Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

That's not what Ajahn Chah said — I was there

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Word of the Buddha (Part 1) | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2016

1 min read

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

remember this one translation which was done by a monk I remember reading it and said what? that's not what Ajahn Chah said I was there when he gave that talk And the monk said oh .. yeah yeah but I think this is what Ajahn Chah wanted to say And you got to be very careful there, in translating

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 1:32:36 (to 1:32:57)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Reading a translation of an Ajahn Chah talk he'd heard himself, Ajahn Brahm protested: that's not what he said. The translator replied that it was what Ajahn Chah wanted to say. Be careful with translations, and with putting your own words in someone else's mouth. Honesty matters.

In brief (our summary)

Ajahn Brahm read a monk's translation of an Ajahn Chah talk he had personally heard and protested that it was not what Chah had said. The translator replied that he thought it was what Ajahn Chah wanted to say. Be very careful with translations.

Teaching point

Translators can overwrite the teacher with what they wish had been said.

When this story may help

  • reading translations
  • quoting teachers

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Word of the Buddha (Part 1) | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2016 · 2016-11-27 · ▶ watch from 1:32:36 to 1:32:57 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is.

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

  • The talk he couldn't remember

    In brief: Years after Ajahn Chah's stroke left him unable to speak, Ajahn Brahm dreams — lucidly — that Ajahn Chah gives him a brilliant Dhamma…

    Read full story

    I remember a few Years later, Ajanchcha was still alive, but he couldn't travel, couldn't speak. I remember having this dream early in the morning of Ajancha coming in my dream and giving me this dharma talk. It was brilliant. And I remember at the time I had enough awareness. It was in a dream, but I was like a lucid dream. And I heard him giving this amazing dharma talk. And I remember at the time I said, "He's got a stroke. You know, this is so rare. It's just so precious. I must remember it. I was trying so hard to remember everything he said and when I woke up as the talk ended, you just woke up and then I couldn't remember a thing. That was so disappointing. That would have been amazing just almost like getting a sort of mind-to- mind dam talk from Ajancha when he was had a stroke and couldn't speak. He was alive but just not communicate communicating. I couldn't remember a thing. That was just one of the most disappointing mornings of my life.

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • There are a thousand Ajahn Chahs

    In brief: At Ajahn Chah's funeral the Western monks argued about what he had really taught — pure mind or nothingness. Ajahn Jagaro settled it:…

    Read full story

    anecdotal and this is praising my predecessor Ajahn Jagaro At Ajahn Chah's funeral service You know they hang out for a couple of days That's a very nice anecdote because as you would expect.. I was with Ajahn Chah for about 8, 9 years And we were all having a discussion what did Ajahn Chah teach Did he teach pure mind or did he teach nothingness What did he teach? And there was a big argument between all the monks What did Ajahn Chah actually teach Then Ajahn Jagaro really wisely he said there are thousand Ajahn Chahs because every disciple remembered something from Ajahn Chah which he thought was important and interesting and other stuff we just didn't even get to our perception So he said there are as many disciples of Ajahn Chah that's how many different teachings there are which is so wise So what did Ajahn Chah say? I got Ajahn Brahm's version of Ajahn Chah and hundreds of other versions of Ajahn Chah of what he said Because we all know what we could understand or what we could see, and that's what we remembered things which were beyond us we just didn't even remember That's why when you quote other people it is great with the Buddha because at least we got it in black and white

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • You're just helping me sharpen my knife

    In brief: An Englishwoman argues with elderly Ajahn Chah for hours; others say leave him alone — Chah says no, she is helping him sharpen his knife:…

    Read full story

    you just helping me sharpen my knife and that's actually how he would uh regard when you ask difficult questions always it was accepted

    Open story page·Watch this telling

  • The monk with the divine ear sat in Ajahn Chah's chair

    In brief: A monk Ajahn Brahm knew in Thailand claimed he could hear people talking about 12 kilometres away; when tested it was true — a 'divine…

    Read full story

    and just to make things interesting there was one monk I knew when I first went to Thailand who had that power he was tested out when he said he could hear people talking about 12 kilo meters away. when he made that claim we said you are crazy he said, no it is true and when we went to check in it was absolutely true he had what they say in the suttas a divine ear this incredible hearing And the problem what happened with him was he started getting this psychic power, obviously with incredible meditation then he thought he was so highly attained and one day he actually sat in Ajahn Chah's chair and said... Ajahn Chah is nobody I am the real Abbot here And it was an example of the pride and ego which sometimes comes up when you start to attain such things which is one of the reasons why in monastic Buddhism they are suppressed If you do get any psychic powers we don't talk about it that much especially if the person is still alive If they are dead we don't mind

    Open story page·Watch this telling

All stories·Find a story for your situation