“If you can apply the Buddha’s teachings, you will be able to live anywhere.”

“If you can apply the Buddha’s teachings, you will be able to live anywhere.”

- - -

Question (M): In the modern world where there are a lot of changes, would a trained meditator be able to survive in the world? Can he or she continue to work but still be able to maintain peace of mind?

Than Ajahn: It depends on your mindfulness and your knowledge of the Buddha’s teachings. If you can apply the Buddha’s teachings, you will be able to live anywhere, and under any circumstances. But the problem is it’s difficult to establish this knowledge and this mindfulness inside your mind to the level where you can use them to protect the mind from anything that it comes into contact with.

You usually have to isolate yourself first in order for you to be able to establish this knowledge and this mindfulness – to develop the ability to curb your mind, to stop your mind. If you cannot curb your mind, then the knowledge you have is still not good enough to protect your mind. So, you have to learn how to stop your mind. If you cannot stop your mind, when your mind starts going crazy, you won’t be able to handle it.

Youtube: “Dhamma in English, Dec 9, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g