# They gave him a wrapped box of nothing

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-birthday-gift-box-of-nothing
- Themes: simplicity, giving, humour, emptiness
- Life situations: choosing gifts, wanting less

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

When people ask what gift he wants for his birthday, a few who got the message wrap an empty box; he opens it and finds nothing — 'that's just what I wanted'.

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

They get a nice little box. They wrap it up and give it to me. And when I open the box, you know what's inside of it? Nothing. Ah, that's just what I wanted. How do you Did you [laughter] know? And it's beautiful. Just a nothing. The emptiness of life

## Teaching point

The gift that matches a monk's life is emptiness, not more things.

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

Asked what he'd like for his birthday, Ajahn Brahm hints, and a few people get it: they wrap an empty box. Inside is nothing at all. Just what he wanted, he beams. More stuff rarely brings more joy. Space, freedom and quiet are gifts that never clutter your life.

## Source

- [A Talk About Nothing | Ajahn Brahm | 16 July 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u40j_OlBL2U) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 28:25 to 28:53: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u40j_OlBL2U&t=1705s