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Story · Ajahn Brahm

The jewelled goblet: his last drink

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Importance of Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 07 Nov 2017

1 min read

Content note: alcohol abuse; vomiting / risk of choking

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

on one occasion the scholars dinner having drunk so much alcohol already we had to do a toast with this goblet silver goblet encrusted with jewels a cottage heirloom that was Emmanuel College in Cambridge and we had to fill with claret if I can remember properly to the brim we had to drain it drink the whole lot and then say a toast in Latin this was supposed to be an intelligent university I decide this this didn't make any sense to me and the following morning I don't know how I got back to my room but I woke up in the morning with a part of vomit on my pillow right next to me I didn't realize that that could have killed me people choked on that and died and I felt terrible for the next 24 hours everyone was saying what wonderful evening that was that was the last time I took any alcohol in my life

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 1:34:02 (to 1:35:13)

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

After draining a jewelled goblet of claret at a Cambridge dinner, he woke beside a pool of vomit, felt dreadful for a day, and heard everyone call it a wonderful evening. It was his last drink. Nobody had to forbid it. When you look honestly at what something does to you, the choice often makes itself.

In brief (our summary)

At an Emmanuel College scholars' dinner in Cambridge, after much port and claret, the students must drain a jewel-encrusted silver heirloom goblet brim-full of claret and give a toast in Latin. He wakes the next morning not knowing how he got to his room, with a pool of vomit next to him on the pillow — he could have choked — and feels terrible for 24 hours while everyone says what a wonderful evening it was. It was the last alcohol he ever took.

Teaching point

Mindfulness reveals that drinking makes no sense; wise people discover the precepts for themselves.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Importance of Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 07 Nov 2017 · 2017-12-13 · ▶ watch from 1:34:02 to 1:35:13 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

1 other telling of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned. 'cottage' = college (not changed).

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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