No. It’s simply a thorn. It doesn’t give suffering to anybody. If we step on it, we suffer immediately.
AJAHN CHAHWhen we sit in meditation and hear a sound, we think, ‘Oh, that sound’s bothering me.’ If we see it like this, we suffer. But if we investigate a little deeper,
More Ajahn Chah Quotes
-
-
Try to be mindful, and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become still in any surroundings, like a clear forest pool.
AJAHN CHAH -
If you haven’t cried deeply a number of times, your meditation hasn’t really begun.
AJAHN CHAH -
Why do we suffer? Because we stepped on it. So the suffering comes from us.
AJAHN CHAH -
A madman and an arahant both smile, but the arahant knows why while the madman doesn’t.
AJAHN CHAH -
Meditation is like a single log of wood. Insight and investigation are one end of the log; calm and concentration are the other end. If you lift up the whole log, both sides come up at once. Which is concentration and which is insight? Just this mind.
AJAHN CHAH -
Hear the bird’s song then let go. If you know nature, you’ll know truth. If you know truth, you’ll know nature.
AJAHN CHAH -
When we conquer ourselves, then everything will be conquered: oneself, others, and all the sense objects as well, coming in by way of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body — it will all get conquered like this.
AJAHN CHAH -
One day some people came to the master and asked: How can you be happy in a world of such impermanence, where you cannot protect your loved ones from harm, illness or death?
AJAHN CHAH -
The forest is peaceful, why aren’t you? You hold on to things causing your confusion. Let nature teach you.
AJAHN CHAH -
You will have a steady awareness within yourself.
AJAHN CHAH -
I know this glass is already broken, so I enjoy it – incredibly.
AJAHN CHAH -
Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.
AJAHN CHAH -
The mind is intrinsically tranquil. Out of this tranquility, anxiety and confusion are born. If one sees and knows this confusion, then the mind is tranquil once more.
AJAHN CHAH -
Raise families and look after themselves, that’s all. To them, being smart is more important than being wise!
AJAHN CHAH -
The teachings say that wherever a problem arises it must be settled right there. Where suffering lies is right where non-suffering will arise, it ceases at the place where it arises.
AJAHN CHAH