A good practice is to ask yourself very sincerely, ‘Why was I born?’ Ask yourself this question in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night…every day.
AJAHN CHAHThe Dharma Path is to keep walking forward. But the true Dharma has no going forward, no going backward, and no standing still.
More Ajahn Chah Quotes
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To the birds, the fruit may be sweet or sour or whatever. The birds say sweet or they say sour, but from the tree’s point of view, this is just the chattering of birds.
AJAHN CHAH -
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 -
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 -
I touch it and it rings! One day the wind may blow it off the shelf, or my elbow may knock it from the table.
AJAHN CHAH -
Well, if it really was her anger, then she should be able to tell it to go away, shouldnt she? But it really isn’t hers to command.
AJAHN CHAH -
Why do we suffer? Because we stepped on it. So the suffering comes from us.
AJAHN CHAH -
Isn’t it wonderful how the sky can take that dirty water and change it into pure, clean water? Your mind can do the same with your defilements if you let it.
AJAHN CHAH -
When sitting in meditation, say, “That’s not my business!” with every thought that comes by.
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If it shouldn’t happen, it wouldn’t happen.
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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 -
What’s so great about brightness? My flashlight has it. It can’t help us rid ourselves of our suffering.
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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?
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You will have a steady awareness within yourself.
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To observe and watch one’s own mind is something really interesting. The untrained mind will run and follow its old habit patterns. Because it has not been trained and taught, it will get lost in all kinds of stories and issues.
AJAHN CHAH -
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