# Income: nil

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-health-care-card-nil
- Themes: money, contentment, monastic life, humour
- Life situations: financial fear, losing money, economic crisis

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Renewing his low-income health care card, Ajahn Brahm writes 'Nil' in every income box. The first time, the office wrote back asking him to explain how he supported himself: “very wonderfully, very peacefully, and I'm fat.”

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

A monk who every time I write off to renew my health care card, 'cause I'm low-income, when I write in all the boxes, "How much money do you earn a week?" "Nil." "How much money do you earn from rental property?" "Nil." "How much money do you earn from shares?" "Nil." "How much money do you earn from other sources?" "Nil." "Sum total of your yearly income?" "Nil." I love sending that form off [laughter]. When we first did it we'd get the letter back, "Can you please explain how you've supported yourself." And I said, "very wonderfully, very peacefully, and I'm fat.

## Teaching point

Peace, kindness and gentleness are the real wealth; you can live well with nothing.

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

Every income box says 'Nil', and asked how he supports himself, he answers: very wonderfully, very peacefully, and I'm fat. Money worries are real, and nobody is asking you to give up your income. But a monk thriving on nothing is a cheerful reminder that peace and kindness are wealth too, and that much of our money fear is fear, not need.

## Source

- [The Attitude Of Fearlessness | Ajahn Brahm | 21-11-2008](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj2H1sDwG-o) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 52:33 to 53:26: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj2H1sDwG-o&t=3153s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Decisions, Decisions, Decisions | Ajahn Brahm | 9 May 2008](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOJVD0Lh-ZU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 43:15 to 44:05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOJVD0Lh-ZU&t=2595s
- [Trauma and Tragedy | Ajahn Brahm | 12-02-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVE3nGIC6kI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 48:09 to 48:53: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVE3nGIC6kI&t=2889s