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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

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

Ask Blow Happy Illness Loved Master Philosophy Protect Wind
The Dhamma has to be found by looking into your own heart and seeing that which is true and that which is not, that which is balanced and that which is not balanced.
AJAHN CHAH

Balance Dhamma Found Heart Look Own Se True
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
The serene and peaceful mind is the true epitome of human achievement.
AJAHN CHAH

Achievement Epitome Mind Peaceful Serene
Why are we born? We are born so that we will not have to be born again.
AJAHN CHAH

Again Born
If you reflect in this way, you will have peace. Wherever you are, you will have this attitude of practice with you constantly.
AJAHN CHAH

Attitude Constantly Peace Practice Reflect Way
Where does rain come from? It comes from all the dirty water that evaporates from the earth, like urine and the water you throw out after washing your feet.
AJAHN CHAH

Come Dirty Earth Evaporate Rain Sky Through Urine Wash Water
If it shouldn’t happen, it wouldn’t happen.
AJAHN CHAH

Happen
Therefore we have to train our mind. The meditation practice in Buddhism is all about training one’s own mind.
AJAHN CHAH

Buddhism Meditation Mind Own Practice Train
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
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
Investigate yourself to find the truth – inside, not outside. Knowing yourself is most important.
AJAHN CHAH

Find Important Inside Investigate Knowing Most Outside Truth
You will have a steady awareness within yourself.
AJAHN CHAH

Awareness Steady Within Yourself
No. It’s simply a thorn. It doesn’t give suffering to anybody. If we step on it, we suffer immediately.
AJAHN CHAH

Anybody Come Immediate Simply Suffering Thron
Know and watch your heart. It’s pure but emotions come to colour it.
AJAHN CHAH

Colour Emotion Heart Pure Watch
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

Anything Arahant Bodhisattva Suffer

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.

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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.

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