Living Without Blame | Ajahn Brahm | 05-12-2014 

Ajahn Brahm is the wisest monk 🙏🙏🙏Thank you for all your teachings

Ajahn Brahm you are an inspiration to me. You are a radiating light that lit the way for me when I lost inside my own prisons. You speak the universal language of love that reaches all people regardless of race or religion. There are many who come into this world as messengers but you are one of my favourite. I just love how you mix wisdom and compassion with that sense of humour, there are few who do it so well. Thankyou for all you've unknowingly done for me in my journey.

The one who always came through. This Dhamma talk just magically showed up when i'm in a situation exactly like this. Thank you so so.....much dear ajahn Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu . 🙏🙏🙏

Thanks so much, the talks help me get along with people.

Nice teaching, always sharing with wisdom and compassion. it's up to one self to understand, accept, and let go. Gracias Maestro.

I can't blame you for giving this talk Ajahn!

Thank you!

I love you soooo much Ajahn Brahm!

A great way to look at things. I could have used this insight this past week. I took offense from someone's words this past week. If someone digs a hole intending to hurt me I can walk around the hole. So simple.

WOW! One of Ajahn Brahms funniest, most practically wise talks _ever_! SADHU SADHU SADHU! +1 Fav!

Great talk, thank you so much

Seriously, what would we do without Ajahn Brahm? Metta to all!

One of the best talks I have come across.

All craving is about the future. All ill wil is about the past. Take them away and there is no other place to be except now. - Ajahn Brahm

You brightened up my day. :-)

"Don't be afraid of life - FACE IT." "NEVER allow others to control your happiness." "If you get controlled by fear or by other people, you will lose your independence." "There is no point in trying to offend somebody that is unoffendable." (be UNOFFENDABLE)

thank you so much!!!! this talk really helped me alot!

I

Keep your heart light as a feather.

Dear sir u are the most adorable person I ever heard ,so positive and I am lucky to get some knowledge from ur experience thanks

Blessed ......

Ajahn Brahm once Quoted Ajahn Cha in one of this talks. I will attempt to paraphrase.... "If you look for perfection in the world, or in others, you will never find it. Perfection can only be found within." This was in response to a young monk who was commenting on Ajahn Cha not arriving on time for meditation, or Ajahn Cha not chanting properly. The young monk approached Ajahn Cha saying that he was a renowned Monk and the young monk could not believe that he was so "laxed" with his monk practices. Just as we can say that we cannot believe that Ajahn Brahm is so "laxed" with his jokes. We can say that Ajahn Brahm "Should" take his talks more seriously, he "Should" do more to make sure he does not offend anyone or say anything that anyone might think is offensive. By pointing the finger at Ajahn Brahm, we are looking to Others to be perfect, instead of looking within and finding perfection in all things.

Some people just don't get it. It's not A. Brahm or anyone else's problem if some of you or us gets ofended. You have to look at your own mind when something troubles you, not blame the world for it. I hope this won't offend anyone else but instead understand the world (in samsara) is as it is.

The Buddha was right to say life is an ocean of suffering; it it is not by its nature then we human created some just for fun and out of boredom. Life is too short, if someone think his talks and jokes are so offensive, stop listening and stop complaining so that we can all go about our lives. This is not his first talk, and not his first joke. His bad jokes and odd sense of humor is well known. I love his silly jokes and re-told it to my friends....man I have a whole repertoire now...

Honestly I was not offended by the biker/bikey joke and I myself am in the LGBT community. I thought the joke was funny as shit but then again I have a sense of humor and do not get offended.

Why so much criticism of this monk? He has so much wisdom and I'm sure he would be the first to say he isn't perfect. As far as the jokes go, why so offended? His jokes are funny and why not laugh, I don't see how the joke about the old man could be looked as as anything but funny. But since you want to be offended what about the girl in the joke who wrongly accused the old man? And as for eating meat, aren't monks supposed to eat whatever they are given? He told about the time as a young monk when he had been a vegetarian for many years and was given frogs to eat and he was expected to eat them. To eat whatever they are given is part of their training.

Also you can't please 100% of the ppl 100% of the time. Some ppl sadly have no humour. I enjoy your silly jokes.

Namo Buddhaya. Most Venerable Ajahn Bramavamso Maha Thero is respected Buddhist Monk who follows Lord Buddha. We respect all the religious leaders worshipful and never addressed them like a normal person. I plead from my friends, please do not call Buddhist Monks by their name. You can say Venerable, Reverent or Thero at the end of the Name. May Triple Gems Bless you all.

I'm too judgmental. Please remember me I n meditation or chanting to change. 🙏Duste Eggers ✌️

I love that joke about the two old man, ,hahahahahahahahahahahaha

Respectfully - nothing personal... as I think Ajahn does many excellent things in the community. His wonderful messages would be made more receptive if he would stop telling rather churlish stories at times. not least repeating them. Secondly, the manner of speech ought not to be slow and enunciated as it is in parts (we are not children nor mentally challenged - so less simile and metaphor and jokes)... as it makes one nod off.

I apologize for AB to anyone wearing headphones

What's a bikey? Is it like a biker? what are the bikers like in other countries?

Isn't one of the key buddhist precepts about correct speech? If the fault is always with the person being offended then i suppose there is nothing wrong with bigoted or racist jokes? It cuts both ways.

No offence should have been taken... But I do think the boy was not tricked... It was his own decision to kiss her!! And the story was sort of used in the wrong context. To talk about such a thing you would need alittle bit more of an understanding of knowledgeable on the subject !

So it begs the question. Who did rape her? Terrible joke.

So racist jokes are fine?

Be abit more knowledgeable on the subject I meant to say.

very strange man.being a Buddhist monk doesn't mean youre intelligent or have wisdom.needs more meditation less speech.

Oh dear, Ajahn Brahm just doesn't get it. I thought he was going to say he was sorry his joke caused offence, but no, I was just wrong to take offence. Some jokes are just offensive, and I tried to explain why that one was, but I guess he doesn't read these comments himself. Out of all the 100 or so talks of his I've listened to the only other thing that has offended me was the rape joke that he then went on to retell and excuse as well. I usually either really like his jokes or groan at them, but some jokes are just too offensive, and then they defeat the object of telling them, especially in a spiritual context not some bar. And I am far from being some social justice warrior. I can tell you, if Ajahn Brahm has any feminist fans they would have been infuriated that rape joke and never listened to another talk. I remember how, before listening to the talk with the rape joke, i recommended to a friend on Facebook that the listen to it, but after I heard it I suggested they listen to another one instead because I knew they would be turned off by that joke. Now I'm not in the mood to listen to the rest, maybe I'll go back to it at another point. I know he's going to say learn not to let things irritate you, but I don't come to AB to be irritated, enough things in my life do that. And if AB wants us to use these irritation as teachings, then perhaps he would also use these situations as a chance to understand better points of view he's seemingly not that familiar with, like transgender or feminist issues, rather than just saying we were wrong to be annoyed. It can work both ways, surely? In respect to transgender issues he showed again a lack of effort to try by the way he retold it, saying things like 'I should say he' and that the biker was 'deceived'. Oh well, I guess I shouldn't put him on a pedestal and expect him to be perfect and understand all points of view.