah. Before I do the three, the three bowels. This is what I told this. What's it called? The head. The chap, not the chaplain. The. Headmaster. Headmaster. The headmaster of this school said, that's why I bow to a Buddha. That's why I can see something good in your statue of Christ. That's what I bow to. Report an error in the passage at 57:10 Highlight the passage at 57:10

57:48 And he was so impressed. He said, can I arrange a visit to anyone in this school that wants to come to your monastery? Just for a visit. So they arranged a couple of buses. And he came as well. He came first of all. The principal came. I took him inside our big hall. You've seen that tower over in Bonyana. The big Buddha statue in there. He took off his shoes and together the two of us bowed three times to the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 57:48 Highlight the passage at 57:48

58:21 I was really pleased. He was a senior Christian and he didn't mind bowing to the Buddha because he was bowing to what he saw in that statue. Not just a piece of metal but virtue, peace, compassion. Report an error in the passage at 58:21 Highlight the passage at 58:21

58:41 Those are the sorts of things which I really like. How we can actually take something and create this reverence for what really is deserving of reverence. Report an error in the passage at 58:41 Highlight the passage at 58:41

58:52 Is there anything wrong with bowing to virtue, to peace, to compassion, realizing how important it is in our life? That's how we recognize goodness and how we put goodness into our life. We let go of the fault-finding mind which always sees things wrong. Report an error in the passage at 58:52 Highlight the passage at 58:52

59:13 Instead of seeing things good. And that's when we get back now to the emperistry questions. Sorry? Yes, okay. We've only got one minute. I'm going to put it in today. For the emperistry questions, this little story meant so much to me as well. How we can take something, you know, some spirituality, And he's got nothing against Buddhism at all. He's so fed up with ordinary religions that let's make it a different presentation to be able to create goodness and not make divisions between religions or societies. Report an error in the passage at 59:13 Highlight the passage at 59:13

59:52 He said he wanted to make his own religion. He said all we really need in the spirituality of religion is three things. To know. Easy question first. When is the most important time? Report an error in the passage at 59:52 Highlight the passage at 59:52

1:00:09 Of course it's only now. So when is the only time you can say sorry to someone? Now. When is the only time you can say you really love somebody? Now. When's the only time to be kind to yourself? Now. It has to be now. The person sitting next to you right now, when's the last time you said how much you care for them? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:09 Highlight the passage at 1:00:09

1:00:32 I know you do. But you have to say it. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:32 Highlight the passage at 1:00:32

1:00:39 I get you. I can reach one of you. But now is the only time you have. Otherwise, you always put it off and you end up never saying it. Number two, who is the most important person in the whole world? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:39 Highlight the passage at 1:00:39

1:00:57 Have you heard the story before? Because this answer just really rocked me. I was a student when I read this story and I just had to pull the book down and go for a walk. It's not what I expected. Most people say the most important person in the world is yourself. Totally wrong. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:57 Highlight the passage at 1:00:57

1:01:18 Sometimes it's some leader, a Jesus or a God or a Buddha or something. Totally wrong. Who is the most important person in the whole world? The answer is it's the one right in front of you right now. Whoever that happens to be whenever that time actually is now. And that really sort of, never expected that. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:18 Highlight the passage at 1:01:18

1:01:41 The wisdom of that was important to me. Sometimes at university you go to these lectures and see these famous people and you want to ask them a question. They never answered it. They wanted to get rid of you. When I was a student, I had much more hair than this. I had big bushy hair. Where the hair stopped, that's where the beard started. It was very, very healthy because I never needed a scarf or a hat. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:41 Highlight the passage at 1:01:41

1:02:10 It was totally surrounding my face. It was just this little face was poking out through the middle. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:10 Highlight the passage at 1:02:10

1:02:20 But because of that, Really famous lecturers never ever wanted to spend time with you. I realized it wasn't important to them. And that really, really, really sucked. I don't mind saying that word because that's how it felt. It's wonderful, whoever it is. Right now, sir, whoever you are, you're the most important person in the world for me. And I mean that. That's how you communicate. When you ask a question, has anybody ever really listened to you? Report an error in the passage at 1:02:20 Highlight the passage at 1:02:20

1:03:01 I think you know what I mean. My job, that's really important. I can communicate with people. That's the biggest trick. Not really a trick, the biggest attitude. What's the most important thing to do when you're looking at someone, the most important person in the world to you? To be kind. Just to be kind. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:01 Highlight the passage at 1:03:01

1:03:25 Keep it simple. And then just see how that kindness works out. Sometimes you get into really interesting situations when you're... Dealing with people who have got sorts of emotional, psychological, physical problems in their life. I'm not trained as a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a doctor or anything. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:25 Highlight the passage at 1:03:25

1:03:48 I know how to be kind. Thank you. Be kind to you too. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:48 Highlight the passage at 1:03:48

1:03:56 So that's the most important, to be kind to somebody and then see how that kindness works out. You've got the emperor's three questions, which I really try hard to practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:56 Highlight the passage at 1:03:56

