Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

There are a thousand Ajahn Chahs

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Word of the Buddha (Part 1) | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2016

1 min read

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

anecdotal and this is praising my predecessor Ajahn Jagaro At Ajahn Chah's funeral service You know they hang out for a couple of days That's a very nice anecdote because as you would expect.. I was with Ajahn Chah for about 8, 9 years And we were all having a discussion what did Ajahn Chah teach Did he teach pure mind or did he teach nothingness What did he teach? And there was a big argument between all the monks What did Ajahn Chah actually teach Then Ajahn Jagaro really wisely he said there are thousand Ajahn Chahs because every disciple remembered something from Ajahn Chah which he thought was important and interesting and other stuff we just didn't even get to our perception So he said there are as many disciples of Ajahn Chah that's how many different teachings there are which is so wise So what did Ajahn Chah say? I got Ajahn Brahm's version of Ajahn Chah and hundreds of other versions of Ajahn Chah of what he said Because we all know what we could understand or what we could see, and that's what we remembered things which were beyond us we just didn't even remember That's why when you quote other people it is great with the Buddha because at least we got it in black and white

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 1:30:49 (to 1:32:30)

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

At Ajahn Chah's funeral, Western monks argued over what he'd really taught. Ajahn Jagaro settled it: there are a thousand Ajahn Chahs. Each disciple remembered what they could understand. Hold your version humbly. When you quote a teacher, you also reveal yourself.

In brief (our summary)

At Ajahn Chah's funeral the Western monks argued about what he had really taught — pure mind or nothingness. Ajahn Jagaro settled it: there are a thousand Ajahn Chahs, because every disciple remembered what mattered to them and never even perceived the rest. Brahm has his version; hundreds of others have theirs.

Teaching point

Each disciple hears the teacher through their own capacity; quoting 'what the teacher said' often says more about the hearer.

When this story may help

  • disputes about a teacher
  • after a death
  • interpreting teachings

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Word of the Buddha (Part 1) | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2016 · 2016-11-27 · ▶ watch from 1:30:49 to 1:32:30 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is.

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

  • The talk he couldn't remember

    In brief: Years after Ajahn Chah's stroke left him unable to speak, Ajahn Brahm dreams — lucidly — that Ajahn Chah gives him a brilliant Dhamma…

    Read full story

    I remember a few Years later, Ajanchcha was still alive, but he couldn't travel, couldn't speak. I remember having this dream early in the morning of Ajancha coming in my dream and giving me this dharma talk. It was brilliant. And I remember at the time I had enough awareness. It was in a dream, but I was like a lucid dream. And I heard him giving this amazing dharma talk. And I remember at the time I said, "He's got a stroke. You know, this is so rare. It's just so precious. I must remember it. I was trying so hard to remember everything he said and when I woke up as the talk ended, you just woke up and then I couldn't remember a thing. That was so disappointing. That would have been amazing just almost like getting a sort of mind-to- mind dam talk from Ajancha when he was had a stroke and couldn't speak. He was alive but just not communicate communicating. I couldn't remember a thing. That was just one of the most disappointing mornings of my life.

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • 'Do you know a famous monk called Ajahn Brahm?'

    In brief: Trying to avoid pride, Ajahn Brahm sits incognito at the back of a Buddhist conference in Vietnam. A Vietnamese monk sits beside him to…

    Read full story

    So I remember just this is what happens when you get go incognito. I remember being in Vietnam at a conference and I just sitting in the back and when I was sitting in the back in Vietnam at a Buddhist conference this Vietnamese monk came and sat next to me. I knew from experience what he wanted was just to practice his English cuz if those Vietnamese monk Asian monks if they know good English they have many opportunities open to them. So this monk came and sat next to me and he said now who are you? Where are you from? I said I am from Australia. Oh, welcome to Vietnam. And he said what part of Australia? I say I'm from Perth. Oh, I'm not making this up. Okay. And the next thing he said, do you know a famous monk called Ajan Brah? He said that honestly. Oh my goodness. And then I said, "Yes, I know him." And then I I shouldn't have done this. I said, "I am Ajam Brown." Ah, he was kind of shocked. Oh my goodness. What have I got myself into? But instead of getting proud or arrogant or getting afraid and this I said this to the monks whenever you give talks when prasada and any of the nuns you're not giving the talk I went up on that stage and I said the only reason why I'm opening my my mouth and saying these things because of all of the teachings which I had from my teacher, my master Ajancha and all the other great monks which I knew and all the things which I had read and learned from other highly attained monks and nuns and I thought I'm not giving the talk this evening my teachers are. So um you made a mistake there when you said Ajan Charles Ajan Brah's G I almost said it there didn't I when Ajan Brah's giving the talk this evening I never give a talk at the BWA it's all my teachers and all the people who have helped me what that does it takes away any sense of ego any sense of fear any sense of uh personally owning the contents of your talk. Sometimes I do say mistakes and if I say mistakes it's not my fault. It's my teacher. Blame him.

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • 'Ajahn Chah is giving this talk'

    In brief: The first time Ajahn Brahm gave a really big talk on his own — at the Suntec City convention centre in Singapore, to 3,000–4,000 people —…

    Read full story

    the one of the tricks which I I did when I first gave a huge talk over in Singapore all by myself there's no B act or no supporting act it was just a bra at Sant city there was the uh convention center there about 3 or 4 thousand people the first time I gave a really big talk and I was afraid afraid not so much of, you know, not giving a good talk, but afraid of also the problems of giving a good talk, becoming too proud and arrogant, thinking you're the the best mug in the whole of the world or whatever. And that's also dangerous. So, how can you get not really worry what other people think of you? It was pretty simple because I knew that whatever talk I gave was only because of the teachers which I'd had especially someone like an agent. So as I was walking to the the chair the chair there lots of flowers everywhere and with all these people about to listen to me I thought I'm not giving this talk. It is Ajancha my teacher was giving the talk. I'd just been trained by him, conditioned by him. So I have nothing to worry about. I didn't there was no fear at all. Because I had no fear, I gave a really good talk and I had to go back again, give another one.

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • That's not what Ajahn Chah said — I was there

    In brief: Ajahn Brahm read a monk's translation of an Ajahn Chah talk he had personally heard and protested that it was not what Chah had said. The…

    Read full story

    remember this one translation which was done by a monk I remember reading it and said what? that's not what Ajahn Chah said I was there when he gave that talk And the monk said oh .. yeah yeah but I think this is what Ajahn Chah wanted to say And you got to be very careful there, in translating

    Open story page·Watch this telling

All stories·Find a story for your situation