Being Mindful Stories

Analogy · Ajahn Brahm

The tight bud before it blossoms

As told by Ajahn Brahm in You're Good Enough | Ajahn Brahm | 3 July 2020

1 min read

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

flower, somebody told me the first year I came here to to Perth. So many years ago, 36, 37 years ago now. They said, "Have you ever seen a flower just before it bursts into you know, the blossom, whatever it's called, bursts into flower? It's like a little bud. And if you can watch that bud, it gets you know, in the sheath. It gets so tight. As within that sheath which is supposed to be protecting it, all the little petals, the beautiful fragrant petals inside are growing and growing and growing. And the pressure is building up. In that sense, it must be very unpleasant for that time. But then there comes the point of catharsis and of change and the flower blooms. And it's gorgeous

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 8:25 (to 9:23)

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

Someone showed Ajahn Brahm a flower bud: inside its tight sheath, petals grow and press until the bud bursts into bloom. That pressure must feel uncomfortable. Our worries and disappointments can be like that, the squeeze before insight and kindness open. When life isn't going to plan, wait. A blossom may be coming.

In brief (our summary)

First year in Perth someone tells him: watch a flower bud — petals press tight inside the protective sheath until catharsis, then it blooms gorgeous. Unpleasant pressure precedes beauty.

Teaching point

The sheath that protects can also squeeze until the bloom breaks through.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in You're Good Enough | Ajahn Brahm | 3 July 2020 · 2020-07-04 · ▶ watch from 8:25 to 9:23 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

1 other telling 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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