# The blank cheque he gave back

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-blank-cheque-returned
- Themes: generosity, trust, forgiveness
- Life situations: giving and receiving, trust, forgiveness

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

After a talk on generosity in which Ajahn Brahm muses that the finest gift would be a blank cheque, a man in the audience actually gives him one, signed. Ajahn Brahm keeps it for a couple of months and then hands it back: you can put whatever you like on it — not me.

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

Once ... a few months ago, I gave this talk on generosity. And I said that one of the most wonderful acts of generosity wouldn't it be wonderful if a person needs.... because sometimes you give things expecting something back in return, as I said last week about real giving. Sometimes one person..... I said in one talk, even actually, not even saying how much you're gonna give, let me decide, give me a blank check. And one person who's sitting here today gave me a blank check, signed, and I could put whatever amount I wanted on it. He said, put whatever you want on it, the blank check. Isn't that wonderful? Of course, you know what I did. I kept it for a couple of months. And then I gave it back to him. And said, you can put whatever you like on it; not me.

## Teaching point

Blank cheques — like the blank cheque of forgiveness — are never abused.

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

Someone handed Ajahn Brahm a signed blank cheque, and after a couple of months he gave it back. He meant it as a picture of forgiveness: whatever you do, I'm still here for you. Offer that to a son, a friend, yourself. He finds such forgiveness frees people rather than spoiling them.

## Source

- [Buddhism and Atheism | Ajahn Brahm | 16-04-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRutmoPEWaQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 30:18 to 31:11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRutmoPEWaQ&t=1818s