..续本文上一页nastery, to Europe, to a job, to a marriage engagement, to monk hood several times-was seated one day at Achaan Chah”s cottage. "What this monk is looking for," Achaan Chah declared to the assembly, "is a turtle with a moustache. How far do you think he will have to travel to find it

　　"

　　Out of frustration, another Western monk went to Achaan Chah asking permission to leave. Practice and surrender to the monastic life were hard, and this monk began to find fault with all that surrounded him. ””The other monks talk too much. Why do we have to chant

　　 I want more time alone to meditate. The senior monks don”t teach newcomers very well, and even you," he said to Achaan Chah in desperation, "even you don”t seem so enlightened. You”re always changing-sometimes you”re strict, sometimes you don”t seem to care. How do I know you”re enlightened

　　"

　　Achaan Chah laughed heartily at this, which both amused and irritated the young monk. ”11”s a good thing I don”t appear to be enlightened to you," he said, "because if I fit your model of enlightenment, your ideal of how an enlightened person should act, you would still be caught looking for the Buddha outside yourself. He”s not out there-he”s in your own heart. "

　　The monk bowed and returned to his cottage to look for the real Buddha.

　　Rely on Oneself

　　Sitting cross-legged on a hard stone temple floor is natural to villagers who have grown up in a culture without furniture. But to one newly arrived Western novice, gawky and inflexible, it was a hard way to begin the daily hours of meditation and chanting. Thus it was with some relief the novice discovered that by arriving early to meditation, he could sit next to the stone pillars at the front of the hall and, once. All the monks had closed their eyes to practice, he could gently lean on the pillar and meditate in Western-style comfort.

　　After a week of this practice, Achaan Chah rang the bell to end the sitting and start the evening Dharma talk. "Tonight," he began, looking directly at the new monk, "we will talk about how practicing the Dharma means to support oneself, to rely on oneself, to not have to lean on things outside of oneself." The other monks in the hall tittered. The Westerner, a bit embarrassed, sat up unusually straight for the rest of the lecture. From that point on his resolve grew firm, and he learned how to sit straight on any floor under any conditions.

　　Keep the Teaching Simple

　　A large piece of wild forest land was offered Achaan Chah by nearby villagers to start a monastery. A wealthy lay supporter heard of this and offered to build a magnificent hall and temple on top of a small mountain in the forest. Other lay supporters gathered together, and a design was drawn for the largest Dharma hall in several provinces. Huts for monks were built in caves around the mountain, and a road was laboriously cut through the woods. Construction commenced on the Dharma hall: concrete foundation, tall pillars, platform for a giant bronze Buddha. As work proceeded, new designs were added. Complex discussions between lay sponsors and the builders ensued. Just how fancy should the roof be

　　 Should we modify the design to make it better in this way

　　 In that way

　　 How about hollow pillars and a huge rainwater tank underneath

　　 Everyone had good ideas, but they were all very costly.

　　The culmination of all these discussions was a long meeting with Achaan Chah. Construction experts, lay sponsors, all presented the different design options, the costs, the time for building. Finally the wealthy lay supporter spoke up with her ideas and questions. "Tell us, Achaan, which of these designs to follow. The frugal one

　　 The costly one

　　 How shall we proceed

　　"

　　Achaan Chah laughed. "When you do good, there are good results." That was all he would say. Th…

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