Opening the Heart to Difficult Feelings

0:00 The malaria fever from the mosquitoes, he lived in the forest, there was no medication, so it was just something which the senior monks accepted. And I remember once when Ajahn Chah told me of the last time he had malaria fever. He said it was really, really hot fever, he was sitting down, and instead of trying to get rid of it, Instead of trying to take medication, he decided to do what the monks should have done from the beginning, which is go right inside of it. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:38 Go into its middle, its center. It's hard to be able to do that because the pain can be, or the discomfort can be so great, you just want to get rid of it and find a nice place where you can not be. But he went right into the center of it. And he said he watched it get hotter and hotter and hotter until it got so intense heat, of course he was sweating at the time, it was very uncomfortable, got so intense heat, he said it exploded. Report an error in the passage at 0:38 Highlight the passage at 0:38

1:09 That's how he experienced it. And that was the last time he ever had the malaria fever. And I kind of took that on board to notice that whenever you have a pain, how do you react to that pain? You can go right inside of it, go into its middle, its center. From its center, you have enough peace and enough perspective. You can sort of get some perspective and then let it do what it needs to do. Report an error in the passage at 1:09 Highlight the passage at 1:09

1:37 But it always, somehow or other, when you understand it, it disappears and goes. You get past it, get through it. And that's one of the reasons why, believe it or not, I'm a very healthy monk. I don't get diseases. I don't get any problems. I do have a little bit of hay fever coming from Australia recently. But beyond that, no aches, no pains, no sicknesses. Report an error in the passage at 1:37 Highlight the passage at 1:37

2:07 Even sometimes when we had the COVID epidemic, I had to have some injections in order to be able to come to places like UK. But even so, I never had COVID. And even a few times, I still gave lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of talks. So much so that people said, you're really risking your health by associating with so many people. Report an error in the passage at 2:07 Highlight the passage at 2:07

2:38 But every time that people had any doubts, you took these COVID tests and it was negative. I had no sort of COVID at all. And even sort of flu jabs. I'm not sure if I should say this, but I'm being honest with you. Every time I've had a flu jab in my life, I've got the flu. And for years and years and years now, I haven't had any flu jabs and I don't get it. Report an error in the passage at 2:38 Highlight the passage at 2:38

3:04 That's weird. But there's more to life than jabs and antibiotics. These sorts of things, the difficulties which you have with your body, with your health. Report an error in the passage at 3:04 Highlight the passage at 3:04

3:17 How many times have you known me being sick in all the years you've known me? Maybe Report an error in the passage at 3:17 Highlight the passage at 3:17

3:25 once, though. When was that? When you had that kind of back drip cough that went on and on for months. I wasn't sick. Wow. It was just, did I stop working? Report an error in the passage at 3:25 Highlight the passage at 3:25

3:38 Did I stop? You didn't complain. I carried on. A lot of times, that's not sickness. A little irritation, but nothing more than that. And all these other... How old do you think I am now? Report an error in the passage at 3:38 Highlight the passage at 3:38

3:57 This is my 75th year. on this planet Earth. I'm a septuagenarian and still pretty fine with my health. I don't exercise. I eat, what do I eat this morning, fish and chips? I did. Bacon and baked beans. So sometimes people look at me and say, you should look after your health. I am. Report an error in the passage at 3:57 Highlight the passage at 3:57

4:32 But not in the way you do. Just like sitting in that back chair over there, sitting, being really nice and still, and feeling the happiness come up. A lot of times I've realized that when you have such nice mindfulness and the kindness which comes with it, that is how you can heal your body and deal with any difficulties you may have in this world. Report an error in the passage at 4:32 Highlight the passage at 4:32

5:01 That's why I say difficulties. Difficulties, instead of calling them difficulties, I was taught to welcome any difficulties you have in life. Report an error in the passage at 5:01 Highlight the passage at 5:01

5:12 One of those difficulties which I had at the beginning of my practice of meditation was mosquitoes. In those early days in Thailand, that was how many years ago? About 50 years ago, just over 50 years ago now. I've been a monk for 51 years now. Report an error in the passage at 5:12 Highlight the passage at 5:12

5:32 That first year, to actually get the monastery really going, Ajahn Chah would come over every evening from 6 to 8. And at that time, we would always do a two-hour meditation. And for two hours, and you may not know this, but 6 to 8 p.m. in Thailand, it's in the jungles, at that time was mosquito feeding time. Report an error in the passage at 5:32 Highlight the passage at 5:32

6:02 Now, remember those mosquitoes? They knew, because they'd been bred in that part of the world for such a long time, they all knew that monks, bald head, brown robe, were a free meal. Report an error in the passage at 6:02 Highlight the passage at 6:02

6:18 If they tried to bite any one of you, they probably wouldn't survive. You swat them. They saw bald head and brown robe, a nice, easy meal. Not only that, Monks, we have more seats at the dinner table. Bald head, and over here I put a robe over my shoulder. In Thailand it would be bare-shouldered. There's much more space where they can go and eat. And thirdly, this was the first time in so many years, so many centuries, that the mosquitoes in northeast Thailand had western food. Report an error in the passage at 6:18 Highlight the passage at 6:18

7:03 So no wonder that so many of those mosquitoes would actually bite you. Report an error in the passage at 7:03 Highlight the passage at 7:03

7:13 And so, at that time, sitting next to another monk, another western monk, we decided just to endure the two hours. We'd play a little game. We'd count how many mosquitoes you had, mostly on your arm and shoulder. Report an error in the passage at 7:13 Highlight the passage at 7:13

7:38 At the same time, this is not, I'm an honest monk. Sometimes when I tell these stories, you may think, oh, he's just making it up. I'm not. About 60 or 70 mosquitoes at the same time biting you. Report an error in the passage at 7:38 Highlight the passage at 7:38

7:58 Now, this is a bit of a joke. I've got to be careful. Sometimes if you listen, you could hear the slurp of all the blood coming out. Now that is a joke. But afterwards we'd look at our arms, see little bumps which would come up once the mosquito would bite you. And it was very, very hard to endure. So many times I opened my eyes and saw there was my master Ajahn Chah sitting there so quietly. Report an error in the passage at 7:58 Highlight the passage at 7:58

8:31 It was only because of shame, embarrassment, that I did not get up and run away. What I did do, I asked Ajahn Chah afterwards, is there a possibility to get some mosquito repellent, something you can rub on your arm or a mosquito coil to actually delight and keep the mosquitoes away? He said, no. He said, it's really hard to endure. What Ajahn Chah told me was, it's not the mosquitoes disturb you. Report an error in the passage at 8:31 Highlight the passage at 8:31

9:09 It's you who discovered the mosquitoes. What did he mean? And he carried on by saying, from this day on, I want you to take the mosquitoes as your teacher. Not me. Not an Ajahn Chah, but Ajahn Mosquito. Report an error in the passage at 9:09 Highlight the passage at 9:09

9:30 And thank you for laughing there, because I thought that at first, this is crazy, this is daft. You know, this is really dangerous, being bitten to death by mosquitoes. Report an error in the passage at 9:30 Highlight the passage at 9:30

9:53 incredible things you could learn from and I'll say how it happened for me. When I had no other opportunity but to take this mosquito as my teacher, I also noticed that You know, it took about 10 or 15 minutes for the mosquitoes to be attracted to you. And I also found if I got into some nice peaceful meditation, just as peaceful as I was over there, the mosquitoes couldn't find you. Report an error in the passage at 9:53 Highlight the passage at 9:53

10:27 They never came at all. At first, I thought that this must be some psychic power, some magical power for meditation. There are such things as psychic powers, but not being bitten by a mosquito was not one of them. It had another explanation. I didn't mind about the explanation. I was just really happy that if I did my meditation properly, the mosquitoes didn't bite me. Report an error in the passage at 10:27 Highlight the passage at 10:27

10:59 And later on, I found out that all it is, is the mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide coming out of the pores of your skin. Report an error in the passage at 10:59 Highlight the passage at 10:59

11:13 And if there's carbon dioxide coming out of the pores of your skin is very little, mosquitoes can't find you. So when I was meditating, getting nice and still and peaceful, I was hardly breathing. If you saw me sitting in a corner over there, did you see me just really belching for air? Report an error in the passage at 11:13 Highlight the passage at 11:13

