Living a Happy and Peaceful Life

0:00 I said thank you for giving me the opportunity to meditate myself. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:13 I actually enjoy this. It's Report an error in the passage at 0:13 Highlight the passage at 0:13

0:21 kind of incorrect to call this work, but it's not only very, very, very pleasant for me. I've been doing this for such a long time, so many years, so I'm skilled at getting peaceful and seeing my mind. Just going to such quietness. Peace is beautiful and giving yourself the gift of peace is one of the best gifts you can possibly get. Report an error in the passage at 0:21 Highlight the passage at 0:21

1:05 Doesn't cost anything, doesn't need anything, just like comfort and nothing to do, nowhere to go, staying where you are. And seeing what happens next. And what happens is just usually a great sense of being at ease. And also being healthy too. Recently, it was a kind of half a joke, but it's true also. Report an error in the passage at 1:05 Highlight the passage at 1:05

1:45 When I'm getting old now, and so... We're a Buddhist society, so we started a subcommittee to arrange how to do my funeral service. Report an error in the passage at 1:45 Highlight the passage at 1:45

2:08 And I feel so healthy, honestly. So some people say, well, why do you do that for? Why not 75 soon, or I call it 900. 900 is much more fun. 900 months. Report an error in the passage at 2:08 Highlight the passage at 2:08

2:34 It's weird, as a Buddhist, ever since I was a young monk, you were never afraid of death. We're all going to go one day. Let's make it a very big celebration. Why not? And also, we get some nice, like, funny stories. Is she here? Can't see her. But anyway, the one person said something really important. You know, I'm a monk, but I'm also a human being. Report an error in the passage at 2:34 Highlight the passage at 2:34

3:18 And so we've got kind of responsibilities we have to do. And one of those responsibilities is actually writing out a will. Report an error in the passage at 3:18 Highlight the passage at 3:18

3:34 I haven't done that yet. And I said, What do I need a will for? Because I don't have any assets. I say, honestly, I don't have any bank account. I say, absolutely honest, I don't have any money. I don't have any checks. I don't have a credit card. I don't have anything, which you all take as ordinary stuff you have to carry around. Report an error in the passage at 3:34 Highlight the passage at 3:34

4:11 So I said, why write out a will when you don't have anything? And then somebody said, oh, but Ajahn Brahm, you do have some assets which are worth something. Report an error in the passage at 4:11 Highlight the passage at 4:11

4:24 I said, no, I don't. He said, yes, you do. He said, you have your frequent flyer points, which are worth quite a bit. Report an error in the passage at 4:24 Highlight the passage at 4:24

4:38 I said, okay. I'm hereby in front of everybody here. I hereby donate my frequent fly points, if I die, to the person who noticed that. Well done. You don't care about money and stuff. That's the weird thing about being a monk, and it's true. I've been a monk for such a long time now, 52 years, and you always have more than enough food, a nice place to stay at night. Report an error in the passage at 4:38 Highlight the passage at 4:38

5:15 What do you need? You know, to live a nice, happy, successful life. All you need is your peace, good health and just a happiness with no fear at all and with the ability to enjoy people's company, to crack jokes, to listen to your jokes and to have a beautiful time together. Report an error in the passage at 5:15 Highlight the passage at 5:15

5:46 I would tell you one of my jokes, but then you've heard all of them for so many times. So because of that... Oh, okay, one really bad joke. It's been a while since you heard. Report an error in the passage at 5:46 Highlight the passage at 5:46

6:08 It's a scary joke, though, about ghosts. One day, there was a person who was not afraid of ghosts at all. So I decided to take the shortcut back home through the cemetery. Have you ever thought of walking through the cemetery at night? Report an error in the passage at 6:08 Highlight the passage at 6:08

6:37 Are you brave enough to do so? No, why not? So anyhow, this guy, he was taking the shortcut through the cemetery and after getting half the way through the cemetery, only then, only then, Did he start to hear this weird sound behind him? It sounded like something was following him and automatically he walked a little bit faster. Report an error in the passage at 6:37 Highlight the passage at 6:37

7:15 That's what happens when you're a bit scared. But even though he was walking faster, he heard the thing behind him also walk faster. He paid attention. And could hear it, bump, bump, bump, bump, walking faster and faster. Report an error in the passage at 7:15 Highlight the passage at 7:15

7:44 For those who are going out, it's got a very happy ending, so don't be too scared. So, Report an error in the passage at 7:44 Highlight the passage at 7:44

7:58 he Report an error in the passage at 7:58 Highlight the passage at 7:58

8:02 made a big mistake. Never do this. The mistake was looking around to see what it was. Ooh, yes. And when he looked around, he saw very clearly, it was, what's the scariest thing you could possibly see? A coffin! A vertical coffin! It was bump, bump, bump, following him. Report an error in the passage at 8:02 Highlight the passage at 8:02

8:41 You could see the dirt. On that coffin, it must have just come out of the ground. You can see some of the cobwebs still on it. Bump, bump, bump. He was chasing him. And he kind of thought, if I can get out of the cemetery, I'll be safe. Because the coffins, they belong in cemeteries. And people are outside. So he started running. Report an error in the passage at 8:41 Highlight the passage at 8:41

9:15 Really fast. The front gate of the cemetery was not too far away. Bump, bump, bump, bump. But the coffin was fast. The coffin was catching up with him. But fortunately, he was a good runner. He managed to get out the front gate of the cemetery before the coffin would catch up with him. Report an error in the passage at 9:15 Highlight the passage at 9:15

9:43 Are you enjoying this story? If so, we'll do the next part of the story next month. Report an error in the passage at 9:43 Highlight the passage at 9:43

9:57 No. So as he got out of the cemetery, he thought he'd made it to safety. But as he turned around again, he saw the coffin had come out of the front gate and was bumping behind him. So he really sprinted as hard as he could to get to his house, the front gate. It was only just a little bit further. He managed to get to his front gate. He didn't open his front gate. Report an error in the passage at 9:57 Highlight the passage at 9:57

10:32 He jumped over. He was so scared. He jumped over and looked around. That coffin had seen him and was now trying to smash down the front iron gate of his garden. Report an error in the passage at 10:32 Highlight the passage at 10:32

