# The Grax gravy monk who levitated

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-grax-gravy-monk-ad
- Themes: humour, media, Australia, monastic image
- Life situations: ads, cultural mashups

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Old Aussie TV gravy ad: line of Theravāda-looking monks; abbot (dead ringer for Ajahn Jagaro) rejects food, produces Grax from under the robe, pours gravy, and levitates with bliss — ad later complained off air.

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

advertisement for this gravy called grax do still have grax gravy yeah we know what the advertisement was is on TV they had this line of Buddhist monks you know like like us not Tibetan Monks but you know this terada Forest monks a line of monks and the head monk apparently he was a dead ringer for my predecessor aan Jak the same glasses the same face and the people offered this this food and the abber looked at the food with great disgust and it wasn't tasty enough and from under his robe he got out a packet great Vox and he sent it to the novice and the novice made up the graay box and then the Habit poured it over his food that was so delicious he actually on the TV he levitated up in the air

## Teaching point

Even a gravy ad can borrow a monk's face — and lose the plot.

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

An old Australian TV advert showed an abbot pulling gravy mix from his robe and levitating in bliss over his dinner. People complained and it was pulled. Ajahn Brahm wishes they'd asked for free samples instead. When people laugh at us, laugh with them. Taking yourself lightly is the practice.

## Source

- [Living With Non-Buddhists | Ajahn Brahm | 21-01-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR0w_6F8xDs) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 40:48 to 41:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR0w_6F8xDs&t=2448s