Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Walking home from the airport without asking

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Process of Rebirth | Ajahn Brahm | 03-04-2009

1 min read

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

even just when I was going to Sydney last week last week after giving a Friday night talk the following morning after to S you to give some talks you get to the airport of course no monk don't have any money so how can a monk get himself a cup of tea so you look around and kind to somebody say oh do you want a cup of tea that' be very nice thank you it's amazing actually really if you have lots of compassion you don't need even need to have a credit card so one of our marks was trying this cuz we always have these um you know s of almost like competitions to see whether this actually things actually work and he decided he came back from overseas to Perth International Airport and he deliberately did not tell anyone of his flight details when he was going to arrive he just said I'll make my own way from per airport to Bing Monastery of serpentine and he thought you know it's a long way it's about 50 km he didn't put his know finger out a hit shik he just wed just to see how powerful kindness was he got about 100 m from the airport when the car stopped where you going and gave him a lift all the way to bodana Monastery and he was just so impressed just how powerful kindness is

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 42:37 (to 44:07)

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

A monk landed in Perth, told no one, and started walking the fifty kilometres to the monastery without even raising a thumb. A hundred metres on, a car stopped and took him all the way. Kindness tends to draw out kindness. Be the kind of person people want to help, and help when you get the chance.

In brief (our summary)

With no money, Ajahn Brahm finds people offer him a cup of tea at the airport. One of his monks tests it: returning to Perth from overseas, he tells no one his flight and just starts walking the 50 km to Bodhinyana, without even putting out a thumb. About 100 metres from the airport a car stops and drives him all the way to the monastery.

Teaching point

Kindness and purity draw out kindness in others.

When this story may help

  • relying on others
  • living simply

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Process of Rebirth | Ajahn Brahm | 03-04-2009 · 2009-04-25 · ▶ watch from 42:37 to 44:07 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

1 other telling of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned.

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

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