1:04:08 Who's the most important person? One right in front of you, whoever that happens to be. The most important time is now. The most important thing to do is just to be kind. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:08 Highlight the passage at 1:04:08

1:04:18 You know, a lot of the time, I already mentioned for six months I was by myself. Who's the most important person then? Many animals came to see me. Honestly, big snakes, eagles, in the forest over in Australia. When you're by yourself and you learn how to be kind. I live in the moment. It's amazing just how many animals that have no fear at all. And it's beautiful. There's all those stories. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:18 Highlight the passage at 1:04:18

1:04:48 I saw one of the biggest snakes once during that time. It came up to me. I was washing my bowl. It was really close. And I just was busy washing the bowl. I said, welcome. And then it just turned around. And the next time I turned around and looked at it, it had its backside, its tail towards me. And it was just, Getting some shade under my hut in the middle of the day. I wasn't afraid at all, neither was I. Even though it could have really killed me so easy. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:48 Highlight the passage at 1:04:48

1:05:21 So many of those animals, they don't feel fear. You make them afraid by how you respond to them. Many people who are violent men or women, you make them violent or worse. We don't know how to respond. That's one of the reasons why. Emperor's Few Questions is a great way, one of those ways of living your life. So anyway, oh my goodness, I've gone way over time. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:21 Highlight the passage at 1:05:21

1:05:53 Okay, over enough. So thank you for listening. Okay, Report an error in the passage at 1:05:53 Highlight the passage at 1:05:53

1:06:01 what does that mean, Sadhu? Awesome. And when you do anything, to make sure you really give it everything you've got. So, let's do it again. Saw TV. Saw TV. Saw TV. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:01 Highlight the passage at 1:06:01

1:06:22 That was the warm up for the questions. So yeah, we can take some questions from the room now. So if anyone would like to ask, please get going. And yeah, just raise your hand and we'll come to you. Okay, so yeah, starting here. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:22 Highlight the passage at 1:06:22

1:06:39 So, I've practiced being kind to my staff and I've been bullied as a result because they've confused kindness with weakness. How would you suggest I should deal with that? Remember to be kind to oneself as well. Okay. Sometimes you've been trying to be kind to other people. This is your staff, you were saying. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:39 Highlight the passage at 1:06:39

1:06:59 And you just get bullied instead. They confuse that with weakness. Instead, remember to be kind to yourself as well. It's just like when I do any marriage ceremonies. I look at the groom and the bride and I look at the bride first and I say, now you're a married woman, you're not sort of alone anymore. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:59 Highlight the passage at 1:06:59

1:07:20 You can't go thinking of yourself anymore. And then I look at the groom, you're now married, you must not think of yourself. They all agree. And then looking at the groom I said, and also because you're a married man now, you mustn't think of your wife. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:20 Highlight the passage at 1:07:20

1:07:38 I look at the wife and say, you're a married woman now, you must not think of him. And I love it when I say things like that. They'll get confused. And they also, I look at the relations of the two people I just married, and they look really confused. Who on earth is this guy we've got to do the marriage blessing for the people we love? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:38 Highlight the passage at 1:07:38

1:08:00 And then I say, now you're married, you must not think of yourself, you mustn't think of your partner. You must only think of us. The third option. That's where we get in trouble because, you know, we're kind to our staff. We're not kind to ourselves. It's all about us. Not about her or him or the boss and the workers. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:00 Highlight the passage at 1:08:00

1:08:26 It's about us. If you put that us rather than him, her. If you've got a family, a lovely daughter like Kalia over there, it's not about Kalia. Did I pronounce that right? Your daughter, Kalia, yeah. It's not just about Kalia. It's not just about the dad or the mom. It's always, will always be about us. And when you include everybody, then you actually get the solutions. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:26 Highlight the passage at 1:08:26

1:09:01 So please, never about you, never about your staff, always about us. Tell them that story. See if it works. If not, you can sue me. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:01 Highlight the passage at 1:09:01

1:09:21 No, exactly. Next question. No more questions? Great. Okay, go on. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:21 Highlight the passage at 1:09:21

1:09:37 Crying. I'm a monk. Okay. Emotions in control. Is that what you think? No. There's a few times that I really tear up. But I tear up not out of sadness, out of inspiration. And a few times, Even these places which I've been to in the world, and one of them, I'm not quite sure how I can understand this. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:37 Highlight the passage at 1:09:37

1:10:07 There's a Buddha statue over in Benares, actually outside of Benares, in a museum outside of Sarnath. It's one of my favourite Buddha images. I went looking for it once, and in those museums in India, basically they can't really help you. Can you see it still? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:07 Highlight the passage at 1:10:07

1:10:32 But it's got like a chip nose. But to me, it's the most beautiful statue I've ever seen. It's like a work of art. It all means so much to me. I don't know what the karmic connection is there, but the first time I went there, I just burst out crying. Is that okay? Okay. I didn't know why. It just happened. And then the next time I went there was with some disciples. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:32 Highlight the passage at 1:10:32

