Putting Meaning Into Life | Ajahn Brahm | 03-12-2010
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Not SyncedThe topic which has come up for me this evening,
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Not Syncedone of the few experiences over the last week or 2 weeks
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Not Syncedsometimes people have called me up, about to talk with them,
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Not Syncedcause life sometimes can be quite depressing, things don't really go where they should.
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Not SyncedAll these problems in your life,
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Not Syncedpeople keep asking me what's the purpose of all this?
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Not SyncedWhat the heck is this life all about?
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Not SyncedCan you please give me sort of some great overview, big plans,
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Not Syncedwhat the heck am I doing all this for, why these
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Not Syncedthings happens to me?
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Not SyncedSo this evening I am going to talk about a
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Not Syncedvery simple subject of "The meaning of life."
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Not SyncedOr rather than that, because even that subject is like becomes theoretical,
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Not Syncedit becomes like some sort of idea, so there is not going to be the slant
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Not Syncedwhich I am going to give in this talk.
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Not SyncedThe slant that I am going to give is not finding the
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Not Syncedmeaning of life but putting the meaning into your life.
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Not SyncedA totally different idea.
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Not SyncedThe meaning of life is describing to you, some theory
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Not Syncedsome religious view or spiritual view just to telling you
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Not Syncedwhat to believe or how to look at life.
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Not SyncedBut no, I'm telling you how you put meaning into your life.
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Not SyncedBecause if you don't put meaning into your life,
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Not Syncedyou'll find that life does become quite meaningless.
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Not SyncedAnd if you just wonder what's this all about
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Not Syncedwhat are you doing this for, there is nothing which can really give
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Not Syncedyou any drive any passion in your life,
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Not Syncedand I say this as a monk, because I'm a very passionate monk.
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Not SyncedThe compassionate one, at least,
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Not Syncedbut you know I really put a lot of energy into whatever I do.
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Not SyncedThat is for me, what passion is because
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Not Syncedyou understand how to put something really
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Not Syncedimportant into your life, some meaning into
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Not Syncedyour life.
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Not SyncedAnd I found out that most people in this life,
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Not Syncedwho they do get depressed, who do sort of get
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Not Syncednegative, it is because they haven't learned
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Not Syncedhow to put meaning, the real meaning, the proper meaning
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Not Syncedinto life.
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Not SyncedYeah, sure that people actually put a lot of energy
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Not Syncedand struggle in their life just to getting
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Not Syncedon in this world, to succeed.
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Not SyncedThe trouble is we don't know really what success is.
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Not SyncedWhen you were a kid, at school, you think success is getting your grades at school,
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Not Syncedor at exams or whatever.
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Not SyncedAnd look, with that, you should all know by now,
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Not Syncedbecause how many of you did really well at school
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Not Syncedand we can still be happy and find meaning in life?
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Not SyncedOtherwise if you really have to just to be
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Not Syncedthe A-grade student, if they are the only ones
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Not Syncedwho have meaning in life, you might as well commit suicide
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Not Syncedafter grade 12 if you don't get to university which is a stupid idea.
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Not SyncedBut you find out that, that is not the
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Not Syncedreal meaning in life.
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Not SyncedSo you find out most people they find out, they try,
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Not Syncedthey assume that other people know what the
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Not Syncedmeaning of life is.
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Not SyncedAnd they just follow other people like sheep,
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Not Syncedand because they follow other people like sheep,
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Not Syncedyeah, you do work hard at school that's what your parents and
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Not Syncedteachers told you to do.
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Not SyncedAnd think, if I do this right then I'll
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Not Syncedfind some meaning in life, I'll find happiness.
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Not SyncedAnd then afterwards you go to work and you think
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Not Syncedyou can find meaning in just your bank balance
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Not Syncedor your possessions or whatever else that you
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Not Syncedstart to attain life, and then you start
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Not Syncedquestioning that, that doesnt really give you what
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Not Syncedeveryone promised you.
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Not SyncedCertainly that was my life, you know, going to school,
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Not SyncedI did really work, I did work hard, so I got
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Not Syncedthis great degree from Cambridge University.
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Not SyncedI mean that was a big downer afterwards.
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Not SyncedIs this it?
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Not SyncedYou know, all this which I was promised, all that
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Not Syncedhard work which I did to getting a big degree
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Not Syncedfrom a big university?
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Not SyncedSo what?
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Not SyncedAnd then one of the reasons I became a monk,
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Not Syncedone of the reasons I never went further in
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Not Syncedacademic career is because you could see at universities
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Not Syncedlike Cambridge where you socialised with
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Not Syncedthe lecturers and with the professors and with the dons
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Not SyncedLook some of those people have Nobel prizes.
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Not SyncedThese were the top, the elite of academia.
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Not SyncedYou talk with them and just realised these
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Not Syncedpeople haven't got it together.
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Not SyncedYeah, they were brilliant in their field but
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Not Syncedthey were stupid in life.
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Not SyncedYou know just, I'm rambling on here, you know
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Not Syncedone of the people which we met here,
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Not Syncedwith Dennis, our president, Roger Pennrose came
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Not Syncedinto town some years ago and he's
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Not SyncedMr. Blackhole. He's the guy who discovered black hole.
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Not SyncedSo Roger Pennrose, one of the greatest physicists of our age,
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Not Syncedprobably up there with Stephen Hawkings.
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Not SyncedAnd he came and Dennis our president,
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Not Syncedso we went to have dinner with him.
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Not SyncedAnd, cause I'm well connected with the physicists
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Not Syncedover here.
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Not SyncedIt's actually, it's really amazing, all these people,
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Not Syncedall the other people, they were sort of from, they were NASA, they were
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Not Syncedprofessor of Physics from all over the place,
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Not Syncedand I was only, sort of, the Buddhist monk. [laughter]
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Not SyncedBut anyone from religion which actually shows
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Not Syncedjust how Buddhism and even just elite Physics, we can melt together.
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Not SyncedBut you even look at this person who was so brilliant in his field
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Not Syncedbut you couldn't have a conversation with him.
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Not SyncedAnd do you remember this Dennis, we were just
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Not Syncedall talking with each other, I was even chatting about all sorts of stuff
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Not Syncedwith these people from NASA
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Not Syncedand he was actually standing by himself,
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Not Syncedno one was talking with him.
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Not SyncedI was wondering that he is brilliant in front of the lecture theatre,
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Not Syncedapparently, he's brilliant, you know, on a piece of paper
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Not Syncedbut he hasn't got his life together.
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Not SyncedIt was meeting people like that, I thought,
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Not Syncedthat's not the meaning in life, becoming a great academic.
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Not SyncedIt's not the meaning in life becoming really rich people.
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Not SyncedAlso at Cambridge, you know one of other people I knew,
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Not Syncedhe was real Lord, he was an Earl.
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Not SyncedThat's really great going around with a Lord, I mean a real Lord, an Earl.
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Not SyncedI know a Viscount, I forget one, he was a real pain in the butt.
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Not SyncedWhy do you want to have these honours for if you don't just, [laughter]
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Not Synceda hopeless person to be around.
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Not SyncedSo, you know, for me, I ticked off boxes earlier on in life.
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Not SyncedThis was not why I was going to find my meaning in life.
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Not SyncedAnd it was actually good, ticking off those boxes early.
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Not SyncedYou know, it's just fame, sort of, being a great academic,
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Not Syncedor being, sort of, it was also these great sports people.
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Not SyncedThere was this college I was at in Man U.
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Not SyncedIt was. that time, it was like a sporting college
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Not Syncedmany top sports people went there.
