Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Barefoot in the Korean snow

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Contentment | Ajahn Brahm | 11 Mar 2016

3 min read

Content note: joke health claim (cold extends life)

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

So when I was off in Korea, it was the World Meditation Masters Conference. It was started ... the reason behind this ... again, Buddhists, Christians, we are all the same. The Pope visited South Korea last year. And the Buddhist were... Urgh!!! The Pope visited South Korea We Buddhist must do something as well. What can we do? We don't have a Pope and the Dalai Lama can't go there because of the Chinese influence, trade and stuff like that; so that was a no go. So they decided to have ... it was based on, I don't know if you remember the old movie -The Seven Samurai... What's it call... the seven... whatever it was. Somehow rather seven is a lucky number especially in South Korea. That is a lucky number 7. And they decided to invite 7 famous meditation monks to have a debate. I don't know what they are expecting, I really thought when they first suggested it, sit all the seven monks together and see who could meditate the longest. (laughter) the first person to move, loses. Or even better--Psychic powers... come on Tibetan.. lift up in the air Ajahn Brahm .. come on. see how far you can go. The one who levitate the highest ... hah, hah... It's not like that being a senior monk you don't compete at all. That is just not part of Buddhism, competing with each other, we just enjoy each other's company. Anyway in the end they could only get four to go over there. So I was one of them. Many of those monks are just too old. They shouldn't really go there anyway. So one of the most important features of being a wise monk is you are supposed to be old. So I don't really qualify yet, for being a wise monk I am not old enough. As they said I am the baby monk which I was. So anyway what we did do there. They wanted us to go..... this was in the mountains of Korea and this in .. was it February yeah end of February. And it was deep winter. And the mountains were full of snow. We went right to the very top on the highest peaks in the region. It was actually a ski resort. They asked me if I could bodyboard I said "should be with a body like this!" I would not need a board. (laughter from the audience) But then no we can't do things like that. But what they wanted us to do is to do this walk and it was going to be called ... "The Saints walk" afterwards. That's marketing again. But anyway it was minus 15 degrees. When I left it was 42C plus here... 42 to minus 15. And it was on national T.V because it was a big event in Korea. Forcusing on Buddhism and all different Buddhist monks coming from overseas walking in the snow -15 degrees. And after awhile I found all the cameras they weren't looking at me or the other monks they were looking at my feet because I never had any socks on just my sandals and bare feet. And they thought, " Wow!" Ajahn Brahm won the seven meditation masters (laughs) I didn't win, I was messing around. But how can you walk -15 degrees in the thick snow with no socks on? Just so easy. Just be content! Be happy to feel cold and then there's no problem. It's when I don't want to be cold. This cold is going to be bad for me; I am going to get frostbite. My feet, my toes are going to all fall off, I better count them before I go to the hotel afterwards. What's going to happen to me? I am going to get gangrene! No, that's not the case because I always figured out a long time ago that cold is good for you! It's good for you. People who live in cold places live much longer. They have a much longer life. And the reason is... same reason why you put things in the refrigerator to extend their lives. (laughter) It's obvious, it's science. That's why my fingers were fine they were frozen, didn't feel a thing.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 12:40 (to 17:48)

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

Arriving from 42 degrees in Perth, Ajahn Brahm walked a snowy Korean peak at minus fifteen in sandals and no socks, and the TV cameras filmed his feet. He joked that cold preserves you, like a fridge. He never signed up for cameras either. Whatever life hands you, find the fun in it.

In brief (our summary)

After the Pope's visit to South Korea, Korean Buddhists organised a World Meditation Masters gathering, planning seven famous monks (only four came). At the end of February, on the snowy peaks of a ski resort, the monks did a televised 'Saints walk' at minus 15 degrees — Ajahn Brahm had left Perth at 42. The TV cameras ended up filming his feet: bare, in sandals, no socks. It was easy, he says: just be content to feel cold — and anyway cold preserves you, like a refrigerator.

Teaching point

Discomfort becomes a problem only when you don't want it; contentment makes even snow easy.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Contentment | Ajahn Brahm | 11 Mar 2016 · 2016-03-11 · ▶ watch from 12:40 to 17:48 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is. 'Forcusing' = focusing.

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

  • Photo op in the galley

    In brief: On a Garuda flight from Perth to Bali, a flight attendant puts her hand on her heart: 'I am your greatest fan!' After the meal service she…

