# The cremation pyre exploded — and Ajahn Liem went to bed

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-ajahn-liem-cremation-fire-went-to-bed
- Themes: equanimity, letting go, failure, funerals
- Life situations: a public disaster, a project failing, high-pressure events

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Ajahn Liem, long Ajahn Chah's acting abbot, builds the crematorium for his teacher's royal funeral — a structure that still stands as a stupa. With the King of Thailand present and Ajahn Brahm there, the fire is lit and the box explodes; flames burst out everywhere, people run around with hoses — a disaster. Ajahn Liem takes one look and goes to bed. He did his best; the master doesn't get cremated today — it can be done tomorrow.

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

and when aena died he was in charge of all the funeral services and the king of Thailand attended this this was a big show so this monk built actually the funeral the crematorium for him which actually doubled as a as a stoer a monument which is still there now and he put all this time and money into building this place where his Great Master would be cremated and I was there at the time you know I went there ad cha was there my predecessor and AD made all these monks and the King was there and when they lit sort of the P inside this box the Box exploded Flames came out from everywhere it was a disaster and there were with hoses trying to hose the thing down and people were running around it was just a complete mess and what the mount responsible this agan Le what did he do instead of worrying about anything he took one look and then went to bed had to sleep I thought wow now that's a real monk I wish I could do that when everything goes wrong oh never mind just go and have a nice rest can you do that no you worry and worry and run around what can I do how can I fix this and he said ah just never mind he did his best doesn't matter his master won't get crated that day can always do it tomorrow

## Teaching point

If you can't fix it, go and rest; great beings can sleep soundly when everything goes wrong.

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

At Ajahn Chah's royal cremation, with the King watching, the pyre blew apart and people ran about with hoses. Ajahn Liem, who had built it, took one look and went to bed. He'd done his best; tomorrow would do. When something collapses that you can't fix tonight, rest. It will still be there in the morning.

## Source

- [Does Life Suck? | Ajahn Brahm | 1-05-2009](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSIEN0pZkxE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 24:06 to 25:44: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSIEN0pZkxE&t=1446s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Supernatural and Inspirational Stories About Monks | Ajahn Brahm | 2 February 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vzxQPkP4kg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 33:46 to 39:03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vzxQPkP4kg&t=2026s
- [The Calm In The Eye Of The Storm - Session 1 | Ajahn Brahm & Venerable Canda | 25 March 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDjwxxMGo6Y) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:35 to 18:09: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDjwxxMGo6Y&t=935s