Stories about rules
2 Buddhist wisdom stories about rules from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- 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
- The woman who fell asleep in the meditation hallStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: During Friday meditation a woman lies down, points her feet at the Buddha, falls asleep and snores — breaking every rule of etiquette — and neighbours wake her. Ajahn Brahm…
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I remember some years ago, somebody was just over there and they fell asleep during my talk and started snoring, really snoring loudly, and somebody woke them up. And I told them off afterwards, you shouldn't wake them up like that. We found out afterwards they were having horrendous domestic violence. And they came here, and they felt safe in this room. They felt so safe, they hadn't slept don't know how many days you can imagine with domestic violence, even if it's not happening to you right now the memory of that makes you so tense. You can't get a good night's sleep and they came here they felt so safe. It was the first time they've slept in I don't know how long. And I said, "let them sleep". If anyone snores here during one of my talks well done, let them sleep. You don't know where they've come from. At least they realize this feels a peaceful place and they're protected. They don't feel fear. That's actually why they slept.