Stories for travel
26 Buddhist wisdom stories for travel from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- Ajahn Chah's one word of EnglishStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Back from a few weeks in London, Ajahn Chah, who spoke no English, is asked in Thai whether he learned any English words. Yes, one: “cup of tea” — because all day in London…
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actually he did learn one word of English when he went to London for a few weeks when he came back we asked him in TI did you learn any English know any English words when you staying in L he said yeah I learned one word what was that cup of tea That's the only word could go pan lond he he that all the day cup of tea you want a cup of tea have a cup of tea
- Barefoot in the Korean snowStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: After the Pope's visit to South Korea, Korean Buddhists organised a World Meditation Masters gathering, planning seven famous monks (only four came). At the end of February, on…
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So when I was off in Korea, it was the World Meditation Masters Conference. It was started ... the reason behind this ... again, Buddhists, Christians, we are all the same. The Pope visited South Korea last year. And the Buddhist were... Urgh!!! The Pope visited South Korea We Buddhist must do something as well. What can we do? We don't have a Pope and the Dalai Lama can't go there because of the Chinese influence, trade and stuff like that; so that was a no go. So they decided to have ... it was based on, I don't know if you remember the old movie -The Seven Samurai... What's it call... the seven... whatever it was. Somehow rather seven is a lucky number especially in South Korea. That is a lucky number 7. And they decided to invite 7 famous meditation monks to have a debate. I don't know what they are expecting, I really thought when they first suggested it, sit all the seven monks together and see who could meditate the longest. (laughter) the first person to move, loses. Or even better--Psychic powers... come on Tibetan.. lift up in the air Ajahn Brahm .. come on. see how far you can go. The one who levitate the highest ... hah, hah... It's not like that being a senior monk you don't compete at all. That is just not part of Buddhism, competing with each other, we just enjoy each other's company. Anyway in the end they could only get four to go over there. So I was one of them. Many of those monks are just too old. They shouldn't really go there anyway. So one of the most important features of being a wise monk is you are supposed to be old. So I don't really qualify yet, for being a wise monk I am not old enough. As they said I am the baby monk which I was. So anyway what we did do there. They wanted us to go..... this was in the mountains of Korea and this in .. was it February yeah end of February. And it was deep winter. And the mountains were full of snow. We went right to the very top on the highest peaks in the region. It was actually a ski resort. They asked me if I could bodyboard I said "should be with a body like this!" I would not need a board. (laughter from the audience) But then no we can't do things like that. But what they wanted us to do is to do this walk and it was going to be called ... "The Saints walk" afterwards. That's marketing again. But anyway it was minus 15 degrees. When I left it was 42C plus here... 42 to minus 15. And it was on national T.V because it was a big event in Korea. Forcusing on Buddhism and all different Buddhist monks coming from overseas walking in the snow -15 degrees. And after awhile I found all the cameras they weren't looking at me or the other monks they were looking at my feet because I never had any socks on just my sandals and bare feet. And they thought, " Wow!" Ajahn Brahm won the seven meditation masters (laughs) I didn't win, I was messing around. But how can you walk -15 degrees in the thick snow with no socks on? Just so easy. Just be content! Be happy to feel cold and then there's no problem. It's when I don't want to be cold. This cold is going to be bad for me; I am going to get frostbite. My feet, my toes are going to all fall off, I better count them before I go to the hotel afterwards. What's going to happen to me? I am going to get gangrene! No, that's not the case because I always figured out a long time ago that cold is good for you! It's good for you. People who live in cold places live much longer. They have a much longer life. And the reason is... same reason why you put things in the refrigerator to extend their lives. (laughter) It's obvious, it's science. That's why my fingers were fine they were frozen, didn't feel a thing.
