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Story · Ajahn Brahm

Even the monk got excited at the auction

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Dealing with Emotions | Ajahn Brahm | 15-06-2007

1 min read

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

One of the first times when I saw this, how people can play your emotions is actually when we started our nun's monastery down in Gingegannup because that was before Sister Vayama was here, and we were looking for a nice piece of land, we found this nice piece of land over in Reen Road but it was on auction. And so I went there for the auction, with - I don't know if he's here this evening - Eddy Fernando was our bidder. But when the auctioneer started the auction he was very calm, saying about this beautiful block of land, wonderful place for retreat, lovely forests and the river and then he started mentioning the figures.. And he said, I think this is worth so much, I think we should start for at least a million dollars. And straight away I thought, "oh no". And then he bids for one million, and of course no one bid, any bids for five hundred thousand, four hundred, three hundred.. Let's start two-fifty. Someone put their hand up - two-fifty. And that's when he started - two-fifty two-fifty, we've got two-seventy-five, two-seventy-five, two-seventy-five, anyone two-seventy-five! We've got two-seventy-five!! Three-hundred, three-hundred, wawawawawawa..!! [laughter]. And even I was a monk, even I started getting excited.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 7:50 (to 9:13)

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

A rising voice and a quickening rhythm, and even a monk felt the thrill of the bidding. Feelings can be manufactured by sales pitches, headlines and heated arguments. Once you see how they're built, you needn't be carried off by them. It works in reverse too: slowing down and speaking softly calms you and everyone around you.

In brief (our summary)

Bidding for land for the nuns' monastery, Ajahn Brahm watches the auctioneer move from a calm description to rapid, rising calls — and finds that even he, a monk, gets swept up in the excitement.

Teaching point

Emotions can be generated by speed, voice and rhythm; seeing how they are built gives you some power over them.

When this story may help

  • pressure sales
  • impulsive decisions

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Dealing with Emotions | Ajahn Brahm | 15-06-2007 · 2007-06-20 · ▶ watch from 7:50 to 9:13 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

2 other tellings of this story

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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    one of my friends who was a monk many years ago. He was in the US Marines in the Vietnam War He had because he was shot in the back of the head And had some brain damage Otherwise is a wonderful monk very kind, but he had epileptic fits because of the injury being shortened though in a head how he dealt with his epileptics have hits similar way to overcome the panic attacks Because he was aware Mindful he could actually catch those fits Earlier and earlier and earlier he could see the signs. He could be aware to see how it works because The fits never just came out of the blue they had the introduction of the little bits getting more tense more tense he could actually feel it coming It took for a couple of years before he could catch it early enough He could take another path Relax used to go to his room darken the room just lay down and just relaxed as much as he could and then after a while no more epileptic fits

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    I remember a man came and told to me once he was visiting Bangkok he was very interested in Buddhism It's very hard to find someone who could teach him what Buddhism really meant. But he found some of his answers in an experience when he went to visit a Buddhist temple in the city and those of you who have been to Bangkok, you know how busy and noisy it can be. He was visiting a temple he noticed a girl siting on one of the benches in the temple crying her eyes out. she was distraught about something but not really knowing the culture of Thailand, he thought I don't think I should intervene, but he felt like he was concerned about this woman who was obviously suffering quite intensely. So went off to visit the temple inside and when he came out, may be 20 minutes afterwards he noticed this woman has stopped crying was about to get up and leave. He couldn't help himself but just go and ask her Is there anything wrong? Is there anything I can do? and she could speak English And she replied 'no I am fine now' What happened was 'I had lost the keys to my car' and I came into the temple. All I needed was a quiet place just to cry for 20 minutes and now I am fine. Thank you very much

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  • Plant more flowers

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