# 'Joy at last to know there's no happiness in the world'

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Analogy
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-chah-joy-at-last-no-happiness
- Themes: acceptance, suffering, happiness, letting go
- Life situations: chronic dissatisfaction, perfectionism, relationship frustration

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A favourite image of Ajahn Chah's, which he used when visiting England about 25 years earlier: a statue in a monastery in southern Thailand of a fully enlightened monk throwing his hands up in absolute joy and bliss, with the caption 'Joy at last to know there's no happiness in the world.'

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

the great image which I want to bring to you is an image which was one of the favorite images of my teacher Rena and I remember this image because I saw this on somebody's Shrine last week it was a picture of aenta my teacher when he visited England about 25 years ago and he was just explaining this teaching to some monks by using a statue which is in a monastery in the south of Thailand where there is this monk putting his hands up in absolute joy in Bliss fully enlightened and the caption is Joy at last to know there's no happiness in the world Joy at last to know there's no happiness in this world

## Teaching point

When you stop seeking a perfect partner, body or life and embrace what is, peace and joy come by themselves.

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

A Thai statue shows an enlightened monk throwing his arms up in bliss under the caption: joy at last to know there's no happiness in this world. It sounds gloomy. Ajahn Brahm means relief. Stop hunting for the perfect partner, body or life out there, embrace what is, and joy arrives on its own.

## Source

- [Happiness Industry: Joy At Last! | Ajahn Brahm | 27-07-2007](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex5a4a40k6s) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 11:36 to 12:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex5a4a40k6s&t=696s

Other tellings of this story:

- [The Wisdom Borne of Silence | Ajahn Brahm | 1 Jan 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTiC0iDg-wk) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 53:01 to 53:25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTiC0iDg-wk&t=3181s