THE TITLE OF THIS BOOK, Mind Is What Matters, brings attention to attitude. It points to the enormous difference our attitude makes as the mind receives and processes experience, and it points to that aspect of Dhamma practice of making everything our teacher. In 2017 at our open retreat at Amaravati Monastery, there were over 400 people attending. Ajahn Sumedho gave teachings every evening, and other visiting ajahns offered instruction and led question-and-answer sessions daily. For some of us, it was a very inspiring time. There were a lot of illuminating and imaginative teachings; for me it was a truly encouraging and beautiful event. But what if someone else’s attitude had been different? Even though they were hearing inspiring teachings, they could have begun to think they were not enough. Or they could have compared one teacher to another, judging who was better. Even something as noble, beautiful, and wholesome as hearing Dhamma teachings could have become a cause of suffering, disappointment or discontent if the person had taken hold of the experience in an unskilful way. Our minds can easily get caught in judgment: ‘this’ is not as good as ‘that’, or ‘now’ is not quite as real or good as ‘that prospect off in the future’ or ‘that great time back in the past’. If this is what our mind is doing, we can look at it. This feeling of disappointment, this comparing mind, can become our teacher in this moment. If we are wise, everything will teach us: the weather, our memories, our physical condition, the environment, the people around us.

In addition to the Thai version, a mixed English/Thai one is also available.

Sunday Talk on the 18th September 2016

Good afternoon to you all. The theme for the Sunday talk this week is ‘Forgiving and Compassion’ so I will offer some reflections around these significant areas of our lives. I will start with forgiving.

This is a very important aspect of spiritual training and, as a way of life, it is a counterpoint to the attitude of being unforgiving, the attitude of wanting revenge, carrying grudges around. It’s about working with those attitudes of mind where we are determined to hang onto our negativity and our hurts, and to wear those proudly upon our sleeves – all the wrongs that have been done to me, the things that were unforgivable – that we are habitually conditioned to carry around and make much of. Sometimes people find themselves building their entire lives around wanting revenge, or resenting something that’s happened to them in their life, there’s something in the heart that can’t forgive.

When I speak in this way, in case any of you are wondering, I’m not reading anybody’s mind. Oftentimes when one starts talking about these themes people think, ‘How did he know!’ Please be reassured that it’s just averages, the law of statistics and how life is for many of us. I cannot read people’s minds.

Эта небольшая книга является редакцией собрания лекций, прочитанных достопочтенным Аджаном Сумедхо на основную тему учения Будды: что тяготы человеческого существования могут быть превзойдены с помощью духовных средств.

Это учение передается как Четыре Благородные Истины Будды, впервые разъясненные в 528 до н.э. в Оленьем Парке Сарана у Варанаси и с той поры живущие в мире буддизма.

Достопочтенный Аджан Сумедхо является бхиккху (монах, живущий на подаяние) в традиции буддизма Тхеравада. Он при- нял пострижение в Таиланде в 1966 году и обучался там, в тече- ние 10 лет. В настоящее время он является аббатом буддийского центра Амаравати, а также учителем и духовным наставником многих бхиккху, буддийских монахинь и мирян.

Эта книга увидела свет благодаря добровольным усилиям и пожертвованиям многих людей ради блага других.

Uno de los símiles favoritos de Ajahn Chah ilustra la idea del esfuerzo correcto. Decía que, al plantar un árbol, la gente sabia reconoce que su responsabilidad es la de regarlo y protegerlo de los enemigos. Saben que no pueden controlar la rapidez de crecimiento del árbol, o la dulzura del sabor de sus frutos —esos son asuntos que decide la naturaleza—. De manera similar, en la práctica del Dhamma debemos poner el esfuerzo para hacer crecer nuestro ‘árbol’ de la mejor manera posible, sin preocuparnos demasiado por la rapidez de nuestro progreso (o la lentitud), ni obsesionarnos con los resultados que deseamos de la práctica. Esos son también asuntos que decide la naturaleza. Debemos hacer lo que nos toca con diligencia, paciencia y cuidado, y dejar ir el deseo acerca de los resultados.