Stories about priorities
7 Buddhist wisdom stories about priorities from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- Four old men outside in the rainStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Chinese parable: wealth, success, love and harmony stand as old men in the rain; the family can invite only one in first — harmony must enter or the other three will not stay.
Read full story
four old men and the four old men were outside in the rain. It couldn't have been in Australia, not Western Australia anyway, because we don't have rain anymore. But it were outside in the rain and it was cold and they getting wet and soaking. And the owner of the house, not the owner of the house, the woman of the house, she looked out the window and they saw these four old men there getting soaked. And so she invited them in. And they said, "No, we can't come in until your whole family comes home." And you decide which one of us to invite in because you can only invite one of one of us in. And if you invite the correct person, all four of us will come in. If you invite the wrong person, only one will come in. And this was the story. So when everybody came home, then the family had a meeting. They said, "These four old men are getting soaked outside. You've seen them outside, but they won't come in until we decide which one of them to invite first. And if we get it right, they'll all come in." And the four men were called wealth, success, peace, and harmony. And so the father said, "I work so hard. And even though I work hard, it's very difficult to make any money. The government takes most of it in tax. And what I bring home after tax is so many, many uh bills to pay." You know, life is so hard. So, what do I really want? I want wealth. And the wife said, "Oh, no. I want success. I want just my family and you to be successful in life." "Success is much more important than wealth." "No, it isn't," said the father. "Wealth is more important." "No," said the wife. "Success, wealth is more important." And the daughter said, "Shut up, you two. All I want is some peace." And they said, "That's actually quite true. We need some peace in the house." So he said some peace and the father said well some wealth could be good too and the mother said no no no I really really think success is the best and so the three of them started to argue and then the son said look all I ever want in my house between my mother my father my sister and me is some harmony that's really what I want and so they all thought actually I think you are correct so they invited harmony first into their house and when they invited did harmony in, he told them they'd made the correct choice. Because when harmony comes into your house, then following right behind comes peace. And with peace, you'll also find success. And with success, you'll also find wealth. So all the four old men came into the house following harmony. It was a wonderful story about the priority of having harmony
- If they flush the holy book — call a plumberStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: After Guantanamo Quran-flushing news, someone asks what he would do if a Buddhist holy book were flushed. First answer: call a plumber. Then: you can flush the book or blow up…
Read full story
flushing the Holy Quran down the toilet. "What would have happened if you flushed a Buddhist holy text down the toilet, Ajahn Brahm?" I said.. yeah you can flush as many Buddhist holy texts down the toilet as you like, you can blast the Buddha Statues, you can burn down this temple and kill all the monks and nuns, but I would never allow you to flush Buddhism down the toilet
- In Laos, war stops for lunchStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A monk friend, in Luang Prabang during the war between the communists and royalists, is eating lunch at a bamboo-and-thatch restaurant beside government soldiers whose M16s lean…
Read full story
I remember one of the stories this I never saw this myself but this was told to me by one of my friends who was a monk he was in luang probang the second the city of Laos doing the the war with the Communists and the royalists and this is actually how you relax he was at one of these little restaurants you know they would fare every occupational health and safety regulation in Australia but the food was delicious you know dirty but great food bamboo and thatch that's all there was and he'd go there for his lunch he was sitting at a table eating some delicious meal and he did notice there was a government soldiers they were sitting at another table having their lunch with the M16 the old machine gun rifles leaning against the wall this was lunchtime and he was enjoying his lunch when his heart almost stopped when he saw the Communist soldiers came in they called potato at the time these were the enemy this was a watch in the Vietnam War times and the the Communists came into the restaurant and he went to dive under the table but no one else was trying to escape or dive under the table because they saw the enemy troops the Communist troops they just looked around and chose another table they put their guns against the wall and they ordered their lunch because in Laos at that time War always stops for lunch oh would it be a wonderful thing if even these days people get their priorities right and lost they'd always have a lunch break when you're free fighting a war and that's what they did those days and of course afterwards said what happened next after lunch was over all of them they had some understanding the you know the Communist troops would go one way the rewarders will go the other way so they would have to meet each other
- Missed lunch for the woman at the airportStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: At lunchtime a call: a woman in crisis had stabbed her mother-in-law (hospitalised), fled to the airport, and would see only Ajahn Brahm. He skipped the meal window and went…
Read full story
there was a call uh a woman was in big trouble uh she had um stabbed her mother-in-law mother-in-law was taken to hospital and this woman she' escaped to the airport and she was crazy she said I was the only person she wanted to see so of course you need to go and help her last thing you want to think about is your lunch I I missed my lunch that day I went hungry but who cares you could help somebody
- Swings at the bus stopStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Someone sent him a photo of Montreal bus stops fitted with playground swings. Waiting commuters swing back and forth — highly relaxing, so executives arrive as better bosses. It…
Read full story
In Montreal they have swings like in the children's playground. So the people waiting for the bus would swing backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards. It's very innovative and much more fun you have to do that. But can't we make it more fun? And apparently many people miss their buses because they're having too much fun on the swings
- The big rocks go in firstStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A business-school professor fills a jar with large stones and asks if it's full; the students say yes. He adds gravel, shaking it into the gaps; then sand; then water. 'What is…
Read full story
This a professor came into his lecture hall. This was at uh a business school. And he had a jug and he asked he took out some from his briefcase took out a bag of stones and one by one put the stones into this jug until he could get no more stones inside the jug. And he asked his students, "Is the jug full?" Said, "Yeah, of course. You can't get any more stones in. He smiled and from his briefcase he picked out a bag of gravel, smaller stones. And one by one he put those into the jar, shook the jar, and many of those smaller stones found their way in the spaces between the big rocks and the smaller rocks. Is it full? No, they said they were on to him by now. So from his bag, he picked out his briefcase. He got a bag of fine sand, sprinkled the fine sand onto the rocks and gravel, shook the jar until much of the sand found its way in the spaces between the rocks and the gravel. "Is it full yet?" he asked the class. He had nothing more in his briefcase and said, "No, you'll probably find some other thing to put in there. He got the water jar and poured the water into that big jar. So that much of the water found its way between the rocks, the s the gravel and the sand. And he didn't want to try and find any other thing to put in that jar. He said, "Now what is the meaning of this lesson?" Modern times. Okay. Business school. One smart ass kid put their hand up and said, "It shows us, sir, no matter how busy we are, we can always fit something more in." Have you ever heard your bosses saying that? No, said the professor. What it shows us, if you want to put the big rocks in, the precious stones, you have to put them in first. Otherwise, you'll never get them in. You can fit the other stuff in afterwards, but the important things in life, you have to put in first priority.
