Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021
-
0:02 - 0:07Okay, so now,
before the talk, -
0:07 - 0:10those of you who want to go to
toilet or go outside, -
0:10 - 0:15you’re most welcome
or stay inside. -
0:15 - 0:18Of course, many people
will be listening online. -
0:18 - 0:20I hope.
-
0:20 - 0:25And for a monk
who gives so many talks, -
0:25 - 0:27some to you,
some to monks, -
0:27 - 0:32some online talks
over to Singapore -
0:32 - 0:36or Hong Kong
or wherever, to UK… -
0:36 - 0:42because even though you don't
travel at this time because of Covid, -
0:42 - 0:46still, you do lots of talks
in many different countries. -
0:46 - 0:50So often I think that I’ve taught
-
0:50 - 0:53on every subject there could be.
-
0:53 - 0:57But this evening,
somebody just asked me. -
0:57 - 1:02And they, sort of, said:
‘Well, why don't you give a talk…’ -
1:02 - 1:04Because I said:
‘Well, you know, -
1:04 - 1:07all these talks, some of the
talks I’ve given is on rubbish’. -
1:07 - 1:09‘No, you've never
given that talk before’. -
1:09 - 1:14So today's talk is
‘Buddhism and rubbish’. -
1:14 - 1:17So if anyone who complains
afterwards ‘that was a rubbish talk’, -
1:17 - 1:21I say ‘yes, great, well
done, you've understood it’. -
1:21 - 1:25Because sometimes,
when we talk about rubbish, -
1:25 - 1:28there are some times
that we reject it. -
1:28 - 1:29But as a Buddhist monk,
-
1:29 - 1:32there's so many things
which other people reject, -
1:32 - 1:37you look at again and
see some of its beauty -
1:37 - 1:40and some of its delights.
-
1:40 - 1:46And using the idea of rubbish,
-
1:46 - 1:49one of the first
metaphors which I remember -
1:49 - 1:54was again from my teacher,
Ajahn Chah, years and years ago. -
1:54 - 1:58And he was the one who…
he knew just what would happen, -
1:58 - 2:02when his western
disciples went over to -
2:02 - 2:07the different countries which didn't
have much of a tradition of Buddhism. -
2:07 - 2:12And one of the things you'd always
have to do is actually talk to people, -
2:12 - 2:13be their friend
-
2:13 - 2:18and just to listen to the
problems they have in their life. -
2:18 - 2:20And of course,
that happens a lot, -
2:20 - 2:25even though you had no, like,
-
2:25 - 2:29lectures or education on counseling.
-
2:29 - 2:34Nevertheless, you soon
became a very good counselor, -
2:34 - 2:39a lot of the time, because of
things which Ajahn Chah taught you... -
2:39 - 2:44and one of those things he
always taught us was to remember, -
2:44 - 2:48whenever you counsel
somebody, they tell you their problems: -
2:48 - 2:55marriage problems, life problems,
money problems, and all these problems… -
2:55 - 2:59Till this day I can't understand
why people ask monks or nuns -
2:59 - 3:02about these questions.
-
3:02 - 3:06Number one: as you all know,
I have never been married. -
3:06 - 3:08What do I know about marriage?
-
3:08 - 3:13Number two: I’ve never had kids.
What do I know about raising children? -
3:13 - 3:19Number three: I’ve got no money.
What do I know about economy? -
3:19 - 3:22Number four: I don't have a job.
-
3:22 - 3:26What do I know about going to the
office in the morning and getting a job? -
3:26 - 3:31Number five: I don't have a car.
What do I know about driving a car? -
3:31 - 3:35But all these questions
which people ask you - -
3:35 - 3:36I always give an answer.
-
3:36 - 3:38Make it up as I go
along most of the time, -
3:38 - 3:41but with some kindness
-
3:41 - 3:45and some understanding
about what's really being asked. -
3:45 - 3:49By the end of the interview or
the end of the counseling session -
3:49 - 3:57I’ve learned something from
Ajahn Chah, which not many people know. -
3:57 - 4:00And I don't think they teach
you this in the universities -
4:00 - 4:03if you go to counseling courses.
-
4:03 - 4:07And that was a simile, as many
of you may be beginning to know, -
4:07 - 4:10to be a rubbish bin.
-
4:10 - 4:16This is my first simile to
celebrate the idea of rubbish. -
4:16 - 4:18Because my teacher said:
-
4:18 - 4:24‘If ever you do any counseling,
listen to people's problems, -
4:24 - 4:27you must always receive
-
4:27 - 4:28whatever they say,
-
4:28 - 4:31if possible without any
judgment, just with kindness, -
4:31 - 4:34appreciating you don't know
why that's happened to them -
4:34 - 4:35or just what they're going through,
-
4:35 - 4:39but you try and give as much
kindness as you possibly can. -
4:39 - 4:42But when they leave,
-
4:42 - 4:48you must imagine
that you are a rubbish bin. -
4:48 - 4:52So you can actually
accept everybody's problems -
4:52 - 4:55and difficulties in life.
-
4:55 - 4:58I don't know why they're
putting the rubbish into me, -
4:58 - 5:00I didn't do it,
it's not my fault, -
5:00 - 5:03but please accept that rubbish.
-
5:03 - 5:07But the most important part of
that simile is what he added in the end. -
5:07 - 5:10‘But please make sure
you always imagine yourself -
5:10 - 5:15to be a rubbish bin
with a hole in the bottom. -
5:15 - 5:20So, what anybody tells you,
whatever they put in you, -
5:20 - 5:26it goes right through
and you don't keep any of it.' -
5:26 - 5:29That was the most
wonderful part of that simile. -
5:29 - 5:31So it means
-
5:31 - 5:34that after people tell you some
terrible things which happened -
5:34 - 5:36and really difficult problems,
-
5:36 - 5:39first of all I would worry
about that ‘oh, what can I do, -
5:39 - 5:42I must do something to help them’.
-
5:42 - 5:46And then afterwards,
you get full. -
5:46 - 5:50So when the next person came,
you wouldn't be able to listen to them, -
5:50 - 5:53you'd be thinking
about the last person. -
5:53 - 5:56And you’d soon
be a full rubbish bin -
5:56 - 5:59overflowing with trash.
-
5:59 - 6:01But instead,
-
6:01 - 6:04if you’re a rubbish bin
with a hole in the bottom, -
6:04 - 6:08whatever you tell me,
whatever you complain about, -
6:08 - 6:12whatever you disclose to me
about the difficulties of your life, -
6:12 - 6:14it just goes right inside
-
6:14 - 6:18and goes right through and
afterwards there's nothing in there. -
6:18 - 6:22I’m a rubbish bin
with a hole in the bottom. -
6:22 - 6:24So always empty to receive
-
6:24 - 6:30the next piece of rubbish
you want to donate to me. -
6:30 - 6:32That's a wonderful little thing
-
6:32 - 6:37that the idea of being
a rubbish bin is not keeping anything. -
6:37 - 6:42Being able to
discard things, being able to… -
6:42 - 6:46It's not just
polluting the planet. -
6:46 - 6:48This is almost like a metaphor
-
6:48 - 6:51that everything which we
use eventually breaks down, -
6:51 - 6:54goes back to the
soil or goes back to… -
6:54 - 6:58All of the difficulties of your life too,
-
6:58 - 7:01don't last.
They're all anicca. -
7:01 - 7:04They fade away
and other things happen. -
7:04 - 7:08And because I’ve been
here for long enough now, -
7:08 - 7:1237, 38 years now in this place,
-
7:12 - 7:1546 years as a monk…
-
7:15 - 7:18So much you can see, it doesn't last.
-
7:18 - 7:22Dhammasara -
when did we build that? -
7:22 - 7:25It doesn't last.
[laughter] -
7:25 - 7:28One day it's gonna fade away.
-
7:28 - 7:31Same with Bodhinyana
monastery, it fades away. -
7:31 - 7:33But it's worth making.
-
7:33 - 7:36It's one thing which
I love telling people, -
7:36 - 7:42because it was… I think I told
people this in the Dana last week. -
7:42 - 7:49On 31st of January 2000…
no sorry, 31st of January, 1991. -
7:49 - 7:54That was when we had our big bushfire,
big ground fire on the hottest day ever, -
7:54 - 8:02at the time in West Australia.
46 degrees, 46 degrees - that's hot. -
8:02 - 8:05That was before the fire came.
-
8:05 - 8:06When the fire came,
-
8:06 - 8:09it came right through our monastery.
-
8:09 - 8:12As the trees exploded.
-
8:12 - 8:14But anyway,
-
8:14 - 8:19we were forced to evacuate, when the
fire was happening, all ready to defend. -
8:19 - 8:24We had all the…
fire pumps going, -
8:24 - 8:27but we were told we had to leave.
-
8:27 - 8:32When we did leave,
I saw those trees exploding -
8:32 - 8:37and you could feel that
this was an incredibly hot fire. -
8:37 - 8:39And Bodhinyana Monastery,
-
8:39 - 8:41I thought was gone.
-
8:41 - 8:44I honestly thought that.