10:55 Bang! Bang! Bang! And the gate was not strong enough to resist the coffin. So he ran to the front door of his house. He got out his bunch of keys in his pocket. And he was so scared, he dropped the keys. Report an error in the passage at 10:55 Highlight the passage at 10:55

11:21 And he quickly picked the keys up. He didn't have time to look at the keys, find out the right one. Whatever key he picked up, he put in the lock. He was so lucky. He picked up the correct key, turned the lock, opened the door, jumped inside and smashed the front door closed. Just as he could see through the glass of his front door, the coffin just come to the front door. Report an error in the passage at 11:21 Highlight the passage at 11:21

12:00 He was breathing very heavily because of all that running and all of that scare. And he saw the coffin. He was in his house now. And he saw the coffin. Bang! Sorry. Report an error in the passage at 12:00 Highlight the passage at 12:00

12:24 I apologize. That's a nice ending. Bang! Bang! The coffin was trying to... Break the front door of this man's house. What would you do now? The fellow thought, my goodness, what I'm going to do is the only other room which has a lock on it in his house was his washroom. And that was on the second story. So he jumped up and rushed up to the stairs, got to the top of the stairs, and just at that point, Please excuse me. Bang! And Report an error in the passage at 12:24 Highlight the passage at 12:24

13:13 the coffin broke through the front door of his house. That's really scary. And as I said, the coffin looked to the left, the coffin looked to the right. Report an error in the passage at 13:13 Highlight the passage at 13:13

13:29 Couldn't spot him. He was on the top story, so he thought he was safe now. But then the coffin looked up. And saw him. So the coffin, bump, bump, bump, bump, started bumping up the stairs. Report an error in the passage at 13:29 Highlight the passage at 13:29

13:55 He rushed into the washroom. He locked the washroom. But do you think that could protect him? This coffin was so supernaturally strong, it could break down the front door of his house. The washroom door would give very little protection. He was so scared, he didn't know what to do, but then bang, bang, bang, as the coffin started breaking the washroom door down. Report an error in the passage at 13:55 Highlight the passage at 13:55

14:34 Until soon, that coffin was in his washroom and broken the door down, and now there was no other escape. Nowhere to run. He was just facing the coffin. The sum total of all his fears was right before him. Bump, bump, bump, getting closer and closer until... What would you do in a situation like that? Well, he did. He reached for anything to throw at the coffin. Report an error in the passage at 14:34 Highlight the passage at 14:34

15:17 Such a fortunate choice. He got this whole glass bottle of something on the shelf threw it at the coffin and the bottle burst under impact and all this really smelly brown liquid came out and Report an error in the passage at 15:17 Highlight the passage at 15:17

15:41 the coffin never moved again. That was cough medicine. You ask a pharmacist, guaranteed to stop the coughing. Report an error in the passage at 15:41 Highlight the passage at 15:41

16:12 If you want to throw something at me, please do so. I deserve it. Report an error in the passage at 16:12 Highlight the passage at 16:12

16:21 That's one of the worst jokes, but nevertheless I tell it every other week. Why Report an error in the passage at 16:21 Highlight the passage at 16:21

16:32 can't we have a little bit of humour when you tell a story? Report an error in the passage at 16:32 Highlight the passage at 16:32

16:42 And people say, that's a terrible joke Ajahn Brahm, but you all tell it to your friends afterwards. Because the happiness, joy, is actually part of what we teach. We relax, we enjoy our lives. Make peace, be kind, be gentle. I kind of like those words, that's what they're in front here. And I always try and give talks which explain that. Report an error in the passage at 16:42 Highlight the passage at 16:42

17:15 Making a funny story, even if you heard it before, you can always add a little bit to it every time, does just make life enjoyable. Report an error in the passage at 17:15 Highlight the passage at 17:15

17:28 Can't we have joy in our life? So you can create that joy, make that joy happen, and you feel so much better afterwards, so much healthier. Report an error in the passage at 17:28 Highlight the passage at 17:28

17:46 That's one of the reasons why I did tell that story to the Cancer Support Association this week. Report an error in the passage at 17:46 Highlight the passage at 17:46

18:00 The silly story, but it was beautiful to be able to make people who are usually afraid laugh, let go, relax. Don't you enjoy those times when you can laugh, relax to the max, and then when you relax to the max, It's not you just have a wonderful afternoon, you find you do get healthier afterwards. Report an error in the passage at 18:00 Highlight the passage at 18:00

18:32 There's that fellow, his name was Patch Adams, that doctor I remember reading about years ago, realizing the power and the joy of laughter and how it does have a huge positive effect on your health. Not just on your health, even on Things like your meditation or your spirituality. How many people would come to a place like this on a Friday evening? Report an error in the passage at 18:32 Highlight the passage at 18:32

19:08 Haven't you got something better to do? You come here, why? Number one, you enjoy the time here. Learn about deeper meditation. Get that happiness, that joy. And there's other things which come from that as well. Report an error in the passage at 19:08 Highlight the passage at 19:08

19:28 What causes suffering in your life? Now, it's not just sicknesses. Why do sicknesses come? When I was saying earlier about, you know, my funeral preparations, honestly, the fellow is not here at the moment. I hope he's not listening online. But I kind of find that funny. Don't you? I find it funny because I am incredibly healthy. I haven't been sick in years. Usually the only time I go to hospitals is go to visit the sick. Report an error in the passage at 19:28 Highlight the passage at 19:28

20:14 But even then, I was told, please Ajahn Brahm, don't come and visit sick people too often in hospital. And the reason they told me that was that there's this poor lady who was our secretary many years ago. She had a hysterectomy. She said that was kind of threatening her existence. That's where they take out the womb and you can't have children anymore. So she said, I spiritually needed some counseling, some nice advice. Report an error in the passage at 20:14 Highlight the passage at 20:14

20:55 But they said, you know the wound when you have a hysterectomy, it's in your chest and it's a vertical wound. That's what she had apparently. And she said, please, if I laugh, it really hurts. So she told me, Ajahn Brahm, can you please promise me you won't tell any funny stories? Report an error in the passage at 20:55 Highlight the passage at 20:55

