Freedom: The Path to Happiness

Ajahn Brahm talks about the possibility of real happiness in modern life and the cause of unhappiness. He mentions how people today are attached to suffering and grief, which is a cultural addition that does not exist in certain societies. He also discusses how people can form their identities around their suffering and enjoy the negative emotions, such as anger, grief, and jealousy. The Buddha teaches that there is a delight in these negative emotions, or else people
wouldn't engage in them. Buddhism teaches that attachment to negative emotions, such as anger, jealousy, and grief, can prevent us from being truly happy. The Buddha observed that people often attach to these negative emotions because they feel a sense of delight in them, but they fail to see the danger and harm that comes from holding onto them. This attachment can also stem from societal expectations, such as the need for retribution and punishment for wrongdoing. However,
Buddhism suggests that the most important thing is to let go.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded using a low quality MP3 to save on file size on 27th April 2007. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia under the Creative Commons licence. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Ko-fi page.