# I am the Thai pirate

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-thich-nhat-hanh-i-am-the-pirate
- Themes: empathy, conflict, forgiveness, war, Thich Nhat Hanh
- Life situations: hatred of an enemy, war trauma, seeking reconciliation

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Early in his monkhood Ajahn Brahm was spun around by a poem of Thich Nhat Hanh from the boat-people years: I am the refugee, the pregnant woman, the woman raped by the Thai pirate — and I am the Thai pirate. Empathy has to leap even into the repugnant before conflict can end.

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

poem by Venable tikat Hanan now you know he was a Vietnamese Monk and he was in his early years before he became famous he was really looking after the Vietnamese Community who had escaped from Vietnam on boats risking their lives many of them didn't make it the boats were even worse than they are these days most people died at Sea those people who survived were raped by Tha Pirates their money their collections disappeared it was a terrible terrible time and there any Vietnamese people here you know you understand what I mean and this monk wrote this poem which was both shock it just span me around but gave me an insight into how such conflicts can be resolved I can't remember the poem properly but it was something like I am I am the refugee in a boat tossed on the waves I am the woman pregnant in that boat I am the woman raped by the Thai pirate I am the Thai pirate raping this woman I am the Tai pirate stealing the money I am all of those people

## Teaching point

To end conflict you must get underneath even the person you most want to condemn.

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

A poem by Thich Nhat Hanh stunned young Ajahn Brahm: I am the refugee, the woman attacked on the boat, and I am the pirate too. It leapt into understanding even the person we'd most want to condemn. Revenge doesn't end harm. Understanding why people do terrible things is where real resolution begins.

## Source

- [Ending Conflict | Ajahn Brahm | 22-10-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ6R-MeXNuo) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 17:39 to 19:24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ6R-MeXNuo&t=1059s