# Two crooked bricks at the Chinese university

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-chinese-uni-suicide-two-bricks
- Themes: suicide, education, fault-finding, perspective, Hong Kong
- Life situations: suicidal thoughts, exam despair, harsh self-criticism

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Invited to the Chinese University in Sha Tin (captioned Chartin), Hong Kong, because of student suicides, he told the two-bad-bricks story — wanting to blow up a wall over two faults. He says the suicide rate went down; kids who fixate on a couple of faults can understand wanting to destroy everything.

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

they invited me to the Chinese university in Chartin and the reason was because they had lots of uh students committing suicide and that's the story I told apparently it worked many of those students the suicide rate went down said why I wanted to blow up a wall destroy it because I saw two faults how many Kids see a couple of faults and they focus on that's all they see. You can understand why you want to blow it up. You can't stand it any longer

## Teaching point

Seeing only faults can make life feel worth destroying; balance saves lives.

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

Asked to help a Hong Kong university troubled by student suicides, Ajahn Brahm told his story of two bad bricks. If we see only our faults, life can feel unbearable. Step back, and the many good bricks appear. Mistakes are normal. If you feel that hopeless, please reach out to a crisis line or someone you trust today.

## Source

- [The Dangers of Complaining | Ajahn Brahm | 1 March 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYLHU0eddYA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 19:18 to 20:03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYLHU0eddYA&t=1158s