21:19 And I said, sorry, I can't. Report an error in the passage at 21:19 Highlight the passage at 21:19

21:26 And even the best kindness in the world. You know, for me, life is fun. And when it came to visiting her, quite a few times... Report an error in the passage at 21:26 Highlight the passage at 21:26

21:39 But she kept on asking for another funny story. Why? Because it's also the relaxation which humor makes and you don't feel so serious about what's happening or what could happen in your life. Because you don't think too much about what might happen in life, which usually doesn't happen, you can actually recover much more quickly. Report an error in the passage at 21:39 Highlight the passage at 21:39

22:12 And that's one of the reasons why it's been years since I've been sick. I remember the times when I have been sick. And those times, years and years ago, I do remember even, I don't care, I can say these things, that years and years and years ago, I had scrub typhus over in Thailand. At that time I would have been about 23 or 24. That's a long time ago, just been ordained as a monk. And I didn't know it was scrub typhus. Report an error in the passage at 22:12 Highlight the passage at 22:12

22:56 The doctors didn't know it was scrub typhus. You know what life is like? They look at the experts and the experts say, there is no scrub typhus in the place where I was living in northeast Thailand. Report an error in the passage at 22:56 Highlight the passage at 22:56

23:12 There's been no cases of it. And the reason why there had been no cases of scrub typhus in that part of Thailand was that the locals had got immunity. It was only the Western monks who went up there to sleep in the forest. Only those would develop this disease. It lives with little mites in the forest. And if they bite you, such small little... Report an error in the passage at 23:12 Highlight the passage at 23:12

23:43 You know, specks of dirt on the body and then they transfer the scrub typhus to you. And the symptoms of scrub typhus are exactly the same or very similar to typhoid. So it's a serious disease. And I remember when I got that, you had very heavy fevers, no energy, really knock you out. I was a young monk. And I remember in those days, 60 years ago, the conditions were not that good for you. Report an error in the passage at 23:43 Highlight the passage at 23:43

24:27 We went in the monk's ward of Ubon Rajatani Hospital. And then at 6 p.m., or just after 6 p.m., I could speak enough Laotian. To tell in my next bed to me, he said, the night nurse hasn't come. Should we go and kind of let people know there's no night nurse alive this evening? And that's when he said, there is no night nurse ever. What happens if something goes wrong with our body at night time, if we get very, very sick? Report an error in the passage at 24:27 Highlight the passage at 24:27

25:18 He said, that's just unfortunate karma. That's what some Buddhists say, but that wasn't reassuring at all. Report an error in the passage at 25:18 Highlight the passage at 25:18

25:32 But that wasn't the worst of it. The worst of it, because they didn't know what the disease was. Are there any nurses or doctors here? Okay, when you give an injection, where do you usually put it? Report an error in the passage at 25:32 Highlight the passage at 25:32

25:56 In the bottom, yeah. So I got injections twice a day, morning and afternoon. What type of needles do they use these days? Report an error in the passage at 25:56 Highlight the passage at 25:56

26:12 Recyclable ones? Single use. That would have been so wonderful. The ones which I had in my butt. That was used many, many times. It was recycled. Over in Bangkok, first of all, for the rich people. And then it would be sent out to the provinces where it was already, the needles were so dull. And last of all, it was used for the monks. We were the tough guys. Report an error in the passage at 26:12 Highlight the passage at 26:12

26:52 After a few weeks, a few days of those needles, we weren't tough anymore. That really hurt. And people say, but it was... Report an error in the passage at 26:52 Highlight the passage at 26:52

27:06 Nurses, nurses, they're supposed to be soft and kind. Not the ones in this hospital. That really hurt. And the nurse wasn't like this young Thai girl. She was old and tough because she had to be. I always said, I gave her a nickname, the water buffalo. She had to be that strong to actually to... get that dull needle to penetrate your skin. That really hurt. Twice a day, I thought, wow! Report an error in the passage at 27:06 Highlight the passage at 27:06

27:49 was working. And I do remember Ajahn Chah and my teacher, you may have heard of him, he came in to see me. And I thought, wow! You know, I was only a young monk and he came to see me and I, wow, I was so pleased. He'd taken the effort to come and say something. You know what he said? The worst thing about Ajahn Chah seeing you when you were sick, and it was a worst thing, it wasn't very pleasant at all, because what he said you couldn't argue with. Report an error in the passage at 27:49 Highlight the passage at 27:49

28:29 He said, Brahma Wangso, that's my full name. You're either gonna get sick or you're gonna die. No, you're either gonna get better or you're gonna die. But the sickness won't last. Report an error in the passage at 28:29 Highlight the passage at 28:29

28:46 Can you argue with that? You're either gonna get better or you're gonna die. If I came and visited you in hospital and said that, would you cancel your membership of the BSWA? Report an error in the passage at 28:46 Highlight the passage at 28:46

29:03 It's not what I wanted to hear. So that didn't help at all. But honestly, I was so exhausted. Because that's what fevers like that do to you. And in the end, just one afternoon, I decided, I just can't stand this any longer. Report an error in the passage at 29:03 Highlight the passage at 29:03

29:27 So I decided, honestly, to meditate after many days of having this fever. And you could. That was the most amazing part of all of this. Laying in the bed, with arms this way, legs that way. Closing your eyes and letting go, really letting go. And I say this many times, you can disappear, even when you're in a fever, everything vanishes. Report an error in the passage at 29:27 Highlight the passage at 29:27

30:08 When that happens, wow, you get some beautiful meditation. Imagine, for those of you who have been in sickness with fevers and diseases which are not sort of... ...reacting to any of the medication because it's the wrong medication. They don't know what the disease is. Imagine that you're laying down there and you get into deep meditation. Report an error in the passage at 30:08 Highlight the passage at 30:08

30:33 The world vanishes. You can't feel your body anymore. Instead you just feel the peace of the mind. Real peace. These are called the deep meditations. And the... Distinction between being in a fever, zero energy, and then being in these deep meditations was just so amazing. Report an error in the passage at 30:33 Highlight the passage at 30:33

