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Ajahn Brahm

Ajahn Brahm Books

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“That cobra-patting Thai monk once stayed several months at our monastery in Australia. We were building our main hall and had several other building projects waiting for approval at our local council’s offices. The mayor of the local council came for a visit to see what we were doing. The mayor was certainly the most influential man in the district. He had grown up in the area and was a successful farmer. He was also a neighbor. He came in a nice suit, befitting his position as mayor. The jacket was unbuttoned, revealing a very large, Australian-size stomach, which strained at the shirt buttons and bulged over the top of his best trousers. The Thai monk, who could speak no English, saw the mayor’s stomach. Before I could stop him, he went over to the mayor and started patting it. “Oh no!” I thought. “You can’t go patting a Lord Mayor on the stomach like that. Our building plans will never be approved now. We’re done! Our monastery is finished.” The more that Thai monk, with a gentle grin, patted and rubbed the mayor’s big stomach, the more the mayor began to smile and giggle. In a few seconds, the dignified mayor was gurgling like a baby. He obviously loved every minute of having his stomach rubbed and patted by this extraordinary Thai monk. All our building plans were approved. And the mayor became one of our best friends and helpers. The most essential part of caring is where we’re coming from.”

CompassionKindnessBuddhismCommunionSharing LovePower Of Presence
Book:Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?: Inspiring Stories for Welcoming Life's Difficulties
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“I figured out once that if you decide to have fun when you give a public talk, then you relax. It is psychologically impossible to have fear and fun at the same time. When I am relaxed, ideas flow freely into my mind during my talk, then leave through my mouth with the smoothness of eloquence. Moreover, the audience doesn’t get bored when it is fun.”

HappinessFunFearCourageFearlessPubic Speaking
Book:Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?: Inspiring Stories for Welcoming Life's Difficulties
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“Our modern Western culture only recognises the first of these, freedom of desires. It then worships such a freedom by enshrining it at the forefront of national constituitions and bills of human rights. One can say that the underlying creed of most Western democracies is to protect their people's freedom to realise their desires, as far as this is possible. It is remarkable that in such countries people do not feel very free. The second kind of freedom, freedom from desires, is celebrated only in some religious communities. It celebrates contentment, peace that is free from desires.”

PeopleFeelsFirstsHumansKindCountryDesireCultureCommunityReligiousDemocracyRightsModernProtectWorshipBillsWesternHuman RightsCelebrateBuddhistContentmentRemarkableRealisingCreedsRecogniseWestern CultureReligious CommunityContentment Peace
Author:Ajahn Brahm
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“What are people searching for in life? God. In the christian scriptures, it says 'Be still and know you are God.' What is this? You are peace, compassion, truth, Love, freedom. Real love- the ability to love yourself so much that you forgive everything and you are at peace with yourself like a mother loves a child, not trying to be someone.”

PeopleKnowsLifeTryingChildrenStillsRealChristianMotherAbilityCompassionLove YouInspirational LifeForgivingScriptureLove YourselfReal LoveMother LoveTruth LoveAbility To LoveLove FreedomLike A Mother
Author:Ajahn Brahm
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