The Nature of Suffering | Ajahn Brahm | 10 February 2023

Ajahn Brahm points out the various ways we create our own suffering through wanting. Ajahn also explains how making peace with our current circumstances often reduces suffering.
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Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia.
Copyright Buddhist Society of Western Australia www.bswa.org
Buddhist Society of Western Australia’s teaching's page: bswa.org/teachings/
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[@mamabear7071]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Ajahn Brahm. You have inspired me to be a better person. ❤

[@PracticerOfMetta]

Ajahn Brahm does not know me but he has helped me more than anyone I’ve met. I’m grateful you chose to become a monk Ajahn Brahm. I hope he gets to read this message himself. May you be free from hostility, danger, mental, physical, and spiritual suffering. May all beings, seen and unseen, in all realms and planes of existence bless you. May all beings feel inner peace and happiness. Satu Satu Satu

[@Nutifari]

i like how i sometimes "hear" ajahn brahm saying "let go", when im stuck on bad/negative feelings :D

[@andynumber5346]

Sadhu sadhu sadhu 👍

[@TheLouisamite]

We love you Ajahn Brahm

[@michellecheng6817]

One of his best speeched❤

[@ecedicle]

Thank you so so much for extending my question. I also thank all of you who gave me advice on how to process the situation. I will try to focus on those 2 good brick to bring me hope again. Thank you all for your kindness.

[@sachinthaherath4902]

@ED D correct me if I'm wrong but are you the same individual who was having trouble with loneliness? I also have gone through periods of intense loneliness so I know what that can be like😔🙌...you deserve peace and happiness despite your loneliness, never forget that!!❤🤗 If you wish to talk, I offer my ear to listen😂🤷‍♂️. Reply to this msg and maybe we could exchange contact details or something. Wishing you peace of mind and happiness😌🙏

[@Rasagarbha]

I don't know you, so please take what I'm about to say as the ravings of a madman who has nothing but a speck of experience to offer. As an AAA (Agender, Asexual, Aromantic) with no relationships, no kids, no degree, no work, no wealth nor health... I don't fit in most of the grids out there, so to say. When I was young I tried to live as I was supposed to do, but I knew in my gut there was something off. So I had a relationship, but I found no true love in it, only attachment. I attended school too until I was close to graduation, but I found no true wisdom in it either. I was searching for "the tortoise with the mustache". And I did that because I was conditioned to believe that tortoises with mustaches are a fact and, implicitly, that it was my fault if I hadn't found mine. I had to wait until I discovered Buddhism to get rid of many false views about me and life altogether. "Where there is suffering, there is an attachment". And where there is an attachment, there is the smothering grasp of the ego. So the reason why you are unconfortable when monks talk about the stereotype life of a _puthujjana_ is, perhaps, because you subconciously think you should fit in it, and at the same time you want the desire to disappear because you are seeking for an escape hatch. So you are stuck between two extremes, one that the Conditioned can give some happiness after all, but not to you, and the other that the Unconditioned can ease the pains of life like as if it were an anesthetic, or death. It's like to change an unfulfilled desire with a new desire. It is, in brief, the same old dichotomy between _bhava-taṇhā_ (thirst-to-be) and _vibhava-taṇhā_ (thirst-to-not-be). The good news is that you are not alone and you have nothing wrong, the bad news is that you have been brainwashed since ever to believe that you are wrong, and so that is right for you to be alone. The one who doesn't fit into the box must stay outside of the box, that's the rule. And inside of the box is so crowded, so warm, so cozy, so safe, so bright and sweet that you must be nuts to refuse all that bonanza for the dark, the cold, the dangers and the loneliness outside. But if this really were the case, Dhamma would be totally unnecessary because either the end of _dhukkha_ would be found in the same conditioned things from which it arises -- and it'd be a paradox -- or there would be no escape from _dhukkha_ whatsoever -- and therefore we'd all be doomed --. Rochpedre once said (more or less) "when you love you are asking to another the happiness you lack yourself". Mundane love is like that. The difference between a layperson and a monk is that a layperson is materially independent but emotionally dependent, while a monk is materially dependent but emotionally independent. A hermit can live a happy life alone in a cave because he has only few needs and he does love, care and appreciate himself. He does enjoy his own company, he is his best friend and he doesn't need anything or anyone else to be content. And of course you don't need to be a hermit or a monk to be like that, it's just a state of mind. To love is better than to be loved, to give than to be given, to understand than to be understood. Whenever we suffer we are seeking happiness in the wrong place (which is nescience, or _avijjā_ ), it'd be either the past or the future, a thought or a thing, something or someone. So instead of aiming straight to the drastical solution of Nibbana -- which is, literary, un-conceivable and then un-graspable -- we can start with something more affordable, down to the earth and immediate: observing ourselves in the present moment. Which is the problem? Why is it a problem? Is there something you can do about it? Etcetera. With mettā, R.

[@progtopaajbr2961]

Focus on the 98 good ones ❤

[@mymontyboy]

Simply be at peace everyone

[@Nadyamantra]

We don't have to be perfect to be loveable. How important it was to hear this today. Many thanks 😊 ☺️

[@MemoryGray]

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

[@lacrossepoet1]

Beautiful talk, thank you as always

[@MrAllanHee]

Good morning,Ajahn Brahm

[@timothywilliams2887]

Thank you for the talk. I don't listen enough. From Oregon USA.

