Community and Trust

0:00 Okay, so now I'm going to give a talk about something or other. I haven't got a clue what. Sometimes I have a kind of an idea, but today I don't. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:10 So anyhow, so I just remembered just the first meditation which I ever did because I just mentioned it. Those of you who want to go to toilets or go outside, sit outside, are already fed up and want to go home. If you all go home, I really support that. Then I can go and have a nice easy night. Is that true? I don't know, but I know that many come in, many go out. So one of the things which is kind of important is remembering the joy and the happiness of the meditation and the wonderful people who come here. Report an error in the passage at 0:10 Highlight the passage at 0:10

0:51 This is where we start to build up a community of people who trust one another, who are kind to one another. It's one of those stories I kind of remember. I had an old school friend who came to see me in Thailand many years ago. And I don't know how to kind of entertain a friend. You know, you can't take him to the pub or see a movie together. These are all things which we don't do as monks. So what I decided to do, I said to make sure, can you please get up early the next morning and come on the alms round with us. Report an error in the passage at 0:51 Highlight the passage at 0:51

1:31 And alms round... It's a 2500 year old tradition which we've had as monks. We do it very early in the morning, basically just after dawn in the northeast of Thailand. And it's a beautiful opportunity, the monks just walking quietly through the village. And the villagers who depend on us in so many different levels would offer alms food, little balls of sticky rice. Report an error in the passage at 1:31 Highlight the passage at 1:31

2:04 My goodness, that's one of the reasons why a couple of Thai people here, you know how much I love that sticky rice? Mostly just because of the good memories it gives me. But anyway, my friend said, okay, but no way in the world can I get up at, no, I think 5.30 in the morning, you know, to start the alms round, the first light. Report an error in the passage at 2:04 Highlight the passage at 2:04

2:31 And I said, don't worry. I will come to your room and I'll just knock gently on the door and wake you up. He was an old friend for years and years and years. And so that's what I did the following morning. We walked on this alms round quietly. Just at the first light you can see the smoke from the fires where they boil the water to cook the rice in the village. Report an error in the passage at 2:31 Highlight the passage at 2:31

2:57 So members of that village all came into the monastery. To ask forgiveness. I couldn't understand it. You had more food today. You didn't have to feed the monks. Why are you asking forgiveness? It's our gift to you. I said, no. You don't understand what alms round is. We were westerners just learning the ropes of Buddhism. When you give to somebody else, you get so much joy back, so much happiness. Report an error in the passage at 2:57 Highlight the passage at 2:57

3:34 It's just like when, it's New Year's, Christmas, when you invite your friends, family for a meal. Don't you get much happiness? Of course you do. That sense of giving and sharing is much more than material things. It's the happiness, the trust. Every time I've given something to somebody, I got so much joy back. One thing which comes to my mind, once I was just passing through Singapore airport. Report an error in the passage at 3:34 Highlight the passage at 3:34

4:20 That's another hub where I just go so often. I've got to be very careful going so many times through airports because I visit terminals so often. They say you're going to get terminal disease, Ajahn Brahm. Report an error in the passage at 4:20 Highlight the passage at 4:20

4:40 Thank you for laughing. It encourages me. But anyhow, going through, and there was like a Western lady, I think she was an American, just in between flights, just trying to get a few minutes sleep and rest. I know what it's like to be jet-lagged. I recently came back from UK, and I said even this afternoon, I was more tired than expected before this evening's talk. Still a little bit of jet lag left. But anyway, she was trying to get some sleep. Report an error in the passage at 4:40 Highlight the passage at 4:40

5:14 I didn't know her at all. But then, as I walked past the little bench she was trying to sleep in, I had some eye shades. Report an error in the passage at 5:14 Highlight the passage at 5:14

5:25 And so, do you want some eye shades? She said, oh yes, please. And I just gave it to her. She was like half asleep. She didn't realize. I was just, you know, someone who just passed by, no friends, I'd never seen her before in my life, but just gave her a set of eye shades. It's a beautiful thing to be able to do, and I remembered that. Report an error in the passage at 5:25 Highlight the passage at 5:25

5:47 That made the flight back from the airport to Perth so happy for me. When we share and we give to one another, it's a totally different world we live in. And so when... We never went to the village for alms food that morning. The villagers were really upset. They asked, what did we do wrong? Report an error in the passage at 5:47 Highlight the passage at 5:47

6:13 Said nothing. It taught us what that community is. And I just also remember just when I came over to Perth after nine years, I think, over in Thailand. I came over to Perth and it was quite a few years. Before I had the opportunity to go back to Thailand to visit. And when I did, the villagers after nine years of being part of the community, they got to know you. Report an error in the passage at 6:13 Highlight the passage at 6:13

6:47 So much so, no one announced, we didn't have newsletters or emails or stuff like that which the villagers could look at. When I went there on alms round the first day, Report an error in the passage at 6:47 Highlight the passage at 6:47

7:03 In Thailand, you're not supposed to look at the monk, you're putting food in the bowl. But they saw there's a new monk at the head of the line. They looked up, and as soon as they noticed me, they started crying. It's like recognition of, you know, a person who belonged to that community. They will never forget it. And these are the sorts of things which you get with communities. Report an error in the passage at 7:03 Highlight the passage at 7:03

7:36 If I did go over to England, or if I did stay longer than just two weeks, would you miss me? Report an error in the passage at 7:36 Highlight the passage at 7:36

7:47 Honestly, yes. And I'd miss you as well. That's why the weird thing, but I never regard any of you honestly like students. I regard you as my family. A lot of you, no matter what color you are, no matter what gender, no matter what you're from or how you talk, because I see you so often and that caring becomes really, really strong. Report an error in the passage at 7:47 Highlight the passage at 7:47

8:18 And that sense of community is what kind of I was telling my friend in the early morning. For one thing he told me, and I thank him for this, he said it was a strange feeling that night when he went to bed and went to sleep. Because he said he was living in London. And in London, many friends tell him, yeah, they'll be there at this particular time. Report an error in the passage at 8:18 Highlight the passage at 8:18

8:47 They will wake you up at this particular time. They'll give you a call or an email. A lot of times, they don't. But he said, because you were a monk and the lifestyle was so simple, he knew that I would. Of course, I did. That kind of certainty, that trust was something I took for granted. But for him it was rare. Report an error in the passage at 8:47 Highlight the passage at 8:47

9:18 He said he went to sleep not having to set his alarm. He knew that I'd be there in the morning knocking on his door, giving him time to wake up, go to the toilet, get dressed, get ready for the alms round, which was a beautiful experience. This was sometimes what we know about a community, where we trust one another. We're friends. We'd always be looking out for each other. Report an error in the passage at 9:18 Highlight the passage at 9:18

