Stories about connection
3 Buddhist wisdom stories about connection from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- “That's a beautiful baby” on the TubeStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: On a depressing London Underground ride where nobody looks at anyone, Ajahn Brahm tells a young mother her baby is beautiful — a fib, he admits, since he doesn't like babies —…
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one of the hardest places to crack, for me anyway, is the London Underground. But I've succeeded many times. You know if you have ever gone in the London Underground, you're not allowed to look at each other. You've got to look down and you've got your paper and someone's looking at you. What do they want? You can do that. I remember it just very easy. You are stuck in this underground. I don't know how long. And this is depressing. So, I just saw this girl. She was holding a baby and I just okay, I told a fib. I looked up and said, that's a beautiful baby. [laughter] I don't like babies, but I said it's a beautiful baby. And that just opened this girl up. Should I really said who are you? Where are you from? Oh you are from Australia. You are a monk. We had this beautiful conversation to the very end.
- The fan at the restaurant windowStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Having a quiet sponsored lunch in a little restaurant in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong, Ajahn Brahm sees a young woman press her face to the window, recognising him. Her English…
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But even when I was in Hong Kong, I was quietly having my lunch. Somebody was sponsoring my lunch in a little restaurant. uh in I think in I think they call it Kennedy Town. It's over in Hong Kong Island. And when I was having my lunch there, this lady walked past a young lady. And she looked pressed her head against the window to look because she recognized me. And she had an English her husband who encouraged her, "Go in and make sure if it really is him." And it was like being a pop star. She came in there and said, "Yo, Ambra, oh, I'm so excited." That's what she actually said. And her partner said, "Oh, she listens to you all the time." And she said, "Thank you so much." And I was just trying to have an a quiet lunch. I know you can't have a quiet lunch here in Australia. [laughter] Too many people try and come come and talk to you. But I never expected this, you know, in Hong Kong.
- The vet who wept when his dog was hitStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Victorian vet driving to a weekend party is overcome with unexplained grief, pulls over and weeps; later learns his dog was hit by a car at that exact time.
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vet who finished work early on a Friday afternoon and went to somewhere in the Country of Victoria for a nice weekend party with his friends. So, on the way, maybe two or three hour journey, in the middle of the journey, he was overcome with unexpected intense grief. It was so bad he had to stop his car, park by the side of the road and just weep for about 15 or 20 minutes and he hadn't got a clue why. He just felt like crying and when he pulled himself together, and drove off to this house where he's gonna have the weekend party with his friends, the message was waiting for him. His dog had been hit by a car