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Story · Ajahn Brahm

Bernard Carr, the first Buddhist he met

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Past Life Personality | Ajahn Brahm | 26 January 2018

2 min read

Content note: named Bernard Carr; Stephen Hawking

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

Bernard was a very close friend because he was the first Buddhist I ever met. And the story is this. As a young man, we're going to school and about 16 years of age, I started to come good at the at the um secondary school where I was studying and I won my first school prize at 16 for maths. So they I asked, "What do I do?" Never had a school prize before. And my teacher said, "You go off to the bookshop and get books on mathematics so you could go even further in that field." So being obedient, I went to this bookstore in Charing Cross Road in London, Foils Bookshop. And I went in there the mathematics section and I looked at all these books on mathematics and I said to myself, I'm not going to waste my first school prize on that rubbish. I want something a bit more interesting. And I noticed on the opposite side of the road in the annex, annex is always interesting. In the very top floor, the attic, that is where they had books on the weird stuff, psychic powers. All the different religions were up there as well. And so I brought a whole mass of paperbacks and the teacher, you're not supposed to get paperbacks, but it's good value for money instead of getting a hardback. But we got to present something to you. Oh, present. That's good enough. So I think the book which was presented to me I think was absolutely true was the third eye by lob sang ramper the guy I think some celebrity or some important person I said what is this book this guy's getting but that was only one of them the rest of them was all these books on Buddhism that's actually where I became a Buddhist I read them I thought wow that's what I am that's how I think that's you know my personality And it was only when I went to university that they had all these clubs and societies and I just my eyes went wide when I saw there was a Buddhist club in university and I was just so excited. What you mean there's other Buddhists? I can actually, you know, join something. This was in 1969 I think. And so I went to the counter and there's this another student is on the other end of the counter. I said I want to join. He said no this is Buddhism. You don't need to join. Just come and test it out. I said I'm already a Buddhist. I want to join. No just after a few talks if you want to. And I slammed a£1 note which was a joining 518 on the table. Join me now. And he became you know a lifelong friend. That was Bernard Bernard Khr.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 3:36 (to 6:56)

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

Sent to buy maths books with his first school prize, sixteen-year-old Ajahn Brahm came home with books on Buddhism instead and knew he was a Buddhist. At Cambridge he slapped down his joining fee at the Buddhist society and met a lifelong friend, later a physicist with Stephen Hawking. Follow what calls you; good friends may be waiting.

In brief (our summary)

At 16 Ajahn Brahm wins his first school maths prize, is sent to Foyles for maths books, and instead buys Buddhism paperbacks from the attic annex. He recognises himself as a Buddhist. At Cambridge he finds the Buddhist society, slams a £1 joining fee on the table, and meets lifelong friend Bernard Carr — later a theoretical physicist under Stephen Hawking.

Teaching point

Sometimes the book you were not supposed to buy names who you already are — and the friend at the desk becomes lifelong.

When this story may help

  • finding your path
  • making a first friend in the Dharma

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Past Life Personality | Ajahn Brahm | 26 January 2018 · 2018-01-26 · ▶ watch from 3:36 to 6:56 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

3 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned. 'Foils' = Foyles; 'Bernard Khr' = Carr; 'Steven Hawkins' = Hawking.

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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    I remember many many evenings espe well you know before I even went to college but especially when I was at University many evenings going to a pub or a bar with your friends I we'd have great arguments arguments about everything you know philosophy you know religion politics sport we would argue and the arguments were passionate and they have to be passionate please put passion into your life especially compassion that's the best passion of all but don't just do things half-hearted so we' really go at it and we' be excited emotional that was important that gave it power

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  • He only meant to give her lifts

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    I remember just with those friends I was at college and I kept them and they're still there and so we had a reunion last October seeing some friends I hadn't seen for 40 years and I remember just at the end of those College years when we were going our different ways and I've be a Buddhist for all those three years at Cambridge and I asked all my friends none of them was a Buddhist and I asked him afterward what did you think about me being a Buddhist and they said we respected you said why said because you never talked to us about your Buddhism that you just respected us for who we were and that's why we respected you for who you were

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  • I could only see the names of the stars

    In brief: In the Cambridge Astronomical Society he learns the names of stars and constellations. In Thailand the night sky is so labelled in his…

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    when I was at University there was many societies I joined and one was the Astronomical Society always love stuff like that and I had learned the names of the stars and the constellations that you know whether it was a Galaxy or supernova or I knew all those words and when I went to Thailand and I saw the sky at night I couldn't see the Stars anymore all I could see were the names and everyone else was saying how beautiful it was and I couldn't see the beauty all I could see was like little labels next to every Star and it took me years you know I had to do this deliberately to forget the names to an act of it was an act of will so now I can look at the stars at night I don't know which one is which and I can see how beautiful they are

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