Stories about university
5 Buddhist wisdom stories about university from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- Bernard Carr, the first Buddhist he metStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: At 16 Ajahn Brahm wins his first school maths prize, is sent to Foyles for maths books, and instead buys Buddhism paperbacks from the attic annex. He recognises himself as a…
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Bernard was a very close friend because he was the first Buddhist I ever met. And the story is this. As a young man, we're going to school and about 16 years of age, I started to come good at the at the um secondary school where I was studying and I won my first school prize at 16 for maths. So they I asked, "What do I do?" Never had a school prize before. And my teacher said, "You go off to the bookshop and get books on mathematics so you could go even further in that field." So being obedient, I went to this bookstore in Charing Cross Road in London, Foils Bookshop. And I went in there the mathematics section and I looked at all these books on mathematics and I said to myself, I'm not going to waste my first school prize on that rubbish. I want something a bit more interesting. And I noticed on the opposite side of the road in the annex, annex is always interesting. In the very top floor, the attic, that is where they had books on the weird stuff, psychic powers. All the different religions were up there as well. And so I brought a whole mass of paperbacks and the teacher, you're not supposed to get paperbacks, but it's good value for money instead of getting a hardback. But we got to present something to you. Oh, present. That's good enough. So I think the book which was presented to me I think was absolutely true was the third eye by lob sang ramper the guy I think some celebrity or some important person I said what is this book this guy's getting but that was only one of them the rest of them was all these books on Buddhism that's actually where I became a Buddhist I read them I thought wow that's what I am that's how I think that's you know my personality And it was only when I went to university that they had all these clubs and societies and I just my eyes went wide when I saw there was a Buddhist club in university and I was just so excited. What you mean there's other Buddhists? I can actually, you know, join something. This was in 1969 I think. And so I went to the counter and there's this another student is on the other end of the counter. I said I want to join. He said no this is Buddhism. You don't need to join. Just come and test it out. I said I'm already a Buddhist. I want to join. No just after a few talks if you want to. And I slammed a£1 note which was a joining 518 on the table. Join me now. And he became you know a lifelong friend. That was Bernard Bernard Khr.
- Cambridge medicine — then mowing lawnsStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: One of Ajahn Brahm's best school friends won a place to study medicine at Cambridge, started on marijuana, progressed to heroin, was expelled for stealing from medical-school…
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One of my best friends at school, he also went to Cambridge with me, studying medicine. Imagine getting a place in Cambridge University to study medicine. What a great start in life. Started taking marijuana. You don't control yourself. You're lost. And eventually heroin. Became an addict, got kicked out of university from stealing from the medical supplies at the uh the med school. And the last time I saw him, he was mowing people's lawns, just trying to get by. A brilliant man. And he was one of my friends. Now, when I was a young monk so in Thailand, my other friends said that you know, that he got He even knows our friend, whenever you go to our house, he would steal, steal.
- I could only see the names of the starsStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: In the Cambridge Astronomical Society he learns the names of stars and constellations. In Thailand the night sky is so labelled in his mind that he cannot see its beauty — only…
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when I was at University there was many societies I joined and one was the Astronomical Society always love stuff like that and I had learned the names of the stars and the constellations that you know whether it was a Galaxy or supernova or I knew all those words and when I went to Thailand and I saw the sky at night I couldn't see the Stars anymore all I could see were the names and everyone else was saying how beautiful it was and I couldn't see the beauty all I could see was like little labels next to every Star and it took me years you know I had to do this deliberately to forget the names to an act of it was an act of will so now I can look at the stars at night I don't know which one is which and I can see how beautiful they are
- Pub arguments, then buy each other a drinkStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: At university (and before), Ajahn Brahm and friends spent evenings in pubs arguing passionately about philosophy, religion, politics and sport — going at it excitedly, with…
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I remember many many evenings espe well you know before I even went to college but especially when I was at University many evenings going to a pub or a bar with your friends I we'd have great arguments arguments about everything you know philosophy you know religion politics sport we would argue and the arguments were passionate and they have to be passionate please put passion into your life especially compassion that's the best passion of all but don't just do things half-hearted so we' really go at it and we' be excited emotional that was important that gave it power
- Where's the bog then?Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Ajahn Brahm's Cambridge neighbour, a Yorkshireman from Leeds (he says 'from Ukraine' then corrects), arrives at Emmanuel College and asks in a thick accent 'Where's the bog…
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One of these friends who was lived next door to me in the student accommodation from Ukraine, but he was actually from from Leeds, Yorkshireman. And as soon as he went into Cambridge University, Emmanuel College, the first thing he said when he arrived was, where's the bog then? If you understand, where's the toilet? But he said it in such a thick accent they looked at him and said, where are you from? You know, what sort of planet are you from?