# The monk who gave the IT keynote

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-world-computer-conference-keynote
- Themes: non-attachment, control, identity, openness
- Life situations: fear of the unknown, over-planning, new challenges

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Though he says he knows little about computers, Ajahn Brahm accepts an invitation to give the keynote address at a World Computer Conference/Congress, simply because it is an interesting challenge. The tellings disagree on where and when (see notes and each occurrence). In the fullest telling, an email from the organisers later tells him it was the most popular and most downloaded session, summarised and published in the IT section of The Australian: “So there you go I am the expert on IT.” Other tellings add that executives of Google, Samsung and LG were present and kept asking what he was doing there, and one uses the talk to describe holding up a plastic water bottle and asking “what else is it?”

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

This is another thing which happened just today, I was checking the e-mail and I think I told some of you, if you got good memories that during the last retreat period I did take one invitation to leave the monastery and that was to go to this world computer conference in Brisbane. And the only reason I did that, I thought it was interesting I have never done that before. I am a monk okay I can get on a computer but I don't know anything about IT and there they asked me to give the keynote at the World Computer Conference in Brisbane last year. I thought that was interesting. That is a sort of challenge. I like doing weird things. So I rocked up there I gave a keynote and I just got the email they said from the organizers just this afternoon . And they said that was the most popular presentations. They put everything on the internet and that has been the most downloaded session and the President of the World Computer Society in Australia summarized it up and printed it out and published in the Australian, in the IT section. So there you go I am the expert on IT. Just the world renowned lecturer on IT.

## Teaching point

When you don't attach to control and plans, life evolves in ways you could never predict.

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

A monk who admits he knows little about IT accepted a keynote at a world computer conference just because it was an odd challenge, and his session became the most downloaded. You don't have to plan every step or fit in to have a great time. Hold your plans loosely, say yes to the occasional strange invitation, and see what unfolds.

## Source

- [Instead of Attachment | Ajahn Brahm | 04-03-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L50xVM7wwss) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 46:17 to 47:31: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L50xVM7wwss&t=2777s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Am I Good Enough? | Ajahn Brahm | 28 April 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2mWuCk70Ck) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:03:30 to 1:04:07: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2mWuCk70Ck&t=3810s
- [Give Yourself Peace, Kindness and Forgiveness | Ajahn Brahm | 29 January 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--PPWbmzp6M) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 25:12 to 25:54: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--PPWbmzp6M&t=1512s
- [The Fault Finding Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 7 May 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bekYLQ5buRQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 47:59 to 48:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bekYLQ5buRQ&t=2879s
- [Discovering and Following Meaning in Your Life | Ajahn Brahm | 3 May 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nYirce5Un0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 44:21 to 47:56: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nYirce5Un0&t=2661s
- [Problems and Solutions | Ajahn Brahm | 30 Oct 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivjWh2yuumk) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 0:22 to 2:52: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivjWh2yuumk&t=22s
- [16 Non-Self (Anatta)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkd4vOCE-XU) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 30:12 to 30:29: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkd4vOCE-XU&t=1812s
- [Insight | Ajahn Brahm | 17 April 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9komtTEG0ug) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 4:19 to 5:23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9komtTEG0ug&t=259s
- [Effective Management | Ajahn Brahm | 06 Nov 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_5tfQRkAZ4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 43:55 to 44:38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_5tfQRkAZ4&t=2635s