# Knocking in the coffin — the monks jumped first

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-thai-coffin-knocking-monks-fled
- Themes: death, fear, humour, monastic life
- Life situations: funeral fright

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A Thai lady who comes on Tuesdays says an old woman in her village was in the coffin ready for cremation when knocking began. The monks jumped away first; most others fled; they opened the coffin and she was alive.

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

I remember telling this story a couple of days ago and one of the Thai ladies who comes every Tuesday to Bodhinyana Monastery, she said she experienced something similar to that in her village. This an old lady died and they had her in a coffin and the monks were there ready to do the cremation and then she was knocking in the coffin. This is a true story. Knocking in the coffin. And apparently the first to jump away were the monks who were there ready to do the jumping. [laughter] They were not that impressive at all. And then most of the other people ran away quickly cuz they were terribly scared, but then they opened the coffin and she was still alive.

## Teaching point

Told as parallel to the Indian NDE; even monks can panic.

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

Knocking came from inside a coffin at a Thai village cremation, and the first to leap away were the monks. Then everyone else ran. When they finally opened it, the old woman was alive. Ajahn Brahm enjoys how unimpressive the monks were. Robes don't make anyone fearless; we're all human.

## Source

- [Buddhism and Ghosts | Ajahn Brahm | 10 March 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9fga9-6vFM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 16:26 to 17:15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9fga9-6vFM&t=986s