The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

Question:  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 so that you are able to establish this knowledge and this mindfulness — this 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 stop it.

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Question:  Thank you very much for providing the place for me to practise for 5-6 days. By at the end of the day, I will have to return back to lay life. Any advice on how to carry on in the Dhamma path as a householder because I find it’s not so easy?

Than Ajahn:  Well, you have to try to stop your mind from engaging or from reacting to things that you come into contact with. Just try to merely know what’s going on. Don’t react. Don’t interact. Don’t engage with it, if possible. You only interact, react or engage when you really have to. If you don’t have to, then just let things be. Just like you are at this place now. Things happening at home now, you are not engaged with them.

You let them be. So, do that even though you’re physically back at home. Put your mind away from them. You’re there physically but mentally you’re not there. You’re not involved.

You’re not engaged. Just let things be.

You see with the wisdom of the Buddha that everything rises and ceases, everything comes and goes. Whatever happens, it happens and a few minutes later, it’s gone and something else replaces it.

Everything is just like that. 

Everything comes and goes. 

Everything rises and ceases.

So, you don’t have to react or engage all the time. Just do it when you absolutely have to engage or react.

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Question:  As a householder, Luangphor said we should not react too much but we have responsibilities, for example the responsibility as a worker. 

Than Ajahn:  Just react to what you have to. If you have responsibility or duty, then you do it, but don’t do more than what you’re required to do.

And try not to engage in any forms of entertainment or any forms of getting happiness through the body. If you want to find happiness, you should go meditate instead. Replace your way of finding happiness.

You used to find happiness by going to movies, going to shopping or going to concerts; you should stop these activities. 

You should use meditation as a new form of giving you happiness. You only do what you have to do with regards to your responsibility to your family or to your workplace.

Don’t do more than you have to. 

Try to pull your mind away from all sensual gratification activities.

Gratify your mind with peace of mind. Calm your mind with meditation.

“Dhamma in English, Dec 9, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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