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When 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,

Ajahn Chah

Why do we suffer? Because we stepped on it. So the suffering comes from us.
AJAHN CHAH

Come From Suffering
Read yourself, not books. Truth isn’t outside, that’s only memory, not wisdom. Memory without wisdom is like an empty thermos bottle – if you don’t fill it, it’s useless.
AJAHN CHAH

Book Bottle Memory Outside Read Wisdom Yourself
Another man understands that nature of the river is to change constantly, regardless of his likes and dislikes, and therefore he does not suffer.
AJAHN CHAH

Another Chance Constant Dislike Man Nature Suffer Understand
A madman and an arahant both smile, but the arahant knows why while the madman doesn’t.
AJAHN CHAH

Arahant Both Know Madman Smile
When one does not understand death, life can be very confusing.
AJAHN CHAH

Confuse Doe Life Death Understand
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
Don’t think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking.
AJAHN CHAH

Attitude Close Eye Lying Practice Quick Sit
We say that to ‘give up all evil and to develop the good’ is the heart of the Buddha’s teaching.
AJAHN CHAH

Develop Evil Fall Give Up Heart Rain Teach
If you let go a little you will have a little happiness.
AJAHN CHAH

Happiness Inspirational Letting Little
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
Difficult or easy, the Buddha said not to be heedless. Just that–don’t be heedless. Why? Because life is not certain.
AJAHN CHAH

Buddha Certain Difficult Easy Just Life
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
Just know what is happening in your mind – not happy or sad about it, not attached. If you suffer see it, know it, and be empty. It’s like a letter – you have to open it before you can know what’s in it.
AJAHN CHAH

Attach Happen Letter Mind Open Sad Suffer
If we want to really see the Buddha, we should observe his virtuous qualities.
AJAHN CHAH

Buddha Giving Need Observe Quality Up Virtue
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
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
If you let go completely you will have complete peace.
AJAHN CHAH

Complete Dharma Guy Ifs Let Go Peace
If you see certainty in that which is uncertain, you are bound to suffer
AJAHN CHAH

Bound Certainty Suffer Suffering Uncertain
Steady practice is keeping mindful in every posture, whether sitting, walking, standing or lying down.
AJAHN CHAH

Down Every Keep Lying Mindful Posture Practice Sitting Stand Steady Walk
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
Why do we have time to breathe? Because we see the importance of the breath.
AJAHN CHAH

Breathe Have Importance See Time
Anything which is troubling you, anything which is irritating you, THAT is your teacher.
AJAHN CHAH

Anything Irritate Teacher Trouble
You will have a steady awareness within yourself.
AJAHN CHAH

Awareness Steady Within Yourself
Looking for peace is like looking for a turtle with a mustache: You won’t be able to find it. But when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you.
AJAHN CHAH

Able Find Heart Looking Mustache Peace Turtle
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

Bird Chatter Fruit Point Sour Sweet Tree View Whatever
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

Change Clean Defilement Dirty Let Mind Pure Sky Water Wonderful
We should conquer ourselves, rather than conquer others. Whether coming or going, standing, sitting or lying down, our mind should be focused in this way.
AJAHN CHAH

Coming Conquer Down Focus Going Laying Ourselves Sitting Standing Way

When 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,

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When 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,

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