The teachings of Ajahn Chah💠
Watching a spider can give rise to wisdom. A spider spins its web in any convenient niche and then sits in the center, staying still. Later a fly comes along and lands on the web. As soon as the fly touches and shakes the web - BOOP! - the spider pounces on it and winds it up in thread.
It stores the insect away and then returns again to collect itself silently in the center of its web.
This is not at all different from our own minds. Our mind is comparable to the spider, and our moods and mental impressions to the various insects. The senses constantly stimulate the mind. When any of them contacts something it immediately reaches the mind.
The mind then investigates and examines it thoroughly, after which it returns to the center.
"Coming to the Center" means living mindfully with clear comprehension, being always alert and doing everything with precision - this is our center. There's really not a lot for us to do. We just carefully live in this way. But that doesn't mean that we live heedlessly thinking, "No need to do sitting or walking meditation!" And so forget all about our practice. We can't be careless. We must remain alert like the spider waiting to snatch up insects. This is how we abide - Alert, acting with precision and always mindfully comprehending with wisdom.
~ Ajahn Chah
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