Episodes

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk about mental illness. He makes a distinction between an illness of the brain and illness of the mind because whilst the mind and brain are related, the nature of illness for each has different symptoms. This becomes very clear when one develops deep states of meditation (the...

This is the 28th Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, The Mahahatthipadopama Sutta, which translates as “the longer discourse on the Elephant’s Footprint”. The Buddha’s chief disciple, Venerable Sāriputta gives an elaborate demonstration of how, just as any footprint can fit inside an elephant’s, all the B...

Have you learned the basics of meditation and wanted to take things deeper? Have you heard about silent meditation retreats and wondered what they are like? If so, you’ve arrived at the right place as in this episode we are going to discuss why we should go on meditation retreats, with a focus on th...

This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Chah and is titled “Understanding Dukkha” . It was first publish as part of the book “The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah” which is made available by Aruna Publications. You can find links to the original text in the descripti...

Ajahn Brahm talks about how out-of-body experiences and near-death experiences, as well as experiences in deep meditation provide the proof that rebirth is real, and that it has been suppressed in Western culture for many centuries. He goes on to talk about how understanding that we live many lives ...

This episode is the 27th sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Culahatthipadopam Sutta which translates as “The Shorter Discourse on the Elephant’s Footprint”. In this sutta the Buddha cautions against swift conclusions about a teacher’s spiritual accomplishments, comparing it to the care a tracker woul...

In this episode of Treasure Mountain we will explore the purpose and nature of samatha meditation, and it’s relation to other forms of meditation - notably vipassana meditation - and to the Buddhist path as a whole. And our guest to help us have a deeper appreciation of samatha meditation is Profess...

How can we know what is real and what isn’t? How can we know the best way to live? How can we know what is really true? Can we knowing anything? Buddhism says ‘yes’! And much of what Buddhism is about is guidance on how to find the truth for ourselves through direct experience. In this talk Ajahn Br...

Using the framework of what happened on the night that Siddhartha Gotama became a fully awakened Buddha, Ajahn Brahm gives an outline of what the BUddha taught with a focus on rebirth, kamma and vipaka (actions and their results), and the Four Noble Truths. — This dhamma talk was originally recorded...

This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Dtun Thiracitto and is titled “Not Veering off To The Left Or Right”. You can find the original translated text in the description below. Thanks go to Ajahn Dtun, Wat Boonyawad and the Katanyuta group of Malaysia, Singapore and ...

This episode is the 26th sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Pāsarāsi sutta which translates as “The Noble Search”. This sutta is one of the most important biographical discourses, telling the Buddha’s experiences from leaving home to the realization of Awakening. This translation of the Pāsarāsi sutt...

There are many problems in the world related to ideas of injustice. Ajahn Brahm offers an entirely different, Buddhist perspective on the problem of injustices, and leads people towards making peace with the problems of the world, and with our selves. — This dhamma talk was originally recorded using...

This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Sim Buddhacaro and is titled “Source and Stream”. I’ve taken this talk from an online collection of talks by Ajahn Sim titled “Simply So”. This talk outlines the purpose of meditation and how it can lead us beyond the suffering ...

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk about responsibility and how to respond wisely. — This dhamma talk was originally recorded using a low quality MP3 to save on file size (because internet connections were slow back then – remember dialup?) on 10th October 2003. It has now been remastered and published by the...

This episode is the 25th sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Nivapa sutta which is listed on Sutta Central with both the translated English titles of “Fodder” and also “Sowing”. In this sutta, The Buddha compares getting trapped by Māra with a deer getting caught in a snare, illustrating the ever more...

This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Chah and is titled “It Can Be Done” . It was first publish as part of the book “The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah” which is made available by Aruna Publications. You can find the original text in the show notes to … Co...

Answering to a request for a talk from Canada on the topic of mudita – sympathetic joy. This divine emotion forms a pair with compassion. Whereas compassion feels the suffering of others and involves having our heart go out to others to sympathize with their pain, mudita involves having our heart go...

The truth is not something found in a book or passed on from someone else, but is something that is found within one’s own experience. But the deeper truth is not found in thoughts, but rather in silence. This teaching by Ajahn Brahm is about how to find one’s own way into silence and to seeing the ...

This episode is the 24nd sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Rathavinīta sutta which is known in English the “prepared chariots”. This teaching principally involves the Venerable Sariputta and the Venerable Punna from Mantani engaging in a discussion about the purpose of living the holy life. This tra...

Ajahn Brahm explains with kindness and wisdom where Buddhism stands on issues related to sexuality, starting from the basis of Buddhist morality which is about refraining from harming oneself or others. — This dhamma talk was originally recorded using a low quality MP3 to save on file size (because ...

This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Plien and is titled “The Abandoning of Anger”. In this talk Ajahn Plien outlines the many causes for anger and conflict to arise in human relationships, why it’s important to overcome anger and how to abandon anger. This teachin...

This episode is the 23nd sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Vammika Sutta which is known in English the “ant hill”. In a curious teaching full of evocative imagery, a deity lights up the Dark Forest to present Venerable Kassapa the Prince with a complex riddle. He goes on to seek an explanation of th...

Ajahn Brahm explains with kindness and wisdom where Buddhism stands on issues related to sexuality, starting from the basis of Buddhist morality which is about refraining from harming oneself or others. — This dhamma talk was originally recorded using a low quality MP3 to save on file size (because ...

This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Dtun Thiracitto and is titled “Developing the Brahma Viharas”. In addition to discussing the divine emotions and how to develop them, this talk also deals with questions relating to body contemplation and contemplations on death...

This episode is the 22nd sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Alagaddūpama sutta which is known as the “simile of the snake”. In this teaching one of the monks denies that breaking the rules of conduct is really a problem. The monks go to great lengths to persuade him to change his views. Then the R...

Ajahn Brahm talks about the power of the mind and how the mind can be further empowered for the benefit and happiness of ourselves and those around us. Meditation is a way of feeding and strengthening the mind, not just in this life but for many lives. The problem these days is that people know how ...

This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Chah and is titled “About Being Careful” . It was first publish as part of the book “The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah” which is made available by Aruna Publications. You can find links to the original text in the descriptio...

This episode is the 21th sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya: the Kakacūpama Sutta which is known as the “simile of the saw”. This teaching has several memorable similes on the importance of patience and love even when faced with abuse and criticism. The Buddha finishes with the simile of the saw, one of t...

Ajahn Brahm gives a talk on addictions and obsessions, including the skillful means to overcome them to to have freedom from them. This talk is not just about addictions to alcohol and drugs, but also about obsessive behaviours of body, speech and mind which are the source of suffering for both othe...

This episode is a talk given by the Thai forest meditation master Ajahn Tate and is titled “The Five Spiritual Strengths”. This is based on the five ‘bala’ in Pali, and indeed in the book “Words of the Master” translated by Steven Towler the title is “5 Bala (strengths)”, and I have translated the t...