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Ajahn Brahm

wicked_good_kammawicked_good_kamma
edited January 2013 in General Banter
Do you think Ajahn Brahm is an arahant?

Comments

  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran
    edited January 2013
    I don't care... I do have an unhealthy addicting to watching to his dhamma talks though.. yeah I've watched all 100+ hours of them... bad, bad.. addicting, but good dhamma :)

    I also don't care if Ajahn Chah(Ajahn Brahm's Teacher who is widely regarded as one) was one either, all I know is both Ajahns can put deep dhamma in ways that even Forest Gump could understand.. and that is very skillful. We can never know if they are Arahants and I believe Ajahn Chah's reaction to being asked about being an Arahant was to ignore such questions or make a joke out of them.
    Wisdom23sukhita
  • wicked_good_kammawicked_good_kamma
    Yes I am just starting to get addicted to his talks as well lol, I've been reading his book, mindfulness, bliss and beyond, for the past two weeks and have since changed my entire anapanasati practice. Its basically my new bible, are you familiar with it?
  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran
    edited January 2013
    wicked_good_kamma said:

    Yes I am just starting to get addicted to his talks as well lol, I've been reading his book, mindfulness, bliss and beyond, for the past two weeks and have since changed my entire anapanasati practice. Its basically my new bible, are you familiar with it?

    yep, also currently reading his new book " The Art of Disappearing". I highly suggest pretty much anything he does. DO you have who ordered the truckload of dung/open the door of your heart? almost all his famous stories are in that one.

    Ajahn Brahm holds a special place in my practice because he was the first "teacher" that taught me the basics of letting go and being kind to your body and mind.. this allowed me to have confidence in myself and approach my meditation in a whole new direction which allowed it to take off.

    since then I make it a point to listen to many different monastics, it's not really good to listen to just one, but I have to admit every time I see a new dhamma talk with Ajahn Brahm I get excited, even though he doesn't really say much of anything new anymore. I still love listening to the same old stories.
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    Probably, but only another Arhat can see an Arhat. I am not an Arhat, thus this is just speculation.

    But probably.
  • wicked_good_kammawicked_good_kamma
    What do you think about the following teachers: daniel ingram, alan wallace, duncan barford?
  • BhanteLuckyBhanteLucky Alternative lifestyle person in the South Island of New Zealand New Zealand Veteran
    wicked_good_kamma said:

    I've been reading his book, mindfulness, bliss and beyond, for the past two weeks and have since changed my entire anapanasati practice. Its basically my new bible, are you familiar with it?

    Good book! I like how he talks about nimittas, that's a topic a lot of other meditation manuals don't address much.
    I don't think he's an arahant, but I'd say he's definitely got some level of attainment.
    More than sotapanna but less than arahant. For which I give no reasons whatsoever! It's just my gut feeling from what I have heard him say, and what other monks have said about him.

    I live in Perth, so he's just an hour away, I am very lucky!


  • wicked_good_kammawicked_good_kamma
    your probably one of the most fortunate people ever, I intend to ordain under him if he will allow it.
  • lobsterlobster Crusty Veteran
    I don't care... I do have an unhealthy addicting to watching to his dhamma talks though.. yeah I've watched all 100+ hours of them... bad, bad.. addicting, but good dhamma
    Isn't right addiction part of the 8 fold path? tsk, tsk . . . How did those arahats miss that for the kali yuga . . . ;)
    BhikkhuJayasaraWisdom23
  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran
    wicked_good_kamma said:

    What do you think about the following teachers: daniel ingram, alan wallace, duncan barford?

    never heard of em.

