black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

Do not be a bodhisattva, do not be an arahant, do not be anything at all. If you are a bodhisattva, you will suffer, if you are an arahant, you will suffer, if you are anything at all, you will suffer.

Ajahn Chah

When the heart truly understands, it lets go of everything.
AJAHN CHAH

Everything Heart Let Go Truly Understand
Look at your own mind. The one who carries things thinks he’s got things, but the one who looks on sees only the heaviness. Throw away things, lose them, and find lightness.
AJAHN CHAH

Carry Got Heaven Look Mind Own Thing Think Thinking
Whatever he taught, we should practise it. Only bowing to him is not enough. We need to renounce, give up, stop, so that we may see the Buddha.
AJAHN CHAH

Bowing Buddha Enough Need Practice Renounce Teach
With even a little intuitive wisdom we will be able to see clearly the ways of the world.
AJAHN CHAH

Clear Intuitive Little Teacher Wisdom World
The mind of one who practises doesn’t run away anywhere, it stays right there. Good, evil, happiness and unhappiness, right and wrong arise, and he knows them all.
AJAHN CHAH

Anywhere Away Evil Mind Practice Right Run Running Stay
There are two kinds of suffering. There is the suffering you run away from, which follows you everywhere. And there is the suffering you face directly, and so become free.
AJAHN CHAH

Away Beautiful Everywhere Follow Kind Running Suffer Two
Learn to let go without struggle, simply let go, to be just as you are – no holding on, no attachment, free.
AJAHN CHAH

Attachment Free Just Learn No Simply Struggle
If you want to understand suffering you must look into the situation at hand.
AJAHN CHAH

Hand Lying Run Situation Suffer Teaching Understand
If you let go a lot you will have a lot of happiness. If you let go completely you will be free.
AJAHN CHAH

Free Freedom Happiness Lot
Just go into the room, sit in the centre of the room, open the doors and windows, and see who comes to visit.
AJAHN CHAH

Centre Come Door Into Job Room Visit Window
One man watches a river flow by. If he does not wish it to flow, to change ceaselessly in accord with its nature, he will suffer great pain.
AJAHN CHAH

Ceaseless Change Flow Great Man Nature Pain River Self Suffering Watch Wish
Investigate yourself to find the truth – inside, not outside. Knowing yourself is most important.
AJAHN CHAH

Find Important Inside Investigate Knowing Most Outside Truth
The Dhamma is revealing itself in every moment, but only when the mind is quiet can we understand what it is saying, for the Dhamma teaches without words.
AJAHN CHAH

Every Mind Moment Quiet Reveal Understand
All that I have said up to now has merely been words. When people come to see me, I have to say something. But it is best not to speak about these matters too much.
AJAHN CHAH

All Friend Good Matter Merely Practice Regret Something Speak Word
To define Buddhism without a lot of words and phrases, we can simply say, ‘Don’t cling or hold on to anything. Harmonize with actuality, with things as they are.’
AJAHN CHAH

Actuality Anything Buddhism Cling Lot Phrase Word
To give up doing evil is more important than making merit.
AJAHN CHAH

Doing Evil Give Up Important Merit Mke
Dharma is in your mind, not in the forest. Don’t believe others, just listen to your mind. You don’t have to go anywhere else.
AJAHN CHAH

Belief Forest Listen Mind Other Sweet
The meditator simply knows them, they don’t enter his mind. That is, he has no clinging. He is simply the experiencer.
AJAHN CHAH

Cling Enter Experience Meditator Mind Simply
You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can’t solve your own doubts.
AJAHN CHAH

Doubt Knowing Look Own Teach Teacher
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

Anxiety Born Confusion Mind Tranquil
If we practise like this and develop mindfulness continuously, wisdom arises quickly and this is a fast way of practice.
AJAHN CHAH

Arise Continous Develop Fast Mindfulness Practice Quick Way Wisdom
Then we don’t have to celebrate it or let anybody know about it, simply let the mind have firm confidence in the goodness and keep going like this.
AJAHN CHAH

Anybody Celebrate Confidence Going Keep Know Mind Simply
Time is our present breath.
AJAHN CHAH

Breath Our Present Time
The Dharma Path is to keep walking forward. But the true Dharma has no going forward, no going backward, and no standing still.
AJAHN CHAH

Backward Forward Path Practice Standard Standing Still Walking
We protect virtue so that virtue will protect us.
AJAHN CHAH

Protect Us Virtue
If we only make merit but have not stopped doing bad things, then we will never have a day of completion. It is like an overturned bowl which is left outside in the rain.
AJAHN CHAH

Bad Bowl Completion Day Doing Make Merit Outside Overturn Rain Stop Thing
Know and watch your heart. It’s pure but emotions come to colour it. So let your mind be like a tightly woven net to catch emotions and feelings that come, and investigate them before you react.
AJAHN CHAH

Colour Emotion Feeling Heart Investigate Know Mind Pure

Do not be a bodhisattva, do not be an arahant, do not be anything at all. If you are a bodhisattva, you will suffer, if you are an arahant, you will suffer, if you are anything at all, you will suffer.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

Do not be a bodhisattva, do not be an arahant, do not be anything at all. If you are a bodhisattva, you will suffer, if you are an arahant, you will suffer, if you are anything at all, you will suffer.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Ajahn Chah Quotes