The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart

31 August 2025

Monk:  When a person is dying with pain, should the person use painkillers or morphine to try to keep the mind clear?

Than Ajahn:  It depends on the strength of the mind. If the mind is strong, the mind doesn’t need any painkillers because what is painful is not the body, but the mind. And the cause of the pain of the mind is the fear of the physical pain, the desire to get rid of the physical pain which will then create the mental pain which is unbearable. But if you know how to meditate, if you know how to control your thought and your desire, then the pain won’t appear in your mind, and then your mind will become calm and lucid as if nothing happens and the pain of the body will just be like the pain you experience when you have a stomachache or headache and this is not unbearable. 

That’s why samādhi is very important for you to deal with pain, with losses, with everything. If you can maintain calm in the mind, then nothing can hurt your mind. And you don’t need to do anything. You can let go of the body. Let it be painful. Let it die. It doesn’t matter to the mind. 

Monk:  If someone cannot contemplate and doesn’t have samādhi, is it better for him to take painkiller?

Than Ajahn:  Well, then you become dependent on it and you create another problem such as in the situation when there is no painkillers available or when you demand more and more dosage. This becomes a problem now in the West, people die of painkillers. If you can avoid using painkillers, it’s better. It’s better to use the Dhamma medicine. The Dhamma medicine is mindfulness, calming your mind. Once your mind is calm, the body pain will not bother your mind, and you don’t need to take any painkiller. I haven’t used any painkillers for all the time since I became a monk. I don’t need them. I can deal with the pain of the body. 

Just let it be. 

Monk:  I only used painkiller once, 30 years ago, because I don’t have much pain condition. I just concern when I speak to people who have pain condition, and when they take these painkillers, they might experience aversion or depression. 

Than Ajahn:  They become addicted to painkillers, and when the painkillers are not available, or when they don’t have enough dosage to take, then they fall into the same trap that they try to get out of in the first place. The way to get out of it is to use your mind. 

Teach your mind to face pain, embrace pain, instead of trying to push it away. What makes it painful to the mind is the mind trying to push the pain away. If the mind can embrace the pain, then the mind will not be hurt by the physical pain. 

The goal is to understand pain and to accept it for what it is. It comes and goes. You cannot force it to go when it comes. You cannot ask it to come when it doesn’t come. You have to treat pain like you treat the weather. 

You don’t feel bad with the weather, right? If it’s gonna rain today or it’s gonna get hot today, you just let it happen. It’s the same way with your body. Sometimes, your body feels good, sometimes your body feels bad, it’s just like the weather. Just teach your mind to learn to accept pain, so whatever happens to the body will not hurt your mind. 

In order to be able to do this, you have to meditate. You have to be able to calm your mind because when your mind is not calm, your mind will react to the conditions of the body. If you experience a bad condition, you would want to push it away, and when you try to push away something that you can’t do, you become frustrated. It becomes painful in the mind. But if the mind doesn’t react, and it just leaves the condition alone, then the mind will not be hurt. 

Monk:  When do you recommend us to do dukkha vedanā contemplation?

Than Ajahn:  When you’re ready for it, when you have strong enough mindfulness. There are 2 steps to deal with dukkha vedanā. 

The first step is to use mindfulness, like reciting a mantra. After you sit for a while, when the pain starts to become more obvious and your mind starts reacting, then you use a mantra to stop your mind from reacting, and leave the pain alone. And if you can continue with your mantra, your mind eventually will become calm and the pain won’t bother the mind. This is the first way of dealing with pain. This is a temporary way to deal with pain. 

Every time when you meet with pain again, you will have to use the mantra to stop your mind from reacting, use the mantra to calm your mind. 

Once you have this method, then the next step is to study the nature of the pain to see what it is and how to deal with it. The Buddha said that pain is something that you can’t control. 

The pain comes and goes as it likes. You can’t tell it to go away when it comes. 

The only way to deal with pain is to leave it alone, to not react to it, and to have no aversion to it. The problem is the aversion to pain or the fear of pain. Once you’re no longer afraid of pain, once you welcome it, then the mind will not be hurt. The mind will be happy every time it sees pain. ‘Ah! 