-
8:44 - 8:49But the following morning,
we were taken back there, -
8:49 - 8:53to see all of the
huts were still there. -
8:53 - 8:57All of the huts are
still at Dhammasara. -
8:57 - 9:03All of the halls and
dining halls at Dhammasara. -
9:03 - 9:07The only thing which is
not at Dhammasara is you. -
9:07 - 9:10The nuns.
[laughter] -
9:10 - 9:14But they'll come back
again, in a day or two. -
9:14 - 9:20But what was amazing was
that you could let things go. -
9:20 - 9:23Because it wasn't having the monastery
-
9:23 - 9:26or the facilities which was important.
-
9:26 - 9:30It was actually having the spirit,
-
9:30 - 9:35having the opportunity to serve and build
-
9:35 - 9:40a very… honestly, I mention this,
because it was absolutely true. -
9:40 - 9:44That even though I thought
everything was going to be burnt down, -
9:44 - 9:46you went there the next day,
-
9:46 - 9:49knowing ‘Well,
let's build it up again.' -
9:49 - 9:50'Let's do it again.'
-
9:50 - 9:54Because it was the action which
was more important than the results. -
9:54 - 9:56The service.
-
9:56 - 9:58Because you can see that in nature
-
9:58 - 10:01that things do eventually fall down.
-
10:01 - 10:03They do get old,
-
10:03 - 10:04they do get rubbishy
-
10:04 - 10:06like Ajahn Brahm.
-
10:06 - 10:08I’m getting much older than I used to be.
-
10:08 - 10:12People just showed me these photographs
-
10:12 - 10:15when I used to be able to go
on top of roofs and fix them up. -
10:15 - 10:18Now monks say, if
I get on top of the roof, -
10:18 - 10:23the roof will buckle.
[laughter] -
10:23 - 10:28You know, Venerable Sunyo, just next
to my room, the place where I stay, -
10:28 - 10:31there's lots and lots
of twigs in the gutter. -
10:31 - 10:34I thought of getting up on
the roof and taking them out. -
10:34 - 10:38But I thought twice. ‘No,
it's better to keep the roof… -
10:38 - 10:43unharmed'.
[laughter] -
10:43 - 10:44But anyway.
-
10:44 - 10:47In the old days, I would
get up there and do stuff. -
10:47 - 10:50But you can see just how to get…
-
10:50 - 10:52things like old age.
-
10:52 - 10:54Things start to decay.
-
10:54 - 10:59There's something beautiful
about the decaying part of nature. -
10:59 - 11:03Things like turning into rubbish.
What was really important to you, -
11:03 - 11:05what was really precious,
-
11:05 - 11:08eventually fades away and disappears.
-
11:08 - 11:13Its importance is temporary.
-
11:13 - 11:15And everything
-
11:15 - 11:19which I cherished, which
I owned, which I loved and cared for, -
11:19 - 11:22things like your family,
-
11:22 - 11:24they're temporary.
-
11:24 - 11:27It doesn't mean you don't care for
them - you care for them to the max, -
11:27 - 11:29knowing that they’re not
always gonna be here. -
11:29 - 11:32And when they do pass away,
-
11:32 - 11:35that was a beautiful time spent.
-
11:35 - 11:38You enjoyed each
other's company so much. -
11:38 - 11:39Thank you.
-
11:39 - 11:44And you know, that's that
old simile which I say a lot of… -
11:44 - 11:48When you go to concerts.
-
11:48 - 11:51A concert being
held here next week. -
11:51 - 11:54Beautiful, beautiful concerts.
-
11:54 - 11:57They will never last.
-
11:57 - 11:59In fact, if they did last,
-
11:59 - 12:02then, there'd be
-
12:02 - 12:06something unbeautiful about them.
-
12:06 - 12:09There'd be something which,
after a while, you get bored. -
12:09 - 12:12After a while, you turn away anyway,
-
12:12 - 12:14to go see something different.
-
12:14 - 12:18But there’s something about
those great concerts, very short, -
12:18 - 12:21and when it's finished, you feel just...
-
12:21 - 12:23grateful.
-
12:23 - 12:27Grateful to have been there
-
12:27 - 12:30and enjoy that great performance.
-
12:30 - 12:33You know that they will turn to dust.
-
12:33 - 12:37But nevertheless,
it's important to be there. -
12:37 - 12:41And enjoy it
while it's happening. -
12:41 - 12:44Knowing that you'll have to let it go.
-
12:44 - 12:46And move away.
-
12:46 - 12:50And much of this, you can find that
-
12:50 - 12:53when we understand
the whole idea of rubbish, -
12:53 - 12:57things which have
used are no longer usable. -
12:57 - 13:00It has a use.
-
13:00 - 13:02Rubbish is… obviously,
people recycle rubbish, -
13:02 - 13:06I’m not gonna go into that,
because that's talked about a lot. -
13:06 - 13:10But whenever we do have rubbish,
we know that whatever we use, -
13:10 - 13:14will one day just be thrown away.
-
13:14 - 13:17Is that bad?
-
13:17 - 13:22There was… For those of you
who are traditional Buddhists, -
13:22 - 13:27this is one story about
this monk, Chulapantaka. -
13:27 - 13:29This was in the time of the Buddha.
-
13:29 - 13:33that his brother
was fully enlightened, -
13:33 - 13:37but his younger brother,
this guy Chulapantaka, -
13:37 - 13:43was very... intellectually challenged.
-
13:43 - 13:49He couldn't really learn
much theory or teachings. -
13:49 - 13:53And he was finding very
difficult to meditate, at first. -
13:53 - 13:56But what his brother gave him -
was it the Buddha or his brother - -
13:56 - 13:59gave him just a piece of cloth.
-
13:59 - 14:02Just told him to keep rubbing the cloth.
-
14:02 - 14:06And so this is what this younger
brother did, just kept rubbing the cloth, -
14:06 - 14:09until the cloth became quite dirty.
-
14:09 - 14:15And he kept on rubbing it,
until the cloth started to... -
14:15 - 14:17to be frailed.
-
14:17 - 14:21And kept on wearing,
until it started to break down. -
14:21 - 14:21His brother said
-
14:21 - 14:26‘That's the nature of all the
things which we hold dear to in life. -
14:26 - 14:28Through use,
-
14:28 - 14:30through association,
-
14:30 - 14:31over time,
-
14:31 - 14:33it all tends to
-
14:33 - 14:35disappear and vanish.
-
14:35 - 14:37And turn into rubbish.
-
14:37 - 14:40Just like the most
beautiful things in Bodhinyana. -
14:40 - 14:43Maybe not in my lifetime,
-
14:43 - 14:45but all those huts…
-
14:45 - 14:48I was quite stupid when
I started building those huts. -
14:48 - 14:51I wanted to make them permanent.
-
14:51 - 14:54Do them well, do them once,
so you don't have to do it again. -
14:57 - 15:00I thought just build these
things and it's all finished, -
15:00 - 15:03no other monk will
have to bother about it. -
15:03 - 15:05But of course, that's
not the nature of life. -
15:05 - 15:08They tend to start to fall apart.
-
15:08 - 15:12Or if they don't fall apart,
just fashions fall apart. -
15:12 - 15:16In other words, no, the windows are
too small, we want to make them bigger. -
15:16 - 15:20No, no, we don't want a brick wall,
we want a whitewashed wall. -
15:20 - 15:23No, we don't want it this
way, we want it that way. -
15:23 - 15:25And so,
-
15:25 - 15:30often even Bodhinyana monastery
and Dhammasara monastery, as you know; -
15:30 - 15:34when people would come
and they said: ‘Is it finished yet?’ -
15:34 - 15:37And I would say: ‘No’.
-
15:37 - 15:40‘Well, you’ve got all the huts there,
you've got all the dining room there, -
15:40 - 15:44you've got the meditation
room; is it finished yet?!’ -
15:44 - 15:48Never finished, no, they keep going on,
there’ll always be building something new. -
15:48 - 15:50That's what's happened
at Bodhinyana monastery. -
15:50 - 15:52We've been going much longer.
-
15:52 - 15:55Thirty-six years,
‘Is it finished yet?!’ -
15:55 - 15:56Venerable Sunyo?
-
15:56 - 15:59'No way.'
-
15:59 - 16:02And this is actually our life.
-
16:02 - 16:04Things don't get finished.
-
16:04 - 16:06They get built,
-
16:06 - 16:08they get worn away,
-
16:08 - 16:09they turn to rubbish
-
16:09 - 16:12and they get rebuilt.
-
16:12 - 16:15For those of you who
have been to old countries, -
16:15 - 16:17I remember just…
-
16:17 - 16:21Well, you know,
I was born in London. -
16:21 - 16:25And that London
is built on rubbish. -
16:25 - 16:27It's rubbish upon rubbish upon rubbish.
-
16:27 - 16:29And when people
actually do excavations -
16:29 - 16:35to put foundations in
to another big building, -
16:35 - 16:40they always come across
the rubbish of old generations. -
16:40 - 16:44Sometimes a hundred, two hundred,
five hundred, a thousand years of age. -
16:44 - 16:47And even longer than that.
-
16:47 - 16:50Because that's what happens.
-
16:50 - 16:52Life creates that rubbish.
-
16:52 - 16:54And that rubbish
becomes the foundation -
16:54 - 16:59on which new buildings,
new culture is made. -
16:59 - 17:01Without that rubbish
-
17:01 - 17:04of past generations,
-
17:04 - 17:06our generation wouldn't have
-
17:06 - 17:12the foundations on which to grow.
