This is one of my favourite stories from Ajahn Brahm’s talk during the recent run of the Passage of Time musical:


There once lived a man whom people referred to as a ‘Vesak Buddhist’. A Vesak Buddhist is one who only goes to temple once a year – you guessed it – on Vesak Day.

As usual, he went to the temple one Vesak, and there he heard a priest giving a talk about preparing for death. The priest said, ‘The most important time is the last moment before you pass away, and the most important thing is your last thought. The most important – and the best – thought is to think about the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha – the Triple Gem.’

Upon hearing this, the man was joyful. He thought, he didn’t have to go to the temple any more! All he had to do was to think of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, and then he could go to Heaven!

But how would he remember to think of the Triple Gem everyday? He had an idea – a bright one. He had three sons…

* * *

He lay on his deathbed. His three sons stood by the bedside, keeping vigil – he might go anytime. The man was convinced he could go to heaven. He was thinking about the Triple Gem! Here was his eldest son Buddha, his middle son Dharma and his youngest son, Sangha. Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. I can go to heaven, he thought.

Suddenly…

‘Wait! Who’s running the business?’

And that’s when he died.