The mind of one who practises doesn't run away anywhere, it stays right there. Good, evil, happiness and unhappiness, right and wrong arise, and he knows them all. The meditator simply knows them, they don't enter his mind. That is, he has no clinging. He is simply the experiencer.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and non-attachment in meditation.
This quote by Ajahn Chah highlights the essence of meditation and the practitioner's ability to observe thoughts and feelings without becoming attached to them. The meditator's mind remains present, allowing him to experience various emotions and thoughts without clinging to either the positive or negative aspects, thus fostering a state of equanimity and inner peace.
In practice
In a mindfulness workshop, this quote can inspire participants to focus on being present.
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. Learn to let go without struggle, simply let go, to be just as you are - no holding on, no attachment, free.
When sitting in meditation, say, "That's not my business!" with every thought that comes by.
If you haven't wept deeply, you haven't begun to meditate.
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. Therefore we have to train our mind. The meditation practice in Buddhism is all about training one's own mind.
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.
The heart is just the heart; thoughts and feelings are just thoughts and feelings. Let things be just as they are.
By moderation one can be generous.
Zen is not interested in high-flown statements; it wants its pupil to bite his apple and not discuss it.
Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any.
What you know today can affect what you do tomorrow. But what you know today cannot affect what you did yesterday.
I never think of the future - it comes soon enough.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all.
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