Excerpts from book of Ajarn chah( jhana, samadhi)

[Thanisaro85]

Excerpts extracted from Ajarn Chah FB group. Googled Translated from thai and amended.

 
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• Don’t complain that the hole is too deep, look back at your own arm. If you can see this, then you will be able to make progress on the spiritual journey and find pleasure.
• If jhana appears in your practice, it doesn't matter, as long as you don't take(clinge to) it.
• For the meditator, the greatest fatal injury can be jhana—the deep, constant calm samadhi. At this stage, Samadhi can become an enemy, because without the awakening of right and wrong, wisdom cannot rise.
• If your heart is calm and focused, it is a very important tool in application. But if you are sitting just to achieve concentration so that you can feel joy, then you are wasting your time( toward liberation). Practicing is to sit and let your mind reach calmness and concentration, and then use it to examine the nature of body and mind; see them more clearly.
• It's the same when you are meditating. The mind is calm, but the confusion does not really calm down. Therefore, "Samadi" is not a reliable thing( for liberation). In order to find true tranquility, you must develop wisdom. "Samdi" is a kind of short and quiet time like stones pressing grass.
• Compassion is the nature of generosity, kindness and assistance. All of these should be kept as the basis for a quiet mind.
• Once the deeds are clean, there will be a sense of honesty and compassion towards others.
• Don’t get angry with those who did not practice, don’t talk bad things about them. Persuade them if you could, they will move towards Fa-rectification as their hearts unfold.
• The patient should remember those compassionate cares and patiently endure the pain. Make good use of your own mental strength, don't let your heart be scattered. Don't let those who care for you increase your distress, and let those who care for the patient raise compassion and virtue in your heart.

[Dhamma]

Thank you, Thanisaro, for these holy teachings from Ajahn Chah.

They are very powerful, and most true.

Compassionate wisdom based in moral teachings is of vital importance in our path towards enlightenment.

I remember hearing once that when monks go awry, it is sometimes because they didn't have "compassionate wisdom steeped in morality", even though they did many others things very, very well.  I believe this is 100% true.

[NewPathForward]

Compassion has to be central in my practice.  Too often I become caught up in seeking peace, seeking joy, that I forget that those desires are from delusion of having a permanent self, and the desire to mold that "self" as I see fit.  When I take action and thought toward the benefit of others, my wisdom grows and I find that the most wholesome things in life are found in compassion for other sentient beings.

[Dhamma]

Compassion has to be central in my practice.  Too often I become caught up in seeking peace, seeking joy, that I forget that those desires are from delusion of having a permanent self, and the desire to mold that "self" as I see fit.  When I take action and thought toward the benefit of others, my wisdom grows and I find that the most wholesome things in life are found in compassion for other sentient beings.

Yes, dear friend: compassionate wisdom is key is Buddhism. 

I have noticed in that in two weeks doing Shikantaza meditation, I feel less consumed with myself, opening the door to greater love and compassion for others. Sure, it's just something I just noticed, but we shall if it lasts from this very special Zen practice.

Our meditation practice must be combined with compassionate wisdom and strong morality; otherwise our meditation practice, which is essential, will never be correctly anchored to create true enlightenment.

Did you know that morality is enhanced from seeing more clearly from meditation? In other words, we gain insights as to what is right and wrong in our actions and words by seeing ultimate reality a bit more clearly.

One more thing: compassionate wisdom creates greater states of peace, as we focus less on the "I".  But, yes, we want to be naturally more compassionate as it brings less suffering since we're less focused on "ME."


Take good care.