Ajahn Brahm - English Assignment (Antonia Gustiasari)

           

           One of the people whom I admire is Ajahn Brahm. His full name is Ajahn Brahmavamso Mahathera, born Peter Betts in London, on 7 August 1951. He is a Theravada Buddhist Monk. He came from a working-class family. He got the scholaship to study Theoritical Physics at Cambridge University in the late 1960s. Before became a monk, he became a teacher in high school for one year. Then, he decided to become a monk and trained with Ajahn Chah for 9 years by meditation in the forest. Now, he is the Head Monk of Bodhinyana Monastery, in Serpentine, Western Australia. He is a motivator and book writer. Some of his books are “Opening the Door to Your Heart”, “Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond”, and “The Art of Disappearing”.

            The reason why I admire Ajahn Brahm is because of his way of how he sees the world and life. He shares his reflection of life to many people through seminars and books he wrote. His reflection inspires me and changes the way I think and see the events that happen in my daily life. Although he is Buddhist, but the reflections he wrote on his books are universal and can be enjoyed by everyone. His stories are also simple but impressing at the same time.

            One of his reflection story that has impressed me the most is The Story of Two Bad Bricks from Ajahn Brahm’s book, “Opening the Door to Your Heart” or in Indonesia was published under the title “Si Cacing dan Kotoran Kesayangannya”.

            It’s a story about the time when  Ajahn Brahm and his friends built their monastery. He built the wall from bricks and after it was finished, he realized there were two bricks that looked bad. Their position were off and he thought that the two bricks made the whole wall looked bad too. He said that he hate too see that two bad bricks. Until one day, a visitor of their monastery saw the wall and said, “What a beautiful wall!” Ajahn Brahm was confused and told the visitor about the two bricks at the wall that looked bad. But then, the visitor said, “Yes. I can see that two bad bricks. But, hey! I can also see 998 other bricks that look great!”

            Ajahn Brahm was impressed by the visitor’s word. And for the first time he was able to see the other good bricks beside that two bad bricks. Just like in our daily life. Sometimes, other people’s fault toward us make us can not see their kindness. Same like Ajahn Brahm who couldn’t see the other bricks that looked fine. From this story, we could learn to look at the good things that other people have done, not only their faults. In fact, if we pay more attention, sometimes there are so many good things about the other people instead of their faults.

            I really like that story. I think that the story has a deep meaning eventhough it was just a simple thing that happen in life. The other quotes from Ajahn Brahm that I love and become my motivations are:

“Good? Bad? Who knows!”

“This too, will pass”

“When the weather is hot, keep a cool mind. When the weather is cold, keep a warm heart.”

“Love is not liking somebody. Anyone can do that.
Love is loving things that sometimes you don’t like.”

I hope someday I also can be someone who can inspire a lot of people just like Ajahn Brahm.

Sources:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Brahm

http://goblog.wenz.web.id/2011/07/inspirational-quote-by-ajahn-brahm/ 

http://vietsdaysforever.blogspot.com/2011/05/biografi-singkat-bhikkhu-ajahn-brahm.html 

*Images sources : google.com*