# The monk nominated president of the progress association

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-albany-monk-nominated-president-ban-beer
- Themes: community, humour, precepts, monastic life
- Life situations: fitting into a community, others think your faith is a cult

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

The monk at the Albany temple, who makes an effort to connect with locals, joined the Elleker Progress Association and attended its meetings (never touching the beer). At the AGM the retiring president nominated him as the next president. He said he'd accept on one condition: that he could ban beer in the association hall. Silence — then a unanimous 'Boo!', and the nomination was withdrawn. So he got away with not having to do any work.

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

the Albany temple Ajanmud's place and when I went down there he told me a wonderful story that was um he's really tried very hard and takes a lot of effort to connect with the local community. He's in the suburb of Elica. Uh that's uh to the uh the west of Albany. And so I told him just you know check in with the locals. So whenever there is a community meeting he usually goes there. Of course they have beers and stuff but you know he's very good Mike. He never has that. But anyway, he was at one of these meetings and they announced it's the AGM of the Elica Progress Association. So they said, "Well, you have to leave." He said, "No, no, I'm a member." He was actually a registered member there. The Anagara joined him up. So he said, "Oh, no. I'm I'm here." And so they said on the AGM that they have to elect the committee for next year and the president said he's been the president of the ELCA progress association for as many years as he is allowed. He has to get a new president this year. So the the ex-president said I hereby nominate venerable Mudu. He was nominated to be the president of the Elica Progress Association. That's how you know he was he was very friendly with everybody and they really respected him. And then he said, "Okay, I'll accept the nomination on one condition and that is that as soon as I'm president, you'll allow me to ban beer in the Elica Progress Association Hall." And everyone went quiet. There was silence, he said. And then almost like unanimously they all shouted boom and so they took away his nomination. So he got away with not having to do any work.

## Teaching point

Being friendly and visible in the community shows that Buddhism isn't a cult — without compromising one's own precepts or judging others.

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

Nominated president of a country progress association, the local monk agreed on one condition: banning beer from the hall. The nomination was withdrawn with a unanimous boo, and he escaped the work. He's welcome there because he keeps his own precepts without judging anyone else's. Be friendly, be yourself, don't preach.

## Source

- [The Dangers of Fear | Ajahn Brahm | 4 November 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9QrmkzlBgE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 56:52 to 59:11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9QrmkzlBgE&t=3412s