31:05 It was just beautiful, free from the body for I don't know how long. Then when I came out afterwards, no more fever, being honest with you. I don't know if I should say this, but I've already started, so... And then... No fever left, but just feeling just half an hour or an hour of blissing out. And just when you're feeling just absolutely disgusting, terribly, really sick for days. Report an error in the passage at 31:05 Highlight the passage at 31:05

31:44 Feeling that was just so, such a relief, such a joy. When you know how to do those things, you've done it once, it can be done. It means that you never actually are afraid of sickness ever again. Not only that, that was the end of that fever. Not just the end of the fever, that was the end of seeing all my guests. Report an error in the passage at 31:44 Highlight the passage at 31:44

32:17 Bye-bye. Report an error in the passage at 32:17 Highlight the passage at 32:17

32:21 Anyway, it was true. And one thing which I did notice afterwards, I don't know why I paid attention to this, I looked at my posture, the way I was laying. Because I'd read books about meditation. They always said you're supposed to sit with right leg over the left leg, you know, in full lotus, with the right hand over the left hand, the back straight, the chin in. Report an error in the passage at 32:21 Highlight the passage at 32:21

32:53 It was a terrible posture. Nothing like I'd ever seen described in any book. And that's when I kind of, that's one of the reasons why. I never suggest postures to you because my own experience says, however you're comfortable, that's how you should sit. Report an error in the passage at 32:53 Highlight the passage at 32:53

33:17 Don't follow books. Follow how you feel. And if you really are comfortable, at ease, wonderful. And then after a while, your body can disappear. I really mean disappearing. You can't feel anything in your head. In your shoulders, in your body, any fever disappears. And afterwards, and one of the things, such a long time ago, one of those things which I will always remember from that experience was just, it's not hard. Report an error in the passage at 33:17 Highlight the passage at 33:17

34:02 Just let go. And then no disease can even harm you. That's what I remember. And I haven't really been sick. Since, have I? I can't remember. It means you're not afraid. So when I do tell you, yes, you can arrange my funeral, but it's going to be just a piece of paper in a box somewhere. I'm never going to die yet. You don't feel that danger to your body. You don't feel that sickness. Report an error in the passage at 34:02 Highlight the passage at 34:02

34:45 You've got that other level. of just your mind keeping your body healthy. Am I interesting you? I hope I am because this meditation is incredibly powerful, beautiful, happy and if ever you do really need it, make peace, be kind, be gentle. Report an error in the passage at 34:45 Highlight the passage at 34:45

35:13 Don't go on it with force, don't stress yourself out. Don't decide, I'm going to do this, I'm going to make it happen. You don't, you let go. You know what letting go is? Relax to the max. Report an error in the passage at 35:13 Highlight the passage at 35:13

35:36 I don't know if you really understand that. You really do have to relax to the max. Your whole body is at ease. And then it just vanishes, even if you are sick. Report an error in the passage at 35:36 Highlight the passage at 35:36

35:53 Just the sickness can't stand it. I don't know how exactly it works, but just you do see that with yourself and how easy it is to overcome sicknesses when you know how to. And because of that, you're getting another angle on how to live a long, healthy, happy, peaceful life. Report an error in the passage at 35:53 Highlight the passage at 35:53

36:19 Look at how we live. What about things like You know, lots of sicknesses like diseases, but things like snakebite. For years I've lived with snakes, first of all in Thailand, and then even down in the forest in Serpentine. And then sometimes those experiences with snakes, like I remember just in my sixth range retreat, there's lots of snakes in this monastery I was staying in. Report an error in the passage at 36:19 Highlight the passage at 36:19

36:56 And I stepped on one. And by mistake, you don't do that on purpose, just in my hut, I opened the door and stepped in, as I usually did. But just right in front of the door, that was like a dark spot for me. I never really paid attention to that. I just always stepped in. And I stepped down and I felt something clammy. Report an error in the passage at 36:56 Highlight the passage at 36:56

37:26 I went under my feet. It was a snake. And I jumped. Fortunately, I didn't jump out of fear. I jumped realizing it was a snake under my feet and I never wanted to harm it. You don't want to harm other living beings. So I jumped and it jumped another way. And as soon as I stopped and stared at it, I said, sorry, I apologize. Report an error in the passage at 37:26 Highlight the passage at 37:26

37:59 He didn't want to harm even a little snake. It wasn't little, it was fully grown. And he looked at me, he was kind of shocked. And I was maybe a bit shocked as well. And I looked and said, sorry. And it never sort of hissed or anything. It just put its head down and just crawled out of my hut, calmly. Report an error in the passage at 37:59 Highlight the passage at 37:59

38:24 And even more recently, over in Serpentine, That was the time when I was doing my six-month retreat. I was just outside of my hut washing my bowl after the meal. And I could hear that there's many animals which was running away from something. Something was scaring it. And you find out what it was. There's this big do-gite snake came to see me. And I remember just how I'll tell you in a minute just how long it was. It was 3.2 meters. It's quite a big size dookite. And anyway, it came right up to me. Report an error in the passage at 38:24 Highlight the passage at 38:24

39:09 I was just washing my bowl. And I just ignored it. I wasn't scared because you have enough meditation. You don't have fear. Honestly. And so I finished washing my bowl. Then I looked to see where it had gone. It was coming up to me right close at first. And then, because it was a very hot day, it had actually wanted the shade of my hut on the east-facing wall, which was shaded from the hot sun at that time of the day. Report an error in the passage at 39:09 Highlight the passage at 39:09

39:44 And it was just laying against the wall, cooling off. That's why I knew it was 3.2 meters long, because I'd built that hut. And I knew that was the... The length of that part of it. And the amazing thing was that its head was at the far end of the hut not facing me and its tail was facing me. It was vulnerable if ever I wanted to do it any harm. But those snakes, they weren't scared. Report an error in the passage at 39:44 Highlight the passage at 39:44

40:23 They knew they were safe. That's the only reason it could do that. So I wished it well, went back into my hut to do some more meditation, I think actually taking a rest after lunch, and left the snake there. Snakes never harm you. Or even, you know the story with Ajahn Ghanha? Report an error in the passage at 40:23 Highlight the passage at 40:23

