Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

He gave the robe he was wearing

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Art of Listening | Ajahn Brahm | 11-04-2014

1 min read

Content note: nudity mention

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

this monk gave the robe he was wearing to a poor man now that is really a good spiritual leader the problem was though that the mark that's all he had on and now a lot of you ask you know what have you got underneath my robes I don't want to show you because you know I get arrested there's nothing underneath and so this Mark went back to the monastery totally naked and as soon as he know went into the door you know they they said get out of here you know this is a monastery not a place for deviant know naked people like you you know we don't like weirdos in our Monastery and he said look it's me I'm one of your monks yeah sure where's your robe and they started to recognize his voice and they realized it was one of the monks and they said took him and so what happened to you did he get robbed did he get assaulted You've Lost Your Rob he said no I just gave it away to a person more poor than I was and all the other monks in that Monastery thought wow that is someone who actually practices what he preaches

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 16:02 (to 17:16)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A monk gave the only robe he wore to a poorer man and walked home naked; the monastery admired him. Then word spread among beggars, and he lost a robe three times. The abbot praised the first gift and scolded him for the rest. Generosity is lovely, but it needs wisdom so others don't exploit it.

In brief (our summary)

A monk gives the only robe he has on to a poorer man and walks back naked under monastic rules' logic; others ask if he was robbed — he says he gave it away. The monastery sees someone who practices what he preaches (later telling notes scammers can exploit robe-gifts).

Teaching point

Real leadership sometimes means giving away even what you are wearing.

When this story may help

  • charity
  • walking the talk

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Art of Listening | Ajahn Brahm | 11-04-2014 · 2014-04-15 · ▶ watch from 16:02 to 17:16 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

1 other telling of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned. 'mark'/'Rob' = monk / robe.

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

  • The 'scatty' monk emptied his wallet at the refugee camp

    In brief: Proud young Brahm criticises a Thai monk for carrying money; the monk shares breakfast, takes him to a Lao refugee camp after the Vietnam…

    Read full story

    scatty wag monk he has money he shouldn't have money he should be strict like I was because I was a very proud monk in those days and sometimes Pride leads to arrogance and because you're arrogant you tend to criticize others not really understanding what they're doing or why they're doing but then he was just so kind to me he sort of shared his breakfast with me and then he said you want to come to the refugee camp cuz this was just after the time of the Vietnam War and there was many laian refugees just close to his Temple and so I went there to visit and sure he had a wallet and it was full of cash but he literally turned it upside down and emptied it and just gave it to the the poor refu

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • Ask Gandhi — my son doesn't listen to me

    In brief: Mother brings defiant son to young Gandhi for a scolding about sweets; Gandhi asks her to return in weeks (or similar delay) so his word…

    Read full story

    Gandhi. If ever you read his history, you know, this whole life was dedicated to what he called no satcha or or truth. And it wasn't just external truth but the truth of his own conduct and behavior. So incredibly virtuous man. And on this occasion remember this story from a long time ago he was studying law in UK in London and he was staying in a boarding house which people did in those days. And the the woman who owned the boarding house who cooked for these poor students had a son who was eating too much sugar. And this uh land lady took this Mr. Gandhi aside. He wasn't known. He was just a young man studying. He did. She didn't know this guy was going to become really world famous. But even then, he had authority. So much so that she said, "My son doesn't listen to me." But for some reason, he looks up to you. So, can you please tell my son not to eat so much sugar? I think he may listen to you. And Mr. Gandhi said, "Yes, ma'am, I will." Week passed, two weeks passed, and the land lady took Mr. Gandhi aside. So, Mr. Gandandy, do you remember that conversation we had two weeks ago? I asked you to tell my son not to eat so much sugar. He's still eating so much sugar. You said you would tell him. Why haven't you? And Mr. Gandhi said, "I did tell your son not to have so much sugar, but only this morning." "Why did you wait 2 weeks?" said the landlady. "Because," said Mr. Gandhi, it took me two weeks to give up taking sugar

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • The politician who talked the walk

    In brief: On a free afternoon in Singapore, Ajahn Brahm takes his followers to a charity walk raising funds for a fellow monk's indebted Buddhist…

    Read full story

    that reminded me that i was in singapore many years ago and i did have a free afternoon i can't actually remember what they're like but had a free afternoon and i did hear that one of you know the fellow monks he was the the head of the buddhist library in singapore and they were in a lot of debt because they wanted to get a good center but you know it's very expensive and they were having to pay off that so i heard they were having a charity walk in the afternoon so all the people who were following me over in singapore i said if you feel this afternoon let's go and help somebody else let's do some some nice kindness and raise some funds for one of my mates so we all went over there and of course the head mark over there was very very surprised and very happy that i turned up and that's because i was well known over there i was also asked to give a little speech but before i gave the speech it was a politician gave a speech first they invited a politician to also to speak at this event and he said you know best of luck i really support this it's a good temple and all the best and then i asked him when i gave my talk i said are you actually going on the walk he said no no it's too important i just i'm just giving the speech i'm going to another event and so i told him he said you're one of the politicians who talks the walk but you don't walk your talk and he took it well

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • They auctioned his robe in Melbourne

    In brief: At a Melbourne fundraiser for a new monastery, Ven. Mudita (captioned Moodau), whom he had ordained, asked for his robe to auction. He…

    Read full story

    I ordained him, Venable Moodau. He said, "Ajent bra, we need your robe." It's not this one. The one I had before. We need your robe. Said why? To auction it. But you can't auction my robe. I'll be naked. Well, not really naked, but you know. And Melbourne is a very cold place. And so he didn't argue with me. He just took my robe off and gave me another one to wear, which is this one. So if my robe I don't really own it gets it gets auctioned off to other people. So what do you actually own? You know, I don't mind when you can actually people can take these things and give me another give me something else to wear, you know, and a nice similar. They had a new rope for me. He said, "Wear this one." But my old robe is fine. We're not listening. Take the old robe

    Open story page·Watch this telling

All stories·Find a story for your situation