Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Mixed vegetables at the autopsy

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Meaning of Life - Peace of Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 16 Jan 2009

1 min read

Content note: graphic (autopsy, vomit); named real person

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

some years ago the MKS were actually allowed to go to see an autopsy and he was the guy doing the autopsies and as soon as he opened up the stomach there was all these um what's it called mixed vegetables like peas and carrots inside this and he said that's amazing he was a Scots fell this Hilton fellow he that's really amazing just like Saturday night on the buses in Glasgow that's what actually you see on the floor you get the idea that people vomiting cuz in Glasgow rough Town people drink too much and what would actually come out the stomach was actually mix vegetables and so see even in Perth mixed vegetables in a St stomach

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 50:34 (to 51:20)

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

Even in an autopsy room, a Scottish pathologist found a joke about Glasgow buses on a Saturday night. Ajahn Brahm's point is that peace of mind doesn't wait for a perfect place. It is here, in hospitals, in hard weeks, halfway down the well. If a laugh is possible at an autopsy, a little lightness is possible in your day too.

In brief (our summary)

When the monks are allowed to watch an autopsy, the Scottish pathologist opens the stomach to find peas and carrots and quips that it's just like the floor of a Glasgow bus on a Saturday night.

Teaching point

You can find peace and humour anywhere — even in an autopsy room.

When this story may help

  • grim work
  • medical work

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Meaning of Life - Peace of Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 16 Jan 2009 · 2009-01-25 · ▶ watch from 50:34 to 51:20 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned. 'MKS' = monks; 'St stomach' garbled (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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