Right Intentions

0:00 Alright, so tonight, before coming here, actually when I got here, somebody asked me what I'm going to talk about. I said, I didn't really plan, I'm going to talk about Buddhism. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:23 So, no, actually I want to talk about application, use of right intention or right thought in lay life. Right? How do you do that second part of the Eightfold Path? Hopefully everybody has heard of it. Is there anybody who never heard of right intention? No? Oh, good. So Report an error in the passage at 0:23 Highlight the passage at 0:23

1:02 what is right intention? Report an error in the passage at 1:02 Highlight the passage at 1:02

1:07 Right intention is usually defined as absence of desire. Report an error in the passage at 1:07 Highlight the passage at 1:07

1:16 Right? Of too much lust for worldly things. Report an error in the passage at 1:16 Highlight the passage at 1:16

1:24 then absence of ill will and absence of harmlessness and Report an error in the passage at 1:24 Highlight the passage at 1:24

1:42 it actually is very important factor of the path you know because what Buddha says is whatever one thinks about becomes the inclination of his mind then subsequently you know their speech and the actions will follow Report an error in the passage at 1:42 Highlight the passage at 1:42

2:10 Of course, it comes from your view. Report an error in the passage at 2:10 Highlight the passage at 2:10

2:16 But sometimes we don't think about our views. We can be easily influenced by other kind of inputs quite easily. Then we can get lost in the train of thought. Report an error in the passage at 2:16 Highlight the passage at 2:16

2:46 So when actually in the suttas they talk about absence of ill will or absence of too much desire you know is that right intention or is there much more to it you know you know because sometimes you know during sort of like you know in Buddhism or back in the day they work on kind of like absence of things you know rather than presence of things you know Just like enlightenment is kind of like described as absence of greed, hatred, delusion, you know, but to a normal person, you know, it doesn't sound much. Report an error in the passage at 2:46 Highlight the passage at 2:46

3:40 They say like, okay, yeah, you know, greed, hatred, delusion is there and what else is there, right? You know, what do you think an enlightened person's mind would be? Report an error in the passage at 3:40 Highlight the passage at 3:40

3:56 A lot of happiness. A lot of pleasure. Because Report an error in the passage at 3:56 Highlight the passage at 3:56

4:08 that's how kind of like the ancient text sort of like, you know, they are, our philosophy was set up in that way, you know. And it influences how we teach nowadays, you know. Report an error in the passage at 4:08 Highlight the passage at 4:08

4:28 Is Buddha asking you to kind of, you know, just stop right there, right? So you don't do any harmlessness. You don't have ill will. Is that enough? No. Report an error in the passage at 4:28 Highlight the passage at 4:28

4:48 Buddha asking us to cultivate all those good qualities, to cultivate all those wholesome thoughts. If we look at his own journey, when he talks about before his enlightenment, and he says, I divided my thoughts. into two categories wholesome and unwholesome according to the right view when Report an error in the passage at 4:48 Highlight the passage at 4:48

5:30 those thoughts are divided then Report an error in the passage at 5:30 Highlight the passage at 5:30

5:40 you can choose your wisdom of course you divide them with wisdom with wisdom when you pay attention to them especially unwholesome thoughts They become more. It eventually led Buddha becoming enlightened. Just the power of those wholesome thoughts. Of Report an error in the passage at 5:40 Highlight the passage at 5:40

6:17 course, you know, you have to go through samādhi, you know. But it's preliminary and it is very powerful. Report an error in the passage at 6:17 Highlight the passage at 6:17

6:33 And how do you use right thought or right intention in this world? Report an error in the passage at 6:33 Highlight the passage at 6:33

6:43 So opposite to ill will, is mettā, loving kindness. Report an error in the passage at 6:43 Highlight the passage at 6:43

6:57 Opposite to harmlessness is compassion, karuṇā. Report an error in the passage at 6:57 Highlight the passage at 6:57

7:14 You think it's enough that, you know, as kind of like a Buddhist, it's okay to say, you know, I sit here and close my eyes and I practice friendliness and compassion, you know. It's okay if you see any... But in front of you suffering, right? So you don't need to get up from your seat and help them. Is that enough? Report an error in the passage at 7:14 Highlight the passage at 7:14

