What Is Contemplation

　　A question and answer session with Ajahn Chah

　　Ajahn Amaro

　　December 21, 2004

　　Question: When you teach about the value of contemplation, are you speaking of sitting and thinking over particular themes - the thirty-two parts of the body, for instance

　　Answer: That is not necessary when the mind is truly still. When tranquillity is properly established the right object of investigation becomes obvious. When contemplation is ”True”, there is no discrimination into ”right” and ”wrong”. ”good” and ”bad”; there is nothing even like that. You don”t sit there thinking, ”Oh, this is like that and that is like this” etc. That is a coarse form of contemplation. Meditative contemplation is not merely a matter of thinking - rather it”s what we call ”contemplation in silence”. Whilst going about our daily routine we mindfully consider the real nature of existence through comparisons. This is a coarse kind of investigation but it leads to the real thing.

　　Q: When you talk about contemplating the body and mind, though, do we actually use thinking

　　 Can thinking produce true insight

　　 Is this vipassana

　　A: In the beginning we need to work using thinking, even though later on we go beyond it. When we are doing true contemplation all dualistic thinking has ceased; although we need to consider dualistically to get started. Eventually all thinking and pondering comes to an end.

　　Q: You say that there must be sufficient tranquillity (samadhi) to contemplate. Just how tranquil do you mean

　　A: Tranquil enough for there to be presence of mind.

　　Q: Do you mean staying with the here-and-now, not thinking about the past and future

　　A: Thinking about the past and future is all right if you understand what these things really are, but you must not get caught up in them. Treat them the same as you would anything else - don”t get caught up. When you see thinking as just thinking, then that”s wisdom. Don”t believe in any of it! Recognize that all of it is just something that has arisen and will cease. Simply see everything just as it is - it is what it is - the mind is the mind - it”s not anything or anybody in itself. Happiness is just happiness, suffering is just suffering - it is just what it is. When you see this you will be beyond doubt.

　　Q: I still don”t understand. Is true contemplating the same as thinking

　　A: We use thinking as a tool, but the knowing that arises because of its use is above and beyond the process of thinking; it leads to our not being fooled by our thinking any more. You recognize that all thinking is merely the movement of the mind, and also that knowing is not born and doesn”t die. What do you think all this movement called ”mind” comes out of

　　 What we talk about as the mind - all the activity - is just the conventional mind. It”s not the real mind at all. What is real just IS, it”s not arising and it”s not passing away.

　　Trying to understand these things just by talking about them, though, won”t work. We need to really consider impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and impersonality ( anicca, dukkha, anatta); that is, we need to use thinking to contemplate the nature of conventional reality. What comes out of this work is wisdom - and emptiness. Even though there may still be thinking, it”s empty - you are not affected by it.

　　Q: How can we arrive at this stage of the real mind

　　A: Your work with the mind you already have, of course! See that all that arises is uncertain, that there is nothing stable or substantial. See it clearly and see that there is really nowhere to take a hold of anything - it”s all empty.

　　When you see the things that arise in the mind for what they are, you won”t have to work with thinking any more. You will have no doubt whatsoever in these matters.

　　To talk about the ”real mind” and so o…

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