“As a monk, I have to be frugal and austere, taking things as they come.”

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

19th March, 2022

“As a monk, I have to be frugal and austere, taking things as they come.”

Question:  “Can we still meditate and not become monks?”

Than Ajahn:  “Yes, I started meditating as a layperson and became addicted to meditation. 

To be able to practise all day, I had to quit my job and become a monk.

When you become a monk, you don’t have to work since everything is taken care of by the lay devotees. 

You’ll be happy and content when you meditate. 

With meditation, you’re exchanging your old way of life for a new one.

Eventually, you’ll make a complete switch. At the moment, we have two Westerners waiting to get ordained next month. One is from Atlanta, Georgia; the other is from Coutras, France.

I have been here 27 years, and have been a monk for 39 years. 

Next February (2015), it will be my 40th anniversary. I spent nine years in the northeast of Thailand studying meditation, and then I moved here to be near my home in Pattaya. 

People become monks because lay life is full of problems. As a monk, I have to be frugal and austere, taking things as they come—with no running water, no electricity, and no amenities.

I have only one set of robes.”

“Essential Teachings”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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