Jack Kornfield: Episode 79, Remembering Ajahn Chah
(Beherenownetwork.com) On this special episode of the Heart Wisdom Podcast, Jack Kornfield reflects on the life and teachings of his Theravada Buddhist teacher Ajahn Chah (ajahnchah.org).
Ajahn Chah was a Thai Buddhist forest tradition monk. He was an influential teacher of the Buddha-Dharma and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition (Wat Pah Nanachat and Wat Pat Pong).
Respected and beloved in his country as a man of great wisdom, he was also instrumental in establishing Theravada Buddhism in the West. Beginning in 1979 with the founding of Cittaviveka (commonly known as Chithurst Buddhist Monastery) in the United Kingdom, the Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah has spread throughout the United States, the British Commonwealth, and Europe. The Dharma (Pali Dhamma) talks of Ajahn Chah have been recorded, transcribed, and translated into several languages.
Our Tree of Teachers – The opening begins with a reflection. A big part of our practice is realizing our interconnectedness. Kornfield reflects on the vast network of benefactors and teachers that are responsible for the aid and guidance which have contributed to who we are at this very moment. Despite what our ego may tell us, we are not alone, nor did we not reach this moment on our own.
“A monk’s work is hard. He works to free his heart so that he begins to feel lovingkindness, which embraces everything.”
– Ajahn Chah
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| A Still Forest Pool: Insight Meditation |
“When we talked about the hard time that people have in the West with meditating and loving themselves, how much self-hatred and judgment there is, he said to bring them out to the forest. Let them spend time with the trees, with the rhythm of the moon and the sun. Teach them practices of lovingkindness and compassion, that will soothe their hearts and make them sane again.”
– Jack Kornfield quoting Ajahn Chah
An Island of Sanity (22:55) – During the time that Kornfield studied in Thailand, war raged on outside of their peaceful forest monastery. He shares the role this warfare played in their training and the deeper Dharmic lessons that the conflict revealed to them.
“What Ajahn Chah talked about, and my other teachers as well, was that it’s not just that we have to do away with the landmines and bombing, but we have to do away with the landmines in the human heart. We have to do away with the violence in the human heart.”
– Jack Kornfield
Turning Towards Awareness (40:50) – Kornfield shares more stories of the kindhearted and at times whimsical teachings that Ajahn Chah shared with his Western and Eastern students.
“This is who we are. We are short and tall. This is the way that it is. We have to live with each other the way that we are and not the way we would imagine that we are supposed to be.”
– Ajahn Chah
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