The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.
19 November 2025
Attention controls awareness; if the level of attention is insufficient, realizations are limited. Information perceived by the senses—a sound heard, something seen, a scent smelled, for example—triggers distracting moods and emotions. Remaining attentive to these allows for their regulation. Having a low level of attention is akin to being in a rudderless boat, drifting along with moods and emotions, whereas holding the helm allows one to steer in the desired direction.
Awakened beings use attention like everyone else, but they are no longer deceived by the insidious effects of their moods and emotions, such as their desires or anger.
Consequently, they act, speak, and think solely with compassion, wish to help others, rejoice in others' happiness, or remain neutral. It's similar to how a drunk driver and a sober driver both drive: the one under the influence of alcohol, or here, under the influence of their moods and emotions, does not fully control their behaviors, words, and thoughts, and sometimes does senseless things, possibly harming others. Meanwhile, the sober one is careful, acts, speaks, and thinks with clarity, contributing to the well-being of their surroundings and humanity.
Being attentive to oneself allows one to observe and thus become aware of the mechanisms of one's feelings, memories, daydreams, and sensory-derived moods and emotions. Realizing these in every moment is a treasure that anyone can enjoy. Observing something else leads nowhere, true knowledge lies within oneself. As the Buddha taught, where the world comes from and how it was created is not the question, what is important is to purify what is within oneself, to heal one's sufferings, and to put an end to the cycle of rebirths.
Ajahn Suchart Abhijato
(พระอาจารย์สุชาติ อภิชาโต)
YouTube: Dhamma in English.
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