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Not SyncedAnd one of the people I befriended over there
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Not Syncedwas a guy called Majid Khan, he was an international
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Not Syncedcricketeer, played for Pakistan and now I think he is
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Not Syncedan international umpire.
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Not SyncedI went to college with this guy.
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Not SyncedEven that time, you know, he was playing for Pakistan
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Not Syncedeven though but he was in college.
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Not SyncedAnd again, even those elite sportsman, actually, he was
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Not Syncedactually more, had his act together.
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Not SyncedHe's a lot of fun to be with but still
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Not Syncedthere was something missing there.
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Not SyncedAnd then later as you become a monk, you get
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Not Syncedinto all echelons of society as a monk.
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Not SyncedThe doors are opened to me which will be closed to all of you guys.
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Not SyncedI can go into autopsies and see bodies being cut up.
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Not SyncedYou know, and that's really fascinating there.
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Not SyncedI really recommend it, if you were looking
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Not Syncedfor something to do over Christmas period. [laughter]
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Not SyncedWe also actually go and meet these sort of, the top notch,
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Not Syncedthe very wealthy people.
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Not SyncedI think I was, I'm pretty sure that when I went to this dinner over
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Not Syncedin Canberra once, I going into the toilet,
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Not SyncedI didn't recognise him at the time but seen pictures afterwards,
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Not Syncedit was Lord Murdoch.
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Not SyncedI wished I had taken a donation envelope with me for
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Not Syncedthe Bangladesh orphanage.
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Not SyncedThat's with Murdoch's son, you meet all these
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Not Syncedwealthy people, presidents and stuff.
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Not SyncedBut you think, is that really what life is all about?
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Not SyncedAnd it's not, it's something else there.
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Not SyncedSo when you look for meaning in life or when
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Not Syncedyou put meaning in life, make sure that what you're
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Not Syncedreally developing in your life is something
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Not Syncedwhich really does have meaning.
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Not SyncedAnd to me, just power, fame, wealth,
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Not SyncedI've ticked off those boxes a long time ago,
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Not Syncedand that has no real meaning,
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Not Syncedit has no real satisfaction in the end for you.
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Not SyncedNow to give you a story about that,
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Not Syncedthere're so many stories about just the, what might you call the disillusionment
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Not Syncedwhich all comes when you get wealth.
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Not SyncedThere's so many stories about that.
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Not SyncedThe story which I mentioned a few days ago, I think, I'm not quite sure where I said this or what I've said .
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Not SyncedSomebody sent me an email about this couple in UK who won the lottery.
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Not SyncedThey got instant about GBP40million.
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Not SyncedSo they bought this huge mansion, one year later they sold that mansion.
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Not SyncedThe reason they sold that mansion was they couldn't find their kids.
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Not SyncedIt was just too big.
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Not SyncedSo there they were in this dream mansion, just what sometimes, you'd drool over which sometimes
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Not Syncedyou see maybe in the TV or you see maybe in the magazines
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Not Syncedor you may go past if you go driving down Peppermint Grove
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Not SyncedWow wouldnt it be amazing living in a huge place like that
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Not Syncedwith manicured gardens,
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Not Syncedswimming pools, and with people to serve you whatever you needed.
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Not SyncedBut then, you think about what happens to a person in there.
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Not SyncedAnd this was someone who'd been there and done that,
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Not Syncedbecause the house had so many rooms, they could never find
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Not Syncedtheir kids.
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Not SyncedAlways had to send a search party out to see which room they were in.
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Not SyncedAnd because of that, they realised that something was terribly, terribly missing in their life.
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Not SyncedFamily, relationships, a bit of love.
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Not SyncedI was in that many times.
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Not SyncedAnother time, this, talking about big mansions, we went to a blessing ceremony's big mansion
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Not Syncedin Shelley by the river, one of these very huge ones.
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Not SyncedWhen I went in there, was it a Thai or Chinese lady, I forget now.
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Not SyncedBut anyway when we went in there to do the blessing ceremony
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Not Syncedfor her new house, she just moved in, she wanted the monks to go in.
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Not SyncedThat was the time when I just come all the way from Serpentine from the monastery to Shelley,
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Not Syncedone of the first things I did, I said,
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Not Synced"Can I use your toilet?"
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Not SyncedAnd this is no joke, she had to draw me a map
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Not Syncedof how to get to the toilet in her house. [laughter]
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Not SyncedIt's ridiculous.
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Not SyncedBut then afterwards when we were chatting together, after doing the ceremony,
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Not SyncedI said, "How many people live here?"
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Not SyncedShe said, "Only me."
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Not SyncedAnd that was, that wasn't funny, that really hurt me
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Not Syncedcause you know, you have empathy for people.
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Not SyncedYou know, these are the people you care about.
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Not SyncedAnd when she said, "Only me", you could see just the pain in that expression.
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Not SyncedThere was a woman filthy rich staying in a huge mansion,
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Not Syncedall alone.
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Not SyncedI asked her,"Why didnt anyone stay with you?"
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Not Syncedand she said, "I'm afraid of my family.
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Not SyncedI'm afraid they will ask me for money, ask me for a loan. I'm afraid of any friends.
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Not SyncedI don't know if they are my friends, because I'm rich,
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Not Syncedthey want a loan or they want to borrow some or want a
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Not Syncedgift or something.
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Not SyncedBecause I don't trust anybody, not even my family, that is why,
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Not SyncedI'm alone."
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Not SyncedAnd I thought that was a person who was imprisoned
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Not Syncedby their wealth.
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Not SyncedThey weren't free at all.
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Not SyncedIf I was them, I'd say, "Take that wealth and burn it."
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Not SyncedAnd have some freedom, cause what else, more meaning in life?
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Not SyncedBeing free and just being able to enjoy your family and friends and have a great time together
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Not Syncedor having that great wealth.
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Not SyncedSo please in our life, forget about the lottery tickets.
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Not SyncedYou're not going to win anyway.
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Not SyncedAnd if you do, that's even worse.
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Not SyncedForget about just getting the advancement in your work.
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Not SyncedBecause, yes, you sort of, get the upgrade in your work, and you get a bigger salary
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Not Syncedbut it means, you know, you have to work so much harder, so much longer, with more stress,
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Not Syncedand you don't see your family, your health goes down.
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Not SyncedIs that what you really want to do in life?
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Not SyncedI'm very, very impressed with people who actually turn down the promotion.
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Not SyncedSo you know, this is enough for me.
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Not SyncedI want to be home at 5 pm or 6pm to be with my kids.
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Not SyncedI want to have those holidays where I don't have to worry
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Not Syncedthat you are going to sms me to come back to the office
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Not Syncedbecause there is some important contract to fix up.
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Not SyncedCause at least they've got some understanding of
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Not Syncedthe meaning of life and they are putting that meaning
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Not Syncedinto their life.
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Not SyncedI know many people talk about this, but
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Not Syncedit really is up to you to take hold of your life
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Not Syncedand not just be a victim and just go along with life
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Not Syncedand just allow these things to happen to you.
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Not SyncedYou do have that choice.
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Not SyncedAs they say in Buddhism "You are the owner of your karma."
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Not SyncedIt's a very powerful statement which we don't really say enough
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Not Synced- you are the owner of your karma.
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Not SyncedIn other words, you know you have it in your hands.
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Not SyncedYou have in your hands to guide into your future
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Not Syncedand really do put meaning into your life.