11:37 No, because you didn't need much air. My metabolism went way down. Because the metabolism starts to decrease, you don't secrete much carbon dioxide. You don't intake much air. And because of that, that's why mosquitoes can't find you. And that's what Ajahn Chah meant. Mosquitoes were actually helping me to meditate. I knew if I just started wandering off, and with the wandering off, thinking too much, Then that did become a problem. When I just let it go relaxed and didn't worry about the mosquitoes, I could meditate really deeply. Report an error in the passage at 11:37 Highlight the passage at 11:37

12:23 So after two hours of meditation in the forest, you'd look at your arm and there was no bumps on the arm at all. It wasn't compassionate, I must admit. It meant that they bit the other mumps who didn't meditate so deeply. But that actually taught me a lesson. This is not just theory. This is actually real and really helps you. And to this day, if there ever is any problem, any difficulty, I always use the meditation to solve those problems. Report an error in the passage at 12:23 Highlight the passage at 12:23

12:59 What is that meditation? It is letting them be, not allowing these mosquitoes to disturb you. I don't know how many of you have been in South Asian or Southeast Asian countries recently. But the mosquitoes, especially the ones in Northeast Thailand, are kind of sadistic. What they do, and I always remember this, they go, in your ear first of all. It's like telling you they're coming. Report an error in the passage at 12:59 Highlight the passage at 12:59

13:33 And sometimes out of compassion, I say, just get it over with. You don't need to tell me you're going to bite me. Just bite me. Report an error in the passage at 13:33 Highlight the passage at 13:33

13:43 And then sometimes I would watch them just on my hand, just go down there and say, okay, there's only a little bit of blood, it's not dangerous. And they'd go and put their proboscis nose down into my skin. So often I saw this. They'd do one exploratory drill and then they'd go out, they didn't like their place, so they'd walk a couple of steps to another part of your hand and take another bite. Report an error in the passage at 13:43 Highlight the passage at 13:43

14:09 They were so choosy. I said, it's all the same blood. But anyhow, that's why I did not like those mosquitoes. Usually I had three or four bites before they were satisfied. But what I did know, if I did not react, then the breathing remained very, very smooth and slow. And also the used air, carbon dioxide which came out of the pores, hardly anything came out. Report an error in the passage at 14:09 Highlight the passage at 14:09

14:43 That's why it was really, really, really peaceful. It's not just that. There's so many other diseases of the stomach, diseases of, I don't know, diseases which I've had in my life. All I know is they're easy to deal with. They're easy to deal with. If I ever feel any pain or discomfort or something which is not usual in my body, Any physical difficulty, I know how to relax. Not just ordinary relaxation, but really deep relaxation. Report an error in the passage at 14:43 Highlight the passage at 14:43

15:23 Sometimes I imagine any, say, shoulder pain which you may have. I imagine those shoulder muscles being like guitar strings. And if those guitar strings are stretched and something falls on it, it makes a loud If you loosen the tension on those guitar strings and something falls on it, boom, it's a low-pitched sound. Report an error in the passage at 15:23 Highlight the passage at 15:23

15:54 There's no tension on those guitar strings at all. And something falls on it, it makes no sound at all. So that's what I always remember to do. If I find there's any tension anywhere in my body, I kind of use a simile of like guitar strings. And learn how to relax to the max. That's one of the sayings which I remember. Report an error in the passage at 15:54 Highlight the passage at 15:54

16:23 Is anybody here from South Korea? Report an error in the passage at 16:23 Highlight the passage at 16:23

16:29 Oh, great, yeah. That's a welcome. But anyway, I do remember just going to give a talk. Not a talk, it's a whole day kind of retreat talk and walking meditation in South Korea next to the DMZ. Demilitarized zone. I think you've heard me say this many times. And they wanted to do a ceremony within the DMZ. Report an error in the passage at 16:29 Highlight the passage at 16:29

16:59 At that time, the relations with North Korea weren't that dangerous, not so dangerous. But nevertheless, we did like an hour-to-hour walk within the demilitarized zone with so many other Buddhists. And what happened to me there, Ayachandra? Shot. Got shot many times in the DMC between the two careers. Report an error in the passage at 16:59 Highlight the passage at 16:59

17:29 Was that really unpleasant? Not at all. Not shot with guns, shot with cameras and movie cameras. That's what I say, shot with a photo. But nevertheless... Report an error in the passage at 17:29 Highlight the passage at 17:29

17:49 One of the things, I don't know if I told you this part of the story, I don't do much exercise. And it was about a three or four hour walk. Report an error in the passage at 17:49 Highlight the passage at 17:49

18:01 And halfway, not even halfway, after an hour of the walk, one of the organizers in the electric buggy said, are you okay? Do you want a lift? And I am rebellious because I always want to be proving a point. And that rebelliousness will say, That I'm fine. But then you did, another hour went past, you did feel a bit tired. So you know what I decided to do? Report an error in the passage at 18:01 Highlight the passage at 18:01

18:34 I decided to walk faster. And it was kind of amazing. I know how my body works. Sometimes it tells myths. If you believe them, you get stuck in that myth. I started to walk faster. When I started to walk faster, I had much more energy. Report an error in the passage at 18:34 Highlight the passage at 18:34

18:56 And afterwards, even the other young monks who were with me, they were struggling hard to keep up with me. This is true story. So after a while, I overheard them saying, that monk from the West is Kung Fu monk. Report an error in the passage at 18:56 Highlight the passage at 18:56

19:12 That's what they said. That's the only way they could understand it. But nevertheless, it's amazing if you have any difficulties with your health. It's wonderful to try and experiment and find out different ways of dealing with these problems. And it's amazing what you can do. These aren't miracles. It's just you see things in a different way. And not just with things like health. Report an error in the passage at 19:12 Highlight the passage at 19:12

19:37 With other problems you have in your life. I don't know, with emotional problems. Often you're asked about the difficulties in getting a living, passing your exams. Are you doing exams at school right now? Do you pass them? Report an error in the passage at 19:37 Highlight the passage at 19:37

20:00 They're easy to pass. Oh, can I do this? Sometimes the people feel that exams are really, really, really, really difficult. I used to be a schoolteacher for one year. The reason I became a schoolteacher for one year was because I wanted to prove to my family that going off to being a monk, I can still got a career if it fails as a monk. Report an error in the passage at 20:00 Highlight the passage at 20:00

20:27 No need to worry. So I was a school teacher for one year, had a lot of fun. And that was one of the things which used to tell the children who were doing exams, make it fun. Report an error in the passage at 20:27 Highlight the passage at 20:27

20:42 So much so that in one end-of-year exam, I was a math teacher. In one end-of-year exam as a math teacher, I don't think it was, what year? I think year 10, about roughly that. Then I asked, I had to go and ask the headmaster, the principal, can I actually just, I can put it back, okay, it goes away. Are you okay? Report an error in the passage at 20:42 Highlight the passage at 20:42

21:12 Yeah, I'm comfy. I like to get impassioned when I give these similes because they're important to me. I got permission to write a joke in the exam paper. You know my character, I love telling jokes. And in that exam paper, when the exam was actually presented, I was the invigilator, the teacher sitting on the stage looking at all of the students who came in. Report an error in the passage at 21:12 Highlight the passage at 21:12

21:44 They were sitting alone. They couldn't actually talk to one another. That would be cheating. And there were a lot of them. They were really nice kids, good kids, but they were scared. Why on earth do the teachers who support you make you... I was terrified of things like exams. So when the time came to start the exams, and I can turn the paper over, read everything carefully first of all, you have an hour and a half to answer the questions and math. Report an error in the passage at 21:44 Highlight the passage at 21:44

22:14 And then I was looking at them all. And then when I saw the joke, you know, it's a silly joke in the exam paper, they looked up at me, even though I was a school teacher. I laughed at them. I was smiling, a big, broad grin on my face. And they grinned and laughed too. Now, quietly, what I did was to take away the fear they had. Even the teacher said a joke at the beginning of the exam. Report an error in the passage at 22:14 Highlight the passage at 22:14

22:50 And because of that, and they knew me, the relaxation effect was enormous. And that allowed the kids. I do the exam with much more success. Why are people afraid? Sometimes I tell the kids that, you know, a lot of the times they're doing an exam in maths or in English or whatever else you're doing at university or O levels, A levels, B levels, C levels, I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 22:50 Highlight the passage at 22:50

23:24 But whatever you do, how much different is that? Say if I'm doing like a tennis match. A lot of kids. Do you like tennis? Report an error in the passage at 23:24 Highlight the passage at 23:24

