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Story · Ajahn Brahm

The Jimi Hendrix museum was shut

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Jealousy | by Ajahn Brahm | 15-11-2013

1 min read

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

You know, I used to really like Jimmyi Hendris and I I was he was my big idol when I was young and my hair was all like this. I had Jimmyi Hendrick's haircut and I went to Seattle once to give some talks and I had a free afternoon. People in Seattle said, "Why didn't you go to Jimi Hendris Museum, you know, cuz it's Jimi Hendrick's Museum is in Seattle." And I thought, "I'm a monk. I shouldn't really go to such things. The monks are supposed to give up all those things." So I went and this is my karma. I went there and that afternoon, one afternoon a week it was shut. It just really taught me a lesson.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 52:46 (to 53:33)

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

Jimi Hendrix had been Ajahn Brahm's teenage hero, haircut and all. In Seattle he decided a monk shouldn't really visit the museum, went anyway, and found it closed that one afternoon a week. He laughs: this is my karma. Old attachments linger in all of us. Smile at them, and let them go a little more.

In brief (our summary)

Jimi Hendrix was Ajahn Brahm's teenage idol; he even had the haircut. Giving talks in Seattle with a free afternoon, he's urged to visit the Jimi Hendrix museum. He thinks a monk shouldn't really go to such things — and goes anyway. It is the one afternoon a week the museum is shut. 'This is my karma.'

Teaching point

Told against himself as a light lesson in karma and letting go of old attachments.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Jealousy | by Ajahn Brahm | 15-11-2013 · 2013-11-17 · ▶ watch from 52:46 to 53:33 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions with machine-added punctuation; words left exactly as captioned. 'Jimmyi Hendris', 'Jimi Hendris', 'Jimi Hendrick's' = Jimi Hendrix (the Seattle museum is probably the Experience Music Project).

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

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