7:42 No. Report an error in the passage at 7:42 Highlight the passage at 7:42

7:49 It's just not mental actions. It also involves physical, verbal actions. Report an error in the passage at 7:49 Highlight the passage at 7:49

8:05 Because since you are lay people, you have much more responsibilities to this world. You can come and we can provide you advice, but we certainly cannot be involved in those political things. Report an error in the passage at 8:05 Highlight the passage at 8:05

8:49 and and other kind of like you know social things i Report an error in the passage at 8:49 Highlight the passage at 8:49

9:07 think nowadays you know there is so much hate and division being created as a buddhist you think it's okay to sit back and focus on our practice no Report an error in the passage at 9:07 Highlight the passage at 9:07

9:25 it is not compassion it is not loving kindness and Report an error in the passage at 9:25 Highlight the passage at 9:25

9:41 i think people are seeing the You know, effects of climate change. You know, people are talking about all this heat wave which is going in Europe. Right? And there are so many wildfires and, you know, and people are losing their homes. As Report an error in the passage at 9:41 Highlight the passage at 9:41

10:12 Buddhists, should we take action? As lay people? Yes. You know. If I was a lay person, you know, of course. Report an error in the passage at 10:12 Highlight the passage at 10:12

10:28 But we... Whatever action you think is needed, you know, we follow it accordingly, you know. But we won't be bitter or angry towards people who are causing it. Report an error in the passage at 10:28 Highlight the passage at 10:28

10:52 We have this mind of loving kindness towards all beings. You Report an error in the passage at 10:52 Highlight the passage at 10:52

11:06 think you'll be angry, I'm not sure if you are angry towards, you know, people like Donald Trump, right? He probably has been one of your relatives in your previous lives. Report an error in the passage at 11:06 Highlight the passage at 11:06

11:28 He could have been your brother. And he was probably a very generous person. And me, probably he didn't have much reflective capacity. So he didn't have enough wisdom. But because he was generous, he was born in a rich family. Report an error in the passage at 11:28 Highlight the passage at 11:28

11:59 Would you be really, really angry with your relative or your family member? Yeah? One guy said, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 11:59 Highlight the passage at 11:59

12:14 But it brings much harm to yourself, right? If you're angry, you're only hurting yourself. Report an error in the passage at 12:14 Highlight the passage at 12:14

12:30 You're not going to hurt the other person. You're probably going to also spoil your relationship. relationship. Report an error in the passage at 12:30 Highlight the passage at 12:30

12:50 And that's actually one of the unfortunate things is, you know, people Report an error in the passage at 12:50 Highlight the passage at 12:50

13:00 kind of like, you know, say, oh, I'm not a bad person. I don't do bad things. Indeed, you are a very good person, you know. But Buddha is not asking us to just stop there. He wants us to develop our mind, to develop those more positive, wholesome states. Report an error in the passage at 13:00 Highlight the passage at 13:00

13:29 So whenever action is needed, you know, do many of those good people in this world, do they ring their politician when they are not happy with, you know, certain action your government is taking or, you know, or whether it's inflation or any of those things? Do you let your voice or your opinions know? Report an error in the passage at 13:29 Highlight the passage at 13:29

13:58 Because most of the people don't. Report an error in the passage at 13:58 Highlight the passage at 13:58

14:07 People do not realize their power. Whether you, you know, it's in kind of like, you have this power in your country, you know, socially, politically, you know, or whether it's kind of like spiritual, getting enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 14:07 Highlight the passage at 14:07

14:37 You know, as they say, we all have this capacity to become enlightened, to become these really powerful beings. spiritually better than superman but Report an error in the passage at 14:37 Highlight the passage at 14:37

15:08 unfortunately we just sit back and we and we feel this sort of like helplessness but if we cultivate those good qualities of loving kindness and compassion it will give rise to so much happiness inner selves and other beings to Report an error in the passage at 15:08 Highlight the passage at 15:08

15:55 practice mettā and it can lead to really really powerful states of mind and people say sometimes like oh it's really hard to meditate you know but we don't listen to Buddha's advice you know and his advice was you know if you practice loving kindness right one of the benefits is Your mind becomes still quickly. Report an error in the passage at 15:55 Highlight the passage at 15:55

