# “Another hour!” — Ajahn Sumedho's four-hour talk

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-sumedho-four-hour-talk
- Themes: fear, public speaking, teacher-student, embarrassment
- Life situations: fear of public speaking, fear of embarrassment, fear of failure

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Ajahn Sumedho gives an hour's talk in Thai to the overnight lay guests; each time he stops, Ajahn Chah calls “Another hour!” — through mumbling, people leaving and snoring — until after four hours he is let off, and never fears public speaking again.

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

Ajahn Sumedho, it was him who was asked to give a talk, not on such a big occasion, but on the weekly talks, to all the lay community who were staying in this monastery overnight. So he gave a talk in Thai. It was sort of all right, but westerners giving a talk in a foreign language, it's difficult. Sometimes you say the wrong word and people laugh and you don't know what you've said, but you find out afterwards. You get very embarrassed. And after he finished the hour, he went to stop the talk and go and sit down, but Ajahn Chah said, "Another hour!" And he ordered this monk to give another hours' talk in Thai. You know, that's very difficult. You end up repeating yourselves, telling the same stories. You know, I tell the same stories, but I usually wait two or three weeks, you know, before - and that's why I really like - what I really like talking to is old people who haven't got such a good memory, because then they can always laugh at my talk jokes every week, even though it's the same joke. So he had to do another hour. And when finished the second hour, you know, he said, "Now the talk is over", and Ajahn Chah shouted out, "Another hour!". And at that point, many people got up and left. It's very embarrassing when you're giving a talk and people leave, but he had no choice. He had to keep on speaking. And now, of course, you get lots of pauses. You think, "Well, what am I going to say and how am I going to say it?" And eventually he finished. He finished the third hour. By that time, many people had left. And those people who were still there had their eyes closed, snoring. They weren't paying attention. But he got through the third hour. And then Ajahn Chah said, "Okay, another hour!". And the poor monk had to give another hour of talking. The worst possible talk you can ever imagine. Just mumbling, saying anything when everybody had left, except Ajahn Chah probably. And then Ajahn Chah finally, after four hours, let him off. And he said after that experience, he was never, ever afraid of giving a talk ever again.

## Teaching point

Hit the worst possible audience response and you stop caring; fear is what makes things go wrong.

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

Hour after hour Ajahn Chah demanded another hour, until the audience had left or fallen asleep, and Ajahn Sumedho was never afraid of public speaking again. Once you've survived the worst version of what you dread, the fear loses its grip. Much of what goes wrong comes from the fear itself, so relax and keep talking.

## Source

- [Letting Go of Fear | Ajahn Brahm | 22-05-2009](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7rFsrdtMM8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:34 to 18:05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7rFsrdtMM8&t=934s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Don't Be Disappointed | Ajahn Brahm | 29-01-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmlQ9qGomG0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 13:42 to 15:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmlQ9qGomG0&t=822s