-
17:12 - 17:14And live.
-
17:14 - 17:19And sometimes
that history, history is just… -
17:19 - 17:23Our grandparents' rubbish.
-
17:23 - 17:26All the things which they did and
use, which was so important to them, -
17:26 - 17:31which wore out and new
things were built afterwards. -
17:31 - 17:36Sometimes, that…
that is not disrespect. -
17:36 - 17:38But it's always like building
-
17:38 - 17:40on what other people have done.
-
17:40 - 17:42And that is the same
-
17:42 - 17:45just even with ideas
-
17:45 - 17:47and teachings.
-
17:47 - 17:53So often, even in teaching
about Buddhism, about meditation, -
17:53 - 17:56you know – yes, we
have the old teachings -
17:56 - 17:59which you can read and understand.
-
17:59 - 18:02From even the time of the Buddha.
-
18:02 - 18:07About how these things worked
and how meditation was taught. -
18:07 - 18:09But,
-
18:09 - 18:12can we improve on that?
-
18:12 - 18:14Of course.
-
18:14 - 18:16You know we can.
-
18:16 - 18:19In the time of the Buddha
that people would have... -
18:19 - 18:25they wouldn't have zafus like you have
these days, they'd just get some grass. -
18:25 - 18:28But can we improve
upon those zafus? -
18:28 - 18:31I've often mentioned this,
it'd be a great opportunity -
18:31 - 18:35for anybody who wishes to
-
18:35 - 18:42innovate and get
a lovely new business. -
18:42 - 18:44Look at the meditation cushions
-
18:44 - 18:45you're sitting on right now
-
18:45 - 18:47or the chairs.
-
18:47 - 18:51These are just so old-fashioned.
-
18:51 - 18:53And imagine having...
-
18:53 - 18:55We live in a world of high-tech.
-
18:55 - 19:01Can't we get high-tech
meditation cushions? -
19:01 - 19:03And once you start
thinking like that... -
19:03 - 19:08Basically, I got this idea
from this guy over in Singapore. -
19:08 - 19:11This guy in Singapore,
he was a designer. -
19:11 - 19:15One of his great claims to fame
-
19:15 - 19:18was actually designing
dresses for Princess Diana -
19:18 - 19:21when she was still alive.
-
19:21 - 19:23He designed a couple of her dresses.
-
19:23 - 19:27So he was obviously a very
smart guy living in Singapore. -
19:27 - 19:31And his latest idea,
when I saw him years ago, -
19:31 - 19:35was like designer
Zimmer frames. -
19:35 - 19:39If you think about it, you know the
Zimmer frames which elderly people use, -
19:39 - 19:42many of those elderly
people are cashed-up. -
19:42 - 19:45So to get like a
designer Zimmer frame, -
19:45 - 19:47you know, that'll be in their budget
-
19:47 - 19:51and you make a lot of money that way.
-
19:51 - 19:54Was that exploitation
or was it just smart thinking? -
19:54 - 19:57Designer Zimmer frames.
-
19:57 - 19:59I don't know, but
-
19:59 - 20:01anyway, that...
-
20:01 - 20:04Please excuse me,
I can't resist this one. -
20:04 - 20:07I was just saying
today, because Dhammasara -
20:07 - 20:10had that... what do you call that...
-
20:10 - 20:13where you make donations at Dhammasara?
-
20:13 - 20:16'Cashless donations',
that little thing over there -
20:16 - 20:18you just put a credit card on,
-
20:18 - 20:21and it puts money
into Dhammasara. -
20:21 - 20:23They're just trying it out over here.
-
20:23 - 20:24But I say,
-
20:24 - 20:27that please, if anyone has
-
20:27 - 20:29Parkinson's disease,
-
20:29 - 20:31please be careful.
(laughter) -
20:35 - 20:38About 20-30 taps,
when you only meant one. -
20:38 - 20:41And that's your bank balance gone.
-
20:45 - 20:49Alzheimer's also, yes.
-
20:49 - 20:51Did you put a donation in,
-
20:51 - 20:51Lawrence?
-
20:51 - 20:54Are you sure?
-
20:54 - 20:57Alzheimer's... did I
put it in, I'm not sure. -
20:57 - 20:58Anyway.
-
20:58 - 21:02It's ok, we won't
exploit you, maybe. -
21:02 - 21:04But anyway.
-
21:04 - 21:06For zafus.
-
21:06 - 21:09Why do we just have this
-
21:09 - 21:11fluff inside there?
-
21:11 - 21:13Because if you
have designer zafus, -
21:13 - 21:15you know, with IT.
-
21:15 - 21:16First of all,
-
21:16 - 21:18you know, you
can actually adjust, -
21:18 - 21:20they have different
compartments to the zafu, -
21:20 - 21:22so if your back needs lifting,
-
21:22 - 21:24you can just press one button
-
21:24 - 21:26and the back lifts up.
-
21:26 - 21:29If your knee is a bit sore,
-
21:29 - 21:32the other part lifts up,
so your knee can lift up. -
21:32 - 21:35If it really is sore,
it can give it a massage, -
21:35 - 21:38like on those massage
chairs you can sit on, -
21:38 - 21:41so your knee gets a good
massage while you're meditating. -
21:41 - 21:43If you're too hot...
-
21:43 - 21:45sometimes who
knows what we can put, -
21:45 - 21:47the temperature on there,
the aircons are on today, -
21:47 - 21:48but sometimes it's hot here,
-
21:48 - 21:50sometimes it's cold here.
-
21:50 - 21:53If it's really cold, you can
get these blows of hot air -
21:53 - 21:55coming up your
body to warm you up -
21:55 - 21:58and if it's too hot, you can
get some coolness in there, -
21:58 - 21:59if you have sloth and torpor,
-
21:59 - 22:01really tired,
-
22:01 - 22:04which many people have after
coming here after day's work -
22:04 - 22:05or week's work
-
22:05 - 22:08and you come here for
Friday night and you're half-asleep, -
22:08 - 22:14you can press another
little button for a coffee. -
22:14 - 22:17Or if you like tea,
tea or cappuccino, -
22:17 - 22:19you can have all
sorts of buttons on there. -
22:19 - 22:23Like a high-tech
meditation cushion. -
22:23 - 22:29I'm sure there's so many
wealthy people over in USA -
22:29 - 22:34who meditate, that you
would make a fortune. -
22:34 - 22:37Is that a good idea?
-
22:37 - 22:38Anyway.
-
22:38 - 22:39How did we get on to that,
-
22:39 - 22:42it's supposed to be a talk on
rubbish, not about making a fortune. -
22:42 - 22:44Is money rubbish?
-
22:44 - 22:45[Yes]
-
22:45 - 22:46Really?
-
22:46 - 22:49So we have a rubbish bin
at the back over there. -
22:49 - 22:50For your rubbish.
-
22:50 - 22:51Now, is it?
-
22:51 - 22:54That was another thing
which Ajahn Chah used to teach. -
22:54 - 22:56You know.
-
22:56 - 23:01Sometimes people asked,
'Did Ajahn Chah make any predictions?' -
23:01 - 23:03Telling the future.
He actually did, -
23:03 - 23:05a couple of times.
-
23:05 - 23:08And this prediction,
I was there when he made it. -
23:08 - 23:12He, sort of, said:
'In the future, -
23:12 - 23:19they will run out of paper
to make banknotes. -
23:19 - 23:20They won't have enough paper left.
-
23:20 - 23:23They're cutting down too many trees.
-
23:23 - 23:26And they will not... they'll run out
of metal, like silver or gold -
23:26 - 23:29to make coins.
-
23:29 - 23:33So they'll have to find
something else to use for money.' -
23:33 - 23:37And what he said, what
they'd use for money in the future – -
23:37 - 23:42these little balls of chicken poo.
-
23:42 - 23:44Okay – chicken shit.
-
23:44 - 23:46You know the little balls
you see of chicken shit? -
23:46 - 23:48So that's what they'll pay you in,
-
23:48 - 23:52after you go to work for the week.
-
23:52 - 23:53Hundred pellets of chicken shit
-
23:53 - 23:55for all your hard work.
-
23:55 - 23:57And you'd really ask
for a rise in chicken shit, -
23:57 - 24:01because you're not getting
enough to feed your family. -
24:01 - 24:04And you go to the bank, and you
won't be putting money in the bank, -
24:04 - 24:07but little pellets of
chicken poo in the bank. -
24:07 - 24:13And the IMF would become
the International Manure Fund. -
24:13 - 24:19What's the difference
between chicken shit and money? -
24:19 - 24:23Only the value you put on it.
-
24:23 - 24:25That's the only difference.
-
24:25 - 24:28And so he predicted
people will be fighting wars -
24:28 - 24:30over chicken shit.
-
24:30 - 24:33Who makes the most...
-
24:33 - 24:36And looking at the economy
-
24:36 - 24:42as how much more chicken shit
we can make in our different countries. -
24:42 - 24:45But that was something
which was quite challenging, -
24:45 - 24:48because it had some truth to it.
-
24:48 - 24:52All this stuff which we value,
-
24:52 - 24:55what's its difference between rubbish?