40:51 Do you know that story? Some of you do. Anyway, here it comes again. Report an error in the passage at 40:51 Highlight the passage at 40:51

40:59 Ajahn Ghanha was sitting in a forest with some other monks, and a king cobra came. King cobras are very deadly snakes. And a king cobra going through the forest came right up to Ajahn Ganha and put its nose about this far from Ajahn Ganha's face. Other Report an error in the passage at 40:59 Highlight the passage at 40:59

41:31 monks saw it. That's how he described it. What would you do? If a snake is that close, it's a waste of time just jumping up and running away. Report an error in the passage at 41:31 Highlight the passage at 41:31

41:49 Snakes can go much faster than you can. So what Ajahn Ganha did, he opened his eyes, he lifted up his hand and patted the king cobra on the head. Report an error in the passage at 41:49 Highlight the passage at 41:49

42:11 Patted him. And he was saying, the other monk saw this, translated it into English, thank you for coming to visit me. What do you think that king cobra did? Report an error in the passage at 42:11 Highlight the passage at 42:11

42:28 You know how rare it is to be patted on the head by a holy monk? That King Cobra enjoyed every minute of it. And he kept on patting him on the head and then eventually the King Cobra sort of had enough and closed its hood, put its head down and went to see another monk. Report an error in the passage at 42:28 Highlight the passage at 42:28

42:55 Lifted up its head. And the second monk said, no way. If you want more parts, go back to Ajahn Brahm. And that was the monk who came to stay with us when we first started. About three months, I think it was. When he came to stay with us at Serpentine, he didn't see any king copas there. Report an error in the passage at 42:55 Highlight the passage at 42:55

43:24 Instead, he saw a surprise visit from the mayor of our local council. The Shire President, Clem Kentish. And, honestly, the Mayor Kentish, he was extremely wide in the middle. Okay, he was fat. Much more than I am, honestly. And he was wearing a jacket, and I first saw him. He only had one button holding his jacket together and even that was really being stretched. I thought any moment that button would just pop off. Report an error in the passage at 43:24 Highlight the passage at 43:24

44:15 And when I saw him coming, Ajahn Ghanha saw him first. And Ajahn Ghanha went straight towards the mayor and laughing, he couldn't speak any English, with his face smiling, Ajahn Ghanha. Ajahn Brahm started patting the mayor's tummy. Report an error in the passage at 44:15 Highlight the passage at 44:15

44:41 And I thought, honestly, this is my thought, I thought, oh my goodness, I wasn't quick enough to stop Ajahn Kanha. That's the end of our building projects. Report an error in the passage at 44:41 Highlight the passage at 44:41

44:54 I mean, this is a mayor, you can't do that, you know, to an important person who's just come on business to check that you're building it properly. Report an error in the passage at 44:54 Highlight the passage at 44:54

45:05 But what did the Klemkentish do? He just started giggling and giggling and giggling. He loved every moment of that. Honestly, we got our permission to build. That was the main hall over there. He gave us permission and he became a really close friend. He was our neighbor. And we would go and see him every now and again. I remember just going to his wife's funeral first and then eventually to his. I still remember. Report an error in the passage at 45:05 Highlight the passage at 45:05

45:40 I remember his daughter, Coralie, Coralie Kentish. And then when I went to his funeral, I had to go because we knew the family. I was a monk, but he was a neighbor. So I went and I said, I give my best wishes to you and sympathies for you. And then she went to give me a hug. She didn't know she was a girl, our local neighbor. Report an error in the passage at 45:40 Highlight the passage at 45:40

46:11 And I said, you can't do that. Before I finished saying that, she'd already got me. Yes, I can, she said. And she's a farmer's daughter. She would wrestle sheep for a living. I was an easy target. Report an error in the passage at 46:11 Highlight the passage at 46:11

46:38 Sorry, but anyway, she's a really good friend. As I confessed, I didn't have a choice. Totally involuntary. But I remember just those wonderful occasions, Ajahn Brahm had such kindness. What about, do I have any stories like that? Report an error in the passage at 46:38 Highlight the passage at 46:38

47:01 Of course. Not another couple of people, okay. Report an error in the passage at 47:01 Highlight the passage at 47:01

47:09 My story was in Thailand, when there's lots of snakes in Thailand. I used to do all these meditations once a week on the moon days. We would stay up all night meditating. And so you do get a bit tired after, you know. Not sleeping that night but meditating instead. So I got up just at dawn. Okay, the meditation was finished. Report an error in the passage at 47:09 Highlight the passage at 47:09

47:36 We just go and just have a bit of a wash and then we go and arms around. So I went out into the forest. I went out there to urinate. Report an error in the passage at 47:36 Highlight the passage at 47:36

47:49 You know, I just really needed to. And it was just the first light of the day, so the light wasn't very strong, but you could see where you were going. So you know the ancient way to urinate? You squat down, you don't stand up to urinate, you squat down, and you urinate squatting down. You've probably seen that in Thailand, and maybe in Sri Lanka. Report an error in the passage at 47:49 Highlight the passage at 47:49

48:16 Is that the way they urinate in Sri Lanka? Squatting down? You mean to stand up? Okay. What about the monks? Report an error in the passage at 48:16 Highlight the passage at 48:16

48:29 Yeah. No, because as a monk, we squat down. So anyway, I squatted down, and I just noticed in the first light of day that where I was urinating on, honestly, I thought it was a stick. But Report an error in the passage at 48:29 Highlight the passage at 48:29

48:56 when that stick started moving, I thought, oh my goodness, that's a snake. Because I was squatting down, it was only an inch or an inch and a half away from the most sensitive part of my anatomy. Monks have those as well, like any men do. And straight away I thought, oh my goodness, this is dangerous. So what did I do? Report an error in the passage at 48:56 Highlight the passage at 48:56

49:25 Nothing. And that stick was really a snake, a very venomous snake. It allowed me to urinate all over it. It didn't bite me at all. Why? Report an error in the passage at 49:25 Highlight the passage at 49:25

49:44 Because, you know, you've probably seen me do that tradition of holy water, where we sprinkle it on people. Honestly, I thought that's why that snake didn't bite me. Imagine how fortunate that snake had been, getting the real holy water, I mean the real stuff. Not just the ordinary fake water. The real stuff from a good monk just come out of meditation. Wow! That was such a lucky snake. Report an error in the passage at 49:44 Highlight the passage at 49:44

