The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart

The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart

13 August 2025

Question—

According to the Dhamma, it is difficult to be reborn as human beings but why is human population increasing? 

Than Ajahn—

Well, if you compare to the animal kingdom, I think human numbers are still very small. The population is increasing because people want more babies. If you make more babies, there will be more human beings because there are many spirits that are waiting to be reborn as humans. They are waiting in a long queue. 

Besides human beings who are coming back as human beings, there are also other spiritual beings waiting in line to become human beings too. 

 Question—

If the mind is permanent and going from one life to the next one, why does the mind have to learn everything all over again such as learning the language, learning how to eat, how to write?

Than Ajahn—

That’s because the mind can forget. After a few years, you will forget things so you have to relearn them. 

There are things that you don’t have to relearn - things that you do, usually you don’t have to relearn. If you used to play the violin, you can come back and play the violin. If you used to be an athlete or a runner, then you can run. These are things that you don’t have to relearn. 

But things that you need to memorize, things that you can forget then you have to relearn them after you are reborn. For example, there are many thousands of languages and you only know one, how can you be sure that it’s the same language that you are reborn into? So it’s a new language, you just have to relearn it. You have to learn the new language. 

Question—

I practice regularly but sometimes my kilesas gain so much strength and it leads me to break the precept. 

How to keep the kilesa under control all the time so that I won’t break any precept? 

Than Ajahn—

Well, you have to find some counter-measures. One of them is to punish yourself when you break the precept. 

You have to punish yourself to make yourself be aware that if you break the precept, there will be consequences for breaking the precept. If you don’t punish yourself, then you will just keep doing it because you feel that there is no punishment. There is a reward but there is no punishment. Although the punishment will come later on, it will be too late to correct it, but if you can do it now in your life time, you can still correct your wrong doing. 

Question—

I increase my practice from 30 minutes to 3 hours a day. When I analyse myself, it seems that my ego is getting bigger and bigger. It seems that I know everything. I know this is wrong, but I am unable to catch what’s wrong with it. Can Ajahn please advise?

Than Ajahn—

Well, as long as you don’t impose your ego on other people then there is nothing wrong with that. If you think you know a lot and if you happen to know a lot, that’s fine. Just don’t impose it on other people. When you’re dealing with people, you should force your ego down to the bottom. Suppress it. Try to suppress it. Make yourself feel like you are just nobody. 

Question—

How to get rid of ego?

Than Ajahn-

By not doing what your ego asks you to do. If your ego says, ‘Have a drink’ then you say, ‘No.’ Eventually, your ego will disappear. 

Question—

Is getting rid of ego equivalent to realising anattā?

Than Ajahn:

Just part of it because there is no ego.

“Dhamma in English, Nov 12, 2019.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

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