-
24:55 - 24:58Only the value which we give to it.
-
24:58 - 25:00It's the same with
-
25:00 - 25:03so much other stuff we have.
-
25:03 - 25:07One of the great advantages I found
-
25:07 - 25:11with being a Buddhist monk
is we can be rebellious, -
25:11 - 25:13we challenge
-
25:13 - 25:16what is means to be
comfortable and happy. -
25:16 - 25:19What it means to be rich.
-
25:19 - 25:22Many of you know where I live:
-
25:22 - 25:24in a cave, there's hardly anything there.
-
25:24 - 25:27And honestly, I'm so
happy in that little cave. -
25:27 - 25:30It's quiet, it's cool,
-
25:30 - 25:32I get some great meditation there.
-
25:32 - 25:38How many of you would like to live there?
(silence) -
25:38 - 25:40A few people, yes.
-
25:40 - 25:42So you go and build yourself one.
-
25:42 - 25:45It's much cheaper
than the house you live in. -
25:45 - 25:47Or the apartment you live in.
-
25:47 - 25:48Or whatever else you live in.
-
25:48 - 25:51Just get a nice cave.
But, you know, the trouble is -
25:51 - 25:54that we're not allowed to build caves.
-
25:54 - 25:59Because, again, our system
is not rebellious enough. -
25:59 - 26:02We think: "Oh no, you need
to have a kitchen, a bathroom, -
26:02 - 26:03bla-bla-bla-bla-bla
-
26:03 - 26:07You need to have this amount
of space, this amount of space. -
26:07 - 26:09But do you?
-
26:09 - 26:12I've lived in that cave
for how many years now? -
26:12 - 26:14Before you came, wasn't it?
-
26:14 - 26:18About 10–15 years, 20 years now?
How many years, do you know? -
26:18 - 26:21Do you remember,
how long I've lived in my cave? -
26:21 - 26:23Anyway,
-
26:23 - 26:25it's a long, long time,
and it's very comfortable, -
26:25 - 26:30so why is it that we can't...
-
26:30 - 26:35that all the people put their hands up,
buy a cave and go and live in there. -
26:35 - 26:36Instead of...
-
26:36 - 26:40My cave is about...
this is like a hemisphere. -
26:40 - 26:42If you wanna know what it looks like.
-
26:42 - 26:46It's about 3 meters diameter.
-
26:46 - 26:49Made out of rocks,
and it's very well made -
26:49 - 26:52and I'm very grateful for the
monks who made that for me. -
26:52 - 26:53And it's so comfortable in there.
-
26:53 - 26:56I really enjoy it,
and many of you've seen it. -
26:56 - 27:03It's one of the best accommodations in the
whole of Perth, doesn't cost much at all. -
27:03 - 27:05So what it means, is:
some people think -
27:05 - 27:08that's a rubbish place to live.
-
27:08 - 27:12Why do people want to live in big houses?
-
27:12 - 27:14Why?
-
27:14 - 27:16So sometimes, when
we challenge these things, -
27:16 - 27:19we can actually see
different ways of doing things. -
27:19 - 27:21I think those big places are just...
-
27:21 - 27:23not free at all.
-
27:23 - 27:26Different ways of looking at the world.
-
27:26 - 27:30This is also something which
I spent a lot of time talking about: -
27:30 - 27:32freedom.
-
27:32 - 27:37What is freedom?
What is a free world? -
27:37 - 27:40And the weird thing is
that being a Buddhist monk -
27:40 - 27:43and Buddhist nuns,
we have so many rules -
27:43 - 27:46we're supposed to be
keeping, which we do keep. -
27:46 - 27:50That's one of the things that...
we teach people what these rule are, -
27:50 - 27:52and you learn them yourself and
-
27:52 - 27:54you say, wow, these monks
actually do keep those rules. -
27:54 - 27:57We don't have money.
-
27:57 - 27:59So this is one of the
reasons why, when... -
27:59 - 28:04I said I couldn't try out that
-
28:04 - 28:06that donation terminal
or whatever it is. -
28:06 - 28:08Because I've got no money.
-
28:08 - 28:12Imagine what it's like, to travel
around the world without money. -
28:12 - 28:14And fortunately, no
one has ever asked me, -
28:14 - 28:17when I've gone through
these customs and immigration, -
28:17 - 28:20'Excuse me sir, how much money
are you bringing into the country?' -
28:20 - 28:22'How much money are you spending here?'
-
28:22 - 28:24Because if they asked me,
I'd say: 'Zero, nothing'. -
28:24 - 28:26[Zip...]
-
28:26 - 28:28They probably wouldn't let me in.
-
28:28 - 28:31But even though I'm not
going to any of these countries, -
28:31 - 28:34bringing money into the economy,
-
28:34 - 28:37you're bringing something
else which is more important. -
28:37 - 28:39Which is why I keep
getting invited to these places. -
28:39 - 28:43Peace, happiness, joy,
different way of looking at things. -
28:43 - 28:47Ways which can actually bring people
together rather than separate people. -
28:47 - 28:49Different ways of looking.
-
28:49 - 28:53For me, the money is that rubbish stuff.
-
28:53 - 28:54And wealth...
-
28:54 - 28:56Yeah, you've got to have some wealth,
-
28:56 - 28:57but that's rubbish stuff.
-
28:57 - 28:59Fame is rubbish stuff.
-
28:59 - 29:01So what do you really want in your life?
-
29:01 - 29:03Is that rubbish?
-
29:03 - 29:08Or is it something
which is really valuable? -
29:08 - 29:10Sometimes, you can check on that.
-
29:10 - 29:13If your house was burning
-
29:13 - 29:14like in a bushfire
-
29:14 - 29:18and you did have a chance to
get in the house and get something -
29:18 - 29:21to flee with before the fire hit.
-
29:21 - 29:25What would you take?
-
29:25 - 29:28What is really valuable for you?
-
29:28 - 29:31Would it be your credit card?
-
29:31 - 29:34Would it be, maybe, your dog?
-
29:34 - 29:37What is very, really valuable for you?
-
29:37 - 29:41And sometimes, when you
can't take anything at all, -
29:41 - 29:44sometimes just...
-
29:44 - 29:46your goodness is the most valuable.
-
29:46 - 29:48One thing which I always remember
-
29:48 - 29:52and also talked about
a lot with the monks as well – -
29:52 - 29:55not things.
-
29:55 - 29:57Not, sort of, you know, photographs
-
29:57 - 29:59or mementos
-
29:59 - 30:01or medals –
-
30:01 - 30:04that's not important.
-
30:04 - 30:09What is really important
is, like, the service -
30:09 - 30:11which you gave,
-
30:11 - 30:14which is why you got
that medal in the first place. -
30:14 - 30:15That is what is important.
-
30:15 - 30:19That's something which is not rubbish
and that's something which doesn't fade. -
30:19 - 30:25That is something which
stays in your heart forever. -
30:25 - 30:28The service, the goodness, the kindness.
-
30:28 - 30:29What you've given to others.
-
30:29 - 30:32And I don't just mean money.
-
30:32 - 30:34I mean just the help which you've given.
-
30:34 - 30:38Just, you know, like good old Dennis –
I don't know how many years he's been -
30:38 - 30:40President from time to time here.
-
30:40 - 30:44So much service which he's given to this
Buddhist Society of Western Australia -
30:44 - 30:47for so many years,
turned him into this beautiful, -
30:47 - 30:49grey,
-
30:49 - 30:50going blind,
-
30:50 - 30:54but very happy person
-
30:54 - 30:57who people respect.
-
30:57 - 31:00That is something which
is so valuable in this world, -
31:00 - 31:03that is not rubbish.
-
31:03 - 31:10Just how you are held
with love in people's hearts. -
31:10 - 31:16That is something which is priceless,
that's why its value is way beyond -
31:16 - 31:20a monetary calculation.
-
31:20 - 31:24It's one of the reasons why I've
been using that word a lot – 'priceless'. -
31:24 - 31:27As many of you know those stories,
-
31:27 - 31:29when people ask,
'How much do I have pay -
31:29 - 31:32to come into your
Buddhist Society of Western Australia?' -
31:32 - 31:37And when I used to say 'Nothing', they
said 'Ok, you can't be any good, then'. -
31:37 - 31:41Because if you want to, sort of,
go to a place which is really good, -
31:41 - 31:45a really good teacher,
oh, you have to pay for that... -
31:45 - 31:48Do you?
-
31:48 - 31:51All these motivational
teachers that used to come – -
31:51 - 31:53was it Tony Robbins, was it?
-
31:53 - 31:54Or...
-
31:54 - 31:58I don't know who the
motivational speakers are. -
31:58 - 32:02And you pay a fortune for those.
-
32:02 - 32:03Ajahn Brahm –
-
32:05 - 32:06nothing.
-
32:06 - 32:10And I remember a few people,
because I know some rich people, -
32:10 - 32:14and they just went to a weekend
with these motivational speakers: -
32:14 - 32:17five or six thousand dollars!
-
32:17 - 32:19Then they came to
one of my weekends -
32:19 - 32:24and they said 'Wow, you are much
better! Why don't you charge more?' -
32:24 - 32:26I said 'Well, I do charge:
-
32:26 - 32:28the cost of coming to my talks
-
32:28 - 32:31is priceless.
