# Sundays church, Saturdays temple

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-jagaro-church-and-temple-together
- Themes: interfaith, marriage, understanding
- Life situations: interfaith marriage

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Ajahn Jagaro marries a Thai Buddhist woman to an Italian Catholic. Asked how they should practise, he says: Sundays you both go to church together; Saturdays you both come to the temple together — so each understands the other's faith.

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

this was actually you know my predecessor AJ and Jacob gave this wonderful piece of advice when he had a Thai girl married to an Italian Catholic and they asked and they did a wedding ceremony for them and then asked what should we do you know for our religious life and he gave this wonderful person a Catholic married to a Buddhist he said on Sundays you both go to church together on Saturdays you both come to the temple together

## Teaching point

Shared practice across difference dissolves mistrust better than conversion.

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

Marrying a Thai Buddhist to an Italian Catholic, Ajahn Jagaro advised: Sundays you both go to church, Saturdays you both come to the temple. Neither had to convert; each would learn how the other thinks. Spend time in someone else's world. Understanding dissolves the mistrust that grows into blame and hatred.

## Source

- [Hatred and how to overcome it | Ajahn Brahm | 17 Jun 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvrZ7q7LTtY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 23:30 to 24:09: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvrZ7q7LTtY&t=1410s

Other tellings of this story:

- [How to Resolve Conflicts Wisely | Ajahn Brahm | 3 November 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejMY_s1Yvbg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 4:17 to 4:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejMY_s1Yvbg&t=257s
- [Learning How to Live Together | Ajahn Brahm | 2 February 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XcIDHLRCk8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 23:55 to 24:32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XcIDHLRCk8&t=1435s