1:11:01 And I told him, look, I'm going to cry when I turn the corner. I try not to, but that's the last time that happened to me and I can't stop it. I turned the corner to the end of the galleries, this beautiful statue, and I burst out crying again. It was just automatic reaction. I just cannot stop it. And it's a beautiful cry. And the third time I went there, I had all the tissues in my pocket ready. And I turned the corner. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:01 Highlight the passage at 1:11:01

1:11:31 And then, renovations. Had a big tarpaulin over it. And I really felt disappointed. It taught me a big lesson. And then the worker who was doing the painting on the ceiling above looked at me. And I never asked anything. He took the tarpaulin off. I can see it. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:31 Highlight the passage at 1:11:31

1:12:01 Crying for joy is wonderful. Crying for sadness. If it happens, you don't try and stop it. Try and understand it. What are you doing that for? When my father died, I was only 16. I love that man very much. He's the one who taught me opening the door of your heart no matter what. The unconditional kindness. Do you think I cried when he died? Report an error in the passage at 1:12:01 Highlight the passage at 1:12:01

1:12:30 I didn't. He was a wonderful man. He taught me so much. I loved him deeply. And even at his funeral service, I didn't cry. Never cried since because of sadness. Instead, I always remembered the beautiful example and teachings which he gave me. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:30 Highlight the passage at 1:12:30

1:12:53 I was inspired by his life so much I just could not cry. At his funeral service, I thought, wow, what a wonderful example that was. And I compared it to going to like a rock concert. At his funeral, Report an error in the passage at 1:12:53 Highlight the passage at 1:12:53

1:13:12 going to the end of a great concert where everybody stood up and clapped and shouted for more. But he was dead. He couldn't sort of say anything anymore. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:12 Highlight the passage at 1:13:12

1:13:25 witnessed for 16 years was immense i could not cry when i remembered all those Report an error in the passage at 1:13:25 Highlight the passage at 1:13:25

1:13:43 He was, any of you from Liverpool? Any scousers here? Report an error in the passage at 1:13:43 Highlight the passage at 1:13:43

1:13:51 Simple man, but very beautiful. Anyway, that is why I cry not out of sadness, out of inspiration. And sometimes even, sometimes when somebody gives a talk and they say something which really hits me, tears start to come. It's beautiful. Acts of kindness, acts of goodness. Just how simple it is. It's about you to get these beautiful meditations, really deep, and sometimes afterwards, tears on either side, out of happiness, never out of sadness. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:51 Highlight the passage at 1:13:51

1:14:35 That make sense? Yeah? In the beginning you talked about diversity and inclusion. Yes. I feel that a lot of us have that diversity, a lot of diversity of positivity as well. Yeah, yeah. Some people are less positive, some are more positive, et cetera. Yes, okay. And we all kind of have our dips as well. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:35 Highlight the passage at 1:14:35

1:15:16 Yes, okay. What do you do when you're in a down slump, like being grumpy, being upset? Sorry? Diversity of moods, yes. But obviously that's a question which you can spend a whole talk on. But I do remember this one lady. She was on a retreat with me. And when we do meditation, everybody tends to be smiley. And she wasn't. She was grumpy. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:16 Highlight the passage at 1:15:16

1:15:51 And she came up to me and asked, look, I feel terrible. And what makes it worse? Everybody else seems to be happy except me. That makes it worse because you tell people not to smile so much. So I said, I've got a solution for you. So I told her to sit down and wait for a couple of minutes. Usually I'm terrible on a computer, but I think this time I really had to be quick. So I opened up a computer and I made a quick... Report an error in the passage at 1:15:51 Highlight the passage at 1:15:51

1:16:22 print of a certificate, you know, a nice gothic script. And the words on the certificate were grumpy license. And I said, this grumpy license allows the holder to be miserable at any time for however long he or she wants for any reason or no reason at all for the rest of her life. Signed, Ajahn Brahm. Dated it. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:22 Highlight the passage at 1:16:22

1:16:51 She was the first person who received a personal grumpy license. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:51 Highlight the passage at 1:16:51

1:16:57 She was allowed to be grumpy and she had a certificate for it. And as soon as she got that, she was smiling for the rest of the retreat. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:57 Highlight the passage at 1:16:57

1:17:09 When you accept things and allow them to happen, it doesn't hurt as much. Now, I was saying that I was a bit careful because how many of you would like a grumpy license? Report an error in the passage at 1:17:09 Highlight the passage at 1:17:09

1:17:25 You're allowed to be grumpy. It's nature. Sometimes give happiness licenses out. Grumpy licenses are more popular. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:25 Highlight the passage at 1:17:25

1:17:37 So next, it's normal. Other people will be kind to you and say, you've got a right to be grumpy. You've had a hard time. You had a difficult time, so it's okay to be miserable. But let everybody know you're miserable and why. They don't give you such a hard time. Does that make sense? And you allow yourself to be grumpy. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:37 Highlight the passage at 1:17:37

1:18:01 Yeah? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:01 Highlight the passage at 1:18:01

1:18:12 Oh, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:12 Highlight the passage at 1:18:12

1:18:21 Give them a complaining license. For the rest of your life, you'll have to complain. Then they don't complain so much. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:21 Highlight the passage at 1:18:21