9:49 That's why things like New Year's or Christmas or whatever, you don't care what sort of holiday it is. I remember just an art teacher, Ajahn Chah, you know, he never... He'd never seen a Christian ceremony before. But he said, why are you Westerners getting so into Christmas? What is Christmas, he asked. Report an error in the passage at 9:49 Highlight the passage at 9:49

10:19 And we explained it to Ajahn Chah as a season of goodwill and kindness, forgiveness and friendships to all beings. We're just being honest, not historically, but what that actually means. When you go to, you know, some of your family for Christmas, when you just, you know, send people little greetings or kars throughout the world, you know, those of you born in that Western tradition, what does it mean to you? Report an error in the passage at 10:19 Highlight the passage at 10:19

10:52 And once Ajahn Chah heard what it meant, he said, wonderful. So he would come every year to Wat Ba Na Na Cha on Christmas Day, but he would never call it Christmas. He called it, it's one, budpitamus, buddhicrismus. Why not celebrate the good things in people's traditions, no matter what those traditions are? Report an error in the passage at 10:52 Highlight the passage at 10:52

11:24 Any bad things, of course we don't sort of celebrate. We celebrate without having to, you know, get into, please excuse me, alcohol and things. That's one of the reasons why. One of the best events of New Year's or even Christmas or Buddha-mas here, which Ajahn Modito is going to celebrate. After the event is finished, when you go home, please try and find a policeman. Report an error in the passage at 11:24 Highlight the passage at 11:24

11:59 And if you get stopped by a policeman, they do random checks all over the place, they ask you, please madam, have you been drinking? He said, yes. Can you please test your alcohol level? And you blow into the tube and it comes with zero reading. That's really good fun. You said you've been drinking. Oh yeah, of course. Tea, orange juice, coconut juice. Report an error in the passage at 11:59 Highlight the passage at 11:59

12:34 But we have parties where no one gets drunk and they get even more happy, more joyful. Which is kind of a great lesson in spreading that you don't need alcohol to be happy and have fun. Some of that fun is just, you know, the friendship you have with so many different people from so many different lands. Report an error in the passage at 12:34 Highlight the passage at 12:34

12:59 And that friendship is gorgeous because that means you can do what I do. Sometimes if I land at any airport, sometimes you meet people, hey, you're Ajahn Brahm. Yeah. And so you have many places you can stay, much food that you're offered. Actually that's not a benefit, that's usually a danger. Sometimes they give me so much food. Look what they've done to me over the years. It's not just Thais, Sri Lankans, Malaysians, Singaporeans, Bangladeshis, Australians as well. Report an error in the passage at 12:59 Highlight the passage at 12:59

13:38 They always love to feed you. Do people like feeding you as well? Are you going to go to a friend's house for dinner or for lunch or something? If ever you do, please tell them how wonderful their food was. Report an error in the passage at 13:38 Highlight the passage at 13:38

13:58 I always notice that that's something which I have learnt in a community to praise people. To say, wonderful, what you're doing is... If they do something for you, they just, like, even like they carry my bag or they go and get me something which I was needing. I always say thank you and I make sure they hear it. Because praise does actually make a lot of difference in your life. Report an error in the passage at 13:58 Highlight the passage at 13:58

14:25 How many times do people put you down and tear you off? And how many times do they praise you? Even a relationship you have, maybe with your partner in life. Even not just your partner, your boss. Sometimes people give me that nickname these days, Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Big Boss. Report an error in the passage at 14:25 Highlight the passage at 14:25

14:50 How many times have I told you off? How many times have I praised you? Sometimes, like Eddie, how many times have I told you off? How many times have I praised you? Report an error in the passage at 14:50 Highlight the passage at 14:50

15:12 This is something which I found. I don't know when the last time I told this story, but it's worth listening to. Many years ago, because I was working... In cancer research, basically, I met a lot of people from different faiths and religions working there as well. And some of those were pastors, not pastors, chaplains. Report an error in the passage at 15:12 Highlight the passage at 15:12

15:37 And one of them was the head chaplain at Curtin University. He got to know the work I was doing. And because he was at Curtin University, he asked the vice-chancellor to nominate me One of the awards, the John Curtin Medal, many years ago. How many of you remember that? Only one, two, three, okay. So anyway, the John Curtin Medal was awarded once a year to somebody or groups which promoted community service, vision and leadership. Report an error in the passage at 15:37 Highlight the passage at 15:37

16:22 Those were the qualities. of the Australian wartime Prime Minister John Curtin, who was under a huge amount of pressure, but managed to do a reasonably good job. Report an error in the passage at 16:22 Highlight the passage at 16:22

16:34 And so, this chaplain nominated me. I never knew anything about it, until the letter came and said, we're awarding you that medal. Report an error in the passage at 16:34 Highlight the passage at 16:34

16:48 It was quite a great honour, just to be offered this. When I was offered this medal, you had to go to the ceremony. That's why some of you went to that ceremony, the John Curtin Medal. And I told everybody at the time, why offer it to me? Because community service is what you do instead of going to prison. Report an error in the passage at 16:48 Highlight the passage at 16:48

17:18 And vision, honestly, if I got vision, I have to wear spectacles. Leadership, okay, I try my best. But I went to the ceremony and you had to give a speech like, you know, people do do. And so I gave my speech and my speech was, I still remember it, said, I don't know why you've given this award to me. Report an error in the passage at 17:18 Highlight the passage at 17:18

17:44 It's a great honor. There are other people in the community who serve and help out much more than I will ever do. And also, I couldn't be able to do this without their help and service of all the people who support me. But you know, thank you anyway. Report an error in the passage at 17:44 Highlight the passage at 17:44

18:03 That was basically my speech. And the next year, you got to go to another person's John Curtin Medal Ceremony. And this was Professor Jofie from, I think it was, was it Charlie Gardner's Hospital? And he was the head hematologist treating people with cancer. But what he did, I was listening to his story, why they chose him to receive this medal. Report an error in the passage at 18:03 Highlight the passage at 18:03

18:36 It was because, as well as being a hematologist, he noticed that there were some people who weren't being cared for. They'd go for great treatment, but afterwards they walked out of the hospital or their friends looked after them. There was no real aftercare and that aftercare was, he decided this was really important. He used his position to get about three or four rooms in the hospital. Report an error in the passage at 18:36 Highlight the passage at 18:36

