Quotes from Ajahn Brahm

Grief is seeing only what has been taken away from you. The celebration of a life is recognizing all that we were blessed with and feeling so very grateful.

Do not fear delight in meditation. Happiness in meditation is important! Moreover, you deserve to bliss out. Blissing out on the breath is an essential part of the path. So when delight does arise alongside the breath, cherish and guard it like a valuable treasure.

People say never stand in the shadows of great men. Stand on their shoulders. I say, no: stand in their shadow, kick their ass, and tell them to get out of the way.

The pure heart is a happy heart.

La tristezza è vedere solo quello che ti è stato portato via. La celebrazione della vita è riconoscere tutta la fortuna che abbiamo avuto, e sentirci immensamente riconoscenti.

Se ognuno di noi imparasse dalle lezioni della vita il cuore morbido del proprio credo. Se ognuno di noi diventasse un virtuoso dell'amore all'interno della sua religione. E poi, avendo imparato bene la sua religione, se andasse oltre a imparare a suonare come i membri di un'orchestra, in armonia con altre religioni. (p 172)

The secret of life is… everything is out of control." – Ajahn Brahm

Better to light a candle than complain about the darkness.

But Buddha commanded Patacara to recover her presence of mind. Her madness left her, and she worshipped at Buddha's feet. "Death of people we love is inevitable," said the Buddha. "It is a waste of life to brood or become bitter. No one can shelter us from the fate that awaits us. It is therefore incumbent that we set off on the path to nibbana.

gripping.You can attain this degree of stillness only by letting go of everything in the entire universe except for this momentary experience of the breath happening silently.

When you have abandoned all past and future, it is as if you have come alive. You are here, mindful...the nature of all types of consciousness reveals itself.

If you know how to let go and be at peace, you know everything you need to know about living in the world.

Peace is the most valuable commodity. And it's free!

Everyone makes mistakes. The wise are not people who never make mistakes, but those who forgive themselves and learn from their mistakes.

The secret of life is... everything is out of control.

Life is what's happening while you're worrying.

The selfless giving, the service, the kindness which you give out into this world that is the currency of (the) meaning (of life).

Understand the place of love in a spiritual life. A powerful and blissful type of love has no conditions, no ownership and no people involved. Be free from fear. Be who you are. That is love.

My first meditation teacher told me that there is no such thing as a bad meditation. He was right. During the difficult meditations you build up your strength, which creates meditation for peace.

Love is not liking somebody. Anyone can do that. Love is loving things that sometimes you don't like.

Love, oneness, is no separation between you and life. It is a progressive letting go, a progressive not fault finding. Just do nothing and love this moment. Its very beautiful and very deep.

Complaining is finding faults, wisdom is finding solutions

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity in thinking.

Fear is finding fault with the future.