1:18:43 Yeah. Yeah. You're saying if other people are really fault-finding, give you a hard time. How can you sort of deal with them? Okay. One of the ideas is because they want to fault-find. Why? They really want to actually find a solution, or they just feel really bad, and that's just how they respond. A lot of time, making people laugh, giving people a boost of happiness and joy, giving them a cup of tea or something, sometimes can actually work, yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:43 Highlight the passage at 1:18:43

1:19:19 They give you complaints, and you give them happiness back. Sometimes that works really, really, really well. That's one of the reasons. After a... Before being a monk, I decided to become a schoolteacher for one year. And being a schoolteacher for one year, one of the books which I read was on this school called Summerhill. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:19 Highlight the passage at 1:19:19

1:19:46 It was an alternative type of school. And there when somebody, a kid did something wrong, the headmaster, I think Dr. O 'Neill, no, Neil, yeah, what was his full name? A.S. Neil, yes. A.S. Neil would give the kid... A prize, a shilling or something, which was worth a lot of money then. Instead of punishing them, we realized the reason why the kid was misbehaving, because he was really suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:46 Highlight the passage at 1:19:46

1:20:18 He was upset. And kids get upset. Instead of actually punishing them, you know, have a shilling. And that actually solved the problem. That's why giving somebody a prize, if they're having a hard time. First of all, it confuses them. And then they realize they've got a teacher who just really understands them. Do you understand that? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:18 Highlight the passage at 1:20:18

1:20:49 See the goodness, great goodness in this world. Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:49 Highlight the passage at 1:20:49

1:21:05 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:05 Highlight the passage at 1:21:05

1:21:11 The difference between kindness and people pleasing. Kindness will also create people pleasing. You're not doing this just to get along with pleasing. It's not like you're standing for election and you're being kind to them just to please them. There's something much deeper than that. Getting some happiness there. You can't always please people. People will have to deal with suffering many, many times. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:11 Highlight the passage at 1:21:11

1:21:37 And the kindness helps them, gives them energy, gives them some inspiration so they can overcome the difficulties. Of course, it pleases everybody afterwards, not just other people. It pleases you as well. It's one of the greatest happinesses which monks and nuns get as well, is when we see somebody else actually benefiting from the advice you've given them or from some food you've given them. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:37 Highlight the passage at 1:21:37

1:22:06 Like a good example of that, I was travelling through Singapore airport, just minding my own business as usual, and then this lady was tossing and turning on a bench trying to get some sleep and she was having a lot of difficulty. I had a pair of these eye masks. You know, to use when you're sleeping. So I stopped and I just gave it to her. It was like an eye mask. She'd never seen me before. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:06 Highlight the passage at 1:22:06

1:22:34 She accepted it. It was only an eye mask. And I walked on. But I remember that little gift. It's very rare that a monk can actually give someone a gift. But if I can, he always will. It's beautiful when people accept it and you realize that that really helped them. So she could put it on and go to sleep. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:34 Highlight the passage at 1:22:34

1:22:54 A small thing. It's not people pleasing. I'm not looking for more disciples. Actually, I'm in big trouble with more disciples. I got last range retreat, 31 monks and one nun. No, no, 31 plus you. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:54 Highlight the passage at 1:22:54

1:23:16 Or was now anyway. I got too many monks. Yeah. You people in England have stolen my nun. No, it's good. So basically, when it comes to monks, you don't need any more. You've got plenty of people coming to your talks and to your temples. I don't know what to do. I have to learn how not to be so kind. Of course, I could never do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:16 Highlight the passage at 1:23:16

1:23:49 See what happens afterwards. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:49 Highlight the passage at 1:23:49

1:23:54 Yeah, nuns are really important. And one of the things which is happening, what's happening on Saturday, tomorrow? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:54 Highlight the passage at 1:23:54

1:24:09 It's taking the first step. Becoming a fully ordained nun, becoming a novice nun, wearing brown, happening 3 p.m. It'll be online, won't it? Online, yeah. Yeah. Tomorrow. It's beautiful. What did you say? You expect an earthquake tomorrow? No, just because all the heavenly beings will be so excited. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:09 Highlight the passage at 1:24:09

1:24:43 In Oxford? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:43 Highlight the passage at 1:24:43

1:24:54 Honestly, it is exciting because sometimes if you haven't worked and you actually see it happening, it's real. I don't know why there shouldn't be Channel 1 TV, Channel 2 TV, 3 TV, 4. It's really big. It's actually happening. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:54 Highlight the passage at 1:24:54

1:25:17 And that's why sometimes you feel that must be something magical happens with it. I don't want to put pressure on you, though. But well done. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:17 Highlight the passage at 1:25:17

1:25:35 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:35 Highlight the passage at 1:25:35

1:25:39 This seems to be a discussion that's happening on Livestream all about gaming and how gaming is kind of becoming addictive for kids. So maybe that's one of the modern issues, is it? For people with kids and for people in general. So, dear Ajahn Brahm, how can we encourage teenagers to keep a moderate amount of gaming time? Report an error in the passage at 1:25:39 Highlight the passage at 1:25:39