19:07 He got sponsorship from Brown's Dairy and he introduced things like homeopathy, Reiki, what else did he do there? Other massages, anything which was on the edge. Report an error in the passage at 19:07 Highlight the passage at 19:07

19:24 Which hadn't got the full scientific support. Many of his colleagues thought he was going a bit balmy. You know, where's the evidence for this? But nevertheless, he did this and after a couple of years, they found out that this was actually working. Report an error in the passage at 19:24 Highlight the passage at 19:24

19:45 Even like Reiki. Is that... Am I right? I've never had Reiki or done Reiki. That's when people... Put their hands over you, they don't even touch you. But it said that somebody was with you for half an hour, for free, giving you kindness. Report an error in the passage at 19:45 Highlight the passage at 19:45

20:06 There was a kindness which worked. They're giving homeopathy or other massages or whatever else, doesn't matter how weird or wonderful it was, the most important ingredient was that kindness and care they're spending one on one time with you, not like a doctor does. Report an error in the passage at 20:06 Highlight the passage at 20:06

20:24 They can't do it as a doctor, they've got schedules and stuff. But this was volunteers. Much better, much greater than usual. Report an error in the passage at 20:24 Highlight the passage at 20:24

20:35 And he had his John Curtin medal. And when he received his medal, he gave his speech. And I recognized his speech straight away. I don't know why you've given this medal to me. There's others in the community who do much better work than I do. And I couldn't have done this anyway without the assistance and help of all those other doctors and nurses and supporters who helped me out. Report an error in the passage at 20:35 Highlight the passage at 20:35

21:08 It was my speech, nearly everyone's speech, whoever someone says thank you to. When I heard that and understood its meaning, I realized if ever anyone praises me, I will never, never refuse that praise. I will accept it. So if you say, Ajahn Brahm, thank you for what you've done. And I'll say, yes, I deserve it. Report an error in the passage at 21:08 Highlight the passage at 21:08

21:40 Why are we laughing when I said that? Because it doesn't give you a big head. That's what I was taught when I was young. Oh, you don't receive praise. Criticism, yes. You made a mistake. You've done it wrong. You know, you haven't been sitting in the right posture. Sit in the correct posture. How many times you're always told off and criticized? Report an error in the passage at 21:40 Highlight the passage at 21:40

22:04 Compared to how many times you praised, it's because of that that we have little happiness in this world. We can't relax and enjoy ourselves. We don't trust the people we live with or work with. Imagine, just imagine, if you hardly got any criticism, you got a whole heap of praise. I even mentioned that to Daniel, our driver, when he was driving. Report an error in the passage at 22:04 Highlight the passage at 22:04

22:36 I was actually last week, but they went through one of these police speed camera things. And a speed camera, they actually don't fine you, they just tell you how fast you're driving. I said, you're under the limit, well done. I praised him, he said, why are you praising me? And I told him the story of this jurisdiction and the police decided instead of having speed cameras and fining people, You know, when they sped, you're not supposed to speed, it's dangerous. Instead of, you know, finding people and punishing them for it, all you learn, all I learned from the punishment regime at the school where I grew up, was not to get caught. Report an error in the passage at 22:36 Highlight the passage at 22:36

23:23 I didn't realize why any sort of punishments or something were there in the first place. And so, I remember hearing this story, this jurisdiction decided... To tell the police, don't find motorists, but if you see a motorist, a driver, driving well, always under limit, not speeding, turning left or right properly, follow them for a little while, and if they really are a good, courteous, kind driver, stop them and give them a $200 reward instead of a $200 fine. Report an error in the passage at 23:23 Highlight the passage at 23:23

24:04 It's called positive reinforcement. Isn't that a wonderful thing to do? That would encourage people to drive properly much more than fines or points off your license. So they managed to see this driver, always driving really, really well. So the policeman stopped him and said, so this won't take a few minutes. Report an error in the passage at 24:04 Highlight the passage at 24:04

24:29 I'm not coming here to criticize you or to fine you. I just want to offer you a gift because we've noticed you're a very, very good, courteous, kind driver. Here's the $200. Report an error in the passage at 24:29 Highlight the passage at 24:29

24:45 I said, oh, it's wonderful. Because now I've got the $200, I can afford to buy a license. Report an error in the passage at 24:45 Highlight the passage at 24:45

25:00 Sorry, but I had to tell a joke during a talk. Report an error in the passage at 25:00 Highlight the passage at 25:00

25:06 But the praise, when you praise people, that actually does make them, again, a bigger heart. Rather than a bigger head. You feel much better about yourself. You feel much better about the family in which you live. You might feel much better sort of coming to this place. Hopefully I never ever tell you off no matter what you do. Report an error in the passage at 25:06 Highlight the passage at 25:06

25:34 But I praise you. How many of you have been coming every week? You give your donations. Please don't make good works anonymous. Report an error in the passage at 25:34 Highlight the passage at 25:34

25:46 They inspire people. They inspire me. They give you a much bigger heart. Whenever I've done that and praised someone, especially the monks or the nuns, they work harder to get more praise next time. It increases their good behavior. Same with the kids. What's it like being a kid? There's a couple here that are still listening. Report an error in the passage at 25:46 Highlight the passage at 25:46

26:15 Well done. Thank you for coming. Even if you pay more attention to the book you're reading or the monkey, monkey is very close to monk, so well done. It means that they enjoy coming here. Often when people bring their kids over to Bodhinyana, sometimes you tell your kids, please behave, don't do this, don't do that. Report an error in the passage at 26:15 Highlight the passage at 26:15

26:45 My goodness, I don't encourage that at all. Mum and dad, please let the kids feel happy when they come here. They can play around. Sometimes it can be really entertaining. And when they play around and they just move around, at least they feel happy coming to see monks or nuns. Which means later on in their life, they can always have like a godfather or godmother. I was going to say a fairy godmother, but... Report an error in the passage at 26:45 Highlight the passage at 26:45

27:20 I can't say words like that. But you know, just the idea that another member of their family who they can trust, who they know they don't feel afraid of, and that can really help them out when in times of difficulty. Report an error in the passage at 27:20 Highlight the passage at 27:20

27:37 And that's what we do. Okay, you get to know quite a few people these days, and that could be very, very helpful for you. Just that time, just because I was talking about Curtin University, that I got to know the vice-chancellor in the old days so well that when I needed her help, it was so easy. It was one of the Sri Lankan women. They were studying nursing over in Curtin University. Report an error in the passage at 27:37 Highlight the passage at 27:37

28:19 They had a couple of kids and also their husband was working two jobs in order to try and pay all the bills while she was learning to pass her degree in nursing. Report an error in the passage at 28:19 Highlight the passage at 28:19

