Tiger's Nest climb — then a hot bath

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• Economy class was paradise

  In brief: After seven years in austere forest monasteries he flies Bangkok–London on a cheap Philippine Airlines economy fare. He can't believe the…

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  I also remember the first time that after seven years I flew on an aircraft. From Bangkok to London. I got a cheap fare on Philippine Airlines, an economy class. This is 25 years ago. I couldn't believe just how sensuous and luxurious economy class on Philippine Airlines was. [Laughter]. It was my senses were, "Ah! Amazed!" Because I'd been in a forest monastery which was very, very austere. What I realized from that, that sensuality is also very relative. To other people cramped in the economy class of an aircraft 25 years ago that was just so tough and it was such an ordeal. But for me, who had never sat on a chair for seven years, being served ripe fruit which was hot and which was Western which I could eat. I even got ice cream. I remember that ice cream. [Laughter]. But in the tub instead of in my bowl. That was just melting into my rice and curry. [Laughter]. And even the muzak, the muzak on the plane that was.. I mean, I hadn't heard music for seven years. That was amazing, that was just so sensuous, I couldn't get that out of my head afterwards. So you see that's obviously a joke for you because you go on an aircraft and the muzak on there is just yucky and the food, aircraft food people think is disgusting. An economy class you're so cramped up. But for me, because I'd been living a far more austere existence in these forest monasteries. That was amazing. In the aircraft there wasn't even any mosquitoes. First time in seven years I was free from mosquitoes for more than an hour or two. That was to me, was luxurious and sensual.

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• The patient monk's police escort

  In brief: Asked what a patient monk does on a four-hour, 220 km drive from Bangkok airport to a retreat, Ajahn Brahm reveals he got a police escort…

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  what happened to me last week when I went to Thailand to teach a Meditation Retreat this is know how a monke is patient cuz I landed at the airport and it was a 220 km uh ride to the uh Retreat Center I was giving my retreat so it usually takes about 4 hours hours so what does a monk do for 4our Journey I'll tell you what I did I got police escort we we we we only took me 2 hours that's what happens when you're a patient monk you get there faster than anybody it's very fun being a monk having a police escort but I was very disappointed when I came back to Perth where's my police car actually once when I was in Sri Lanka that was given a police escort down the G a very busy road and so you know I had a policeman in front of me in the car with the cers waiting and I was sitting in the back with know a friend who was a driver and the driver's one I think his brother passed him on the other side of the road he didn't realize he was taking a monk to sort of an important engagement and his his brother seeing his uh uh this know the friend seeing his brother behind a police car sort of rang him on his mobile phone are you in trouble do you want a lawy is anything I could do so that's one of the problem troubles if you follow uh if you're following a police car think people think youve broken the law

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• The sniffer dog at Perth Airport

  In brief: Back from an early trip to Sri Lanka, his robe smelling of spices and curries, Ajahn Brahm queues at Perth Airport passport control. The…

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  that actually happened once I love telling this story I was coming back from Sri Lanka this is one of the early trips to Sri Lanka I don't know what's in Sri Lanka but they got so many scents and curries and you know sometimes you spill things on your robe so when I came through Perth Airport and was queuing up to the passport control and they were taking the sniffer dogs up the lines of passengers up and down up and down they go and when they came to me the dogs stopped and honestly buried his nose in my robe and was wagging its tail ferociously and the hand I tried to put it away it wouldn't go poor poor poor and when it was pulled away the person in front of me looked around and took a step further away from me now we're not traveling with this guy and a World Behind also and everyone was looking at me and then it takes in that you've been through Perth Airport it takes forever on these cues and lines and that gave them time to do a second check they came up again and the dog stopped again now everyone was really looking at me now and of course as soon as you got through the passport control come over here sir and they the Customs officer he was so fortunately you know I don't have suitcases just have my bag actually where is it actually I travel this is all I travel with so it's very easy have a look inside it just takes five minutes had a look inside and he said what's under your rope nothing ever Easter Flash because Navy got Zips and stuff it's so hard to actually turn to take off things I didn't have to take off I just open up and show them yeah it'd be good fun being a mark you could just be a bit you know a bit crazy because you're dressed crazy so people sort of expect it so anyway and afterwards you said well well why did the dog stop at you and I just started to explain about loving kindness and compassion and this Castle though I said get out of here get out of here

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• The monk in the front seat of the bus

  In brief: Thais believe a monk's good karma protects those behind him, so monks are seated at the front of buses. Travelling from Chonburi to…

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  this happened once accurate story I was traveling from chury to Bangkok not a long distance only 2 hours thank goodness cuz as soon as I got in this big bus the bus driver smiled he didn't want to take any money he just put me right in the front seat about that far from the wind screen because there was a movie on that bus which he really wanted to to watch but he was scared of crashes so he always had to pay attention to the road now I was there taking care of crashes he could watch the movie as much as he wanted and I was watching all these big trucks and cars just hurtling towards our buz as was going over the road to the other side fortunately we survived so it's obviously it was true but I tried that once when I was flying in tight Airways I was in economy class and I told the flight attendant you know sometimes uh aircraft crash into mountains so why don't you put me up front and then I can protect everyone behind because you know up front is first class on his business I thought it was a very strong argument but they wouldn't accept it so so I had to stay in economy

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