[@InfiniteMindset99]

Always great relatable stories- concerts, moments, & the dharma. ❤

[@elizabethhjenkins6172]

Thank you, Ajahn. Very powerful Dharma talk with good words of wisdom. As usual, I love your stories because I always learn something new. Sadhu. Sadhu. Sadhu. 🙏🙏🙏

[@siewkonsum7291]

Suffering is part & parcel of the mortals, like Happiness. Without the former, the latter is meaningless. Suffering is needed, without which will negate the Buddha's Teachings. 🙏🙏🙏

[@excelsioresquire]

according to my study into Buddhism i found many amazing sermons delivered by The Buddha concerning Alien life back in 623BC, among them Lord Buddha mentions that the number of Galaxies run in to infinity(not Trillions) and there are many forms of humans More Advanced, The less Advanced and The similar to our Galaxy

[@13BD]

Class A and Class B, blew my mind away. I've been in the class B mindset for far too long.

[@halinka8322]

❤

[@3y3sign]

The fact that humans were created, comes from chaos, Stephan hawking knew this in the origins of the universe. I have come to accept that everything in this multiverse is not perfect and there is beauty in that. Thank you for helping me realize the truth. ❤

[@babyme8886]

Namo Buddhaya 😊🙏

[@siewkonsum7291]

Suffering is part & parcel of Nature, like happiness. Without the former, the latter is meaningless. Suffering is needed, without which will negate the Teachings of Buddha.

[@sachinthaherath4902]

Thank you for this wonderful talk Ajahn Brahm and BSWA.😌🙏🙏🙏

[@rbmh]

Amazing Video, Beauftail and Healing.

[@ramthian]

🙏🙏🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@kokokj1997]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@sailaolunghern2822]

สาธุๆๆค่ะ

[@mayasteinberger8429]

I love your Stories with much of Humor instruktive . Hugs from Switzerland

[@sirimaleenanayakkara694]

🙏🙏🙏

[@raakshas5547]

*Buddha understood the vedant philosophy like no one. Long live swami vievekanada (advait vedanta school) and long live Buddha teachings. Jai Buddha*

[@MindWord4U]

I hope the middle countries in the world. People follow to stay my religion. That is way to make them feel happy and peaceful in the Earth

[@ktrkradio]

Thanks

[@CoolGirl007]

The sun and moon is only one , it beautiful...so you don't have to become two for looking beautiful -----Ajahn Brahm

[@lovelovelovehappyhappyhappy]

1:02:00 Thardu Thardu Thardu🙏🙏🙏

[@CR-wb3en]

thank you for sharing ...

[@Unknown8938]

Sadhu sadhuuu sadhuuuuuu

[@neallcalvert]

With all respect for Ajahn Brahm's many useful teachings and gifts and his very big picture of life: Regarding grief, I'm not sure that many 16-year-olds have a concept of grief yet. For myself, I didn't learn about it until I lost a relationship with the person I thought I was going to marry, at age 45, and ended up grieving for three months. But I now believe this: If we don't grieve our important losses, some aspect of our life will go astray, because we have shut down part of our (human) emotional nature. Perhaps our health will be affected; and the teachings of those familiar with trauma and its effects, like Dr. Gabor Mate, confirm that this occurs, if we do not grieve our losses.

[@jenswohlgemuth6961]

Agree. When you ask a teenager about suffering most wont understand, especially since suffering is not fitting into the self optimisation(self exploitation) and hedonism narrative materialist society pushes. Ask the same people when they are 60 years. I think most of them will understand then.

[@manasyoga]

Sidney... Started 😊

[@siewkonsum7291]

The wise men say, _All religions are concepts but not all concepts are religions._ _If no one has invented religions, no one is needed to deny it._ 🙏🙏🙏

[@siewkonsum7291]

The *Surangama Sutra* ( the King of Sutras) says, _All living sentient beings have Buddha-nature ( or God-nature), and each has its own ways to Attainment, and travels a different Path to Enlightenment._

[@elceliaw8606]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😁

[@aquariumhotel98]

22:41

[@issac7787]

22:00

[@issac7787]

27:20

[@mvann5]

Hope y this not silly question, but is dhamma a variation of the word dharma, or what? Have wondered for a while. Thank you and thanks Ajahn Brahm.

[@sachinthaherath4902]

@mvann5 yeah, 'dharma' is the Sanskrit term while 'dhamma' is the Pali term.

[@babyme8886]

@@sachinthaherath4902 You are correct 😊🙏Namo Buddhaya 🥰🙏

[@Sawo-500]

@@sachinthaherath4902 real Dhamma. Also Dhamma and Dharma means different

[@mvann5]

Very low volume.. Audible at Approx 11;40.

[@69Rain420]

Nah, You need better speakers...............................

[@mvann5]

@@69Rain420 i probably do. Using a little old Amazon fire 7 tablet to listen. So you hear it fine?

[@phantho210]

Nam Mo busda

[@Gymreview84]

Sounds to quiet

[@leewn2319]

Suffering / tribulation is to build us up. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭

[@ErrantNamelessOne]

Here's some suffering for ya: take opiates for a while let's say 3 years and then quit cold turkey. This is fun.... not

[@mikepict9011]

Im a fan of red light . 40hz . Systemic enzymes. Nk cell from life extension . And of course the beginning and end of metabolic therapy. Hydrogen therapy

[@mikepict9011]

Maybe monks go on retreat to show us its possible to seperate without revenge. And maybe the separation is the revenge

[@mikepict9011]

All ignorance is willful today, dont you think ? At a certain age

[@mikepict9011]

Right ..... but one day a bully shows up and breeds . And then another bully . And then we have a whole police force named tony with 15 kids each . Consequences.... observe them

[@mikepict9011]

Defunding the police . Is a eugenic mercy kill for humanity

[@ulinhtun1563]

🙏🙏🙏

[@ronaldporto6294]

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

[@thilinasampath2773]

🙏🙏🙏