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Story · Ajahn Brahm

The snake and the monk eyeball each other

As told by Ajahn Brahm in The Process of Rebirth | Ajahn Brahm | 03-04-2009

1 min read

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

I remember once during one of the ceremonies we're doing some chanting and a snake CRA up this Monk's back and there's a snake I saw it cuz I was watching the Monk and just behind his shoulder a snake's head popped up and this monk looked at the snake and the snake looked at the Monk and they eyeballed each other it was one of those amazing moments that if you have a we didn't have video cameras obviously in those days we' gone on the funniest home movie for sure we'd have won a price the snake and the monk eyeballing each other cuz both were really surprised wondering what to do next and of course what the snake did the monk just very gently because very kind just gently pushed his robe off so the snake fell off without hurting it and just slithered away and we had a very good relationship with snakes in those days

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 17:32 (to 18:30)

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

Mid-chant, a snake's head popped up over a monk's shoulder. They stared at each other in surprise, then he gently shrugged his robe so it slid off unhurt and slithered away. Calm kindness defuses a lot, with snakes and with people. The urge to lash out usually makes the moment more dangerous, not less.

In brief (our summary)

During chanting at a new jungle monastery in Thailand, a snake climbs up a monk's back; its head pops up over his shoulder. Monk and snake eyeball each other, both surprised. The monk very gently pushes his robe so the snake falls off unhurt and slithers away.

Teaching point

Kindness makes even snakes no threat.

When this story may help

  • sudden fright
  • encountering wild animals

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Process of Rebirth | Ajahn Brahm | 03-04-2009 · 2009-04-25 · ▶ watch from 17:32 to 18:30 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

4 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions: unpunctuated, words left exactly 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

  • The preceptor's snake in the lap

    In brief: Ajahn Brahm's preceptor, later acting Sangharaja of Thailand, came out of deep meditation in a Koh Samui coconut grove to find a snake…

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    he would meditate in a coconut grove. And he said once he had a nice deep meditation in the coconut grove and that when he came out of the meditation he saw a snake coiled up in his lap. Now, what would you feel if you came out of meditation at 8:00 and you find a big snake had been caught up in your lap? How would you react? And this monk, he was was my preceptor and he became the acting sangaraju of Thailand with lots of responsibility. And this coconut grove was in in the island of Got Samoy when that was not a famous place where tourists went to. That was his his hometown in there. But he said the amazing thing was he was so peaceful when he came out and opened his eyes. He saw the the snake in his lap called up very happy and he had no fear at all. And that was really surprising to him. He thought how can this happen? No fear. And of course he just watched the snake for about 10 or 15 minutes and then the snake just uncoiled and just slithered away with you can imagine gratitude simply because he had no fear.

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  • The Rottweilers weren't chained

    In brief: Visiting a house, he's told not to worry about the two Rottweilers — they're chained up — so he walks right past them. Only afterwards…

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    I just remember just going to one person's house and she had these two Rottweilers chained up and so he said, "No, it's okay. You don't need to be afraid of the Rottweilers. They're all chained up." So they walk right past them and only afterwards. No, she will. Almost had a heart attack. Oh my goodness, I forgot to put the chains on.

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  • The postulant who tried too hard to be perfect

    In brief: A former monastery postulant tells Ajahn Brahm in Melbourne that he was so afraid of breaking a rule, controlling his body, speech and…

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    There was one of the men I saw in Melbourne, he used to be an Anagarika in my monastery down in Perth a long time ago. But he was saying when he was first there, he was trying so hard to be perfect. He was so afraid of breaking a rule. And that's why he got so tense trying to control his body, control his speech, control his mind. He got so tense, he couldn't stand it and he left.

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  • The bomb next door in the Blitz

    In brief: During the London Blitz a bomb falls right next to the terraced house where Ajahn Brahm's mother and grandmother are. The neighbours, only…

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    Even my family, parents and grandparents would tell me about life in London during the Second World War during the Blitz where a bomb fell right next to a terrace house. The next terrace house where my mother and grandma were. People in the next house are neighbors. They were instantly killed. My mother had her arm lacerated. She hardly remembers it, but it did happen apparently. And these were the old terrace houses which was only maybe what maybe 5 mters wide, 6 m wide to the next house. And they said there were some of the most wonderful times when even though many people were dying, there's so much kindness and help and joy and even joy as well.

    Open story page·Watch this telling

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