Stories about generosity
35 Buddhist wisdom stories about generosity from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- 'Become a monk and I'll cook for you'Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: In the early years in Perth, before Sister Vayama came, Thai women married to Australians brought delicious food to the two monks. Some husbands complained, 'My wife never cooks…
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We had complaints in the first years when I was a monk because sometimes we had these Thai ladies married to Australians, and they'd come and bring food to the two monks who were there. This was before Sister Vayama came. And sometimes the Australian men, the husbands, would complain. They'd say, "My wife never cooks anything like that for me! This is unfair!" And the Thai women would say, "You should become a monk. Then I'll cook for you."
- Cough once, get eight bottles of medicineStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Once in Australia Ajahn Brahm coughs at the start of a talk. By the end there are eight or nine bottles in front of him — Ayurvedic, homeopathic, 'horrible but you must take…
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this happened once when I was in Australia I coughed in public the beginning of a talk by the end of the talk there was about eight or nine bottles of medicine in front of me and people said you must take this this is Ayurvedic it's very good this is homeopathic it's much better this is horrible you have to take this I took this this is no usual medicine you've got to take that had so many medicines and now being compassionate and watching people to you know to make merit I said yeah I'll take that I'll take that so I had to take every of those bottles of medicine and that really made me sick
- Eye shade for a stranger at ChangiStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: At Changi Airport a Western woman could not sleep on a busy bench after an overnight flight. Ajahn Brahm, carrying eye shades for retreats, gave her one and walked away — her…
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I was going through Changi Airport and saw this Western woman, she was trying to get some sleep on one of the benches and she was moving out all over the place because she'd obviously done an overnight flight and it was in the middle of the day and so busy, she couldn't get any sleep. And I carry all these —what's it called—eye shades because I get these eye shades, I use them for meditation retreats so people can actually meditate and not see things. I had one in my pocket so I... I'd never seen this girl before in my life, and I said, "You're having a hard time sleeping; try one of these." I just remember the look on her face: it was astounded. What? Someone's being kind to me? I don't even know them. And I gave it to her and said, "Have a nice sleep," and walked away. And I know that I made that woman's... certainly her day maybe her week, her month. Simple thing like that just means so much in this world
- Eye shades for a stranger at ChangiStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Between flights at Changi he gives airline eye shades to an exhausted Western woman he does not know; her smile stays with him.
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changy airport once and I saw this poor Western lady trying to get some rest I know what it's like when you've been over an all night flight and you know feel really terrible you just want to get a few hours of sleep before you get your connecting flight and know she was on some sort of couch trying to get some shut ey you know moving all over the place and I had uh I ey Shades you know from the air aircraft and I got out the eye shades she didn't know me I didn't know her I said have some eye shades ma'am
- Feeding the mosquitoesStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Bitten all night in an Indonesian hotel room, Ajahn Brahm reframes the mosquitoes as recipients of his dana: laypeople feed him every day, so tonight he feeds the mosquitoes,…
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there was a room and there was so many mosquitoes were in the room so I was being bitten all night another night without much sleep so what did I do so this is Indonesia's Asia what do you expect there are mosquitoes around it's Asia so I accepted the mosquitoes and I was kind to them because I thought to myself well you know I don't work for my food I don't cook my food and buy it in a supermarket people come and feed me every day so this is my chance of feeding the mosquitoes it was what we called in Buddhism dhana generosity so now I know you know you have to work very hard working hard gaining the food from the supermarket cooking it for me presenting to me sometimes you come all the way to Monastery to feed me so I thought now this is payback time so mosquitoes come on because I thought look they're going to eat me anyway so I might as well give come on take service so you had the choice that you often have in life you can't change the world but you can't change the situation but you can change the way you look at it and as soon as you change the way you look at it there's something much more positive like an act of kindness an act of generosity these poor mosquitoes because have you ever had thought about what a mosquito must feel like you know they're really hungry and they sort of come and land on a human being it's really dangerous imagine you go to a restaurant and you don't know if you're going to come out alive that's what a mosquito does every time so it's also I imagine those mosquitoes you know when they had with that all the time in the world they could relax and drink as much as they wanted most of these mosquitoes because they're so afraid of being swatted they must probably have really bad digestion they're so anxious to get it out of the way quickly and run away as far as they can but so now I gave this beautiful kindness and time please have as much as you like and I got plenty left in there and my bread is pretty good it's like holy blood so it's like giving them a blessing as well
- Free buffet lunch on the Norway ferryStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Hitchhiking student on a cheap Norway–UK ferry; a couple say he reminds them of their son and buy him a huge buffet lunch — first and only such feast.
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cheap boat going over from uh Norway over back to UK. I was just hitchhiking, living on a cheap and this uh couple came up to me and they said, "You remind us of our son who was also hitchhiking during a summer vacation over in Europe." So [snorts] I said, "Please let us give you this wonderful lunch." And they paid for this incredible lunch for me. And it was like a big buffet. And it was actually the first and only
- Gave away the furniture to a young coupleStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Before ordination he gives a young recently-married couple his expensive furniture for free — they look at each other thinking him mad; he is off to become a monk and does not…
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Nothing. It's yours." I remember them looking at each other. I said, "This this lad's crazy. He's mad cuz no one gives you expensive stuff like that." And then I said, "Look, I'm off to become a monk. I don't need a table. I don't need money. It's yours. Please take it now. Have a good start in your life. They were just a young couple, recently married, didn't have any kids yet, just starting off in life. And I had the opportunity, the means to give them this beautiful piece of furniture. They said, "All it cost me was nothing, but I got so much out of that. The joy of helping a couple of people I didn't know
- Giving away the motorbike before ordinationStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Before Thailand he realises monks cannot keep a motorbike (robes balloon on one ride); he does not need the money — he wants to give the bike away.