- Economy class was paradiseStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: After seven years in austere forest monasteries he flies Bangkok–London on a cheap Philippine Airlines economy fare. He can't believe the luxury: a chair, ripe Western fruit, ice…
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I also remember the first time that after seven years I flew on an aircraft. From Bangkok to London. I got a cheap fare on Philippine Airlines, an economy class. This is 25 years ago. I couldn't believe just how sensuous and luxurious economy class on Philippine Airlines was. [Laughter]. It was my senses were, "Ah! Amazed!" Because I'd been in a forest monastery which was very, very austere. What I realized from that, that sensuality is also very relative. To other people cramped in the economy class of an aircraft 25 years ago that was just so tough and it was such an ordeal. But for me, who had never sat on a chair for seven years, being served ripe fruit which was hot and which was Western which I could eat. I even got ice cream. I remember that ice cream. [Laughter]. But in the tub instead of in my bowl. That was just melting into my rice and curry. [Laughter]. And even the muzak, the muzak on the plane that was.. I mean, I hadn't heard music for seven years. That was amazing, that was just so sensuous, I couldn't get that out of my head afterwards. So you see that's obviously a joke for you because you go on an aircraft and the muzak on there is just yucky and the food, aircraft food people think is disgusting. An economy class you're so cramped up. But for me, because I'd been living a far more austere existence in these forest monasteries. That was amazing. In the aircraft there wasn't even any mosquitoes. First time in seven years I was free from mosquitoes for more than an hour or two. That was to me, was luxurious and sensual.
- Free buffet lunch on the Norway ferryStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Hitchhiking student on a cheap Norway–UK ferry; a couple say he reminds them of their son and buy him a huge buffet lunch — first and only such feast.
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cheap boat going over from uh Norway over back to UK. I was just hitchhiking, living on a cheap and this uh couple came up to me and they said, "You remind us of our son who was also hitchhiking during a summer vacation over in Europe." So [snorts] I said, "Please let us give you this wonderful lunch." And they paid for this incredible lunch for me. And it was like a big buffet. And it was actually the first and only
- From Perth Airport uncertainty to a Rolls-Royce in ArmadaleStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A visiting monk arrived at Perth Airport without saying which day, started walking, and within ~50 metres got a lift to Serpentine. The same monk later rode to the Armadale group…
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arrived at perth airport i knew he was coming sometime but he didn't tell me the day he was coming or the time he was coming he said he just wanted to just try just living with uncertainty and see what happens so he arrived at perth airport no one to pick him up no money or credit card or anything just started walking and i think he got to about 50 meters outside outside of the the the doors and someone stopped him in the car hey you're a mug where you going and so he said i'm going to certain time i'll give you a lift who needs taxis and you've got this lift all the way there so living with uncertainty he was actually also the mark had mentioned this story to someone today he was also the monk he was scheduled to give a talk at one of our groups which is in armadale in the armadale group and he was inviting down the monastery and that we had a very wealthy sri lankan man came to say hello and he came in a rolls royce so i think it's the only time we've seen the rolls-royce and burning down the monastery and so then it was on a tuesday afternoon and we said oh this month's got to go to the um the armadale group this evening would you like to give him a lift so he said yeah i can give him a lift so armada as many of you may know is a low socio-economic area and so it was really quite a first for a month to arrive at this group in a rolls royce and they never let him forget that is that taking a lift it's not mine anyway
- Ghost stories on the walk to the graveStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: At a Chinese burial in Kolkata Cemetery he kills ten minutes walking with an elderly funeral director and asks for ghost stories — she has heaps, treating cemetery ghosts as…
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Kolkata Cemetery. There was a Chinese funeral and so those of you who know Kolkata cemetery that you start at the gate and we go in procession leading the cortees in this case was a burial and the Chinese burial site is the furthest away from the entrance and I knew I've been there many times about 10 or 15 minutes walk so I knew I had no know uh 10 minutes to kill that's the wrong word at a funeral but you know I knew it's just know 10 minutes walk. So we were just uh the funeral director, she was an elderly woman and uh I said, "How long you been in this industry?" And she said, "Oh, you know, for 20, 30 years." Said, "Oh, great. Just to pass the time till we get to the the grave site. Have you got any ghost stories
- Imprisoned in a six-star hotelStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: On a conference tour in Japan, his hosts put Ajahn Brahm in what he later hears was a six-star hotel room. He's afraid to touch the taps of the big bath and jacuzzi, can't watch…
