# The donkey in the well

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-donkey-in-well
- Themes: criticism, resilience, karma, humour
- Life situations: being criticised, bullying, unfair treatment at work, public criticism, insults from partner

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A farmer tries to bury a donkey that fell into a dry well; with every shovelful of dirt, the donkey shakes it off and steps up on it, until it climbs out, bites the farmer and runs away.

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

there was a donkey, just walking happily along in the forest, just munching and minding its own business. Because it wasn't mindful, he fell into a well, the well was dry so it didn't drown, and he didn't really injure himself, just a few bruises and scratches. When the donkey came to his senses he realized he was at the bottom of a well and there's no way up because donkeys can't climb. The only thing the donkey thought he could do was to cry for help to get someone's attention otherwise he would die down there of starvation. So he started crying for help. [makes donkey sound] I can't really do donkey noises, as I think now you have understood because probably I've got no previous incarnations as a donkey. [laughter] Ajahn: Those people who imitate animal noises, it must be that in your last life you were an animal. [laughter] As for me, I wasn't a donkey in my last life so [makes donkey sound] is the best I can do. " [makes donkey sound] ," said the donkey again and again. After a couple of hours actually somebody heard him. It was the local farmer. "What's making that noise?" He came over and saw it was coming from the well. He looked down, "my goodness, a donkey has fallen down that well." Now that farmer never liked that donkey. The donkey was always eating his farm produce and was being very stubborn. He'd never do what the farmer wanted. He also realized that well was a very dangerous thing. Somebody might fall in that well, a human. He thought of a wonderful idea. He could get rid of that dangerous well and the donkey at the same time. He got out a spade and started filling that well with earth. The cruel farmer. Now, if you do something like that it's called "bad karma." If you do any bad karma you're going to get unpleasant consequences, as you will see as this story develops. [laughter] So this donkey at the bottom of the well, thinking at first the farmer would help him, realized the farmer's trying to kill him by shoveling all this dirt over the donkey. When the donkey realized that, [makes donkey sound] even louder. [laughter] But that didn't stop the farmer. He just kept shoveling more dirt over this donkey, more and more dirt, trying to fill in the well and bury the donkey alive. After a while the donkey went quiet and never said anything. The farmer thought, "I've killed him." "I've buried him. Good riddance," and kept on shoveling. But the donkey hadn't died. The donkey, who must have also gone to Nollamara in the previous life... [laughter] Ajahn: ...had insight. He was a very smart donkey. Never underestimate donkeys. His insight was this. Instead of complaining when people throw dirt all over you, instead of complaining, just shake it off, tread it in, and he found he was growing a centimeter taller. The next shovel full of earth, shake it off, stamp it in, he's another centimeter higher. Every shovel of earth, he was getting closer and closer to the top of the well. Now the farmer, thinking the donkey had died already, paid no attention at all, shoveling, shoveling, when a pair of donkey ears appeared above the top of the well. Shovel, shovel, shovel. Shake it off, stamp it in, until a donkey head appeared at the top of the well. Before the farmer realized, the donkey was close enough to the surface it jumped out and bit the farmer on the backside. [laughter] Ajahn: Not because the donkey didn't like the farmer, but because he had to show the farmer the law of karma. [laughter] He was just an agent of cause and effect. He ran away. That's how the donkey escaped from the well.

## Teaching point

“shake it off, stamp it down, and you will rise up” — when criticised, don't let it bury you (my translation).

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

Every shovelful meant to bury the donkey became a step up, once it stopped braying and started shaking. Criticism works the same way: a sharp word from a partner, a colleague or a stranger only buries you if you let it settle. Shake it off, tread it down, and you rise a little. Biting the farmer is optional.

## Source

- [Dealing With Difficult People | Ajahn Brahm | 28 Nov 2008](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jniaUr_7438) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 53:37 to 58:08: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jniaUr_7438&t=3217s

Other tellings of this story:

- [How to deal with blame and criticism | Ajahn Brahm | 18 Nov 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39mEezTbMcc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 9:30 to 14:14: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39mEezTbMcc&t=570s
- [On Patience | Ajahn Brahm | 26-06-2009](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl0Lyxi8nbQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 49:01 to 54:19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl0Lyxi8nbQ&t=2941s
- [Living Without Blame | Ajahn Brahm | 05-12-2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR5c4h7Tmo0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 36:55 to 42:04: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR5c4h7Tmo0&t=2215s
- [Growing from Difficulties | Ajahn Brahm | 3 April 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0EQZ-nakfo) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:28 to 7:07: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0EQZ-nakfo&t=88s
- [Acceptance and Rejection | Ajahn Brahm | 1 March 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLZqW5r3XLo) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 45:40 to 49:42: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLZqW5r3XLo&t=2740s
- [Checking Your Expectations | Ajahn Brahm | 17 December 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DEK6Ag_0go) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:01:30 to 1:02:02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DEK6Ag_0go&t=3690s
- [Where to Find Peace and Happiness | Ajahn Brahm | 29 May 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGtlZIlUoaM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 23:29 to 25:08: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGtlZIlUoaM&t=1409s
- [Thanks A Lot For Gratitude | Ajahn Brahm | 4 Jan 2008](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3hLLsPO5mE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 48:18 to 50:49: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3hLLsPO5mE&t=2898s
- [Dhamma Talk | Ajahn Brahm | 28 April 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFy2ztNpf64) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:04:17 to 1:04:54: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFy2ztNpf64&t=3857s
- [Ajahn Brahm June 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is0HLdZk1j4) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 21:38 to 22:07: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is0HLdZk1j4&t=1298s
- [O radzeniu sobie z trudnymi ludźmi - Ajahn Brahm [LEKTOR PL]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPz6-oAxM7Q) (Sasana.pl) — watch from 53:24 to 58:26: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPz6-oAxM7Q&t=3204s