Vipallasa (Perversion of thought and perception)- by Ajahn Brahm (a 2001 Talk)

[Franz Li]

It is my great fortune and good karma to find this dhamma talk by Ajahn Brahm by chance. It was posted to youtube by 'Way Chuang Ang' in March 2015.
Vipallasa (Perversion of thought and perception)- by Ajahn Brahm (10th of January 2001)
It is not a video, just audio.
The earliest Ajahn Brahm downloadable talks on the Dhammaloka web site seems to be later than mid-2001, so this is a rare find indeed. An MP3 should be included in the Dhammaloka collection.

What a penetrating and powerful discourse!
I cannot recommend it more highly.

with metta, Franz

[Franz Li]

Transcript of the 2001 talk is available

found a transcript of the talk online by googling "THE VIPALLĀSAS Ajahn Brahmavamso 2001"
http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books7/Aj...Vipallasas.pdf

It will be useful to append a list of suttas referenced in this talk.

Question: when did Ajahn Brahm emerged out of his long (6-month?) solitary retreat... 2000?

[Stuart Corner]

That was an excellent talk Franz. Thank you for that. I'm afraid that I can't remember the answer to your question, but I didn't think it was that long ago.

Stu
xxx

[Mara Pacers]

I am often amazed at how just the right Dhamma resource appears as it is needed.
A great talk, thank you.
The link to the audio wasn't working, but the link to the transcript still works.

[Mara Pacers]

Just to clarify - this dharma talk was just what I needed at this time. Not related to any of the ongoing topics in the forum

[Mahisha Warusavitharana]

Hello Mara, see if this works?
https://youtu.be/3rJ8cCMDDPM

Something that I had saved some time ago - but can't check that link out myself for a few days.... Will delete this post later on, if this link is also dead....

[Mara Pacers]

Thank you Mahisha. Unfortunately that link has also been terminated. The written transcript is fine - words are words

Best wishes to you

With Metta

Mara

[Marcia Beloved]

I meditated last night after having read the transcript of this talk, and found it much easier to just LET GO.
What I appreciated most, was this comment by Ajahn Brahm regarding "the words of another" in the section titled Breaking the Cycle.
He said:

[I]When the Buddha taught the vipallasas as a way of describing, detailing and analysing
delusion or avijja, he also taught how to overcome those vipallasas, how to actually
set them straight. It’s hard to understand how you can break into that cycle. You
break into that cycle first of all by listening to the words of another, by listening to
another view, another perception and another type of thought. This is one of the two
causes for becoming a Stream Winner. It is called parato ghosa ‘the words of
another’. But they have to be the words of an Ariyan, someone who has seen the
Dhamma for themselves. They have to be words that come from that pure view, that
right view, that view which is in accordance with reality. Having that input from
outside is the seed.[/I]

For me, the "words of another" are the very cause of my sticking with and growing in the path of practice. I was going through a major transition in life and was creating a whole lot of mental trauma out of it when I met a very good monk whose words, counsel and teaching were driven deeply into my heart. I often reflected that he must be very pure, due to the lasting impact his short association had on my life, and continues to have, despite my living far away and having little communication. He never spoke trivia, nor spoke more than required. All teachings were in reference to the Buddha's teachings in the Pali Canon. And he kept emphasizing to me the realities of anicca, dukkha and annatta. When I left his monastery, I consciously felt a seed growing in my heart. I didn't understand it and still don't understand it fully, but this teaching of Ajahn Brahm, confirmed to my as to how this mystical connection to the Buddha's Noble Path came to be in me. And I apologize if I have gotten too personal here and offended anyone in the process.

Also Ajahn Brahma's explanation as to how the jhanas lead to nibbana, clarified a lot of confusion I have had regarding the benefit and necessity of jhana practice.

The other cause for becoming a Stream Winner is yonisomanasikara, the work of the mind that goes to the source of things.
That’s only achieved through the practice of jhanas.

The talk really is a gem and I thank Franz Li for posting it, and also thank Mara for her recent comment which drew my attention to the link.

Sadhu, Sadu, Sadhu! to this great teaching.

~Marcia

[Marcia Beloved]

I had some difficulty when editing the above post, and then exceeded the time for editing.
I shall just let it be....

[Mara Pacers]

I've spent the last few weeks reading Ajahn Sumedho's words about intuitive awareness, which just added the naturalness and simplicity of awareness/mindfulness, even the simplicity of Nibbana! Somehow he managed to convey simplicity rather than complexity.

That specific collection of retreat talks is called "don't take your life personally".

With Metta

Mara

[Mahisha Warusavitharana]

Well, spent some to see if there were some other place where we could listen to the talk. Couldn't find. BUT found this

"Insight Beyond Vipallasa by Ajahn Brahmavamso" this has been offered in 2002...
http://www.diydharma.org/insight-bey...hn-brahmavamso

I have downloaded this to my laptop, and taken a backup. Things tend to disappear....sigh.

With metta, Mahisha

[Marcia Beloved]

Thank you!
This talk is very helpful.

[Mahisha Warusavitharana]

You are welcome