23:40 What's your favorite sport? Swimming. What's the difference between doing a math exam and a swimming contest? Report an error in the passage at 23:40 Highlight the passage at 23:40

23:52 Nothing. It's just you're testing your strength and abilities. It's just one is considered to be boring. The other one is you like exerting yourself. Report an error in the passage at 23:52 Highlight the passage at 23:52

24:04 No real difference at all. You change your perception of difficulties and then you find the difficulties disappear. They're not hard after all. No matter what difficulties you have in life. Even getting promotions at work. I know that somebody said to me, said, you know, I really want to get this new promotion. Report an error in the passage at 24:04 Highlight the passage at 24:04

24:31 This was over in Singapore. They get a... Bigger position, more money. And then afterwards, they got the promotion, and it was such a stressful position, they had to get a more expensive psychiatrist to look after them. So in the end, they didn't make more money at all. Report an error in the passage at 24:31 Highlight the passage at 24:31

24:54 A lot of the time, you know, why do we want more? What do you want? That's the basic difficulty in life. And for me, this is nice to know. As a monk, I'm just doing personal experience here, what do I want as a monk? And all I just want, or it's like what I need, is a place to sleep at night, food, medicines, and robes to wear. Report an error in the passage at 24:54 Highlight the passage at 24:54

25:27 You don't need very much to live in this world. However, for a lot of people, one of our basic necessities is not to sleep what we call the four requisites. Of a monk or a nun, we want just acceptance. Acceptance and friendship. It's one of the things which I've seen so many, there's many lonely people. They're great people, wonderful people. There's many even good Buddhists. Report an error in the passage at 25:27 Highlight the passage at 25:27

26:00 They still never think their meditation is good enough. There's many people, you know, who, young people, who are beautiful, attractive. They never think they're good enough. And that's, I think, the problem which many people have in this world. We're far too, what we call, fault-finding in life. Report an error in the passage at 26:00 Highlight the passage at 26:00

26:23 How is your salary? Is it enough? Mine is. Report an error in the passage at 26:23 Highlight the passage at 26:23

26:33 You know my salary? Report an error in the passage at 26:33 Highlight the passage at 26:33

26:37 Zero. What about my bank account? I don't have a bank account. All right, okay. What about your credit card? I don't have a credit card. Report an error in the passage at 26:37 Highlight the passage at 26:37

26:50 Your mobile phone? I don't have one. It's very interesting. Okay, I won't get up. When you don't have a mobile phone, that's kind of difficult. Report an error in the passage at 26:50 Highlight the passage at 26:50

27:05 Because sometimes people say, oh, you've got to have a mobile phone. When you're outside of the box, that's how you live as a monk or a nun. We are literally outside of the box. And when you're outside of the box, Because you don't fit in and people ask you what's your mobile phone number, can I see your credit card? You don't have any of that. It's amazing how life works. Report an error in the passage at 27:05 Highlight the passage at 27:05

27:32 Recently, when I arrived over in Indonesia, this was in the town of Medan. I was going to give some talks. Any Indonesians here? Report an error in the passage at 27:32 Highlight the passage at 27:32

27:48 Okay. But anyway, in the town of Medan, they had a new rule. The people who invited me got my visa for me. But it's not just a visa. They said, no, to check your baggage, you know, you need to have a mobile phone. You've got to type something in on a computer, and then it goes on your mobile phone, and then you present that data to the people at the customs. And I said, I don't have a mobile phone. Report an error in the passage at 27:48 Highlight the passage at 27:48

28:17 And my baggage was one of those bags over there, the darker brown bag. That's my baggage. That's what I took with me from Australia to get into England. That's what I'm taking back again. You don't have suitcases or anything. Just have a bag. And they said, I don't have any luggage. This is it. I said, no, you still have to get out a mobile phone and do it as they ask you to. Report an error in the passage at 28:17 Highlight the passage at 28:17

28:45 So I was in trouble. So they said, go and ask the head person who's checking the baggage. Report an error in the passage at 28:45 Highlight the passage at 28:45

28:56 And you know who that head person was? I said, look, I'm giving some talks so I don't have a mobile phone. How can I get access? You can have a look at my bags if you wish. And she looked at me and she said to me, Ajahn Brahm, I read your book some years ago. I'm one of your devoted disciples. I said, why are you here? Because I'm going to give some talks and I can't get in the country. Report an error in the passage at 28:56 Highlight the passage at 28:56

29:27 Because of your rules. And he said, I'm the head of the customs today. So let's see what we've got. Okay, nothing. Okay. He pressed a button on her computer and I went through. Report an error in the passage at 29:27 Highlight the passage at 29:27

29:39 It's very lucky being a good Buddhist monk. You always understand that karma works somehow or other, sooner or later. Even when I was at the United States once, the customs officer took a look at me and said, you're wearing a robe. I have to look underneath it. Report an error in the passage at 29:39 Highlight the passage at 29:39

29:59 And they asked, what have you got underneath your robe? They said, have you got like a suicide belt? You know, in the United States, they're very, very over the top in checking everybody. I said, no, I haven't got a suicide belt. I just opened up the robe. It's just fat. That's all. Report an error in the passage at 29:59 Highlight the passage at 29:59

30:20 And the customs officer said the same thing. Report an error in the passage at 30:20 Highlight the passage at 30:20

30:26 I'll say that joke again. I say, so what have you got underneath your robe? It's a suicide belt. No. It's only fat. He said same thing. Okay, a few of you are paying attention now. And I laughed too. I like it when customs officers have senses of humor. Even over in Perth, one of the customs officers asked me, what have you got inside of the bag? Report an error in the passage at 30:26 Highlight the passage at 30:26

30:59 Any liquids or gels? What type of gel? Is it hair gel? I'm a man, I'm bald. We don't have hair gel. Anyway. Report an error in the passage at 30:59 Highlight the passage at 30:59

31:14 Any difficulty you have in life, that's when you don't react to it, but you absorb it, open the heart to it and accept it and don't take it too importantly. Report an error in the passage at 31:14 Highlight the passage at 31:14

31:29 Then it's usually never a problem for you. How many times when you have a problem do you worry about it? And that's the worst part of it. When you worry about it, I've got not enough money, can't afford a lawyer, I don't know what to do. So often in life that the world turns in ways which you never expect. Report an error in the passage at 31:29 Highlight the passage at 31:29

31:57 I don't know if I ever thought when I was young I would end up as a monk giving a talk in the old library in Birmingham on a Thursday evening. Report an error in the passage at 31:57 Highlight the passage at 31:57

32:13 Did you ever think you'd be listening to me in a talk like this? Probably not. That's why, to me, life is always unpredictable. Report an error in the passage at 32:13 Highlight the passage at 32:13

32:25 It doesn't make me scared. It makes me kind of enjoying life, even at my age. You see things and you do things which you haven't seen before. And sometimes, sometimes you have some interesting experiences. A few times. For example, with heads of state a few times. A few times. Once they had a Commonwealth Games in Australia many years ago. Report an error in the passage at 32:25 Highlight the passage at 32:25

32:57 And because I was well respected by members of the community and the government, I got an invite to this opening ceremony with Queen Elizabeth. Report an error in the passage at 32:57 Highlight the passage at 32:57

33:14 You know her? Why? Because she was the Queen of Australia, not England. Same person, but because she's also the Queen of Australia. That's why whenever the national anthem was played, her partner was in that time Prince Philip. He had to rise when it was a British national anthem. He had to sit still when it was the Australian national anthem. Report an error in the passage at 33:14 Highlight the passage at 33:14

33:52 I said, but they're the same. See, don't make problems. Sometimes it's fascinating when people do silly things. But also, at one of those events, one of those events, they had other members of the royal family of Australia or UK, whatever you call it. And there, I was with another monk, Ajahn Sujato. Some of you may know him. And I said, let's go and talk to this guy over there. Report an error in the passage at 33:52 Highlight the passage at 33:52

34:21 And this guy was just... Standing by himself, no one was bothering with him. And I asked him, because he was actually losing much of his hair. And I said, you know, if you keep on losing your hair, you can join the saṅgha, be a monk, like me and my friend. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. And then we walked away. And Ajahn Sujata said, who was that? That was Prince Edward. What? You can't crack a joke with a prince. Report an error in the passage at 34:21 Highlight the passage at 34:21

34:52 Why not? Report an error in the passage at 34:52 Highlight the passage at 34:52

