Story · Ajahn Chah
Unoffered food at the Saraburi temple
The story — retold in our own words from Ajahn Chah's talk
Once, while traveling through Saraburi, Ajahn Chah and his group stayed at a village temple whose abbot was of about the same seniority as himself. In the morning they went on almsround together. Back at the monastery, lay people set down dishes of food and the resident monks themselves opened them, laid them in a line, and had them formally offered only then — one monk merely putting a hand on the far dish. Ajahn Chah and the five monks with him would not touch that food and ate only the plain rice they had received on almsround. After some days he sensed the abbot was disturbed, and he went to explain that, as he had learned the practice, handling food before it is formally offered 'ruins' it, and a monk who eats it incurs a dukkata offense. He said he was not criticizing or trying to force them to stop, only clarifying why his group would not eat it. The abbot raised his hands in añjali and praised him, saying he had never yet seen a monk in Saraburi who kept the minor rules. The next morning, after almsround, none of the resident monks went near the dishes; the lay people themselves sorted and offered the food, afraid the visitors would not eat. For two or three days the local monks and novices seemed ashamed and on edge; Ajahn Chah tried to put them at ease, saying he had nothing against them.
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Chah's talk)
Standing by your values does not require making anyone feel small. Ajahn Chah ate his plain rice without complaint, then spent days helping his hosts feel at ease. Being firm about your own conduct and gentle with other people can go together, and that combination often teaches more than any argument.
Reflection written by Being Mindful Stories with AI help, in the spirit of the talk. These are not Ajahn Chah's own words.
In brief (our summary)
Staying at a village temple, Ajahn Chah and his monks quietly eat only plain rice rather than food handled before it was offered, then explain kindly and put their embarrassed hosts at ease.
Teaching point
Keep even small rules sincerely, without looking down on those who do things differently.
Themes
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Chah in the talk “Understanding Vinaya”, in The Teachings of Ajahn Chah (2007 web edition), pp. 289–291
1 other telling of this story
- the talk “Understanding Vinaya”, in Food for the Heart (2007 edition), pp. 29–31The same talk, reprinted in this book (not a separate telling).
The book is © The Sangha, Wat Nong Pah Pong, offered for free distribution. Read the talk free at ajahnchah.org.
The story text is Being Mindful Stories's retelling in our own words of how Ajahn Chah tells it in this talk, not his own words and not a quotation. Read the talk in the book for his exact words. The title, summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk in the book. Markdown version