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motorbike and I was going to become a monk and I knew enough about Buddhism that monks can't ride motorbikes there's a good reason for that that only once in my life as a monk have I ridden on the back of a motorbike once and never again cuz when you're on a motorbike with these robes the air gets inside it balloons up and you have to hang on because everything is trying to blow you off it doesn't work with these robes so never again but I had a motorbike when I was a lay person a nice Mo nice bike I thought what am I going to do with this I can't take it to Thailand you can't ride a motorbike as a monk and I don't need the money cuz monks don't have money so I want to give it away
- He almost bought lunch for the lady who looked like MumStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Stuck out of the monastery before noon, he queues at a food court behind a little old pensioner who looks like his late mother. He wants his attendant to buy her meal from…
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I remember going to a food court and the person in front of me you I was with the anara the the the attendant holding the M the person in front of me with this very old lady and she was ordering herself I think a roast meal and as soon as I saw her I thought of my old mother cuz you know she she looked about the same size the same type of curly hair and this little old lady a pensioner was just trying to get her lunch and nice probably treat for her and as soon as I saw her now the thought was in my mind I know this and I shouldn't do this I know this is not my Mindy but I wanted to ask the fellow with me you know you buy a her meal you know I want to sort of donate it because it was like my mom and you just I felt really sad and that was one moment I said no you're not really supposed to do that it's not my money it's a Buddhist society's money and I really regret that you know I think I should have done that because I thought of the consequences I lost my compassion
- He gave the robe he was wearingStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A monk gives the only robe he has on to a poorer man and walks back naked under monastic rules' logic; others ask if he was robbed — he says he gave it away. The monastery sees…
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this monk gave the robe he was wearing to a poor man now that is really a good spiritual leader the problem was though that the mark that's all he had on and now a lot of you ask you know what have you got underneath my robes I don't want to show you because you know I get arrested there's nothing underneath and so this Mark went back to the monastery totally naked and as soon as he know went into the door you know they they said get out of here you know this is a monastery not a place for deviant know naked people like you you know we don't like weirdos in our Monastery and he said look it's me I'm one of your monks yeah sure where's your robe and they started to recognize his voice and they realized it was one of the monks and they said took him and so what happened to you did he get robbed did he get assaulted You've Lost Your Rob he said no I just gave it away to a person more poor than I was and all the other monks in that Monastery thought wow that is someone who actually practices what he preaches
- He only meant to give her liftsStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: After divorce a man rehoming his pedigree dog met an elderly woman who needed rides to doctor and dentist; he happily took time off work for years. One day she asked him into her…
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he had used to have this pedigree dog. And being divorced and just staying in a small apartment somewhere that uh he couldn't look after the dog. So, he saw if he could find other owners of a similar breed so he can give the dog to somebody else to be looked after. And that actually got him in contact with the this old lady. And the old lady didn't want the dog, but she said, "Well, if you don't mind uh I don't have any transport and I do have some business every now and again go to see the doctor or going to see the dentist in town and it's just too difficult for me to get the bus." And he said because he was a kind person, he said, "Oh, well, I'll I'll give you a lift whenever you want." He was owning his own business, running his own little show, not making very much, but you know, he's getting by. And he said that one day after maybe a year or two of him giving her a lift, he said, "I always loved serving." He always loved whenever she called and said, "Is it too much trouble?" He said, "No, no, I'm very happy to take time away from the office and take you to where you need to go." You just Have you ever noticed when you are kind, when you just say what you're not for me or for somebody else, you get so much good energy? I always do that because it's not some some of the stuff which I do, I shouldn't really be doing it, but it's a wonderful thing to be able to help someone else and do something else and do something which is sometimes really silly stupid. I mean stupid, but kind. And before I go back to this gentleman and what happened with this old lady, that I remember just sitting here on a Friday night many years ago. And that um just before the uh the talk, I got a call from Singapore that the husband of one of our um supporters had really helped us so many times. Even just when we got John Cowell for our retreat center, we just didn't have enough money to pay the bills. And when I went to over to Thailand, she said, "How much?" And I said, "Here's a check." She did it. And a a little Well, maybe a little thing or big thing like that, I always remember that. People really helped me, got me out of difficult situations. I will never forget you. Her husband died. And they called up I think in the morning of Friday. And said, "Can you come, please, tomorrow for the funeral on Saturday?" I said, "That's impossible. I've got to give a talk on a Friday night. I've got so many things to do. It's a really stupid thing to try and probably won't be able to get a flight." So, I rang up Singapore Airlines and got a flight. Leaving right after the Friday night talk. That's so stupid. I just arrived in Singapore on Saturday morning, sort of really tired, half asleep, but did the funeral for her. I do love doing things like that. It's absolutely ridiculous. I should look after my health, but actually my health was great. Why is that? Even you don't have any sleep, you know, and you've still got full energy. It is because you're getting into a source of energy and power, which is from kindness, from love, from giving, from just doing something for the sake of someone needs you. And so, back to this gentleman who used to come to our Buddhist Society many years ago. This old lady called him and said, "Look, I'm sorry to disturb you again, but I've got to go and see my lawyer and it's just really hard getting sort of the buses and stuff and where my lawyer lives and I'm very old, it's very hard to walk." So, he had no worries. I'm delighted to take an hour off work and then just come and look after you. It's I enjoy it. And so, he took her to the lawyer and he usually parked his car outside. So, he said, "No, I really need you to come in." And I thought to sign some some documents and I'll be a witness or something. And then found the reason why she wanted to have him in the lawyer's office. And he told me this here many years ago. He said it was because she was making him the sole beneficiary of her of her of her will
- Holy water by the bucket — then she sold itStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Thai member Poonsup Wong, always sick, asks Ajahn Brahm for holy water by the 11-litre bucket each week. A Chinese man later rings wanting to buy it 'direct from source, cheap' —…
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some years ago, there was a Thai lady who married to a Chinese man. Many of you may remember her. Her name, I don't mind saying this, Poonsup Wong. Her husband was called George. And Poonsup, she was a Thai lady, but always she was always very sick. So much so that, you know, once she asked me, "Can you make me some holy water?" You know, this nam mon which, you know, sometimes you sprinkle people with. I said, "Yeah, sure." She said, "No, not a little bit. Can you make me by the bucket?" You know, like 11-liter buckets, plastic buckets. So, once a week, I'd make her a whole bucket of holy water, cuz I thought she was very sick. I'm a very kind monk. [laughter] So, that's what you want, that's what I'll give you. And that for weeks she was having this holy water by the bucket load. And then I found out what she was up to. Cuz I got a telephone call at Bodhinyana Monastery from a Chinese gentleman. He said, "I want to purchase some of your holy water." I said, "We don't purchase it. We give it away for free. This is like monks. We're not business people." He said, "No, no, no. You sell it." I don't. "It's very good." I said, "I don't sell it." And then uh something started to click in my mind. "What are you talking about?" He said, "I get mine from Mrs. Poonsup Wong. I want to cut out the middle white man or middle woman and get it direct from source, cheap." And I found out what she was up to. The bucket of holy water, 11 liters, she was taking it home and just dividing it up and then just it selling it a odd. She had a nice little order there. So as soon as I told her that was the end of that game.