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Not SyncedSo yeah, I mean, you need some work
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Not Syncedbut please have great jobs, but fulfulling jobs, doesn't mean your bank balance
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Not Syncedit means, when you go home at the end of the week,
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Not Syncedyeah,you have got enough money to pay the bills.
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Not SyncedYou feel you're actually doing something useful for the world as well.
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Not SyncedCause in those days which I had at university,
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Not Syncedit was fortunate that we did have time. We had time to reflect
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Not Syncedand that's actually an important thing in your life
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Not Syncedto take that time out, not to do things, but just to stand back and
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Not Syncedjust to reflect upon your life and which way it's going
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Not Syncedand how it's going and
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Not Syncedwhat is really important to you in life.
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Not SyncedBecause we are coming to the end of this year,
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Not Syncedyou know, December already.
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Not SyncedAnd it's a great time, when things end,
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Not Syncedit does give the opportunity to stop
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Not Syncedand reflect because life goes on so fast,
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Not Syncedit's like a train which never stops so you can't get out and think just,
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Not Synced"Where the heck am I and which way am I going?"
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Not SyncedThis time of the year is great for that.
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Not SyncedYou have holidays, and so don't fill your holidays up with all these activities.
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Not SyncedDon't just think,
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Not SyncedI have to get this out of the way, I have to get that out of the way,
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Not Syncedall these jobs which have been building up for the year.
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Not SyncedIf just get jobs out of the way,
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Not Syncedyou'll find that life gets out of the way.
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Not SyncedThat's one of the things which I have seen myself doing in the monastery
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Not Syncedcause I've got lots of business.
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Not SyncedI've got lots of responsibilities and work to do.
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Not SyncedLots of things to fix up and to settle and to do.
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Not SyncedBut sometimes I catch myself,
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Not SyncedI say, I've got to get this out of the way and that out of the way
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Not Syncedand then I'll meditate.
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Not SyncedAnd you find that you don't meditate at all, you don't stop.
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Not SyncedSo I decided, no, I get peace out of the way, first of all. [chuckle]
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Not SyncedI get that done first of all then I do all my other jobs.
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Not SyncedReminds me of one of the old monk jokes.
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Not SyncedThey aren't actually real Buddhist jokes.
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Not SyncedThis is a joke about,
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Not SyncedI may have told this a couple of weeks ago,
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Not Syncedbut I'm losing my mind, I don't mind
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Not Syncedbut if I've told last week what I told this week,
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Not Syncedwho cares anyway, but just a good joke. If you've heard it before,
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Not Syncedit's a golden oldie.
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Not Synced- about the monk who was called up in his monastery by someone,
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Not Synced"Can you please come round to do a blessing at my house?"
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Not SyncedThe monk said, "I'm sorry, I'm busy, I can't come."
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Not SyncedAnd the caller said, "What are you doing, monk?"
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Not SyncedHe said, "I'm doing nothing. That's what monks are supposed to do,nothing."
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Not SyncedAnd the caller understood and he appreciate, "Monks are supposed
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Not Syncedto be left the world and find peace and not just be in the monastery doing things all day.
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Not SyncedThat's the purpose of being a monk or a nun,
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Not Syncedjust sit out there and just to contemplate life
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Not Syncedand to be still and to be peaceful and to let go of things
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Not Syncedand just sit under a tree and just watch the trees grow, that's what we are supposed to be doing.
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Not SyncedSo the man actually understood that.
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Not SyncedHe said, "Ok, very good, monk."
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Not SyncedSo he rang the next day, he said, "Look, I really need you to do a blessing, can you come to my house?"
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Not SyncedHe said, "No, I'm busy."
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Not Synced"That's what you said yesterday, what are you doing?"
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Not Synced"I'm doing nothing" said the monk.
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Not Synced"But you said that's what you were doing yesterday!".
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Not SyncedAnd the monk replied, "Yes, but I'm not finished yet." [laughter]
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Not SyncedNow that's not just a funny joke.
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Not SyncedThere has a meaning to it, there has oomph behind it.
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Not SyncedSo, look, somebody, sort of your wife says you know, "Can you come give me a hand."
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Not Synced"Darling, but I'm busy."
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Not Synced"What are you doing?"
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Not Synced"Nothing."
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Not Synced"How long is it going to take?"
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Not Synced"I don't know, maybe so, all my life."
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Not Synced[laughter]
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Not SyncedMaybe that's going too far but isn't it really important?
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Not SyncedActually, it's to have this great opportunity actually, you do
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Not Syncednothing.
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Not SyncedSo you can actually stand back and just allow life to actually reflect itself on you.
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Not SyncedOnly when the water is still can you actually stand over and see your face clearly.
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Not SyncedNow only when you stop rushing around doing things,
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Not Syncedyou can actually see what you are doing.
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Not SyncedAnd see what the meaning of life truly is.
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Not SyncedThat is why, you know, we have monasteries where you can go and stay,
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Not Syncedthat's why we have retreat centres.
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Not SyncedRetreat centres are not, so you can enlightened,
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Not Syncednot so you can get jhanas.
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Not SyncedThe retreat centres are there, so you can stop
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Not Syncedand just do nothing
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Not Syncedand just see what's going on.
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Not SyncedCos everywhere else, you just,
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Not Syncedif you do stop, people say, "What are you doing?"
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Not Synced"Do nothing?"
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Not Synced"Can you come give me a hand then?"
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Not Synced[laughter]
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Not SyncedThey don't allow you to be free.
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Not SyncedThey don't allow you to be still.
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Not SyncedSo, these are places where you can be still.
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Not SyncedAnd it's in those stillnesses you find
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Not Syncedwhat the meaning of life is.
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Not SyncedAnd once you know what the meaning of life is,
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Not Syncedyou can put it into your life.
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Not SyncedSo when people get very depressed or they
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Not Syncedlose their way in life,
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Not Syncedplease, you know, go to the monasteries
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Not Syncedwhich we have over here, the great places
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Not Syncedwhere you can just come,
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Not Syncedsit, you don't have to stay the night,
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Not Syncedyou just go to the meditation hall,
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Not Syncedand just sit and do nothing.
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Not SyncedDon't ask the meaning of life, don't go seeking it.
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Not SyncedJust be still so you can know it.
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Not SyncedBecause the point is the meaning of life is
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Not Syncednot a theory.
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Not SyncedIt's not some sort of you,
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Not Syncedyou can write in a book, that's why we don't write books
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Not Syncedin meditation monk monasteries,
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Not Syncedit's not a bible, it's not a Koran,
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Not Syncedas I've told you many, many times.
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Not SyncedPeople ask me, when you go to schools or universities, and they say the old question,
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Not Syncedyeah in Christianity we have the bible, in Judaism we the Torah or Capella,
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Not Syncedin Islam we have the Koran,
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Not Syncedso what do you have in Buddhism?
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Not SyncedWe have Arhant, that's what we read, that's our holy book,
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Not Syncedright in here.
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Not SyncedIn other words you stop reading outside.
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Not SyncedIf you have a book, it's just a mirror so
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Not Syncedyou can experience what's inside.
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Not SyncedSo it's the experience, especially in stillness, that's our holy book.
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Not SyncedThat's why we don't argue so much.
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Not SyncedThat's why Buddhism doesnt really have wars,
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Not SyncedI mean real Buddhism, not organised Buddhism.
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Not SyncedReal Buddhism doesn't have wars.
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Not SyncedHow can you have a war over what you are reading in your own heart?
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Not SyncedIf it's out there on a piece of paper, yeah, you can argue with,
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Not Syncedyou can get theologians who are argue and try to
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Not Syncedwork out what it all means.
