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Story · Ajahn Brahm

The lottery shop he blessed

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Stress - Overreaction to Life | Ajahn Brahm | 9 March 2018

1 min read

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

this was of this blessing once a Friend of mine here. He said the friend of a friend one of the people who came here very often And he's moved out of Perth now. He said one of his friends was opening up a small business Can I come and bless the business for him and of course you know just a blessing is just just giving you extra energy? You know making you feel good Just like you know the your honor the grounds of the football stadium or the cricket pitch and you cheer on your team Just my father cheered me on when I was playing soccer that meant a lot to me that made lifted up my spirit So I decided to go and chant for this business But you know I do get very busy sometimes and sometimes I forget to ask what type of business is it and this was a lottery store I Won't say which which shopping center this was in but I went there just opening out first time and I Really gave it a big full blessing ajahn brahm superpower And it was only about a year later two years later. I read in the West Australian Saturday edition clue to get the Saturday paper here to find out what's going on and There was a big article about this the most successful lottery outlet in Australia And I realized oh my goodness the one that I blessed I better not bless anymore

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 9:31 (to 11:09)

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

He gave his full blessing to a small business without asking what it sold, and it became the most successful lottery outlet in Australia. He decided he'd better stop blessing. The joke turns serious: sudden wealth often brings worry rather than happiness. If good fortune comes, enjoy it lightly and share it; contentment was never in the ticket.

In brief (our summary)

Asked to bless a friend-of-a-friend's new small business, a busy Ajahn Brahm gives it his full blessing without asking what it is. A year or two later the West Australian reports it is the most successful lottery outlet in Australia — it was the shop he blessed.

Teaching point

(Told for laughs before a teaching that wealth often destroys happiness rather than creating it.)

When this story may help

  • hoping to win the lottery
  • financial stress
  • starting a business

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Stress - Overreaction to Life | Ajahn Brahm | 9 March 2018 · 2018-03-18 · ▶ watch from 9:31 to 11:09 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

1 other telling of this story

Caption notes: Captions are unpunctuated with many mis-hearings although TubeAlfred marks them non-auto; words left as captioned. The final words are captioned 'I better not bless anymore mother' — span ends before 'mother' (probable mis-hearing).

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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