Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Bob Dylan on being famous

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Secret | Ajahn Brahm | 30 Dec 2007

1 min read

Content note: second-hand celebrity claim, unverified

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

Even when I was a young monk, there was a fellow monk his name was Garry, and I remember as a young man he grew up in Los Angeles, he met that filmstat who was that who played 'dirty harry' what was his name? Clint Eastwood, he met Clint Eastwood in his early days because they went to the same university together he told all these stories about being with the rich and the famous but he remembered once when that Singer Bob Dylan was in Los Angles he found out from his friends which hotel he was in and managed to use on of his contacts to sneak in the back and spend a whole evening and night with Bob Dylan. This is a famous man, at that time he was multi famous and Bob Dylan was saying ... no he was saying to Bob Dylan Ah it must be great being famous; Bob Dylan swore no its xxxx whatever it is, I can't repeat it here its terrible being famous. It's such a pain to be well known.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 21:17 (to 22:22)

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

A fellow monk who sneaked into Bob Dylan's hotel told him fame must be wonderful; Dylan, as the monk told it, swore it was terrible. Ajahn Brahm adds his own version: strangers stopping him with meditation questions on the way to the loo. Before chasing attention, count its costs. Ordinary anonymity has freedoms we rarely notice.

In brief (our summary)

A fellow monk, Garry, who grew up in Los Angeles among the famous, once sneaked into Bob Dylan's hotel and spent an evening with him. When Garry said it must be great being famous, Dylan swore: it's terrible — such a pain to be well known.

Teaching point

Fame is a misplaced craving; it brings suffering, not happiness.

When this story may help

  • wanting recognition
  • social media fame
  • celebrity

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Secret | Ajahn Brahm | 30 Dec 2007 · 2008-04-03 · ▶ watch from 21:17 to 22:22 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

2 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: Volunteer transcript: contains editorial annotations such as '(audience laughs)' and occasional misspellings ('bugler', 'tample'); kept as is.

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

  • The TV star he didn't recognise

    In brief: Teaching a small meditation class in Double Bay, Sydney, Ajahn Brahm notices a woman at the back smiling at him and wonders who on earth…

    Read full story

    Now one story. I should actually find out who this lady was, but she was some TV star. I think she was in Water Rats, or something. I don't know her name. Somebody told me, she is really really famous. If I told you her name now I think you would all know her. But I went to teach, it was just an afternoon meditation session in Sydney. This fellow had a little group in Darling Point, like a really top, affluent place of Sydney. So he's in this little group. There are about sort-of 20-30 people. I was talking about meditation. And this lady kept on looking at me and smiling. I didn't know, she was acting very strange. Not like an ordinary girl. [Laughter]. And, in the end, I just took it in my stride and taught the meditation etc., and afterwards I mentioned to the person organizing this and said, "That lady was acting really strange." And he told me that that was a famous TV actress. I figured out she was looking at me strangely because I didn't recognize her. What she was actually saying is, "See, it's me; I am the famous TV star." [laughter] Ajahn Brahm: And I didn't know. [laughter]

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • The lottery winner led to jail

    In brief: A happy man of modest means wins a US lottery of over a hundred million dollars; soon his picture is in the paper as he is led to jail.…

    Read full story

    A classic story is few years ago one of the people who won a huge lottery in the United States hundred million dollars or more , his picture was in the newspaper being led to jail He was a very happy man before he won the lottery and as soon as he won the lottery things started to go wrong in his life Sure before he won that lottery he didn't have much money he had enough to enjoy his life, to be able eat and have a modest little house and go out with his friends but as soon as he became really really wealthy all of his friends he could not trust anymore. all were asking for loans or bits of money here and there it was one of the problems with wealth; even though it promises you so much it tends to limit your enjoyment of the world rather than facilitate it

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • The Australian anjali

    In brief: At an international bhikkhuni conference, fed up with endless photos with palms joined, Ajahn Brahm suggests the senior nuns — Tenzin…

    Read full story

    so with the nuns I said look I'm an Australian Monk sort of instead of doing this Anjali it's called do the Australian form eventually kangaroo so all these photographs with all his senior nuns like tanzan Palmer why not don't get fed up with doing this so have a bit of fun funny guys it's much better than you know rabbit ears

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • The burglar who came back for compassion

    In brief: An abbot finds a knife-wielding burglar at the donation box, hands him the key, notices how thin he is and offers him leftover food —…

    Read full story

    its a nice story about a monastery somewhere in the world and in the middle of the night the Abbot was woken up when he heard a noise in the main shrine room So he got up and checked, and sure enough there was a burglar in the temple. As soon as the burglar saw the Abbot the burglar was trying to open the donation box and he told the Abbot just get out of here. And the Abbot took one look at the burglar instead of actually stopping the burglar opening the donation box 'here's the key' so the burglar took it and told not to do anything But the Abbot took one look at the burglar and like many burglars and this guy was so thin. So the Abbot asked him when was the last time you ate. Burglar said 'shut up' . When I give talks I always like to wake people up every now and again (audience laughs). 'Shut up' he said. But the Abbot didn't shut up he said 'look there is some left over food from this mornings meal in the cupboard, help yourself. And the man was hungry. So just looking at the Abbot and brandishing a knife from the kitchen he said 'don't come near. He quickly sort of stuffed some food into his mouth and the Abbot said 'don't rush, there is plenty of time' and the bugler opened the donation box emptied it, took some more food and ran away saying don't call the police, Abbot said I wan't the donations are there for charity, for compassion you are a poor person just take whatever you want I will clear with the committee tomorrow So the next day when the committee heard about this At least the guy was being kind and they liked the Abbot for being kind but usually what happens a few days later that bugler was caught robbing another house somewhere and was sentenced to jail The abbot forgot all about that and few years later The bugler returned with another knife. He came and said you remember me? I robbed this temple five years ago, now I have come to rob again; but the burglar said this time; but last time I took the wrong thing I took the money Putting down his knife he said now I have come to take compassion and wisdom, please show me how you were so kind to me, even though I was about to kill you and rob your tample. So the Bugler realizing for the first time he thought that money was happiness after those five years realized that kindness is more important than money he said the first time he have stolen the wrong thing now he come to take the right thing and asked the Abbot to teach him; compassion and Kindness.

    Open story page·Watch this telling

All stories·Find a story for your situation