# Caught with his trousers down in the bushfire

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-bushfire-trousers-down-evacuation
- Themes: humour, bushfire, monastery life, refugees
- Life situations: emergency, embarrassment

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

An Iranian ex-Muslim convert (named Muhammad, barred from a KL Buddhist talk, renamed in Australia) was at Bodhinyana in the 1991 fire; while evacuating he somehow stopped to change trousers and ran out without any — 'caught with your trousers down'.

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

So, as soon as he came to Australia, he changed his name. So, he was there during the bush fire. And I don't know why this happens. I'll always remember this. We were hiding in the main hall just protecting when the the fire front hit. And then we got the orders from you know to evacuate. And this guy What This is where you get the the word from, getting caught with your trousers down. For some reason, he decided to change his trousers. And as we were in the car waiting for him, he came running out without any trousers

## Teaching point

Emergencies make people do ridiculous things; laugh, then move.

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

As bushfire bore down on the monastery, one resident stopped to change his trousers and ran to the car with none on. Ajahn Brahm still laughs. The next morning he thought all his building work was gone. What to do? Start again. Laugh at the chaos, then get on with rebuilding.

## Source

- [The Pure Land | Ajahn Brahm | 08-01-2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWZ4umyhHA8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 20:55 to 21:28: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWZ4umyhHA8&t=1255s

Other tellings of this story:

- [How to Face Difficulties | Ajahn Brahm | 17 January 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kywgsnBXlXg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 29:38 to 32:56: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kywgsnBXlXg&t=1778s
- [Three In One | Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hac2MFrYJc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 9:55 to 10:31: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hac2MFrYJc&t=595s