28:37 And that's when Sri Lankan community here told me that her husband coming home from work, not resting enough, crashed the car. ...and killed himself. It's only because he was trying too hard to look after the family. Report an error in the passage at 28:37 Highlight the passage at 28:37

28:59 And she was in big stress because she didn't have that much money. She was just on a scholarship, I think, from Sri Lanka, which now would be gone because her husband had died, or something like that. Sri Lankan community. He raised enough money to pay off most of her bills, but staying at university was an impossibility for her. Report an error in the passage at 28:59 Highlight the passage at 28:59

29:32 So that's when I came in. I said, I'll fix this up for you. Me fixing up, how can I fix up? So, just to call the VC, the vice chancellor. Just called her office. Ajahn Brahm here. Can I speak to Jeanette Hackett? She was the vice chancellor. Got straight through. Report an error in the passage at 29:32 Highlight the passage at 29:32

29:57 She knew me. She trusted me. I said, look, we've got a problem. One of your students, the husband died working too hard. Any chance of a scholarship? I look into it. The next couple of days, she was awarded a scholarship. All expenses paid. It made her life and education possible. I'm so proud of that. Report an error in the passage at 29:57 Highlight the passage at 29:57

30:25 You've done something good for somebody. All that hard work which I've done. It created that trust when somebody really needed it, it was given. Report an error in the passage at 30:25 Highlight the passage at 30:25

30:38 And I love doing stuff like that. I love doing stuff like that because what it does, there are sometimes people have difficulties in their life they don't really deserve. Report an error in the passage at 30:38 Highlight the passage at 30:38

30:51 And sometimes if someone can say, look, you know, I know that lady. It's real. They're struggling. Can you do something? Then it's actually given. And she usually comes to see me once a year, just to check in with me. She's now a senior nurse. I forgot exactly what her role is. But you know, she was smart enough. Report an error in the passage at 30:51 Highlight the passage at 30:51

31:17 She made sure that scholarship she was awarded. She worked hard to do her act of gratitude towards the country. It was wonderful what she did. Report an error in the passage at 31:17 Highlight the passage at 31:17

31:29 Or just like one of those other stories which I love to talk about, you know, with migration, how many people just want to stop migration? Report an error in the passage at 31:29 Highlight the passage at 31:29

31:43 What's it like, you know, if you are kind of coming from a country where you've lost everything? I know many people who are migrants and apparently now is, I think, 50 years. Since the migrants actually left places like Vietnam, there's a big ceremony over this weekend for 50 years since the Vietnamese migration to Australia after the war. Report an error in the passage at 31:43 Highlight the passage at 31:43

32:12 And there's this one gentleman I know, you know, when he came in a boat, had absolutely nothing. But what he always remembers, somewhere in Western Australia, the first people he saw were these two Australian, West Australian fisherman. And when the two Australian fishermen saw him, they shouted out at him, Welcome to Australia, mate! Report an error in the passage at 32:12 Highlight the passage at 32:12

32:44 Have a beer! Report an error in the passage at 32:44 Highlight the passage at 32:44

32:48 He remembered that. It wasn't so much having a beer, it's just a welcome. You know, West Australians would do. And I often talk about him because he did so well in his life. He moved over to Adelaide. And he spent two terms as the governor of South Australia. That's how much he was respected. I kind of love stories like that. People give you kindness. It doesn't make you have a big head, have a big heart so you can serve others later on. Report an error in the passage at 32:48 Highlight the passage at 32:48

33:28 So it's wonderful when we can have that community together, doesn't matter what religion, what race, and look after one another. Report an error in the passage at 33:28 Highlight the passage at 33:28

33:37 And that makes me happy. That's my job, basically, to actually create that community and that wonderful sense of trust with one another. Report an error in the passage at 33:37 Highlight the passage at 33:37

33:50 So, I was going to tell you, why not? This evening we've had a couple of talks about a relic exhibition which is coming up. Report an error in the passage at 33:50 Highlight the passage at 33:50

34:06 And sometimes I think, do you want to go to a relic exhibition? If you do, Go to Bodhinyana Monastery. We've got lots of relics on display there, all for free. But today also, I don't know why, a Sri Lankan family, I went to their house for the dharma and they asked, can I bring some relics over in Bodhinyana Monastery for the ceremony? Report an error in the passage at 34:06 Highlight the passage at 34:06

34:34 I've only ever done that once before. And anyway, so I did it for them this afternoon. And that's when, because I was actually holding the relics and presenting it to them, just for the ceremony, I said some of the stories behind these relics. I love telling these stories, they're a bit weird, but they're all true. The first time I did this, having relics coming into Australia, was when over in the north of Malaysia, this Burmese monk, Theravāda monk, he presented me with a lot of relics and I asked him why and are they real relics? Report an error in the passage at 34:34 Highlight the passage at 34:34

35:22 He said what he was doing was going to the remote areas of Burma, Burma at that time, and there were many stupas, old monuments which had fallen over, gone into disrepair. Relics have been around for hundreds of years and sometimes the stupas they built over in Myanmar, the junglers have taken over and they've fallen to bits, they've crumbled. Report an error in the passage at 35:22 Highlight the passage at 35:22

35:55 And also through earthquakes as well. So he was going to remote areas and searching for any old ruins so he could collect those, any relics which were in there. Report an error in the passage at 35:55 Highlight the passage at 35:55

36:13 And he said one place he went to, he found out the location because one of the villagers has suddenly become quite rich. And he asked the villager, how come you suddenly got some money? And because it was a monk, he said, no, I'm not a police, I'm not investigating anything. It's just, if there are any relics, I want them so I can worship them. And so he said, yes, he did find some old ruins. Report an error in the passage at 36:13 Highlight the passage at 36:13

36:42 And in those ruins was a golden casket with some bones in them. He said he poured the bones out, because basically he said, I'm a really poor villager, I can't sell bones, but I sell the casket, which was golden. So he sold that in the market and that's where they found out that he'd actually discovered one of these ruined stupas. Report an error in the passage at 36:42 Highlight the passage at 36:42

37:09 And so, the monk asked him, Please, please, please, please, all I want is those bones. So he took him into the jungle a couple of days. They found that stupa, they found those bones and he took them and put them in proper containers. Report an error in the passage at 37:09 Highlight the passage at 37:09

37:27 And those are some of the relics which are now in Bodhinyana Monastery. He handed them to me. I had no doubt about them. But also that imagine bringing those bones ...into Australia. Even then, the customs were very, very strict. They had basically the same forms as you sign today. All the list of things which you're not allowed to bring into Australia. And I listed them under human remains. Report an error in the passage at 37:27 Highlight the passage at 37:27

