Being Mindful Stories

Joke · Ajahn Brahm

Angels over Northbridge

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Buddhism and Sects | Ajahn Brahm | 01-06-2007

1 min read

Content note: Northbridge red-light-district innuendo

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

There were these angels, these devas, and they were flying through the air on a cloudy day and they got lost. So one asked to the other, "Where are we?" So he put his hand through the clouds and said, "We must be in New York because I can feel the Statue of Liberty." So they flew a bit further, and one [angel said to the other], "Where are we now?" "I'll put my hand through the clouds. Ah, we must be in Paris because I can feel the Eiffel Tower." Then they went a little bit further and they were lost again, so one put his hand down [through the clouds], "Oh we must be in India cos I can feel the Taj Mahal." And they went a little bit further and said, "Where are we now?" "Oh we must be in Northbridge [the entertainment and red light district] in Perth" "How can you know that?" he said. "Oh that's because I just lost my wrist-watch!

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 7:30 (to 8:18)

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

Lost angels feel for landmarks through the clouds: the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, and in one Perth nightlife district, a wristwatch goes missing. A borrowed joke from Ajahn Sujato opens a talk on traditions. Labels divide us on paper. In practice, kindness and good conduct are the same everywhere.

In brief (our summary)

Lost angels feel landmarks through the clouds: Statue of Liberty (New York), Eiffel Tower (Paris), Taj Mahal (India). Over Northbridge in Perth one has lost his wrist-watch.

Teaching point

(Joke from Ajahn Sujato.)

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Buddhism and Sects | Ajahn Brahm | 01-06-2007 · 2007-06-05 · ▶ watch from 7:30 to 8:18 · 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

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