1:26:01 I'm sure you know all about that, Ajahn. Gaming. For example, these computer games, like video games. Yeah? What's the prize? A maximum of one hour a day and help them to learn to focus, study deeply and think clearly because basically people's attention spans, they're saying, are getting shorter and shorter and people are getting hooked on games. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:01 Highlight the passage at 1:26:01

1:26:28 Okay, first of all, what's the prize for a game? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:28 Highlight the passage at 1:26:28

1:26:34 Why isn't it we can't tell all kids whether they play games or not games? They're valued. They don't have to be someone who beats some monster or something. To be worthwhile. To value yourself. And parents especially, tell your kids how much you love them and how much they're valued, no matter what they ever do. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:34 Highlight the passage at 1:26:34

1:26:55 Don't find fault with them. Just praise them for even small things which they do. And if you keep praising them for small things they do, they don't need the gaming. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:55 Highlight the passage at 1:26:55

1:27:05 They have a mum and dad who can love them and hug them and kiss them. And just really, really, really look after them and they feel they're just worthwhile, full human beings by getting the love of their parents and their grandparents too. It's nice actually seeing the interaction between grandparents and their grandkids. It's one of the best. So please let your children go and hang out with your grandparents. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:05 Highlight the passage at 1:27:05

1:27:37 That's really the best. My grandma would always, every time I went to her house, she'd always peel a potato, fry it, and make me some chips. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:37 Highlight the passage at 1:27:37

1:27:49 She caught hell for my mum. My mum said, you know, you're, meaning my own son, me, won't want much dinner today, which I spent so much time cooking for him. My grandma would say, look, I am your mum. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:49 Highlight the passage at 1:27:49

1:28:06 So I'm going to tell you what to do. If my grandson wants chips, he gets chips every time. And you can't criticize me for that. That's how I remember my grandma. There's lots and lots and lots and lots of love. There is also something addictive about these games. So how do people cope with that? Because people's brains are still developing when they're young and then these games come in, kind of intoxicate them. Why? So how do we... Report an error in the passage at 1:28:06 Highlight the passage at 1:28:06

1:28:34 The only thing which I know is the fact that the... The people can actually win. The intoxication of winning and getting some praise. Does that make any sense to you? Report an error in the passage at 1:28:34 Highlight the passage at 1:28:34

1:28:48 Again, I'm just talking way beyond my experience here. But even why people would play a sport in order to win. And eventually you just can't keep on winning. Why do people cheat at sports? They're grown-ups. Why do people pay so much money for sports? It's absolutely crazy. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:48 Highlight the passage at 1:28:48

1:29:11 I used to like soccer when I was a kid. And I was very, very fortunate. My team kept on losing. If they kept on winning, I'm not sure if I'd have still become a monk. Yeah, I would have. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:11 Highlight the passage at 1:29:11

1:29:32 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:32 Highlight the passage at 1:29:32

1:29:57 How do you avoid going too far with your vices? One of the ways is feeling good about yourself. Forgiving yourself. If you feel good about yourself, You don't need to sabotage your happiness. In your life you discover what actually works. A little bit of pleasure or joy and fun and games, but not too much. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:57 Highlight the passage at 1:29:57

1:30:26 It's kind of weird, but in Buddhist monasteries sometimes we have a lot of laughter and sometimes if you came and visit while we're having sort of a happy time, You think, you know, what monks or nuns are we supporting? There's nothing illegal or immoral. Just sometimes we crack jokes and we go a bit too far. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:26 Highlight the passage at 1:30:26

1:30:53 No, no, no, no, no. I mean, nuns monastery recently. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:53 Highlight the passage at 1:30:53

1:30:59 But that's kind of okay. The happiness and joy which you develop. And when you have happiness and joy together with others, that means we get a lot of friendship. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:59 Highlight the passage at 1:30:59

1:31:13 A lot of working together, praying together, and helping each other if there's any crying which is happening. It's beautiful that you have that trust to allow people to be. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:13 Highlight the passage at 1:31:13

1:31:29 Does that really answer the question? Not really. Oh, Report an error in the passage at 1:31:29 Highlight the passage at 1:31:29

1:31:41 cashews. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:41 Highlight the passage at 1:31:41

1:31:46 Yeah. Oh yeah. If you like cashews too much, or anything too much, Report an error in the passage at 1:31:46 Highlight the passage at 1:31:46

1:31:57 A lot of times, you know, you do find if you keep on eating it, it's not delicious anymore. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:57 Highlight the passage at 1:31:57

1:32:08 I do remember once, I'm just trying to think of examples from my own life, that once I told some people in this monastery in the north of Thailand, I really like fried bananas. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:08 Highlight the passage at 1:32:08

1:32:22 And one day, that's all they gave me. I had a whole bowl full of food. We eat out of the bowls. Full of fried bananas. Nothing else. No rice. No other fruit. Nothing. Just fried bananas. And I thought, wow. My lucky day. And so I ate as much as I could. I was really sick. And that was the end of that craving for a while. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:22 Highlight the passage at 1:32:22