34:56 He was losing his hair. So anyway, that's my characteristic. I don't care who it is. We're always cracking a joke. So anyhow, this is how the unexpected works in your favor. You're never upset. You're never afraid. Anyway, what is a head of state anyway? It's a terrible job to have. Please, just when you grow up, no matter how smart you are, how clever you are, don't be a head of state, for goodness sake. Report an error in the passage at 34:56 Highlight the passage at 34:56

35:23 It's just... Oh, yeah. I don't know how I got into this. I know actually how I got into this. No, actually, not you. This is how I became the abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery because I was always number two monk. Report an error in the passage at 35:23 Highlight the passage at 35:23

35:41 And number two is a really nice job. You don't have any authority or real authority. Actually, you do. The senior monk at that time in the early days was a monk called Ajahn Jagaro. And I soon worked out. How to get my own way without him ever finding out. And how I got my own way. Sometimes, I was a builder at that time, so I needed a hut built somewhere. Report an error in the passage at 35:41 Highlight the passage at 35:41

36:12 Please remember this. If your partner in life, your husband, your wife, aren't here, well done. Even your boss at work, how to get what your decisions, which are always the best, approved. I would be walking in the grounds of the monastery with him. And I would suggest, why don't we build a hut over there? It's a good spot for a hut. He would reply, no, don't be ridiculous. Report an error in the passage at 36:12 Highlight the passage at 36:12

36:38 That wouldn't work. No, no. That's a silly idea. Now, what I knew is you don't argue. There's a reason why you don't argue. You still get your own way, but don't argue yet. Be more patient. Okay, yeah, fair enough. And about two weeks later... I would say the same thing again. Why do we build a hut over there? It's a good location. If you argue, he remembers. Report an error in the passage at 36:38 Highlight the passage at 36:38

37:08 You asked it already. If you don't argue, he forgets about it. And so you'll say the same response. To him, it's like you just asked again for the first time. He knows the second time. You say, no, no, no, it won't work. It's a silly idea. Okay, fine. The most I'd ever do was ask a third time. Report an error in the passage at 37:08 Highlight the passage at 37:08

37:30 Most of the time, I never needed to. It was such a good idea, he'd be thinking about it himself. And afterwards, he would come up to me and say, you know, I've been thinking, we should build a hut over there. Well, I said, and I was always, you know, to keep it working for the next time, I'd always say, that's a brilliant idea of yours. Report an error in the passage at 37:30 Highlight the passage at 37:30

37:53 Amazing. Yeah, I agree. You would never know that idea came from me. Report an error in the passage at 37:53 Highlight the passage at 37:53

38:02 What are you doing at Anukama Bhikkhuni Project? Why are you accepting this job? Because you've been brainwashed by me for so many years. It's a good idea. Yeah, but it's the same to you. I don't build huts anymore. But anyway, that's actually how you brainwash people. You make the suggestion, which is obviously a brilliant suggestion, and you don't reinforce it. You stop. Report an error in the passage at 38:02 Highlight the passage at 38:02

38:34 And then two weeks later, he repeats it. And again, they get brainwashed again. That's how advertisements work on the TV. Report an error in the passage at 38:34 Highlight the passage at 38:34

38:45 I remember when I used to watch the TV, five more minutes of the talk. Now, please remind me another five minutes after I've forgotten that instruction. Report an error in the passage at 38:45 Highlight the passage at 38:45

38:57 The brain... The stuff we have on the TV, which are 51, 52 years ago, they were stupid advertisements. I'd always think, who'd ever buy that product? Makes no sense at all. Then I found out I bought it. Have you ever done that? Report an error in the passage at 38:57 Highlight the passage at 38:57

39:19 Okay. Then we had this, no, this was 1969 or something. That's how long ago it was, but the same trick works again this time. At that time, we had the Isle of Wight Rock Festival. Did any of you go to that one? No. Too old. Okay. I did. Anyway, when I went there, I thought, you know, it's a rock festival, it's anti-government, it's socialist, it's trying to do something, you know, which is original, trying to push things ahead. Report an error in the passage at 39:19 Highlight the passage at 39:19

40:00 How many survive? Report an error in the passage at 40:00 Highlight the passage at 40:00

40:05 What is it? Report an error in the passage at 40:05 Highlight the passage at 40:05

40:10 Oh yeah, okay, you've heard it before. Report an error in the passage at 40:10 Highlight the passage at 40:10

40:17 Yeah, you know it's a trick question. Okay, another one which is much easier. 26 sheep is what I said. But people always hear 26. So they say 10 die, so 16 survive. Report an error in the passage at 40:17 Highlight the passage at 40:17

40:34 But what I said was 26 sheep. That's why one 10 died. They were sick. I'll try another one. How many seconds in a minute? Report an error in the passage at 40:34 Highlight the passage at 40:34

40:48 Seconds in a minute? Yeah, how many minutes in an hour? Report an error in the passage at 40:48 Highlight the passage at 40:48

40:55 Another 60. How many hours in a day? How many days in a year? Not a leap year, just an ordinary year. So how many seconds are there in a year? Report an error in the passage at 40:55 Highlight the passage at 40:55

41:08 Not an hour. That's not a number. The answer is really easy. How many seconds in a year? The answer is 12. Report an error in the passage at 41:08 Highlight the passage at 41:08

41:21 January the 2nd, February the 2nd, March the 3rd, February the 2nd, February the 2nd, February, July, Report an error in the passage at 41:21 Highlight the passage at 41:21

41:34 It made you laugh. So even a math thing is never a problem. It's like seeing a funny answer, a nice solution. That's how life works. So people are far too serious in life. Do you think so? Report an error in the passage at 41:34 Highlight the passage at 41:34

41:56 If you have a sense of humor and you make a joke about something, people laugh and they don't matter what culture you come from, they laugh together. Report an error in the passage at 41:56 Highlight the passage at 41:56

42:10 That's why laughter. It's a beautiful way of creating harmony. If there was more fun and games, people would be able to work together much more harmoniously. Report an error in the passage at 42:10 Highlight the passage at 42:10

42:27 And working together harmoniously is really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really important. Okay, next question. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 42:27 Highlight the passage at 42:27

42:44 Can you repeat the question, please? Simply, brothers and sisters. Can you repeat the question? Oh, yes, I can. Report an error in the passage at 42:44 Highlight the passage at 42:44

42:54 How can you encourage siblings to love each other? Can you crack a joke about siblings? There's one joke which I love to say about the English. I can say this because I am English or was English or half English or something. There was this posh English lady and when she became pregnant after nine months, You could see that she had something inside of her. And after 10 months, she still hadn't given birth. Report an error in the passage at 42:54 Highlight the passage at 42:54

43:32 After a year, she hadn't given birth. After two years, she hadn't given birth. Because she was so posh and snobby, she never told the doctor what the problem was. And after 10 years, she still hadn't given birth. 20 years, 25 years, she still hadn't given birth. Only then that one of the doctors saw there's something weird going on. So she put her under anaesthetic, gave an operation, and opened up her womb. Report an error in the passage at 43:32 Highlight the passage at 43:32

43:58 And they found out the reason why she'd never given birth. She had twins. Two young men. Now for 25 years they were now actually grown up. So these two young men were very polite, very posh. They were wearing a nice suit, a nice bow tie, and nice shoes, and a bowler hat. And one was saying to the other, after you, Claude. No, no, no, no. I insist. After you, Percy. No, no, no, no. Report an error in the passage at 43:58 Highlight the passage at 43:58

44:29 After you, Claude. No, no, no. After you, Percy. Report an error in the passage at 44:29 Highlight the passage at 44:29

44:37 That's politeness, isn't it? In England. In England. Why not other people? Strangely enough, I'm going on the tangent as I usually do. When I was in Thailand, I found a lovely monastery where I could stay by myself for about six months. And during the hot weather, so dry up in the mountains, I put a little bowl for the birds. Report an error in the passage at 44:37 Highlight the passage at 44:37

45:05 And the birds would come to drink and bathe. You've probably done that over here in England. But over in Thailand, I was in a hut close by and I could see through a knot hole. in the wood the birds queue up every afternoon for some drink and a wash the strange thing was this was in north of thailand they always lined I've never seen that in England anymore. When you're waiting for a bus or a train, do people stand in line these days? Report an error in the passage at 45:05 Highlight the passage at 45:05

