A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

To Grasp a Snake

“Our practice here is not to grasp anything,” Achaan Chah told a new monk.

“But isn’t it necessary to hold onto things sometimes?” the monk protested.

“With the hands, yes, but not with the heart,” the teacher replied. “When the heart grasps what is painful, it is like being bitten by a snake. And when, through desire, it grasps what is pleasant, it is just grasping the tail of the snake. It only takes a little while longer for the head of the snake to come around and bite you.

“Make this non-grasping and mindfulness the guardian of your heart, like a parent. Then your likes and dislikes will come calling like children. ‘ I don’t like that. Mommy. I want more of that, Daddy,’ Just smile and say, ‘Sure, kid.’ ‘But Mommy, I really want an elephant,’ ‘Sure, kid.’ ‘I want candy. Can we go for an airplane ride?’ There is no problem if you can let them come and go without grasping.”

Something contacts the senses; like or dislike arises; and right there is delusion. Yet with mindfulness, wisdom can arise in the same experience.

Do not fear places where many things contact the senses, if you must be there. Enlightened does not mean being deaf and blind. Saying a mantra every second to block things out , you may get hit by a car. Just be mindful and do not be fooled. When others say something is pretty, say to yourself, “It’s not,” When others say something is delicious, say to yourself, “No, it’s not,” Do not get caught in the attachments of the world or in relative judgments. Just let it all go by.

Some people are afraid of generosity. They feel that they will be exploited or oppressed, that they will not be properly caring for themselves. In cultivating generosity, we are only oppressing our greed and attachment. This allows our true nature to express itself and become lighter and freer.