38:10 That was the only category which made any sense. As a monk, you have to be honest. Put on the list, human remains. And I said, of course, I went through the red channel. Something to declare. When I went through that red channel, I said, what have you got? Human remains, I said. Report an error in the passage at 38:10 Highlight the passage at 38:10

38:36 Monks are honest. Don't ever be afraid of being honest. Because it's amazing what happens next. Really. So I took them out and showed them to the customs officer. And he said, I said. Report an error in the passage at 38:36 Highlight the passage at 38:36

38:52 He called the head of the customs over who was on duty that evening. I need some help on this. What's the problem? This gentleman here in the brown robe, bald head, he says he's bringing to Australia human remains. Report an error in the passage at 38:52 Highlight the passage at 38:52

39:09 And he had a look at it. What remains are they? And I put my hands up as I usually do. I said, these are Buddha relics. I told him where I got them from. They were all sort of, no way you could open the lids of these things. Report an error in the passage at 39:09 Highlight the passage at 39:09

39:25 And this guy, I remember him saying, this is too difficult for me, he said. Get out of here. So that's how I got them into Australia, just through honesty. But also, when you bring them in, the other little stories about those relics was that years and years ago, there was a very good one of my favorite monks called Ajahn Tate. Report an error in the passage at 39:25 Highlight the passage at 39:25

39:55 He was a monk, when I first went into Thailand, that he was in a hospital, in Sirirat Hospital, under the care of the King of Thailand at the time. He was dying of cancer. And when the doctors in the hospital, 100 % good care, said, there's nothing more we can do. Report an error in the passage at 39:55 Highlight the passage at 39:55

40:22 He said, it's much better that I go and die in my monastery. Which was over in, on the Mekong River, just a few miles upstream from Nankai. Report an error in the passage at 40:22 Highlight the passage at 40:22

40:38 So he went back to his monastery. It took him another 25 years to die. Report an error in the passage at 40:38 Highlight the passage at 40:38

40:46 A wonderful monk. He was the one, I'm going off on tangents like I usually do. He was the one... I really, really wanted to see him, to ask some questions which Ajahn Chah never answered. So I had to make an appointment, even in those days, it was so popular, I had to wait in line. When it was my turn, I waited two or three days to see him. I came into the room, I had all the questions worked out. And as soon as I came into the room, and he turned around, this tiny man, monk's robe, looking out into the Mekong River. Report an error in the passage at 40:46 Highlight the passage at 40:46

41:26 I said to him, I just got blasted by so much loving kindness, real loving kindness. All I could say was, you know, I think it's probably better that we find the answers to our own questions. He said, yes, that's true. Basically, I was just making an excuse that all those questions I waited two or three days to actually get the appointment to ask had all totally vanished. Report an error in the passage at 41:26 Highlight the passage at 41:26

41:59 It wasn't I was scared, I was just being blissed out. And that's what happens and I thought at the time that you're going to have to get the strongest water buffalo in the region to drag me out of this place. I just don't want to go. You felt safe, at home, at peace. No one would ever criticize you. No one ever will do anything to harm you. Report an error in the passage at 41:59 Highlight the passage at 41:59

42:29 It's one of the safest moments I've ever felt with this great monk. But anyway, with this great monk, how did I get into this, with relics? Report an error in the passage at 42:29 Highlight the passage at 42:29

42:44 Oh yeah, he gave three relics when he visited Perth many years ago, before I'd come. And he gave these relics to this lady who lived in Mangyumup. She was one of our members. Many of you may know her. I think, where is... Lin? It's Maureen Barton, her name was. And her husband left her, and so she was staying in this house by herself. And then, one day, because she didn't have a husband at this time, she asked a carpenter to do some work. Report an error in the passage at 42:44 Highlight the passage at 42:44

43:35 ...on her house. And this carpenter, a good man, nevertheless knocked over her shrine where the relics had been kept. And because the relics, the three relics, two of them had spilled out. And the workman never actually told her, just put it back as he remembered it. And it's only afterwards... She realized two relics were missing and by that time she'd vacuumed the floor. Report an error in the passage at 43:35 Highlight the passage at 43:35

44:16 You know what she did? This was a time roughly of the, I remember the time, you know the Tiananmen massacre in Beijing? About that time because we talked about it a lot. And anyhow, she vacuumed the carpet. So she spent about two or three months with a tea strainer. Report an error in the passage at 44:16 Highlight the passage at 44:16

44:38 Going through her compost pile, really carefully, really mindfully. That's how long it took. And she managed to find one of those relics. Only one. She'd missed another one. This was again a long time ago. Ajahn Jagguar went to visit her. Report an error in the passage at 44:38 Highlight the passage at 44:38

45:00 My previous monk, previous boss of Bodhinyana Monastery. And she said, She'd found one again by looking through the compost pile so carefully. The other one hadn't turned up yet. Report an error in the passage at 45:00 Highlight the passage at 45:00

45:20 And Ajahn Jarkko told her, as long as you're a good person, eventually that other relic will turn up. When I went to visit her, has it turned up yet? No, I've only got two, I lost one. That's when I asked her. True, not exaggerating. Report an error in the passage at 45:20 Highlight the passage at 45:20

45:44 When was the last time you looked inside? Maybe two or three months ago. Can I have a look please? So she presented the little reliquary to me. I opened the top. Report an error in the passage at 45:44 Highlight the passage at 45:44

46:00 How many do you see? One, two, three. It returned. Instead of like celebrating, go woohoo and tipping the reliquary over again. She just wrote a little letter. She wanted to record that, you know, to make sure that it was exactly as what happened. She must have that somewhere in her house. But anyhow, this is what I was told, what I've seen, that sometimes these are not just ordinary things. Report an error in the passage at 46:00 Highlight the passage at 46:00

46:41 The ones which I got from that Burmese monk, I left some of them in Singapore on purpose. These two, they were signed, they were from relics of Maha Moggallāna. That's one of the Buddha's chief monks. He had two chief monks, Sāriputta and Moggallāna. And when I gave them to the people in Singapore, they kind of accepted them because they respected me. Report an error in the passage at 46:41 Highlight the passage at 46:41

47:12 But they had no confidence or understanding what relics really were. They were all business people, graduates. All university degrees. And he said, what's these relics? If you look at all the relics of the Buddha in the world, you know, there's a big mountain of them. They can't all come from one person. And anyway, I presented two of them to them. And I got an email from them about two or three weeks later. Report an error in the passage at 47:12 Highlight the passage at 47:12

