# Kindness after the dye shed

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-three-monks-robe-dyeing-helped
- Themes: kindness, monastic life, energy, karma
- Life situations: monastic training, exhaustion

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Wat Pah Pong: three monks dyeing robes two nights without sleep; young Brahm secretly helps so they can rest. Next morning chanting he is full of energy — senior monk: because of kindness.

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

three monks and they were dying their robes and they hadn't slept for a couple of days know you can't sleep you have to keep on working that was why almost a test of endurance for them you know that sometimes I remember reading in the Buddhist books when I was young that to make sure that a monk or none was really uh wanted to become a monk or none They would actually test them by having them sit outside the front door of the monastery for three days and just to see if they really wanted to become a monk or a nun. And over in Damasara, you don't have to do that. You just have to make your own robes. It's just kind of similar. Don't make it too easy. See just what your your commitment is. But anyway, over in uh W Babong in those days, we had to uh cut sew white cloth, sew it all up into the monk's robes and make the dye and dye it. [clears throat] It took a long time. And these three monks have been up at the dying shed two nights without sleep and had another night or two to go before they could finish. I what would you do? You know, I would just felt so sort of sorry for them. I've got compassion just like every other monk and none and each one of you as well. I said, "Look, um I won't tell if you won't tell. I'll do the dying tonight. You go and take, you know, 4 hours of rest." And that's what they did. They didn't argue with me. They were off, you know. I felt so good about that because you could see they were suffering in pain, you know, not physical pain like you've broken a leg or something, but just really, really, really tired. So, I did that work for them that night. I hadn't slept that day. I didn't sleep that night cuz I was busy looking after the dying pot. And then also in the morning, the bell went 3:00 in the morning. would get up in Thailand when the bell went they all came back thank you thank you thank you just that you know 4 hours of rest you know just meant a lot of difference to them me I went back to the morning chanting and that morning I still remember the morning chanting we did in Thailand It was really depressing. Honestly, I'm not I'm not just saying that because he didn't have any energy, you know, and just getting up really early in the morning, 3:30, and just chanting. But that morning, yo, I had so much energy inside of me and it was unique. I think the other monks told me quiet down a bit, [laughter] but why? And I hadn't slept all night and I just I couldn't figure it out why I was just so full of energy. And I asked one of the senior monks and that's what they told me. He said, you know, I confessed, look, and we're not supposed to do this. I'm sorry, you know that they're supposed to make those robes up for themselves, but I helped. And and I said, "I had so much energy." Why? He just said, "Because of kindness." When you're really kind and you sacrifice something, you get a big boost of energy and power back

## Teaching point

Sacrificial kindness returns as instant energy.

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

Three monks at Wat Pah Pong had gone two nights without sleep dyeing robes, so young Ajahn Brahm quietly helped them finish. Next morning he felt bursting with energy. Why? Because of kindness, a senior monk said. Giving of yourself gives energy back, like instant karma. Look at the lively eighty-somethings who served for decades.

## Source

- [Meditation, Kindness and Energy | Ajahn Brahm | 12 May 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MgnroF0hQI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 30:25 to 34:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MgnroF0hQI&t=1825s

Other tellings of this story:

- [How to be of Service | Ajahn Brahm | 11 June 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgKWRJ3Po44) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 26:14 to 28:34: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgKWRJ3Po44&t=1574s
- [Emboldening the Mind with Fizz & Sparkle (3/14) | Ajahn Brahm & Venerable Canda | 7 December 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQscbNiNQek) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 3:21 to 4:05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQscbNiNQek&t=201s