- Lakshmi's knitted socks on Friday nightStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Before a Friday talk Lakshmi gave him hand-knitted socks he rarely wears; he put them on anyway, and during the talk she delighted that he was wearing her socks — kindness making…
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she gave me a pair of socks. I never wear socks. Very, very, very, very, very rarely, but she gave me some socks. She knitted them herself. So, I put them on for the Friday night talk. And during the Friday night talk, you know, it's just I'm getting old. You have to move every now and again. And I was moving and I just put a foot out with a sock on. And I remember you actually you said he's wearing my socks. He's wearing my socks
- Paying for the timber: the builder's discountStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Building Bodhinyana in the early days, Ajahn Brahm collected a lot of timber in a rush from a timber yard on Brookton Highway and realised back at the monastery that some of it…
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I'll just mention this um today when the one of the first times when I was building Bodana Monastery that uh we this was um I don't mind I mention it was Collie and Sons they had a a timber yard down Brookton Highway went there one day to get some timber to build a cooty or something and it's a lot of timber I was in a rush when I got back I said oh my goodness we we there's some stuff we hadn't paid for. So I went back on the next day and had the I said look you know we got some timber from you yesterday and just in a rush with no intention we hadn't paid for it you know can we sort of pay the difference and a fellow looked at me as if I was like from Mars or some alien planet somewhere and he said just hold on a moment and he went up to see the big the big manager and then he said okay you can pay for the extra timber But now you're on a builder's discount. And we're not builders. Well, not really professional builders, but you know that he gave us a builder's discount. And just the amount of money, you know, the monastery paid just for that bit of timber, maybe $10 or $15. We made that back 10, 20, 100 times probably by getting the builder's discount from that place. He said, because it's weird. Not many people do that. Not many people are honest and trustworthy.
- She signed a blank cheque so the refugee could see her dying motherStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: In the Buddhist centre hall a Laotian refugee gets a telegram — mother dying in Oregon — no money to fly. The woman arranging flowers stops, opens her chequebook and signs a…
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One of the Laotian refugees had just got a telegram from her mom her her her actually from family members, her mother was dying. But in Oregon, in uh United States. And she was here in Perth, this refugee. She had no means of getting to see her mother for one last time. And so, she was crying her eyes out. And the lady I'm talking about, she was organizing the flowers for the hall. She stopped doing that, reached into her um handbag, took out a checkbook. In those days, we used checkbooks. And just signed a blank check for her. For any amount. You go and see your mom
- Ten pounds for the Sikkim orphanageStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: As a student who dozed through talks by professors and monks, Ajahn Brahm never forgets one by an old English woman, a Tibetan Buddhist nun running an orphanage for poor children…
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But I remember one of the talks which I heard which I would never forget, it didn't say very much about Buddhism at all. Not as I'd expected it, it didn't say about Four Noble Truths or seven enlightenment factors and all these other stuff which you can read in books anyway. It was just this old English woman, who was a Tibetan nun who was running an orphanage with very poor kids in Sikkim. And the way that she described her compassion was really inspiring. I realised from that time that Buddhism isn't a theory, Buddhism is actually what you do, how you behave, just your kindness, your virtue, your peace, your forgiveness, that's what Buddhism is. It's not what you find in the books. What you find in the interaction between two very kind and caring people. I didn't realise at that time but she taught Buddhism more eloquently than any professor or any monk at that time which I knew. So that's why, the day after, I was so inspired, I went to my bank and took 10 pounds out of my account. Now this was in 1969, I was a very poor student, that was 2 weeks food money for me. So I went hungry. I make up for it these days. But you know, [laughter], I was really hungry, I wasn't starving but I didn't have as much as I would normally have, and it hurt. And because it hurt, I got so much happiness out of that, so much joy, I put 10 pounds for this little orphanage for poor kids. That was meaning, that was purpose, that was something which made life have a resonance, and something very solid which I could respect. It was a pointer to how I could find deeper meaning in my life.
- The 'scatty' monk emptied his wallet at the refugee campStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Proud young Brahm criticises a Thai monk for carrying money; the monk shares breakfast, takes him to a Lao refugee camp after the Vietnam War, and empties his wallet for the poor.