-
32:31 - 32:36In other words, it's not, sort of,
given a monetary value at all. -
32:36 - 32:39Because that monetary value
can never reach what is given. -
32:39 - 32:42The importance of just
kindness and giving -
32:42 - 32:46by example, not just by words.
-
32:46 - 32:49That's one of the other things
which is important value. -
32:49 - 32:51If you just give a talk
-
32:51 - 32:54and it's just words, just arguments,
-
32:54 - 32:56there's nothing behind it,
-
32:56 - 32:59there's no practice, no living that life,
-
32:59 - 33:02that doesn't have much value.
-
33:02 - 33:04That is rubbish.
-
33:04 - 33:07There are some people
who give amazing talks. -
33:07 - 33:09When I read them,
-
33:09 - 33:13I say just 'Wow, that's... how can
they talk so fluently, so eloquently, -
33:13 - 33:17so deeply...
-
33:17 - 33:19But it doesn't have power.
-
33:19 - 33:23It's something which
I've seen so many times. -
33:23 - 33:27If a person is actually living
that life, if they're practicing it -
33:27 - 33:31and not just faking it,
-
33:31 - 33:33it's amazing just how
-
33:33 - 33:36powerful that is.
-
33:36 - 33:37Some of the teachers – I'm sure you can
-
33:37 - 33:43hear the same teachings far
more eloquent than I can give you. -
33:43 - 33:46But it's where it's
coming from is different. -
33:46 - 33:51These little things like I tell,
that you know, you are... -
33:51 - 33:54all the nuns, there are
renunciates, they're living that life. -
33:54 - 33:57You go and check them out. See them.
-
33:57 - 34:00As they speak, so they live.
-
34:00 - 34:01Same with the monks.
-
34:01 - 34:06And that gives these
teachings an extra power to them. -
34:06 - 34:11Especially in a world where
there's a lot of dishonesty, -
34:11 - 34:13a lot of falsities.
-
34:13 - 34:17People say one thing and
they live a totally different life. -
34:17 - 34:20A life where we've lost respect for
so many people who used to be given -
34:20 - 34:23so much authority.
-
34:23 - 34:26And they lost that authority.
-
34:26 - 34:30And I can understand why it is that
people these days, they just want... -
34:30 - 34:32to have trust.
-
34:32 - 34:35At least some group of people.
-
34:35 - 34:38It's one of the reasons why –
I think I told this in an ordination -
34:38 - 34:41a few... a week or two ago –
-
34:41 - 34:42Why it is that
-
34:42 - 34:46one of my friends,
a monk over in Malaysia, -
34:46 - 34:48it was actually Venerable Aggacitta
-
34:48 - 34:49years ago...
-
34:49 - 34:52When he was setting up his temple
-
34:53 - 34:55in Taipei...
-
34:55 - 34:57in Malaysia,
-
34:57 - 35:01he did a survey, first of all.
-
35:01 - 35:03He's a very highly educated monk.
-
35:03 - 35:08He surveyed as many of
his lay followers as possible. -
35:08 - 35:09And asked them:
-
35:09 - 35:14'What type of monk would you like?
-
35:14 - 35:16Should that monk be a great teacher?
-
35:16 - 35:23Should he be a monk
who can tell great jokes? -
35:23 - 35:26Should he be a monk who writes books?
-
35:26 - 35:29Should he be a monk
who's a great scholar? -
35:29 - 35:31Should he be a monk
who's a great meditator? -
35:31 - 35:34Should he become a monk
who keeps all the precepts? -
35:34 - 35:40Should he be a monk who can
travel around and teach your kids? -
35:40 - 35:44What type of monk would you want?'
-
35:44 - 35:47And the category
which won, hands down, -
35:47 - 35:51he showed me the results and
I was so inspired and impressed: -
35:51 - 35:54the type of monk they wanted most –
-
35:54 - 35:58and that was just for a monk; the type
of nun they want the most, as well – -
35:58 - 36:01is the one who keeps the precepts.
-
36:01 - 36:04A virtuous person.
-
36:04 - 36:08Because they were the
rarest to find in the world. -
36:08 - 36:12Someone who lived what they taught.
-
36:12 - 36:14Instead of saying one thing,
-
36:14 - 36:16practicing differently,
-
36:16 - 36:18which made their words
-
36:18 - 36:20not worth anything at all.
-
36:20 - 36:22Just rubbish words.
-
36:22 - 36:24So little by little, that's so important,
-
36:24 - 36:27to give whatever we do, whatever we speak,
-
36:27 - 36:30whatever we write, that extra power
-
36:30 - 36:32by living this.
-
36:32 - 36:40And even I remember some
of my followers over in Singapore, -
36:40 - 36:48that there was this one Buddhist...
was he a Buddhist? No, he was -
36:48 - 36:52a Christian, a pastor, who was caught
-
36:52 - 36:58making so much money, like
millions of Singapore dollars. -
36:58 - 37:02And a lot of that was done fraudulently.
-
37:02 - 37:05So he was gonna go to jail.
-
37:05 - 37:08And that really made the Christian
community in Singapore just really -
37:08 - 37:12a bit upset about their leaders.
-
37:12 - 37:16At the same time, I was in the
newspaper for something else, -
37:16 - 37:19and I was interviewed,
and what I said there, -
37:19 - 37:21and it was confirmed, that
-
37:21 - 37:24whenever I go teaching
anywhere in Singapore, -
37:24 - 37:28I don't get any money at all,
I don't have any bank account, -
37:28 - 37:29don't have a credit card,
-
37:29 - 37:33don't have... nothing.
-
37:33 - 37:36It's always great fun in that sense.
-
37:36 - 37:40When you're a monk, you don't have
any driver's license, bank account -
37:40 - 37:43details...
-
37:43 - 37:48I don't own anything.
-
37:48 - 37:50But look how well I live.
-
37:50 - 37:53And I said in this article,
-
37:53 - 37:57'In today's world, you don't need money.
-
37:57 - 37:59Or a credit card.
-
37:59 - 38:01If you're kind
-
38:01 - 38:02and giving
-
38:02 - 38:04and serving
-
38:04 - 38:06and helping,
-
38:06 - 38:08living simply.'
-
38:08 - 38:14And then, I think the next day,
in the letters column, -
38:14 - 38:20one of these pastors said 'We can
learn from this Ajahn Brahm fellow.' -
38:20 - 38:23'Just look, there he is' – I had
a good reputation in Singapore, -
38:23 - 38:26'There he is, living very
peaceful, doing such a good work -
38:26 - 38:30and he doesn't charge
a thing for anything'. -
38:30 - 38:32All done for free.
-
38:32 - 38:33For gratis.
-
38:33 - 38:34For the love of it.
-
38:34 - 38:38People give donations afterwards,
but not to me, they give it to Dennis -
38:38 - 38:39and the Treasurer.
-
38:39 - 38:40Over there.
-
38:40 - 38:44And it goes into supporting this place.
-
38:44 - 38:47But for monks and nuns,
-
38:47 - 38:52we do it just for the joy of it,
for the service of it, for the love of it. -
38:52 - 38:56And you get so much
happiness and joy back. -
38:56 - 39:01That's one of the greatest
things, to have that service -
39:01 - 39:03as your wealth.
-
39:03 - 39:07When people ask 'Who's the
wealthiest people in this room?' -
39:07 - 39:10They're sitting in the front seats, here.
-
39:10 - 39:14They're wealthy. And I've
met some very wealthy people. -
39:14 - 39:18I often mention this - billionaires.
-
39:18 - 39:20But those wealthy people had nothing.
-
39:20 - 39:26They're only wealthy
in the amount of worry they have. -
39:26 - 39:28They've got lots of money in the bank,
-
39:28 - 39:30but they don't have
the peace and happiness -
39:30 - 39:34which you see in your
monks and nuns, here. -
39:34 - 39:36They don't have that, because
-
39:36 - 39:39they're worried so much, they're not free.
-
39:39 - 39:42One of the great things about this life:
-
39:42 - 39:46you learn the meaning of freedom.
-
39:46 - 39:49It's not the freedom OF desires,
as I often say, -
39:49 - 39:51it's the freedom FROM desires.
-
39:51 - 39:53You don't want anything,
you just want to give. -
39:53 - 39:55What can I give you?
-
39:55 - 39:56What to do you want?
-
39:56 - 39:59How can I help? How can I serve?
-
39:59 - 40:03And that's such a great joy,
to be able to serve others. -
40:03 - 40:06It's such a great joy to serve others,
-
40:06 - 40:08that's why even simple things,
-
40:08 - 40:13like opening the door to one of you,
when according to our rules and traditions -
40:13 - 40:15you're supposed to open the door for ME.
-
40:15 - 40:19Simple thing, but I love doing that,
opening that door to people. -
40:19 - 40:24And just doing whatever you can do,
to carry something for them, or whatever. -
40:24 - 40:26However I can do
-
40:26 - 40:28to serve others,
-
40:28 - 40:34to be kind, put that kindness
into real good practice. -
40:34 - 40:38And that record of service
you should build up over the years. -
40:38 - 40:39The giving, the goodness,
-
40:39 - 40:40the helping others.
-
40:40 - 40:43Expecting nothing back in return.
