Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Self and Selfies | Ajahn Brahm | 9 May 2023

Dhamma talk by Ajahn Brahm on the 9th May 2023, at the Box Hill Town Hall on behalf of the Buddhist Society of Victoria (BSV).

Please visit the BSV Podcast Channel and BSV YouTube Channel

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

 

Inner Nobility, Inner Dignity and Respect | Kathryn Yew | 18 Aug 2023

Every year, the monastic community (Monks and nuns) go on a three month retreat called the “Rains Retreat” from mid July to mid October. During this period, they do not visit our centres for teachings as it’s a time for deepening their own practice.

While the monks and nuns are away, we will have some interesting guest speakers coming in to give the Friday Night talk.

TURNING POINTS 2023

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

The Saintmaker: The Meaning and Purpose of the Sangha | with Ajahn Kovilo

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast, Everyday Dhamma Network and Treasure Mountain Facebook page. 

Joining us on this episode is a return guest, Ajahn Kovilo who is joining us from Dharma Realm Buddhist University in California. Ajahn Kovilo is an Ohio-born monk who, having been introduced to meditation through the Goenka tradition, first entered the monastery in 2006. After receiving full ordination from Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Amaro at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in California in 2010, Ajahn Kovilo spent the next decade training at monasteries in the Ajahn Chah tradition in America and Thailand. In 2020, after a year practicing at a Pa Auk Sayadaw monastery, Ajahn Kovilo enrolled at the Dharma Realm Buddhist University in Ukiah, California where he is currently studying Pali and Sanskrit among other courses. Until the end of his formal studies, Ajahn Kovilo will be participating in the growing Clear Mountain Monastery community remotely and during Winter and Summer breaks. After finishing his studies, Ajahn Kovilo will join the community in person on a more regular basis.

Ajahn Kovilo is joining us today to discuss an institution that is often misunderstood in Western countries, even by practicing Buddhists in the West. That is, the Sangha, the community of ordained bhikkhus and bhikkhunis (monks and nuns). There are some in the West who say that we don’t even need a Sangha! But there is no denying that the Sangha was an integral feature of the Buddha Sasana from the very beginning, and indeed, to be a Buddhist is to have taken personal refuge with the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha! So what do we mean by the Sangha? And more importantly, what is it for? Join us in finding out more about the meaning and purpose of the Sangha with Ajahn Kovilo as we seek for the treasure within…

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Clear Mountain Monastery 
• Clear Mountain Dhamma Youtube Channel
• Clear Mountain Dhamma Podcast
• Clear Mountain Monastery Facebook page

Treasure Mountain Podcast links:

• Treasure Mountain Podcast
• Treasure Mountain on Facebook
• Everyday Dhamma Network

Thank you for listening to the Treasure Mountain Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode please share it with you friends. If you'd like to support me to produce this type of content in future, you can support my work by offering a tip via the Ko-fi payment applet.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Dhamma and the Dinosaurs | Drew Bellamy | 11 Aug 2023

Every year, the monastic community (Monks and nuns) go on a three month retreat called the “Rains Retreat” from mid July to mid October. During this period, they do not visit our centres for teachings as it’s a time for deepening their own practice.

While the monks and nuns are away, we will have some interesting guest speakers coming in to give the Friday Night talk.

TURNING POINTS 2023 Drew Bellamy

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

What does Buddhism say about Love? | Ajahn Mudito | 5 Feb 2023

Dhamma talk by Ajahn Mudito on the 5 Feb 2023, at the Buddhist Society of Victoria (BSV). 

