Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Money or wisdom?

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Expectations Cause Suffering | Ajahn Brahm | 24 June 2022

1 min read

Content note: apocryphal anecdote; he says 'I don't know if they're true or not'

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

that Gandhi was challenged by his professor of law. Mr. Gandhi, if you walking down the street and you saw these two big bags, one contained money and the other contained wisdom. Which one would you take up? You can only take one up and take away with you. Money or wisdom? And Gandhi said, I would take the money. That's a trouble with you students these days. You only think of money. And Gandhi replied, "Sir, we always take that which we don't have." Implying very easily that Gandhi was a poor student, but his professor had no wisdom.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 16:00 (to 16:50)

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

Asked whether he'd pick up a bag of money or a bag of wisdom, the young Gandhi chose money: we always take what we don't have. The professor was outwitted. True or not, the story makes Ajahn Brahm ask why we're never at peace with ourselves. Stop trying to look richer or kinder than you are.

In brief (our summary)

Gandhi's law professor asks him: if you found two bags in the street, one of money and one of wisdom, and could take only one, which would you take? Gandhi: 'The money.' 'That's the trouble with you students — you only think of money.' Gandhi: 'Sir, we always take that which we don't have.'

Teaching point

A witty reversal: what we reach for shows what we lack.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Expectations Cause Suffering | Ajahn Brahm | 24 June 2022 · 2022-06-24 · ▶ watch from 16:00 to 16:50 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions (machine-punctuated); 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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