# Two hours on Bunbury beach

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-bunbury-beach-bikini-schoolgirls
- Themes: meditation, stillness, humour, inspiration
- Life situations: meditating in public, being noticed

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

With a free afternoon before teaching at Bunbury prison, Ajahn Brahm meditates for two hours, eyes closed, on a deserted stretch of beach. He opens his eyes to find a 17-year-old blonde in a bikini on one side and a brunette on the other. Year 12s from the school opposite had just finished their last exam and come to the beach; seeing a monk perfectly still, they waited half an hour to ask him questions. He answers and leaves as soon as he can — imagine if anyone had a camera.

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

there was one time when I did go to sit quietly on a beach and that was a time when I sat on Bumbbury Beach. I had a free afternoon before going to the prison to teach. And when I was sitting on that beach, it was an abandoned part of the beach. There's no one there at all. Just me and the waves. And I sat there. It's peaceful. So I sat there for two hours, eyes closed, going nice and deeply inside. And when I opened my eyes, what I saw shocked me. It was only two hours. I opened my eyes and I saw on my left was a 17-year-old young woman in a bikini, a blonde, young, pretty. She was just sitting right next to me on one side. On the other side, there was a brunette also in a bikini. 17year-old sitting on this side. Honestly, you can't make these situations up. And I thought, what happened? And how did I know it was 17year-old? Because they told me that they had just finished the last exam at school, the year 12s. And that's usually 17 year olds take those. The last exams, the school was just opposite side of the road. But when I went and sat there, they was just still doing their exams. So, it was nice and quiet. And then afterwards, they came out in their bthers. The guys were there as well. And they were just enjoying last exam is over. Let's go to the beach and just enjoy ourselves. And they saw this monk sitting there perfectly, perfectly still. I wasn't doing anything. Just sitting quietly by myself. But that inspired them. That's why this young lady on one side and young lady on the other side and they just waiting. They said they'd be waiting for about half an hour or so for me to come out of meditation so they could ask their questions. And they were really impressed that I could actually sit there quietly with these two young uh I better not say was it No. Okay, I won't say that. What does that word spell? Yeah, bimbo. Oh my goodness, I'm going to get in trouble. See the next. But anyway, that's that's all they wanted. Just ask a few questions. So, I answered them and went away as soon as I could. I knew that because if anyone had a camera, honestly, how can you explain that? There's a there's a monk with these two beautiful young ladies in bikini on either side by the beach. I've never done that again. If I want to meditate for two hours, go somewhere else quieter.

## Teaching point

Stillness itself inspires people — but choose your meditation spot wisely.

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

Ajahn Brahm meditated two hours on an empty Bunbury beach and opened his eyes to find two school leavers waiting with questions. He answered politely and left quickly, imagining the photo. He laughs about choosing quieter spots now. The point stays: stillness alone can inspire people, without a single word.

## Source

- [Happiness and Wanting | Ajahn Brahm | 24 February 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taAa3uWPm2o) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 42:34 to 46:06: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taAa3uWPm2o&t=2554s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Getting Along with Difficult Family Members | Ajahn Brahm | 18 June 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SKiukqiAK8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 11:18 to 13:42: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SKiukqiAK8&t=678s
- [Finding fault or finding beauty | by Ajahn Brahm | 5 June 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K8ejLdmOK8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 19:02 to 20:29: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K8ejLdmOK8&t=1142s
- [Freedom Of Desire | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0lYr9JctE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:26 to 16:18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0lYr9JctE&t=926s
- [The Four Jhanas | Ajahn Brahm | 13 November 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQrqbUc9Jb8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:00:51 to 1:01:37: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQrqbUc9Jb8&t=3651s
- [The Joy of Helping Others | Ajahn Brahm | 28 July 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJEFCmolcXo) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 29:43 to 30:41: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJEFCmolcXo&t=1783s
- [Joy and Power of Peace | Ajahn Brahm | 13 February 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaYAEgABL2M) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 9:57 to 11:43: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaYAEgABL2M&t=597s
- [Inclusiveness | Ajahn Brahm | 17 March 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmVeZu4KmvY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 17:19 to 19:21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmVeZu4KmvY&t=1039s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 17 July 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yaa6b9barg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 8:54 to 11:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yaa6b9barg&t=534s