# The priest who recognised Buddhist monks

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-catholic-priest-recognised-us-as-monks
- Themes: interfaith, identity, Australia, monastic life
- Life situations: interfaith dialogue, new country

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Early Australia: asks a Catholic priest if 'monk/nun' is alright; priest says yes — not for robes or bald heads but for poverty, service and surrender inside the robes.

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

Catholic priest I got to know here say is it right are you happy that we call ourselves monks or nuns because that is like a Christian word and he said well look I've looked how you behave you know you ask simple you just have few possessions you know you're serving and being kind you have surrendered a lot he said we would recognize you as monks or nuns

## Teaching point

The name monk is earned by what the robes cover, not the cloth.

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

Early in Australia, Ajahn Brahm asked a Catholic priest whether it was all right to call themselves monks and nuns. Yes, the priest said, not because of robes or shaved heads, but because of their simplicity, service and surrender. What's inside matters more than the cloth. That holds for everyone, robed or not.

## Source

- [Building Hearts Not Halls | Ajahn Brahm | 01-01-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpJLYVTqnUY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 23:12 to 23:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpJLYVTqnUY&t=1392s