Opening the Door of Your Heart

And Other Buddhist Tales of Happiness

By: Ajahn Brahm

Narrated by: Francis Greenslade

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Here are modern tales of happiness, compassion and love that will both enlighten and entertain. During his wanderings and work over the last 30 years as a Buddhist monk, Ajahn Brahm has gathered many poignant, funny and profound stories. While traditional Buddhist philosophy is at the heart of this collection, these thoughtful stories are written like playful parables, which are used to launch into a deeper exploration of subjects such as mindfulness, suffering, forgiveness, hope, wisdom, and unconditional love. Told with wit and good humor, they reveal moments of compassion in the lives of ordinary people and the timeless wisdom of the Buddha's teachings.

©2004 Ajahn Brahm (P)2009 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

The best Ajahn Brahm book - yet

The title is the original (and boring) Australian title. The American title is "Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?" If you try one Ajahn Brahm book, this is the one. It's light and funny (sometimes with groaningly bad jokes) yet really packs a punch. It's a perfect bedtime read with short, thoughtful stories, many of which put a spin on tales you’ve heard before, like the six blind men describing an elephant. His telling of the elephant story fundamentally changed my worldview on religion. For that alone, I will always cherish this book. Grade: A-

The narration is very good, but having listened to many Ajahn Brahm podcast recordings of talks, I would've much preferred him to read his own book.

a public good

easy listening, fantastic messages, engaging reading.

a book that makes that has spillover benefits to your family, friends and community

Beautiful book, to be listened to again and again

Really enjoyed Ajahn Brahm’s humor, his story telling, and deep insights in each of the anecdotes. Very well read as well! Time well spent! 🙏🏽

Sweet and beautiful stories

I loved This beautiful little book, Which has many Aha moments and gentle lessons that I found deeply moving and helpful as well. I did not enjoy story of the cow that cried. That’s just me and the animals. I would recommend it to anyone

A wonderful chain of stories tied together at the end

Ahjan Brahm is a master in every sense of the word. His stories (teachings), like all the lessons I've learned throughout my life, came at exactly the right moment to have maximum impact on my experience.

I Love Ahjan Brahm and am grateful for the light he's brought to the world. Thank you for reaching into the land of the creepy crawlies dear teacher.

Greenslade isn't Brahm but you'll love him

What did you love best about Opening the Door of Your Heart?

Opening the Door of Your Heart is a collection of Ajahn Brahms most memorable and interesting stories that tell important Buddhist lessons in a fun, interesting and relevant way. Brahm makes Buddhism accessible for everyone, especially for lay novices like myself.

I've been a listener of Ajahn Brahm's podcast for awhile now and I love his voice and style. I was a little leery to listen to a book that wasn't narrated by Brahm himself as he is so wonderful at telling his own story. It took me a few stories before I warmed to the narrator, but after awhile he grew on me.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Opening the Door of Your Heart?

The whole thing is memorable! It's one of those books you'll read again and again.

Which scene was your favorite?

The last sentence will put a big grin on your face.

Ajahn Brahm's stories will heal you where it hurts

My biggest issue with this book is that it is much too short. If you listen to Brahm regularly on YouTube, you would have heard all these stories before but it's lovely to have all of them in one place. Will definitely be my go to book when I need a pick me up or slap on the face.

and I am not even Buddhist.

The narrator however annoyed me a little with his nasal voice but not enough to put me off this audiobook.

Awesome reading!

Where does Opening the Door of Your Heart rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This was one of the best spiritual readings I have read. I will be rereading soon. It was very inspiring.

Have you listened to any of Francis Greenslade’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The complete book was moving. Each lesson was inspiring.

Any additional comments?

Definitely a must read. It was awesome.

Life-Changing

A must-read at least once per year as it offers new perspective on life, mindset, and perception! this book cannot be recommended enough and is one of the best purchases you'll ever make.

Mindful lessons

An easy listen to do when you have little moments for yourself. A handful of great short stories with a lot of mindful lessons to remind you the importance of your life. I will definitely be listening to this audiobook regularly. I am hoping audible puts out more books by Ajahn Brahm.