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Not SyncedBut experience, we know what experience is.
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Not SyncedSo meaning of life, what really has meaning for
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Not Syncedyou in life?
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Not SyncedStraightaway you find it's not the fame or the
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Not Syncedmoney or the other stuff,
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Not Syncedthe greatest meaning in life is when you really
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Not Syncedserve and help someone.
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Not SyncedIt's not just thinking compassion, it's actually succeeded in compassion.
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Not SyncedYou cared for someone and it's changing.
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Not SyncedI know that
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Not Syncedit's been one of the greatest motivators of my life.
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Not SyncedNow I learned that early on when I went to a
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Not SyncedBuddhist talk when I was still a student,
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Not Syncedand I had heard all these great professors and
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Not Syncedmonks give talks and quite frankly,
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Not Syncedmany times, I went to sleep.
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Not SyncedMaybe with that experience was why I try
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Not Syncedto give interesting talks, and if I find
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Not Syncedyou're getting dull,
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Not Syncedthat's when I tell jokes to wake you up.
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Not SyncedCos I've been there, listen to very boring
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Not Syncedtalks and just falling asleep myself.
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Not SyncedBut I remember one of the talks which I heard
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Not Syncedwhich I would never forget, it didn't say
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Not Syncedvery much about Buddhism at all.
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Not SyncedNot as I'd expected it, it didn't say about
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Not Syncedfour nobel truths or seven enlightenment factors
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Not Syncedand all these other stuff which you can read in books anyway.
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Not SyncedIt was just this old English woman, who was
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Not Synceda Tibetan nun who was running an orphanage
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Not Syncedwith very poor kids in Sikkhim.
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Not SyncedAnd the way that she described her compassion was very inspiring.
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Not SyncedI realised at that time, Buddhism isn't a theory,
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Not SyncedBuddhism is actually what you do,
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Not Syncedhow you behave, just your kindness, your virtue,
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Not Syncedyour peace, your forgiveness,
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Not Syncedthat's what Buddhism is.
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Not SyncedIt's not what you find in the books.
-
Not SyncedWhat you find in the interaction between two
-
Not Syncedvery kind and caring people.
-
Not SyncedI didn't realise at that time.
-
Not SyncedBut she taught Buddhism more eloquently than
-
Not Syncedany professor or any monk at that time
-
Not Syncedwhich I knew.
-
Not SyncedSo that's why, the day after, I was so inspired,
-
Not SyncedI went to my bank and took GBP10 out of my account.
-
Not SyncedNow this was in 1969, I was a very poor student,
-
Not Syncedthat was 2 weeks food money for me.
-
Not SyncedSo I went hungry. I make up for it these days.
-
Not SyncedBut you know, [laughter], I was really hungry,
-
Not SyncedI wasn't starving but I didn't have as much
-
Not Syncedas I would normally have, and it hurt.
-
Not SyncedAnd because it hurt, I got so much happiness
-
Not Syncedout of that, so much joy, I put GBP10 for
-
Not Syncedthis little orphanage for poor kids.
-
Not SyncedThat was meaning,
-
Not Syncedthat was purpose, that was something which
-
Not Syncedmade life have a resonance, and something very solid which I could respect.
-
Not SyncedIt was a pointer to how I could find deeper meaning in my life.
-
Not SyncedCause giving GBP10 to an orphanage,
-
Not Syncedyeah, it helps them, it's important.
-
Not SyncedThere's also, this more you can do.
-
Not SyncedIt's great to have donations and, look,
-
Not Syncedwe've got, somebody's left this in here,
-
Not Syncedwe must be doing the Bangladesh orphanage appeal soon,
-
Not Syncedalso at Christmas, is it this weekend so,
-
Not SyncedBangladesh orphanage appeal, look if you give whatever to
-
Not Syncedthis orphanage we've been looking after
-
Not Syncedfor a long time.
-
Not SyncedIt just makes you so happy when you get the pictures
-
Not Syncedand see that these are kids, boys and girls
-
Not Syncedwho've got absolutely no parents and in
-
Not SyncedBangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world.
-
Not SyncedAnd they don't get government support.
-
Not SyncedAnd actually, this particular orphanage,
-
Not Syncedsomething like 95% funded by you guys.
-
Not SyncedSo this is the one which we,the Buddhist Society
-
Not Syncedwe look after
-
Not SyncedBut you do that and you help someone,
-
Not Syncedand you sort of, go and see them afterwards,
-
Not Syncedand you get tearing.
-
Not SyncedFor those of you who've been here a long time,
-
Not Syncedremember we had the tsunami,
-
Not Syncedwe raised funds over here.
-
Not SyncedAnd when we raised the funds,
-
Not Syncedwe didn't know exactly what organisation to give them to.
-
Not SyncedBut the other organisation I am associated to
-
Not Syncedwithin Singapore, the Buddhist Fellowship
-
Not Syncedwere also raising funds,
-
Not Syncedand the Singapore Red Cross,
-
Not Syncedthey had this deal that,
-
Not Syncedif you would put, sort of, had, sort of,
-
Not Syncedany amount of money for the tsunami appeal,
-
Not Syncedin one of the countries there,
-
Not Syncedthey would match it 4 to 1.
-
Not SyncedSo, our Buddhist Society, we were very clever.
-
Not SyncedWe sent our donation over to Singapore to
-
Not Syncedour Buddhist Fellowship, we joined in with them,
-
Not Syncedso for every dollar we collected
-
Not Syncedwe got another 4 dollars from the Red Cross.
-
Not SyncedSo I don't know how, it was a couple of million or something, eventually we got
-
Not SyncedSo we looked after this orphanage,
-
Not SyncedI think it was in Khao Lak in Thailand, I think.
-
Not SyncedI know, they was, we did one, building homes in Sri Lanka as well.
-
Not SyncedWe did that too.
-
Not SyncedSri Lanka, forget the name of the village we looked after.
-
Not SyncedBut also in the orphanage.
-
Not SyncedIt was twice that I've been to the orphanage.
-
Not SyncedI went actually to just see people's donations
-
Not Syncedand see little kids
-
Not Syncedand sweet little kids,
-
Not Syncedwithout mother and father
-
Not Syncedthey have each other.
-
Not SyncedAnd see this huge family, I don't know,
-
Not Synced30 or 40 that every one from different parents,
-
Not Syncedbehaving like brothers and sisters
-
Not Syncedand having a whale of a time
-
Not Synceddoing sort of a Thai dance
-
Not Syncedwhich was not properly done,
-
Not Syncednot like any professionals at all
-
Not Syncedit's kids trying to do their very best.
-
Not SyncedIt makes you cry
-
Not Syncedjust so sweet and beautiful
-
Not Syncedyou've given them happiness
-
Not Syncedyou've given them a life
-
Not Syncedyou've given them a future.
-
Not SyncedSo when I do that,
-
Not Syncedpeople say "You must be tired, teaching a
-
Not Syncedretreat at the same time".
-
Not SyncedWhat do you mean, tired?
-
Not SyncedThat's where you get your energy from
-
Not Syncedthat's where you get your passion,
-
Not Syncedthat's where you get your inspiration from.
-
Not SyncedSo every time you do something like that,
-
Not Syncedyou find meaning.
-
Not SyncedNow it's because of that,
-
Not SyncedI've been telling people for a long time now
-
Not Syncedif any of you are in clinical depression,
-
Not Syncedextreme depression, go and get some pills.