16:37 But if we don't live our life, you know, according to mettā, with mettā, it would be hard to meditate. Our physical and verbal action has to be there as well. Not just when we close our eyes. Report an error in the passage at 16:37 Highlight the passage at 16:37

17:08 And what is the other benefits of mettā? Is you sleep well. Anybody suffers from insomnia? Yeah? One person there? Mettā meditation. You don't have bad dreams. Report an error in the passage at 17:08 Highlight the passage at 17:08

17:31 You are pleasing to these spirits called these earthly devas or ghosts and others. And sometimes they might even give you a lottery number. Right? Report an error in the passage at 17:31 Highlight the passage at 17:31

17:58 So there are lots of benefits of mettā meditation. And actually one of the other benefits is, you know, especially the women, they're going to like it. Your complexion becomes better. So you don't need to go to all those beauty clinics and all those expensive products. Report an error in the passage at 17:58 Highlight the passage at 17:58

18:20 You know, no need to have a plastic surgery. Report an error in the passage at 18:20 Highlight the passage at 18:20

18:29 Only these celebrities knew, right? They would make movies from it, yeah. So Report an error in the passage at 18:29 Highlight the passage at 18:29

18:50 there is lots of benefits to mettā meditation, right? And what's the other part of right intention is this thought of renunciation, right? Report an error in the passage at 18:50 Highlight the passage at 18:50

19:07 Nikamma sankhapa, not having that strong worldly desires. desires, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 19:07 Highlight the passage at 19:07

19:20 Because that's where the five precepts follow, like right action. And what also follows from that is generosity, dana, you giving up. Report an error in the passage at 19:20 Highlight the passage at 19:20

19:42 What's the benefit of giving up? When you are generous, you feel happy. You feel happy straight away. And Report an error in the passage at 19:42 Highlight the passage at 19:42

20:04 what is the karmic consequences when you are generous? You become rich. You can become rich like Donald Trump. Report an error in the passage at 20:04 Highlight the passage at 20:04

20:21 And Report an error in the passage at 20:21 Highlight the passage at 20:21

20:34 these all come from right intention. Report an error in the passage at 20:34 Highlight the passage at 20:34

20:47 What are those five precepts? If people don't know. So, not killing beings, right? Which comes from karuṇā, loving kindness. Report an error in the passage at 20:47 Highlight the passage at 20:47

21:07 And why Buddha says that? Because it leads to suffering of others. It also has bad karmic consequences for yourself. Just that act alone, if you kill a human being, just the karmic consequences of that particular action, it leads to short life. Report an error in the passage at 21:07 Highlight the passage at 21:07

21:34 And if you say they were like animals or You know, you're injuring them, you know. It leads to kind of like illnesses. Report an error in the passage at 21:34 Highlight the passage at 21:34

21:47 It's not because now you have, you are sick, doesn't mean, you know, because you did some particular bad action. It's also a reality of having a body as well. Report an error in the passage at 21:47 Highlight the passage at 21:47

22:00 We all have those good, bad karmas from the past, you know. It's just the reality of existence. Report an error in the passage at 22:00 Highlight the passage at 22:00

22:13 And the second part is taking what is not given. Report an error in the passage at 22:13 Highlight the passage at 22:13

22:21 Because this action alone, you know, you become poor. Report an error in the passage at 22:21 Highlight the passage at 22:21

22:38 And the third one is, you know, not taking any intoxicants. Report an error in the passage at 22:38 Highlight the passage at 22:38

22:48 No, sorry, it's the fifth one, you know, sexual misconduct. Report an error in the passage at 22:48 Highlight the passage at 22:48

22:59 And that is, You give up, renounce. When you don't do this, you're following, following the right intention. Report an error in the passage at 22:59 Highlight the passage at 22:59

23:13 You're not following your desires too much. And the fourth one is not having any false speech. So rather than you have friendliness, loving kindness towards others and yourself, you're not deceiving them. Report an error in the passage at 23:13 Highlight the passage at 23:13

23:36 And you don't feel bad afterwards yourself. And you become a very trustworthy person. People trust you. And the last one is not taking any intoxicants. Because you lose your mindfulness. It Report an error in the passage at 23:36 Highlight the passage at 23:36

