# Looking for matches by candlelight

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Analogy
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-looking-for-matches-with-a-candle
- Themes: meditation, ignorance, metaphor, seeking
- Life situations: spiritual seeking, missing the obvious

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Analogy: a man has rice, water and wood but hunts for matches — by the light of a candle already burning in his hand. If he knew what fire was, dinner would be ready.

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

cooking his rice in the evening for dinner. He had the rice and water in the pot. He had the the wood underneath the pot, [snorts] but he couldn't find the matches to light the wood. He was looking for the matches. Where did I put the matches? You know what he was looking for the matches with? With a candle. Where's the matches? I can't find the matches. If he only knew what fire was

## Teaching point

We search for peace with the very awareness that already is peace.

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

A man had rice, water, a pot and firewood, and searched everywhere for matches by the light of the candle in his hand. If only he knew what fire was. We hunt for peace and insight the same way. Ajahn Brahm says stop searching. What's left when the searching ends is the happiness you wanted.

## Source

- [Gratitude and Expectations | Ajahn Brahm | 9 July 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzT3W1jjTYY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 41:53 to 42:26: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzT3W1jjTYY&t=2513s