Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

The naughtiest novice

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Superstitions | Ajahn Brahm | 12-01-2007

1 min read

Content note: crude bodily prank on a sleeping person by a minor (novice); not suitable without heavy editing — review before any use; told as Ajahn Chah told it to him (second-hand)

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

remember him once talking about the naughtiest novice he always like talking about these novice marks he said the naughtiest novice remember talking he was just laughing all over said this is what he's done this is on the side this naughtiest novice there was this old monk who was always really really sleepy so he sleep in the afternoon so when he slept he slept so deeply and nothing would wake him up so the no novice got one of these jack fruit seeds now jackf fruit seeds are about this big and he I'm going to tell you this because Adent child told me this he lifted up the back of his saong and tried to put it in his anus you know so be constipated this was a naughty novice and he tried to get it in but it was just couldn't get it in so he tried a couple of times so you can imagine sort of you know what stuff which was smeared on it so the novice started chewing it to make it soft enough that you push it inag fin vanished it so this poor old M when he woke up oh I can't go the toilet I can't get the toilet that was like a naughty novice

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 38:51 (to 40:01)

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

Ajahn Chah laughed as he told of his naughtiest novice and an outrageous prank on a sleeping old monk, and he didn't punish him. Ajahn Brahm explains why. Punishment mostly teaches fear, evasion and confusion. When a child, or anyone, misbehaves, acknowledge it, forgive, and help them learn. Karma always leaves room to change.

In brief (our summary)

Ajahn Chah, laughing, tells Ajahn Brahm about his naughtiest novice: an old monk slept so deeply in the afternoons that nothing woke him, so the novice tried to push a jackfruit seed into his backside to constipate him, chewing it soft when it wouldn't go in. The old monk woke unable to go to the toilet. Ajahn Brahm's point: Ajahn Chah never punished anyone — punishment teaches nothing.

Teaching point

Punishment teaches fear and evasion; acknowledging, forgiving and learning is the better way.

When this story may help

  • disciplining children
  • dealing with misbehaviour

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Superstitions | Ajahn Brahm | 12-01-2007 · 2007-01-15 · ▶ watch from 38:51 to 40:01 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned. 'aanch'/'Adent child' = Ajahn Chah; 'saong' = sabong (lower robe); 'inag fin vanished it' is garbled (probably 'and he finally managed it'); 'M' = monk.

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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