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I remember going this one time and I was giving some talks in Japan and going to I'm not sure if it's possible because I couldn't speak Japanese, but this hotel, it looked like it was a six-star hotel. It was crazy. We was just, you know, going to give a series of talks and conferences and stuff when I got inside of there in this hotel and I don't know if you know the Japanese culture said, "Please, we want you to be in here because we want to know where you are." It was a bit of a conference and so had to make sure I was in the right place. And then just I was inside this and I thought this is like a prison for me. I'm a monk. I'm not used to hotels. They had this big bath and a jacuzzi or something. I never been in one of those before. I own too scared to turn on any tap cuz any button or something. If I turned it on, I don't know what would happen. And of course, being a monk, you can't turn on the TV. That's against our rules. And the beds not like beds we have in in Serpentine where monastery where I live. And let many of you been inside my place where I live. And it's just it's not a bed. It's just a mat on the floor about that that thick. That's happy for me. I don't if you put me on big bed, it's very hard to fall asleep. And a small bed is very very easy and comfortable for me. And so what am I doing with this big beds? They're buttons on them. I don't know what to do with those buttons. I must admit though, when I went inside the toilet in this fancy hotel, I well, I couldn't resist pressing the buttons and see what happened. It was crazy. They don't have toilet paper. They just press a button and something squirts out in the right place. And sometimes it's in the wrong place, but never mind. [laughter] you get it hot and cold and all sorts of stuff. It was good fun. But then after a while I said, can't I just have a simple place to stay and it was one thing which I noticed that it was obviously that somebody paid a lot of money for me to spend a night in this hotel. It was part of a conference tour and and I was thought I don't want to be in here. I just want to be a nice little cave know where I stay in serpentine or under just over here just a nice little room. You don't need all this special stuff. And you know after a few minutes I didn't want to be in there. I want to get something else more simple. It's just too elaborate for me. They had many sort of TVs in there. Obviously didn't know which one to turn on. I didn't turn any on. And after a while I realized that I was suffering. You know what was probably I think I heard later on it was a sixstar room in the hotel. Six star. Have you ever been in a six-star hotel room? It really sucks. It's terrible. If you're a [laughter] monk, why on earth? And I realized that what is suffering is not if it's a six-star hotel or if it's just out in the bush somewhere. Any place you don't want to be is called suffering. Any place, even a six-star hotel, any place you like to be, you can feel something nice, beautiful, or simple, or whatever it is. If you want to be here, then you're free. you're happy. If you don't want to be here, you are in a prison.
- “It's a bit OTT, isn't it?”Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Dragged along to the Taj Mahal on an India pilgrimage, Ajahn Brahm sits at a distance wondering why it's beautiful — only because we're told so? A fellow pilgrim, the late member…
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we went on pilgrimage to india and part of the pilgrimage was actually going to the taj mahal i don't know why we went there but said people wanted to see it so i was dragged along i remember sitting at a distance from the taj mahal in agua in india and just asking myself why is this beautiful it's only beautiful because you're told it's beautiful when i actually look at it from a distance so what's beautiful about this it's a bit of an exaggeration and it almost ruined many many people suffered because of building that but people said it was a work of art what's a work of art is it really beautiful so i was questioning myself there i remember pauline coming up to me and said it's a bit ott isn't it and i said yeah well done c2 was challenging her perceptions were taught to say this is beautiful and when you actually look at it challenge your perceptions it wasn't that beautiful
- Judy and Richard Gere in DharamsalaStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Judy, a BSWA member, goes to Dharamsala hoping to interview the Dalai Lama. Meditating one morning she glances at who sat next to her: Richard Gere. Single, she cannot stop…
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this one lady who was one of our members years ago, Judy, and she uh went over to um to Damasala, not Damasala, Damasala, that's where the Hodness put the Dal Lama lives and just went to try and get an interview with him. Had to wait for a few days. But over there, he she would get up early in the morning and meditate. She was meditating in the room one day and then somebody came and sat next to another meditator and she made the mistake of looking who it was. It was Richard Gia. She was single. And then she didn't have to focus on looking at Richard Gear. She just couldn't stop
- LAX bomb scare — LAPD with machine gunsStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Los Angeles airport bomb scare wakes him better than coffee; Canadian-terminal walk; LAPD car screeches up with sirens; cops emerge with semi-automatics — not for him.
