Yard Full Of Animals

People often presume there would be a problem with language for the Westerners who wanted to stay at Ajahn Chah's monastery, but this was not the case.

Someone once asked Ajahn Chah, "How do you teach all your Westerner disciples? Do you speak English or French? Do you speak Japanese or German?"

"No," replied Ajahn Chah.

"Then how do they manage?" he asked.

"Do you have water-buffaloes in your yard at home?"

"Yes, I do."

"Do you have any cows, or dogs or chickens?"

"Yes, I have them too ," was the reply.

"Tell me," Ajahn Chah asked, "Do you speak Water-

buffalo or Cow?"

"No, of course not."

"Well, how do you manage then?"