# “I'm doing nothing — and I'm not finished yet”

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-doing-nothing-not-finished
- Themes: humour, rest, doing nothing
- Life situations: overwork, busyness, needing rest

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Someone asks the monk to come and chant to bust a ghost in their house. “Sorry, I'm busy.” “Doing what?” “Nothing.” They call again the next day; he's still busy doing nothing. “But that's what you were doing yesterday!” “Yes, but I'm not finished yet.”

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

about the monk who was called up in his monastery by someone, "Can you please come round to do a blessing at my house?" The monk said, "I'm sorry, I'm busy, I can't come." And the caller said, "What are you doing, monk?!" He said, "I'm doing nothing. That's what monks are supposed to do, nothing." And the caller understood and he appreciate, "Monks are supposed to be left the world and find peace and not just be in the monastery doing things all day. That's the purpose of being a monk or a nun, to sit out there and just to contemplate life and to be still and to be peaceful and to let go of things and just sit under a tree and just watch the trees grow, that's what we're supposed to be doing. So the man actually understood that. and said, "Ok, very good monk." So he rang the next day, he said, "Look, I really need you to do a blessing, can you come to my house?" He said, "No, I'm busy." "That's what you said yesterday, what are you doing?" "I'm doing nothing" said the monk. "But you said that's what you were doing yesterday!". And the monk replied, "Yes, but I'm not finished yet.

## Teaching point

Monks — and good Buddhists — should learn to do nothing, relax and be peaceful.

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

Asked twice to come and do a blessing, the monk was busy doing nothing, and hadn't finished yet. It's a joke with weight behind it. Constant busyness leaves no still water to see yourself in. Book a little nothing into your week, and don't feel obliged to finish it quickly.

## Source

- [Putting Meaning Into Life | Ajahn Brahm | 03-12-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG5IadQxhvE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 16:04 to 17:11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG5IadQxhvE&t=964s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Loving our sufferings | Ajahn Brahm | 30 Nov 2012](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo9-6qQ9tyI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 5:05 to 6:24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo9-6qQ9tyI&t=305s
- [Mencintai Penderitaan Kita Sendiri | Ajahn Brahm | 30 Nov 2012](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiGZvMANUgY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 5:07 to 6:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiGZvMANUgY&t=307s
- [5 Noble Truth Meditations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7Gd2g7batw) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 33:09 to 34:04: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7Gd2g7batw&t=1989s
- [12 Insight Into the Path](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO3bq37SIGY) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 2:33 to 3:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO3bq37SIGY&t=153s