# The PA system that wasn't plugged in

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-jhana-grove-pa-not-plugged-in
- Themes: mindfulness, humour, problem-solving
- Life situations: troubleshooting, overthinking a problem

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Teaching a retreat at Jhana Grove for Singaporean business people and engineers, the PA system won't work and the caretaker is overseas. Nobody can fix it, so he gives the talk unplugged. Afterwards they're looking into a locked cabinet with no key — and Ajahn Brahm points down: it's simply not plugged in.

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

like the other day when I was teaching a retreat over at n uh Paul Singapore is on they'll never live this one down you can bring it in here there was teaching a retreat over John and Grove about a week two weeks ago and the the PA system didn't work and Dania was overseas she was you know the caretaker over there they couldn't get the PA system to work and these were really big business people and and Engineers from Singapore and you know so I just gave a talk unplugged and then afterwards I went what's wrong with her I said look it's in the cabinet we haven't got the key for the cabinet and I said look down there it's not plugged in it's just a simple thing turning it on

## Teaching point

Mindfulness must be directed to the right place; look in the wrong place and you never see the problem.

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

A room of Singaporean engineers puzzled over a dead PA system in a locked cabinet, until Ajahn Brahm pointed at the floor: it wasn't plugged in. However sharp your attention, it's no use pointed at the wrong place. When something isn't working, check the simple things first.

## Source

- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 7 Nov 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27YDJMe9OP8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:09:10 to 1:09:53: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27YDJMe9OP8&t=4150s