47:46 I remember the first part of the email saying, Ajahn Brahm wouldn't believe this. Of course I'd believe it. It was they who found it hard to believe. There's now three relics. It had multiplied. I don't know if you believe these sorts of stuff. I never did, honestly. When you actually see it, there's something really strange happening. And the last little story I'll say, so you can tell some of the people who are wondering about this ceremony. Report an error in the passage at 47:46 Highlight the passage at 47:46

48:24 There was this young man. I told this just beforehand. It was this young man, a long time ago, who would travel from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, into India to purchase things and bring them back over the mountains into Tibet to sell. Report an error in the passage at 48:24 Highlight the passage at 48:24

48:47 And his mother was a devout Buddhist. So she asked her son, son, next time you go to India, can you please bring back a relic? Report an error in the passage at 48:47 Highlight the passage at 48:47

48:58 He said, oh yes mum, yes mum, no trouble. And so the first time he went over to India, when he came back, his mother said, do you remember the relic? I'm sorry mum, I forgot. And as somebody said this evening, that's what sons are like. Report an error in the passage at 48:58 Highlight the passage at 48:58

49:20 So I forgot, sorry. So I'll get one next time, promise. Second time he went into India, it's just by like walking, trekking. And he brought his stuff back. Have you got my relic, son? Oh no, I forgot second time. Really sorry, ma 'am. Report an error in the passage at 49:20 Highlight the passage at 49:20

49:42 But next time, I promise, I definitely will. So he went over to India, very busy doing business. Do you get busy doing business? Report an error in the passage at 49:42 Highlight the passage at 49:42

49:52 But anyway, the son got very busy. And he was just coming back and he saw in one of the passes high in the mountains, he saw the town of Lhasa in the distance. Report an error in the passage at 49:52 Highlight the passage at 49:52

50:04 And he thought, oh my goodness. I've forgotten for a third time. What can I do? So just as it was, he saw just on one of the paths, a little way down, there was a carcass of a dead dog. Report an error in the passage at 50:04 Highlight the passage at 50:04

50:23 It had either died or fallen over and was dead. So he thought, a bone's a bone. So he scrambled down carefully and took a nice clean bone from the carcass of this dog. Report an error in the passage at 50:23 Highlight the passage at 50:23

50:41 And he wrapped it in an expensive piece of cloth, which he intended to sell for a profit, but he thought, no, no, I can use this to convince my mother this is a real relic. Report an error in the passage at 50:41 Highlight the passage at 50:41

50:55 It was called marketing. If you put a thing in a very expensive looking container, in this case a piece of beautiful cloth from India, people think it must be worth something. So he put this in a beautiful piece of cloth. And offered it to his mom. Mom, this is for you. His mother was so happy. She put it on her shrine. Report an error in the passage at 50:55 Highlight the passage at 50:55

51:23 This is a story as I read it, not what I make up. She put it on her shrine and he was, okay, my mom's happy, that's good enough. And he went off selling his stuff. When he came back home, he could hardly get in his own house. He was crammed with monks and lay people. Report an error in the passage at 51:23 Highlight the passage at 51:23

51:47 And these amazing, beautiful lights were coming out of the shrine room from the relic. It was glowing! That's why all the monks were there, to see it for themselves. He said, now was this a relic or a dog bone? Report an error in the passage at 51:47 Highlight the passage at 51:47

52:11 What's the answer to that? Because I've seen wonderful things happen with relics. They're kind of, please excuse me, how I understand it. Even heavenly beings, they make sure they look after them. If someone has got so much faith and confidence and goodness, then that becomes a Buddha relic, a real one. Report an error in the passage at 52:11 Highlight the passage at 52:11

52:41 If they don't, please excuse me, but the president of the Buddhist Society of Victoria told me this. He said he was given a Buddha relic. He also, like the Singaporeans at the time, didn't believe in Buddha relics. But he's a president, he'll take it to the temple one day when it's convenient for him. Report an error in the passage at 52:41 Highlight the passage at 52:41

53:08 Instead he just put it in his cupboard at home and forgot about it. And one year later he remembered, I better take that relic over to the Buddhist temple. That's the one which I keep going to. And when he looked inside the cupboard, Report an error in the passage at 53:08 Highlight the passage at 53:08

53:29 He had the little reliquary, the little casket, but nothing was inside of it. Report an error in the passage at 53:29 Highlight the passage at 53:29

53:37 That's what happens if you don't look after them, you don't deserve them, they disappear. And I'm saying that as a theoretical physicist trained at Cambridge. Report an error in the passage at 53:37 Highlight the passage at 53:37

53:55 These are not simple things. When you see it for yourself, you can't understand why. What you see, the evidence, is more important than any theory. Thank you for listening. Report an error in the passage at 53:55 Highlight the passage at 53:55

54:15 I don't know if that helped you or not, but that's the story of my life, seeing things which shouldn't happen but have. So any comment? Report an error in the passage at 54:15 Highlight the passage at 54:15

54:32 Seeing people who should be dead, they're still alive. I often say I chant too much for them. Go of course you can, Eddie. Here Report an error in the passage at 54:32 Highlight the passage at 54:32

54:47 we go. Ajahn Brahm, actually I got two questions, but ask one is on relics, the other one is on Reiki. Which one should I do? Or both? Yeah, relics first. Relics, yeah. You know, Ajahn Brahm, it is said, you know, that high monks, high priests, when they die, they get cremated, this thing, the people, they look for pearls, you know. Report an error in the passage at 54:47 Highlight the passage at 54:47

55:15 Yes. You know, because they are so... Hi, you know, it's from the brain. After Ajahn Chah died, I had a few people at night looked inside his septic tank, looking for medics. It was going too far. You got it? No. No, no, the septic tank, they only found his poo. Oh. Report an error in the passage at 55:15 Highlight the passage at 55:15

55:41 You know, that's where, you know, you sit on the toilet, that's where the poo goes. Nevertheless, they opened up the lid and searched. No, that is after the cremation. Oh, yeah, yeah, but before, while he was still alive. No, the relics is after when they cremated. Sometimes even before. Then they find, they say, that's well-known Buddhist. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. They find the like pearls, you know, because they are so high up, you know, the mind is so clear, they are pearls, you know. Report an error in the passage at 55:41 Highlight the passage at 55:41

56:11 Is it the monk who's high up or is it the faith of the lay people? No, cremation, you know, you... I've seen that many times. The bones, you know, the ashes, among the ashes you find... Yeah, I've seen that many times. Yeah, the pearls, they say pearls, you know. Yeah, sometimes they look special, not real bone. But anyway, that there's many types of relics. Report an error in the passage at 56:11 Highlight the passage at 56:11

