# The lottery winner led to jail

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-lottery-winner-led-to-jail
- Themes: wealth, craving, trust
- Life situations: sudden wealth, lottery dreams, money and friendship

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A happy man of modest means wins a US lottery of over a hundred million dollars; soon his picture is in the paper as he is led to jail. With wealth came friends he couldn't trust and constant requests for loans.

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

A classic story is few years ago one of the people who won a huge lottery in the United States hundred million dollars or more , his picture was in the newspaper being led to jail He was a very happy man before he won the lottery and as soon as he won the lottery things started to go wrong in his life Sure before he won that lottery he didn't have much money he had enough to enjoy his life, to be able eat and have a modest little house and go out with his friends but as soon as he became really really wealthy all of his friends he could not trust anymore. all were asking for loans or bits of money here and there it was one of the problems with wealth; even though it promises you so much it tends to limit your enjoyment of the world rather than facilitate it

## Teaching point

Wealth promises freedom and happiness but often limits enjoyment; the middle way applies to money too.

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

A man of modest means won over a hundred million dollars and later appeared in the papers being led to jail; friends had turned into borrowers he couldn't trust. The details are hazy, but the pattern is familiar. Enough to eat, a modest home and friends you can rely on may be richer than any jackpot.

## Source

- [The Secret | Ajahn Brahm | 30 Dec 2007](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e-y1Xn4N8Q) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 7:40 to 8:33: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e-y1Xn4N8Q&t=460s