The Sutta that Ajahn Mudito references can be found here, MN87 Piyajātikasutta: https://suttacentral.net/mn87/en/sujato?layout=linebyline&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

Bhante Mudito was born in a remote village in Northern-Finland. After completing military service, he travelled to the United States where he attended chef school and worked in a high-end hotel for a few years. While living in New York his long-time interest in Buddhism evolved as he started meditating with different groups. He sought after many teachers and found many of them to be too lofty or simply too boring. But then the stars aligned when Ajahn Brahm wrote his hit book Open the Door of your Heart and on the book promotion tour he came to New York where Mudito fell in love with Ajahn and his simple teachings. He has followed Ajahn Brahm ever since and in 2010 he went to stay in Bodhinyana and ordained as a monk in 2012.

 

Please visit the BSV Podcast Channel and BSV YouTube Channel

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

How to Get to Heaven.. and Beyond! | Ajahn Nissarano | 23 July 2023

Dhamma talk by Ajahn Nissarano on the 23 July 2023, at the Buddhist Society of Victoria (BSV). 

Venerable Nissarano is an Australian monk who ordained under Ajahn Brahm 22 years ago. He currently resides at the Newbury Buddhist Monastery as the Senior Monastic.

Please visit the BSV Podcast Channel and BSV YouTube Channel

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

A Life in the Dharma | Venerable Thubten Chokyi | 4 Aug 2023

Every year, the monastic community (Monks and nuns) go on a three month retreat called the “Rains Retreat” from mid July to mid October. During this period, they do not visit our centres for teachings as it’s a time for deepening their own practice.

While the monks and nuns are away, we will have some interesting guest speakers coming in to give the Friday Night talk.

TURNING POINTS 2023 Venerable Thubten Chokyi from Hayagriva Buddhist Centre.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Right Knowledge, Right Liberation Workshop IV - Part 7 | Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato & Ven Sunyo | 29 Jul 2023

In the final part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato and Venerable Sunyo discusses Right Liberation:

• Liberation from what exactly?
  o Defilements
  o Suffering = the five aggregates = existence
  o Liberation in both respects
• Liberation and Nibbāna (SN 23.1, SN 1.2)
• The meaning of “Nibbāna”
• The two types of Nibbāna (Iti 44, Thag 15.2)
  o Nibbāna at enlightenment
  o Nibbāna at passing away
• Nature of Nibbāna
  o Awakening vs. enlightenment
  o Only potsherds being left (SN 12.51)
  o All feelings become cool at the end of life (MN 140)
• Anattā: no entity comes to an end, only suffering (MN 72, SN 22.85)
• Conceit and enlightenment (MN 140, Ud 1.10)
• To help others, aim for enlightenment yourself; get out of the mud (MN 8)
• Some say Nibbāna is cessation, others that it is a kind of eternalism; so how do we choose?
  o We need to zoom out and take a bird’s eye view
  o The safe bet: let go of as much as possible. “Nothing is worth holding on to” (MN 37)
  o The view of cessation of existence is closer to non-clinging (MN 60)
• What’s the purpose of extinguishment? (SN 23.1)

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

The Joy of Helping Others | Ajahn Brahm | 28 July 2023

Ajahn Brahm talks about the joy of teaching Buddhism and helping others.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Right Knowledge, Right Liberation Workshop III - Part 6 | Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato & Ven Sunyo | 22 Jul 2023

In the 3rd part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato and Venerable Sunyo discusses the myths and misconceptions:

• Myth 1: Nibbāna is a kind of consciousness
• Myth 2: Nibbāna is kind of mind
• Myth 3: Extinguished fires keep existing
• Myth 4: The Buddha/arahants do not suffer
• Myth 5: Cessation is just annihilation
• Myth 6: Only the clinging aggregates are suffering, not the pure aggregates
• Myth 7: Nibbāna is “the unborn” thing, the “deathless” thing
• Myth 8: Nibbāna is a state or sphere.

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Right Knowledge, Right Liberation Workshop III - Part 5 | Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato & Ven Sunyo | 22 Jul 2023

In the 3rd part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Sujato and Venerable Sunyo discusses the myths and misconceptions:

• Myth 1: Nibbāna is a kind of consciousness
• Myth 2: Nibbāna is kind of mind
• Myth 3: Extinguished fires keep existing
• Myth 4: The Buddha/arahants do not suffer
• Myth 5: Cessation is just annihilation
• Myth 6: Only the clinging aggregates are suffering, not the pure aggregates
• Myth 7: Nibbāna is “the unborn” thing, the “deathless” thing
• Myth 8: Nibbāna is a state or sphere.

