# No toilet stops

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-ajahn-liem-bus-plastic-bags
- Themes: humour, monastic life, travel
- Life situations: long journeys, needing a laugh

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

On a six- or seven-hour bus journey across north-east Thailand, the senior monk (captioned as Ajahn Liem) says there's no time for toilet stops: he walks down the bus handing each monk three plastic bags and some rubber bands — do it in the bag and get rid of it at the destination. The monks rebel: 'No way — stop the bus.'

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

when I was in Northeast Thailand we were going on a long bus ride over the northeast of Thailand maybe six or seven hours and they they had monk who was among kodachi and Liam he said we haven't got time to do Todd it stops so he came down the bus and handed every monk about three plastic bags and some rubber elastic bands is they were just in the bus your monks just in a plastic bag rubber band and then we can get rid of it on the destination Center Friday night no oh come on and the eighth of the Box we Rebel said no way stop the bus

## Teaching point

A light opening joke about toilet breaks; no teaching drawn.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

On a long bus ride in north-east Thailand, the senior monk handed everyone plastic bags and rubber bands instead of toilet stops. The monks rebelled: stop the bus. Ajahn Brahm opens his talk with it and then laughs off falling census numbers. Monks are human too, and some rules deserve a mutiny.

## Source

- [How to React to Life | Ajahn Brahm | 30 June 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhLQy4iMDl4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 0:29 to 1:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhLQy4iMDl4&t=29s