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bomb scare that was actually wonderful having a bomb scare because it's very boring going on this aircraft we have a bomb scare and wow wonderful it wakes you up it's better than a cup of coffee and it was it got a lovely story for me which I mentioned here at the time because as I was going from one terminal cuz a Canadian aircraft came in one time I had just to walk only a couple hundred meters so without in the single Airlines terminal M was walking a police car you know an LAPD police car right in the movies came screaming down with it Sirens flashing and zooo it really exciting and it screeched to a hul right in front of me like put on the brake stand and went kind of halfway up the pavement and I thought my God they're going to arrest me what have I done they weren't interested in me instead these two cops came out and they didn't have guns they had like semi automatic machine guns I thought wow this is really in
- Londoners laughed at the robesStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Walking London streets in robes; strangers laugh at his appearance before he understands why — until he turns a corner and sees himself as they do.
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walking down the streets of London and know a lot of times because they didn't know what the heck I was, you know, wearing brown robes and bald head, no socks. That was weird enough. But then you would uh people would never ever say hello to you. But on Christmas day, everybody would say hello to you without exception. You know, there's also that one time I recall that, you know, that just the it's amazing the different cultures, but you wear these robes wherever you go because that's all you have. So anyway, when I was uh visiting like Stoke on Trent, that's where where my mother was born and so a lot of family up there. So I was visiting one of my friends or cousin and over there and going for a walk in the morning, a nice little bit of exercise. And as I was walking down the the streets, everybody was pointing at me and laughing. And I I don't mind actually creating some happiness in the world and joy in this world. It's a wonderful thing to make people laugh, but I really couldn't understand why. I wasn't telling any jokes. It was just, you know, just my appearance was sometimes making them laugh
- No escape, even in the toiletStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Returning exhausted from Los Angeles via Singapore, Ajahn Brahm is met at the gate by supporters with an airport buggy who take him for tea and ask about meditation, Buddhism and…
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the worst thing worst occasion one worst stories about this was when I was just returning from Los Angeles this it's a long journey on that aircraft and unfortunately when I fly Singapore Airlines there's people in the airport who know me and they meet me at the gate you know this is in the internal area because they got these little cars they can go anywhere in the airport so it's very nice they go and take me for a cup of tea or cup of coffee and they start asking questions about their meditation or about Buddhism about their family life and gee that you know if you're a counselor you've got an office and you can actually secretary have appointments and certain times for me that it's anytime and I got really I must admit that that time I got a bit tired and think just can't you leave me alone and of course you can't really say that as a monk instead I said I need to go to the toilet and I did you know I could hold on for a bit longer but going to the toiler was the way of escaping and sitting down in a place I could have a bit of peace and quiet but of course what happened as soon as I went into the L the toilet attendant recognized me oh a br can I ask you some questions about Buddhism even in the toilet I can't escape
- Photo op in the galleyStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: On a Garuda flight from Perth to Bali, a flight attendant puts her hand on her heart: 'I am your greatest fan!' After the meal service she invites him to the galley, where all…
