# Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta walk into a pub

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-anicca-dukkha-anatta-bar
- Themes: humour, three characteristics, anicca, dukkha, anatta
- Life situations: needing a laugh, learning the Dhamma

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta walk into a pub. Dukkha says the bar sucks; Anicca says don't worry, it will change; Anatta asks who said that.

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

And to lighten things up a bit There is the Anicca, Dukkha Anatta joke Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta walk into a pub All jokes starts with people walking into a bar So Anicca, Dukkha Anatta walks into a pub Dukkha says; as soon as he gets into the pub This bar sucks Anicca says don't worry it will change And Antta said Who said that? who said that? Anicca, Dukkha Anatta Joke Anicca, Dukkha Anatta walking into a bar Dukkha said it sucks Anicca said doesn't matter it wont last And Antta said who said that? I think that's quite good Anicca is impermanence Dukkha is suffering So Dukkha sees suffering, so Dukkha walks into the pub and said this bar sucks, it is a terrible bar it is a horrible pub So that's dukkha, that's what he was saying And Anicca says Everything passes, don't worry it will change And Anatta, non self says Who said that OK I thought that was funny Anyway Anyway I am weird I expect that

## Teaching point

(Joke packing the three characteristics into a bar gag.)

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

Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta walk into a pub. This bar sucks, says Dukkha. Don't worry, it'll change, says Anicca. Who said that, asks Anatta. Ajahn Brahm admits he's weird. Behind the gag is the Buddha's teaching. What changes and falls apart was never really ours to keep.

## Source

- [Word of the Buddha (Part 1) | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TZfyq1XTd0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:09:50 to 1:11:15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TZfyq1XTd0&t=4190s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Everybody Can Grow | Ajahn Brahm | 8 April 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4b5FbcpP2s) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 0:23 to 1:01: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4b5FbcpP2s&t=23s
- [Vesak (Q&A and Taking the 5 Precepts) | 27 May 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keZFMOo3CNU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 12:17 to 12:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keZFMOo3CNU&t=737s