We All Suffer

I remember Ajahn Chah teasing us Westerners because we generally had far more education than most of the Thai monks who went to study, train, and ordain with him. As he became better-known, there were more Bangkok Thais coming who were well educated also.

It was always a source of amusement to him. He would say, “You know, people go and study and they get bachelor’s degrees, but their defilements get bachelor’s degrees as well. Then they get master’s degrees, and their defilements also get master’s degrees. They say, well, this isn’t satisfying, so they decide to get doctorates, but then their defilements get Ph.D.s as well.”

It’s the nature of beings immersed in greed, hatred, and delusion without liberating insight. We all suffer.

This reflection by Ajahn Pasanno is from the book,” Abundant, Exalted, Immeasurable,” (pdf) p. 68.