The teachings of Ajahn Chah.

The teachings of Ajahn Chah.

People who have studied a lot and have all the theory down pat, tend not to succeed with meditation because they get stuck at the level of information. In actuality, the mind isn't something which you can really measure using external standards or text books. If it's really getting calm, allow it to become calm. 

In this way it can proceed to reach the very highest levels of tranquility. My own knowledge of the theory and scriptures was only modest. I've already told some of the monks about the time I was practicing in my third rains retreat; I still had many questions and doubts about samadhi. I kept trying to work it out with my thoughts and the more I meditated, the more restless and agitated the mind became. In fact it was so bad that I would actually feel more peaceful when I wasn't meditating. It was really difficult. But even though it was difficult, I didn't give up. I kept on practicing, just the same. If I simply did the practice without having any expectations about the results, it was fine. But if I determined to make my mind calm and one-pointed, it would just make things worse. I couldn't work it out. 'Why is it like this?', I asked myself.

Later on I began to realize that it's the same as with the matter of breathing. If you determine to take only short breaths, or to take only medium size breaths, or to take only long breaths, it seems like a difficult thing to do. 

On the other hand, when you are walking around, unaware of whether the breath is going in or out, you are comfortable and at ease. I realized that the practice is similar. Normally, when people are walking around and not meditating on the breath, do they ever suffer because of their breathing? No. 

It's not really such a problem. But if I sat down and determined to make my mind calm, it would automatically become upadana (attachment), there was clinging in there too. I became so determined to force the breath to be a certain way, either short or long, that it became uneven and it was impossible to concentrate or keep my mind on it. So then I was suffering even more than I had been before I started meditating. 

Why was that? Because my determination itself became attachment. It shut off awareness and I couldn't get any results. Everything was burdensome and difficult because I was taking craving into the practice with me.

~ Ajahn Chah