# “But there were so many other robberies I got away with”

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-innocent-robber-other-robberies
- Themes: karma, blame, fairness, prison
- Life situations: being blamed unfairly, feeling life is unfair, speeding fines

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

After the class an old prisoner earnestly tells Ajahn Brahm he's in jail for a robbery he didn't do — he was set up. Fired with a sense of justice, Ajahn Brahm is mentally listing the lawyers he'll ring when the man adds with a cheeky smile: “But there were so many other robberies I got away with… I guess this is fair.”

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

fellow who was in prison for something he didn't do. Imagine being put in jail for a crime you don't commit. And this poor gentleman he was over at Karnet prison farm and I used to go and see him. And he he came up to me one evening and he said, you know when I was visiting there. And he said: look Ajahn Brahm, I respect you. And you know I’m trying to change my life, trying to be a good person, keeping my precepts. So I won't lie to you. He said: I won't lie. I know other prisoners will all say they're innocent, they didn't do it. But I didn't do that crime. I didn't do that robbery. I’ve been put in jail for something I never did. And I’ve got a social conscience you know. You can't just let that happen to a poor person put in jail for a few years for a crime he didn't commit. And I also know that you know your ability to get a lawyer or just to call for help is so limited inside prison. So I thought I know people maybe I can take that cause up. Maybe I can sort of fight for his release from jail for a crime he never committed. But as I was thinking like that the this this scallywag of a prisoner he looked at me and he broke into this you know almost like a few teeth missing smile. And he said he said: But Ajahn Brahm, it's true I honestly I never did that crime. I never did that robbery. But he said since I listened to you

## Teaching point

Karma evens out: we're sometimes blamed for what we didn't do, and often get away with what we did.

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

An old prisoner swore he was framed, and Ajahn Brahm began planning which lawyers to call. Then the man grinned: since learning about karma, I've counted all the robberies I got away with. Fair enough. We complain about the one speed camera that catches us, never the times we weren't caught. Maybe it balances. Learn and grow.

## Source

- [Not Blaming Others | Ajahn Brahm | 15 November 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0U4jfovcOM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 40:18 to 42:12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0U4jfovcOM&t=2418s

Other tellings of this story:

- [How to deal with blame and criticism | Ajahn Brahm | 18 Nov 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39mEezTbMcc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 18:27 to 20:02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39mEezTbMcc&t=1107s
- [Uncertainty | Ajahn Brahm | 15-07-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pswsVGVdISY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 24:20 to 27:59: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pswsVGVdISY&t=1460s
- [I Don't Own My Past | by Ajahn Brahm | 03 May 2013](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcSaCfuH-GU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 21:54 to 23:43: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcSaCfuH-GU&t=1314s
- [Reincarnation | Ajahn Brahm | 3 Feb 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIrtqS0LkYQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 50:37 to 51:33: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIrtqS0LkYQ&t=3037s
- [The Dangers of Complaining | Ajahn Brahm | 1 March 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYLHU0eddYA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 10:47 to 12:32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYLHU0eddYA&t=647s
- [How to Deal with Rejection | Ajahn Brahm | 28 February 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjmkj8NpH7s) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 18:22 to 19:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjmkj8NpH7s&t=1102s