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So for me when this, I was on this Garuda flight just the airhostess, the flight attendant came up to me. Actually she didn't come up to me, she was on the aisle, I was in the window seat I always think the window seats are the best because at least you only got one person on one side the others are windows. So at least the window can't ask you questions.... (laughter) It happened I was on another flight once, really tired from Kuala Lumpur back to Perth sitting on the window seat, a woman come pass and she said "Are you Ajahn Brahm? I really need to talk to you." and I said "there is another fellow who is in the aisle seat" Never mind. You know what this woman did? She bent down and asked this guy in the aisle seat "Would you mind exchanging seats?" And I was praying "please say no, no, no!" (laughter from the audience) That bastard; he said ''Yes'' So this woman all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Perth asked me about her marriage, her relationships.... And I had to come back and give a talk that night as well.. Really unfair... but anyway it wasn't so bad on the Garuda Flight because the flight attendant just turned around and looked at me and said "Are you Ajahn Brahm?" Yes.... And she put her hand over her heart You know the flight attendants are very beautiful she said "I am your greatest fan!" (laughter from the audience) If I wasn't a monk a many years later you may be quite excited at things like that. Way past that stuff... So I said... yes I am She said "you are such a wonderful monk" I got really good service but interestingly ... Indonesians She came up... once they have given the meal service she came up to me and said ''would you please come to the galley?'' That's the back of the plane where all the flight attendants hang out. And they were all lined up. Photo op. (laughter from the audience) They don't even know me, even during a flight they wanted to take photos with me Every Flight Attendant, smile, click, OK Another one click... ok next one Satu Dua Tiga Those who know... that's one two three. I don't know anything pass three in Bahasa Indonesia. Because you only need one two three to take the photo. That's why I know Satu Dua Tiga That's one two three in Bahasa I don't know what four is They never say that ... one two three smile! They all lined up and If you have ever been on the back of an aircraft, the galley. When anybody presses the ... calling the flight attendants the light goes on there. All these lights were going on ding ding ding This was an Australian flight... from Perth to Bali Most of the people on there were Aussies going surfing or holiday And they all were pushing the button for a beer. And they couldn't get any beer because all the flight attendants were having photographs with me! (laughter from the audience) So they were not happy with me I think they lost a lot of faith in Buddhism because when I was there they couldn't get a beer.
- The fan at the restaurant windowStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Having a quiet sponsored lunch in a little restaurant in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong, Ajahn Brahm sees a young woman press her face to the window, recognising him. Her English…
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But even when I was in Hong Kong, I was quietly having my lunch. Somebody was sponsoring my lunch in a little restaurant. uh in I think in I think they call it Kennedy Town. It's over in Hong Kong Island. And when I was having my lunch there, this lady walked past a young lady. And she looked pressed her head against the window to look because she recognized me. And she had an English her husband who encouraged her, "Go in and make sure if it really is him." And it was like being a pop star. She came in there and said, "Yo, Ambra, oh, I'm so excited." That's what she actually said. And her partner said, "Oh, she listens to you all the time." And she said, "Thank you so much." And I was just trying to have an a quiet lunch. I know you can't have a quiet lunch here in Australia. [laughter] Too many people try and come come and talk to you. But I never expected this, you know, in Hong Kong.
- The Jimi Hendrix museum was shutStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Jimi Hendrix was Ajahn Brahm's teenage idol; he even had the haircut. Giving talks in Seattle with a free afternoon, he's urged to visit the Jimi Hendrix museum. He thinks a monk…
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You know, I used to really like Jimmyi Hendris and I I was he was my big idol when I was young and my hair was all like this. I had Jimmyi Hendrick's haircut and I went to Seattle once to give some talks and I had a free afternoon. People in Seattle said, "Why didn't you go to Jimi Hendris Museum, you know, cuz it's Jimi Hendrick's Museum is in Seattle." And I thought, "I'm a monk. I shouldn't really go to such things. The monks are supposed to give up all those things." So I went and this is my karma. I went there and that afternoon, one afternoon a week it was shut. It just really taught me a lesson.
