I've already heard 99% of the jokes that Ajahn Brahm told us on last Saturday. I guess it's an indication of how long I've been listening to him. Through the Landham website, I learned, just one day prior, that he would give a talk in Bangkok on the evening of the following day. I was very thrilled to meet him as I never met him in person but I had listened to him for almost a year. He can be very hilarious and yet insightful. And he practices what he preaches.
The venue was at the World Buddhist Fellowship headquarter in Benjasiri Park. Rather dreary-looking building. Most of the listeners were non-Asian foreigners. I sat within 4 meters away from him, but he was seated on the stage so he was above me. The session began with the guided sitting meditation practice. He talked us through it. Ajahn Brahm is Luangpor Chah's disciple, so he uses breath as a mean for awareness.
I jotted down something I liked from the talk so that I can post it in my blog. Here we go:
The venue was at the World Buddhist Fellowship headquarter in Benjasiri Park. Rather dreary-looking building. Most of the listeners were non-Asian foreigners. I sat within 4 meters away from him, but he was seated on the stage so he was above me. The session began with the guided sitting meditation practice. He talked us through it. Ajahn Brahm is Luangpor Chah's disciple, so he uses breath as a mean for awareness.
I jotted down something I liked from the talk so that I can post it in my blog. Here we go:
- Buddhism is about sufferings and how to get out of it.
- Stop focusing on your problems. Focus on other parts of life.
- Good? Bad? Who knows? (i.e., all conditions are impermanent, มันไม่แน่)
- When asked what was the purpose in life, his recommendation was that one should not search for religion outside of oneself.... It's not about changing yourself; it's about changing your attitudes to things.
- The most important time is now; the most important person is the one in front of you; and the most important thing to do is to care. Leo Tolstoy.
- When asked if one can have a plan while being in the present moment, he said "Adapt. Don't put your future in a straight jacket."
- He told us to live simply so that we don't stress the hell out of ourselves to earn enough money to cover our excessive lifestyles which, in addition, aren't good for the environment.
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