Here you come again. Welcome home!’ It’s like having your son comes back to visit you again. Pain is your son. You can’t tell him to go away when he comes to visit you. You just have to welcome him. If you welcome him, then everybody is happy. You’re happy and your son is happy. Then, you can live with each other.  

Monk:  I’ve never been attracted to pain meditation.

Than Ajahn:  Because you have aversion to it. But you have to understand the benefit that you’ll get from doing it. You can then overcome pain for the rest of your life. You will never be afraid of pain again. No matter how strong the pain is, all you have to do is just to keep your mind calm and not react to it. 

You’re going to have to face them. 

Pains keep coming back to you. The body is the house of pains. Really! Without the body, there would be no pain. If you have the body, then there will always be pain until the body dies that’s when there is no more pain. 

But this physical pain is not horrible. 

You can deal with it. You can live with it—let’s put it that way. But you have to know how to live with it. The way to live with it is to calm your mind and not react to the pain when it comes. 

Just leave it alone. The physical pain is not that painful. If you compare the mental pain to the physical pain, it’s like 10 to 1. The mental pain is 10 times more than the physical pain. 

When you have aversion to pain, fear of pain or when you want to get rid of the pain but you couldn’t do it, then this frustration, this restlessness, and this fear will create mental pain. 

Monk:  I heard that Than Ajahn never accepts any invitation to go outside the monastery, is it correct?

Than Ajahn:  Yes. This way solves a lot of problems. I can always know where I’ll be. If I accept invitations, then my schedule will fall into the hands of the people who invite me. 

But if I do this way, I’m always here. If people want to see me, they come to see me here. And everybody doesn’t miss me. If I go and accept invitations, when you come today, I might not be here. But everybody knows if they want to see me, they come here every day. 

Monk:  It’s wonderful to have a khruba ajahn who speaks perfect English like Than Ajahn. It’s a rare opportunity to have a khruba ajahn who speaks directly in English, Than Ajahn khrub. 

Than Ajahn:  I guess so. 

Monk:  Thank you so much.

Than Ajahn:  Ok, thank you for coming by. 

“Dhamma in English, Jun 23, 2019.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g

Sharing by LP Doo

Today Admin would like to explain the practice of Nirodha Kammathan – entering a meditative state in which one does not eat, sleep, urinate or defecate, which was first established by Kruba Srivichai and now practiced by many of the modern Krubas in Northern Thailand. Do note that one should not confuse Nirodha Kamma with Nirodha Samapatti, the latter which only very highly attained beings with complete mastery of the jhanas can enter. 

Nirodha Kamma is traced to a piece of mulberry bark paper, supposedly written by Kruba Srivichai who initiated this practice to test one’s own discipline and meditation. 

Monks who practice it are usually northern Krubas, such as Kruba Noi, Kruba Ariyachart, Kruba Norkaewfa, Kruba Chaiya etc. I think their names should be familiar to many Singaporeans and Malaysians, as well as people from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China as they have many overseas Chinese devotees, and their amulets are widely marketed targeting the Chinese. 

When Kruba Noi practices Nirodha Kammathan, which he said he will do every year until he reaches the age of 70 (this year, so not sure if he is going to continue) – he only drinks water from one big silver alms bowl. 

The water must be collected from different saksit holy sites, consecrated and filtered through 7 layers of phayants. 

During the 3 days, Kruba Noi will only practice walking and sitting meditation and do nothing else. Kruba Noi first started practising this in 1994, when his master Kruba Phad was seriously ill and about to die. 

Kruba Noi decided to practice the Nirodha Kammathana in order to save Kruba Phad’s life, and miraculously, Kruba Phad recovered in a couple of days. 

Another master who is famous for practising Nirodha Kammathana, is Kruba Ariyachart. 

Kruba Ariyachart does not do this as often as Kruba Noi, so when he does this, the temple kammakan will go into overdrive and start advertising this miraculous event. There will be a bamboo hut built for Kruba Ariyachart with a big hole at the bottom. Kruba Ariyachart will sit in this hole. He will only drink water from an alms bowl, like Kruba Noi. 

But his practice goes further, as he will not even stand up or practice walking meditation. 

And just like Kruba Noi, Kruba Ariyachart will not eat, urinate or defecate at all. The first time he practiced this, he was only a novice monk. 

