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Story · Ajahn Brahm

Can I have a pineapple, please?

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Fault Finding Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 7 May 2021

1 min read

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

And of course, you know, the first time I learnt the Thai language, many of the Thai people know this story. That very early days in Thailand, all the monasteries were very poor. Wat Pah Pong where Ajahn Chah lived when I first went was really poor. So whenever you got anything, they had a big water jar. And you just put those things in the water jar, maybe toothpaste or toothbrushes, or anything you needed, like a towel. And so if you needed something, you just go and ask Ajahn Chah and say, "I need some toothpaste" and he just look inside there and said, "There is some. " and just give it to you. So this time I needed some soap, obviously you know to wash. But you had to ask in Thai so you know my Thai was not that good. So, the word for "soap" is S̄bū̀, not "S̄ạbpard". It's hardly any differences there, "S̄ạbpard" ,"S̄bū̀" but apparently "S̄ạbpard" means pineapple. So, I asked my great master, "Can I have a pineapple, please?" [laughter] And he said to me, he's very kind, he said, "What do you want the pineapple for?" I said, "To wash!" He never let me forget that. He said, "Oh, you know people in England, you know, they don't use soap like us. They are far more advanced, they use pineapples. [laughter] This Western culture is way ahead of ours."

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 41:03 (to 43:04)

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

The new Western monk asked Ajahn Chah for soap, mixed up the Thai words, and asked for a pineapple to wash with. Ajahn Chah never let him forget it: the English are so advanced, they wash with pineapples. Our mistakes bring laughter and lessons. Why be ashamed of them? Let them become good stories.

In brief (our summary)

At poor Wat Pah Pong, requisites were kept in a big water jar and you asked Ajahn Chah for what you needed. Needing soap, the new monk asks in his halting Thai — but mixes up the words for soap and pineapple. 'What do you want the pineapple for?' asks Ajahn Chah kindly. 'To wash!' Ajahn Chah never let him forget it: in England they don't use soap like us — they're far more advanced, they use pineapples.

Teaching point

Mistakes are a source of laughter and learning, not shame.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Fault Finding Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 7 May 2021 · 2021-05-07 · ▶ watch from 41:03 to 43:04 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

7 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is. Thai words as captioned: 'S̄bū̀' (soap, sabu) and 'S̄ạbpard' (pineapple, sapparot).

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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