# Number one, above Harry Potter

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-jakarta-bestseller-above-harry-potter
- Themes: success, serendipity, humour
- Life situations: unexpected success

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

In the Gramedia bookshop in Jakarta he is shown the top-ten bestsellers: number two is Harry Potter, number one is the Indonesian edition of his first book — he has a photo — and there's even a cardboard cut-out of him advertising it.

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

So in Indonesia - and in the Gramedia bookshop in Jakarta, I remember going there, they said: ‘Oh, your book's on sale here’. Oh, let's see how it's going. And they had – you know how they do have in bookshops, 10 best sellers, number two was Harry Potter. Number one was – [moves head] [laughter] It's true! My first book. I’ve got a photo of it somewhere. They didn't just change the order just to take the photograph, then changed it back again - it was true. [laughter] And even - I don’t know if you’ve seen that, Indonesians here, in that bookshop, they even had a cardboard cut-out of me, for advertising. I didn't believe that, because you go in a bookshop, you’re just looking for books, and there's me. "What am I doing over there?" It's a cardboard replica of me

## Teaching point

Life is surprising when you relax and don't chase success.

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

In a Jakarta bookshop his first book sat at number one, above Harry Potter, beside a cardboard cut-out of himself. Life is weird, he says. He hadn't chased any of it; he'd relaxed and let things happen. Do your work well, drop the craving for results, and see what turns up.

## Source

- [Give Yourself Peace, Kindness and Forgiveness | Ajahn Brahm | 29 January 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--PPWbmzp6M) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 28:32 to 29:36: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--PPWbmzp6M&t=1712s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Learn to be Silent | Ajahn Brahm | 13 April 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-RV0F1OJw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 10:51 to 12:11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-RV0F1OJw&t=651s
- [Energy in our Body and Mind from Inspiration | Ajahn Brahm | 2 November 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWz3LAAj-J0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 44:14 to 44:44: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWz3LAAj-J0&t=2654s