56:39 But anyway, what's the other one? The other one is the Reiki, you know, Ajahn Brahm. When you mention about Reiki... You know, there's all these healing things, okay? I'm also thinking of remedial massage, you know, massage to heal, okay? Don't you think this thing, compared to our Buddhist, the Reiki and the remedial massage, they are just superficial things, you know, okay? Report an error in the passage at 56:39 Highlight the passage at 56:39

57:04 And it costs money too, you know. Whereas on the Buddhist one, okay, we have the meditation, and the Buddha gave us a lot of... tools too, you know, it managed to calm us down, like mind is a forerunner of all states, you know, everything is mind-made, you know, so the Buddhist one gives us a lot of more tools to deal with our problem, you know, especially when we have stress, anxiety, all these things, depression, you know, so we can... Report an error in the passage at 57:04 Highlight the passage at 57:04

57:34 But this is also one of those Buddhist tools. tools this offering which was given at Charles Gardner Hospital. It was all done for free. Sponsored by Brown's Dairy. And it didn't matter how it worked, whether it worked. Imagine that somebody's with you, out of kindness, they're doing this for free, and they're giving you some Reiki or foot massage or any type of massage or any type of therapy. Report an error in the passage at 57:34 Highlight the passage at 57:34

58:12 If they do it with lots and lots of kindness, I know that works so amazingly well. Have you ever been to a hospital and you just go in and you get treated? Thank you, woman, next please. Because it's not human enough, not kind enough. And you can't blame some of the people who work there. You know, doctors and GPs are given an incredible hard workload. They're going to write all the case studies about it. Report an error in the passage at 58:12 Highlight the passage at 58:12

58:42 There's something a bit sort of not human about it. But when you have that time to care, then you care much more. I don't care what you're doing there, as long as you're caring for somebody, make that the most important therapy, and then it works. But don't you think, Ajahn, Buddhist one is deeper? Give us more tools, the Buddha give extra tools to work on? This is another tool. Report an error in the passage at 58:42 Highlight the passage at 58:42

59:13 They're all great. Oh, there is another tool. Report an error in the passage at 59:13 Highlight the passage at 59:13

59:15 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, thank you. Any questions? Yes. Okay, one over here. Sandra. Report an error in the passage at 59:15 Highlight the passage at 59:15

59:33 So Ajahn, I guess the thing I find difficult in this scenario, so come across someone, they absolutely believe in this thing. Maybe I absolutely believe in the mala around my wrist. I feel, you know, I bought it from a special place. It was blessed, it has a lot of energy for me. But then if I come across this person who just really is quite attached, quite believing in this particular relic, amulet, whatever it is. Report an error in the passage at 59:33 Highlight the passage at 59:33

1:00:13 Yes. And I'm not feeling it. Yeah. How do you question that? Because the reverb's pretty intense. Yeah. Sometimes it's wonderful to question. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:13 Highlight the passage at 1:00:13

1:00:32 That's one of the things which the Buddha said, please question. And Ajahn Chah taught me, please ask questions. And sometimes some of our beliefs are not accurate and not good. That's why I always love it when people feel free to ask me the toughest of questions and ask each one of the monks the toughest of questions. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:32 Highlight the passage at 1:00:32

1:00:56 That's where I learn. And it's also that you can't question What you've seen with your own eyes. The power of belief. Please excuse me again because I tell the story almost every week about when I was a young monk, sorry, a young student and joined the Psychic Research Society. I was interested in all these claims of weird stuff. I wanted to see it for myself. So one of those experiments which I often... Report an error in the passage at 1:00:56 Highlight the passage at 1:00:56

1:01:34 What I wanted to describe about the power of the mind was when we put the four inch nail on the end of a piece of wood, hypnotized one of the students, that nail was red hot, and touched it on his skin. He screamed in pain. And we all screamed, he wasn't playing, he wasn't an actor. He really yelled. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:34 Highlight the passage at 1:01:34

1:02:01 But what I'd never expected, what I'd never forget. It was to see a blister come up where that nail had touched his skin. His belief had created that blister. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:01 Highlight the passage at 1:02:01

1:02:16 And afterwards he started thinking, if the mind is that powerful, it can create a burn mark, why can't it shrink a tumor? Report an error in the passage at 1:02:16 Highlight the passage at 1:02:16

1:02:29 And that is really important for people in their life. And when you've actually seen that happen, why can't we make use of, you know, the... Buddha's teachings, everybody's teachings, they know that things are not so fixed, solid, that even with a mala, if you really do have that belief in them, that can do wonders. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:29 Highlight the passage at 1:02:29

1:02:59 It's not the mala, it's the way that people look at it. Same as relics as well. It's not the fact that they've been worshipped for ages. It's when you see it, how do you feel? Have you ever been into places which, They feel like holy, spiritual. Have you been into one of those places which many people say is so true because you've felt it for yourself, is in the hall at Bodhinyana Monastery. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:59 Highlight the passage at 1:02:59

1:03:38 How many people have meditated in that hall, especially the front? It's very special. You know one of the reasons why, many great meditators have sat there. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:38 Highlight the passage at 1:03:38

1:03:52 That Buddha statue, there's many relics in there. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:52 Highlight the passage at 1:03:52

1:04:00 That's the only explanation I have. Make use of it when it's there. We even had, without telling me, one of the supporters invited a Reiki master, apparently one of the top ones, into that hall. And even he noticed that. He said the front of that hall is incredibly powerful, not Reiki, sorry, Feng Shui. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:00 Highlight the passage at 1:04:00

1:04:31 They're incredibly strong things for you. The back not so much, but the front, whoa, some of the strongest he's experienced. He didn't know anything about it. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:31 Highlight the passage at 1:04:31

1:04:42 And many of you, if ever you are a meditator, you know the basics, and you know you're going through, say Bodhinyana Monastery, and you go into the hall and go sit in the front when there's nothing, no ceremonies on or anything, go and try it. It's incredibly powerful, isn't it? You get the best meditations of your life. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:42 Highlight the passage at 1:04:42

1:05:12 Do you agree with me there? How many agree with me because I've done that? Yeah. Why? Yeah, but that one is more energy. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:12 Highlight the passage at 1:05:12

1:05:24 Okay, let's answer some questions online. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:24 Highlight the passage at 1:05:24

1:05:30 Thank you. William Gobi, question from Germany. Dear Ajahn Brahm, how do I develop patience when I need it most? How can I best develop patience and exercise it? Thank you kindly. How you best develop patience? ...is learn the power of the present moment, of just being now. Sometimes it's a joy when you don't even think of the future, when you realize your future, as I often say, is being made right now. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:30 Highlight the passage at 1:05:30