45:45 Do they? Yes. Honest? Mostly. Really? It's in Birmingham. But the birds, these were birds of different species. And then, of course, there would always be one bird who would try and jump the queue and get in the water bath first. And all the other birds would get out of the queue and they'd beat up that bird who jumped the queue. And after that bird flew off, all the birds would go back in line exactly as they were before. Report an error in the passage at 45:45 Highlight the passage at 45:45

46:23 I thought that was amazing. Never seen such culture before in birds. Report an error in the passage at 46:23 Highlight the passage at 46:23

46:36 Actually, maybe I have to watch a bit more how people behave in England these days. I know when I was a young kid, that didn't happen. Report an error in the passage at 46:36 Highlight the passage at 46:36

46:46 Anyhow, where did I was going with that? What was the question anyway? Siblings getting on together. Siblings getting on together so you can actually respect one another. Report an error in the passage at 46:46 Highlight the passage at 46:46

47:00 Siblings getting on together. Why is it that we don't get on? Is it jealousy? It looks so loving. It always looks so loving. You two siblings there. Don't you love each other? You better say yes. Thank you. How many sisters have you got? Report an error in the passage at 47:00 Highlight the passage at 47:00

47:31 One sister and one brother. Where's the brother? School, not this time of the day. Sorry? Boarding school, okay. But you've only got one sister. You've not got no spares. If you had a spare, you wouldn't need to be so kind to the one which is sitting next to you. You've got to love each other because if any one of you gets injured or dies, would you miss them? Report an error in the passage at 47:31 Highlight the passage at 47:31

48:02 Yeah. So always remember that and just get on together. Learn how to be kind together. You're a couple of years older. Two years older, yes. So look at her as someone who can, if you're kind to her, can do your homework for you. Report an error in the passage at 48:02 Highlight the passage at 48:02

48:26 Is that a good idea? She agrees. At least it can help. And you can also get her out of trouble sometimes. Look after each other. Be kind to one another. Care for one another. Because, you know, as sisters, or as your brother, whoever he is, you know, they're going to be brothers for life, sisters for life. Report an error in the passage at 48:26 Highlight the passage at 48:26

48:53 You know, I said to my brother, he was a banker, and I was a monk. And all those early years, he would say, he never told his boss at work he had a brother who was a Buddhist monk with no money at all. They wouldn't have gone down well in this career path. But after a while, they respected me. You're a Buddhist monk. You know you live a different type of life. Report an error in the passage at 48:53 Highlight the passage at 48:53

49:22 So you have much wisdom how to use money. Otherwise, we don't use money. It's a very peaceful way to let other people make those decisions. Whatever happens, it's always good enough. One thing I've always noticed, myself and other people you've counseled, that the amount of money you have, is not the most important part. The most important part is how you use whatever money you have. It brings you lots and lots and lots of happiness. Report an error in the passage at 49:22 Highlight the passage at 49:22

49:54 Or if you want lots of money, it makes you so miserable you never have enough. Report an error in the passage at 49:54 Highlight the passage at 49:54

50:03 Ajahn, there's a question on live. Shall we do it? All right. So a question from the live stream that I have a lot of ill will towards people in my life who currently go out of their way to make it unpleasant. Nothing in the Buddhist teachings has helped me so far. Any advice? Okay, instead of letting people go out of their way to make it miserable, you should ordain as being a Buddhist monk. Report an error in the passage at 50:03 Highlight the passage at 50:03

50:31 Then they can't make it miserable. How can you make a Buddhist monk a Buddhist non-miscible? Well, that's easy because we don't suddenly change when we put the robes on. Oh, we can change it. Do we? Yeah. In other words, you have no ego, so any words of complaint or abuse don't work. Like this, I was saying yesterday, the group of 14-year-old girls in Perth, I gave a talk at their school, and those 14-year-old girls, I saw them the next day. Report an error in the passage at 50:31 Highlight the passage at 50:31

51:07 They said, oh, thanks for giving a talk at our school yesterday. I said, I'm surprised you still remember me. And they said, we'll never forget someone whose surname is Brahm. Report an error in the passage at 51:07 Highlight the passage at 51:07

51:21 And I said, it's not Brahm, it's Brahm. There's an M on the end. So that's one of my nicknames, Ajahn Brahm. But how? Does this person overcome resentment towards the people that are harassing them? Because they're not a monk and they probably don't want to be. Who knows? Or they might be a woman. Okay. I don't know. Instead of getting resentful, a lot of times that, for example, when I was building a monastery, not building a monastery, we were having a big opening ceremony of our city centre in Perth and we'd invited the Governor General to the ceremony and a few other dignitaries. Report an error in the passage at 51:21 Highlight the passage at 51:21

52:09 I was in charge of arranging all the seats and everything. And then when the seats came, I was in there to check them. And when I actually saw them, they were all really dirty. And we had, I think, eight chairs for the VIPs. And those eight chairs, the legs weren't the same size. They wobbled. At least over here, all your chairs are reasonably comfortable. They don't wobble. Report an error in the passage at 52:09 Highlight the passage at 52:09

52:37 I said, we're going to have the governor coming tomorrow. If he falls off his chair, imagine what the newspapers would say about that. That would be the end of our temple in Perth. So I quickly rang up the organization which hired his chairs to us. And I said to them, they need to be changed. We've got the governor of Western Australia coming tomorrow and a few other dignitaries. Report an error in the passage at 52:37 Highlight the passage at 52:37

53:03 Please, we can't have the governor falling off one of your chairs. She said, no, it must be some big mistake. I'm sorry about that. I'll have the guys come and change the chairs straight away. So she called the guys who were on that crew. You know where they were on a Friday afternoon. They'd gone off to their office, the pub. Report an error in the passage at 53:03 Highlight the passage at 53:03

53:25 And so when they were told, get back to work, the Buddhists need new chairs, they weren't happy. They weren't happy at all. But anyway, when they turned up, I was waiting for them this time. I had to check to make sure they got the right chairs. And they came in a big van, a big truck, a big lorry, as they say over here. And when that lorry turned the corner, one of the guys jumped off the truck. Report an error in the passage at 53:25 Highlight the passage at 53:25

53:55 He was really angry and he had his fist in front of him. He came running down the road ahead of the truck. Where's the bloke in charge? I want the bloke in charge. And I went up to him and said, I'm the bloke in charge. Report an error in the passage at 53:55 Highlight the passage at 53:55

54:14 And he put his fist this far from my nose. And you could smell on his breath was a lot of alcohol. In fact, that's the most alcohol I've breathed in since becoming a monk. But Report an error in the passage at 54:14 Highlight the passage at 54:14

54:35 I'm telling that story because what happened next, It was wonderful. If you have, like, want to have a fight, there's something which you call, like, please excuse the language, foreplay, before you can actually start the fight. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Until you actually have the fight. I know that. So I wasn't going to even go any further. He decided to fist in front of me. I wasn't afraid, honestly. Report an error in the passage at 54:35 Highlight the passage at 54:35

55:13 I just stood there. I wasn't smirking. I wasn't afraid. I was just looking at him. He did not know what to do next. A whole series of threat, threat, threat, threat, and then a punch. Never happened. And all this time I had many of my helpers. They were looking at me. Thank you for helping. I said to them afterwards. None of them did. They were hopeless. Report an error in the passage at 55:13 Highlight the passage at 55:13

55:44 I didn't need to, but nevertheless, it was a good experience. I thank them also for not interfering because it was totally under control and a very beautiful experience. He was looking at me. He didn't know what to do next. He was confused because in a conflict situation, when you don't follow the normal procedures, and there are normal procedures, the other person does not know what to do. Report an error in the passage at 55:44 Highlight the passage at 55:44

56:12 So because of that... He was standing there, frozen. And I knew I had him totally in my power. He was stuck. And during that time, the truck had parked, and one of the other workers jumped out, came running towards us, put his hand on his shoulder, said, come on, let's unload the chairs and stuff. He said, yeah, I'll help you. So we did. No violence. It was just, I don't play that game. Report an error in the passage at 56:12 Highlight the passage at 56:12

56:46 We play other games of kindness and peace and respect. It's amazing how much you learn as a monk how to face someone who has obviously had lots of alcohol, is pissed in your nose, ready to punch you, and you couldn't. Report an error in the passage at 56:46 Highlight the passage at 56:46

57:08 Now you can stop all of that silliness. Not that hard. Have you ever seen other people defuse situations like that? And how impressive it is. You don't need to call police or call reinforcements. Just look at them, not threatening them, but not backing off. Report an error in the passage at 57:08 Highlight the passage at 57:08