1:32:52 So just experiment. See what happens if you have just cashew nuts all day. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:52 Highlight the passage at 1:32:52

1:33:00 And family also are great. They can make jokes about you, Mr. Cashew. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:00 Highlight the passage at 1:33:00

1:33:12 Okay, that's your job. Make fun of him. If he tells you off, say, well, that's what Bob told me to. It's not my fault, Dad. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:12 Highlight the passage at 1:33:12

1:33:23 okay yeah they're all talking about getting lucky so they did get lucky right uh so this might bring out a personal story okay Ajahn Brahm, is it possible to feel enlightened, but then it disappears months later? Yes, it is, but it's not really enlightened. You get tricked. Sometimes people want to become enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:23 Highlight the passage at 1:33:23

1:33:55 A good example of that was this lady over in the north of Thailand. She was Malaysian. And she was asking this very, very, very holy monk, Ajahn Tate. I respected him an enormous amount. even moments later. Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:55 Highlight the passage at 1:33:55

1:34:13 She said, I got so peaceful in meditation, it was the fourth jhāna, wasn't it? And he kept saying, no, no, no. So she had another meeting with him, another meeting, another meeting. She was one of his major donors. Another meeting. After so many meetings when he said no, there were ones he said, uh. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:13 Highlight the passage at 1:34:13

1:34:35 That's all he said, uh. And then she came along and told everybody, he's confirmed it. It really was. He said, uh. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:35 Highlight the passage at 1:34:35

1:34:48 She wanted that so much. That's why. Ten times saying no, one time saying er. She interpreted that as must be confirmed. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:48 Highlight the passage at 1:34:48

1:34:59 A lot of times what people want, if you want it too much, of course you will always distort reality to fit what you want. Remember things like deep meditation, wisdom, certainly stages of enlightenment. That's where all the wanting vanishes. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:59 Highlight the passage at 1:34:59

1:35:19 That's why I mentioned that story today about in the Dhanasala, that's where we eat, at Jhāna Grove Retreat Centre opposite our monastery. There is a cartoon. I love cartoons because they're very profound. And this cartoon had a person coming to see this holy nun, I said. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:19 Highlight the passage at 1:35:19

1:35:42 I also said. Get out of trouble. And it's a placard. I want happiness. It was very miserable. And the holy nun said to him, first mistake, I. Take the I off the placard. And just had want happiness. Second mistake, want. So he scrubbed that out. And all he had was happiness. And both of them were smiling. And that's the end of the story. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:42 Highlight the passage at 1:35:42

1:36:21 You see, I want is the opposite of enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:21 Highlight the passage at 1:36:21

1:36:29 Do you understand? How come you're not smiling? Report an error in the passage at 1:36:29 Highlight the passage at 1:36:29

1:36:37 Okay. It's time for one more question. It's a competition between lies and not doing it. Go on. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:37 Highlight the passage at 1:36:37

1:36:52 Ah, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:52 Highlight the passage at 1:36:52

1:37:01 You never put... Advice for people who struggle with loss of loved ones and with death. You know, a lot of times, because as a Buddhist we believe you come back again anyway, the death is not the end. So if a person's having a difficult time, it's a great opportunity to let them go. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:01 Highlight the passage at 1:37:01

1:37:33 You can't keep them. Oh, that person in front of you. Oh, your dad, yeah. Because you can't keep them forever, sometimes the last thing you ever want is to see that person suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:33 Highlight the passage at 1:37:33

1:37:52 And one of the things to do, which is beautiful, and this is the thing which I recommend, if the person is very, very, very sick, and it looks like there's no real cure, please go up to them, you know, you're the daughter, the wife, and say to them with sincerity, I let you go. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:52 Highlight the passage at 1:37:52

1:38:15 I love you so much. I don't want to see you suffer. Please go with my permission. I've seen that many, many times. It's beautiful. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:15 Highlight the passage at 1:38:15

1:38:27 There's one young nurse in Perth, married to an American man. They were so fit. They had a white water rafting company. And he got a cancer. And with all of the help in the world, he got more and more sick. And so one day, I remember visiting him in the flat. He looked so thin as the cancer was eating away at his body. And his wife was quite surprised why he hadn't died yet. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:27 Highlight the passage at 1:38:27

1:38:58 And he was suffering greatly. And she asked me, why hasn't he died? And I asked her, have you given him permission to die yet? Report an error in the passage at 1:38:58 Highlight the passage at 1:38:58

1:39:12 She got it straight away. She never answered. She jumped on the bed and she put her arms around her husband, so thin and fragile now. I give you permission to die. I love you. It's okay. He died that night. It was beautiful. There's another case of this monk who was really, really, really, really sick. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:12 Highlight the passage at 1:39:12

1:39:37 He had two types of typhus, two strains at the same time. He got rid of those, but he was so weak. And one day, someone went up to him and said, on behalf of all the people who've been looking after you, I give you permission to die. And he wept. He'd been trying so hard. All these people had been really struggling and sacrificing to look after him. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:37 Highlight the passage at 1:39:37