23:58 reminds me of a very bad joke. There was this man. He was at pub and he got drunk so much. you know, and And then he decided that like, you know, he had enough. He needed to go home. So he got up. And as he tried to walk, you know, he fell onto the floor. Report an error in the passage at 23:58 Highlight the passage at 23:58

24:28 And so then he sort of like dragged himself out of the pub, you know. And he took the assistance of the sort of like the door and he got up, you know. And he was leaning against the wall of the pub outside. You know, and then when he tried to walk, you know, he fell down again. Report an error in the passage at 24:28 Highlight the passage at 24:28

24:57 So then he kind of like, you know, crawled himself, you know, to the house, which was like, you know, not that far away, you know. No matter how many attempts he tried, he would fall, right? Because he was so drunk, you know, and he slowly, slowly, he got to the house, you know, you know, he covered in dust and very, you know, so, and he fell asleep, you Report an error in the passage at 24:57 Highlight the passage at 24:57

25:35 know, and in the morning, his wife kind of like saw him, you know, and he, and he, and she said to him, he's like, oh. You forgot your wheelchair in the pub again, didn't you? Report an error in the passage at 25:35 Highlight the passage at 25:35

26:03 Because this is what intoxicants do, right? You forget. You lose your mindfulness. Report an error in the passage at 26:03 Highlight the passage at 26:03

26:20 And when you are intoxicated, you break the rest of the precepts. Report an error in the passage at 26:20 Highlight the passage at 26:20

26:33 So these are the kind of dangers. There's this funny story which happened to a monk during the time of the Buddha. This monk had these psychic powers and he fought a naga, you know, with fire, with fire, he kind of like, you know, fire-breathing naga, right? So he tamed this naga, you know, otherwise known as a dragon, right? And all the lay people heard about it in the village and they were so impressed with this monk, right? Report an error in the passage at 26:33 Highlight the passage at 26:33

27:13 So when he went for a pindapath, for alms round in the village, they asked him, he's like, oh, you know, venerable, you know, what would you like to have, right? We want to give you something special. He's like, oh, give us what is hard to give. And he's like, what would you like? He's like, alcohol, you know, it's not easy to get. Report an error in the passage at 27:13 Highlight the passage at 27:13

27:36 So they gave him a lot of alcohol and he got drunk, right? All right? And, uh... And then he was lying on the sort of like, you know, cross path, drunk, you know, and he didn't have any mindfulness. And the monks went to the Buddha and they said to him, you know, that monk is, you know, over there. Then he addressed the rest of the monks. Report an error in the passage at 27:36 Highlight the passage at 27:36

28:05 He's like, look, you know, the other day this monk fought this sort of like, you know, this Naga, you know. And defeated him. Today he can't even defeat a lizard. Report an error in the passage at 28:05 Highlight the passage at 28:05

28:22 So Report an error in the passage at 28:22 Highlight the passage at 28:22

28:32 that's why Buddha asking us to protect our mind. Because innocent people can do so many damaging things when they are intoxicated. Because they don't have any grip. And Report an error in the passage at 28:32 Highlight the passage at 28:32

29:03 just keeping those precepts, is that enough? Is that right action? No. Report an error in the passage at 29:03 Highlight the passage at 29:03

29:17 Unfortunately, we forget. Report an error in the passage at 29:17 Highlight the passage at 29:17

29:24 If we have lot of mettā towards ourselves and others, we practice generosity. Report an error in the passage at 29:24 Highlight the passage at 29:24

29:39 Generosity in terms of helping others who are in need. Generosity in kind words. words Generosity in desiring less, not fighting over things. Because this sense of self, eventually it all comes down to this sense of self, this empty hole that we try to fill with worldly things. That's why people break precepts. And we chase these sense pleasures, one to another. Report an error in the passage at 29:39 Highlight the passage at 29:39

30:22 And it never satisfies us. You think all those billionaires or those trillionaires, you know, are they happy? No. They are the most miserable people. Report an error in the passage at 30:22 Highlight the passage at 30:22

30:39 You are probably much more happy than those people. Report an error in the passage at 30:39 Highlight the passage at 30:39

30:47 You have a lot of loving kindness. All Report an error in the passage at 30:47 Highlight the passage at 30:47

31:15 this, you know, worldly pleasures has never satisfied us, you know. That's why Buddha looked at it with great wisdom, not just in this life, you know, many, many of his previous lives. Report an error in the passage at 31:15 Highlight the passage at 31:15

