black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

To practice Dhamma means to observe and examine oneself.

Ajahn Chah

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
You will have a steady awareness within yourself.
AJAHN CHAH

Awareness Steady Within Yourself
You say that you are too busy to meditate. Do you have time to breathe? Meditation is your breath. Why do you have time to breathe but not to meditate?
AJAHN CHAH

Breathe Busy Meditation Practice Time
If you want a chicken to be a duck, and a duck to be a chicken, you will suffer.
AJAHN CHAH

Chicken Children Duck Suffer Want
The heart is the only book worth reading.
AJAHN CHAH

Book Heart Only Read Worth
All religions are like different cars all moving in the same direction. People who don’t see it have no light in their hearts.
AJAHN CHAH

Car Different Direction Heart Light Moving Religion Same
We need to develop meditation so that the understanding arises clearly within oneself. It is not the case that merely by listening to another’s explanation our defilements will disappear.
AJAHN CHAH

Another Arise Defliment Develop Disappear Explain Listen Meditation Need Oneself Understanding
The ultimate truth is like the flavour of an apple which you can’t see with the eye or hear with the ear.
AJAHN CHAH

Apple Ear Eye Flavour Hear Like Teaching Ultimate
You should know both the universal and the personal, the realm of forms and the freedom to not cling to them.
AJAHN CHAH

Both Cling Form Needs World Personal Realm Universal Way
The forest is peaceful, why aren’t you? You hold on to things causing your confusion. Let nature teach you.
AJAHN CHAH

Cause Confuse Confusion Go Hold Letting Peaceful Song
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
Wisdom is in yourself, just like a sweet ripe mango is already in a young green one.
AJAHN CHAH

Already Green Mango One Ripe Sweet Young
Of course there are dozens of meditation techniques, but it all comes down to this – just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. Why not give it a try?
AJAHN CHAH

Battle Come Course Down Dozen Giving Just Let Meditation Technique
If you let go completely you will have complete peace.
AJAHN CHAH

Complete Dharma Guy Ifs Let Go Peace
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
Remember you dont meditate to get anything, but to get rid of things.
AJAHN CHAH

Anything Let Go Meditate Remember Rid Thing
The ladle is in the soup pot every day, but it doesn’t know the taste of the soup. You must reflect and meditate.
AJAHN CHAH

Day Every Ladle Meditate Pot Reflect Soup Taste
When we see beyond self, we no longer cling to happiness. And when we stop clinging, we can begin to be happy.
AJAHN CHAH

Beyond Cling Happiness Happy Longer Self Stop
To practice Dhamma means to observe and examine oneself.
AJAHN CHAH

Examine Mean One Oneself Practice
Holding on to anger as a personal possession will cause suffering. If anger really belonged to us, it would have to obey us. If it doesn’t obey us, that means it’s only a deception.
AJAHN CHAH

Anger Belong Deception Hold Obey Personal Possession Suffering
Wherever we start to think that things are certain, uncertainty is lurking right there. Heedlessness is just holding things as certain. It is grasping at certainty where there is no certainty and looking for truth in things that are not true. Be careful! They are likely to bite you sometime in the future!
AJAHN CHAH

Bite Careful Future Grasp Hold Lurk Sometimes Thing Think Truth Uncertainty
We have limited time in our life, therefore we should try to teach ourselves, not to teach others.
AJAHN CHAH

Limited Lying Mind Other Ourselves Practice Teach Try
When sitting in meditation, say, “That’s not my business!” with every thought that comes by.
AJAHN CHAH

Buddhist Business Inspirational Meditation Spiritual Thought
But when I know that the glass is already broken, every minute with it is precious.
AJAHN CHAH

Broken Glass Know Minute Precious
It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering.
AJAHN CHAH

Experience Forest Found Freedom Suffer Teacher
Truth is all there is. It’s like when you learned how to read, you can then read anywhere you go.
AJAHN CHAH

Anywhere Go Learn Like Read Truth
The only way to experience it is to put the teachings into practice. Once you taste it, you are no longer in any doubt about its flavour and you do not have to ask anyone else. The problem is solved.
AJAHN CHAH

Anyone Ask Experience Flavour Longer Practice Problem Solve Taste Teaching

To practice Dhamma means to observe and examine oneself.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

To practice Dhamma means to observe and examine oneself.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Ajahn Chah Quotes