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Story · Ajahn Brahm

I knew you'd wake me for alms round

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Friendship | Ajahn Brahm | 25-11-2011

3 min read

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

one of my old school friends you know we were in Boy Scout Cubs together and just I still remain friends over all these years he's not a Buddhist but he came to visit me in Thailand many years ago and part of in those days you know 30 something years ago over in the northeast of thaila one of the most beautiful experiences was the morning arms round we'd get up just you know we get up at 3:00 in the morning in that place and meditate and chant when the sun came up we'd go on arms around well we took our Bowl we walked to the local Village for our our rice our food for the day and that Village they expected us and they were part of their their day a few times when we never went they really missed us it was just like the Milkman coming or or whatever but anyway we'd always go there every morning and it was the first know time of the day it was really cool and beautiful people were waking up you can see the smoke from the little woodf fires coming up from the Village it was a beautiful Serene event to come with the monks as they walk silently through the village for arms round so I invited my friend know why don't come with me tomorrow morning we go on arms round in the village and he said look I don't get up that early how many people except monks get up you know at 3:00 in the morning or 4:00 in the morning what time do you get up I bet it's not that time actually most people don't go to bed till 3:00 4:00 in the morning when the MKS get up but anyway so I said look you don't have to worry I will wake you up tomorrow morning just before arms maybe about 5:30 or 6:00 you just sleep in your room and I'll be there tomorrow morning so that's what I did the following morning I woke him up you know 5 minutes early you can just put on something you don't have to get dressed to go for arms R in Northeast Thailand the villagers wear Rags so you can wear Rags too well not Rags but you know the sort of stuff which people used to wear those days so we went on arms around and on the way back he was just you know talking cuz he was an old friend we're talking how wonderful it was to have this experience of you know being on this ancient 2500 Year tradition of the monks going in the early morning on arms round and coming back again but he said the most amazing experience was when he went to bed that night cuz he said I knew that you would be there in the morning to wake me up I knew 100% And he said that's something which is very uncommon for me living in London he said many of people they promised me things and they say they will be there and they make all of these these plans that yes at that time I will do that for you and he said so often they let me down they're unreliable but for you you're a monk you're a good old friend I knew you'd be there

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 4:28 (to 7:23)

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

A friend staying at the monastery went to sleep certain Ajahn Brahm would wake him for alms round; in London, people so often let him down. That trust moved Ajahn Brahm. A broken promise damages faith and plans. Promise carefully, then keep your word. Be someone others can rely on.

In brief (our summary)

An old Scout friend visiting him in NE Thailand skipped the 3 a.m. wake-up but trusted Ajahn Brahm 100% to knock at 5:30 for village alms round — a reliability he said was rare in London life.

Teaching point

Being someone others can stake a night's sleep on is a rare form of friendship.

When this story may help

  • keeping promises
  • valuing trustworthy friends

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Friendship | Ajahn Brahm | 25-11-2011 · 2011-11-26 · ▶ watch from 4:28 to 7:23 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

1 other telling of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly as captioned. 'thaila'/'arms round' as captioned.

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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