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scatty wag monk he has money he shouldn't have money he should be strict like I was because I was a very proud monk in those days and sometimes Pride leads to arrogance and because you're arrogant you tend to criticize others not really understanding what they're doing or why they're doing but then he was just so kind to me he sort of shared his breakfast with me and then he said you want to come to the refugee camp cuz this was just after the time of the Vietnam War and there was many laian refugees just close to his Temple and so I went there to visit and sure he had a wallet and it was full of cash but he literally turned it upside down and emptied it and just gave it to the the poor refu
- The blank cheque he gave backStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: After a talk on generosity in which Ajahn Brahm muses that the finest gift would be a blank cheque, a man in the audience actually gives him one, signed. Ajahn Brahm keeps it for…
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Once ... a few months ago, I gave this talk on generosity. And I said that one of the most wonderful acts of generosity wouldn't it be wonderful if a person needs.... because sometimes you give things expecting something back in return, as I said last week about real giving. Sometimes one person..... I said in one talk, even actually, not even saying how much you're gonna give, let me decide, give me a blank check. And one person who's sitting here today gave me a blank check, signed, and I could put whatever amount I wanted on it. He said, put whatever you want on it, the blank check. Isn't that wonderful? Of course, you know what I did. I kept it for a couple of months. And then I gave it back to him. And said, you can put whatever you like on it; not me.
- The burglar who came back for compassionStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: An abbot finds a knife-wielding burglar at the donation box, hands him the key, notices how thin he is and offers him leftover food — 'don't rush, there's plenty of time' — and…
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its a nice story about a monastery somewhere in the world and in the middle of the night the Abbot was woken up when he heard a noise in the main shrine room So he got up and checked, and sure enough there was a burglar in the temple. As soon as the burglar saw the Abbot the burglar was trying to open the donation box and he told the Abbot just get out of here. And the Abbot took one look at the burglar instead of actually stopping the burglar opening the donation box 'here's the key' so the burglar took it and told not to do anything But the Abbot took one look at the burglar and like many burglars and this guy was so thin. So the Abbot asked him when was the last time you ate. Burglar said 'shut up' . When I give talks I always like to wake people up every now and again (audience laughs). 'Shut up' he said. But the Abbot didn't shut up he said 'look there is some left over food from this mornings meal in the cupboard, help yourself. And the man was hungry. So just looking at the Abbot and brandishing a knife from the kitchen he said 'don't come near. He quickly sort of stuffed some food into his mouth and the Abbot said 'don't rush, there is plenty of time' and the bugler opened the donation box emptied it, took some more food and ran away saying don't call the police, Abbot said I wan't the donations are there for charity, for compassion you are a poor person just take whatever you want I will clear with the committee tomorrow So the next day when the committee heard about this At least the guy was being kind and they liked the Abbot for being kind but usually what happens a few days later that bugler was caught robbing another house somewhere and was sentenced to jail The abbot forgot all about that and few years later The bugler returned with another knife. He came and said you remember me? I robbed this temple five years ago, now I have come to rob again; but the burglar said this time; but last time I took the wrong thing I took the money Putting down his knife he said now I have come to take compassion and wisdom, please show me how you were so kind to me, even though I was about to kill you and rob your tample. So the Bugler realizing for the first time he thought that money was happiness after those five years realized that kindness is more important than money he said the first time he have stolen the wrong thing now he come to take the right thing and asked the Abbot to teach him; compassion and Kindness.
- The cat that steals the milkStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Every morning a cat takes Ajahn Brahm's milk and walks off without thanks; he gives anyway because he loves giving.
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every morning when I'm having my breakfast the cat comes up to steal my milk. So you know usually I've got enough but sometimes I go without, at least I have half instead of the whole which I usually have. So the cat, so I give to the cat, do I get anything back in return for the cat? No, licks its thing, sniffs and goes away, never says "thank you", not even a meow from the cat, you know what cats are like, so proud. But anyway who cares whether the cat lets me pat it or stroke it or whatever, I don't care, I just love giving.
- The Dalai Lama accepted the poor woman's skirtStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Early story: dirt-poor woman offers the Dalai Lama an egg-stained/skirt gift; he accepts because she needed to give — wisdom of receiving so others can give.
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Dalai Lama years and years and years ago. This is one of those stories I I read, you know, the very beginning of my Buddhist life. And it was something which really moved me. It made me understand a little about what compassion is really about cuz this was before the Dalai Lama actually uh left Tibet. you know, he's obviously a famous young man at that time and he would go from village to village visiting the people in Tibet and there was a journalist from United States was accompanying him doing one of the very first stories you know on the Dalai Lama and as he was going from village to village people were lining up to offer him gifts you know it's supposed to be good karma to offer someone like the Dalai Lama some gifts But this was an American who didn't really understand what generosity, compassion was about. And so he started to get more and more upset because some of those gifts were coming from very, very poor people. And on this one occasion in this one village, there was a woman who was obviously dirt poor, you know, hardly had anything. You could see by her eggs. And she lined up and when it came to her turn, she presented his holy Mr. Dalai Lama with one of her skirts. Her best skirt is what she gave to the Dalai Lama. And that American, he just could not contain his anger and disgust any longer. He shouted, "What are you doing?" Now, I don't sh If I got a cough, I'll really mess up my throat. But you can imagine what he would say. What are you doing now? Accepting a skirt from that poor white woman. You're so wealthy. You live in this great monastery. You have everything you want. And you don't need a skirt. You're a man. What do you want with a skirt? She needs it more than you. Shouldn't accept it. What are you doing that for? That's not right. And he had a point in there. When I thought that I read that, I thought, my goodness, what does a monk need with a woman's skirt? But then, you know, whenever you get someone gets angry at you or shouts at you, this is the way to react. You know, you're very quiet and soft. You take it first of all and that's a very good way of disarming other people's anger by not giving anger back. You just sit there quietly silently cuz if you give anger back you just feed you know the other person's ill will. So you see this very often in you know great people they someone shouts at you but you just sit there stand there quietly and wait and when they're finished then you can say something what the Dal Lama said he said it's true I don't need this skirt but that woman needed to give it to me
- The father in the singletStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: When the Buddhist Society had just opened a bank account for a future nuns' monastery, with only a dollar here and five dollars there, a man in jeans and a singlet — 'the sort of…