- The man with four wivesStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A dying man asks each of his four wives to come with him into death. The beautiful fourth wife, his passport to high society, will only speak a eulogy. The third, who gave him…
Read full story
so once upon on a time there was a man with four wives That's a crazy guy I haven't got one wife I'm much happier he had four of them so this poor guy had four wives and he was getting towards the end of his life and he was actually on his death bed he thought he was going to die and he starts to get worried about what happens after you die and so he called his his fourth wife the wife he married lateer on in life and she was very very attractive in fact she was so beautiful she made many many things possible for him especially invitations to High Society she was his passport into the A-list of parties and receptions and concerts in the city in which he lived and so he brought her to her bed his bedside and said d I love you very much you've been so good to me she said yes I love you T darling too and he said I'm about to die that's so sad said his fourth wife and I'll be lonely without you will you come with me into death what no way I'm not going to die with you what do you think said but what I will promise you I will will go to your funeral I promise you that and I will speak a wonderful eulogy about you I'll praise you to everybody is that all said the man that's all I can do and all I will do I thought you said you love me get out of here and he chased his fourth white out and he brought his third white in he'd married her before the fourth wife and the third wife know wasn't was a bit older but still she was very attractive and in fact you know some some of these older women are very very attractive know to many men so it gives you hope doesn't it and the third wife the third wife had been really really helpful for him and she'd made probably even more things possible she made him get a comfortable house and a com a living all because of you know the third wife and what she was and so he brought his third wife in and said darling I love you very much too I'm very attached to you and she said I love you too darling and he said I'm about to die and I'm afraid will you come with me into death no it's never been done and I can't do that I won't do that but one thing I can promise you I won't just go to your funeral I'll pay for it and I'll make sure you get a wonderful funeral and he said but then what would you do he said well after you're dead I'll probably go with your eldest son what as adultery and I haven't even died yet get out of here you Shameless scary wag Hy and said his third wife he still had two to go so he brought his and his second wife he married his second wife a long long time ago and she wasn't pretty at all but she was one of those women who was really wise and helpful she was always there for him especially in times of trouble and she looked at his second wife said well I've know you for such a long time I'm about to die I'm I'm really afraid of dying and being alone will you I know these other two said no but will you please come with me into death and the second wife looked at him and started crying said darling i' really love to if I could I would but all I can do is come to your gravite that's as far as I can come I'm sorry get out he said and he still had one wife left and this wife he' known her for so long he couldn't remember the time before he met her and she was very neglected the two later wives got all of the the jewelry and the fine clothes and so the first wife she was very poorly dressed bad hair but behind the scenes she was working so hard for him he never really appr appreciated her or really supported or helped her at all and he looked at her and said you're my last chance I've known you for so long and I'm so connected to you and she said yeah we've got this very deep connection together and he ask the question I'm about to die will you come with me into death and she smiled and said sure I will I go with you everywhere that's why my name is Mrs Karma I go with you from life to life and your second wife Mrs family your family love you and they will always support you and be there with you and they can go as far as your gravide but no more you can't take them with you and and as for the third wife that was called Mrs money you usually get that later on in your life and Mrs money can pay for a wonderful funeral for you and Mrs money can do so much for you in this life but can Mrs money go with you into death no after you die Mrs money will go with your eldest son or at least with one of your children maybe to the lawyer I don't know that's the inheritance and the fourth wife which you get last of all in life is called Mrs Fain your reputation who makes many things possible for you entry into the A-list of society maybe if you're very famous and makes and will give you a good ulog a good word at your death who you were and what you did but can your Fame and reputation go with you no said the fourth wife it can't be done and that's the symy of the man with the four wives it can be the woman with the four husbands is only a metaphor of all these things which we love and care for and think of ours which know we attached to our Fame our Fortune our family and this thing called karma that's the only thing which you take with you