Finding relief with Ajahn Chah

Ajahn Chah (ajahnchah.org) via Ven. Sujato, Ellie Askew, Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

If we know the cause of suffering, suffering cannot arise.

For either happiness or suffering to arise, there must be the attā, the "self." There must be the conceit of "I" and "mine"; there must be the appearance of things not as they are but how they seem.

If when these things arise, the mind goes straight to the transcendent, it removes all appearances. It removes delight, clinging, and aversion to things.*

• *These are the "Three Poisons" of the heart/mind, namely, attraction (greed, lobha) to, aversion (hatred, dosa) toward, and delusion (wrong views, moha) about things.

Just as when something we value gets lost, when we find it again, all of our worries disappear.

Even before we see the object, our worries may be relieved. At first we think it’s lost and suffer over it. But there comes a day when we suddenly remember, "Oh, that’s right! I put it over there. Now I remember!"

As soon as we remember, as soon as we see the truth, even if we haven’t yet laid eyes on the object, we feel happy and relieved. This is called "seeing within," seeing with the mind’s eye rather than with the outer eye.

If we see with the mind’s eye then even though we haven’t yet laid eyes on the object, we are already relieved.

Similarly, when we cultivate Dharma (Path) practice and attain the Dharma (Ultimate Truth), see the Dharma then whenever we encounter a problem, we solve the problem instantly, right then and there. It disappears completely. It is laid down, released, and we are relieved.

The Buddha wished for others to contact the Dharma (Ultimate Truth). But people only contact the words, the sutras, and the books. This is contacting what is about Dharma, not contact with the actual Dharma as taught by the Great Teacher.

How can people say they are practicing the Path well and properly? They are a long way off.