57:35 Okay, now. Well, from here, if Report an error in the passage at 57:35 Highlight the passage at 57:35

57:41 not, I'll do another live stream question. Okay, yes. I need this one. Okay. Thank you. All right, you're in luck on the live stream. So, let's see. All right, I'm not going in order. Report an error in the passage at 57:41 Highlight the passage at 57:41

57:53 Dear Venerable, trying to be a serious practitioner in the path, lots of positives being achieved, but I need help with attachment to food. You're the best one to answer this, Ajahn. Report an error in the passage at 57:53 Highlight the passage at 57:53

58:06 I am not attached to food. I let it go every time when I go into the toilet. Report an error in the passage at 58:06 Highlight the passage at 58:06

58:18 Thank you for your response. Report an error in the passage at 58:18 Highlight the passage at 58:18

58:23 But instead of being attached to food, I think you would notice this today. There's something else which you really respect and honour. That is just the joy of the person who offered you that food. That's why even today, the last couple of days, I was staying in your parents' house. And the last thing I said to them before I left was thank you for that delicious food you cooked. Report an error in the passage at 58:23 Highlight the passage at 58:23

58:50 You always praise people. The little kindnesses which you receive. Do you like your mum and dad's cooking? You two in the front. Do you tell them? Report an error in the passage at 58:50 Highlight the passage at 58:50

59:08 You get much better food next week if you praise them for what they do. Don't you like doing things which please other people? Report an error in the passage at 59:08 Highlight the passage at 59:08

59:19 So you find out what people need, what they want, and you say thank you for that. And you mean it. It's amazing just how much happiness you give them. Report an error in the passage at 59:19 Highlight the passage at 59:19

59:32 They obviously enjoy it much more, being praised for all the hard work they do. And also you enjoy it much more because they do much better. Report an error in the passage at 59:32 Highlight the passage at 59:32

59:42 So what is your favorite food? Pasta. You as well? Pasta? What? Okay, pasta's okay. Instead of saying it's okay, just tell your mom or your dad, thank you so much for making that pasta. I can't resist. prepare. I can't resist. The opportunity to sell that story of that lady who came and sat next to me on the underground some years ago. Report an error in the passage at 59:42 Highlight the passage at 59:42

1:00:17 She came and sat next to me. She said, are you a Buddhist monk? I said, yes. She said, a real Buddhist monk? Yes. She said, can you tell me something about Buddhism? I was always being very interested in Buddhism. What part? She said, reincarnation, rebirth. So I told a true story. There was an Italian man who came on one of my retreats about a month before that. And this Italian man came up to me and said he had a very weird meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:17 Highlight the passage at 1:00:17

1:00:48 In his meditation, it was like he saw this vision of himself as a piece of spaghetti. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:48 Highlight the passage at 1:00:48

1:00:58 Sometimes you do have these visions in meditation as a piece of spaghetti. And then the next day, he had a vision of himself as a piece of macaroni. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:58 Highlight the passage at 1:00:58

1:01:09 Do you think that's weird? It's obvious what it was. I said, this fellow was recollecting his past lives. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:09 Highlight the passage at 1:01:09

1:01:25 Past lives. But Ajahn, how do you overcome attachment to food? Was the question. I'm not worrying about attachments. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:25 Highlight the passage at 1:01:25

1:01:40 As a monk, as an abbot of a monastery, there was... lives. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:40 Highlight the passage at 1:01:40

1:01:37 Attachments. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:37 Highlight the passage at 1:01:37

1:01:46 One of the monks, he was a Japanese, about seven, eight centuries ago, called Dogen. And when he built the monastery, it was one of the most coldest, windiest places in the whole of Japan, a heiji monastery. And I remember going to visit there once. It was very ascetic. Everything was so tough. You had to get up at three or four o 'clock in the morning and work really hard. You had to bathe in zero degree water. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:46 Highlight the passage at 1:01:46

1:02:22 It was really, really harsh. But he said except for one thing. He said, make sure the food in the monastery is plentiful and delicious. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:22 Highlight the passage at 1:02:22

1:02:35 And I understood what he meant there. If you eat delicious food, you'll digest it. One of our monks had some trouble with his digestion and the doctor, the specialist, told him to do this little scan, a barium meal. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:35 Highlight the passage at 1:02:35

1:03:01 Eat a barium, it's a kind of radioactive, and then scan to see where it's blocked when it goes through your system. And they said, first of all, you know, we've got to make sure that you can, this actually flows through your system. And then they made the appointment for him, which is really silly if it's a monk or a nun, in the afternoon. And the burial meal just sat in his tummy. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:01 Highlight the passage at 1:03:01

1:03:26 It never went anywhere. And they thought, what's the problem there? It's because we only eat in the mornings as Buddhist monks or nuns. And so the stomach is actually used to not moving or doing anything in the afternoon. So the test was about to fail. And then they asked him, okay, please think about your favorite food. And imagine it's the morning time. And once he started to think of his favorite food, then his stomach started moving and the barium actually moved as it would normally do. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:26 Highlight the passage at 1:03:26

1:04:07 Monks and nuns, because of our food requirements about not eating at certain times of the day, sometimes your tummy doesn't even work in the afternoon or evening. It just... Still, and that proved to me just why we eat delicious food and why it's good for you. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:07 Highlight the passage at 1:04:07

1:04:28 When I think of my favorite food, like right now, each one of you, can you think of your favorite food? Do you notice that saliva starts to come out of the little ducts in your mouth? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:28 Highlight the passage at 1:04:28

1:04:44 Even just thinking about it or smelling it, imagine you're smelling the most delicious pasta you've ever eaten. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:44 Highlight the passage at 1:04:44

1:04:55 in the body working and that's how you can actually digest it and it's just too many monks and nuns with bad digestions a lot of times because we don't have much control over what we eat it's put in front of us so because of that to make sure that we're actually looking after people you make sure that we let people know please Report an error in the passage at 1:04:55 Highlight the passage at 1:04:55

1:05:21 Give the monks and nuns food which they can digest. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:21 Highlight the passage at 1:05:21

1:05:27 This is not craving or attachment. It's just looking after yourself. For years, I would eat anything which people gave me. One of the worst foods which I ever ate was... I was a vegetarian before I was a monk, number one. And one of the worst foods I ever ate was a frog on sticky rice. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:27 Highlight the passage at 1:05:27

1:05:54 The frog, quite a big frog. Boiled. No seasoning, no salt, no garlic, nothing, just like a boiled frog on sticky rice. I'm saying this to you to make sure that whenever you go to school, make sure you always pay attention to the biology teacher. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:54 Highlight the passage at 1:05:54

1:06:17 Because I had, so when I had a frog on a sticky rice, you know, that's all you had to eat. Nothing else. That was one meal of the day. So I started eating the frog and the legs, but that's not enough to survive. So then I started picking at its organs inside. The monk next to me also started picking at the frog's organs, but he hadn't paid attention during biology class. He pressed the frog's bladder, and it still had urine in it, and that frog peed all over his rice. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:17 Highlight the passage at 1:06:17

1:06:53 Have you ever had that? Report an error in the passage at 1:06:53 Highlight the passage at 1:06:53

1:06:59 You don't want to either. So a lot of times, you know, to go to keep the monks healthy, but over in KL once, people knew that I wasn't, I don't make these things up, that I have allergies. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:59 Highlight the passage at 1:06:59

1:07:17 Strangely, I cannot eat apples. They always made me feel sick. Also, honey, I don't know why, but also I can't digest. So people say, I'm just making this up because you don't like to eat that. I love apples or honey. But on this one occasion, I'd been eating so much different food, whatever people gave me, and I was on the stage right here, and I said, I really do need to actually to go to the toilet. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:17 Highlight the passage at 1:07:17

1:07:48 He said, no, just one more question. So I got out, projectile vomiting on stage in front of about 3,000 people. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:48 Highlight the passage at 1:07:48

1:08:01 That's one really good way of proving your point. And it was video too. So I can always say, look, I don't make these things up. If you give me some things which I can't eat, then I can't eat them. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:01 Highlight the passage at 1:08:01

1:08:17 So anyway, we're dealing with monks and nuns, or with yourself. Keep yourself healthy. It's not attachment to food. It's just attachment to health. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:17 Highlight the passage at 1:08:17

1:08:29 So you can eat whatever is offered, but some things you have to say no to. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:29 Highlight the passage at 1:08:29

