# Complaining about the wall

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-london-young-men-round-wall
- Themes: fault-finding, gratitude, humour
- Life situations: habitual complaining, negativity

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Walking from his mother's flat in London to give a talk, Ajahn Brahm passed two young men waiting for a bus, sitting on a wall topped with rounded bricks and complaining that walls shouldn't be allowed to be built like that — they should all be flat. At least you've got somewhere to put your bum, he thought; do you want garden walls upholstered with cushions and backrests?

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

when I was visiting my mother in London some years ago and I was just walking from her apartment to a temple to give a talk, and I passed these two young men waiting for a bus. And they were sitting on a wall. But unfortunately, the wall was not flat, it was round bricks on the top. And they were complaining: ‘They should not allow walls to be built like this, they should all be flat’. But my goodness! You can complain about anything, what's wrong with that? At least you've got somewhere to put your bum on, you don't have to stand! Yeah, it may not be flat, but it's good enough - what do you want, all the walls, the garden walls, to be upholstered with cushions and backrests for you? [laughter] But you find that even in an advanced country, you can always find some fault.

## Teaching point

The fault-finding mind is an addiction; you can complain about anything.

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

Two young men at a London bus stop complained that the wall they sat on had rounded bricks instead of flat ones. At least it's somewhere to sit, thought Ajahn Brahm. Do we want upholstered garden walls? Fault-finding becomes a habit, at work and at home. Notice it, and enjoy what you've got.

## Source

- [Dealing with addictions | by Ajahn Brahm | 19 June 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eiGPAIyK8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 29:33 to 30:34: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eiGPAIyK8&t=1773s