-
Not SyncedBut just ordinary depression or you are a bit fed up,
-
Not Syncedor your life isn't going well,
-
Not Syncedor like someone told me today,
-
Not Synced"England aren't doing so well in the Ashes."
-
Not SyncedAnd always the other thing
-
Not SyncedAustralia,
-
Not Syncedno Australia's not doing so well in the Ashes or something.
-
Not SyncedSomeone's not doing so well in the Ashes,
-
Not Syncedso are always depressed in sports.
-
Not SyncedThe other thing, Australia never got the World Cup or whatever.
-
Not SyncedSo instead of getting depressed,
-
Not Syncedcause life is like that in times.
-
Not SyncedFor those of you who're really, really down,
-
Not Syncedjust go and do some charity work.
-
Not SyncedJust get off your bumps, go to an old people's home,
-
Not Syncedor go to a hospital
-
Not Syncedor somewhere
-
Not Syncedand just, you know.
-
Not SyncedIt's a great thing to the able to serve.
-
Not SyncedWhat it actually does,
-
Not Syncednot only does it teach you what life is all about,
-
Not Syncedbut it gives you this great sense of worth.
-
Not SyncedYou're actually helping someone.
-
Not SyncedAgain, when I was in University,
-
Not SyncedI was the only Buddhist,
-
Not SyncedI knew at that college.
-
Not SyncedSo it's very lonely.
-
Not SyncedSo, you had your friends.
-
Not SyncedSo you have great philosophical arguments.
-
Not SyncedThere's one guy who was a very close friend,
-
Not Syncedhe was Christian.
-
Not SyncedSo we had these great discussions.
-
Not SyncedIt wasn't sort of antagonistic,
-
Not Syncedit was animated.
-
Not SyncedAnd when I heard he was going to a local mental hospital
-
Not Syncedto do voluntary work.
-
Not SyncedI thought I'd better go along as well.
-
Not Synced
-
Not SyncedI'm a Buddhist, I'm supposed to be compassionate,
-
Not Syncedeven though you are very busy and
-
Not Syncedall these other stuff you're supposed
-
Not Syncedto do at university,
-
Not Syncedbut I went,
-
Not Syncedand I enjoyed it so much.
-
Not SyncedBut I kept going for 2 years,
-
Not Syncedthose Christians, they just actually dropped out.
-
Not SyncedAnd I went for 2 years, sometimes,
-
Not Synced"what you're trying to prove?" they asked me.
-
Not SyncedAnd I think about it,
-
Not Syncedactually it went way beyond doing service,
-
Not SyncedI wasn't there to do service,
-
Not SyncedI was actually getting joy out of this.
-
Not SyncedIt gave my week meaning,
-
Not Syncedjust to go and hang out
-
Not Syncedwith down's syndrome's kids,
-
Not SyncedI wasn't an expert,
-
Not SyncedI wasn't trying to do anything much with them,
-
Not SyncedI was just trying to be with them.
-
Not SyncedAnd to this day,
-
Not SyncedI credited that to teaching me
-
Not Syncedwhat I call "emotional language".
-
Not SyncedSo if I'm a good teacher for yours
-
Not Syncednot just the way you speak,
-
Not Syncedanyone can say words,
-
Not Syncedit's just where they come from.
-
Not SyncedThere's these with kids who just can't speak,
-
Not Syncedin the same way, institutionalised,
-
Not Syncedcan't speak the same way I speak to you
-
Not Syncedif you come to ask me a question
-
Not Syncedor if you just talk to me or whatever
-
Not SyncedThey didn't have the vocabulary
-
Not Syncedor the way to articulate their thoughts
-
Not Syncedbut they communicate through their emotions,
-
Not Syncedthrough their hearts,
-
Not Syncedthrough their facial language.
-
Not SyncedMy goodness, they were just so clever.
-
Not SyncedI remember many times, just going there
-
Not Syncedand they, they sized me up straightaway,
-
Not Syncedif I was in a bad mood,
-
Not Syncedthey'd know what's wrong.
-
Not SyncedThey'd give me hug.
-
Not SyncedIt was the first time
-
Not Syncedas a man,
-
Not SyncedI'd allowed a man to hug me.
-
Not SyncedI was a heterosexual.
-
Not SyncedI was afraid of, sort of homosexuality.
-
Not SyncedThat's just the way I was conditioned
-
Not Syncedand they had to allow, as a male,
-
Not Synceda young male in 1969 or 70,
-
Not Syncedallow another male to hug you.
-
Not SyncedThat was tough,
-
Not Syncedyou are English, lived up to ..
-
Not Syncedand all that.
-
Not SyncedThat was wonderful
-
Not Syncedfor me to learn
-
Not Syncedjust how to be loved.
-
Not SyncedI got so much from those kids.
-
Not SyncedI really had to thank them so much.
-
Not SyncedSo I thought I was giving
-
Not Syncedwhen I first went there.
-
Not SyncedNo, I got heaps and heaps,
-
Not Syncedenormous gratitude,
-
Not Syncedwhat I learnt when I gave
-
Not Syncedthat's where you start to understand what meaning is.
-
Not SyncedI know I just, I travel around a lot.
-
Not SyncedAfter teaching here, ok, on a Sunday,
-
Not SyncedI travel to Bangkok
-
Not Syncedand I just give this whole series of talks all day
-
Not Syncedto teach 9 retreats, like a meditation workshop,
-
Not Syncedand then you have an hour probably to shower
-
Not Syncedand then you have another talk in the evening.
-
Not SyncedLook, if you look to that schedule,
-
Not Syncedif I was member of the union,
-
Not SyncedKevin... or whatever,
-
Not Syncedyou are exploiting Ajahn Brahm,
-
Not Syncedyou can't do this,
-
Not Syncedit's too much work.
-
Not SyncedYou know, no member of union would work as hard as I do.
-
Not SyncedBut is it exploitation?
-
Not SyncedNo, please, give me more.
-
Not SyncedI keep on saying to them.
-
Not SyncedWhy?
-
Not SyncedBecause I get so much energy and joy out of this.
-
Not Syncedbecause I am serving,
-
Not SyncedI am being with people,
-
Not SyncedI am getting my meaning in life,
-
Not Syncedso I really thank you
-
Not Syncedfor coming here and letting me get high
-
Not Syncedof giving a talk to you.
-
Not Synced[laughter]
-
Not SyncedThey can understand when you put this meaning in life,
-
Not Syncedwhen you don't ask anything back in return,
-
Not Syncedyou give care,
-
Not Syncedyou just give your energy,
-
Not Syncednon judgemental,
-
Not Syncedit's amazing just how much meaning you find
-
Not Syncedin just the ordinary things in life,
-
Not Syncedfor just being with someone,
-
Not Syncedcaring for them,
-
Not Syncedbeing with them,
-
Not Syncedjust learning and growing from each other.
-
Not SyncedAnd there is never ever the idea of superiority.
-
Not SyncedIt's never me better than you
-
Not Syncedor you better than me.
-
Not SyncedAs I keep on saying,
-
Not Syncedthe secret of any relationship,
-
Not Syncedeven if it's just talking with somebody on the bus,
-
Not Syncedit's never me,
-
Not Syncedit's never them,
-
Not Syncedit's always us.
-
Not SyncedAlways try to remember that,
-
Not Syncedthat's not me talking down to that person,
-
Not Syncedor talking up to them,
-
Not Syncedit's never about me or you,
-
Not Syncedit's always about we, us.
-
Not SyncedIt's a whole,
-
Not Syncednot the parts.