50:21 I wouldn't try that if I was you. So those are some of the enjoyable things you see which take away all your fear of life. Report an error in the passage at 50:21 Highlight the passage at 50:21

50:37 What Ajahn Chah did, one of the other things Ajahn Chah did with holy water, and this was one I saw myself, And I thought that sometimes the monks have to be a bit more careful, because sometimes they take risks, which may be just one risk too many. Report an error in the passage at 50:37 Highlight the passage at 50:37

50:59 He would never make holy water for people, very rarely. But once, in Thailand, I was there, just around Ajahn Chah's hut, and a major general came to see Ajahn Chah. Now Ponek, those are major generals. And in those countries, the military have enormous power. Report an error in the passage at 50:59 Highlight the passage at 50:59

51:30 So he came up and he paid respect. All his off-siders, just ordinary generals were there as well. And he said, can I have a blessing please? Can I have some holy water? And Ajahn Chah... He said, I could understand Ajahn Chah's speech by that time. He said, I don't have any. And he said, oh please. Now these are major generals in the Thai army. Report an error in the passage at 51:30 Highlight the passage at 51:30

52:01 You're not supposed to mess around with those at all. So he said, okay, come here. Report an error in the passage at 52:01 Highlight the passage at 52:01

52:13 That's when Ajahn Chah sees in my mouth, bend over, and Report an error in the passage at 52:13 Highlight the passage at 52:13

52:23 he spat all his saliva on the major general's head. Report an error in the passage at 52:23 Highlight the passage at 52:23

52:30 And I couldn't believe what he was doing. You can't do that. You've gone too far. For once Ajahn Chah had gone way too far. And then Ajahn Chah took his hand and started rubbing it in. Oh, God. And Report an error in the passage at 52:30 Highlight the passage at 52:30

52:51 that made you general. Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. And Ajahn Chah said, I don't do this to everybody, you know. It's the only one I've done it to. Report an error in the passage at 52:51 Highlight the passage at 52:51

53:03 And he got away with it. So I don't have any holy water here, but if anyone wants any... Report an error in the passage at 53:03 Highlight the passage at 53:03

53:13 I kind of grew up with that sense of humor. It's really good fun. And it was just teaching me just how to have a bit of fun and games. And these are the things which I always remembered. Just know how to be kind and have some joy and fun. As you're a monk, you don't have to be afraid of anything. And all these great monks, they would do stuff like that and I enjoyed it immensely and I sometimes participated. There's other ways you live when you're a monk. Report an error in the passage at 53:13 Highlight the passage at 53:13

53:53 You don't have fear. And the result of that is just honestly how healthy I've been for so many years. It's not bad for a 75 year old. Report an error in the passage at 53:53 Highlight the passage at 53:53

54:06 Is it? Would you reckon? Report an error in the passage at 54:06 Highlight the passage at 54:06

54:13 I tell silly stories. Yeah, I admit to that. So anyway, Thank you all for listening. Now, any comments or questions? Report an error in the passage at 54:13 Highlight the passage at 54:13

54:29 Comments or questions? No? Report an error in the passage at 54:29 Highlight the passage at 54:29

54:35 Remember this is the last talk I'll give here for a while, so that when I come back here after the range retreat, another three or four months, then hopefully you won't remember those jokes anymore. Good evening, Ajahn Brahm. Report an error in the passage at 54:35 Highlight the passage at 54:35

54:59 My question is just about how you bring that perspective of humor to your problems. So in your day, when you're going through a catastrophe or something is going on that's stressing you out, just bring that sense of humor and joy and that perspective to those sort of problems that seem big. Okay. A good example may be... Report an error in the passage at 54:59 Highlight the passage at 54:59

55:28 I'm just trying to think of a big catastrophe. Many, many years ago, you may remember that we had a big bushfire at Serpentine. A major bushfire. It was, I remember the temperature that afternoon. At the day, it was the highest temperature ever recorded in that part of Western Australia. Report an error in the passage at 55:28 Highlight the passage at 55:28

56:00 46.2 degrees. That was pretty hot. And so we knew that we were in danger. There's a big possibility of a bushfire. We were prepared for it. And so when it started coming late in the afternoon, that we were told the only thing to do was evacuate. Report an error in the passage at 56:00 Highlight the passage at 56:00

56:27 And I was the head monk at the time. Ajahn Chakra was down south somewhere. And so, okay, let's get all the cars together in front of the main hall. And you know what happens? People decide to actually point the front of the car in the direction of the hall instead of leading away with all of the cars locked for safety. Report an error in the passage at 56:27 Highlight the passage at 56:27

56:55 I said, look, we need to get in there quickly. Leave all of the doors open so we can get in there quickly and facing away from the hall. So eventually they moved everything to the right position. And then the next thing, one of the fire officers came into the hall. And he was the guy who ordered us, evacuate now! Report an error in the passage at 56:55 Highlight the passage at 56:55

57:21 Because the trees were exploding. That's what happens in a major bushfire. though the The oil in those gums, they just evaporate and cause this sheath of fuel around the wood. When that gets a spark, they go boom! Incredibly powerful explosions. When that started happening, we were ordered, get out now. So we got in the cars. Report an error in the passage at 57:21 Highlight the passage at 57:21

58:02 I made sure that everyone was there. There's always someone who's not there. One of our visitors, honestly, don't ask me why, he decided to change his trousers at the last minute. Report an error in the passage at 58:02 Highlight the passage at 58:02

58:19 Where has he gone? And then he came out just putting on his trousers, half naked. He never explained why. That's what happened. We evacuated. And so we went down. ...and reported at the front where the muster point was. We said we had to evacuate. And then we spent the night in a local farmer's shearer's shed. Report an error in the passage at 58:19 Highlight the passage at 58:19

58:54 We get some kind of sleep that night. And in the morning, I was invited as far as the head bushfire controller. I knew I was a senior monk. So he took me up to see Bodhinyana Monastery. And I thought, when you see it, trees exploding, that there was no chance that that would survive. When I went up the hill, Kingsbury Drive, and saw the monastery for the first time, it didn't have a wall in those days. Report an error in the passage at 58:54 Highlight the passage at 58:54

