# The most beautiful thing in the toilet bowl

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-beautiful-turd-in-deep-meditation
- Themes: meditation, perception, joy, humour
- Life situations: meditation retreat, learning to meditate

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

On one retreat Ajahn Brahm's mind is so still and full of energy that everything looks beautiful. After going to the toilet he glances into the bowl and is overwhelmed: not one brown but many shades arranged like a Picasso, sparkling like a diamond under a film of water. Anyone in the next cubicle would have called the men in white coats. It is one of the hardest things he has ever let go of — he presses the button and watches it fall away.

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

And that was the story of when This is really over the top, but it's beautiful. That when during one retreat, I was getting some very very deep meditation. My mind was just so still and peaceful and just so much energy that whatever you saw was just so beautiful and joyful. That's just the nature of things. You're so still, you see so much more. And I am a human being, just everybody has to do the same. I had to go to the toilet. And after going to the toilet, I just happened to glance into the bowl to see its contents. Wow. That is so beautiful. I'd never in my whole life seen such a beautiful piece of The browns, they're not just one brown. Next time you go, have a look. It's not just one brown. It's all different shades of brown. And just the way they are just arranged together like some Picasso. And the way it's just covered with this beautiful film of, you know, a little bit of mucus and water. And it shines like a diamond, you know, in the sunshine. It was sparkling. And the fragrance, my goodness. It always makes people laugh. But that's actually a true story. If you'd have been there in the cubicle next to me, you'd probably call for the guys in the white coats to take this crazy bug cuz I was really getting off on this beautiful piece of turd. And the reason why cuz my mind had opened up, and it was beautiful. You know, it was one of the hardest things I did, but I'm used to letting go. Press the button and see it fall away. I wanted to take it out, take it home with me.

## Teaching point

Stillness makes perception deep and beautiful; if even that looks beautiful, imagine the breath in deep meditation. Joy in meditation is to be welcomed, not feared.

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

On one retreat Ajahn Brahm's mind was so still that even the contents of a toilet bowl looked like a sparkling Picasso, and flushing was a real act of letting go. He laughs, but means it. When the mind is calm, everything becomes more beautiful. Imagine what the breath looks like then. Welcome that joy.

## Source

- [1. Relaxing the Body & Mind - Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUMEd3bWVIM) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 33:47 to 35:44: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUMEd3bWVIM&t=2027s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Finding fault or finding beauty | by Ajahn Brahm | 5 June 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K8ejLdmOK8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 28:26 to 30:55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K8ejLdmOK8&t=1706s
- [Mindfulness With Compassion | by Ajahn Brahm | 11-05-2012](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVV0a3Ctmmc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 19:27 to 21:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVV0a3Ctmmc&t=1167s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 11 Feb 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd8lxAriOow) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 14:59 to 15:32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd8lxAriOow&t=899s
- [Laugh with Ajahn Brahm - Armadale Meditation Group | Ajahn Brahm | 9 November 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td6FfYaZfYw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 18:55 to 20:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td6FfYaZfYw&t=1135s
- [8. Beautiful Breath - Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDfGP_VISFs) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 28:18 to 29:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDfGP_VISFs&t=1698s
- [8. Anapanasati - November 2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBlWLPZiLRQ) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 22:43 to 22:59: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBlWLPZiLRQ&t=1363s
- [Meditation - 16-05-2015 | with Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEf6zyDG2b4) (DhammalokaMeditation) — watch from 11:32 to 13:57: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEf6zyDG2b4&t=692s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 10 November 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH0C2f5OWT4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:22 to 16:58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH0C2f5OWT4&t=922s
- [2023 April (3/19) | 9 day Retreat | Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPllNABzV_A) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 27:52 to 30:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPllNABzV_A&t=1672s