# “It's only fat” — “Same thing”

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-us-customs-suicide-belt-fat
- Themes: humour, travel, body
- Life situations: airport security, body image

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Travelling through the US with only his one small bag, a customs officer asks where the rest of his baggage is, then what's under his robe — a suicide belt? He opens his robe: 'No, it's only fat.' The officer: 'Same thing.'

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

When I was uh traveling through United States a few years ago, they looked at me, I only have my my bag. That's my baggage. Said, "Where's the rest of your baggage, sir?" said, "This is all I have." He said, "Well, what's underneath your robe?" And what this customs agent said, we said, "Is there a suicide belt under Europe?" Because in those days people would use suicide bolts. And so I opened up my R said, "No, it's suicide belt. It's only fat." And that's when the customs officer said, "Same thing.

## Teaching point

(Self-deprecating humour about his weight.)

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

A US customs officer asked whether the monk had a suicide belt under his robe. Ajahn Brahm opened it: no, only fat. Same thing, said the officer. Ajahn Brahm still laughs about it. If you can joke about your own belly in a tense moment, few insults about your looks will sting much.

## Source

- [Our Mind and Our Health | Ajahn Brahm | 7 July 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irCk-DJXisM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 36:58 to 37:42: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irCk-DJXisM&t=2218s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Relax the Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 13 June 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_HZAqnmAYM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 55:22 to 57:49: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_HZAqnmAYM&t=3322s
- [Why I Became a Monk | Ajahn Brahm | 28 March 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-U28g_SVuc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 38:33 to 39:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-U28g_SVuc&t=2313s