# “It's about time you took the pansil”

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-already-keeping-five-precepts
- Themes: precepts, ethics, wisdom, humour
- Life situations: exploring a religion, ethics without rules

## Synopsis (editorial 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.

## 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

## Teaching point

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

## 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.

## Source

- [The Importance of Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 07 Nov 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDoKJJdevvg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:35:36 to 1:36:39: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDoKJJdevvg&t=5736s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Why I Became a Monk | Ajahn Brahm | 28 March 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-U28g_SVuc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 46:27 to 46:36: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-U28g_SVuc&t=2787s
- [Vesak Day (Evening) | 19 May 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8FTmDTJLoA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:04:35 to 1:07:49: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8FTmDTJLoA&t=3875s