59:31 You could see right across the land, all the Trees had lost their leaves. There was nothing greenery there at all. But all the buildings survived. All of them. Which was unbelievable. You could see all of the cooties and the main hall. Everything was still there. Report an error in the passage at 59:31 Highlight the passage at 59:31

59:59 We'd lost the caravan and that was about it. So, wow. This was amazing. You have a good attitude. You never know what might happen. Report an error in the passage at 59:59 Highlight the passage at 59:59

1:00:15 How could that really occur? The only thing which I can ever say, please excuse me, this is me. This is heavenly beings. Something was protecting us. Otherwise it shouldn't be there. Even the next day, the chief fire officer from the city of Perth came to investigate. And when he came, I took him around one of the A-frame kutis. And he looked underneath it, around it, all over it. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:15 Highlight the passage at 1:00:15

1:00:46 And then he just looked at me and said, Ajahn Brahm, this should not be here. He didn't understand why it survived. Remember, that's what he said. Surprised even him. Huge fire. To this day, it is the second most hottest day in Western Australia, in that part. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:46 Highlight the passage at 1:00:46

1:01:14 About two or three weeks later, there was a hotter day. We'd already had our fire. The temperature's never got that hot again. It's pretty hot, 46 degrees. So anyway, we survived. How come? Honestly, you can't say it's because of our hard work or anything. It's like, kind of, not just luck, but other beings looking after us. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:14 Highlight the passage at 1:01:14

1:01:46 Go on. You have a question? So that's what happens, and of course... While that was happening, we had a good time. You go on. Ajahn Brahm, just now you said, you know, when you were young in Thailand, you got sick, you know, and Ajahn Chah visited you, and he said that you're either going to live or die. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:46 Highlight the passage at 1:01:46

1:02:13 Yeah, but your sickness is not going to last. Yeah, so the thing is, okay, yeah, sorry, I just comment first. You see, when you're sick, okay, The typhus, the germs or the virus entered you, it's trying to take over your body. Correct. So the thing is, the whole thing is impermanent. And then if you are strong in mind, in that case you have a strong mind, and your body is still strong, so you use that meditation to fight it off. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:13 Highlight the passage at 1:02:13

1:02:49 We don't fight. So what do you do? you put on like a positive things to overcome it, isn't it? Yeah, it is a peace with everything. Yeah. So the mind is very powerful, Ajahn Brahm said. The mind can heal or it can even heal you. So whenever we are not well listening, we have to use that positive mind. If you know what the positive mind is, you don't use the positive mind to fight. Just to be incredibly peaceful and still. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:49 Highlight the passage at 1:02:49

1:03:28 Still. Yeah. Look, you know I've said that to you before, that if you get into really deep meditation, honestly nothing can harm you. I'm not just saying this. A good example of that, in about a week's time, At Jhāna Grove Meditation Retreat Center next to the monastery, we have a group of people from Hong Kong and from Indonesia doing a nine-day meditation retreat or seven-day meditation retreat. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:28 Highlight the passage at 1:03:28

1:04:06 Last year, one of those ladies, I hope she's coming again, when it came to the last day of the retreat, in the middle of the night, she went to one of the stupas. Sat on the stupa all night. And in the early morning, once the sun came up, she was still sitting there, and Della, the person who was looking after that group, told her, please come out now, we're going to monastery to do this entry to the rain stay, and afterwards we have to go to the airport. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:06 Highlight the passage at 1:04:06

1:04:51 She didn't respond. She was like a dead person, still sitting. So that's when she came and saw me, told me what was occurring. Oh, great! I said, no, just go back over there and don't say anything with force. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:51 Highlight the passage at 1:04:51

1:05:15 Say it with kindness. Don't tell her she has to get up. Tell her very gently. Ajahn Brahm invites you to please come over to Bodhinyana Monastery for the beginning of the rains ceremony. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:15 Highlight the passage at 1:05:15

1:05:37 And Della told me she did that, but this girl never responded. I said, no, wait! You're not in the normal type of mind. You've got to allow that instruction to get in. And to actually to get her out of the meditation. So about 15 minutes later she turned up and she saw me sitting in the main hall and said, you asked me to come over here. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:37 Highlight the passage at 1:05:37

1:06:07 That was the instruction, but kindly. And I said, yes, do you want any breakfast? She said, no, I just want to carry on sitting here. Go sit over there. And she carried on sitting meditation for a bit longer. That's what happens when a person gets into deep meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:07 Highlight the passage at 1:06:07

1:06:26 If you want to get them out, be kind, don't order them, don't shout. You may think you must shout because they are sitting there so peacefully, but that's the wrong way. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:26 Highlight the passage at 1:06:26

1:06:41 See all of us here, even though we don't have sickness, we don't have sickness here, but we are also subject to mood swings. in it, mood swings, you know. Sometimes we feel good, sometimes we just feel down, all the things. So is it Ajahn Brahm, the power of the mind, you know, to help us through? Each time I come here, they ask, Eddie, how are you? I say, oh, I'm fine. They say, okay, very well. I always think positive. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:41 Highlight the passage at 1:06:41

1:07:15 So what do you think, Ajahn, you have to put in more positive thoughts? Yes, of course. You have a choice. Yeah. So use that choice, never to get depressed or upset. Look, you know, this is the last talk I'll give here for quite a long time. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:15 Highlight the passage at 1:07:15

1:07:37 No more silly jokes. No more going over time. How do you feel? Please enjoy. And please, if you need to hear another talk, I'll go to a monastery or just... Go online and get some of the old talks and play those. There's so much talks I've been given. I've been a monk 52 years now. How many talks do you think I've given in 52 years? Please I apologize if I tell old jokes again because you've heard all the huge amounts of other jokes many times already. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:37 Highlight the passage at 1:07:37

1:08:19 There's only a certain amount of jokes anybody has. Is that true? Thank you for appreciating. But anyway, I still tell them because I enjoy telling them. So anyhow, anybody else has something to say? Report an error in the passage at 1:08:19 Highlight the passage at 1:08:19

