# The head on the morgue windowsill

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-siriraj-autopsy-head-on-the-window
- Themes: death, impermanence, humour, monastic life, the unexpected
- Life situations: over-planning, facing mortality

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Because a Buddhist monk is not stopped in Thailand, Ajahn Brahm was able to walk into the autopsy room at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. Arriving early, alone, he saw on a high windowsill — where you'd expect a pot plant — a head. He thought it was a model and poked it: it was a real severed head, sitting on a plate in the sunshine.

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

Actually one of these places I went to in Thailand. Because Thailand is a Buddhist country you can walk into the morgue because they won't stop a Buddhist monk you just go in and see what's going on in there (laughter). So, I remember the first It's true. One of the first places, I couldn't really believe this. This is a true story I am not making it up. I went into this autopsy room in Siriraj Hospital Bangkok, just opposite the river. Their main hospital, or one of the main hospitals in Bangkok; I went there very early, They hadn't started the autopsy yet, I was in the room by myself, they had these high windows and I looked at one of the windows, there was really something strange, in a place where you will usually expect a pot plant, there was a head! (laughter) And I thought this was a fake head some sort of model. I went there and poked it; it was actually a real head cut off. Just like in some monster movie. But there is was, I don't know whose it was but they just put it on a plate and it was on the window, in the sunshine. It's really weird (laughter)

## Teaching point

Told to show that a monk's life is unplanned and full of the unexpected; he also contemplates death in autopsy rooms.

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

Arriving early at a Bangkok autopsy room, Ajahn Brahm poked what he took for a model head on the windowsill. It was real. A monk's life is full of surprises, and so is everyone's. Plans go wrong whether you make them or not. Try a no-plans day this weekend and see what turns up.

## Source

- ['Out of Control' | by Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEnU5BBr_7Y) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 31:35 to 32:37: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEnU5BBr_7Y&t=1895s

Other tellings of this story:

- [12 Insight Into the Path](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO3bq37SIGY) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 16:18 to 17:05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO3bq37SIGY&t=978s