# You can talk — I thought you were brain damaged

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-girl-thought-he-was-brain-damaged
- Themes: silence, humour, West vs East, children
- Life situations: being misunderstood, valuing silence, first public talk

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

After Ajahn Chah left Perth, silent number-two monk Brahm gave his first Friday talk at Magnolia Street. A girl of about seven or eight who still comes to the centre ran up: that was amazing — you can talk — I thought you were brain damaged.

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

after a few months, Ajahn Chah uh had to go off to Thailand. And so, I was uh I had to look after the Friday night and Saturday afternoon and Sunday program at the temple, the previous one to this. And I started giving a talk. And I do recall this young lady uh I see her here every now and again. She still keeps coming along. She will confirm this anecdote. As soon as I had finished my talk, she came up to me and said, "That was amazing. That was astounding. You can talk. I thought you were brain damaged." He said. She was about 7 or 8 years of age at the time

## Teaching point

In the West, silence is pathologised; in the training, silence is health.

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

After years of silence as the junior monk, Ajahn Brahm gave his first Friday talk. A seven-year-old ran up amazed: you can talk! I thought you were brain damaged. In the West, silence can seem like illness. To him it was health. Quiet people are often listening deeply. Talk less, and you hear more.

## Source

- [Power Of Slience | Ajahn Brahm | 11 May 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzlFEqkP6vA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 4:14 to 5:08: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzlFEqkP6vA&t=254s