-
40:43 - 40:46That gives you a huge wealth inside.
-
40:46 - 40:48A huge power.
-
40:48 - 40:50Spiritual power
-
40:50 - 40:51and even
-
40:51 - 40:53psychic power as well.
-
40:53 - 40:55I'm now sure, I'm sure the nuns
-
40:55 - 40:59did a lot of chanting to kick
that bushfire out of their property. -
40:59 - 41:00Certainly the monks did,
-
41:00 - 41:02certainly I did.
-
41:02 - 41:04You say you knew...
-
41:04 - 41:08Honestly, I knew that fire had
no chance to get into Dhammasara. -
41:08 - 41:10No chance in the world.
-
41:10 - 41:12Simply because
-
41:12 - 41:17there are such things as heavenly beings.
-
41:17 - 41:19Can I tell this story?
-
41:19 - 41:22I haven't told this story for a while.
-
41:22 - 41:24This is the heavenly-being-story.
-
41:24 - 41:26Real one.
-
41:26 - 41:30Of the monk...
-
41:30 - 41:33or actually he wasn't a monk yet.
-
41:33 - 41:35This American
-
41:35 - 41:41who met a heavenly being –
it's absolutely true story. -
41:41 - 41:43And I've got to be careful
saying this, because -
41:43 - 41:49this happened in Thailand and there is
that very strict rule of lèse-majesté – -
41:49 - 41:52you can't say anything bad about a king.
-
41:52 - 41:56Listen to this story
just to finish off with. -
41:56 - 41:59I'm not saying anything bad at all,
but just saying something wonderful -
41:59 - 42:02about one of the
former kings of Thailand. -
42:02 - 42:05This young man,
-
42:05 - 42:07he got over to Thailand
-
42:07 - 42:10to do Peace Corps work.
-
42:10 - 42:12So two years over in Thailand,
-
42:12 - 42:13doing Peace Corps work.
-
42:13 - 42:16And then, before he went
back to the United States -
42:16 - 42:17and just...
-
42:17 - 42:20get a job, get married,
and all of that sort of stuff, -
42:20 - 42:22he decided to try to be a monk.
-
42:22 - 42:25A Buddhist monk just for a short time.
-
42:25 - 42:28But he didn't know what to do.
How do you become a monk? -
42:28 - 42:31In Thailand.
-
42:31 - 42:33And so, he was staying at a hotel
-
42:33 - 42:35on the outskirts of Bangkok,
-
42:35 - 42:38and he asked the concierge.
-
42:38 - 42:42The concierge knows other
places to send Americans, -
42:42 - 42:49but not, sort of, monasteries.
-
42:49 - 42:53But he did hear that there was
one monastery in the centre of Bangkok, -
42:53 - 42:55Wat Bowon,
-
42:55 - 42:59which sometimes had Western monks.
-
42:59 - 43:05So he said: Go there, go to this place
Wat Bowon, in the centre of Bangkok, -
43:05 - 43:08and go there early in
the morning, take some food -
43:08 - 43:10and wait for the monks to come out
-
43:10 - 43:13and put some food into
one of the monks' bowls -
43:13 - 43:14and just ask them.'
-
43:14 - 43:16He knew a little bit
of Thai, not that much. -
43:16 - 43:19Ask them he wants to become a monk.
-
43:19 - 43:21So that's what he did.
-
43:21 - 43:25The advice wasn't very clear or precise.
-
43:25 - 43:28So he went there
really early in the morning. -
43:28 - 43:31About 4 o'clock,
4:30 or something. -
43:31 - 43:33And the monastery was all locked up.
-
43:33 - 43:37It was closed, no one was around.
-
43:37 - 43:42So he was walking up and down
outside this monastery Wat Bowon, -
43:42 - 43:44not knowing what to do.
-
43:44 - 43:48And this Thai man came up to him
-
43:48 - 43:51and asked him:
'Who are you? How can I help?' -
43:51 - 43:57Because Thais are, certainly in those
days, were very polite and very helpful. -
43:57 - 44:00So he said he was American,
he wanted to become a monk, -
44:00 - 44:03and the Thai man said:
'You're really early, -
44:03 - 44:05you've come a couple of hours too early.'
-
44:05 - 44:10But the Thai man said: 'Never mind.
I've got the keys, I can let you inside.' -
44:10 - 44:14So he took this Westerner
inside the monastery. -
44:14 - 44:17He opened the doors,
it was a metal door -
44:17 - 44:22in front of the Uposatha hall, the boat.
-
44:22 - 44:26You're Thai, it's called the Royal Gate.
-
44:26 - 44:28I'll tell you why afterwards,
if you don't already know. -
44:28 - 44:32And then went into the main hall,
-
44:32 - 44:34turned on the electric lights,
-
44:34 - 44:37he had the key, opened the main hall,
-
44:37 - 44:39the holy of holies there,
-
44:39 - 44:46and he described all the paintings,
all the murals on this 200-year-old hall. -
44:46 - 44:49And who painted them,
why they were painted, -
44:49 - 44:54and the story which those murals told.
-
44:54 - 44:57And if you know that
Thai art in those days, -
44:57 - 45:01every one of those murals
told a story, it's like a cartoon, -
45:01 - 45:04but cartoons in the West
they would start from the left -
45:04 - 45:06and they go to the right,
then the next level... -
45:06 - 45:11These go around all sorts
of different... trajectories. -
45:11 - 45:14If you know the story, you can
actually tell what they are, but even -
45:14 - 45:17sometimes I know those stories,
but I can't actually figure out -
45:17 - 45:20how they all connect together.
-
45:20 - 45:24But the two hours went past so quickly.
-
45:24 - 45:29He was so fascinated by all this history
-
45:29 - 45:33of the temple that this Thai man knew.
-
45:33 - 45:35Then the Thai man said:
'It's about time now, to... -
45:35 - 45:37the monks will be coming out any minute,
-
45:37 - 45:41so go out the gate again, turn right,
and then wait for this old monk – -
45:41 - 45:43he's the one you should speak to.'
-
45:43 - 45:46That's what this Westerner did.
-
45:46 - 45:48This American.
-
45:48 - 45:50I know this American.
-
45:50 - 45:51It's a true story.
-
45:51 - 45:54Happened in my lifetime, in Thailand.
-
45:54 - 45:56And
-
45:56 - 45:58soon that monk came out
-
45:58 - 46:02and he put some food in the bowl,
asked him he wanted to become a monk, -
46:02 - 46:08and this American was told to wait
and was taken to start the training, -
46:08 - 46:10being a monk.
-
46:10 - 46:11And
-
46:11 - 46:13after a few days,
-
46:13 - 46:15the American said: 'Look,
the monk you've given me -
46:15 - 46:17to teach me all the chanting,
-
46:17 - 46:19and the rules and stuff,
-
46:19 - 46:24I can't understand him,
his English is no good. -
46:24 - 46:26And the other monk said 'This is the best
-
46:26 - 46:30English speaker we've
got in the whole monastery'. -
46:30 - 46:37And that is where this American said:
'What about that temple attendant -
46:37 - 46:40who I met on the first day?'
-
46:40 - 46:44'What temple attendant?'
-
46:44 - 46:49'The guy who opened the door for me.'
-
46:49 - 46:51'You can't go through that door.
-
46:51 - 46:53That gate is the Royal Gate.
-
46:53 - 46:57The only people allowed
through that gate at Wat Bowon -
46:57 - 46:59are members of the royal family.'
-
46:59 - 47:03You know how much
they hold their tradition. -
47:03 - 47:07And you can't turn
the electricity on there. -
47:07 - 47:09And, and...
-
47:09 - 47:13not even the Abbot knows all
the stories behind those paintings. -
47:13 - 47:15They took him straight to the Abbot.
-
47:15 - 47:17That was Somdet Nyanasamvara.
-
47:17 - 47:19He became the Head Monk of Thailand.
-
47:19 - 47:23But at that time, he was
the Abbot of the temple. -
47:23 - 47:27The Abbot was listening to
all of this and stopped him. -
47:27 - 47:32And said: 'Wait' and called in the
secretary, 'This needs to be recorded.' -
47:32 - 47:35And this is pretty much a true story.
-
47:35 - 47:39I did tell this story in the Thai
Embassy in Singapore, once. -
47:39 - 47:42And the Ambassador there, interrupted me.
-
47:42 - 47:45Eventually afterwards he said
'Yes, I've seen that story written down, -
47:45 - 47:48it's true, it actually happened.'
-
47:48 - 47:50But anyway, the Abbot wrote it all down.
-
47:50 - 47:52Or the secretary, rather.
-
47:52 - 47:54But the end of the story.
-
47:54 - 47:57Of course, they asked the question:
-
47:57 - 47:58'What did that man look like?
-
47:58 - 48:01That temple attendant
we don't know, exists. -
48:01 - 48:05The one who opened doors
which only royal family can open.' -
48:05 - 48:10No one's got the key, no temple
attendant's got the key to the main hall. -
48:10 - 48:13Only a couple of monks have that key.
-
48:13 - 48:17Not even the old Abbot knew all
the stories behind the paintings. -
48:17 - 48:20He said: 'What did he look like?'
