# The monk who ordained seven times

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-monk-ordained-seven-times
- Themes: change, monastic life, indecision, humour
- Life situations: indecision, homesickness, commitment, changing one's path

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

In the Buddha's time a man becomes a monk but misses his wife, so he disrobes; as soon as he gets home he wonders why he came back, and ordains again. Homesick, he disrobes again — six or seven times. The last time, fed up with his wife, he heads back to the monastery; the monks are about to say 'Not you again' — but on the way he becomes enlightened, so they accept him for the seventh time.

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

It's all about one monk many years ago, in the time of the Buddha, and he became a monk, but as soon as he became a monk, he missed his wife. So, longing for his wife, being a bit homesick, he disrobed. And as soon as he got home, he said what did I come back for this? (LAUGHTER) Then he ordained again. As soon as he got ordained, he got homesick again— so he did that six or seven times. The very last time, he got fed up with his wife, so he went back to the monastery. They were about to say, "Not you again, make up your mind," but on the way to the monastery he became enlightened so they accepted him, and that was the last time. He became a monk for the seventh time.

## Teaching point

The Buddha allowed no life vows; change is accepted, and people should be where they want to be.

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

A monk who disrobed and reordained six times, missing his wife and then fed up with her, was taken back a seventh time. Ajahn Brahm loves that the tradition allows a person to change their mind. Fighting change is suffering. Let people, yourself included, be where they actually want to be, and enjoy the time you have together.

## Source

- [Change | Ajahn Brahm | 17 December 2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgeXSJr9a4E) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 43:45 to 44:25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgeXSJr9a4E&t=2625s