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I can never forget one afternoon at the monastery where I live in Serpentine a man came and he was wearing jeans and a singlet the sort of person you'd know see in a pub and he came to tell me that his wife had just given birth to their first child a daughter and he wanted to do something out of celebration for the birth of his first child and he' heard that we were wanting to build a monastery for Buddhist women and he said I don't know if my daughter will ever become a Buddhist let alone wanted to become a nun but who knows so I want to make a donation for your nun's Monastery and he handed over a check for $250,000 just like that and I've never seen him again I don't know where he came from but if he if he's ever around and he hears this talk please come and say hello and just to see how far that donation has gone and maybe you can make another one but no no no it just to and say hello but it was so inspiring that that sort of stuff can happen they just totally out of the blue not expecting anything and he certainly didn't look like a rich man at all
- The homeless man put his sandwich in the bowlStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: During a Perth conference a young monk skipped the free lunch to walk St Georges Terrace with his bowl; a homeless man stopped him and insisted on giving his sandwich. The monk…
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There was like a homeless man and he had a sandwich which he I don't know where he got his sandwich from. And he saw the monk and he stopped the monk and said, "Please stop and accept my sandwich." And the monk sort of opened his bowl lid and took a sandwich. Cuz when we go on alms round, we never ask for anything. We don't say, "Give me this, give me that." If somebody wishes to put some food into your bowl, they will do. And that's what he ate for his lunch that day. Not much. Where it came from was so wonderful and beautiful. We always feel that if somebody does a wonderful, kind, generous, sometimes you may say stupid act, that homeless man needed the food. No. The homeless man needed the opportunity to be kind. And that was even more he can get another sandwich somewhere. The opportunity to be kind and generous and do something from the heart. To actually to give instead of worrying about getting. Was something which was inspiring to that homeless man and something which that monk would never forget
- The Japanese monk who just started walkingStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A Japanese fellow-monk of Ajahn Chah flew to Tokyo to visit family in the north without telling them, walked from the airport with no money or plans, made the news, and was taken…
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there's one monk he was a japanese monk a friend of mine and uh now with ajanchar and he decided to go and visit his family in japan but instead of actually just arranging everything he never even told his family he was coming his family lived up in the north of japan he just arrived at the airport in tokyo just got out of the uh the aircraft and just went to the customs and had his passport stabbed and then started walking just walked into tokyo and then just where he rested that night was just in the park in the morning got up and started walking again and you know we just had no plans no money first couple of days didn't get anything to eat but did you know go on arms round in tokyo and as he was walking somebody saw him he said who are you because he was japanese he spoke obviously perfect japanese language and then he said he was just a monk he's walking from the airport to visit his family and of course that was newsworthy he got on the news and after he got on the news the thai ambassador to japan saw that and so at last a real monk someone who doesn't make plans doesn't have money to survive somewhere and sleep outside and just walk and just living with the uncertainty of life and that she took him under her wing and just really looked after him and she later on became the ambassador thai ambassador to australia so you know she came here a couple of times that was suchitra and that's where she got her faith in buddhism again
- The monk who gave a kidney to the evangelicalStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A Sri Lankan monk who regularly gave blood was asked to donate a kidney to a perfect match — an evangelical Christian converting Buddhists. He said of course: religious…
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There was—great little story—there was one of the monks over there, always giving blood every six months or three months, and he got a letter from the blood bank saying that there was a person who needed a kidney, and he was an organ donor as well. And they said, 'Would you mind"—he had two kidneys, do without one— And they said, "Can you give this... got you a perfect match to this person who needs a kidney desperately. Would you mind donating one of your kidneys to this person?" The monk said, "Of course, no trouble." But they said, "There was a problem. The problem was that the person who needed your kidney, he was an Evangelical Christian going around Sri Lanka converting the Buddhists to Christianity. He's taking away all your followers." The monk said, "What do you mean? Of course, he can have my kidney. Doesn't matter what religion you are. If you're a...it's just like if a Jew found out that a Hamas wanted your kidney— of course, you can take my kidney. Just because we've got some religious differences, that doesn't mean anything. You're a human being; you need my kidney; I've got a spare one; take it." So he donated the kidney to this Evangelical Christian
- The paper lotus on the shrineStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: In a Thai village a young woman, brain-damaged from birth, cannot speak but grunts, and her friends understand every grunt; she joins in dances and lives a full life. One day,…
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There was one lady in the village, lovely lady. Uh but she had some sort of um uh injury when she was born and she was uh mentally impaired, brain damage. But even though she was brain damaged, she couldn't speak any Thai, certainly not any English, a village girl, but she would always grunt. And her grunts, she growing up with her sisters the same age, all her friends knew exactly what grunt meant which. That's a special language she had with her friends. And she was almost at ease with her friends. She would go out to dances and stuff with her friends, have a wonderful life. She wasn't sort of sectioned aside in some institution for people who couldn't speak or were brain damaged. So other parts about her were wonderful. She had a beautiful life and I was very impressed with how people included her in rather than excluding them. So she didn't really worry about the things she couldn't do in other areas. She was brilliant and I love remembering her because she was responsible for one of the greatest acts of kindness and generosity I've seen because I was like, you know, monks, we do work. We don't just sit around all day doing nothing. That's what I should be doing. But anyway, we were I was just sweeping the hall in this monastery in Thailand. That was my job. I was just behind a cupboard when I heard somebody try and sneak into our our main hall and I just peeked around. It was this girl. It wasn't a thief. You I knew her because I've been in that monitor for years. And she was sneaking into the hall. She couldn't speak. She was, you know, brain damaged, but she was in there by herself. And I wonder what the heck she was up to. She never saw me. She went up to the shrine. She put something on the shrine and then as soon as she put it on the shrine, she did her little Buddhist boughs and then she ran away as fast as she could so she wouldn't be seen. But she was seen. I saw everything. And I thanked her for what I saw. I went up to the shrine. She made a paper folded into like a lotus and offered it in front of the Buddha statue. No one could no one could ever call it a work of art, but it certainly was a work of kindness. It's the best she possibly could do. He didn't need to be a mind readader to know how she was thinking. She wanted to give it to the shrine to the Buddha. And she thought if she come when other people were there, they'd have thrown it away. It's not beautiful enough for the Buddha, but it's the best she could possibly do. When I saw that, to me it was beautiful. Not because of what it looked like, but where it came from and how hard it was for her to do that. And so afterwards I told all the monks, you know, I wasn't a senior monk there, but I said to them, look, that little paper flower which was handmade on the shrine, if anybody tries to throw that away, I'm not a violent monk, but I will sort of really sort of fight against you because I know where that came from and how beautiful that was to have a person who felt they were rejected. They managed to find a way in and give a gift. The best they could possibly do.