1:40:08 They'd given him so much, the last thing he ever wanted to do was to die on them. It was like rejecting their kindness. When he was given permission to die, he started to get better. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:08 Highlight the passage at 1:40:08

1:40:23 Trying to get better, overcome the sickness, was actually hindering his recovery. So giving people permission to die, let nature take its course. You never lose out. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:23 Highlight the passage at 1:40:23

1:40:39 And it's something quite beautiful if you really love them. Yeah, I really miss you. But look, I know it's not going to work to try and keep you here forever. So please know you're going with our love. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:39 Highlight the passage at 1:40:39

1:40:57 Does that make sense? Okay, thank you. Okay, give me permission to die? Is that what you mean? Report an error in the passage at 1:40:57 Highlight the passage at 1:40:57

1:41:11 Okay. Okay. So what up? Okay, yeah. The usual advertising at the end of the show. No. No. Encouraging community, yes. I'm here because we have someone like Aya Chandra's worked her butt off. Who you have, haven't you? Trying to get this nun's ordination. It's okay to actually to ordain. I'm kidding. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:11 Highlight the passage at 1:41:11

1:41:41 Someone as a bhikkhuni or as a seminary. But then what do you do? Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:41 Highlight the passage at 1:41:41

1:41:52 But then what do you do? You can't just... If any of you want a kid, you give birth to something. Is that it? You've got to look after them and let them grow and make sure they become really inspired people who can really help in the world. So that's very similar to what we do with... Ordaining somebody, that means we look after them. And honestly, you see them grow. And after a while, that's kind of our nun. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:52 Highlight the passage at 1:41:52

1:42:25 Many years ago, the BBC did a documentary about Buddhist monasteries over in Thailand. And they made this very brilliant observation. Your monastery is like your soccer team. You are so interested in the captain. In the coach. And then the new players coming in. And that's our team. And you're so proud. It becomes part of your community. And you really, you know, the Oxford nuns monastery is much better than the Cambridge. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:25 Highlight the passage at 1:42:25

1:43:09 I've got one there, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:09 Highlight the passage at 1:43:09

1:43:14 But anyhow, you become proud. Because, you know, you help, you make sure they're okay, you listen to their talks. And what is really inspiring, I'm saying this, you haven't seen this yet, when you see someone take the robes here, and over those years you see them grow and grow and grow, and they give their first talk. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:14 Highlight the passage at 1:43:14

1:43:39 And when they give their first talk, you can't believe just how inspiring it is. Then they become a teacher in their own right. You help with that. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:39 Highlight the passage at 1:43:39

1:43:50 That gives you so much joy and happiness as it does with me. All these people which have been involved in the ordination like you and those other monks which are big monks now, I get so inspired by that. You've helped make it happen in the difficult times you've been there for them to pull them through some difficult situations and they've grown. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:50 Highlight the passage at 1:43:50

1:44:16 They've become a blessing for the world. It really is a blessing for the world. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:16 Highlight the passage at 1:44:16

1:44:24 It's not putting pressure on you, but often it works. And some of the people over in Perth, they've seen this happen, and wow, they get so proud of, that's my nun. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:24 Highlight the passage at 1:44:24

1:44:41 It's like a family. And sometimes now, some of the people I've seen for years and years and years, like here in the back over there, you know, Kalia's parents, haven't seen you for a while, as over in Hong Kong, where... I still first met you and you were having a difficult time first of all because of your parents didn't really approve too much of your marriage but then you got married you had a nice kid and first of all I can't resist this story yeah yeah no quickly they Report an error in the passage at 1:44:41 Highlight the passage at 1:44:41

1:45:19 wanted to become pregnant eventually you became pregnant and you were so excited I gave you so many blessings and then You actually sent an email, wasn't it? Or a fax or something. You're saying that a check-up and there was no heartbeat in the baby in the womb. And you were so... You felt so disappointed. My goodness, I gave you a huge amount of chancing there. Really gave it, put it on the line. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:19 Highlight the passage at 1:45:19

1:45:51 And then you sent this nice, lovely email back. Found a heartbeat. Yeah. And that's... The result over there, little Kalia. How old is she now? 11. Welcome to 11 years of age. Double figures. Well done. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:51 Highlight the passage at 1:45:51

1:46:13 Okay. All right. So thank you so much, Ajahn, for this really moving talk. And I think there's a lot of wisdom in there for us to kind of apply in our lives. And thanks also for coming every year to support what we're doing here. Because the result of all this care and all the efforts that you're making over the years is basically to keep on spreading the dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:13 Highlight the passage at 1:46:13

1:46:38 And you only get great teachers. You only get enlightened people in this world by creating conditions for that to happen. So we can, of course... Report an error in the passage at 1:46:38 Highlight the passage at 1:46:38

1:46:49 Lament that a lot of the great elders are now passing away, but there are more people to come. Recently I went to a Tibetan temple in London, and there was a lot of talk about how to preserve the teachings of the great lamas from Tibet, which is a very worthwhile thing to do, but I made the point that there are these great lamas, but... Report an error in the passage at 1:46:49 Highlight the passage at 1:46:49