He conducted his first Nirodha Kammathana practice in a cave in Nan province. Generally, Kruba Ariyachart will enter Nirodha Kammathana for a longer period of time as well, sometimes lasting a week. 

Standing opposed to the thousands of devotees, are some critics who argue that these are publicity stunts to promote the parami of the Krubas and attract more believers and devotees. 

Because these are highly publicised events and usually held in line with large donation drives, ceremonies and amulets. Hence, critics argue they are marketed as a way of identifying who are the “real” Krubas in Thailand. 

Many devotees rush to make offerings to Krubas who come out of Nirodha Kammathana because they believe that at that moment, if they make any offerings, the merit will be multiplied many times and be able to be reborn in heaven and reach Nibbana. 

Whatever the case, I (admin) hope to be able to travel to Thailand again at the end of this year to be able to meet good ajaans. I am sure that there are many well-practiced geiji ajaans around but who are living their own low-profile lives, perhaps in remote temples or caves. 

When I do find a master worthy of veneration who is willing to act as the spiritual advisor of this page and group, I will certainly let all devotees and followers know. 

May all Dhamma friends stay safe during these troubled time.

*******

Having covered Nirodha Kammathan, now I shall talk about Nirodha Samapatti. This is a state of suspended animation which only high level meditators, such as Anagamis and Arahants who have attained mastery over the 8 jhanas, can enter into. In this state, breathing and heart beat stops, in addition to mental activity. So from a normal person's point of view, the meditator may appear to be dead. 

However, one should not disturb his or her body as the meditator will regain consciousness upon leaving this state. 

Masters who are known to enter into Nirodha Samapatti include Luang Pu Chah, who despite being paralysed and unable to speak in his later years, will stop breathing for long periods of time, yet his blood remains oxygenated and he remains alive. 

Another great Ajaan who is able to enter into Nirodha Samapatti is Khun Mae Boon Ruean. 

On the 20th of September 2496, Khun Mae Boon Ruean entered into Nirodha Samapatti at Baan Samakkhi Wisutti, Wisut Kasat Road, Bang Khun Phrom, Bangkok. Many people and disciples were there to witness this event. 

When Khun Mae entered into samadhi, she did not move a slightest bit at all, whether to eat or to go to the toilet. Khun Mae also told the people there that she would make an adithana. 

There was a mango tree nearby. By the power of entering into Nirodha Samapatti, Khun Mae made the mango tree produce and grow out a cluster of mango flowers over a single night. 

This was recorded and documented by the people and neighbours present. Everyone there could testify and they were amazed.

Do Good Rather than Ask for Blessings Choose to do only the good.

Do Good Rather than Ask for Blessings
Choose to do only the good. 

A warning to prepare yourself for the future conduct of your life is the best substitute for a blessing and the most reasonable. If you do good, then even if you don’t receive blessings, you’ll have to do well. If you do evil, then no matter what blessings can be contrived, they can’t make you do well. 

To do evil is like tossing a rock in the water: It will have to sink immediately. No one, no matter how charismatic, can come and charm or plead with the rock to float back up to the surface. If you do evil, you will have to sink, spoiling your dignity, your character, and your reputation, like a heavy rock sunk down into the mud. 

To do good is like light oil: When you pour it on water, it is bound to float as an iridescence over the surface. To do good adds to your dignity and to your reputation. People will be sure to praise and respect you, to exalt you like the oil that floats over water. Even if you should have enemies intent on hating you, reviling you to make you sink, they won’t have any effect and will simply fall victim to their own efforts. 

So make up your mind to be courageous in doing only the good, without fear or apprehension for any obstacle whatsoever. The person who trusts in the Triple Gem, the person with true happiness, the person who prospers, achieving his or her desired goals, is the person who does only the good.

* * * * * * * 

From "An Iridescence on the Water", by Chao Khun Nararatana Rajamanit (Tryk Dhammavitakko), translated from the Thai by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 2 November 2013, 

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/nararatana/iridescence.html

* * * * * * * 

Chao Khun Nararatana Rajamanit (Tryk Dhammavitakko), better known as Chao Khun Nor, was born on 5 February, 1897. Prior to his ordination, he was a member of King Rama VI's personal staff, and was so trusted by the king that he was given the rank of chao phraya — the highest Thai rank of conferred nobility — when he was only 25. 

