# I'd rather die in the monastery — 25 more years

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-monk-left-hospital-lived-25-years
- Themes: death, illness, monastery, peace
- Life situations: illness, end of life

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Famous monk in Thai royal hospital, told nothing more can be done for cancer, asks to die at his Mae Hong Son / north monastery. Taken home; dies 25 years later — peace lengthened life.

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

there was a famous monk who was in the main hospital being supported by the king of Thailand. All expenses paid. and was dying of cancer. You know what happens sometimes? A doctor says, "There's nothing more we can do." "So what do you do?" He said, "Well, there's nothing more I can do," said this monk. "I'd rather die in the monastery where I spent so many years." It was on the Marong River in the north of Thailand, a beautiful monastery. So he said, "If I'm going to die, I'd rather die there than in hospital." So they took him back to his monastery. 25 years later was when he died. 25 years of extra life

## Teaching point

Place and peace can rewrite a prognosis.

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

Told nothing more could be done for his cancer, a famous Thai monk asked to die at his beloved riverside monastery instead of in hospital. He lived another twenty-five years. Peace and happiness matter. Doctors can be wrong, Ajahn Brahm notes, though that's no reason to refuse care. Let the dying be where they feel at home.

## Source

- [Helping Others with Empathy | Ajahn Brahm | 2 June 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iffN3uTNCnQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 6:39 to 7:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iffN3uTNCnQ&t=399s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Peace at Christmas Time | Ajahn Brahm | 18 Dec 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otNcxuDhkHU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 9:25 to 10:14: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otNcxuDhkHU&t=565s
- [Faith and Relics | Ajahn Brahm | 9 January 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ9hM2PnWTw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 6:00 to 6:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ9hM2PnWTw&t=360s