-
Not SyncedThat changes the whole way in
-
Not Syncedinteractions,
-
Not Syncedit's not interactions, Thich Nhat Hanh says,
-
Not Syncedit's interbeing.
-
Not SyncedAnd there you can try a great amount of meaning.
-
Not SyncedOne of the reasons you have that extra amounts of meanings
-
Not Syncedbecause in those interactions,
-
Not Syncedyou disappear
-
Not Syncedand the other person disappears,
-
Not Syncedit's never self,
-
Not Syncedit's never about me.
-
Not SyncedThat terrible, terrible idea in life about ego, me and mine,
-
Not Syncedit's unfortunate we learn when we're very young at school,
-
Not Syncedthat's where we start gaining our personal identity
-
Not Syncedand thinking we are actually separate from other beings.
-
Not SyncedWe get our name.
-
Not SyncedI remember I got my peg at the school where I had to hang my raincoat
-
Not Syncedand had my own name underneath it.
-
Not SyncedAnd I realised that I had to put my name on all the books,
-
Not SyncedI developed my identity,
-
Not Syncedthe thing which separated me from other beings.
-
Not SyncedI was told to go to males toilets
-
Not Syncednot female,
-
Not Syncedhad the male playground,
-
Not Syncedthe female playground at primary school.
-
Not SyncedSo that separation gave me identities.
-
Not SyncedYou know how separation causes all the problems in this life.
-
Not SyncedI'm not saying that the men use
-
Not Syncedand go to the female toilets tonight.
-
Not Synced[laughter]
-
Not SyncedNo, that'll get you into a lot of trouble,
-
Not Syncedwhen girls get into the men's toilets.
-
Not SyncedWhat I'm actually saying over there
-
Not Syncedis the separation into sort of you're a Buddhist,
-
Not Syncedyou're a Catholic, you're a Muslim,
-
Not Syncedyou're a boy doing this,
-
Not Syncedyou are old, you're Australian, doing whatever.
-
Not SyncedThat's where the suffering of
-
Not Syncedthe Ashes cricket test comes from,
-
Not Syncedthat's where the suffering of who gets the World Cup.
-
Not SyncedCause we separate ourselves out into this nation,
-
Not Syncedthat nation, this religion, that religion,
-
Not Syncedthis race, that race.
-
Not SyncedIt's not that Australia lost the World Cup.
-
Not SyncedIt's the world gained the World Cup.
-
Not SyncedThe world won the Ashes cricket,
-
Not Syncedwe won it
-
Not Syncedno someone.
-
Not SyncedThat way, isn't there something very, very beautiful?
-
Not SyncedInstead of competition,
-
Not Syncedthere is this beautiful sense of co-operation
-
Not Syncedin this world,
-
Not Syncedbeing with people,
-
Not Syncedrather than being against people.
-
Not SyncedAnd there you actually see the sense of ego and separation is,
-
Not Syncedand there you actually understanding what the
-
Not Syncedmeaning of life is.
-
Not SyncedSo the meaning of life,
-
Not Syncedif you want to put meaning of life,
-
Not Syncedtake yourself out, number one,
-
Not Syncedit's not about you anymore.
-
Not SyncedTake the other person out as well,
-
Not Syncedit's not about them.
-
Not SyncedI know that many people misunderstand
-
Not Syncedthe compassion in Buddhism.
-
Not SyncedThey think compassion in Buddhism,
-
Not Syncedthinking about everybody else,
-
Not Syncedwhich means you get burnt out,
-
Not Syncedpeople use you as a rug,
-
Not Synceda doormat, whatever,
-
Not Syncedand you get abused,
-
Not Syncedyou don't count,
-
Not Syncedcause you're always a self effacing person
-
Not Syncedin the sense that, you know,
-
Not Syncedyou think about everybody else,
-
Not Syncedafter a while you get burnt out,
-
Not Syncedyou get depressed,
-
Not Syncedyou get a real mess.
-
Not SyncedThat is not compassion,
-
Not Syncedabout to sacrificing yourself for other people.
-
Not SyncedCompassion is
-
Not Syncedlooking yourself no more, no less,
-
Not Syncedlooking at the whole, everybody,
-
Not Syncedit's all about us,
-
Not Syncedyou disappear.
-
Not SyncedThe other person disappears.
-
Not SyncedIt's about community,
-
Not Syncedfamily,
-
Not Synceda whole race,
-
Not Synceda whole beings,
-
Not Syncedall sentient beings,
-
Not Synceda whole earth looked upon as one organism,
-
Not Syncedwith many different parts
-
Not Syncedlike the ants' nest, all working together,
-
Not Syncednever thinking of yourself as the individual or the other.
-
Not SyncedIt's amazing,
-
Not Syncedthe ants' nest,
-
Not Syncedit's how intelligent they are.
-
Not SyncedYears and years ago,
-
Not Syncedthe monastery in Serpentine,
-
Not Syncedthere were many ants' nests,
-
Not Syncedthere was this one visitor,
-
Not Syncedhe decided to give the ants and intelligence test.
-
Not SyncedCause you know, the ants' nest,
-
Not Syncedhe put a sugar cube on top of the ants' nest.
-
Not SyncedThe ants love the sugar.
-
Not SyncedIt's like one of these hard cubes,
-
Not SyncedI wonder what they would do with this.
-
Not SyncedWould they break it up to take it into the small holes,
-
Not Syncedto take it into the centre of their nest?
-
Not SyncedBut what would they do?
-
Not SyncedAnd he really couldn't believe their intelligence
-
Not Syncedtheir engineering prowess.
-
Not SyncedWhat the ants did,
-
Not Syncedthey excavated under the sugar cube.
-
Not SyncedSo day by day, the sugar cube got lower
-
Not Syncedand lower and lower and lower.
-
Not SyncedWhen the top got below the surface,
-
Not Syncedthey put the earth on top again.
-
Not SyncedNow it's exactly the same way,
-
Not SyncedI think the Vietcong buried the American tanks,
-
Not Syncedduring the Vietnam war,
-
Not Syncedthey actually drew them underground.
-
Not SyncedThat was just a community of ants,
-
Not Syncedwho have never seen a sugar cube before,
-
Not Syncedever.
-
Not SyncedIncredible intelligence
-
Not Syncedwhen we can work together.
-
Not SyncedIsn't it terrible that we work against each other so often?
-
Not SyncedEspecially in our companies,
-
Not Syncedin our businesses,
-
Not Syncedin our religions?
-
Not SyncedWe work against each other,
-
Not Syncedwe never get anywhere,
-
Not Syncedwe work together,
-
Not Syncedthere's no end of successes.
-
Not SyncedSo meaning in life,
-
Not Syncedgiving you success
-
Not Syncedis learning
-
Not Syncedto work, not just me working with you,
-
Not Syncedalways about us.
-
Not SyncedChange the whole mindset.
-
Not SyncedThat's one of the reasons why
-
Not Syncedin Buddhism
-
Not Syncedwe stress
-
Not Syncedsort of non-self,
-
Not Syncedwe stress compassion,
-
Not Syncedthe two go together.
-
Not SyncedIt's not a theory,
-
Not Syncedit's actually where we experience life,
-
Not Synceda different frame work for looking,
-
Not Syncedwhich is why that when you do service,
-
Not Syncedthat's where you find meaning,
-
Not Syncedbecause you disappear.
-
Not SyncedVanish.
-
Not SyncedIf you ever do any service,
-
Not Syncedand you think, I am doing this for my merit
-
Not Syncedfor my good karma
-
Not Syncedyou won't get very much out of that,
-
Not Syncedbecause it's again, personal,
-
Not Syncedit's just
-
Not Syncedwhat we call
-
Not Syncedwhat we monk call
-
Not Synced"spiritual materialism".
