# Sixteen fails, one blessing

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-malaysian-girl-failed-english-test-16-times
- Themes: confidence, fear, exams, encouragement
- Life situations: repeated failure, exam anxiety, visa and migration stress

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A very intelligent Malaysian woman had failed the English language test for her Australian permanent visa 16 times. 'Take it again.' 'But I failed 16 times.' 'Ah, but you were never blessed by Ajahn Brahm before.' He blesses her; days later she rings — she passed. 'How did you know?' 'Because you were blessed by me.' Not psychic powers, he says — just the confidence it gave her.

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

I can never forget this Malaysian girl. I don't know if she's here today, but you know, 16 times she failed the the ELS test, the you know, for getting a permanent visa. 16 times she failed and she needed that to stay in Australia. She's very intelligent lady. But then she asked me, so what should I do? And so I said, take it again. But I fell 16 times. Ah, but you never was blessed by Ajan Brah before, were you? So she did it and so I gave her a good blessing and a few days later she rang up. Yeah, you passed. How did you know? Cuz you were blessed by me. Of course. That was really good. That 16 times she failed, got the blessing and it worked. Just encouraging and making her confident. Not psychic powers or anything just the confidence giving you.

## Teaching point

Taking away fear and giving confidence can transform performance.

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

Sixteen fails on an English test, then a blessing from Ajahn Brahm, and she passed. He's clear it wasn't magic, only confidence. Fear can freeze a capable person. Encourage someone who has failed again and again: you can do this. Sometimes that's all that was missing.

## Source

- [Being Afraid | Ajahn Brahm | 16 March 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYHTHj4PGPU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 48:02 to 49:06: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYHTHj4PGPU&t=2882s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Learn to be Silent | Ajahn Brahm | 13 April 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-RV0F1OJw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:11 to 16:12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-RV0F1OJw&t=911s