After the king's death in 1926, he ordained at Wat Thepsirin in Bangkok and never left the wat compound from 1936. 

Even though the wat was one of the most lavishly endowed temples in Bangkok, Chao Khun Nararatana lived a life of exemplary austerity and was well known for his meditative powers.

 Towards the end of his life, despite developing a large cancerous lesion on his neck, he maintained impeccable poise and continued to receive lay visitors without the slightest hint of being oppressed by the pain of the disease. 

Instead of concealing the lesion, he wanted his illness to become a salient lesson in Dhamma for the people and had pictures taken of the gaping lesion for people to contemplate on the impermanent and degenerative nature of the body.

He adhered strictly to the monastic routine of going to the main hall to chant daily in spite of the debilitating nature of the cancer,  and was quoted as saying that the time he does skip it would be the time he would die. Thus, he continued to lead the congregation for morning and evening chanting daily until he passed away on 8 January, 1971 at the age of 73.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

23rd April, 2022

Question:  I have heard that practitioners should discuss 10 things when they come together. 

Would Tan Ajahn please briefly describe these factors? Thank you. 

Than Ajahn:  The 10 subjects of conversation that practitioners should use to discuss with each other are:

1. Wanting little. To be happy with as little as possible in terms of the 4 requisites of living. We don’t want more material things than what we need. Don’t talk about getting gifts, getting money, getting plenty of jewelry. Only talk about being happy with as little as possible physically. 

Having simplicity in life. Have just enough to survive, like food, clothing, housing and medicine. This is called มักน้อย (mák nói) in Thai.  

2. To be happy with what you get, with what you have. Don’t be greedy, don’t be wishful of getting things for yourself. Just be content with whatever you can get. This is called สันโดษ (săn-dòht) in Thai or ‘santoṣā’ in Pali. Whether you get more or less, just be happy. Don’t be greedy, then you won’t be disappointed or sad. 

3. The third one is to talk about viriya or exertion in your practice. Talk about how much you practice. How many hours you walk, how many hours you sit for instance. This is talking about exertion.

4. Number four is to talk about seclusion. Talk about places where you can have seclusion. Like going to the forest or going to the cemetery. 

Going to the place that is nice and quiet to do the practice. This is talking about seclusion.

5. Number 5 is talking about not socializing, not congregating, not mingling. Try to discourage mingling, try to be alone as much as possible because this is the best way to do the practice. 

To discourage socializing. 

When people approach you and they want to talk to you with no purpose other than wanting to talk then you should discourage them. You should say that it’s better for them to be alone, to do their practice. If you mingle it can take away your precious time and also cause agitation and restlessness in your mind. 

This is talking about not socializing.

6. Number six is to talk about keeping the precepts, the sila or morality. How much morality you have. How much you have practiced, such as the 5, 8, 10 or 227 precepts. This is talking about the precepts.

7. Next you talk about the practice of samadhi, how much samadhi you have gained. How long can you sit, how deep is your mind in samadhi for instance.

8. Next you talk about the development of wisdom. How to see the four noble truths, how to see the 3 characteristics of existence. How to see asubha for instance. How to develop them in order to get rid of your defilements.

9. Then you talk about vimutti or the cessation of suffering or the liberation from suffering.

10. Then the last one you talk about is ‘vimutti-ñāṇadasana’. Which means the realization that you have acquired vimutti. That you have liberated yourself from suffering. Or talk about the different levels of attainment. 

That’s what vimuti or liberation is about.

So these are the 10 subjects of conversation a practitioner should focus on. Not talking about family matters or politics or business. Not talking about money matters or holiday places to go for instance.

“Dhamma in English, Dec 26, 2021.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g

The Teachings of Venerable Ajahn Chah What’s That?

The Teachings of Venerable Ajahn Chah
What’s That?

With the Dhamma, it’s not the case that you’ll awaken because someone else tells you about it. 

You already know that you can’t get serious about asking whether this is that or that is this. 

These things are really personal. We talk just enough for you to contemplate.

It’s like a child who’s never seen anything. He comes out to the countryside and sees a chicken. 

