# 'Never mind, we'll get another one'

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-university-lab-equipment-blew-up
- Themes: fear, courage, learning, science
- Life situations: fear of failure, workplace mistakes, learning

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

When Ajahn Brahm was at university, another student in his lab blew up an expensive piece of equipment — a big bang and smoke. Ajahn Brahm expected him to be in serious trouble, but the technicians and professors said: 'No, no, never mind. We get another one.' They wanted to instil fearlessness in experimenting.

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

I remember being in a lab and one of the other students in the lab. There was a big bang. He blew up one of the piece of equipment, expensive piece of equipment. And I forget exactly what it was, but when bang and all the smoke came out and I thought that he could really get in trouble for that, wasting expensive equipment, but all the the lab technicians and the other professors, they said, "No, no, no, never mind. We get another one.

## Teaching point

Fear stops progress; courage to experiment breaks boundaries.

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

A student blew up an expensive piece of lab equipment, and the professors just said never mind, we'll get another. They wanted students fearless about experimenting. Fear of mistakes keeps science, communities and our own lives stuck. Allow yourself and others room to try, fail, and try again.

## Source

- [The Dangers of Fear | Ajahn Brahm | 4 November 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9QrmkzlBgE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 41:29 to 42:03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9QrmkzlBgE&t=2489s