1:08:38 One more question? I'm happy. I'm noticing each one of you. You're just sitting there. Can you hear it okay? Do you want to hear it? That's the second question. Okay, let's have another question or complaint. On the live stream, yeah. Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:38 Highlight the passage at 1:08:38

1:09:06 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:06 Highlight the passage at 1:09:06

1:09:12 Yes. Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:12 Highlight the passage at 1:09:12

1:09:17 I was wondering how we do that. Is it like all of these precepts, follow the truth, meditation, and each of those things? I suppose we need to play it in from what we do daily to change that. I think the future of habits often brings back to that. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:17 Highlight the passage at 1:09:17

1:09:41 Yes, Report an error in the passage at 1:09:41 Highlight the passage at 1:09:41

1:09:45 I repeat the question. How in life can we actually... Why do you go to the parks? Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:45 Highlight the passage at 1:09:45

1:09:51 Change our perceptions so we don't just follow habits. We're actually much more mindful. Sometimes if you have a perception of, say, somebody, somebody you work with, somebody you see, even just smiling at them can really, really help. It Report an error in the passage at 1:09:51 Highlight the passage at 1:09:51

1:10:11 worked. Yeah. It worked with a few people. Yeah. Because even, that's what I've done many, many, many, many times, is walk down the street or in public transport. Even on the train coming here. This is one lady when I got on the train over in Chesterfield. We got off in Birmingham. And I smiled at her. And she smiled back. She was a middle-aged elderly lady. And she smiled back. Sometimes we're so afraid of smiling. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:11 Highlight the passage at 1:10:11

1:10:43 But I already look a bit weird. So they realized it's like smiling at them. I'm not going to ask for anything. It's just a nice little gift I can give. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:43 Highlight the passage at 1:10:43

1:10:55 And a lot of times people feel afraid and you smile. People who want something from you don't smile. So that's one way I try and help with this. And the other thing is seeing if you can associate with people who you usually don't associate together with and listen to them. Not only listen to them, but kind of feel them, the emotional peace, the emotional happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:55 Highlight the passage at 1:10:55

1:11:27 That's obviously something which I love doing. Each one of you sometimes. Have you seen that when I give a talk, I always look at you? The reason why I look at you is because you tell me some of the difficulties and problems which you may have. If you're looking at me, I can see even a tiny bit of fear or boredom. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:27 Highlight the passage at 1:11:27

1:11:49 That's usually when I tell a silly story or a joke or something. And that gets you all uplifted and together. A lot of times we're afraid of one another. Because we're afraid of one another, you may come from a different land, a different gender, a different sort of lifestyle. It's wonderful. You've got another couple of minutes. You're safe. So it's nice to be able to laugh with one another, to smile with one another, and to be helpful to one another. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:49 Highlight the passage at 1:11:49

1:12:28 It changes your perceptions of all other human beings. Is that true? Report an error in the passage at 1:12:28 Highlight the passage at 1:12:28

1:12:41 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:41 Highlight the passage at 1:12:41

1:12:47 Indeed. there's some of this model coming away from the cellar and moving towards the feet. Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:47 Highlight the passage at 1:12:47

1:12:48 around the past and obviously fears that from the first edition yeah Report an error in the passage at 1:12:48 Highlight the passage at 1:12:48

1:12:57 indeed I just was trying to think of a simile. And when I was at university, I was a Buddhist. My friends knew I was a Buddhist, a Christian friend. And he said he was going with his friends to the local mental hospital, full-blown outside of Cambridge, to do some social work. That's what real spiritual people should do. They put me on the spot, so I decided to go with them just to fly the flag for Buddhism. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:57 Highlight the passage at 1:12:57

1:13:29 If the Christians could do it, the Buddhists could do as well. That's how I thought. And then what happened afterwards, that when I went there, I enjoyed it so much. It was working with people with Down syndrome. And you really got to understand them, appreciate them. And I really enjoyed, honestly, enjoyed their wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:29 Highlight the passage at 1:13:29

1:13:55 They had a different type of wisdom than I had. I remember going there one day in the afternoon. And one of them came running towards me. And he put their hands around me to give me a hug. And I was afraid, please excuse me anyone here, afraid of homosexuality. I was a heterosexual. I didn't understand it at the time. So being hugged by a man in public, I was really afraid of that at first. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:55 Highlight the passage at 1:13:55

1:14:23 But then when he said to me afterwards, he said, what's happened? He could see me suffering. I had just broken up with my girlfriend the night before. How on earth did you know that? His emotional sensitivity was huge. And when I started to respect him for that, I loved associating with the Down syndrome people. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:23 Highlight the passage at 1:14:23

1:14:52 In fact, I had many more. It's now called emotional intelligence. I had intellectual intelligence as a theoretical physicist, but they taught me so much more. They can pick it up. Other people couldn't. Later on, I was so much more supportive of LGBTQIA+. Did I get them all? Yeah, people. Of people, yeah. No matter who you are. But at that time, they sort of opened my eyes to so much of the diversity and the beauty of diversity. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:52 Highlight the passage at 1:14:52

1:15:31 And never judge a person to say that they don't belong. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:31 Highlight the passage at 1:15:31

1:15:38 Does that make any sense? Yes. Okay. I need one more question. One more question? Report an error in the passage at 1:15:38 Highlight the passage at 1:15:38

1:15:49 Then I'll answer your question, sir. Thank you. Okay. Otherwise, should we get on the live stream? Okay. Live stream, okay. Going, going. Okay. Can I have the mic? Oh, yeah. Okay, the live streamers are in luck again. So how can I deal with a general sense of inertness during the day, especially when there's a lot of work to do, which impacts my life, career and family? Report an error in the passage at 1:15:49 Highlight the passage at 1:15:49

1:16:15 So dealing with inertness. Inertness. Take a break. Respect inertia. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:15 Highlight the passage at 1:16:15

1:16:27 Is that a good answer? Actually, it is. Because if you don't worry about things, you can put the burden down for a few moments. And relax and give priority to just being here and being still. You'll find out you re-energize your mind. When your mind gets re-energized, you want to help and you know how to help. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:27 Highlight the passage at 1:16:27

1:16:59 And you're much more efficient whatever help you do. Sometimes that inertness, thinking it's too much work, it is too much of that. At that particular time, a good example of that was this lawyer in New York who cleaned out a cupboard in his office and he put a cushion in that cupboard and whenever he gets stressed out, he goes in his cupboard. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:59 Highlight the passage at 1:16:59

1:17:34 And when anyone calls up, I need to talk to you. The secretary has been trained to say, I'm sorry. Not that he's in a meeting, he's in his cupboard. He does that because he's a much nicer lawyer after relaxing and resting. He's got so much more energy. One of the reasons why people get inert, why we are not so interested, not so much energy to get involved in the important things of our life, is because we're tired. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:34 Highlight the passage at 1:17:34

1:18:13 And where we can overcome that. How many of you feel tired? Okay. Why? Because we don't know how to rest. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:13 Highlight the passage at 1:18:13

1:18:28 That's a good way of resting. A lot of times we don't know how to rest. We don't know how to be still. I often say, the Brits, I was a Brit. Why did the British Empire ever exist? Report an error in the passage at 1:18:28 Highlight the passage at 1:18:28

1:18:47 The reason was because all of those administrators, you know, which were sent overseas to places like Australia, they'd always take the culture of having a tea break in the morning, tea break at lunch, and tea break in the afternoon. They never ever worked, you know, so many hours continuously. And I think that a lot of people don't realize the powerful psychological effect that had. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:47 Highlight the passage at 1:18:47

1:19:16 We have a tea break in the morning and a tea break in the afternoon. When you can relax, you can actually re-energize. Why do we still do that in schools for children? We don't do that in offices. Why can't we do that? Tea breaks. And because the English had that, tea breaks, I think that's one of the reasons why the sun never set over the British Empire. Oh, come on! Report an error in the passage at 1:19:16 Highlight the passage at 1:19:16

1:19:50 They don't have tea breaks anymore. Your bosses at work don't allow you. They've got to work. Come on, what are you doing having a tea break? So if you're not a tea break, okay, a coffee break or a meditation break, that's the best. If you have a meditation break in the morning, meditation break in the afternoon, I'm sure that the British, well, not all of you are British, are you? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:50 Highlight the passage at 1:19:50

1:20:14 How many Brits are here? Only one or two? Oh my goodness. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:14 Highlight the passage at 1:20:14

