Ajahn Brahm Quotes & Sayings

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. — Ajahn Brahm

Better lite a candle than complain about the darkness — Ajahn Brahm

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. — Ajahn Brahm

Complaining is finding faults, wisdom is finding solutions — Ajahn Brahm

To think that you will be happy by becoming something else is delusion. Becoming something else just exchanges one form of suffering for another form of suffering. But when you are content with who you are now, junior or senior, married or single, rich or poor, then you are free of suffering. — Ajahn Brahm

any place you don't want to be is a prison. — Ajahn Brahm

How many times have you tried to solve "the problem"? you'll be trying to solve it not just until you die but for many more lifetimes. Instead, understand that this world is just the play of the senses. It's the five khandhas doing their thing; it has nothing to do with you. It's just people being people, the world being the world. — Ajahn Brahm

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity than thinking. — Ajahn Brahm

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

We should always be grateful for the faults in our partner because if they didn't have those faults from the start, they would have been able to marry someone much better than us — Ajahn Brahm

Whatever you do in your life, Son, the door of my heart will always be open to you. — Ajahn Brahm

The goal of this meditation is beautiful silence, stillness, and clarity of mind. — Ajahn Brahm

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. — Ajahn Brahm

Why seek revenge? Karma is going to get the bastards anyway — Ajahn Brahm

Careful patience is the fastest way! — Ajahn Brahm

Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight. — Ajahn Brahm

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

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

The secret of life is ... everything is out of control. — Ajahn Brahm

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

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. — Ajahn Brahm

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. — Ajahn Brahm

When the weather is hot, keep a cool mind. When the weather is cold, keep a warm heart. — Ajahn Brahm

When life is good do not take it for granted as it will pass. Be mindful, be compassionate and nurture the circumstances that find you in this good time so it will last longer. When life falls apart always remember that this too will pass. Life will have its unexpected turns. — Ajahn Brahm

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

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. — Ajahn Brahm

Fear is finding fault with the future. — Ajahn Brahm

Life is what's happening while you're worrying. — Ajahn Brahm