The Teachings if Ajahn Suchart
28 July 2024
“Once you can control your thoughts, then you can stop your craving for music or entertainment.”
Question (from US): I study Buddhism rather seriously. However, I am a classical musician. I am wondering how frequently I should be listening to music or playing music?
Than Ajahn: If you listen to music and play music, then you won’t have the time to meditate. That’s the reason why you have to keep the precepts so that you can get rid of all the other activities and have the time to meditate. If you want to meditate, you have to give up your musical activities by thinking that the result from your meditation is far better than the result that you get from playing music.
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Question: Could I progress to Sakadāgāmī even as a classical musician?
Than Ajahn: It doesn’t matter who you are. If you have the triple training, if you have sīla, samādhi, paññā, you can progress to the highest level. Your profession doesn’t matter.
……….
Question (from Canada): I am a teacher of Elementary school and I usually teach music, singing and other instruments. Is it better to teach mathematics and language rather than music, in order to help to reduce my craving for entertaining subjects?
Than Ajahn: Your teaching subject doesn’t change much on your craving. The only way to change your craving is to resist them and the only way to resist them is to have something to stop your mind from thinking about them. If you keep thinking about music, you will have craving for music. You have to stop thinking about it, and you can use a mantra to stop your mind thinking about things. You should recite a mantra and do it all day long, not only when you meditate. You repeat the mantra all day long from the time you get up, except when you really have to think about things that you have to do. Other than that you should have a mantra to restrain your mind about entertainment or music. Once you can control your thoughts, then you can stop your craving for music or entertainment.
By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto
Youtube: Dhamma in English
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g
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