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 CHAHLooking 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.
More Ajahn Chah Quotes
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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.
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We can always find time to breathe. In the same way, if we see the importance of meditation practice we will find the time to practice.
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If we want to really see the Buddha, we should observe his virtuous qualities.
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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.
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If you want to understand suffering you must look into the situation at hand.
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If we practise like this and develop mindfulness continuously, wisdom arises quickly and this is a fast way of practice.
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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.
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Difficult or easy, the Buddha said not to be heedless. Just that–don’t be heedless. Why? Because life is not certain.
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If you haven’t cried deeply a number of times, your meditation hasn’t really begun.
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Regarding this Dhamma, it is not something that we can simply talk about or take another’s word for it.
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The heart is just the heart; thoughts and feelings are just thoughts and feelings. Let things be just as they are.
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All religions are like different cars all moving in the same direction. People who don’t see it have no light in their hearts.
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If you let go a little you will have a little happiness.
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Your only job is to stay in your seat. You will see it all arise and pass, and out of this, wisdom and understanding will come.
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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.
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What’s so great about brightness? My flashlight has it. It can’t help us rid ourselves of our suffering.
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Meditation is like a single log of wood. Insight and investigation are one end of the log; calm and concentration are the other end. If you lift up the whole log, both sides come up at once. Which is concentration and which is insight? Just this mind.
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Hear the bird’s song then let go. If you know nature, you’ll know truth. If you know truth, you’ll know nature.
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Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.
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In practice, some come to see easily, some with difficulty. But whatever the case, never mind.
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When we gain some understanding we need to chew on it again so that we see it for ourselves with certainty: paccattam.
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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.
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Once you understand non-self, then the burden of life is gone. You’ll be at peace with the world. When we see beyond self, we no longer cling to happiness and we can truly be happy.
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The heart of the path is quite easy.
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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.
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We protect virtue so that virtue will protect us.
AJAHN CHAH