# “Why?” — Ajahn Chah's answer: nothing

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-chah-why-nothing
- Themes: teacher and student, emptiness, meditation, humility
- Life situations: spiritual practice, not understanding a teacher, learning

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

After an inspiring talk by Ajahn Chah, the young monk skips attending him at the sauna and sits two blissful hours in meditation behind the hall. Coming out, he walks to serve his teacher and meets him on the path. Ajahn Chah looks into him — Ajahn Brahm feels his mind being looked through, and for once doesn't mind. “Brahmavamso — why?” “I don't know.” Ajahn Chah laughs his head off, then says seriously, “I'll tell you the answer: there's nothing. Do you understand?” “Yes.” “No, you don't,” — and walks off.

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

He did have psychic powers sometimes. He could read people's minds. I remember he read my mind once on a retreat. You want to hear this story? Yeah. Come on. Because this is a deep part of this talk. Many of you heard it on retreats. But when people give really good talks, I mean very deep talks, they're inspiring. And on this occasion, Ajan came to the monastery where I was staying and he gave a talk and that day really hit the spot. everything being explained so beautifully and just oh your your mind is so inspired and peaceful and joyful and then know we had actually built a sauna for him you know sauners were not invented in uh Sweden or wherever they had sauners in Buddhist monasteries in India from the very beginning they talk about it in the ancient books you know sauners for the monks and nuns And [gasps] uh so we built him a sauna and he came over. So he gave a talk. I was so inspired. Achanta went off to the sauna and I was basically so inspired. There's so many other monks looking after acha. I decided just to go around the back of the hall and sit quietly meditating. I just I didn't want to waste that beautiful energy. cross my legs two hours. Oh, just blissing my head out. Beautiful meditation. So deep, so peaceful. And of course, when you go in deep meditation, you just don't know how long, but [snorts] you know, 2 hours it was. When I came out of that meditation afterwards, the first thought was you got lots of joy and peace and happiness is to do something good for your teacher. So I decided, well, I'm probably too late. Let's go and walk see if I can be of any service to him. So off I went walking towards the sauna and I was too late because he'd already finished the sauna. He was walking back with his driver and another Thai man. And we would cross the path and as we were about to cross you he looked at me and he l you know sometimes like only great teachers can really look at you just looking right into you. And for once, for once I didn't mind him looking into my mind. Other days, no. [laughter] I'd be embarrassed. But that day, my mind was, you know, just after a very deep, beautiful meditation, so pure and so peaceful, so bright. And it's very hard for me to uh to make you believe this, but many [snorts] of you know that I'm honest. I don't gain anything out of these stories, but you can actually feel him. This is my perception which I remember very clearly inside your mind just having a look just checking around like going in somebody's room or house and just having a walk around and I just yeah please come in for once I don't mind you having looking around today is is quite [snorts] clean and peaceful and beautiful inside and then when he emerged out this is just how I felt okay his body didn't disappear and just go up my nostrils or I think this was just you know his mind coming into my mind and reading everything and afterwards he looked at me very you can't say kindly you can't say fiercely was some other expression on his face just grabbing your attention eye to eye and of course my name is Ajan Brah but the full name is Brahma so he looked at me and said Brahma quite fiercely but kindly And then he said, "Why?" And he looked at me with so much kindness but strength. Why? And I was still only a young monk. And my answer was, "I don't know." And he laughed his head off. These stupid Western monks. [laughter] He was trying his best to try and enlighten me. He saw I was very peaceful and give it a shot anyway. But whenever you do something stupid like that, idiotic, you know, as far as wisdom is concerned, a child just burst out laughing. Our idiotic responses and behavior cause him so much pleasure, so much laughter. I think that's why he had so many western monks in his monastery to entertain him. No, there's a lot of kindness there too. But then he became serious again and he looked at me once more. He said, "Broma, I'll tell you the answer." And wow, I was really excited. This great monk was giving me a personal teaching just after come out of a deep meditation and he asked me the question why I got it wrong. But he wanted to tell me what the answer was. the answer to the question why from Achan he looked at me I'll tell you the answer I was so excited and he said my me I any Thai people here oh yes you know what that means he said there's nothing there's nothing. And then he looked at me and said, "Bamsa, do you understand with a lot of kindness?" I said, "Yes." And he looked at me again and said, "No, you don't." [laughter] And he went away. Oh, that really hurt. [laughter] But what a beautiful lesson that was. Just when he gave me that wonderful answer, what's the answer to the question? Why? Why? Answer is is nothing. Do you understand? No, you don't. [laughter] But one day you will. Seeds have been planted.

## Teaching point

Seeds of understanding are planted even when we don't yet understand; whatever happens, there's something to learn.

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

After two blissful hours of meditation, the young monk met Ajahn Chah on the path, was asked why, and admitted he didn't know. The answer was 'nothing', and no, he didn't understand. It stung, and he treasured it. Not understanding yet is fine. Seeds get planted long before they sprout, in practice and in relationships.

## Source

- [Having a Good Relationship with Life | Ajahn Brahm | 9 October 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_3C-49o_78) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 38:39 to 45:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_3C-49o_78&t=2319s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Energy in our Body and Mind from Inspiration | Ajahn Brahm | 2 November 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWz3LAAj-J0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 46:02 to 52:53: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWz3LAAj-J0&t=2762s
- [Word of the Buddha (Part 14) | Ajahn Brahm | 24 March 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sYyIcbWxtA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 59:51 to 1:01:02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sYyIcbWxtA&t=3591s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 16 May 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97e33-2TDls) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:13:37 to 1:18:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97e33-2TDls&t=4417s