Story · Ajahn Brahm
Roy Hudd remembered Dan Leno's house
Content note: paranormal; named public figures
The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)
this fellow called Roy Hudd You can get him on the internet R o y second name H U D D He was a TV personality when I was growing up in the U.K. He was always on the TV, comedian a very funny guy but his story was that he has been doing that show in London somewhere at a time when the local government installed a new one way system to try and get the traffic to move a bit more clearly or smoothly and because some usual roots were blocked he got lost he was driving around, he got lost he didn't know the way to get home getting more and more lost, he turned a corner and that's when it happened The hairs on the back of his head stood up now that never happens to a monk because we don't have hairs But anyway, he still felt this is weird, this is strange and it was just so weird, so strange he had never been down this street before in this life! But he remembered it from his previous life And it all flooded back to him And he went to the house where he lived for many many years before now in those houses and those places in London they have the little blue circular disks which shows who lived there before and very interestingly, the last time I was in London close to Russels Square there is a big disk in there In this house lived the mistress of Charles II the mistress, that wasn't very nice but she was famous enough they put it on there So be very careful what you do because sometimes you know if you are... Anyway back to this there was a big blue sign outside the house because in his past life, he was also a celebrity and his past life was as; probably the most famous music hall entertainer of his generation in the times when people would go not to pubs or clubs it was like the music hall where lots of bear, entertainers his name was Dan Leno L E N O and that was a plaque which he said he recognized that was his house before and he knocked on the door and his people opened the door "you are Roy Hudd, we know you we see you on the Telly What are you doing here?" At which he told them He lived here before You haven't lived here before we have been living in this house for 30, 40 years But I was here before you! And because he was well known, recognized they let him into the house he took them all around the house showing what it was like before He remembered, very clear memory even where he did his rehearsing in one of those rooms in front of the mirror So that was a memory from a very well-known personality And now he has written books about Dan Leno supposed to be historical books where he has information which you cannot get from any other source except if you have been there before
▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 1:40 (to 5:53)
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)
Lost in London, comedian Roy Hudd turned into an unfamiliar street and remembered living there as music-hall star Dan Leno, even pointing out where a missing door had been. Believe it or not, Ajahn Brahm finds the idea striking. Our character carries forward. It's worth choosing the qualities you build now.
In brief (our summary)
English comedian Roy Hudd, lost in a new one-way system after a London show, turns down a street he has never seen in this life and recalls living there before — as music-hall star Dan Leno, whose blue plaque is on the house. He walks the owners through and points to where a door should be; plans later confirm it. Ajahn Brahm adds he was told the devout-Catholic head of ITV then stopped employing Hudd over the reincarnation article.
Teaching point
Spontaneous past-life recall can preserve character across lives; institutions may punish such claims.
When this story may help
- curious about past lives
Themes
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Brahm in Ajahn Brahm explains stories of past lives | Dhamma Short · 2018-04-23 · ▶ watch from 1:40 to 5:53 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia
4 other tellings of this story
- How To See Past Lives & Why Its Important | Ajahn Brahm · 2018-09-18 · ▶ watch from 1:01 to 4:05 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia
- Past Life Personality | Ajahn Brahm | 26 January 2018 · 2018-01-26 · ▶ watch from 8:59 to 10:57 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaJan 2018 telling: Roy Hudd lost in new one-way system; street never seen this life; memory floods back; blue plaques. Dan Leno not named in this telling.
- Investigate Your Way to Freedom | Ajahn Brahm | 19 Dec 2008 · 2008-12-28 · ▶ watch from 34:23 to 36:45 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaDec 2008 telling: Roy Hudd lost in London one-ways; street triggers memory of previous life as music-hall star Dan Leno; blue plaque house; comedian-to-comedian continuity.
- Ajahn Brahm menceritakan tentang kehidupan lampau. · 2019-05-20 · ▶ watch from 1:36 to 6:08 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaShort Indonesian-title clip on rebirth: Roy Hudd gets lost after a new one-way system, recognises a London street and the blue plaque of music-hall star Dan Leno (as captioned), is let in, and later writes historical books with otherwise unavailable detail. A Russell Square / Charles II mistress plaque is a mid-telling aside.
Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is.
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