# The snake and the monk eyeball each other

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-snake-on-monks-back
- Themes: kindness, fear, animals, monastic life
- Life situations: sudden fright, encountering wild animals

## Synopsis (editorial 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.

## 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

## Teaching point

Kindness makes even snakes no threat.

## 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.

## Source

- [The Process of Rebirth | Ajahn Brahm | 03-04-2009](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWFSAFHpx_U) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 17:32 to 18:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWFSAFHpx_U&t=1052s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Having Positive Attitudes towards Everybody | Ajahn Brahm | 12 March 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsIU4DM27nQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 33:49 to 35:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsIU4DM27nQ&t=2029s
- [Inspiration | Ajahn Brahm | 05-02-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2_CqDkonoY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 6:02 to 6:47: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2_CqDkonoY&t=362s
- [Solving life's problems without relying on religious hierarchies | Ajahn Brahm | 20-06-2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIZNqQH1Ghw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 27:22 to 27:55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIZNqQH1Ghw&t=1642s
- [Learning to be Content - Armadale Meditation Group | Ajahn Brahmavamso | 16 March 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6GqYS2jSC4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 8:56 to 9:29: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6GqYS2jSC4&t=536s