# The sign outside the temple

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-malacca-bride-saw-the-sign
- Themes: marriage, coincidence, blessing
- Life situations: weddings, hoping for the impossible

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A woman in Malaysia, a model with her own TV show, had hoped three months earlier that Ajahn Brahm could bless her wedding — impossible, she thought, to get him to Malacca. Then, passing a temple, she sees a big sign: Ajahn Brahm is coming to Malacca, on the very day she has set for her wedding. Delighted, she asks; he blesses anything, so he blesses her marriage.

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

one of the unexpected events which happened there was there was a lady who was how she'd heard me talk before and she was getting married and about three months ago she thought wouldn't it be wonderful if I could get a gibran to do my marriage blessing but how can I get him to come all the way to Malacca is impossible and even though that was her hope she just went past the temple and she saw this big sign saying agile Brahma is coming to Malacca on the very day that she'd arranged her marriage so she was so delighted that you could actually get me for a marriage ceremony and of course it I bless anything so very happy to bless our marriage for her

## Teaching point

Leads into why people want a spiritual element when they commit to each other.

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

A Malaysian bride thought getting Ajahn Brahm to her wedding was impossible, then passed a temple sign saying he'd be in Malacca that very day. He blesses anything, so he blessed her marriage. Then he asks why couples want something spiritual at a wedding. Love at its best is generous, and that is worth keeping.

## Source

- [Forms of Love In Buddhism | Ajahn Brahm | 26-11-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvo5G0WbWSs) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:20 to 2:16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvo5G0WbWSs&t=80s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Kindness, Generosity and Forgiveness | Ajahn Brahm | 8 July 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLrhGW7GEjM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 20:24 to 24:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLrhGW7GEjM&t=1224s
- [Kamma in Buddhism | Ajahn Brahm | 19 July 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWS4doOX25I) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 17:16 to 17:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWS4doOX25I&t=1036s
- [New Year's Eve Dhamma Talk | Ajahn Brahm | 31 December 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM-MDJW2lCQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 17:46 to 19:53: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM-MDJW2lCQ&t=1066s
- [Helpful and Harmful Gossip | Ajahn Brahm | 13 March 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyIecIdEO2M) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 8:03 to 8:51: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyIecIdEO2M&t=483s