..續本文上一頁out even having begun to eat his meal.

　　Views on the best way of practice can differ. Sometimes, you actually have to experience some suffering before you can have insight into suffering and know it for what it is. Thudong can have its advantages, but I neither criticise those who stay in the monastery nor those who go off on thudong - if their aim is to progress in training themselves. I don”t praise monks just because they stay in the monastery, nor do I praise monks simply because they go off on thudong either. Those who really deserve praise are the ones with right view. If you stay in the monastery, it should be for cultivating the mind. If you go off, it should be for cultivating the mind. The meditation and training goes wrong when you go off with the group of friends you are attached to, only interested in having a good time together and getting involved in foolish pursuits.

　　What do you have to say about the way of training

　　 What do you think about what I have been saying

　　 What do you think you”ll decide to do in the future then

　　Venerable S: I”d like to ask for some teaching about the suitability of different meditation objects for different temperaments. For a long time now I”ve tried calming the mind by focusing attention on the breathing in conjunction with reciting the meditation word "Buddho", but I have never become very peaceful. I”ve tried contemplating death, but that hasn”t helped calm the mind down. Reflecting on the five aggregates (khandhas) hasn”t worked either. So I”ve finally exhausted all my wisdom.

　　Ajahn Chah: Just let go! If you”ve exhausted all your wisdom, you must let go.

　　Venerable S: As soon as I begin to experience a little bit of calm during sitting meditation, a multitude of memories and thoughts immediately spring up and disturb the mind.

　　Ajahn Chah: That”s just the point. It”s uncertain. Teach yourself that it”s not certain. Sustain this reflection on impermanence as you meditate. Every single sense object and mental state you experience is impermanent without exception. Keep this reflection present in the mind constantly. In the course of meditation, reflect that the distracted mind is uncertain. When the mind does become calm with samadhi, it”s uncertain just the same. The reflection on impermanence is the thing you should really hold on to. You don”t need to give too much importance to anything else. Don”t get involved with the things that arise in the mind. Let go. Even if you are peaceful, you don”t need to think too much about it. Don”t take it too seriously. Don”t take it too seriously if you”re not peaceful either. Vinnanam aniccam - have you ever read that anywhere

　　 It means sense consciousness is impermanent. Have you ever heard that before

　　 How should you train yourself in relation to this truth

　　 How should you contemplate when you find that both peaceful and agitated mind states are transient

　　 The important thing is to sustain awareness of the way things are. In other words know that both the calm mind and the distracted mind are uncertain. Once you know this, how will you view things

　　 Once this understanding is implanted in the mind, whenever you experience peaceful states you know that they are transient and when you experience agitated states you know that they are transient also. Do you know how to meditate with this kind of awareness and insight

　　Venerable S: I don”t know.

　　Ajahn Chah: Investigate impermanence. How many days can those tranquil mental states really last

　　 Sitting meditation with a distracted mind is uncertain. When the meditation brings good results and the mind enters a state of calm, that”s also uncertain. This is where insight comes. What is there left for you to attach to

　　 Keep following up on what”s happening in the mind. As you investigate, keep quest…

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