1:08:37 Yeah. Oh, really? Report an error in the passage at 1:08:37 Highlight the passage at 1:08:37

1:08:46 What's in it? I know what's in it. I know what's inside of it. My head. Wow, that's a really comfortable one. Yeah, it is. It's nice. Yeah, thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:46 Highlight the passage at 1:08:46

1:09:08 It's really nice being a monk. You don't have to go shopping. Shopping comes to you. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:08 Highlight the passage at 1:09:08

1:09:20 Anything else anyone wants to say? Report an error in the passage at 1:09:20 Highlight the passage at 1:09:20

1:09:26 In your absence, you know, the monks, you know, we can come here, Ajahn Brahm, here in the big hall here, and... It's being renovated. The prayers, oh, well, even a small hall. The devas can help us too, Ajahn Brahm. Oh, yeah. The power of the mind when you speak, you know, to the shine, all these things, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:26 Highlight the passage at 1:09:26

1:09:44 Yeah, sure. The power. Yeah, I agree. But anyway, all that... Thank you, anyway. ...being closed off. When are we closing it off? I've got some ones online. Okay, let's quickly. There we go. First question. What does freedom from desire mean? Not what it means, how it feels. How it feels means you're not in the prison anymore. You're not controlled by these thoughts. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:44 Highlight the passage at 1:09:44

1:10:13 I want this, I need that. If Marx built monasteries, is that desire? No way. Because what can you do with building monasteries? You've got monastery here, monastery there. You've got so many monasteries. And even, she's not here, even sometimes people say, oh, I think we need to make your monastery better by changing the carpet in your rooms. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:13 Highlight the passage at 1:10:13

1:10:39 No, why? I say no to many things. Is that fair? Is that a good idea? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:39 Highlight the passage at 1:10:39

1:10:51 I still remember Ajahn Chah's bedroom. His bedroom, there was just a grass mat, a wooden pillow, and that's about it. I couldn't believe it. It brought tears to my eyes, how he was really famous, being supported by the Queen of Thailand and many other really wealthy people, and he didn't have anything. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:51 Highlight the passage at 1:10:51

1:11:16 There's something about that inspired me. Dear Ajahn Brahm, I left a high-control religion. Was that ours? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:16 Highlight the passage at 1:11:16

1:11:27 Am I a high-controller? But my mind still treats... was. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:27 Highlight the passage at 1:11:27

1:11:34 Doubt as danger. I constantly chase certainty and reassurance. How do you build a peaceful spiritual life on uncertain ground? I love uncertainty. What's uncertain grounds these days? Unlike the ocean. Do you like going surfing in the ocean? How many of you like on the uncertain, always moving surface of water? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:34 Highlight the passage at 1:11:34

1:12:05 Sometimes you know it's uncertain, but you make these beautiful choices. You don't assume what's not there, and you have a wonderful life. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:05 Highlight the passage at 1:12:05

1:12:17 It's not high control. High control is like high stress, so I prefer uncertainty. Honestly, living in a forest, is that uncertain? I don't even know where I'm going to have a breakfast tomorrow morning. I just trust a couple of you will please come. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:17 Highlight the passage at 1:12:17

1:12:42 Actually, a couple is more than a couple. There's always heaps of you come, even for lunch as well. Venerable Ajahn, within the context of anattā, what is actually happening right now? This speaking, this listening, this understanding? It's just happening, but it's not yours. You can't control it. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:42 Highlight the passage at 1:12:42

1:13:06 Should I talk about something else? No, I just open my mouth, see what comes out. So that's called anattā. Not controlling. Honestly, I thought when I came in here, just what should I give a talk on this evening? What did I give a talk on? I haven't got a clue. I just talk. Anyway. Hello Ajahn Brahm. How to overcome emotional eating. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:06 Highlight the passage at 1:13:06

1:13:39 Thank you. It's Mehta from India. Emotional eating? You mean you eat your emotions? No. What does it mean? Or is it just because you eat because... You know, you feel that, not because you're hungry, but it's something to do. Is that what emotional eating means? Report an error in the passage at 1:13:39 Highlight the passage at 1:13:39

1:14:04 Oh, okay. Thanks for letting me know that. I don't do that. I just eat when I'm supposed to, morning and lunch, and that's it. If I get upset in the evening, oh, I swear I really suffer. Oh, that's really hard. Of course I don't. So, how to overcome emotional eating? Thank you, Amit. Just look after your emotions. Be at peace rather than always worried about what time it is. Kind of be at peace. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:04 Highlight the passage at 1:14:04

1:14:40 Sorry, but it's just, I live as a monk. It's just a long time since you've even thought of doing emotional eating. Often I eat too much. I admit that because sometimes I feel I have to. Because always when I eat, people are looking at me. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:40 Highlight the passage at 1:14:40

1:15:03 And I feel guilty when you bring some food to me and I don't eat it. I do, honestly. And some of the reason why I get fat is not because, you know, I want to eat. It's because now you are looking at me and I feel I should be eating something. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:03 Highlight the passage at 1:15:03

1:15:25 Do you feel that as well? Report an error in the passage at 1:15:25 Highlight the passage at 1:15:25

1:15:32 And sometimes I eat things I shouldn't eat. And I know that I'd rather not eat it. You're looking at me and just, well, okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:32 Highlight the passage at 1:15:32

1:15:41 Honestly. Not because I like it, because it's all kind of... One thing I really don't like doing is wasting things. So if it's gone in my bowl somehow or other, and it's not always me, I don't always put things in the bowl. Sometimes people put things in the bowl for me. And then I just, I try to tell you, that's enough. And they say, oh, just a bit more. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:41 Highlight the passage at 1:15:41

1:16:07 A bit more and a bit more and a bit more and a bit more. Honestly. So anyway, that's it. Finished. You want to go? Why? This is the last talk for a long time. No? Okay, yeah, we'll finish then. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:07 Highlight the passage at 1:16:07

1:16:30 Please excuse me. I have to take the hat off when I bow. But I'll put it on again afterwards. It's okay? Report an error in the passage at 1:16:30 Highlight the passage at 1:16:30