    Read full story

    So for me when this, I was on this Garuda flight just the airhostess, the flight attendant came up to me. Actually she didn't come up to me, she was on the aisle, I was in the window seat I always think the window seats are the best because at least you only got one person on one side the others are windows. So at least the window can't ask you questions.... (laughter) It happened I was on another flight once, really tired from Kuala Lumpur back to Perth sitting on the window seat, a woman come pass and she said "Are you Ajahn Brahm? I really need to talk to you." and I said "there is another fellow who is in the aisle seat" Never mind. You know what this woman did? She bent down and asked this guy in the aisle seat "Would you mind exchanging seats?" And I was praying "please say no, no, no!" (laughter from the audience) That bastard; he said ''Yes'' So this woman all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Perth asked me about her marriage, her relationships.... And I had to come back and give a talk that night as well.. Really unfair... but anyway it wasn't so bad on the Garuda Flight because the flight attendant just turned around and looked at me and said "Are you Ajahn Brahm?" Yes.... And she put her hand over her heart You know the flight attendants are very beautiful she said "I am your greatest fan!" (laughter from the audience) If I wasn't a monk a many years later you may be quite excited at things like that. Way past that stuff... So I said... yes I am She said "you are such a wonderful monk" I got really good service but interestingly ... Indonesians She came up... once they have given the meal service she came up to me and said ''would you please come to the galley?'' That's the back of the plane where all the flight attendants hang out. And they were all lined up. Photo op. (laughter from the audience) They don't even know me, even during a flight they wanted to take photos with me Every Flight Attendant, smile, click, OK Another one click... ok next one Satu Dua Tiga Those who know... that's one two three. I don't know anything pass three in Bahasa Indonesia. Because you only need one two three to take the photo. That's why I know Satu Dua Tiga That's one two three in Bahasa I don't know what four is They never say that ... one two three smile! They all lined up and If you have ever been on the back of an aircraft, the galley. When anybody presses the ... calling the flight attendants the light goes on there. All these lights were going on ding ding ding This was an Australian flight... from Perth to Bali Most of the people on there were Aussies going surfing or holiday And they all were pushing the button for a beer. And they couldn't get any beer because all the flight attendants were having photographs with me! (laughter from the audience) So they were not happy with me I think they lost a lot of faith in Buddhism because when I was there they couldn't get a beer.

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • No escape, even in the toilet

    In brief: Returning exhausted from Los Angeles via Singapore, Ajahn Brahm is met at the gate by supporters with an airport buggy who take him for…

    Read full story

    the worst thing worst occasion one worst stories about this was when I was just returning from Los Angeles this it's a long journey on that aircraft and unfortunately when I fly Singapore Airlines there's people in the airport who know me and they meet me at the gate you know this is in the internal area because they got these little cars they can go anywhere in the airport so it's very nice they go and take me for a cup of tea or cup of coffee and they start asking questions about their meditation or about Buddhism about their family life and gee that you know if you're a counselor you've got an office and you can actually secretary have appointments and certain times for me that it's anytime and I got really I must admit that that time I got a bit tired and think just can't you leave me alone and of course you can't really say that as a monk instead I said I need to go to the toilet and I did you know I could hold on for a bit longer but going to the toiler was the way of escaping and sitting down in a place I could have a bit of peace and quiet but of course what happened as soon as I went into the L the toilet attendant recognized me oh a br can I ask you some questions about Buddhism even in the toilet I can't escape

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • The woman who swapped seats to talk

    In brief: Exhausted on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Perth, Ajahn Brahm sits by the window. A woman asks if he's Ajahn Brahm because she really…

    Read full story

    It happened I was on another flight once, really tired from Kuala Lumpur back to Perth sitting on the window seat, a woman come pass and she said "Are you Ajahn Brahm? I really need to talk to you." and I said "there is another fellow who is in the aisle seat" Never mind. You know what this woman did? She bent down and asked this guy in the aisle seat "Would you mind exchanging seats?" And I was praying "please say no, no, no!" (laughter from the audience) That bastard; he said ''Yes'' So this woman all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Perth asked me about her marriage, her relationships.... And I had to come back and give a talk that night as well.. Really unfair...

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • Economy class was paradise

    In brief: After seven years in austere forest monasteries he flies Bangkok–London on a cheap Philippine Airlines economy fare. He can't believe the…

    Read full story

    I also remember the first time that after seven years I flew on an aircraft. From Bangkok to London. I got a cheap fare on Philippine Airlines, an economy class. This is 25 years ago. I couldn't believe just how sensuous and luxurious economy class on Philippine Airlines was. [Laughter]. It was my senses were, "Ah! Amazed!" Because I'd been in a forest monastery which was very, very austere. What I realized from that, that sensuality is also very relative. To other people cramped in the economy class of an aircraft 25 years ago that was just so tough and it was such an ordeal. But for me, who had never sat on a chair for seven years, being served ripe fruit which was hot and which was Western which I could eat. I even got ice cream. I remember that ice cream. [Laughter]. But in the tub instead of in my bowl. That was just melting into my rice and curry. [Laughter]. And even the muzak, the muzak on the plane that was.. I mean, I hadn't heard music for seven years. That was amazing, that was just so sensuous, I couldn't get that out of my head afterwards. So you see that's obviously a joke for you because you go on an aircraft and the muzak on there is just yucky and the food, aircraft food people think is disgusting. An economy class you're so cramped up. But for me, because I'd been living a far more austere existence in these forest monasteries. That was amazing. In the aircraft there wasn't even any mosquitoes. First time in seven years I was free from mosquitoes for more than an hour or two. That was to me, was luxurious and sensual.

    Open story page·Watch this telling

All stories·Find a story for your situation