Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

'You're not getting old, Ajahn — you're already old'

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Having Positive Attitudes towards Everybody | Ajahn Brahm | 12 March 2021

1 min read

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

my monks, a very kind monks, this is one of my monks, a very wonderful monk from uh Switzerland. And you know when he knows his story that I told the monks, I'm getting old and they said, "No, Ajam, you're not getting old." And that's really touching just the way they said it with the sincerity because monks don't lie. said, "No, you're not getting old." Ah, you're already old. Which is true.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 4:21 (to 4:58)

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

Ajahn Brahm told his monks he was getting old, and a sincere Swiss monk assured him he wasn't: he was already old. Almost seventy, Ajahn Brahm laughs that his talks haven't changed much in decades. Never mind improving. Being at peace with yourself, kind and connected, is a wonderful thing.

In brief (our summary)

Ajahn Brahm told his monks he was getting old. A very kind Swiss monk said, with touching sincerity — monks don't lie — 'No, Ajahn, you're not getting old.' Pause. 'You're already old.' Which is true; he's almost 70.

Teaching point

Told while saying that years of trying to improve haven't changed him much — but he is at peace with himself.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Having Positive Attitudes towards Everybody | Ajahn Brahm | 12 March 2021 · 2021-03-12 · ▶ watch from 4:21 to 4:58 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

2 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions with machine-added punctuation; words left exactly as captioned. 'Ajam' = Ajahn.

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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