- The monk in the front seat of the busStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Thais believe a monk's good karma protects those behind him, so monks are seated at the front of buses. Travelling from Chonburi to Bangkok, the young Ajahn Brahm is waved on…
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this happened once accurate story I was traveling from chury to Bangkok not a long distance only 2 hours thank goodness cuz as soon as I got in this big bus the bus driver smiled he didn't want to take any money he just put me right in the front seat about that far from the wind screen because there was a movie on that bus which he really wanted to to watch but he was scared of crashes so he always had to pay attention to the road now I was there taking care of crashes he could watch the movie as much as he wanted and I was watching all these big trucks and cars just hurtling towards our buz as was going over the road to the other side fortunately we survived so it's obviously it was true but I tried that once when I was flying in tight Airways I was in economy class and I told the flight attendant you know sometimes uh aircraft crash into mountains so why don't you put me up front and then I can protect everyone behind because you know up front is first class on his business I thought it was a very strong argument but they wouldn't accept it so so I had to stay in economy
- The noisy airport prayer roomStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Delighted to find a meditation and prayer room at Perth Airport, Ajahn Brahm sits down to meditate — and the room is filled with security warnings, passenger pages and boarding…
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I once went into one of the chapels and meditation rooms in the airport to try and get a bit of peace and quietness to do some meditation. Of course after only about 30 seconds "please do not leave your bags unattended paging Mr. so and so, your flight is about to board' and all these other announcements which were going on in the quiet room as there's noises anywhere else.
- The patient monk's police escortStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Asked what a patient monk does on a four-hour, 220 km drive from Bangkok airport to a retreat, Ajahn Brahm reveals he got a police escort and arrived in two hours — and was…
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what happened to me last week when I went to Thailand to teach a Meditation Retreat this is know how a monke is patient cuz I landed at the airport and it was a 220 km uh ride to the uh Retreat Center I was giving my retreat so it usually takes about 4 hours hours so what does a monk do for 4our Journey I'll tell you what I did I got police escort we we we we only took me 2 hours that's what happens when you're a patient monk you get there faster than anybody it's very fun being a monk having a police escort but I was very disappointed when I came back to Perth where's my police car actually once when I was in Sri Lanka that was given a police escort down the G a very busy road and so you know I had a policeman in front of me in the car with the cers waiting and I was sitting in the back with know a friend who was a driver and the driver's one I think his brother passed him on the other side of the road he didn't realize he was taking a monk to sort of an important engagement and his his brother seeing his uh uh this know the friend seeing his brother behind a police car sort of rang him on his mobile phone are you in trouble do you want a lawy is anything I could do so that's one of the problem troubles if you follow uh if you're following a police car think people think youve broken the law
- The silent German monk who finally gave a talkStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: In Sri Lanka with Bhikkhu Bodhi: a German monk who never gives talks is visited; an hour later Brahm emerges calling it the best Dhamma talk he had ever heard — better than Ajahn…
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this monk would He was another German monk. He would never give a talk to anybody. And Bhikkhu Bodhi said, "Just go in there and pay respects." It took an hour before I came out. [laughter] And he sat me down and gave me a nice Dhamma talk. And at that time, I said that was the best Dhamma talk I'd ever heard. Even beat Ajahn Chah's teachings
- The Singaporean monk, the snake book, and the witch doctorStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Singaporean monk in NE Thailand asks for the snake book — to identify the snake that just bit him. Fang marks swell; village has thrown away antivenom. A herbal 'witch doctor'…
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Singaporean monk who came to stay in Northeast Thailand. And one day apparently he came into our library in what? banana chart and just said, "Oh, can I please have a look at the snake book? It has all the different species of snake in that part of Thailand and also describes how venomous they are." And as he was given a snake book, the librarian was just not really paying too much attention. And a Singaporean monk was looking through the books and then oh my goodness. That's the one which just bit me. That's what a single point was looking at the book of snakes to try and identify the one which had just bitten him to see whether it's dangerous or not. And it was really dangerous. So the other monk looked to the poor uh Singaporean monk's leg, saw the bite marks, the two fang marks and so already starting to swell. And that's one time if you're a monk, you're allowed to run. You're supposed to run. You know, if any one of you got bitten by a snake and I was me, I would have to run. Even though that might kill me, nevertheless, you know, just to save another person's life. That's so important. So, this monk