Stories for self-improvement pressure
4 Buddhist wisdom stories for self-improvement pressure from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- God didn't recognise himJoke · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A man who can't find a partner is told by a psychologist to get a sharp suit, a proper haircut, his teeth straightened and a personality coach. At huge cost he does it all. On…
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This fellow, he could never find a partner, and he went to a psychologist, and a psychologist gave it to him straight and said, “Look at you, you know, number one, "you dress so out of fashion, you are so daggy, the way you dress.” So he said, “If you want to find a partner go to a tailor and get a really sharp suit “or something which is more fashionable. “Look at your hair, your hair is just all over the place, “and it's dirty and greasy too. Get a proper haircut.” "Now, look, teeth, the teeth are all crooked and stinky, “go to a good dentist, and just get your teeth “all straightened up and have some personal hygiene,” “and also, why not see if you could get a personality coach? “You know, to get yourself more charming.” He said, “That costs a huge amount of money,” "But it'd be worth it.” So he decided to follow the therapist’s advice, you know, it took a lot of money getting his teeth all fixed up and straightened, the personality coach to make him more positive and attractive, and, you know, a nice really expensive, you know, haircut, and really fancy clothes, and getting just really all prepared, he went out for the first time, and as he was going into a singles club to meet the love of his life he hoped, he was hit by a truck and killed. (laughter) When he went to heaven he was really upset, he said, “God why did you do that for? “You didn’t even give me a day after all that money and all that pain and stuff “getting myself all attractive.” And God said, “Well I didn't recognise you.”
- Lower where you should beStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Just before a talk at Nollamara a woman shows with her hands: 'this is where I should be, this is where I am,' and the gap is making her miserable. Ajahn Brahm's solution: stop…
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this is where I should be they use their hands to try and describe it this is where I should be this is where I am right now and I'm trying so hard to move myself up to where I know I should be it's caused me so much stress and difficulty in life and that's where I said okay you know I can understand your problem and the solution is very simple it's very simple here is where you're supposed to be here is where you are and you're trying to push your where you are up to where you're supposed to be how about lowering where you're supposed to be to coincide with Where You Are
- 'Trespassers will be converted'Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: To keep wanderers out of the quiet Jhana Grove retreat centre, the society knew 'Trespassers will be prosecuted' never works, because people aren't afraid. So they put up…
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you will see at the entrance there's a notice there a signboard It is a bit of a joke but it was actually very effective because first of all we try to keep people from wandering into that retreat Centre, it's a place of quiet. we could actually put “trespassers will be prosecuted”. But that never works. because people aren't afraid. So instead we put something which is much more scary; Now there's a notice board there "trespassers will be converted". (Laughter) It's amazing how many people that keeps out
- 'You're not getting old, Ajahn — you're already old'Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Ajahn Brahm told his monks he was getting old. A very kind Swiss monk said, with touching sincerity — monks don't lie — 'No, Ajahn, you're not getting old.' Pause. 'You're…
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my monks, a very kind monks, this is one of my monks, a very wonderful monk from uh Switzerland. And you know when he knows his story that I told the monks, I'm getting old and they said, "No, Ajam, you're not getting old." And that's really touching just the way they said it with the sincerity because monks don't lie. said, "No, you're not getting old." Ah, you're already old. Which is true.