Story · Ajahn Brahm
Muslim woman on the Buddhist retreat
The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)
lady came to one of the retreats which I was giving before we had our own retreat center. This was over in North Perth in the Redemptous Monastery Retreat Center. And she came in a hijab. And I said, "You're a Muslim." "Yeah, look at me. Of course I am." She said, "I'm come on your retreat." "Okay, I won't tell." See, I don't have to be serious like that. So she came into the retreat, took off the hijab and because inside you didn't need to wear it according to the rules and she said, "I can't see anything wrong with this. It was a wonderful retreat
▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 1:07:06 (to 1:07:42)
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)
A woman in a hijab quietly joined Ajahn Brahm's retreat. Inside, where her rules allowed, she took it off, and afterwards said she'd found nothing wrong, only a wonderful retreat. When we know each other, war becomes impossible. From a plane window, he notes, you never see borders. Welcome everyone in.
In brief (our summary)
At the Redemptorist retreat centre in North Perth a woman in hijab joins his retreat; she removes it inside per her rules, finds nothing wrong, thanks him — embrace across religions.
Teaching point
You can't go to war with someone you've just sat retreat with.
When this story may help
- retreat
- interfaith
Themes
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Brahm in Buddhism and Worldly Events | Ajahn Brahm | 11th March 2022 · 2022-03-11 · ▶ watch from 1:07:06 to 1:07:42 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia
1 other telling of this story
- Why Do People Come Here? | Ajahn Brahm | 18 December 2020 · 2020-12-18 · ▶ watch from 14:32 to 15:30 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaDec 2020: hijab on nine-day retreat; removes inside per her rules; 'nothing wrong with peace'.
Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions with machine-added punctuation; words left exactly as captioned. 'Redemptous' = Redemptorist.
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