-
48:20 - 48:25You know what happens when you
have to try and describe a person, -
48:25 - 48:27especially if you're
from a different country; -
48:27 - 48:30'I don't know, he just... was Thai.'
-
48:30 - 48:32'He was wearing
traditional Thai clothes,' he said. -
48:32 - 48:34That was one interesting thing.
-
48:34 - 48:36Not modern clothes.
-
48:36 - 48:38Traditional Thai clothes.
-
48:38 - 48:40'But what did he look like?'
-
48:40 - 48:46And this American couldn't think
exactly what this guy looked like. -
48:46 - 48:50So he was scratching his head, literally,
because that's what Westerners do, -
48:50 - 48:51Thais don't do that.
-
48:51 - 48:54Scratching his head.
-
48:54 - 48:56And he stopped.
-
48:56 - 49:00He was looking at a portrait
-
49:00 - 49:03in the Abbot's office.
-
49:03 - 49:05'It's him!'
-
49:05 - 49:07'That's the one.'
-
49:07 - 49:12'That's the one I met'.
-
49:12 - 49:14That was a portrait
-
49:14 - 49:17of one of the sponsors of that temple
-
49:17 - 49:19when it was first built.
-
49:19 - 49:23His Majesty King Rama V
-
49:23 - 49:25who died
-
49:25 - 49:31about 150 years prior to that incident.
-
49:31 - 49:34That went down in the books.
-
49:34 - 49:36A heavenly being
-
49:36 - 49:40coming down to help a young man
-
49:40 - 49:44become a monk.
-
49:44 - 49:51And that's one of those amazing
real-life heavenly-being stories. -
49:51 - 49:53You can imagine,
it's in the books, happened. -
49:53 - 49:57That other guy, that monk,
lost contact with him a long time ago, -
49:57 - 50:00he went back to America,
not sure where he went to. -
50:00 - 50:03But this is amazing, what happens.
-
50:03 - 50:09So, when you're
a good monk or a good nun, -
50:09 - 50:13there are lots of other beings
who will look after you. -
50:13 - 50:18Especially in a place
like Dhammasara. -
50:18 - 50:20I remember going there the first...
-
50:20 - 50:22goosebumps.
-
50:22 - 50:25I remember going there the first time
-
50:25 - 50:29with Ajahn Cittapalo's brother.
-
50:30 - 50:32When it was on auction.
-
50:32 - 50:33Going in there
-
50:33 - 50:35and chanting my heart out.
-
50:35 - 50:38To actually get that place
-
50:38 - 50:41for our Bhikkhuni Sangha.
-
50:41 - 50:44You can feel this energy in that place.
-
50:44 - 50:46Good beings looking after you.
-
50:46 - 50:48That's why
-
50:48 - 50:50we got it.
-
50:50 - 50:51That's why
-
50:51 - 50:54it's been a very
successful, beautiful monastery. -
50:54 - 50:56That is why –
-
50:56 - 50:59sorry, fire demons.
-
50:59 - 51:01You go find another place to burn.
-
51:01 - 51:03But not Dhammasara.
-
51:03 - 51:04That place
-
51:04 - 51:07is safe.
-
51:07 - 51:09Okay. There we go.
-
51:09 - 51:11I thought that was
a rubbish talk tonight, -
51:11 - 51:13but I started on rubbish
-
51:13 - 51:14and see where it went to.
-
51:14 - 51:16So thank you all for listening.
-
51:16 - 51:20Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!
(all together) -
51:22 - 51:24I don't know how many
times I've told that story, -
51:24 - 51:31I usually tell that story in retreats,
but it still gives me goosebumps as well. -
51:31 - 51:35Ok, here we go for questions here today.
-
51:35 - 51:38This is first from New Zealand.
-
51:38 - 51:41'Many times my mind
will recall a random memory -
51:41 - 51:43that is embarrassing or painful.
-
51:43 - 51:44It causes me intense emotion.
-
51:44 - 51:45The past is often painful.
-
51:45 - 51:47Can you offer insight?'
-
51:47 - 51:51First of all, whatever
that random memory is -
51:51 - 51:54which causes you embarrassment or pain,
-
51:54 - 52:00if you can share that story as
honestly you can with somebody you know -
52:00 - 52:02and trust –
-
52:02 - 52:05because when it actually is not
inside of you, but it's outside, -
52:05 - 52:08it becomes far smaller,
less of a problem. -
52:08 - 52:11I've seen that many times,
I told that story few weeks ago, -
52:11 - 52:13about this woman, not far,
-
52:13 - 52:15in Tuart Hill somewhere.
-
52:15 - 52:17Tuart Hill, Dianella...
-
52:17 - 52:19And she was dying.
-
52:19 - 52:23And I asked her that once,
before she passed away: -
52:23 - 52:25'Is there anything
you've done in your life -
52:25 - 52:28which you're very ashamed of?'
-
52:28 - 52:31And of course it took a while
to get her to confess to me. -
52:31 - 52:34And what she said
was that once in her life -
52:34 - 52:39she'd kissed another woman's husband.
-
52:39 - 52:41And I asked 'Is that all you've done?'
-
52:41 - 52:45She said 'Yes, I was so ashamed
of it, you're the first person I've told.' -
52:45 - 52:47So that's not bad, a whole life.
-
52:47 - 52:51We can forgive you that one.
-
52:51 - 52:55But for me, hearing that,
that was a small thing. -
52:55 - 52:58But for her, it was the most
terrible thing she'd ever done. -
52:58 - 53:00But once she actually
confessed it, let somebody know, -
53:00 - 53:04she also realized it wasn't that bad.
-
53:04 - 53:08So if you can tell a person you trust,
-
53:08 - 53:10a person who's kind,
-
53:10 - 53:12who'll give you forgiveness straight away,
-
53:12 - 53:14then you'll put it more in perspective.
-
53:14 - 53:18It's the old story - how big is my hand?
My hand is so big because it's too close. -
53:18 - 53:20You put it away, where
other people can see it, -
53:20 - 53:24your hand is just of ordinary
size, it's not that big of a problem. -
53:24 - 53:25And then it will just...
-
53:25 - 53:28the emotions will go away,
it's not such a bad thing you've done. -
53:28 - 53:31Also, at least have some friends
-
53:31 - 53:33or some spiritual path
-
53:33 - 53:37where it's ok to make mistakes.
-
53:37 - 53:41So you don't have to be so perfect.
-
53:41 - 53:42So you can accept
-
53:42 - 53:43when you made mistakes,
-
53:43 - 53:45embarrassing,
shameful things you've done. -
53:45 - 53:47And you learn from them.
-
53:47 - 53:51You grow from them,
you become a better person. -
53:51 - 53:52From Germany.
-
53:52 - 53:55'I have the habit of
collecting the garbage in me -
53:55 - 53:57and it doesn't fall though.
-
53:57 - 53:59It disturbs or depressed me.
-
53:59 - 54:02Can I do anything about that
or make it vanish? Thank you.' -
54:02 - 54:03Of course you can.
-
54:03 - 54:07You're a rubbish bin, but you
forgot to put a hole in the bottom. -
54:07 - 54:10So see if you can just visualize...
-
54:10 - 54:11visualize life.
-
54:11 - 54:15It has some beautiful stuff,
and some unpleasant stuff. -
54:15 - 54:19And just have it so the beautiful stuff
goes in one side of the rubbish bin -
54:19 - 54:20and stays.
-
54:20 - 54:23And the other part goes in
the other part and just disappears, -
54:23 - 54:26down the bottom.
-
54:26 - 54:28Can you do that?
-
54:28 - 54:31Do some visualization,
sometimes that helps. -
54:31 - 54:35But don't collect the garbage in you.
-
54:35 - 54:37For goodness grace, just...
-
54:37 - 54:40allow it to just go through you.
-
54:40 - 54:41And then,
-
54:41 - 54:42it just goes back into the soil
-
54:42 - 54:50and generates new flowers
and fruits for another time. -
54:50 - 54:52But the garbage in you
-
54:52 - 54:54is not worth collecting.
-
54:54 - 54:55Now from Indonesia.
-
54:55 - 54:56'Dear Ajahn Brahm,
-
54:56 - 54:59Ajahn Chah emphasized his
teaching about impermanence. -
54:59 - 55:00How do we avoid feeling sad,
-
55:00 - 55:03when we know our loved
ones are going to leave us?' -
55:03 - 55:06Because new loves ones
are gonna come in to your life. -
55:06 - 55:08That's impermanence.
-
55:08 - 55:10You don't feel sad that
one concert is finished, -
55:10 - 55:13because you know this other band's coming
-
55:13 - 55:16in a theatre close to you next week.
-
55:16 - 55:20Yes, you do have many
people you love and care for, -
55:20 - 55:22but when they pass away,
-
55:22 - 55:26you have other people
you can love and care for. -
55:26 - 55:28And this is life.
-
55:28 - 55:30What a wonderful thing it is.
-
55:30 - 55:32We have so many more opportunities
-
55:32 - 55:36to care and have real love –
love which doesn't own something. -
55:36 - 55:38Ones which enjoy their time together,
-
55:38 - 55:40when the day is finished,
-
55:40 - 55:42good night, we had
a wonderful day together. -
55:42 - 55:44See you, maybe see someone else.
-
55:44 - 55:47In your next life.
