Story · Ajahn Brahm
The bikies' funeral
Content note: recent death of a young man (road accident); family possibly identifiable
The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)
I remember going to a funeral service. I mentioned this because I was at a funeral service over in Freo um last Wednesday and it was for a bikey funeral. You know, it was real bikes. One of their members had hit a lamp post and died. And the m their mother was a Buddhist and invited me to come to the funeral to, you know, support her. In the end, I ended up doing the funeral service. One of the best funerals I've ever done cuz no bikes. They came in all their leathers and chains and whatever else they had on. and all their their girlfriends again came as if they were going to a dance or a nightclub, not a funeral. They're all dressed up. That was their culture. But I looked a bit weird as well to them cuz I was dressed in brown. And I ended up doing the funeral service. But there was so I always remember it because after the funeral service was concluded, they all came up to me, nice service, sir. Thank you for that, sir. They were just so polite. It totally changed my idea of a, you know, bikey just I was on their side that day
▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 27:43 (to 28:52)
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)
Asked to support a grieving mother, Ajahn Brahm ended up taking her son's funeral in Fremantle, surrounded by bikies in leathers who looked as strange to him as he did to them. Afterwards they thanked him so politely it changed his view of bikies. Grief makes everyone family. Include people, whatever they look like.
In brief (our summary)
A young bikie hits a lamp post and dies; his Buddhist mother asks Ajahn Brahm to support her, and he ends up conducting the funeral in Fremantle. The bikies come in leathers and chains, their girlfriends dressed as if for a nightclub — and he in brown robes looks just as odd to them. Afterwards they all come up: 'Nice service, sir. Thank you, sir.' So polite that it changes his idea of bikies.
Teaching point
Include people whatever they look like; grief makes everyone kin.
When this story may help
Themes
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Brahm in Expectations Cause Suffering | Ajahn Brahm | 24 June 2022 · 2022-06-24 · ▶ watch from 27:43 to 28:52 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia
4 other tellings of this story
- Living Without Blame | Ajahn Brahm | 05-12-2014 · 2014-12-07 · ▶ watch from 4:23 to 6:52 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia2014 telling: the mother tried to conduct the service herself, broke down and called out 'there's a professional in here somewhere. Brahm, help'; he did it impromptu; 'thank you sir... great service sir'.
- Expectations | Ajahn Brahm | 15 April 2016 · 2016-04-15 · ▶ watch from 21:35 to 23:04 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaApr 2016 telling: Fremantle crematorium; short skirts and low-cut blouses 'like a nightclub'; afterwards the bikies are polite — 'thank you sir'. Prefaced by not reclining his seat behind a 'Coffin Cheaters' tattooed passenger on AirAsia.
- Right Speech | Ajahn Brahm | 22 March 2013 · 2013-03-27 · ▶ watch from 9:36 to 10:24 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaMar 2013 telling: Fremantle bikie funeral — leathers and unexpected kindness.
- Vesak Day (Afternoon) | 11 May 2025 · 2025-05-11 · ▶ watch from 22:31 to 23:17 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaVesak 2025: Fremantle bikie funeral — mother breaks down; crematorium full of club colours.
Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions (machine-punctuated); words left exactly as captioned. 'Freo' = Fremantle; 'no bikes' probably = (garbled).
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