just ran into the village to get a doctor. Now, these snakes exist in Thailand, so you have to keep some antivenenom. But this village had no antivenenom. They thrown it away years ago. Cuz when this monk came back with one of the villagers on a little motorbike, he didn't come back with a doctor. Well, it was a kind of a doctor. What you usually call like a witch doctor. a poor villager who didn't have any injections. He had this special medicine, a herbal medicine which was supposed to be really really powerful. And the herbal med herbal medicine man started doing some chanting. And he put this medicine in his mouth, started chewing it, mixing it with saliva, and then spitting it on this poor Singaporean man's wound, which was getting really big by now. And this Singaporean, imagine that was you. How would you feel? This Singaporean who was highly educated looked to the other monks and said, "Can I please have a proper doctor?" But then looking at this Singaporean, now this Singaporean and this witch doctor doing chanting and spitting over the wound, you could see apparently what the other monks told me. the the two fang marks started to get smaller and smaller and smaller and the inflammation got less and less and less until the inflammation totally vanished. The two fang marks disappeared and that Singaporean mark was totally healed
- The sniffer dog at Perth AirportStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Back from an early trip to Sri Lanka, his robe smelling of spices and curries, Ajahn Brahm queues at Perth Airport passport control. The sniffer dog stops at him, buries its nose…
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that actually happened once I love telling this story I was coming back from Sri Lanka this is one of the early trips to Sri Lanka I don't know what's in Sri Lanka but they got so many scents and curries and you know sometimes you spill things on your robe so when I came through Perth Airport and was queuing up to the passport control and they were taking the sniffer dogs up the lines of passengers up and down up and down they go and when they came to me the dogs stopped and honestly buried his nose in my robe and was wagging its tail ferociously and the hand I tried to put it away it wouldn't go poor poor poor and when it was pulled away the person in front of me looked around and took a step further away from me now we're not traveling with this guy and a World Behind also and everyone was looking at me and then it takes in that you've been through Perth Airport it takes forever on these cues and lines and that gave them time to do a second check they came up again and the dog stopped again now everyone was really looking at me now and of course as soon as you got through the passport control come over here sir and they the Customs officer he was so fortunately you know I don't have suitcases just have my bag actually where is it actually I travel this is all I travel with so it's very easy have a look inside it just takes five minutes had a look inside and he said what's under your rope nothing ever Easter Flash because Navy got Zips and stuff it's so hard to actually turn to take off things I didn't have to take off I just open up and show them yeah it'd be good fun being a mark you could just be a bit you know a bit crazy because you're dressed crazy so people sort of expect it so anyway and afterwards you said well well why did the dog stop at you and I just started to explain about loving kindness and compassion and this Castle though I said get out of here get out of here
- The taxi that made him miss the planeStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A man who later visits Ajahn Brahm tells him what changed his life. In Bombay, his taxi to the airport gets lost; he reaches the airport just in time to see his flight to Europe…
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I remember this guy years ago he came to see me and the thing which changed his life and made him far more more spiritual he was in India he was in Bombay at that time still Bombay before it was changed to Mumbai and he got in a in a taxi to take him to the airport he was flying back to Europe On A Plane taxi got lost and uh his time was ticking away he didn't know he was going to make his plane or not in the end he was just hoping there was a delay in the uh takeoff of the plane cuz it was going into the time of takeoff and as he actually managed to find IND the airport Bombay Airport he actually saw his plane take off and so he's cursing the driver you know he missed his plane he left the city in plenty of time but the stupid taxi driver got lost and he was so upset and then he saw the plane fall down and crash with I don't know most people dead I'd imagine and then he was taking the taxi driver thank you so much
- The woman who swapped seats to talkStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Exhausted on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Perth, Ajahn Brahm sits by the window. A woman asks if he's Ajahn Brahm because she really needs to talk; he points out there's someone…
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It happened I was on another flight once, really tired from Kuala Lumpur back to Perth sitting on the window seat, a woman come pass and she said "Are you Ajahn Brahm? I really need to talk to you." and I said "there is another fellow who is in the aisle seat" Never mind. You know what this woman did? She bent down and asked this guy in the aisle seat "Would you mind exchanging seats?" And I was praying "please say no, no, no!" (laughter from the audience) That bastard; he said ''Yes'' So this woman all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Perth asked me about her marriage, her relationships.... And I had to come back and give a talk that night as well.. Really unfair...