31:35 It's like we've been through all those different realms of existence, you know, where we experienced a lot of pleasure, not in sort of like, you know, as human beings, you know, in different type of gods. Report an error in the passage at 31:35 Highlight the passage at 31:35

31:55 In Brahma realms, has that satisfied us? No. Report an error in the passage at 31:55 Highlight the passage at 31:55

32:05 And we're all sitting here. Report an error in the passage at 32:05 Highlight the passage at 32:05

32:14 Rather, we take this pleasure through renunciation. When we renounce and we cultivate loving-kindness, it's much more fulfilling. You Report an error in the passage at 32:14 Highlight the passage at 32:14

32:36 don't have those unwholesome thoughts at the back of your mind. Constantly, you know, asking you to move and do these things, causing all this restlessness. And Report an error in the passage at 32:36 Highlight the passage at 32:36

33:12 when we pay attention, and Report an error in the passage at 33:12 Highlight the passage at 33:12

33:17 it leads to much more beautiful states of samādhi. Report an error in the passage at 33:17 Highlight the passage at 33:17

33:26 And just like as Buddha described, you know, and eventually through these great states of samādhi, It leads us to seeing the reality as it is, which leads to highest bliss, enlightenment, just from following right thoughts. Report an error in the passage at 33:26 Highlight the passage at 33:26

33:58 That's the power of thought. Report an error in the passage at 33:58 Highlight the passage at 33:58

34:10 So that's what we should focus on every day, not just in our meditation when we get up. Report an error in the passage at 34:10 Highlight the passage at 34:10

34:22 How I want to spend the day. How I look at people around me. How I look at other beings. Report an error in the passage at 34:22 Highlight the passage at 34:22

34:36 And you can solve so many things in this world just through right thought and right view. Report an error in the passage at 34:36 Highlight the passage at 34:36

34:54 You don't become so hard on yourself. You Report an error in the passage at 34:54 Highlight the passage at 34:54

35:06 don't need to change anything. When you accept yourself, of course, Nobody here is perfect in this room. Report an error in the passage at 35:06 Highlight the passage at 35:06

35:20 But this is not you. Report an error in the passage at 35:20 Highlight the passage at 35:20

35:27 Your mind is not yours. Your thoughts are not yours. They are conditioned from the past. Report an error in the passage at 35:27 Highlight the passage at 35:27

35:39 When you accept that this is just a conditioned phenomena flowing, when you are accepting, you make peace with it. Then you don't have this constant urge. Report an error in the passage at 35:39 Highlight the passage at 35:39

35:56 You know, wanting to correct, wanting to be different. Rather you have loving kindness for yourself. Report an error in the passage at 35:56 Highlight the passage at 35:56

36:09 It's not in some sort of like a narcissistic way, you know, because nobody is there. It's just the flow of life coming from one to another. Report an error in the passage at 36:09 Highlight the passage at 36:09

36:25 You're kind to others, people who are different to you, who look different to you, who have sexual orientation different to you. Report an error in the passage at 36:25 Highlight the passage at 36:25

36:44 Because all these beings in this universe, we are kind of like one family. Report an error in the passage at 36:44 Highlight the passage at 36:44

36:54 Even the animals. When we have great compassion, you know, you can address those things, you know, being a vegan or vegetarian. Report an error in the passage at 36:54 Highlight the passage at 36:54

37:10 What do you think Buddha would say? You think he'll be a vegan nowadays? Or vegetarian? Report an error in the passage at 37:10 Highlight the passage at 37:10

37:24 No? No comments? Report an error in the passage at 37:24 Highlight the passage at 37:24

37:32 He probably would say, yeah, being a vegan or vegetarian is a very good thing. Report an error in the passage at 37:32 Highlight the passage at 37:32

37:42 Why? I'm not sure it's what I'm saying going to be popular with Ajahn Brahm. Report an error in the passage at 37:42 Highlight the passage at 37:42

37:55 Because there is so much kind of like, you know, things available nowadays. You know, when Buddha was around, you know, population was very limited, right? You know, agriculture wasn't that much. Report an error in the passage at 37:55 Highlight the passage at 37:55

