# Suicide note to test reincarnation

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-suicide-note-reincarnation
- Themes: rebirth, humour, death
- Life situations: doubting rebirth

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Asked for evidence of reincarnation beyond meditation, Ajahn Brahm jokes that the best evidence is to die — then adds he has heard of a suicide note saying the reason was to find out whether reincarnation was true.

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

the best evidence for reincarnation is to die so try that tonight then you'll find out for sure i don't know that they said it was actually true that in somebody's suicide note they said the reason for their suicide i wanted to find out whether reincarnation was true or not apparently it was true though it sounds like a joke but sometimes people are really weird

## Teaching point

(Dark joke; not advice.)

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

Asked for proof of past lives, Ajahn Brahm made a dark quip about finding out by dying, then mentioned an odd note he'd heard of. People are weird, he said, and moved on to safer ways: meditation, regression, spontaneous memories. Take it as gallows humour, never advice. If life feels unbearable, please call a crisis line or talk to someone today.

## Source

- [How To See Past Lives & Why Its Important | Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4BFX_qhhyk) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 0:07 to 0:38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4BFX_qhhyk&t=7s