The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.
8 June 2023“The person who has already been there can tell you exactly how to get there…. However, if you don’t become enlightened, don’t blame me immediately, instead you may have to blame yourself because you either might not have practiced correctly or you might not be practising hard enough.”
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Than Ajahn: Studying is the first important thing, listening to Dhamma talks especially from the masters who have attained. There is a lot of difference listening to instructions from those who truly know and those who just imagine that they know.
Lay devotee: How can you tell the difference between the two?
Than Ajahn: It is like if you are a merchant dealing with diamonds. You have to study how to judge which is genuine. So you have to study and ask people who know how to judge and differentiate which is genuine and which is not. We know because once you come here (to the right place), you already learn a lot. You know Ajahn Mun and Luangta Mahā Boowa. You know they are monks who really know because you have heard from other people. So if you don’t know then you have to study or ask for advice from those who know.
To know whether they really ‘know’, you have to practise to see whether their instructions can provide you with the result that you want. Then you know that they really ‘know’. Because if they don’t know then they would not be able to instruct you on the practice that leads to the result that you want to achieve.
This is one way to prove that the one who teaches you, knows what he is talking about. You have to practise following his instructions.
After you have realized the result from following his instructions in your practice, then you know that this person really ‘knows’. If someone tells you how to get to a certain place, but if he has not been there before, he might not be able to tell you exactly the right direction. But if he has been there before, he can tell you exactly the right direction. When you listen to someone who has not been there before, you might not get to where you want to go, so you know this person doesn’t know what he is talking about.
The person who has already been there can tell you exactly how to get there and you can get there by following his instructions. Then you know that he must have been there before. This is another way to prove.
All noble disciples of the Buddha have proven that the Buddha truly became enlightened because they used his instructions to guide themselves to become enlightened. Then they know that the Buddha must be truly enlightened. If he had not been truly enlightened, he would not have been able to guide them to become enlightened.
You need to prove it through your practice then you will know that this teacher of yours ‘knows’, that he has become enlightened, because by following his instructions you can also become enlightened. Now it is your turn, you have already studied, now you have to practice, to see what I have said is what it should be or not. However, if you don’t become enlightened, don’t blame me immediately, instead you may have to blame yourself because you either might not have practiced correctly or you might not be practising hard enough.
Lay devotee: Is it through meditation?
Than Ajahn: Of course. Samatha and vipassana bhavana. That is the core of the practice with the support of dāna and sīla. Dāna is to give up your possessions, not just 10% but 100%. You give up everything so you can be free to be ordained and not to disrobe. If you are ordained and you disrobe, what’s the point of being ordained? It becomes a ritual instead of something practical.
After you have realized the result from following his instructions in your practice, then you know that this person really ‘knows’. If someone tells you how to get to a certain place, but if he has not been there before, he might not be able to tell you exactly the right direction. But if he has been there before, he can tell you exactly the right direction. When you listen to someone who has not been there before, you might not get to where you want to go, so you know this person doesn’t know what he is talking about.
The person who has already been there can tell you exactly how to get there and you can get there by following his instructions. Then you know that he must have been there before. This is another way to prove.
All noble disciples of the Buddha have proven that the Buddha truly became enlightened because they used his instructions to guide themselves to become enlightened. Then they know that the Buddha must be truly enlightened. If he had not been truly enlightened, he would not have been able to guide them to become enlightened.
You need to prove it through your practice then you will know that this teacher of yours ‘knows’, that he has become enlightened, because by following his instructions you can also become enlightened. Now it is your turn, you have already studied, now you have to practice, to see what I have said is what it should be or not. However, if you don’t become enlightened, don’t blame me immediately, instead you may have to blame yourself because you either might not have practiced correctly or you might not be practising hard enough.
Lay devotee: Is it through meditation?
Than Ajahn: Of course. Samatha and vipassana bhavana. That is the core of the practice with the support of dāna and sīla. Dāna is to give up your possessions, not just 10% but 100%. You give up everything so you can be free to be ordained and not to disrobe. If you are ordained and you disrobe, what’s the point of being ordained? It becomes a ritual instead of something practical.
“Dhamma in English, Jun 14, 2015.”
By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com
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