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Venerable Sunyo | Sharing and Generosity | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram, Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) with Venerable Sunyo on 19 June 2023. These weekly teachings give an introduction into Meditation and some guidance and basics into the practice of the Buddhist Path. They usually consist of a short talk, thirty minute meditation and then questions & answers.

Venerable Sunyo was born in the Netherlands and became interested in Buddhism and meditation near the end of high school. In 2013, after finishing University, he moved to Bodhinyana Monastery in Western Australia to become a monk.

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Please support BSWA in making these teachings available by donating via Patreon or our General Expenses Fund.

To download the audio, click on the audio track’s title to open it up in Podbean.

More dhamma teachings are available from:

• BSWA Podcast Channel (Dharma talks and guided meditations)
• BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel (retreats and suttas)
• BSWA YouTube Playlists
• Books and articles are available on our website.

Teaching retrieved from CBSWA please visit https://thecbswa.org to find out how to attend the monastery in person.

The Four Elements | Ajahn Sujato | 21 July 2023

Ajahn Sujato talks about the Four Elements (earth, fire, water and air) and how it relates to impermanence and interconnectedness.

 

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Right Knowledge, Right Liberation Workshop II (Part 4) | Ajahn Brahmali and Venerable Sunyo | 15th July 2023

In the 2nd part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali and Venerable Sunyo continues on with what is Right Knowledge and talks about:

• Four noble truths (ariyasacca)
• Dependant Origination (paticca samupada)
• Three insights (tevijja)
• Six senses (salayatana)
• Five aggregates (pancupadanakkhanda)
• Three characteristics (tilakkhana)

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Right Knowledge, Right Liberation Workshop II (Part 3) | Ajahn Brahmali and Venerable Sunyo | 15th July 2023

In the 2nd part of the Right Knowledge and Right Liberation Workshop, Ajahn Brahmali and Venerable Sunyo continues on with what is Right Knowledge and talks about:

• Four noble truths (ariyasacca)
• Dependant Origination (paticca samupada)
• Three insights (tevijja)
• Six senses (salayatana)
• Five aggregates (pancupadanakkhanda)
• Three characteristics (tilakkhana)

Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

UN Sustainable Development Goals and Buddhism | Ajahn Brahmali | 14 July 2023

Ajahn Brahmali talks about how Buddhism relates to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/.). Ajahn points out the importance of keeping our environment in a good state so that we can continue to practice Buddhism.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Our Mind and Our Health | Ajahn Brahm | 7 July 2023

Ajahn Brahm shares his experiences of how a happy, caring mind has a positive effect on our health.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Inclination towards Buddhist Practice | Ajahn Munissara | 30 June 2023

Sometimes we feel uninspired to practice the Buddhist path. Ajahn Munissara shares some stories about her struggles and encourages us to keep on practising.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Importance of Kindness in Buddhism | Ajahn Brahm | 23 June 2023

*Apologies, audio is a bit soft at the beginning till about 16:30.
Ajahn Brahm discusses the importance of kindness and meditation in Buddhism

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

United Nations’ Day of Vesak talk | Ajahn Brahmali | 2023

Ajahn Brahmali gave a talk at the official United Nations’ Day of Vesak 2023 event: “Buddhist Wisdom Coping with Global Crises”.

Talk retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI94R3Q-oxs (MCU TV:The 18th United Nations Day of Vesak 2023 : “Buddhist Wisdom Coping with Global Crises”, Ajahn Brahmali's talk from 5:31:30)

See the program for the event here: https://bswa.org/bswp/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023programUNVesak.pdf

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.