“If you have a distracted mind, your mind goes everywhere, thinking about this person or that person, and then if you bring everything inside your mind, it will burn yourself.”

 The teachings of Ajahn Suchart

“If you have a distracted mind, your mind goes everywhere, thinking about this person or that person, and then if you bring everything inside your mind, it will burn yourself.”

Question:  How to have stillness or calmness in the middle of chaotic life, for example in a highly demanding job or a busy lifestyle?

Than Ajahn:  You have to have strong mindfulness. Focus your mind on one object such as a mantra: Buddho, Buddho, Buddho or focus on the present moment, on whatever you are doing and forget about everything else. 

Then everything else around you will not disturb you. 

If you have a distracted mind, your mind goes everywhere, thinking about this person or that person, and then if you bring everything inside your mind, it will burn yourself. The way to do it is not to bring anything inside your mind but to focus on one thing at a time. If you are working, just focus on your work. 

If you are not working and when your mind starts bringing everything inside, then you use the mantra to get rid of these things, simply by repeating the mantra: Buddho, Buddho, Buddho, so that nothing can come into your mind. You block everything by reciting the mantra, Buddho Buddho.

…….

Question:  What is the best method of meditation?

Than Ajahn:  The method that suits you best. If you like watching your breathing then you watch your breath, if you like reciting a mantra then you repeat a mantra like Buddho Buddho. 

The important thing is not the method, but mindfulness. Even if you have the right method but if you don’t have mindfulness, you will not succeed anyway. 

You need to develop mindfulness and then find the right method that is suitable for you. The suitable method doesn’t guarantee success, but mindfulness will always guarantee success.  

You need to develop strong mindfulness before you sit and meditate. If you don’t have strong mindfulness, you can sit but you will not succeed because your mind will go all over the place. You have to curb your mind from running around, by developing mindfulness in your daily activity either using a mantra or focusing your body on your daily activity. 

Whatever you do, you have to curb your mind away from thinking.  When you have mindfulness, when you sit in meditation, your mind can become peaceful and calm. 

By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Youtube: Dhamma in English

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g