38:15 So just to sustain the body, you know, people had to eat whatever was available. Now there is so much abundance. Report an error in the passage at 38:15 Highlight the passage at 38:15

38:31 It's probably also good for the planet. Report an error in the passage at 38:31 Highlight the passage at 38:31

38:37 Otherwise you're going to have more heat waves in this world. I think in WA we have the kind of like the lowest rainfall so far in July. It's been really dry. abundance. Report an error in the passage at 38:37 Highlight the passage at 38:37

38:50 We could see it in our monastery. Report an error in the passage at 38:50 Highlight the passage at 38:50

38:59 So we just don't think about ourselves. We eat meat or whatever because we like the taste. Or is it because you need somehow to justify that you need it for your body? Report an error in the passage at 38:59 Highlight the passage at 38:59

39:25 I don't know. I'm not an expert. I don't promote anything. Report an error in the passage at 39:25 Highlight the passage at 39:25

39:32 In the end, it's an individual choice. Report an error in the passage at 39:32 Highlight the passage at 39:32

39:38 It's an individual choice. What do you want to do in your life? Report an error in the passage at 39:38 Highlight the passage at 39:38

39:58 All we can do is give Report an error in the passage at 39:58 Highlight the passage at 39:58

40:06 you the teachings of the dharma. Report an error in the passage at 40:06 Highlight the passage at 40:06

40:12 It's a lay people's responsibility. How much you want to take and practice. Report an error in the passage at 40:12 Highlight the passage at 40:12

40:23 So I offer these words of dharma for your reflection. Thank you for listening. Report an error in the passage at 40:23 Highlight the passage at 40:23

40:41 Any comments or questions? Are there any from the floor? Report an error in the passage at 40:41 Highlight the passage at 40:41

40:53 One question here. Yes, go ahead, Prem. Report an error in the passage at 40:53 Highlight the passage at 40:53

41:08 Ajahn, you mentioned generosity and also spoke about generosity in terms of helping others and doing physical work. Can I have the opportunity to promote an event where they can practice that on Sunday? Oh, yes, in Bodhinyana Monastery. Yes, I mentioned that we have the Vassa Entry to Rains retreat on Sunday at Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine. Report an error in the passage at 41:08 Highlight the passage at 41:08

41:33 If you have not seen the inside of the monastery where the monks live, especially Ajahn Brahm lives, his wonderful, his famous cave, this is one of the two days in a year where you can follow a nice group guided tour into these places. And at the same time, be generous in terms of helping people to clean up and do lots of things. There will be a couple of hundred people coming at least, depending on the weather. Report an error in the passage at 41:33 Highlight the passage at 41:33

42:05 So there is a lot of opportunity to practice generosity on Sunday. Starts at about 9, 9.30 and goes on till about half past 12, 1 o 'clock. If you go on the long tour, you might be a little late. So it's a very interesting day. So please remember that. If you are free, if you are not free, make yourself free as Ajahn Ram says. Otherwise, just take a drive up there and then enjoy the day. Report an error in the passage at 42:05 Highlight the passage at 42:05

42:33 Lot of food, plenty. Okay, alright. Thank you. Thanks, Prem. Report an error in the passage at 42:33 Highlight the passage at 42:33

42:42 Can we take questions from... Report an error in the passage at 42:42 Highlight the passage at 42:42

42:50 Thank you. Okay, question from Germany. Dear Rajan, should we start every meditation with the beginner's mind? When life is peaceful, it is easy. When it is hard, I have lost my mind completely. How do I find stillness? No, you haven't lost your mind. You'll be enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 42:50 Highlight the passage at 42:50

43:23 Well, the easiest way is to practice some sort of renunciation. conciation. Report an error in the passage at 43:23 Highlight the passage at 43:23

43:36 You try to let go of the world. So when you sit down, it's none of your business. You need to use wisdom. Otherwise, you cannot find those moments of peace. And remember, when life is hard, you have lots of thoughts. There are always gaps between those thoughts. So focus on those. Report an error in the passage at 43:36 Highlight the passage at 43:36

44:09 And also practice the entirety of the eightfold path, not just meditation. And it would help you a lot. So try that. Report an error in the passage at 44:09 Highlight the passage at 44:09