- The politician who talked the walkStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: On a free afternoon in Singapore, Ajahn Brahm takes his followers to a charity walk raising funds for a fellow monk's indebted Buddhist library. A politician speaks first,…
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that reminded me that i was in singapore many years ago and i did have a free afternoon i can't actually remember what they're like but had a free afternoon and i did hear that one of you know the fellow monks he was the the head of the buddhist library in singapore and they were in a lot of debt because they wanted to get a good center but you know it's very expensive and they were having to pay off that so i heard they were having a charity walk in the afternoon so all the people who were following me over in singapore i said if you feel this afternoon let's go and help somebody else let's do some some nice kindness and raise some funds for one of my mates so we all went over there and of course the head mark over there was very very surprised and very happy that i turned up and that's because i was well known over there i was also asked to give a little speech but before i gave the speech it was a politician gave a speech first they invited a politician to also to speak at this event and he said you know best of luck i really support this it's a good temple and all the best and then i asked him when i gave my talk i said are you actually going on the walk he said no no it's too important i just i'm just giving the speech i'm going to another event and so i told him he said you're one of the politicians who talks the walk but you don't walk your talk and he took it well
- The rabbit who jumped into the potStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Traditional Buddhist children's tale of the rabbit in the moon: otter, jackal/hyena and rabbit keep precepts and give dāna when Sakka disguised as a monk tests them. The rabbit,…
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There were these three friends. Was it the rabbit, the otter, and the the jackal? And they were the best of friends. And when it came to the moon days, they would always keep special rules at the moon days. In Buddhism, we usually do eight precepts instead of five precepts. So, they decided on that day they would keep the five precepts. I don't know why they're talking about five precepts because they'd never drink alcohol anyway. But anyway, they do five precepts and they would try and do charity. Anytime they can do some charity or give some donna, they would. And so what happened that this this god came down. No, one of these many gods in Buddhism. This was supposed to be Saka came down to test them out. And he took the form of a Buddhist monk, Asadu, with an arms ball. And as soon as they saw him, they said, "We got to keep our promise. We got to give him something." So the otter, well, what can I give him? He said, "Well, look, I can't get any fish cuz I'm keeping precepts today." But this otter had actually buried some fish for later on. So he took out that fish he'd buried and he offered it to the monk and the monk gave him a little blessing. And then it was the job of the the hyena. what can I get? What can I get for this for this monk? And he couldn't steal anything that was breaking the precepts. So what he did, he knew where there's many people and many people were not very careful and they left things out and so nice food. And so he went there and he said, "Does this belong to anybody? Does this belong to anybody?" When nobody responded, he took that and gave that to the monk. And the monk gave him a blessing. And then there was a job of the rabbit and the rabbit started getting some grass for the monk. But they said, "Hey, but monks don't eat grass. What can I get for this monk? He has to keep his precepts." [snorts] So the rabbit got some wood and made a little fire. And cuz a rabbit knew, oh no, he got also a pot and put some water in it and started boiling the water. And the rabbit said, I know that monks don't eat grass, but sometimes they eat rabbit stew. So the rabbit to keep his precepts and his and his vow, he was about to sacrifice himself to keep his precepts and his promise. But before before he jumped in the pot, he shook his body the first time. If there any fleas or any other parasites in my body, get out now, cuz I cannot kill you. When I jump in the pot, you will die as well. That's not fair. And he shook his body a second time. And he shook his body the third time and said, "Any bugs, any lice or anything in my fur? Get out now. This is your last chance." And he was sincere. So many of those bugs, they just jumped out and just went away. And then to keep his promise, he jumped in the pot of boiling water. But but it looked like it was boiling. It should have been boiling. But that monk was really is like one of the heavenly beings, the davas in disguise. Made it so that the water never even scolded that little rabbit. It was like cool, beautiful water. And so the rabbit climbed out and the monk revealed himself. I'm not a monk. I was one of these davas just testing you three and you all did so well. But the rabbit the rabbit was prepared to give his life to keep his promises. [snorts] So I'm going to make a sign so that everybody will remember you. And so this God, this heavenly being made an image of the rabbit in the moon. So that every full moon people can see the rabbit who would always keep his promises
- The tourist whose car Bill Gates fixedStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Remote northern California: a tourist's car fails with no mobile coverage; a farmer stops and fixes it. Later the tourist learns the farmer was Bill Gates travelling alone —…
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tourist in the north of California who broke down. Not in uh busy traffic, sorry. This was breaking down in some of the more remote parts of northern California. And he couldn't fix his car. And then when he managed to get uh he tried everything but couldn't fix it. There's no mobile coverage. He had a mobile phone there. He was quite tech savvy the the driver of the car, but he couldn't fix his car. And a farmer came by and the farmer fixed his car for him. A simple thing because farmers have to know that. Because there's no one else to fix the car for the farmers. So the farmer fixed his car. They shook and they left. Thank you very much, said the driver. And it was just a few few weeks later that the farmer he had a letter from his bank saying that all the debts for his farm had been paid off. And for his equipment and a quite a large sum of money had been deposited to his credit in the bank. Because the the driver of that car who broken down was apparently Bill Gates
- The tree and the childStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A tree gives a boy twigs for a treehouse, fruit for university and a wedding, branches for a house, then its trunk for a carpentry business; years later the old man returns only…
