# Funeral chants at a wedding

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-funeral-chant-at-wedding
- Themes: chanting, mistakes, humour, intention
- Life situations: weddings, making mistakes in public

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Too tired, Ajahn Brahm starts the chanting for funerals instead of a wedding blessing — and once you start you can't stop. He never tells them; they're still happily married. The power, he says, was in the feeling, not the words.

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

I was doing marriage chants for somebody and I got it wrong because I was too tired. I gave the chanting for funerals instead of marriage. True. And once you start you can't stop. So I gave the chant. And I never told them I they're still happily married.

## Teaching point

The power of chanting comes from the chanter's goodwill, not the exact words.

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

Too tired to notice, Ajahn Brahm started the funeral chant at a wedding, couldn't stop, and never told the couple. They're still happily married. The goodwill mattered more than the words. When you slip up while trying to help someone, the kindness behind it usually carries through anyway.

## Source

- [Our Mind and Our Health | Ajahn Brahm | 7 July 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irCk-DJXisM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 53:57 to 54:19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irCk-DJXisM&t=3237s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Relax the Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 13 June 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_HZAqnmAYM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:09:44 to 1:10:07: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_HZAqnmAYM&t=4184s