44:27 Second question. Bhante, Dhamma mentioned if one is generous, one would be wealthy in their future life. One would expect generous qualities will also continue. Report an error in the passage at 44:27 Highlight the passage at 44:27

44:41 But all rich people aren't generous. Very good question. Reason is there are so many circumstances. And sometimes it's hard to predict when the ripe of that fruit will follow. You also need to have other qualities. You know, present in your mind you know that you will continue and also current circumstances of the you know your current life will dictate you know if you become a businessman and the way the business is set up and you have also these greedy people around you you know you're going to be conditioned by those Joso is just not previous life's conditioning, it also is current life's conditionings. So it's not as straightforward. Report an error in the passage at 44:41 Highlight the passage at 44:41

45:49 But if you are following dhamma, you are following the eightfold path, then that dhamma, those qualities, spiritual qualities will continue. You would feel that in your life. Report an error in the passage at 45:49 Highlight the passage at 45:49

46:10 Okay, third question. Present state of the world makes me angry. With wars going on, it makes me anxious and angry. How to have mettā to these world leaders creating chaos in the world? Report an error in the passage at 46:10 Highlight the passage at 46:10

46:30 It is very hard when somebody is doing all these evil things. But you also need to look at how much suffering there would be. Report an error in the passage at 46:30 Highlight the passage at 46:30

46:46 They are just not one single person doing all this. There are so many people around them, so many forces around them. Report an error in the passage at 46:46 Highlight the passage at 46:46

47:03 And you can also just look it in your own mind. When you have done anything bad, or you are doing anything bad, your mind state is not positive. Report an error in the passage at 47:03 Highlight the passage at 47:03

47:21 And with wars, when they kill human beings, you know, and it's a horrible state to be. Giving orders, then they have to justify rest of their life in their mind. They live with that, you know. So you don't want to be upset, spoil at your state of mind. You rather practice compassion. Report an error in the passage at 47:21 Highlight the passage at 47:21

47:59 And people who are killing and also people who are getting hurt. What you also can do is, I don't know, ring your local politicians. Report an error in the passage at 47:59 Highlight the passage at 47:59

48:14 Make your voice known about things. Report an error in the passage at 48:14 Highlight the passage at 48:14

48:23 Unfortunately, many people don't do that. Do something about it. Use it in a positive way. Report an error in the passage at 48:23 Highlight the passage at 48:23

48:36 I remember, I think, who was it? The guy who did the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer, right? I think for the rest of his life, he was quoting these sort of like verses from Bhagavad Gita, you know, to justify himself, you Report an error in the passage at 48:36 Highlight the passage at 48:36

49:01 know, because Krishna was saying like, oh, I'm, you know, doing this and that, you know, and because he felt guilty. He was choosing these kind of like, you know, verses from these spiritual texts that were his duty or something to be fulfilled, you know. I don't think he was a happy person after that. Report an error in the passage at 49:01 Highlight the passage at 49:01

49:37 So many soldiers who come from these wars have so much trauma. It's not easy. It's not easy, yeah. So no need to spoil your state of mind. So rather practice Eightfold Path. Hopefully that answers your question. Report an error in the passage at 49:37 Highlight the passage at 49:37

50:00 Yes, one question. Can you please use the mic? I'm Report an error in the passage at 50:00 Highlight the passage at 50:00

50:09 not sure how to word it, but I'll try my best. There's a lot of talk I find about not killing animals, not consuming animals and animal products. Report an error in the passage at 50:09 Highlight the passage at 50:09

50:22 Not so much talk about plants. Report an error in the passage at 50:22 Highlight the passage at 50:22

50:28 Because everything is energy, and plants feel as well. And they can even create music. They've been hooked up to synthesizers, so they're very feeling as well, plants. So sometimes I wonder, maybe eating things that just drop from the trees naturally might be wise, like avocados and figs and dates. All that kind of stuff might be able to sustain the body well. It's just a thought. According to Buddhism, plants are not kind of like sentient beings, you know, who have kind of like these, you know, as kind of they can think like as humans. Report an error in the passage at 50:28 Highlight the passage at 50:28

51:17 Of course, there's some sort of like, you know, consciousness in a way, you know. All this, our planet is alive, right? And our body, you know, most of it, where it comes from, it's made up from plants, you know, direct or indirect way, you know. Our body have all these sort of like, you know, microbiome, funguses and bacterias, right? So are plants, so are, is in the soil, right? Report an error in the passage at 51:17 Highlight the passage at 51:17

