# Six cooks talking, no one listening

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-six-thai-ladies-all-talking
- Themes: listening, silence, communication, humour
- Life situations: poor communication, relationship problems, busy mind

## Synopsis (editorial 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.

## 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

## Teaching point

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

## 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.

## Source

- [The Power of Silence | Ajahn Brahm | 12-12-2008](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWtLQ_ho63M) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 7:26 to 8:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWtLQ_ho63M&t=446s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Skillful Speech | Ajahn Brahm | 03-07-2009](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92eeS7ZGwlE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 12:42 to 14:07: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92eeS7ZGwlE&t=762s
- [Power Of Slience | Ajahn Brahm | 11 May 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzlFEqkP6vA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 6:19 to 7:19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzlFEqkP6vA&t=379s
- [Sức mạnh của sự im lặng | Ajahn Brahm | 12-12-2008](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TExC5PlltSk) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 7:36 to 8:15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TExC5PlltSk&t=456s