-
Not SyncedIt's a great word
-
Not Syncedbecause once you have the word
-
Not Syncedyou can see so many things
-
Not Syncedwhich you can actually put under that
-
Not Syncedthat umbrella, the spiritual materialism.
-
Not SyncedI actually see you doing that sometimes.
-
Not SyncedI don't know how many people go on a retreat
-
Not Syncedand they're really trying so hard
-
Not Syncedto get nimittas, the beautiful lights in the mind,
-
Not Syncedthey try to get jhanas,
-
Not Syncedspiritual materialistic again
-
Not Syncedyou're trying to get something.
-
Not SyncedThat's one of the reasons why,
-
Not Syncedyou ever go on a retreat led by me,
-
Not SyncedI'll repeat something which Ajahn Chah,
-
Not Syncedhe was a great teacher
-
Not Syncedsaid,
-
Not Synced"You meditate not to get things
-
Not Syncedbut to let things go."
-
Not SyncedNot to get
-
Not Syncedbut to lose things
-
Not Syncedwhich is one of the reasons,
-
Not Syncedwhy I said in the monastery today,
-
Not SyncedI said, monks and nuns
-
Not Syncedwe are biggest losers.
-
Not Synced[laughter]
-
Not SyncedWe've lost everything.
-
Not SyncedI've lost my degree,
-
Not SyncedI've lost, you know
-
Not Syncedany possibility of having a wife and
-
Not Syncedkids,
-
Not SyncedI've lost sex,I've lost movies,
-
Not SyncedI've lost everything.
-
Not SyncedBut still can lose a bit more,
-
Not Syncedcause you can always lose a bit more
-
Not Syncedand you can see what it means
-
Not Syncedyou're letting go more,
-
Not Syncedyou're detaching more
-
Not Syncedand so, it's really incredible,
-
Not Syncedwe talk about the biggest loser
-
Not Syncedbeing like something very negative.
-
Not SyncedIf you call someone a loser,
-
Not Syncedthat's one of the worse things you can call a person
-
Not Syncedin our modern society.
-
Not SyncedIf someone calls me loser,
-
Not SyncedI'll say "Yeah, you've got it.
-
Not SyncedThank you for that wonderful accolade and piece of praise.
-
Not SyncedI'll really try more to lose more things
-
Not Syncedso thank you for calling me a loser."
-
Not SyncedThat's, in monastic terms,
-
Not Syncedthat's actually a compliment.
-
Not SyncedSo if anyone on the street calls you a loser,
-
Not Syncedmeans your spiritual practice is going very well.
-
Not Synced[laughter]
-
Not SyncedYou know you get a lot of meaning in life,
-
Not Syncedto be free.
-
Not SyncedHave you ever felt freedom?
-
Not SyncedI don't mean thinking freedom.
-
Not SyncedYou can actually read the philosophical books
-
Not Syncedabout freedom,
-
Not Syncedand the different ideas about freedom.
-
Not SyncedHave you ever felt free?
-
Not SyncedHow does it feel like?
-
Not SyncedWhen did you feel like that?
-
Not SyncedYou know one of the first times I felt free,
-
Not Syncedgoing back to my experience in childhood
-
Not SyncedI had this afternoon off school
-
Not Syncedand at lunch time,
-
Not SyncedI did all my homework.
-
Not SyncedSo as I walked out those school gates,
-
Not Syncedand actually had nothing to do,
-
Not Syncedand nowhere to go,
-
Not SyncedI had no appointments,
-
Not Syncedno business which I needed to complete.
-
Not SyncedI remember that afternoon
-
Not Syncedeven now
-
Not SyncedI was about 13 or 14 at the time
-
Not Syncedit was my first experience of freedom.
-
Not SyncedI could do whatever I wanted,
-
Not Syncedgo wherever I wanted
-
Not Syncedwith no constraints at all
-
Not Syncedno force, it's no compulsion,
-
Not Syncedtotally free.
-
Not SyncedIt's a beautiful feeling.
-
Not SyncedCan you ever feel like that?
-
Not SyncedYou don't have to achieve anything
-
Not Syncedyou don't have to fulfill and duties,
-
Not Syncedcomplete any projects
-
Not Syncedand just be.
-
Not SyncedThat told me what freedom was.
-
Not SyncedIt is gave me a taste of freedom.
-
Not SyncedThat word, a taste of freedom,
-
Not Syncedyou know that's an important Buddhist word.
-
Not SyncedEven actually, Ajahn Chah's first book,
-
Not Syncedwe gave it that title, "A taste of freedom."
-
Not SyncedCause that's actually a term by the Buddha,
-
Not SyncedVimutti rasa in Pali.
-
Not SyncedCause I give these talks,
-
Not Syncedsometime I have to quote Pali,
-
Not Syncedjust to say I know my stuff,
-
Not Syncedthis is from the suttas,
-
Not SyncedI'm not a monk who just speaks his own ideas,
-
Not Syncedit's all based on the Buddha's teachings.
-
Not SyncedSo the taste of freedom
-
Not Syncedwhat actually is that?
-
Not SyncedIf you understand the taste of freedom,
-
Not Syncedyou understand a deeper meaning in life.
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Not SyncedWhere all this, craving
-
Not Syncedand wanting
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Not Syncedand ill will
-
Not Syncedall these stuff which agitates the mind
-
Not Syncedand stops you being,
-
Not Syncedwhich is always makes you do things,
-
Not Syncedand go places
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Not Syncedand fix things
-
Not Syncedand mend things,
-
Not Syncedall that stuff
-
Not Syncedafter a while
-
Not Syncedjust drives you crazy
-
Not Syncedwhen ever will there be an end
-
Not Syncedto all this having to fix up things?
-
Not SyncedThat's one of the reasons why
-
Not Syncedthe anecdote,
-
Not Syncedthe former abbot of Bodhiyana monastery,
-
Not SyncedAjahn Jagaro, he was a great monk.
-
Not SyncedWhen he disrobed,
-
Not Syncedand I was left looking after the monastery,
-
Not Syncedagain, I would work very hard
-
Not Syncedcause I had all my ideas I'd like to do for that monastery,
-
Not SyncedI worked very hard.
-
Not SyncedSo from Monday to Friday,
-
Not SyncedI'd work like a dog for that monastery
-
Not Syncedbuilding and looking after the place
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Not Syncedand being the abbot at the same time.
-
Not SyncedMany of those buildings there,
-
Not SyncedI did
-
Not Syncedbuilt myself,
-
Not Syncedmade the bricks,
-
Not SyncedDennis knows that,
-
Not Syncedhe's seen me down there,
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Not Syncedhe's the President,
-
Not Syncedand on the weekend, I'd come here,
-
Not SyncedFriday, just give the talk,
-
Not SyncedSaturday, Sunday, just counsel people,
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Not Syncedtalk with people, do ceremonies,
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Not Syncedso go back late Sunday evening,
-
Not SyncedMonday morning, back to work again.
-
Not SyncedIt was 7 days a week
-
Not Syncedand because of that
-
Not Syncedsort of I could never enjoy that monastery.
-
Not SyncedSo much so, I thought, when people came,
-
Not Syncedyou know you come sort of to visit the monastery
-
Not Syncedto being done,
-
Not Syncedyou're all relaxed.
