What’s the real purpose of meditation? Is it to calm the mind? Reduce stress? Find inner peace? For world-renowned bhikkhu Ven. Ajahn Brahm, the answer goes far deeper—and today, Sri Lankans will have a rare opportunity to hear it directly from him. The much-loved spiritual teacher, famous for his wisdom, compassion, and humour will deliver a public sermon today (May 18) at the BMICH at 7 am. Whether you’re a seasoned meditator or a curious beginner, this is your chance to experience his life-changing teachings firsthand. Free entry.
Meditation begins with stillness
“Stillness is the essence of meditation,” Ajahn Brahm teaches. “Only when the mind is calm—like a still lake—can it reflect the truth.”
In a world that constantly demands our attention, Ajahn Brahm invites us to pause. He reminds us that when we allow the noise to settle, clarity arises. It is in this silence that real insight becomes possible.
The Buddha himself said: “From stillness, from Samadhi, you see things as they truly are.”
Ajahn Brahm said that a still mind reveals reality without distortion. You begin to see your life, your relationships, even suffering, without the filters of craving or fear. Understanding blossoms naturally when the mind is quiet.
Ajahn Brahm often shares the story of a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who credited a major breakthrough in quantum mechanics to a moment of clarity after meditation. “Great insight doesn’t always come from thinking harder,” he says. “It often comes from not thinking at all—from silence.”
The mind remembers more than you think
In deep stillness, even long-buried memories can rise to the surface. Ajahn Brahm recalls one meditator who vividly remembered being breastfed by a woman who wasn’t her mother—a fact later verified. “The mind, when peaceful, reveals truths we never knew we held.”
Clearing the path: The Five Hindrances
To reach this depth, meditators must overcome what the Buddha called the Five Hindrances:
* Desire
* Ill Will
* Sloth and Torpor
* Restlessness
* Doubt
“These are the ripples that disturb the water,” says Ajahn Brahm. “Once they fade, the mind becomes clear and radiant.”
Reawakening to the world around you
As distractions fall away, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. A dull carpet, a quiet room—everything feels alive again. Stillness restores wonder. You begin to see not just with your eyes, but with your whole heart.
Beyond the obvious mental noise lie subtle attachments—the faint desires, the tiny fears. Ajahn Brahm teaches that even these must be seen and gently released. Only then does the mind become truly free.
