Stories about truth
3 Buddhist wisdom stories about truth from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- Sariputta and the novice who corrected himStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Told as a monk that even kings must bow to him, Ajahn Brahm reads of Venerable Sariputta, wisest monk after the Buddha, on alms round: a little novice says, 'You're badly…
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But then I read in this story of the one of the wisest monks next to the Buddha Venerable Sariputta. He was walking on alms round, and a little novice, this little squeak of a novice, came out to him and said, "You're badly dressed." Now, usually, that would be a no-no. You can't sort of tell these very high monks and criticise that they're badly dressed. But the wisest monk next to the Buddha had a look and said, "My goodness, you're right." He went behind a bush. He adjusted his robe, and he came out afterwards. And he put his hands up, and he called this little novice "teacher".
- The penalty for perjury is less than for the truthJoke · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A man on trial for murder in New York, facing the electric chair, is caught lying under oath. The judge warns him about perjury. He replies that the penalty for perjury is far…
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there was years ago a man who was on being tried in New York he was accused of murder at a time when there was a death penalty if he got convicted by the jury and the judge that he would go to the electric chair so this was serious stuff and during his testimony under oath it was very clear that he was lying so the judge intervenes sir do you not realize the penalty for perjury for lying under oath is very severe yes your honor but it's far less severe than the penalty for telling the truth which is the electric
- “What's the Buddhist idea of God?”Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: At the same chaplains' conference, a well-known Jesuit (Frank Brennan, Ajahn Brahm thinks) asks him what Buddhists mean by God. Rather than quote scripture, Ajahn Brahm points to…
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But the same point, I think it was... the fellow is quite well known, Frank Brennan, I think he is quite famous, I think he is a Jesuit based over in East. And he asked me this question just afterwards, He asked, "What's the Buddhist idea of a God?" So I took it deeper rather than just quoting the scriptures. And I said, "Well look, the fellow sitting next to me, Abbot Placid, I've known him for such a long time. And we have these great discussions about Buddhism and Christianity and spiritual stuff. And I really respect him I never look down upon him. And I said one thing which he once... not told me once but used to tell me many, many times, he said, one of his core beliefs; one of the things which drove him throughout his life was the realization he said that everybody, everybody was searching for God. Now that's what he said, I respect this guy. So I said, Let's take that statement from someone I respect. So what was I searching for? What are you searching? What are people actually searching for in life? What people are searching for in life is truth, meaning, love, peace, kindness. Isn't that what you're coming here for? What sort of drives you in your life? The search for truth, love, peace, contentment. He said well, if this fellow sitting next to me said everyone is searching for God and this is what people are searching for. And that's what God must mean. So in Buddhism, I said, God means peace, love, contentment, fulfillment. Call 'that' God. I said Yeah, I believe in that. And I felt Father Frank Brennan was quite happy and satisfied with that. He said that was an answer which was meaningful.