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There was this huge tree: mature, big, full of green leaves, in a forest close by to where a child lived. And the child would spend many days on the weekend and holidays climbing up that tree because it had these low branches you could climb up very easily, sitting in the tree, sort of playing games in the tree because he went up into that tree so often, the tree actually... I'm always a poser. (LAUGHTER) Thank you. The tree...(LAUGHTER) You may as well have fun in life. The nuns, as well! You want one just of me? I'm just fed up now. (LAUGHTER) So the tree, you know, many times I've taught retreats and a couple of times on the retreat, there have been supermodels... It's true. I was teaching this retreat over in Kuala Lumpur, and they told me this very famous Malaysian supermodel was on my retreat. And, you know, she looked really nice apparently, but she got very fed up at the end of the retreat, and she complained at the end of the retreat because at the end of the retreat, no one wanted to take a photograph of her; they only wanted to take photographs of me. (LAUGHTER) I don't know why she got upset of that. That's true story; they told me she was really pissed off. And I can't understand why people want to take photographs of me Anyway, but never mind there we go. Anyway back to the tree. So there was this tree and the kid used to love climbing it and one day, the little child thought it would be nice if I could do something more in this tree and you know, this tree trees are beings, you can't just say that, you know, haven't got any consciousness; the tree could communicate with this little kid and say why don't you take some of my branches and build a little treehouse? And the kid got this idea and built this really nice little tree house up in the tree. And even though it meant breaking off twigs, the tree was actually quite happy that, you know its friend—this little kid— could make a wonderful tree house in the top of the tree or in the middle of the tree. He could spend even more time in the tree because the tree actually loved this little kid. And so the kid would play and spend a lot of time in the little tree house. And after awhile, you know, the kid had to go to school and he spent less and less time in the tree, and the tree house started to fall apart, and the tree was actually quite sad. Then, one day, the kid came back again, but now he was a teenager and the tree said, "Oh, thank you, you're coming back again. Look! Even the old tree house is falling apart, but there's many other branches; you can make another tree house; a bigger one now you've grown up." And the kid said to the tree —the tree could understand the kid— He said, "No, I don't need a tree house anymore; I'm too big for that now. I'm going to university soon and I can't really afford it. I don't know what to do." And the tree said, "Look, there's lots and lots of fruit coming soon because I'm coming to that point where I'm going to make lots of fruit. I'm going to make lots for you so please take the fruit, and go and sell it, and with the money you make from the fruit you can actually go and pay your university fees." So the tree put forth extra effort that year and got so much fruit and the kid collected all of it, picked every last fruit, and went to sell it, and that was how he managed to get into that first year of university. And every year afterwards, the tree got more fruit every year, really putting more effort, and that's the way the kid got through university. And that really tired out the tree. And after the fourth year, the kid came back again and the tree said, "Do you want some more fruit?" He said, "I'm in big trouble now," He said, "I'm going to get married and I don't know how on earth I'm going to pay for all of this." And the tree said, "Look, we're friends. I've known you since you were small. I'm going to get double fruit this year. You just come back in a few weeks and just see." And this poor tree put every bit of energy and effort and life it had to get so much fruit, and it almost killed it to produce so much fruit. But the kid came along and it was so much fruit, he collected it all, sold it all and had enough money to actually to get married. And afterwards, the poor tree was actually badly injured, wounded; it lost all its energy just working so hard to make more fruit than it really should have done. But nevertheless, the tree was happy; it helped its friend. But as for the kid, didn't come back again for two or three years. When he did come back, he said, "I need something more now: I'm going to have a baby soon, I need a house. And the tree said, "I can't produce any more fruit; I was damaged producing that double fruit last time," "But," said the tree, "I've got these very big branches, take those branches and build yourself a house." And the kid thought, "But it will really damage you," He said, "No, no, I really would want you to have these branches. Come tomorrow with a saw; take this one and this one—these are very big branches lots of very strong wood; you can build a wonderful house. So the kid came the next day and saw most of the big branches off the tree. Without those branches couldn't have any twigs, couldn't have any leaves, couldn't have any fruit— that almost killed that tree. But the tree was very happy; managed to supply this beautiful wood so the friend could build a house for their family. Never saw the kid for another four or five years, and the tree was half-dead, anyway. But the kid came back again, now about 30, and said, "Tree, I hate to say this but I need something more from you: I'm starting a business now, carpentry business, making furniture— can I please take your trunk?" And the tree said, "That's all I've got left, but I'll be so happy to give it to you because I really care for you; I want you to do well in life. You got a kid. You got a family. You do need something to feed your kids and look after your family and buy things for them and send them to good schools. Come and take my trunk; it's very good; it's really strong inside." So the next day, the kid sawed the trunk of the tree, took it away and started his business. And the tree never saw him for about 30, 40 years. You know just because you take the trunk down doesn't mean the tree dies. You know we had a Bodhi Tree at Bodhinyana, and we had a big fire in 1991, and we thought the tree had died. For 3 years, nothing was happening, and I really thought it had gone. And after 3 years being dormant, it started to put forth shoots; the roots underground was very obviously damaged by the huge bushfire, but was still alive, still had a bit of energy left, and built up that energy, waiting for the 3 years before it could put forth shoots. The tree's still there now many years later. So, many years later, the old child came again; he was an old man now. And he said, "I've just come back here for nostalgia; remember all those wonderful days I had when I was a young, kid climbing up you. I remember all those wonderful things which you helped me with: you gave me your twigs to make a nice little tree house —I had so much fun making the tree house and living in you; I remember all the fruit you gave me to go to university; the incredible amount of fruit you gave me, which almost killed you, so I could get married; and the branches which I made my house out of and even the trunk which made me have a business which was quite successful." He said, "But now I haven't come to ask you for anything." The tree said, "Pretty good job because there's nothing else to give." (LAUGHTER) "But, I just come to say thank you; I've had a wonderful life thanks to you." And the old tree said, "Actually, I have still got something to give you: you're very old now and you need to rest. Lay down your head on my roots and I can just support you just for a few more times." So the kid, now an old man, laid his head on the roots of this tree, which had helped him all his life, and fell into a nice, quiet sleep, and the tree was so happy. That is a simile— the tree stands for your parents, your mom and dad, who will give everything for