  • wicked_good_kammawicked_good_kamma
    ingram wrote "The core teachings of the Buddha, an unusually hardcore dharma book"
    Wallace is basically a jhana master who used to be a monk, heres a good sample of him
    & Barford wrote a book called "Handbook for the recently enlightened"
    Barford and Ingram are self proclaimed arahants, they def have some good stuff to say but Im not sure about those two guys.
  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran
    edited January 2013
    wicked_good_kamma said:

    ingram wrote "The core teachings of the Buddha, an unusually hardcore dharma book"
    Wallace is basically a jhana master who used to be a monk, heres a good sample of him
    & Barford wrote a book called "Handbook for the recently enlightened"
    Barford and Ingram are self proclaimed arahants, they def have some good stuff to say but Im not sure about those two guys.

    oooh,,, anyone who says they are an arahant is pretty much guaranteed not to be one, I'm not sure I would even give their teaching a chance. Which may or may not work in my favor as it is definitely a bias of mine. I'll check out the Wallace video though thanks for the link.
  • Inc88Inc88 Explorer
    I personally don't believe Ajahn Brahm is an Arahant. To me his behavior and teachings are more like a common Bhikkhu then of an enlightened being. Don't get me wrong, I've watched many of his teachings, but they seem like more of a practical talk for westerners living in a stressful world then a Dhamma talk that will be informative and help lead me to the a real understanding of the Dhamma.

    Watch Ajahn Brahm then move to others like Yuttadhammo, Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Chah, Mahasi Sayadaw, and even tho i cant tell with any certainty if any of them are Arahants they seem to be closer then Ajahn Brahm based on how they teach and how they conduct themselves.

    Also in regards to Daniel Ingram...i question his self appointed title of Arahant but his meditation teachings were very helpful for me reaching deeper states of meditation. His and Mahasi Sayadaws vipassana methods are the 2 primary sources for my practice.
  • hermitwinhermitwin Veteran
    it takes an arahant to know one.
    brahm symbolyses what a buddhist
    monk shd be.
    generous, forgiving, kind n funny
    n wise.
    wicked_good_kamma said:

    Do you think Ajahn Brahm is an arahant?

    Wisdom23sukhita
  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran
    ThailandTom said:

    Inc88 said:

    I personally don't believe Ajahn Brahm is an Arahant. To me his behavior and teachings are more like a common Bhikkhu then of an enlightened being. Don't get me wrong, I've watched many of his teachings, but they seem like more of a practical talk for westerners living in a stressful world then a Dhamma talk that will be informative and help lead me to the a real understanding of the Dhamma.

    Watch Ajahn Brahm then move to others like Yuttadhammo, Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Chah, Mahasi Sayadaw, and even tho i cant tell with any certainty if any of them are Arahants they seem to be closer then Ajahn Brahm based on how they teach and how they conduct themselves.

    Also in regards to Daniel Ingram...i question his self appointed title of Arahant but his meditation teachings were very helpful for me reaching deeper states of meditation. His and Mahasi Sayadaws vipassana methods are the 2 primary sources for my practice.

    I do not think either way about him being one or not, but are you sure the Buddha never gave practical talks to lay people back in his day of teaching? You need to change your style of teaching depending on who you are preaching to, to be able to do that is very wise because you need to have the ability to reach as many people as you can within the audience at the time.
    I agree..

    @Inc88... have you read Ajahn Chah's book "being Dhamma"? he rarely uses any of the technical sutta teachings , yet it's all there in plain words.

    I also think good teachers are able to teach to their audience.. "know your audience" they say.
  • BhanteLuckyBhanteLucky Alternative lifestyle person in the South Island of New Zealand New Zealand Veteran
    Inc88 said:

    I've watched many of his teachings, but they seem like more of a practical talk for westerners living in a stressful world then a Dhamma talk that will be informative and help lead me to the a real understanding of the Dhamma.

    You are right, that's his public persona, where he talks to the needs of the Laypeople. His Rains Retreat talks are very different, only aimed at the other monks and the anagarikas. They are serious stuff, no jokes. It's a whole different Ajahn Brahm.
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    I think Ajahn Brahm is a very good monk and a great teacher but I don't think he is an Arhat, nor do I think any of the other teachers are.

    In general I expect that there aren't any Arhats living today. I subscribe to multiple lives and multiple worlds and I think the attainment is difficult and today's world here is not conducive to such a rarified state.
    Wisdom23sukhita
  • Wisdom23Wisdom23 Veteran
    edited January 2013
    The way i view Ajahn Brahm is a very kind, wise person who is an awesome speaker. His videos aren't so much dealing with deep buddhist philosophies but more so just a helping hand to us all Buddhists and non Buddhists alike for lifes common little problems. This is great as i can pass on his words of wisdom to people who need a bit of support and it doesn't sound like im preaching to them, which some people find annoying. If we view him as a monk we expect deep meaningful wisdom but if we just view him as a kind person then his advice comes across with so much more warmth and kindness.

