# Form is emptiness — the empty platter

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-zen-monk-empty-platter
- Themes: emptiness, humour, Zen, hypocrisy
- Life situations: spiritual pride, intellectualising

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A hungry wandering Zen monk is sent to a famous restaurant owned by a generous Buddhist woman. She will feed him, but first he must teach some Dhamma so she knows he's a real monk. He stands and declares: 'Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.' Delighted, she has a huge covered platter brought out. He lifts the cover: nothing there. 'Form is emptiness, emptiness is form, monk.'

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

there was a Zen monk who was wandering from place to place and he hadn't got any arms food for a couple of days he was really hungry and then somebody said well you know we haven't got any further so but you see there's a restaurant over there really famous restaurant and the owner of the restaurant is a very generous Buddhist she'll be able to give you something so he went to the restaurant and he asked to see the owner and the owner said our venerable monk so blessed will you come to my restaurant and as what can I do for you in his a world or a bit hungry said I'll but you have to teach some dumb man before you know I know you're a real monk so he stood up and said form is emptiness emptiness is form Sardis I decided she said sit down and he thought wow I've really my lucky day I'm gonna get a good meal today see how she liked that teaching and so she soon came this big platter huge platter so wonder what's underneath the cover which was keeping it warm and she presented that platter to the monk you don't skip half a days and the month lifting it up there's nothing there form is emptiness emptiness is for monk

## Teaching point

Clever talk about emptiness is empty; true emptiness is being unburdened and open to receive.

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

A hungry monk proclaimed 'form is emptiness' to earn his meal, and was presented with a grand platter with nothing under the lid. Clever words don't feed anyone. Real emptiness means carrying no burden and no fixed ideas, which leaves room to learn. Keep your cup a little empty.

## Source

- [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 54:16 to 56:16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nYirce5Un0&t=3256s