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Story · Ajahn Brahm

Zen and the Art of Shipping

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Building a House of Peace | Ajahn Brahm | 13-04-2007

1 min read

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

Number one was going to a a transport forum. It was in the Duxton Hotel run by Alana Mat when you know she was minister of transport at that time. and going there because we had some trouble with clay trucks past our monastery and actually going to a forum there. And while I was there, somehow or other, I stood out and so a journalist approached me, asked me what I was doing there, and then interviewed me about shipping. Now, one thing my character is un game to do anything. So, I gave her the Buddhist idea of [Applause] shipping. And of course, as usual, I was making it up as I went along. But they published that article. And the actually it wasn't a her, it was a him. I'm sorry. It was a him who published this article. And I saw him about a year later. And he came up to me and he said, "You wouldn't believe how popular the article was." It was syndicated to every shipping magazine almost in the world under the art under the title Zen and the Art of Shipping. And all his fellow journalists came up to him, not all, but many emailed him and said, "I don't know who the Ajam Brah is, but he certainly knows what he's talking about.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 5:54 (to 7:27)

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

Cornered by a journalist about shipping, Ajahn Brahm cheerfully made up a Buddhist view of it, and 'Zen and the Art of Shipping' went round the world's trade magazines. Colleagues said he obviously knew his subject. He didn't. Wisdom often comes less from expertise than from a calm, open mind.

In brief (our summary)

At a transport forum (about clay trucks passing the monastery) a journalist interviews Ajahn Brahm about shipping; game for anything, he makes up 'the Buddhist idea of shipping'. A year later the journalist tells him the article was syndicated worldwide as 'Zen and the Art of Shipping', with colleagues writing that this Ajahn Brahm certainly knows what he's talking about.

Teaching point

Wisdom comes from a still mind, not from expertise or degrees.

When this story may help

  • being out of your depth
  • imposter feelings
  • speaking without expertise

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Building a House of Peace | Ajahn Brahm | 13-04-2007 · 2007-04-17 · ▶ watch from 5:54 to 7:27 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

4 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: 'Alana Mat' = Alannah MacTiernan; 'shitty' = 'shipping' (caption mis-hearing; not changed).

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

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