Teaching of Ajahn Chah

Teaching of Ajahn Chah

The world is in an anxious, fearful, frustrated and confused state. The politicians and news media people are also anxious, fearful and confused. The mind changes from liking to disliking, from craving to aversion, from anxiety to frustration with the agitation of the world. If we can learn to make to mind still, calm and silent, it would be the greatest help to the world. 

( A wise teacher)

When we take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, we realise that to blame others for our problems, for the way we feel, is immature and a complete waste of time. When we over-react and take things personally we create our own drama, suffering and conflict. 

This is an aspect of mental delusion. The mind is all we have; it is the fore-runner of all things. All our experiences are within us; joy and unhappiness are coming from our mental attitude. This is what we have to manage using mindfulness and wise reflection. We have to take complete responsibility for our own life and live it with intelligence and wisdom. We have to be a light onto ourselves.

 

Even if we had bad or poor parents, it still doesn't matter. 

There is no one to blame but ourselves, our own ignorance, selfishness, pride, arrogance and conceit. We forgive others because they're also suffering from delusion, anxiety and fear. 

We let go of bad, unpleasant memories. Here and now. We free the mind of defilements, unwholesome thoughts and feelings. This is the path of maturity, truth and peace, the path of wholesome living, mind training and cultivation, and wisdom..

When you understand non-self, then the burden of life is gone. 

You'll be at peace with the world. When we see beyond self, beyond 'me' and 'mine', we no longer cling to happiness and security, and then we can be truly happy and secure. Learn to let go of obsessive thinking and clinging, trust in present moment awareness and knowing. Know your own body, heart and mind. Be content with little. Don't be attached to ideas, concepts, beliefs, views and opinions, to words and thoughts. Don't go and hold onto emotions. 

When happiness arises, don't be overjoyed, don't get carried away. When suffering arises - anxiety, frustration, depression, sadness, loneliness, etc - don't despair, don't lose yourself in it. See that they have the same value - impermanent, uncertain and empty of a permanent self. Anicca, dukkha, anatta. If you rhink that suffering is yours, happiness is yours, you will not be able to find peace and joy.

When we no longer identify with and cling to happiness and unhappiness, we are simply left with the natural way of things, the arising and passing away of mental states or phenomena. 

When your mindfulness and knowing is constant you'll see that this is really all there is. 

Everything is just mental birth and death. It's not as if there is anything which carries on. 

There's just this arising and passing away as it is - that's all. This kind of seeing will give rise to a tranquil feeling of dispassion, detachment to the world with its restlessness, anxiety, fear, greed, frustration, despair and confusion.

Mental activity is like a deadly poisonous cobra. If we don't interfere with the cobra, it simply goes its own way. 

Even though it may be extremely poisonous, we are not affected by it. We don't go near it or take hold of it, and it doesn't bite us. The cobra does what it is natural for the cobra to do. If you are smart and mindful, you will leave it alone.     

~ Ajahn Chah