    Arhat or no Arhat i owe so much to him, his teachings and stories have provided much entertainment and most of all help on my spiritual path. One thing i have learnt from Buddhism is labelling things with characteristics creates confusion and a bad atmosphere (kind of wierd to explain i hope you understand me lol). So i will draw my babbling to an end just by saying "Thank You A.B if ever i meet you i owe you a cup of tea"

    Much Love People
  • BhanteLuckyBhanteLucky Alternative lifestyle person in the South Island of New Zealand New Zealand Veteran
    wicked_good_kamma said:

    your probably one of the most fortunate people ever, I intend to ordain under him if he will allow it.

    Well come on over and move to Perth, it's good here. Lots of jobs, great weather, and you can stay at the monastery and get some teaching from Ajahn Brahm, move towards ordaining.
    It's a really vibrant monastery too, lots of monks, lots of anagarikas. Well, by lots I mean 15 or so. That's lots by western standards.
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    I'd forget about titles like "Arahant" because they never did mean much except to determine the pecking order in the Buddhist monk hierarchy. I know the party line is that an Arahant can be counted on to be spiritually evolved because the other Arahants have examined and voted on it, but that's never been the reality.

    Ajahn Brahm has a great gift of commmunicating and I love reading his stuff. You can tell from his teachings that he has comprehended and penetrated deeply into the Dharma.
  • Inc88Inc88 Explorer
    @Jayantha

    I haven't read that book...would i be able to find a free copy online? Personally i like the dry technical teachings and when i 1st was learning about Buddhism i enjoyed his talks (helping my interest grow and helped me start on my own path) but it wasn't till i started reading / watching other Theravadin teachers that layed it out there plain black and white that my practice really took off and reached deeper levels.

    Idk that's just my personal feelings and unfortunately i can only rely on books and the internet for my daily dose of Dhamma like many others here probably.I would like to meet Ajahn Brahm tho and talk to him personally and probably it would open my eyes on how well he dive deep in the philosophy instead of a talk for the masses.

    @JamestheGiant

    Have you attended his rain retreats? Id like to hear a little about them if anyone has :]
  • lobsterlobster Crusty Veteran
    anyone who says they are an arahant is pretty much guaranteed not to be one
    Life of Brian Script

    ARTHUR: Hail Messiah!

    BRIAN: I'm not the Messiah!

    ARTHUR: I say You are, Lord, and I should know. I've followed a few.

    FOLLOWERS: Hail Messiah!

    BRIAN: I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand?! Honestly!

    GIRL: Only the true Messiah denies His divinity.

    BRIAN: What?! Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah!

    FOLLOWERS: He is! He is the Messiah!
    BhikkhuJayasaraYaskan
  • VastmindVastmind Memphis, TN Veteran
    edited January 2013
    I admit...I'm craving a youtube clip.

    Any favorties of him ,Ajahn Brahm ,
    anyone want to post?
    We all should be informed if we are
    to determine what title he holds. No?
  • SabreSabre Veteran
    edited January 2013
    Nobody is an arahant, that's the funny thing about it. So to wonder who "is" or who isn't.. I never really bothered. As long as people teach good dhamma that I feel is right, I'd be interested to listening to them.

    Most of Ajahn Brahm's teachings seem shallow, but if you peel away layers, you'll find they are based on the deeper dhamma. I like this approach instead of explaining the deeper stuff, on which a theoretical understanding doesn't interest me that much, personally.
    BhikkhuJayasara
  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran
    lobster said:

    anyone who says they are an arahant is pretty much guaranteed not to be one
    Life of Brian Script

    ARTHUR: Hail Messiah!

    BRIAN: I'm not the Messiah!

    ARTHUR: I say You are, Lord, and I should know. I've followed a few.

    FOLLOWERS: Hail Messiah!

    BRIAN: I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand?! Honestly!

    GIRL: Only the true Messiah denies His divinity.

    BRIAN: What?! Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah!

    FOLLOWERS: He is! He is the Messiah!


    always look on the bright.. side of life!
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