Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

The runners who stopped

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Jealousy | by Ajahn Brahm | 15-11-2013

1 min read

Content note: second-hand and unverified: he says he never saw it; widely circulated story (often told of the 1976 Special Olympics in Seattle) whose details are disputed — do not present as fact

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

You remember that sort of just comes to mind the parolympics. I never actually saw this, but so many people talked to him about it in the Parolympic race when one of the competitors in the final fell over and everyone stopped to pick them up and help them along across the line all together. Just what an inspiration that was. Did I describe that correctly? Cuz I I didn't see it cuz I don't watch the TV. They said this was Olympic, Parolympics or finals of some race and the last competitors they trained for years to get to this level and they were in the final watched by millions of people throughout the world and one of the competitors stumbled and fell just a little bit before the light and instead of all the others carrying on to win, they stopped or they all stopped and picked up this person and they all cross the line together. That was inspirational.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 36:02 (to 37:04)

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

People often tell Ajahn Brahm of a race where a runner fell near the line and all the others stopped, lifted the runner up and crossed together. He never saw it himself, but loves what it points to. Celebrate other people's success instead of envying it. Life isn't them against me; it's always about us.

In brief (our summary)

Many people have told Ajahn Brahm about a Paralympic final in which one competitor stumbled just before the line — and instead of racing on, all the others stopped, picked the fallen runner up and crossed the line together. He admits he never saw it himself and asks the audience whether he has described it correctly.

Teaching point

Sympathetic joy (mudita): life is about 'us', not me against them; we can celebrate and help each other instead of competing.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Jealousy | by Ajahn Brahm | 15-11-2013 · 2013-11-17 · ▶ watch from 36:02 to 37:04 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

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

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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