Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Six cooks talking, no one listening

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Power of Silence | Ajahn Brahm | 12-12-2008

1 min read

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

One of the stories I often mention in my meditation retreats is a story of our monastery down Serpentine one day passing by the kitchen when people were making the meal for the morning there was I think six Thai Ladies there was only Thai Ladies this day it's the same when Sri Lankan women or men or anybody else is serving the food or making the food for us that particular day had to be six women in our kitchen and I noticed all six women had their mouths open talking There were only six in the kitchen if the six people were talking, I wondered who was left to do the listening And the answer was no one was doing the listening because everyone was busy doing the talking

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 7:26 (to 8:17)

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

Passing the monastery kitchen, Ajahn Brahm counted six cooks and six open mouths, which left nobody listening. It's a picture of much of life, and even of a quiet mind still chattering to itself. In your next conversation, let someone else finish, and let the birds and the silence have a turn too.

In brief (our summary)

Passing the Serpentine monastery kitchen one morning, Ajahn Brahm notices six Thai ladies preparing the meal — all six with their mouths open, talking. If all six were talking, he wondered, who was left to do the listening? No one.

Teaching point

So many people are talking that no one is left to listen — even inside our own heads.

When this story may help

  • poor communication
  • relationship problems
  • busy mind

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Power of Silence | Ajahn Brahm | 12-12-2008 · 2008-12-20 · ▶ watch from 7:26 to 8:17 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

3 other tellings of this story

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

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