# He renamed his sons Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-vesak-buddhist-renames-sons
- Themes: humour, death, kamma, shortcut spirituality
- Life situations: spiritual laziness, fear of death

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A once-a-year 'Vesak Buddhist' businessman hears that thinking of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha at death guarantees heaven, so he legally renames his three sons that — until on his deathbed he panics: if they're all here, who's looking after my shop?

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

Let's call it a Thai man for change. A Thai man. He He was what we call uh in Buddhism a Wasak Buddhist. So, like an Easter Christian. You only go to the church once a year. So, he'd only go to the temple once a year on Wasak and it's only cuz his wife made him to made him go there. And he just his life was hopeless if he you know hell to live if he didn't do what his wife said. One day a year. It's a holy day of the year. Go to the temple, Wasak, please. So, he went there. He was a businessman. And as a businessman, he like making money, just doing deals, working in the businesses here and there. Quite a wealthy man. But even though he's wealthy, he still didn't like giving any donations. But Wasak, I suppose I'd better. And he was wondering just listen to all these boring sermons and meditating with his legs aching. Can't there be an easier way? And he happened to listen to one of these sermons by one of the monks. And at this sermon, the monk mentioned that this is classic Buddhist teachings. The most important time is your last moments before you die. And if you have a brilliant, beautiful, good thoughts as your last thought before you pass away, then your next life will be great, maybe even get reborn in a heaven realm. And the monk was saying that the best thing you can think about before you pass away is what they call in Buddhism the Triple Gem, Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. And if you can think of those three things, the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, as your last thought before you pass away, then you're guaranteed 100% to go to heaven. No questions asked. So, this businessman, mean I don't have to keep precepts. I don't have to keep all these rules. You know, all I need to do is Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. Don't need to give donations. No, as long as you think of Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha just as your last thought, then you go to heaven. He thought, "Wow. At last, I know how to work the system." So, he said, "All I need to do is to make it sure I don't have to go to temple anymore. I can stay in the shop doing business. I can watch the TV. I can go and get drunk. I don't have to do any of those things. All I need to do is make sure I think of Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. How can I achieve that?" And he came up with this great idea. Because it just so happened he had three children, three sons. So, as soon as he got home, he got a lawyer and he officially changed their names to Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Because he knew that even today in Australia, when you die, your children are by your bedside in the hospital or at home. And sure enough, it worked according to plan. When he was on his last few hours of life, his three devoted children were next to him. And he was looking at them thinking, "Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, I'm going to go to heaven. Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha going to heaven." His plan was working perfectly until it just so happened he was saying to Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, his three children, "I'm going to heaven. No trouble at all." Until he suddenly thought, the thought arose in him, "My goodness, if my three children are here by my bedside, who's looking after my shop

## Teaching point

There is no last-minute shortcut past a lifetime of habits.

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

A once-a-year Buddhist heard that dying with Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha in mind ensured heaven, so he named his sons that. On his deathbed, seeing all three, his last thought was: who's minding the shop? There's no shortcut. Our final thoughts grow from a lifetime of habits. Practise kindness now.

## Source

- [The Pure Land | Ajahn Brahm | 08-01-2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWZ4umyhHA8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 5:19 to 8:54: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWZ4umyhHA8&t=319s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Terminal Lucidity | Ajahn Brahm | 1 December 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyKxtE_U-t4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 33:37 to 37:05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyKxtE_U-t4&t=2017s