-
Not SyncedBecause you relaxes it's your day off
-
Not Syncedand you come to the monastery
-
Not Syncedto feed the monks
-
Not Syncedand to feed the nuns
-
Not Syncedand have a peaceful time
-
Not Syncedmaybe go to the meditation hall,
-
Not Synceddo a bit of meditation,
-
Not Syncedhave a walk around, to relax
-
Not Syncedand I got jealous of you.
-
Not SyncedAnd so you come to the monastery
-
Not Syncedand you're relaxed and I've got all these jobs to do.
-
Not SyncedI've got to talk to you,
-
Not SyncedI've to fix things up,
-
Not SyncedAnd I realised that there's something wrong with my life.
-
Not SyncedMy life was always getting things done
-
Not Syncedand doing things.
-
Not SyncedSo I remember just seeing that
-
Not Syncedhaving enough space
-
Not Syncedjust to look back and seeing the mistakes that I was making in my life.
-
Not SyncedI made this resolution,
-
Not Syncedevery Monday morning
-
Not Syncedwhen I, obviously Sunday, Saturday,
-
Not SyncedSunday just working here,
-
Not SyncedMonday morning, I'd go back to that monastery
-
Not Syncedand that'll be,
-
Not Synceda doing nothing morning.
-
Not SyncedAnd I'd walk around the monastery,
-
Not Syncednot looking for the things which needed to be fixed up,
-
Not Syncednot looking for the letters which have to be written,
-
Not Syncednot looking for the telephone calls which I had to make,
-
Not Syncedno, this was not my work time.
-
Not SyncedSo I wanted to see that monastery
-
Not Syncedwith the same eyes that a visitor on holiday
-
Not Syncedcould see that monastery.
-
Not SyncedThat was a hard thing to do,
-
Not Syncedbut you learn to do that.
-
Not SyncedCause when you go there, but you learn how to do that.
-
Not SyncedCause when you go there, you can't see all the things which needed to be done.
-
Not SyncedIt's not your monastery.
-
Not SyncedSo I did that
-
Not Syncedand found,Wow, that's how I can be free.
-
Not SyncedNot with the fault finding mind,
-
Not Syncedwith the opposite,
-
Not Synceda mind of compassion,
-
Not Syncedwhich can accept things as they are
-
Not Syncedand see the value in things as they are.
-
Not SyncedTo realise,
-
Not Syncednot everything
-
Not Syncedevery moment needs to be fixed up.
-
Not SyncedIt does not need to be changed,
-
Not Syncedyou don't need to make it better
-
Not Syncedyou don't need, to sort of,
-
Not Syncedpush it forward,
-
Not Syncedleave it as it is,
-
Not Syncedfor goodness sake!
-
Not SyncedAnd at first it was a tough thing to do,
-
Not Syncedto leave things as they are,
-
Not Syncedbecause you think, that's being lazy.
-
Not SyncedOur society,
-
Not Syncedit creates depression
-
Not Syncedand anxiety
-
Not Syncedbecause we don't allow people to be lazy.
-
Not SyncedI want to create a Lazy People Society.
-
Not SyncedSo lazy people's rights,
-
Not Syncedso you have right to be lazy,
-
Not Syncedat least one day of a week
-
Not Syncedor one morning of a week.
-
Not SyncedSo you can actually sit
-
Not Syncedand actually do nothing
-
Not Syncedand have permission to do nothing.
-
Not SyncedIf you really want to
-
Not SyncedI'll give you a certificate.
-
Not SyncedAjahn Brahm hereby gives you permission
-
Not Syncedto do nothing one morning a week.
-
Not SyncedYou can show it to your partner
-
Not SyncedI've got permission, so [laughter].
-
Not SyncedYou don't do that,
-
Not Syncedyou know you are not enjoying anything in life.
-
Not SyncedI could not enjoy the place which I lived,
-
Not Syncedcause it was always a work place for me.
-
Not SyncedI couldn't even enjoy my body,
-
Not Syncedalways had to wash it, take it to toilet,
-
Not Synceddo something with it.
-
Not SyncedI could not never enjoy my life,
-
Not Syncedcause it was always something to improve.
-
Not SyncedYou're missing out on the meaning of life,
-
Not Syncedwhen you're so active in doing things,
-
Not Syncedmaking things better.
-
Not SyncedSo I left it alone,
-
Not Syncedyou know what I found on those Monday mornings?
-
Not SyncedThat monastery was beautiful,
-
Not Syncedwhy did I keep wanting to change it.
-
Not SyncedIt's alright to do some duties and work
-
Not Syncedbut not every moment of your life,
-
Not Syncedfor goodness sake.
-
Not SyncedPlease,
-
Not Syncedstop.
-
Not SyncedWhen you stop,
-
Not Syncedyou realise life is much more beautiful
-
Not Syncedthan you thought.
-
Not SyncedPlease stop.
-
Not SyncedAnd you'll find your partner
-
Not Syncedis not as bad as you thought they were.
-
Not SyncedYou stop
-
Not Syncedand you find out
-
Not Syncedmy god, you're beautiful as well.
-
Not SyncedI realised,
-
Not Syncedthe great insight,
-
Not SyncedI am good enough.
-
Not SyncedIt's a beautiful thing to understand,
-
Not Syncedto realise, I am good enough.
-
Not SyncedI don't need to change and be perfect.
-
Not SyncedI am good enough.
-
Not SyncedIf you want something to write,
-
Not Syncedon a piece of paper
-
Not Syncedand put by your bed,
-
Not Syncedso you can see
-
Not Syncedevery night before you go sleep
-
Not Syncedand every morning
-
Not Syncedthe first thing you look at
-
Not Syncedwhen you wake up,
-
Not SyncedI am good enough.
-
Not SyncedAhh, good people have been telling me all
-
Not Syncedmy life, I'm not good enough.
-
Not SyncedEven I got good marks at university,
-
Not SyncedCome on, you can go higher,
-
Not Syncedyou can work harder.
-
Not SyncedYou're a genius,
-
Not Syncedyou can be a super genius.
-
Not SyncedCome on you can do better
-
Not Syncedyou give a good talk,
-
Not Syncedwe can give a better talk.
-
Not SyncedYou can do meditation,
-
Not Syncedwe can do better meditation.
-
Not SyncedYou can levitate,
-
Not Syncednot high enough.
-
Not SyncedGee, where is the end
-
Not Syncedto all of this? [chuckle]
-
Not SyncedSo it's a great wonderful thing to realise,
-
Not SyncedI am good enough,
-
Not SyncedI don't need to make things better any more.
-
Not SyncedI can actually have the taste of freedom.
-
Not SyncedMy goodness, it tastes delicious,
-
Not Syncedto realise that you don't have to change anything,
-
Not Syncedbe anything, do anything.
-
Not SyncedI'm good enough for you. 49:41
- Title:
- Putting Meaning Into Life | Ajahn Brahm | 03-12-2010
- Description:
-
Ajahn Brahm talks about putting meaning into your life
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- Buddhist Society of Western Australia
- Project:
- Friday Night Dhamma Talks
- Duration:
- 01:02:09
Eug edited English subtitles for Putting Meaning Into Life | ||
Eug edited English subtitles for Putting Meaning Into Life | ||
Eug edited English subtitles for Putting Meaning Into Life | ||
Eug edited English subtitles for Putting Meaning Into Life | ||
Eug edited English subtitles for Putting Meaning Into Life | ||
Eug edited English subtitles for Putting Meaning Into Life | ||
Eug edited English subtitles for Putting Meaning Into Life | ||
Eug edited English subtitles for Putting Meaning Into Life |