1:20:21 Bring your hand up. No. But anyway, the idea of relaxing and resting is really important. Who is one of the other great empires? The Spanish? Siesta. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:21 Highlight the passage at 1:20:21

1:20:38 Is that a very good thing to have? Siesta? How many of you can have a rest during lunchtime? Could you ever do that? If not, why not? It's a brilliant thing to do. These days we think we're wasting time. There's no wasting time. You're actually helping your brain recover from the difficult decisions you make in the morning or things you have to do in the afternoon. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:38 Highlight the passage at 1:20:38

1:21:08 This is not a joke. This is serious. If you could do that, wind up already. Okay. Okay. Now you have to give a dharma talk. Dharma talk? You're not supposed to say that. I'm not. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:08 Highlight the passage at 1:21:08

1:21:29 What she means to say is that the monastery which we're creating for women here in UK, in Oxford, it doesn't make itself. So we do need your help if you'd like to have a nun's monastery. It's not amongst monasteries. Why can't we have monasteries for women? I've worked my butt off to do that. I'm very happy. Sorry? Report an error in the passage at 1:21:29 Highlight the passage at 1:21:29

1:22:02 I'm just thinking we should introduce our girl. Yeah, this is our Anagarika, who is a photo Anagarika. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:02 Highlight the passage at 1:22:02

1:22:16 Can I say? Well, she's actually ordaining as a samanera wearing brown. Now, when are you ordaining? In two days. You mean on Saturday? good. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:16 Highlight the passage at 1:22:16

1:22:35 How many novice ordinations have there ever been in Anukampa? This is the first. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:35 Highlight the passage at 1:22:35

1:22:52 You know why we chose Saturday? Have a look at her white clothes. They're getting dirtier and dirtier and dirtier. So once you have brown robe, you don't have to wash them so often. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:52 Highlight the passage at 1:22:52

1:23:06 She understands what it means. It's not just that. It's once you become a nun, a bhikkhuni. I'm saying this. You can't say this. That you have wisdom, understanding, which I will never have as a monk. There are differences and sometimes the emotional depth which you will have will be far greater. That's why we do need bhikkhunis as well as bhikkhus. Only having half a population following this path never works. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:06 Highlight the passage at 1:23:06

1:23:41 And how do you feel when you see monks giving talks? He doesn't see women giving talks, nuns, bhikkhunis. There's something terribly wrong about that. So that's one of the reasons why we make sure that whenever you see there's something wrong, we do something about it. We make sure that we solve the problem. And the very fact that you're trapped when you heard that she's going to be wearing brown robes in two days' time, that reveals how you really feel. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:41 Highlight the passage at 1:23:41

1:24:19 Well done. And maybe later on in your life, you can become a supporter and maybe even become a nun yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:19 Highlight the passage at 1:24:19

1:24:33 Honestly, why not? Report an error in the passage at 1:24:33 Highlight the passage at 1:24:33

1:24:38 I love this life of being a bhikkhu. To make that opportunity available for the other half of the population, women, is a no-brainer. So it's great if you can support her. And one of the ways of supporting We do have the dharma box outside. That is a donation box. I'm just saying it obviously because I get tired of trying to go around the bush and say whatever support you can give. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:38 Highlight the passage at 1:24:38

1:25:08 But it's wonderful if you, even just a dollar or 56, no, I'm not in Australia. You're not in Australia. It's wonderful with whatever you can do. And that really helps us. Even I. can't raise money which would have Don't give money to the Marx Monasteries. Marx Monasteries have got enough. Bhikkhuni Monasteries don't. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:08 Highlight the passage at 1:25:08

1:25:38 And I can get nothing out of this. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:38 Highlight the passage at 1:25:38

1:25:43 You're getting the donation. Thanks Ajahn for coming and giving a talk again and yeah for coming in that pure-hearted way because I think you don't get anything like material out of any of this except really nice food by my parents but you didn't come for that right that was just a bonus but I think what Ajahn Brahm gets and what I get because I don't know about you Ajahn but nobody really wants to be in a leadership role. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:43 Highlight the passage at 1:25:43

1:26:10 Nobody really wants all the work of being an avid or, I don't know, an avid. But there's such a great reward in that when we actually give our lives for something we believe in and for something really worthwhile. And I think, you know, this is how you brainwash me into doing it, by showing me how happy you are. And there's something like, I think it's called something like freedom in commitment. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:10 Highlight the passage at 1:26:10

1:26:36 There's a philosophical concept that it. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:36 Highlight the passage at 1:26:36

1:26:39 Committing to something in life actually brings a great deal of freedom because we stop dispersing our energies in different directions and we really pour it into something we believe in and something real, something ethical, of course, is the best of all. And I can say for myself that although it's been an incredibly difficult journey the last 10 years, trying to start a monastery and having basically nowhere to live until about three years ago. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:39 Highlight the passage at 1:26:39

1:27:07 Although it's been really difficult and I have had a burnout along the way, I have had a lot of doubts, sometimes every day for months and months and months, something in me continued because I knew how important this was. And I have to say it's thanks to everybody's support, even if you've never met me or ever visited the monastery yet, it's thanks to the support internationally and also, of course, in the UK that we've been able to do this. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:07 Highlight the passage at 1:27:07

1:27:34 Not one person, not a thousand people, probably tens of thousands of people, maybe even hundreds have contributed whatever they can in terms of financial support, support of food, support of robes and support of time, you know, support of offering yourself. skills as volunteers and of course your practice so everybody has been involved and I think you know we organize these things to support us directly but also really to create community which is something that is needed in these times more than anything I think because you know like one gentleman was saying how do we have that faith in each other like how do we reach out to each other and Kind of create something different, especially amid so much fear and division and all the political upheaval that's happening in the world. And for me, the way is to get together and to create societies that are different and are inclusive and that do welcome you, whoever you are. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:34 Highlight the passage at 1:27:34

1:28:36 So that's what we're trying to do. And I guess I really want to thank you for your participation so far. And also encourage you to stay connected with us to get involved. It might mean coming to our online teachings on a Friday or Saturday. We do asuta discussions. We do mettā meditation. It might be coming to more events like this or helping us organize things like this or getting involved as an admin volunteer. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:36 Highlight the passage at 1:28:36

1:29:06 We need website volunteers. Anyone who knows how to build a nice pretty website because we've got one but it's a bit old. What else do we need? People to send food and just people to really support what we're doing and hopefully benefit your own practice through being associated with us. So thank you very much. And to any young women or mediumly young or I don't know, am I old now? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:06 Highlight the passage at 1:29:06

1:29:36 I'm quite old now. How old are you? I'm 50. I'm an adult apparently. I feel like an adult now because I'm 50 years old. But yeah, even if you're 50, there's still an opportunity. But the longer you leave it, the harder it gets. So hopefully, you know, with what we're doing, it will bring that option to women who might never have thought of the possibility to ordain. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:36 Highlight the passage at 1:29:36

1:29:59 You can only make a choice for something, you know. For a lifestyle that might really benefit you if you know that it exists. So that's one of the reasons we exist so that you know that this could be a path for you. So however you want to walk on the path, carry on. And if monastic life is your calling, then hopefully we can continue to create opportunities for that. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:59 Highlight the passage at 1:29:59

1:30:21 So yeah, I think that's all I want to say. Apart from you can find out more information outside. And as I said, we have to head off pretty soon. But yeah, there might be a chance to say hello to us just briefly at the end. And we'll be in Oxford tomorrow night. Is that right? Tomorrow night already. We'll be in Oxford to give a talk. And there is still a retreat of five days followed by a weekend retreat. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:21 Highlight the passage at 1:30:21

1:30:50 There's places in the weekend retreat this coming weekend. Or if you want, you can tune in live. So we have Tao who's been helping us very much with the live stream. Keep it going a bit longer. And you can tune in live. I think it's on our website, the exact times. Or you can subscribe to our YouTube channel and you'll get notified of that. So hope to see you somewhere soon. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:50 Highlight the passage at 1:30:50

1:31:16 And thanks once again to Ajahn Brahm. Shall we do the three big sadhus? Sadhu. Sadhu means awesome. Come on, let's do that again. Okay. All right. You have to, you have to like warm up. Okay. Good exercise. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:16 Highlight the passage at 1:31:16

1:31:43 Thank you. so Report an error in the passage at 1:31:43 Highlight the passage at 1:31:43

1:31:40 Good exercise. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:40 Highlight the passage at 1:31:40

1:31:46 Thanks so much. Thanks. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:46 Highlight the passage at 1:31:46