# Buddhism and bananas

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Analogy
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-buddhism-and-bananas
- Themes: learning, meditation, humour
- Life situations: learning meditation, choosing a teacher

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

How do you peel a banana correctly? Go to the experts — not monks, monkeys. A monkey never peels a banana at the stalk; it peels from the flower end, which is much easier (try it with two bananas). In the same way, if you want to learn meditation, go to the experts: monks and nuns.

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

If you remember this similarly that when you eat a banana, you have to peel it first. How do you peel bananas? Do you peel bananas correctly or wrongly? How do you know how to peel a banana? You go to the experts. Who are the experts with bananas? Do you say monks? Monkeys. They're the experts. And if you ever see a monkey peel a banana, they never peel it at the stalk. The banana's got two ends. the stalk end and the other end is where the little flower was. It's much easier to peel it at the flower end. And that's how monkeys peel it. So next time you have a banana, just do an experiment. Peel it at two bananas, one at one end, one at the other end, and see just how monkeys were so wise. And as I said, I use that simile. If you want to learn something like meditation, who are the experts with meditation? Monks and nuns. Yes. So if you want to get the best teachings, go to the experts.

## Teaching point

Learn from those who actually do the thing.

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

Want to peel a banana properly? Ask the experts: monkeys open it from the flower end, which is much easier. Try it. Want to learn meditation? Go to people who actually spend their lives doing it. Ajahn Brahm adds that his monastery is cheaper, too. Learn from practitioners, not just talkers.

## Source

- [The Dangers of Fear | Ajahn Brahm | 4 November 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9QrmkzlBgE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 31:53 to 33:21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9QrmkzlBgE&t=1913s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Buddhism And Bananas | Ajahn Brahm | 03-06-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPQyYVa1i68) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 2:23 to 3:16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPQyYVa1i68&t=143s