you, Just like the tree gave little twigs so the kid could build a little tree house— how many of you have had little children and they climb all over you, pulling your hair, putting their feet in your mouth or whatever it is, and you love it; you're just so happy to have your kids just play with you. And then, later on, when they go to university you just work so hard, saving money, getting loans from the bank which you can't really afford, just to make sure they get a good education. When they get married— last Sunday, I performed two marriage services, and you see the parents just so proud; they'd give anything just to see their daughter, their son, just so happy. And the tree would give just twice as much fruit as it could possibly afford because it just loved seeing the children happy. And, of course, building a house— where did your deposit come from for many of you? Your mom and dad, even though it's their superannuation they cash it in for you, help you with your business all your life. And in the end, all they really want is for you to lay down your head on their lap because they will love you forever; no matter what you ask for, even if it kills them, they give it to you. That tree are your parents and you are that little boy; you are that student; you are that boy about to get married, wanting a house, starting a job, Just wanting a rest— they're just so happy just to see you. That is my wonderful simile of giving. What did the tree get out of that? It just get cut down and killed but did the tree ever want anything else? Just to be able to give. That is my answer when people say, "Oh, I don't get anything back in return except shit when I give." Exactly! That is why we give; that is a joy of giving; that is the wonderful thing about sacrificing, giving to people you love, you care for —and that can be anyone— you don't expect anything back in return; in fact, if you do get something back in return, it's not giving, it's business
- They auctioned his robe in MelbourneStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: At a Melbourne fundraiser for a new monastery, Ven. Mudita (captioned Moodau), whom he had ordained, asked for his robe to auction. He protested he'd be naked in cold Melbourne;…
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I ordained him, Venable Moodau. He said, "Ajent bra, we need your robe." It's not this one. The one I had before. We need your robe. Said why? To auction it. But you can't auction my robe. I'll be naked. Well, not really naked, but you know. And Melbourne is a very cold place. And so he didn't argue with me. He just took my robe off and gave me another one to wear, which is this one. So if my robe I don't really own it gets it gets auctioned off to other people. So what do you actually own? You know, I don't mind when you can actually people can take these things and give me another give me something else to wear, you know, and a nice similar. They had a new rope for me. He said, "Wear this one." But my old robe is fine. We're not listening. Take the old robe
- Walking home from the airport without askingStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: With no money, Ajahn Brahm finds people offer him a cup of tea at the airport. One of his monks tests it: returning to Perth from overseas, he tells no one his flight and just…
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even just when I was going to Sydney last week last week after giving a Friday night talk the following morning after to S you to give some talks you get to the airport of course no monk don't have any money so how can a monk get himself a cup of tea so you look around and kind to somebody say oh do you want a cup of tea that' be very nice thank you it's amazing actually really if you have lots of compassion you don't need even need to have a credit card so one of our marks was trying this cuz we always have these um you know s of almost like competitions to see whether this actually things actually work and he decided he came back from overseas to Perth International Airport and he deliberately did not tell anyone of his flight details when he was going to arrive he just said I'll make my own way from per airport to Bing Monastery of serpentine and he thought you know it's a long way it's about 50 km he didn't put his know finger out a hit shik he just wed just to see how powerful kindness was he got about 100 m from the airport when the car stopped where you going and gave him a lift all the way to bodana Monastery and he was just so impressed just how powerful kindness is
- “What do you guys get out of this?” — the free talkStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A caller keeps asking how much she must pay to attend Ajahn Brahm's talk; told repeatedly it is free, she finally asks in disbelief what the monks get out of it.
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There was somebody rang me up once from here, it was a Polish lady, actually I remember her, and she rang me up and said, "Are you giving a talk tonight?" I said, "Yeah, I'm given a talk tonight" here in this centre. She said, "How much do you have to pay to get in?" I said, "Nothing, you don't have to pay anything to get in," you all know that, and she stopped awhile and she said, "You don't understand me, how much money do you have to pay to get through the door?" I said, "Madam, you don't have to give any money to go through the door. You just come in and listen, if you don't like it you go out again." Then she paused again, she said, "LISTEN, how much dollar and cents do I have to cough up to come listen to your talk?" I said "Madam, you don't have to cough up anything. You don't have to pay any money to go in, you don't have to pay any money to go out, we don't give you sort of brochures and propaganda, you know, which would ask you money afterwards, it's totally for free, just come in and listen and you go out again afterwards." And then she paused, I always remember this pause because I knew that she was really surprised, and then she asked with utmost sincerity, "Well, what do you guys get out of this then?"
- Who's the beggar?Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: In India a rich man comes out of a temple and a beggar asks him for a donation. 'Go and get a job!' 'Well, what did you just go into the temple for? You went in to beg for…
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And this rich guy went into the temple, this is in India. When he came out, there was a beggar. And the beggar asked him for a donation. And the rich man said: ‘What are you asking for a donation for, you should go and get a job? You shouldn’t go out begging for people’. And then the beggar said: ‘Well, what did you just go into the temple for? Even though you’re a rich man, you went to beg for something or other’. And the rich man said ‘actually you're quite right, here's a donation
- 'You can't be any good then'Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: In the early days Ajahn Brahm answered the phone to a woman asking about that evening's meditation class. 'How much do you charge?' 'We don't charge anything.' 'Well, you can't…
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I answered the phone in the old days and they said, um, I hear you're teaching meditation tonight. I said, yeah, I'm teaching this evening. And he said, how much do you charge? It was a fair question because sometimes you have to pay a lot of money to practice meditation. And the answer was, don't charge anything. And the answer was from this woman, well, you can't be any good then. And she hung up.