The Teaching of Ajahn Chah.

The Teaching of Ajahn Chah.

Sometimes, when a fruit tree is in bloom, a breeze stirs and sends blossoms falling to the ground. Some buds remain and grow into small green fruit. A wind blows and some of them fall too. Still others may become fruit nearly ripe, or even some fully ripe, before they fall.

And so it is with people. Like flowers and fruit in the wind, they, too, "Fall" in different stages of life. Some people die while still in the womb, others within only a few days after birth. Some people live a few years, then die, never reaching maturity. 

Men and women die in their youth. Still others reach a ripe old age before they die. When reflecting upon people, consider the nature of fruit in the wind - Both are uncertain.

Our minds are also similar. A mental impression arises, blows at the mind, then the mind "Falls" - Just like the fruit.

The Buddha understood this uncertain nature of things. He observed the phenomenon of fruit in the wind and reflected on the Monks and Novices who were his disciples. 

He found that they, too, were essentially of the same nature - Uncertain!! How could it be otherwise? This is just the way of all things.

~ Ajahn Chah