1:47:10 In a sense, they're a thing of the past. They lived in a country that was very isolated from the rest of the world and, you know, at that time maybe they had a lot of time to meditate. But it's not the case that only people in the past could get enlightened, you know. We talk about enlightenment so casually. We don't know if these people are enlightened or not. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:10 Highlight the passage at 1:47:10

1:47:29 But what we do know is that we all have the capacity to reach full enlightenment. In other words, to completely disappear and end suffering. All of us, right? Whoever has taken a human birth and whoever has the opportunity to hear the dharma and to practice the dharma has that opportunity to gain full enlightenment, full freedom from suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:29 Highlight the passage at 1:47:29

1:47:49 So we really need to focus on creating conditions for all people, women, non-binary people, transgender people, as well as men. to lead the spiritual life to the best of their potential and for some women like myself it's been a calling since I was young since I first did my retreat in I think 1996 was my first meditation retreat and I knew that this was my path but it still took 10 years to have an opportunity to ordain like literally just meditating serving and looking for that chance like preparing myself Getting ready for that opportunity and it still took 10 years because there was nowhere available for me to ordain. So after about maybe eight years in robes, finally, again I came to a kind of standstill because there was no opportunity for me to continue in the monastery I was in. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:49 Highlight the passage at 1:47:49

1:48:45 And then I came across Ajahn Brahm and his teachings. Which went straight to my thoughts. And I could feel that there was something very real about the teachings, that they were coming from a place of experience. And at that time I was living in Myanmar, but it was enough to kind of send me searching for you to guide my practice from there on. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:45 Highlight the passage at 1:48:45

1:49:07 And at that time I knew nothing about bhikkhuni ordination. I was living as a Burmese nun. But when I heard that this teacher who I already had a lot of confidence in supported bhikkhuni ordination, that was when I thought, oh, so it is possible and it is a good thing. So that gave me the faith, actually. It was first the dharma and then knowing that you were supporting bhikkhunis that made me realize, wow, this is actually important and it's possible today. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:07 Highlight the passage at 1:49:07

1:49:33 So again it took many years of leaving Burma and trying to find a chance to get to Australia, finding a place in Australia to take the full ordination. By now I'd been practicing, I don't know, at least 20 years. So it was not a short journey and when you asked me to come over here in 2015 it sort of sounded a bit like a joke. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:33 Highlight the passage at 1:49:33

1:49:56 Because it seems so impossible and kind of so unrealistic in a way. But I also felt like out of gratitude to you as my teacher and also knowing the difficulties that women like myself had had, I kind of thought, if I don't do this, I'm going to regret it. I'm always going to think, what if I had tried? How will I ever know that it couldn't have worked? Maybe there's a chance to really serve. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:56 Highlight the passage at 1:49:56

1:50:21 And it's been very, very tough. Had I known how tough, there's no way I'd have done it. But I have to say, Ajahn Brahm, and I knew you'd be there every step of the way. You have been always through all the most difficult times, you know, sometimes calling you weekly and just in tears. Like, I don't think I can continue. But there was always this kind of sense that it's such a good thing to do. So doing something worthwhile isn't always easy. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:21 Highlight the passage at 1:50:21

1:50:47 About the tears, you know, tears aren't always bad. But sometimes we have to be able to go through those difficulties to do something really worthwhile. And kind of this is where we've come to now after many, many years. It's been 10 years since we started the charity to get to the point of having a monastery in Boers Hill, which you're all very welcome to visit. Not all at once, but bit by bit. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:47 Highlight the passage at 1:50:47

1:51:11 And to get to tomorrow, which is the first actual ordination. I have two Anagarikas at the moment. And, you know, we have space for more over time, but it's hard to get to the point where you're ready to ordain, to renounce the use of money and to live as an arms mendicant. And it takes a lot of courage and a lot of conditions as well. So I just want to thank everybody here for creating, helping create those conditions by your practice, by your support, by coming to events like this. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:11 Highlight the passage at 1:51:11

1:51:41 And yeah, some of you are locals of the monastery, so you come often. We have trustees here. We have a lot of old friends. And it really helps to spread the dharma because, you know, Ajahn Brahm will pass away. I'll pass away. No? Are you invincible? Report an error in the passage at 1:51:41 Highlight the passage at 1:51:41

1:52:02 No. But, you know, nothing lasts. And so in order to keep the dharma alive, that's why the Buddha said we need the fourfold assembly. People of every gender, of every background, every race, every neurodiversity or, you know, as much diversity as we can so that we're representing you and the dharma is alive. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:02 Highlight the passage at 1:52:02

1:52:22 So yeah, if you want to learn more about what we're doing, you can find information outside. I think you're going to be there to let them know. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:22 Highlight the passage at 1:52:22

1:52:34 Yeah, and we hope to see you sometime soon. So thank you very much for coming. And maybe we can have three more big sadhus to end the evening. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:34 Highlight the passage at 1:52:34

1:52:44 So we're doing it. Excellent. Thank you. do okay so we Report an error in the passage at 1:52:44 Highlight the passage at 1:52:44