# “How many of you have ever eaten rice pudding?”

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-rice-pudding-grade-ones
- Themes: perception, prejudice, conformity, children
- Life situations: teaching children, peer pressure, prejudging something

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Unexpectedly facing 60 Year 1 and 2 children, Ajahn Brahm asks who doesn't like rice pudding; a few hands go up, then, looking around, all of them. Then he asks how many have ever eaten it — two hands. Everyone laughs; they got the teaching straight away.

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

some years ago i went to rolly stone primary school and they invited me to give a talk to some of these students there and i didn't realize who i was talking to and they were year grade ones and grade twos how can you teach buddhism to grade ones and grade twos you know can you actually tell that story about the most beautiful sound in the world to them or talk about the four noble truths the great great ones and great twos and i had no preparation but what i did there when i went into the room i had to think on my feet very quickly actually i wasn't standing so i thought on my aoi arse i was sitting down and i just asked them so how many of you like i don't know how many of you yet don't like rice pudding you know what rice pudding is you don't have to know but anyway how many of you don't like rice pudding and you know what grade ones and grade twos are like these little people we know two or three people put their hand up they did not like rice pudding all the other kids the boys and girls they were looking around they saw these three or four people had their hands up so they put their hands up as well and after two or three minutes the whole about 60 kids had their hands up they agreed in grade one grade two rollerstone primary school they didn't like rice pudding okay put your hands down now how many of you have ever eaten white sporty and two kids pull their hand up and everyone else laughed you taught dhamma to grade ones and grade twos they got it straight away and so did their parents and the teachers as well

## Teaching point

We often dislike things we have never tried, on others' opinions.

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

Sixty little children all said they hated rice pudding; only two had ever tasted it. They laughed, and got the lesson immediately. How often do we reject things we've never tried, like meditation, because of what others say? Try before you judge. Ajahn Brahm has tried ice cream on spaghetti, and can honestly report back.

## Source

- [Positive Perspective and Acceptance | Ajahn Brahm | 3 June 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J5YVDTB1bE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 41:42 to 43:43: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J5YVDTB1bE&t=2502s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Learn to be Silent | Ajahn Brahm | 13 April 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-RV0F1OJw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 34:59 to 37:16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-RV0F1OJw&t=2099s
- [The Right to Believe? | Ajahn Brahm | 18-05-2007](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Prm3nAvFs) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 32:12 to 33:35: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Prm3nAvFs&t=1932s
- [Wisdom from Experience | Ajahn Brahm | 7 November 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjLBTlIobo4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 3:13 to 6:24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjLBTlIobo4&t=193s
- [Relax and Recharge During the Holidays | Ajahn Brahm | 12 January 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEJV916gvTI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 4:54 to 6:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEJV916gvTI&t=294s
- [Emboldening the Mind with Fizz & Sparkle (9/14) | Ajahn Brahm & Venerable Canda | 10 December 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-inp5ZUac8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 16:57 to 17:43: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-inp5ZUac8&t=1017s