Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

“It's about time you took the pansil”

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Importance of Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 07 Nov 2017

1 min read

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

one of the priests took me aside he'd been coming here long enough it's about time you took the pencil this was accurate this has happened it was an Atty temple but I use this when I can words I said then it will sir what is the pencil you know not kidding and everything I'm a vegetarian not sort of stealing even if the conductors have vouched for my fare I always give it to him so you need my fare here it is not committing adultery who won girlfriend was expensive enough not lying it never felt right to tell a lie to anybody and not take an alcohol I said I've been giving up alcohol a long time already and now you know I was may say I was conceited but it was a good anecdote I said venerable so I don't need to take the 5p sense I've been keeping them for the last couple of years without knowing that there were precepts

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 1:35:36 (to 1:36:39)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Told it was time he took the five precepts, the young man found he'd been keeping them for years, down to paying the bus fare the conductor forgot. Giving up drink even got him invited to more parties, as the driver. Good conduct isn't an imposed rulebook. It's common sense that a clear, kind mind finds for itself.

In brief (our summary)

As a young man who has been visiting a temple for some time, he's taken aside by a monk: it's about time he 'took the pansil'. Not knowing what that was, he hears the five precepts and replies that he's vegetarian, always pays his bus fare even when the conductor forgets, has only one (expensive enough) girlfriend, never lies, and gave up alcohol long ago — so he's been keeping them for years without knowing. Giving up drink, he got invited to more parties — as the sober driver.

Teaching point

The precepts are common sense a mindful, wise person discovers for themselves.

When this story may help

  • exploring a religion
  • ethics without rules

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Importance of Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 07 Nov 2017 · 2017-12-13 · ▶ watch from 1:35:36 to 1:36:39 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

2 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned. 'pencil'/'5p sense' = pansil, the five precepts; 'Atty temple' unclear (not changed).

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

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