1:06:03 And patience is natural. You get free of time. That's why, and I just said, actually I said that somewhere else, said the story of when... You know, just after a talk by Ajahn Chah over in Thailand, I just went to the back of the hall and sat still for two hours, just on the concrete. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:03 Highlight the passage at 1:06:03

1:06:28 Not in a comfortable position, but how can you sit for two hours in what should be really uncomfortable? You stay in the present moment, just right now. Time has no meaning then. When you get free of the prison of time, you can be as patient as you want. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:28 Highlight the passage at 1:06:28

1:06:51 That's beautiful. And what happens, hopefully you've had those meditations too, when you're just sitting down and you get very peaceful and it's very beautiful, very happy, and then you come out afterwards and look at the clock. The clock must be wrong. The clock's not wrong. You've been meditating a long time, having a beautiful time. That's the best type of patience. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:51 Highlight the passage at 1:06:51

1:07:17 And when you need it most, please, there's two types of waiting. One I call waiting in the future. Waiting for something to happen. That's impatience. The other type of waiting is waiting in the present. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:17 Highlight the passage at 1:07:17

1:07:36 Totally different. If you wait in the present, that's called patience. Just happy to be here. Something's going to happen, but don't wait for it to happen. Wait on this moment. Be mindful, be kind to it. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:36 Highlight the passage at 1:07:36

1:07:53 From Bolivia, I don't know why, but in my meditation, I tend to move a lot of my hands and feet which is very uncomfortable. How to still my body and could that be kamacchanda or what hindrance? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:53 Highlight the passage at 1:07:53

1:08:08 First of all, try to get the body as comfortable as possible in the beginning and then if it does move, sometimes it moves without you telling it to move. It moves naturally. I've seen this happen especially with people's hands. Often that's the case of just some repressed energy, often negative energy in the body just needs to be released. Don't try to keep it still. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:08 Highlight the passage at 1:08:08

1:08:35 Just let it happen. Make sure there's not too many people around you which you hear when you extend your hand. And just let the body do what the body does. You just stay with the mind, keep that nice and peaceful and calm. And it just disappears by itself after a while. Not that long. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:35 Highlight the passage at 1:08:35

1:08:59 Oh, this is a question from Medan in Indonesia, one of my favorite places. How to effectively teach dharma to children so they have strong faith and enthusiasm to practice dharma? Report an error in the passage at 1:08:59 Highlight the passage at 1:08:59

1:09:11 That was always a problem for many people. They thought that children need to be at least teenagers or adult before they can learn, but that's not true. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:11 Highlight the passage at 1:09:11

1:09:23 I was telling somewhere, I think it was over in London, When I went to a kindergarten in Singapore, in Way-sac, they asked me, can you please teach four and five-year-olds about the meaning of Way-sac. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:23 Highlight the passage at 1:09:23

1:09:41 I love being challenged like that. So what I did, I know that it's a waste of time teaching kids theory, practice. So the Way-sac, first of all the birth of the Lord Buddha, and you know, they know the story. He came out, he could actually walk straight away, he walked seven steps, put his finger up and said, you know, I'm the chief in the world, it's my last birth. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:41 Highlight the passage at 1:09:41

1:10:08 It's okay kids, you've seen that already in the books. Now, stand in line here, seven steps, and put this finger up, not the other finger, no, this finger. I'm the chief in the world. They did that perfectly. And the reason why I did this, I remember when I was a kid, one of the... Report an error in the passage at 1:10:08 Highlight the passage at 1:10:08

1:10:29 ...teachings in primary school, which I always remembered, when the teacher said, imagine you're a tree in the forest and you're blowing around in the wind. It was so meaningful for me, even in the first year at school, I remembered it. It was a beautiful, lovely thing to do. And so now I see the big Buddha statue behind me. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:29 Highlight the passage at 1:10:29

1:10:52 Now sit like that. Just, you know, sit cross-legged. You're kids. Put your right palm over your left palm, thumbs touching back straight, chin down, close your eyes. And imagine, just imagine that you've just become a Buddha. You've just been enlightened. Imagine what that feels like, each one of you. You have nothing more to worry about. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:52 Highlight the passage at 1:10:52

1:11:22 Jobs, children, interviews, all of that you don't need to, but you're a Buddha. Totally safe, secure for the rest of your life. Nothing to worry you at all. No problems, no problem. Imagine you're now fully enlightened. After all these years you've done it. How does that feel? So peaceful, nothing to do. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:22 Highlight the passage at 1:11:22

1:11:51 You don't have to try and watch your breath or silly things like that. You just are there, right in this moment. No need to plan anything, got nothing to be afraid of. Your past is free of that now. You don't have to worry about anything. And I was saying this for about five minutes, and all the kids were motionless, using imagination to bring up the feeling, what we call the taste of enlightenment, for each one of you. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:51 Highlight the passage at 1:11:51

1:12:26 And that was so successful that all the adults and the teachers complained. Why have you never taught that to us? So that evening I had to do the kids' way-stack meditation, the Buddha Anussati. It really worked. So that's how you teach it to kids. You teach it through using the power of imagination. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:26 Highlight the passage at 1:12:26

1:12:57 Last question. Dear Ajahn, thank you for your gifts of dharma. Thank you, I deserve that. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:57 Highlight the passage at 1:12:57

1:13:06 And you deserved it for staying so long and listening to me. And being such a wonderful example of Samana in his contemporary world and all your service to the Saṅgha being a real true bhikkhu. See, it's praise. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:06 Highlight the passage at 1:13:06

1:13:22 Does that make me big-headed? Big-hearted. When you say things like that, I want to actually teach more. But not this evening, on another day. Thank you all for listening. Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:22 Highlight the passage at 1:13:22

1:13:45 Next Friday, I'm sorry, but I won't be here. I'm sharing my teachings next time. Where do you think? Penang. I'm not going on a holiday. I'm not going anywhere near any beach. But what I do is just to teach retreats, which is a wonderful way of giving. That's why I enjoy myself so much. Not relaxing. Well, actually I do relax. I relax by sharing, doing. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:45 Highlight the passage at 1:13:45

1:14:19 Okay, let's pay respects to the Buddha Dharma Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:19 Highlight the passage at 1:14:19

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:15:39 Excellent. So I wish you all a safe and content Christmas, no matter what religion you are. Supatipanno bhagavato savagasangho namah Report an error in the passage at 1:15:39 Highlight the passage at 1:15:39