- Tiger's Nest climb — then a hot bathStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Bhutan: climbs Tiger's Nest in thin air panting; hotel has a bath — usually too much indulgence for a monk, but after the climb he soaks.
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bhutan and went climbing up the the tiger's nest and then it's a it's not that far up but it's like very low oxygen in the air so you're always panting just getting up there that's what you know what really makes it very arduous physically we're getting up there and coming back down again where they were letting me stay the night was in a hotel which had a bath i had a hot bath now usually as a monk that's too much indulgence
- Walking into the DMZStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: During the brief Trump–Kim thaw, Ajahn Brahm joins a peace conference in South Korea. The senior monks are to lead a fast three-hour meditation walk into the demilitarised zone;…
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the last time I saw this monk that was in the demilitarized zone. I mentioned that story a couple of years ago. I went to Korea, South Korea and was having a peace movement at the time. That was a time when you may remember it over a year and a half ago when Donald Trump and Kim Jong- fell in love. That's what it said on the newspapers. Anyway, [laughter] so anyway, so they wanted to move on that and just have this the big peace conference up there. So I went there to join in and I thought it was a really worthwhile thing to do. But then they had these big senior monks. I was one of the senior monks. They wanted us to go on this walk, meditation walk inside the deulatory zone. Wow. The senior monk. No, he couldn't go because he was busy. Ajan Ganha, he was sick. So that left your own aan. Yay. Would you have allowed me to do that? It was a three-hour walk really fast. No rest b leading oh 6,000 uh jogj yeah yeah jog jj buddhists over into the de DMC demilitarized zone walking yeah so off I went just doing that had a wonderful time could you do that would you be anxious no I wasn't anxious at all but I must admit I did mention at the time There was a lot of shooting in there. There was I can't lie to you. I was shot a few times. Actually, many times click. Click. Photographed and videoed and stuff.
- Walking off with everything he owned on his backStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: After five years as a monk in Thailand (around 1979) Ajahn Brahm leaves his monastery to wander on foot. Nothing can be stored, so he must carry everything; in the tropical heat…
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One of my most memorable experiences in my training as a monk after 5 years being a monk in these monasteries in Thailand you are expected, encouraged to actually leave the monastery, just go wondering on foot. Its a great opportunity to visit other teachers' You have been in a one monastery and to see how the other teachers teach To get a wider experience or may be go and find some solitude in the jungles or the mountains That was after five years--what would that be 1979 or something; somewhere around then. I left the monastery; and the rule was you couldn't store anything there. You can give it away but once you gave it away nothing would be kept for you. So everything which was yours you had to carry with you. And of course if you are walking especially through the hot tropics carrying lots and lots of stuff is just really really unpleasant. It was reminding you how much a burden your possessions were. So after a couple of days, you gave this away and you gave that away and you are down to the absolute minimum you needed Once you got down to that minimum, my goodness it was so light. You can imagine the experience. Just put yourself in that experience that everything you own you are carrying on your back and it's light. And you can dance, there is hardly any burden there at all. Because as a monk we knew that, there are monasteries everywhere any place you go you can get a bed for the night. If you don't get a bed for the night you can sleep under a tree. Its the tropics, it is easy to do. You can go anywhere, you get something to eat, not delicious food but enough to keep you going through the day, there is waters in the well. There was this total sense of freedom freedom from possessions. And that was just like being in heaven. You didn't have any worries at all. You had cloths to wear, you had this little mosquito net umbrella which you could park anywhere to sleep at night. And the best thing about it; you had no appointments. Your future was blank. I could go anywhere I wanted. Every cross road, you can go left, go right, turn around, go forward, stay still No one was asking you to go anywhere, to do anything or be anything. That was one of my wonderful experiences of being free from attachments at all.