“Daddy, what’s that over there?” He sees a duck. “Daddy, what’s that?” He sees a pig. “Daddy, what’s that over there?” 

The father gets tired of answering. The more he answers, the more the child keeps asking—because it’s never seen these things. After a while, the father simply says, “Hmm.” 

If you keep playing along with the child’s every question, you die of fatigue. The child doesn’t get fatigued. Whatever it sees, “What’s that? What’s this?” It never comes to an end. 

Finally the father says, “When you grow bigger, you’ll know for yourself.”

That’s the way it is with meditation. I used to be like that. I really was. But when you understand, there are none of those questions. You’ve grown up. 

So be intent on contemplating until you understand, and things will gradually unravel themselves. That’s the way it is. Keep watch over yourself as much as you can. Keep watch over yourself as much as you can, to see if you’re lying to yourself. That’s what’s called keeping watch over yourself.

~•~•~•~

In Simple Terms: 108 Dhamma Similes, by Venerable Ajahn Chah, and translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.

REALIZING NON-DUALITY

REALIZING NON-DUALITY

Mae Chee Kaew realized that the true mind had no form, and formed no conceptions. By spontaneously observing phenomena with clear mindfulness, she attained freedom from conceptual thinking, which allowed the knowing essence to relinquish mental constructs before they could establish a definite presence in the mind’s conscious continuum. 

Before a particular thought or expression could fully form, the knowing essence simply let go, causing mental formations to dissolve into nothingness. Eventually, the detached nature of the mind’s true essence became so all-encompassing that the multitude of conscious expressions failed to take hold, dissolving before its still, potent immanence.

At that stage, Mae Chee Kaew’s mind resembled a battlefield where the forces of conscious existence were pitted against the all-embracing essence, which encompassed everything but retained nothing. As profound emptiness constantly dissolved countless forms of emerging existence, the mind’s knowing essence gained the upper hand, increasing in brightness and purity. (p.190)

Conceptual activity consists of naturally occurring mental phenomena that arise and cease spontaneously. 

These phenomena possess no awareness of their own. The awareness that knows them is the mind essence, the knowing nature that permeates everything. The mind is basically non-dual; it is just one vital reality. The flow of consciousness from the knowing center creates the illusion of duality, of inside and outside, of knower and known. (p.189)

~  Mae Chee Kaew, Bhikku Silaratano

“Four basic medicines.”

The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart

23 February 2025

“Four basic medicines.”

Question from Brisbane, Australia: "If we only rely on maranānusati (contemplation on death), how far can we develop the practice, in both samadhi and wisdom aspects?"  

Than Ajahn:  "Contemplation of the various kammaṭṭhāna are like medicines that you have to take from time to time. Like when you have a stomach ache, you have to take medicine for the stomach ache. If you have a headache, you have to take medicine for the headache. There are different kinds of medicines. It is the same with the different object of kammaṭṭhāna, such as maranānusati (contemplation on death). 

The Buddha has said that we need different kammaṭṭhāna to cure our hindrances. Like when we have sexual desire, we have to contemplate on asubha, the repulsive aspect of the body. When we have anger, we have to contemplate on mettā (loving-kindness). 

When we are lazy, we should contemplate on death because when we think of death, we’ll know that we’re running out of time. So, we’d better become energetic and start to practice. These are the different kinds of medicines you use from time to time, depending on the situation. 

What you normally use as your main focus or point of development of your mindfulness is your body or a mantra. 

When you face with other situation such as anger, lust/sexual desire, or laziness/sloth or torpor, then you’ll have to switch the object of your mindfulness to handle the situation. You need these different kinds of kammaṭṭhāna, different kinds of medicines.   

There are four basic medicines that we should maintain. 

First, recollection of the qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. This is to cure our problem when we lose faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. This will give us the energy and it will regenerate our faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha. 

Next, when we have lust, we’ll have to contemplate on asubha. When we have laziness, we’ll have to contemplate on death. 

When we have anger, we’ll have to contemplate on loving-kindness. These medicines will cure our specific problems. 

Then, we come back to our main object of mindfulness which can be the recitation of a mantra, watching our body or observing the breath (ānāpānasati) when we’re sitting down."

“Dhamma in English, Q&A session, Aug 15, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

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