# Sit still under the mango tree

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Analogy
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-chah-sit-under-the-mango-tree
- Themes: meditation, letting go, patience, Ajahn Chah
- Life situations: striving too hard, meditation practice

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Ajahn Chah's simile, taught in a monastery that was a mango orchard: the only way to get the mangoes is to sit perfectly still under the tree and hold out your hand, and a mango will fall. Climb the tree, shake it or blow it up and you won't get them. Ajahn Brahm thought it mad at first, then found it true; he reads the open hand as kindness — open the door of your heart.

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

I'm going to finish off with one of Ajahn Chah's profound stories which I usually only give at retreats but now I think it's good time to share it here I was telling this in Thailand many people, they have read books by Ajah Chah but this is not in any of those books. The great teacher was telling me how to meditate and get enlightened. How to be at peace with myself, how to be free And this is the essence of the talk which I have just being giving about no authority. One of the reasons why Buddhism is growing in our modern world. He said when I first went to his monastery about 38 years ago now. He said his monastery in this forest in the middle of the Northeast of Thailand; he said his forest was a mango orchard. He said those mango trees were planted by the Buddha himself. He said those mango trees are now mature; and there’re thousands of ripe juicy sweet mangoes hanging off the branches and twigs of all those trees. He said, "you monks, nuns, men and women in these days; you don't need to climb the tree to get a mango you don't need to shake the tree, you don't even need to throw a stick up at the tree to get a mango All you need to do to get a mango is just to hold out your hand, open our palm and a mango will fall into it". When I heard that I thought that's absolutely stupid and crazy. I have known mango trees; if I sat under a mango tree with my hand open way before, it would probably be hours before a mango fell anyway, if it did fell; knowing my luck it would fall on my head. (laughter) Never in my hand. But that was Ajahn Chah's simile. You know what he meant now.. Stop shaking the Mango Tree. Stop trying to control your partner. Stop trying to climb the tree of life. Sit underneath it, Open the door of your heart to the beautiful peace and happiness freedom whatever you want in life will just fall into it

## Teaching point

Deep meditation comes from stillness and non-wanting, not effort or bargaining.

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

Ajahn Chah said the way to get mangoes isn't to climb or shake the tree but to sit still beneath it with an open hand. Ajahn Brahm thought it mad, then found it true. Stop shaking the tree of life and trying to control your partner. Sit quietly, open your heart, and good things fall in.

## Source

- ['Out of Control' | by Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEnU5BBr_7Y) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 47:54 to 50:10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEnU5BBr_7Y&t=2874s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Dealing with addictions | by Ajahn Brahm | 19 June 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eiGPAIyK8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 55:01 to 56:57: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eiGPAIyK8&t=3301s
- [Expectations Cause Suffering | Ajahn Brahm | 24 June 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z8q_FWbWa8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:03:52 to 1:04:46: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z8q_FWbWa8&t=3832s
- [How To Be A Happy Hermit | Ajahn Brahm | 15-01-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx7n5CpmWRM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 38:23 to 40:59: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx7n5CpmWRM&t=2303s
- [Open Heart Surgery | Ajahn Brahm | 2 December 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v95aoXbHAf0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 10:37 to 13:23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v95aoXbHAf0&t=637s
- [Patience and Renunciation | Ajahn Brahm | 19 January 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TNyHK0hbnA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 6:36 to 7:33: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TNyHK0hbnA&t=396s
- [Meditating under the Mango Tree | Ajahn Brahm | 4 July 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaf-tp43W4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 32:06 to 33:11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaf-tp43W4&t=1926s
- [Hard Questions To A Soft Teacher (2/2) | Ajahn Brahm & Venerable Canda | 7 November 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4Qs6v1orD8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 16:07 to 16:23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4Qs6v1orD8&t=967s
- [Day 3 Morning talk on Stillness Nov 2013 Ajahn Brahm Retreat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsU2mJ0_9us) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 7:17 to 8:09: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsU2mJ0_9us&t=437s