Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Gave away the furniture to a young couple

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Water the Flowers | Ajahn Brahm | 12 January 2024

1 min read

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

Nothing. It's yours." I remember them looking at each other. I said, "This this lad's crazy. He's mad cuz no one gives you expensive stuff like that." And then I said, "Look, I'm off to become a monk. I don't need a table. I don't need money. It's yours. Please take it now. Have a good start in your life. They were just a young couple, recently married, didn't have any kids yet, just starting off in life. And I had the opportunity, the means to give them this beautiful piece of furniture. They said, "All it cost me was nothing, but I got so much out of that. The joy of helping a couple of people I didn't know

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 26:05 (to 26:53)

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

Before becoming a monk, Ajahn Brahm gave his fine furniture to a young couple he didn't know, just starting out. They thought he was mad. It cost him nothing and gave him great joy. A celibate monk, he says he still loves and is loved: those who come to him are his family. Give freely and feel the joy.

In brief (our summary)

Before ordination he gives a young recently-married couple his expensive furniture for free — they look at each other thinking him mad; he is off to become a monk and does not need a table or money.

Teaching point

Renunciation starts when you put the table in someone else's hands.

When this story may help

  • leaving lay life
  • generosity

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Water the Flowers | Ajahn Brahm | 12 January 2024 · 2024-01-13 · ▶ watch from 26:05 to 26:53 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

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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