Story · Ajahn Brahm

Ānanda Maṅgala left the Trappists

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Is Nibbana Guaranteed? | Ajahn Brahm | 02-03-2007

1 min read

Ananda mongala he was a great man cuz he had a great sort of uh CV he started off his life as like the head of the Gandhi youth movement and so he was very friendly with all of the the Gandhi family and with Nero and all these other people and uh then he decided to take a spiritual life and become a trapist monk and I to become a Trappist monk he didn't like that decided to become a Buddhist monk I remember him always telling the story when he told his Superior his abot in the trais monastery they wanted to become a Buddhist they were very very upset and so they took all theologians he was a prominent person in South Asia

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 13:23 (to 14:06)

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

Ananda Mangala, once a youth leader in Gandhi's movement, became a Trappist monk, then decided to become a Buddhist. Theologians begged him to at least believe in God. Asked if he was enlightened, he'd say: not illuminated, but highly eliminated. Less ego means less to insult. Let a little more of yourself go.

In brief (our summary)

Ānanda Maṅgala — Gandhi youth leader, friend of Nehru — tries Trappist life, then becomes a Buddhist monk; Trappist superiors summon theologians to talk him out of it.

Teaching point

Even a CV full of saints can't stop a sincere change of path.

When this story may help

changing religion
vocation

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Is Nibbana Guaranteed? | Ajahn Brahm | 02-03-2007 · 2007-03-05 · ▶ watch from 13:23 to 14:06 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned. 'mongala'/'Nero'/'trais' = Maṅgala / Nehru / Trappist.

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