The Real Practice

In many ways, one of the most important aspects of living in a community – so mundane and obvious that we tend to overlook it – is the daily schedule. This is what Ajahn Chah would teach us so often and what has been passed down to us through Luang Por Sumedho, Ajahn Pabhakaro, Ajahn Jagaro, Ajahn Pasanno, myself, and Ajahn Ñāṇadhammo: look at your mind, look at your body, and see what comes up when you have a steady, stable kind of environment.

See what comes up in the situation where every day is more or less the same. Repetition is not the same as monotony because there are always subtle differences. How do you feel when the bell goes at three in the morning? How do you feel about that; what happens? How easy is it to get up in the morning; how difficult? Is it the same every day; does it change? Why does it change; what’s the difference? What are the causes; what are the conditions? How does it feel going to the sala every morning? What is your attitude to morning chanting? Do you like it; do you dislike it? Do you feel indifferent? Do you like it when some people lead the chanting and not when other people lead the chanting? Do you like this or that chant? How do you feel about going on alms round? How do you feel about this alms route rather than that alms route?

All these kinds of likes and dislikes are coming up and becoming very clear to you because you have a stable background of korwat. You’re not doing things the way you want to do them.

This reflection by Ajahn Jayasaro is from the book, Seeing the Way, Volume 2, p. 134.