Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Sit and meditate — or get out

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Buddhism and Ghosts | Ajahn Brahm | 10 March 2023

1 min read

Content note: paranormal

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

There's one of the ex-monks who's still alive and still supports uh our Buddhist society. He told me once that he was in one monastery which was a cremation ground over in Thailand. And it's supposed to have been notorious for ghosts. And he was meditating there one day. And you know what it's like when you meditate, sometimes you get tired. So, he had his legs stretched out, leaning against the wall. And he felt somebody pull his leg. I don't mean a joke, it actually tugged it. And he thought, "Oh, this must be like a good spirit trying to make him be more diligent." But, that was only the start of this being coming into his hut. Cuz the being was starting to come in. And he would notice it coming in cuz it had a very bad smell. And he soon realized it was one of the ghosts. And it would always um tease him. Or just try and irritate him. But, the way he overcame that, and this is why I tell the story, anyone of you have any problems with ghosts, the way he overcame that was one day he put another cushion next to him. When the ghost came in, he said, "You can come in, but you sit down and meditate like me, or get out of here." He scolded the ghost. And because he scolded the ghost, that was the last time the ghost came in.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 26:56 (to 28:48)

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

Meditating in a Thai cremation-ground monastery, a monk felt something tug his leg and a foul presence enter his hut. He put out a second cushion: sit and meditate, or leave. It never returned. Ajahn Brahm's advice: meet what frightens you with kindness, or with calm authority, but never be ruled by fear.

In brief (our summary)

An ex-monk supporting the BSWA, meditating at a Thai cremation-ground monastery, feels a tug on his outstretched leg and then a foul-smelling presence entering his hut. He puts out a second cushion and tells the ghost to sit and meditate or leave. After that scolding it never returns.

Teaching point

You can meet a ghost with kindness or with firm authority; humans have the higher ground.

When this story may help

  • feeling haunted
  • setting boundaries

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Buddhism and Ghosts | Ajahn Brahm | 10 March 2023 · 2023-03-10 · ▶ watch from 26:56 to 28:48 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

2 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions with machine-added punctuation; words left exactly as captioned.

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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