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Story · Ajahn Brahm

Sixty pilgrims' photographs and a near-missed flight

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Growing from Difficult Times | Ajahn Brahm | 21 April 2023

1 min read

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

This was at the airport in Singapore. I was going from one terminal to one a flight to another flight connecting flight and all these Indonesians they just come back from going on pilgrimage uh in India and they recognize me Ajan Brah said yeah oh it's not so lucky to meet you can we take photograph of you of course I don't mind but there was about 60 or 70 of them and they had to have the group photograph individual photographs photographs with their close close family. It was taking forever and that's the only time the only time when I had a collecting a connecting flight and when I got to the gate they were calling out my name. Mr. Brahma Wango, your flight is about to leave. Come quickly. I almost missed my flight because of that. So I tried to stop the problem and the reason I tried to stop the problem I actually the way I started to uh stop the problem I was telling people that when I went to that big monument in central Java Bora Pador there were signs there saying please don't take photographs of the great monument B pador and I said ask Why? Actually, the flashes of the cameras was degrading the stone, was destroying the monument. It's proved scientifically. And I said, "Well, look at me. I'm degrading fast." So, they thought that was very funny. So, they took more photographs.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 14:40 (to 16:43)

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

Sixty Indonesian pilgrims wanted photos with Ajahn Brahm in Singapore airport until his name was called for the departing flight. He joked that camera flashes degrade ancient stone, and he was degrading fast. They laughed and took more photos. When you can't escape, join in the fun.

In brief (our summary)

Changing flights at Singapore airport, Ajahn Brahm is recognised by 60 or 70 Indonesians returning from pilgrimage in India. Group photos, individual photos, family photos — it takes so long that at the gate they are calling 'Mr Brahmavamso, your flight is about to leave'. Trying to stop it, he tells them that at Borobudur signs ban photos because camera flashes are degrading the stone — 'Well, look at me. I'm degrading fast.' They find that very funny and take more photographs.

Teaching point

Instead of getting irritated, join in the fun.

When this story may help

  • travel delays
  • being in demand

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Growing from Difficult Times | Ajahn Brahm | 21 April 2023 · 2023-04-22 · ▶ watch from 14:40 to 16:43 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions with machine-added punctuation; words left exactly as captioned. 'Brahma Wango' = Brahmavamso; 'Bora Pador'/'B pador' = Borobudur.

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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