Teachings of Ajahns Chan & Buddhadasa:intrinsic mind nature?

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reflection
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Re: Teachings of Ajahns Chan & Buddhadasa:intrinsic mind nat

Post by reflection »

Looking up the word "purity" and "radiant" in index of The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, I could find this:

"Follow 'the one who knows'. Train the mind until it is pure. How pure should you make it? If it's really pure, the mind should be above both good and evil, above even purity" (book 2, p 165)

and more like the phrase:

"As the Buddha taught, 'The mind has no substance, it's not anything.' The mind isnt born belonging to anyone. It doesn't die as anyone's. This mind is free, brilliantly radiant, and unentangled with any problems or issues. The reason problems arise is because the mind is deluded by conditioned things, deluded by this misperception of self. So the Buddha taught to observe this mind. In the beginning, what is there? There is truly nothing there. It doesn't arise with conditiond things, and it doesn't die with them. [..] There is understanding that this is essentially a substance-less state of affairs." (book 2, p 222)

Of course, recommended to read the full talks to see them in context. But I can't find them on the internet and don't feel like typing them fully ;) I found the ebook here for you, if you happen to have a reader: http://forestsanghapublications.org/vie ... 50&ref=deb



And on the off topic ", because I'm really interested in the book's attempts to reconcile Mahayana ontologies with early Buddhist practices, but don't entirely trust it." is assuming these Ajahns teach early Buddhism? ;) If there is such a thing.
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fivebells
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Re: Teachings of Ajahns Chan & Buddhadasa:intrinsic mind nat

Post by fivebells »

It's true, there is effectively no such thing today.
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Jason
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Re: Teachings of Ajahns Chan & Buddhadasa:intrinsic mind nat

Post by Jason »

fivebells wrote:I read that Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Buddhadhasa would often talk about just letting go of the objective realm altogether and just being in the knowing, and that they used to use the phrase “sawang sa-aht sangoup” to speak about the mind's intrinsic nature as empty, lucid, awake and bright. If this is true, I'd be grateful for pointers to some supporting translations of their work.
You can find bits and pieces throughout Ajahn Chah's talks that speak of the mind in similar terms, e.g., from Bodhiyana:
  • Doctors prescribe medicine to eliminate disease from the body. The Teachings of the Buddha are prescribed to cure disease of the mind, to bring it back to its natural healthy state. So the Buddha can be considered to be a doctor who prescribes cures for the ills of the mind. He is, in fact, the greatest doctor in the world.
and
  • The subject of practice isn't far away at all, it's right here in our body and mind. Westerners and Thais are the same, they both have a body and mind. A confused body and mind means a confused person and a peaceful body and mind, a peaceful person.

    Actually, the mind, like rain water, is pure in its natural state. If we were to drop green coloring into clear rain water, however, it would turn green. If yellow coloring it would turn yellow.

    The mind reacts similarly. When a comfortable mental impression "drops" into the mind, the mind is comfortable. When the mental impression is uncomfortable, the mind is uncomfortable. The mind becomes "cloudy" just like the colored water.

    When clear water contacts yellow, it turns yellow. When it contacts green, it turns green. It will change color every time. Actually, that water which is green or yellow is naturally clean and clear. This is also the natural state of the mind, clean and pure and unconfused. It becomes confused only because it pursues mental impressions; it gets lost in its moods!
and
  • Q: I still have very many thoughts. My mind wanders a lot even though I am trying to be mindful.

    A: Don't worry about this. Try to keep your mind in the present. Whatever there is that arises in the mind, just watch it. Let go of it. Don't even wish to be rid of thoughts. Then the mind will reach its natural state. No discriminating between good and bad, hot and cold, fast and slow. No me and no you, no self at all. Just what there is. When you walk on alms-round, no need to do anything special. Simply walk and see what there is. No need to cling to isolation or seclusion. Wherever you are, know yourself by being natural and watching. If doubts arise, watch them come and go. It's very simple. Hold on to nothing.

    It is as though you are walking down a road. Periodically you will run into obstacles. When you meet defilements, just see them and just overcome them by letting go of them. don't think about the obstacles you have passed already. Don't worry about those you have not yet seen. Stick to the present. Don't be concerned about the length of the road or about the destination. Everything is changing. Whatever you pass, do not cling to it. Eventually the mind will reach its natural balance where practice is automatic. All things will come and go of themselves.
"Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya" (AN 7.58).

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fivebells
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Re: Teachings of Ajahns Chan & Buddhadasa:intrinsic mind nat

Post by fivebells »

Thanks, everyone. This is helpful.
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mikenz66
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Re: Teachings of Ajahns Chan & Buddhadasa:intrinsic mind nat

Post by mikenz66 »

fivebells wrote:Cooran: Yes, it's from Small Boat. I left out the citation this time in an attempt at consideration for the people disturbed by my questions about it. I'd like to find support in the writings of Buddhadhasa and Chah specifically, because I'm really interested in the book's attempts to reconcile Mahayana ontologies with early Buddhist practices, but don't entirely trust it.
reflection wrote: [The above question] is assuming these Ajahns teach early Buddhism? ;) If there is such a thing.
My impressions is that the Thai Ajahns are part of a living tradition, teach what they find works, and don't worry much about concepts such as "early Buddhism".

Ajahn Buddhadasa, for example, translated a number of Mahayana Sutras:
Ajahn Buddhadasa and Inter-Religious Understanding
By Santikaro

http://www.suanmokkh.org/archive/pdf/TW_2.pdf
Ajahn Buddhadasa also encouraged Theravadins to open up to other Buddhist traditions. The
Dalai Lama made two visits to Thailand before opposition from the Chinese government made it
became politically impossible. Ajahn Buddhadasa first met the Dalai Lama in Bangkok in 1964. A
few years later, the Dalai Lama visited Suan Mokkh, mainly to discuss anapanasati (mindfulness with
breathing). The Dalai Lama felt that Tibetan Buddhists needed more practice cultivating samadhi and
saw Theravada Buddhism as the principle resource concerning anapanasati, the classic meditation
practice of early Buddhism. At that time, they also discussed the possibility of Tibetan monks coming
to live at Suan Mokkh and Ajahn Buddhadasa began to draw plans to build a Tibetan gompa in one
corner of the monastery. Unfortunately, due to Chinese opposition, this never came about.

Ajahn Buddhadasa translated major parts of the Lankavatara Sutra, an important Mahayana
text, as well as two classic Zen texts - The Platform Sutra of Hui Neng and The Zen Teachings of
Huang Po. Thus, the first widely known Zen translations in Thailand were done by him.
:anjali:
Mike
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