The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.
12 May 2024
“If you’re taking the test and if you want to pass the test, then you must be willing to let the body die. But if you are not in that situation, you can adjust accordingly.”
Question: When I and another Dhamma friend experienced pain in our body – pain in the nerve and spine, we thought we just watched the pain, but we ended up having a slipped disc. I also have a gastric problem but I still try to keep eight precept and it ended up hurting my own body. So, should we try to find middle path in our practice and not trying full force to overcome the pain?
Than Ajahn: It depends on the situation. If you’re taking the test and if you want to pass the test, then you must be willing to let the body die. But if you are not in that situation, you can adjust accordingly.
If you’re taking the test, then you have to say, ‘This body is not me. I’m willing to let it go.’
But if you’re not taking the test, you’re still in the learning process, you might be able to adjust because you have to take care of your body. Should your body become sick or ill, then you wouldn’t be able to practice. So, it’s just a matter of using reasons. But eventually, when you have to take the test, then you have to be willing to let go. Whatever happens to the body, let it happens.
Like the story of Luangpu Mun, if you read his biography, he used to have a stomach pain and he tried all sorts of medicine. No matter what kind of medicine he took, the pain’s still there.
Eventually he said, ‘I want to give up using the medicine and I just want to calm my mind and let go of the pain. Leave it alone. That is anattā. It’s not me.
It’s not myself. I cannot control it. Should the body dies because I’m not taking this (medicine), I am willing to die.’
So, he sat down and used vipassanā and samatha to calm the mind, to teach the mind to let go of the pain.
Once he had let go of the pain and his mind entered into jhāna, after he came out, the pain disappeared.
When the physical pain disappeared, the mental pain disappeared. And he knew he had taken the test.
The physical pain, sometimes you can manage it and sometimes you cannot. But you can always manage the mental pain if you have the ability to let go of your attachment, let go of your desire. So, this is what you want to develop, to get rid of the mental pain. Even the Buddha had to face the physical pain on his last day.
His body was the same with everybody’s body but his mind was peaceful and serene, and not disturbed by the pain of the body.
By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto
Youtube: Dhamma in English
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g
No comments:
Post a Comment