-
55:47 - 55:50That's being truthful.
-
55:50 - 55:51Realistic.
-
55:51 - 55:55And it also means you're always open
-
55:55 - 56:00to another person you can
have a wonderful time with. -
56:00 - 56:02And lastly, from Russia:
-
56:02 - 56:06'Dear Ajahn Brahm, what would you advise,
if a person who has strong aspiration -
56:06 - 56:10to the highest Buddhist
achievement, but can't leave a lay life -
56:10 - 56:12because of commitments?
-
56:12 - 56:14Having aspirations,
I've mentioned this before, -
56:14 - 56:18if you start with an aspiration,
-
56:18 - 56:22it then leads to desperation,
when you can't achieve your aspiration, -
56:22 - 56:23and expiration
-
56:23 - 56:26when you expire.
-
56:26 - 56:30So instead of having aspirations,
-
56:30 - 56:32learn how to be content.
-
56:32 - 56:34This is good enough.
-
56:34 - 56:37I'm happy to be here.
-
56:37 - 56:39As I mentioned to some of you, that
-
56:39 - 56:44during the Covid lockdown,
this was in Bangkok apparently, -
56:44 - 56:50the Thai Rath newspaper, which is the
biggest newspaper, most read newspaper, -
56:50 - 56:53daily newspaper in Thailand.
-
56:53 - 56:55They carried one of my stories,
-
56:55 - 57:00about the difference between
being free or being in prison. -
57:00 - 57:03And the only difference is that
any place you don't want to be -
57:03 - 57:05is called prison.
-
57:05 - 57:08Any place you love
to be is called freedom. -
57:08 - 57:12It doesn't matter if it's like
somewhere they call Bangkok jail -
57:12 - 57:17or it's something you
call like Hilton 6-star hotel. -
57:17 - 57:19If you don't wanna be there,
-
57:19 - 57:21that Hilton Hotel,
-
57:21 - 57:23which many people get quarantined in,
-
57:23 - 57:25it's like a prison.
-
57:25 - 57:27It's really crazy, isn't it?
-
57:27 - 57:31People spend some much money
trying to make these hotel rooms -
57:31 - 57:34or suites, whatever, just the most
comfortable thing in the world, -
57:34 - 57:37but if you don't wanna
be there, because it's lockdown -
57:37 - 57:39or you're quarantine,
-
57:39 - 57:42you perceive it as a prison.
-
57:42 - 57:47Me, being in lockdown
for five days over in Serpentine: -
57:47 - 57:49'Yaaaay, free!'
-
57:49 - 57:52Actually, you felt free there.
-
57:52 - 57:56Didn't have to talk to people after lunch.
-
57:56 - 58:01It was great, because after lunch,
I have to go, as senior monk, -
58:01 - 58:04I have to sit down and wait and talk
to people about this and the other -
58:04 - 58:08same old stuff and same
old jokes you hear from me, so... -
58:08 - 58:12But then, this time,
as soon as I finished my meal, -
58:12 - 58:13I could go.
-
58:13 - 58:14'Yaaaay, free!.'
-
58:14 - 58:16You know what it's like, it's great!
-
58:16 - 58:18So it's wonderful, lockdown,
-
58:18 - 58:19it's more freedom
-
58:19 - 58:23that I get when I'm in prison.
-
58:23 - 58:25So what is prison?
-
58:25 - 58:27So if you have a strong aspiration
-
58:27 - 58:30to the highest Buddhist achievement,
-
58:30 - 58:32just stop the aspiration.
-
58:32 - 58:34All aspirations.
-
58:34 - 58:36Learn how to be.
-
58:36 - 58:39Learn how to be content.
-
58:39 - 58:42Learn how to be kind.
-
58:42 - 58:44These qualities,
-
58:44 - 58:48those qualities,
not aspirations but qualities, -
58:48 - 58:50developing kindness,
-
58:50 - 58:52contentment,
-
58:52 - 58:56learn how to be happy where you are,
-
58:56 - 58:57to enjoy the moment
-
58:57 - 59:01and be able to let it go
as soon as it finishes. -
59:01 - 59:03Being a rubbish bin with
-
59:03 - 59:05no bottom at all.
-
59:05 - 59:07Infinite rubbish bin.
-
59:07 - 59:08Always empty.
-
59:08 - 59:11Always able to receive things.
-
59:11 - 59:13Those are really nice things
-
59:13 - 59:15to develop.
-
59:15 - 59:18But don't aspire for them.
-
59:18 - 59:20Give up all the aspirations.
-
59:20 - 59:24And then they come to you.
-
59:24 - 59:26That was the last question, but
-
59:26 - 59:29just to show how they do come
to you, for those who don't know that, -
59:29 - 59:34I probably told it last week,
the donkey story? -
59:34 - 59:36Here we go, it's the old donkey story,
-
59:36 - 59:37just to finish off with today.
-
59:37 - 59:40Many of you know,
this is one of my favourites. -
59:40 - 59:42There was a donkey
-
59:42 - 59:46and it just wouldn't pull the cart.
-
59:46 - 59:48So the owner got a stick out
and tried to hit the donkey, -
59:48 - 59:50but the donkey wouldn't move.
-
59:50 - 59:51But then
-
59:51 - 59:54the owner figured out, how
to get the donkey to pull the cart: -
59:54 - 59:58he tied the stick to the donkey's neck,
-
59:58 - 60:02so the front of the stick was
two foot in front of the donkey's head, -
60:02 - 60:03string on the end of the stick
-
60:03 - 60:07and a carrot on the end of the string.
-
60:07 - 60:10So the donkey saw
a carrot two foot in front of it. -
60:10 - 60:11Donkeys like carrots,
-
60:11 - 60:14so the donkey went towards the carrot.
-
60:14 - 60:18When the donkey went towards the carrot,
the carrot went away from the donkey. -
60:18 - 60:20Welcome to life.
-
60:20 - 60:23I don't know how many carrots
you've been chasing in your life -
60:23 - 60:24or this last week,
-
60:24 - 60:26but I think you can relate to that story.
-
60:26 - 60:28That's how they get
donkeys to pull carts. -
60:28 - 60:29But,
-
60:29 - 60:31when you come to this center,
-
60:31 - 60:33you figure out how to catch the carrot.
-
60:33 - 60:36Simple, really.
-
60:36 - 60:38You run after that
carrot as fast as you can. -
60:38 - 60:40Doesn't matter how fast you run,
-
60:40 - 60:43that carrot is still
two foot in front of you. -
60:43 - 60:45But then, you know how to...
-
60:45 - 60:47stop.
-
60:47 - 60:50Stop and let go.
-
60:50 - 60:53So the little donkey stops
and the carrot goes further away. -
60:53 - 60:55Four foot away, never been
as far away before, you think -
60:55 - 60:59it's not working, this is
not working, it's not right. -
60:59 - 61:02You've got to aspire for something
and start chasing the carrot again. -
61:02 - 61:05But no, no, you have
a bit of faith and confidence. -
61:05 - 61:07Four foot away the carrot goes,
-
61:07 - 61:08and then,
-
61:08 - 61:12the carrot comes swinging towards you.
-
61:12 - 61:15And soon it's two foot in front
as usual, but now coming at top speed, -
61:15 - 61:18it's never come as fast to you before.
-
61:18 - 61:21And it comes and swings
right close to your mouth, -
61:21 - 61:23but the last thing you have to remember,
-
61:23 - 61:26what many Buddhists forget.
-
61:26 - 61:29Kindness, compassion.
-
61:29 - 61:33When that carrot comes
right close to your mouth, -
61:33 - 61:34you have to remember
-
61:34 - 61:37to say to that carrot:
-
61:37 - 61:42'Carrot, the door of my
mouth is open to you.' -
61:42 - 61:44Otherwise, it bounces off your teeth.
-
61:44 - 61:45Okay.
-
61:45 - 61:47That's enough for the questions.
-
61:48 - 61:51Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!
-
61:52 - 61:53Okay.
-
61:53 - 61:54There we go.
-
61:54 - 61:56Was that a rubbish talk, tonight?
-
61:58 - 62:01Okay, let's pay respect to the
Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha.
- Title:
- Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021
- Description:
-
Ajahn Brahm loves to use metaphors to catch your interest and make a point. How are Buddhism and rubbish alike? Ajahn Brahm talks about rubbish with a Buddhist viewpoint, including how to deal with other people's rubbish.
Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BuddhistSocietyWA
Recorded at Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre, Perth, Western Australia.
Buddhist Society of Western Australia’s teaching's page: https://bswa.org/teachings/
To find the full playlist visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/BuddhistSocietyWA/playlists, or click on 'Playlists' in the top menu bar. - Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- Buddhist Society of Western Australia
- Project:
- Friday Night Dhamma Talks
- Duration:
- 01:03:46
Eug edited English subtitles for Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021 | ||
Eug approved English subtitles for Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021 | ||
Alex Neville accepted English subtitles for Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021 | ||
Alex Neville edited English subtitles for Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021 | ||
SasanaPL edited English subtitles for Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021 | ||
SasanaPL edited English subtitles for Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021 | ||
SasanaPL edited English subtitles for Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021 | ||
SasanaPL edited English subtitles for Buddhism and Rubbish | Ajahn Brahm | 5 February 2021 |