# 'The execution was too fast'

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-execution-was-too-fast
- Themes: revenge, victimhood, forgiveness, punishment
- Life situations: wanting revenge, crime and justice, grief after violence

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

At a conference on reconciliation and forgiveness, a Catholic priest tells Ajahn Brahm of relatives of a murder victim in the United States who attended the murderer's execution. Afterwards they said the execution was too fast — it should have been slower. Ajahn Brahm says hearing that really hurt him.

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

I was sitting next to a Catholic Priest who told me an anecdote from the United States, where some of the relations of a person who was, I think killed, murdered, attended the execution of the relation's, loved-one's murderer. And after witnessing the execution, came back and said, the execution was too fast. It should've been slower. That really hurt me so much.

## Teaching point

Attachment to being a victim makes us want others to suffer; it keeps us from freedom.

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

Relatives of a murder victim watched the killer's execution and complained it was too fast. Hearing that hurt Ajahn Brahm deeply. Their pain was real, but wanting more suffering keeps the wound open. An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. Healing begins when we stop needing the other to hurt.

## Source

- [Freedom: The Path To Happiness | Ajahn Brahm | 11-05-2007](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnY050r025I) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 14:39 to 15:14: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnY050r025I&t=879s