51:56 So it's just body is basically grown from this planet, just like plants and trees, you know. But this is unfortunately, you know, this is the reality of existence. You have to sustain this body, you know, to get out this saṃsāra, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's another question over there. Excuse Report an error in the passage at 51:56 Highlight the passage at 51:56

52:34 me. Is that Most hardest challenges in our lives, is that a part of karma? I mean some challenges, not all these. Like very hardest challenges, are those a part of karma? Are part of karma? Yeah. Is that a part of karma? Yes and no. Because everything is not determined by karma. karma, you know. Report an error in the passage at 52:34 Highlight the passage at 52:34

53:08 If something bad happens to you, you know, don't think I have done some really bad karma in the past, that's why it's happening to me, you know. Report an error in the passage at 53:08 Highlight the passage at 53:08

53:19 Buddha says sometimes this, you know, karma is the one-eighth factor or one-sixteenth factor, you know, depending on the context. You have to have a really developed mind, you know, to see. What karma actually led to this? Anything can happen to you, what can happen to a human being? This is actually the kind of disadvantage being reborn. Report an error in the passage at 53:19 Highlight the passage at 53:19

53:54 So that's why we should be careful how we live our life. Report an error in the passage at 53:54 Highlight the passage at 53:54

54:03 Thank you. Anything Report an error in the passage at 54:03 Highlight the passage at 54:03

54:10 before Eddie joins in? Is there a question, Eddie? Report an error in the passage at 54:10 Highlight the passage at 54:10

54:20 Okay, it's a comment. Actually, I wasn't going to ask a question tonight, but since it's a good note tonight, you give a talk on right thought, it's very important, you know, Ajahn Nibbuto, very important, thank you very much. Last week, Ajahn Hasapanah gave a talk on right understanding, and now yours is the first note. Report an error in the passage at 54:20 Highlight the passage at 54:20

54:44 The Eightfold Path is a path towards the end of suffering. okay? So the thing now is, if we have right thoughts, you know, I ask you, Report an error in the passage at 54:44 Highlight the passage at 54:44

55:11 You feel calm, you feel peaceful. If the thought is wrong, wrong thought, you know, you don't feel well, isn't it? There's a disturbing emotion, why, you know? Wrong thoughts is like a revenge, you know, you say this something to me, I want to put you back, all these things, you know, all this, you know, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 55:11 Highlight the passage at 55:11

55:32 So this is not, this is not the pathway. Wrong thought is increasing suffering. If you have right thoughts, you know, so for us, we have to, as human beings, we have to put in more right thinking, you know, okay, to direct, you know. Say, for example, sorry, I'm going to ask you, for me, you know, I measure my well-being through my feeling, you know. Oh, I don't feel well. Report an error in the passage at 55:32 Highlight the passage at 55:32

56:05 What is it? Oh, it's phenomenal. There's something, this thing, I keep harping on it, negative thing, you know. yeah that's why I don't feel good you know okay yeah so what I do is like you go and see the doctor sometimes what's wrong they give you all these pills you know you know to take to calm you down Whatever you say. Report an error in the passage at 56:05 Highlight the passage at 56:05

56:29 the Buddha, you know, put in more positive thoughts to drown the negative thoughts. Then we up ourself, then we are OK. Isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 56:29 Highlight the passage at 56:29

56:41 Whatever you say. No, no. No, no. You brought up a good topic, isn't it? Yeah, very good. Generally, mind over matter. If you think good, you feel good. If you think bad, you feel bad. So we have to put in more good thoughts, you know, outside out, isn't it? Yeah, very good. That's a good thought. All right. Thank you very much. All right. Thanks, Hadi. Report an error in the passage at 56:41 Highlight the passage at 56:41

57:08 Very good. Let's pay respect to Buddha Dhammasang. Report an error in the passage at 57:08 Highlight the passage at 57:08

57:26 Sammasambuddho, Bhagavad Buddha, Bhagavata. Report an error in the passage at 57:26 Highlight the passage at 57:26

57:48 Supatipanno bhagavato savakasangho sanghanamami Report an error in the passage at 57:48 Highlight the passage at 57:48