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Story · Ajahn Brahm

The celibate monk at the Gay Pride breakfast

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Change | Ajahn Brahm | 17 December 2010

1 min read

Content note: sexuality; quotation attributed to the Dalai Lama via a newspaper (not checked); named real person

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

I remember standing up for the gay community when an article appeared in the newspaper—it began in the Sunday Telegraph, which quoted the Dali Llama as saying you can't be a Buddhist and a gay at the same time. That's wrong. I can't allow that. So I wrote a letter to the newspaper and it got published. And I got some sort of comments, "you cannot criticise the Dali Llama", but you can criticise anybody, you can crticise me— I get it wrong sometimes. There's no person in this world who can't be criticised, and that's not being disrespectful— more important that the person is the truth, compassion. We don't worship people, we worship principles, so I stood up for the gay community and I was very happy. I got some comments back which were negative, but my reward for that was being invited to the Gay Pride breakfast. (LAUGHTER) I was very proud of that award. I always remember that—it was really good fun: rocking up to this Gay Pride breakfast and saying a few words—I remember what I said, I said, "In this whole meeting over here, you're all gay, but I'm more deviant than any one of you: I'm celibate.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 22:25 (to 23:36)

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

He disagreed in print with a newspaper's report of the Dalai Lama's words, and his reward was a Gay Pride breakfast, where he announced he was the most deviant person in the room: celibate. Ajahn Brahm can stand up for what he thinks is kind and true and still make everyone laugh. Principles matter more than persons, and a joke helps them land.

In brief (our summary)

When the Sunday Telegraph quotes the Dalai Lama as saying you can't be both Buddhist and gay, Ajahn Brahm writes a letter to the paper saying that's wrong; it is published. Some reply that you can't criticise the Dalai Lama — but anyone can be criticised, he says; principles matter more than persons. His 'reward' is an invitation to the Gay Pride breakfast, where he tells the gathering: you're all gay, but I'm more deviant than any of you — I'm celibate.

Teaching point

Stand up for what is compassionate and true, whoever you have to disagree with; we worship principles, not people.

When this story may help

  • standing up for a minority
  • disagreeing with an authority
  • being criticised for speaking out

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Change | Ajahn Brahm | 17 December 2010 · 2010-12-18 · ▶ watch from 22:25 to 23:36 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

4 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is. 'Dali Llama' = Dalai Lama (not changed).

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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