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Message from Luang Por Chah to his Disciples
The following message by Venerable Ajahn Chah was sent to his
disciples in England whilst he was resident at a branch monastery called 'The
Cave of Diamond Light', just prior to the serious decline in his health during
the Rainy-Season Retreat (Vassa) of 1981
I have come up to Wat Tun Saeng Pet for the 'Rains'
Retreat this year -mostly for a change of air as my health has not been so good.
With me are a few Western monks: Santa, Pabhakaro, Pamutto, Michael and Samanena
Guy; also some Thai monks and a small number of lay people who are keen to
practice. This is a pleasant and fortunate time for us. At the moment my
sickness has subsided, so I feel well enough to record this message for you all.
Because of this ill health I
cannot visit England, so hearing news of you, from some of your supporters who
are staying here, has made me very happy and relieved. The thing that pleases me
most is that Sumedho is now able to ordain monks; this shows that your efforts
to establish Buddhism in England have been quite successful.
It is also pleasing to see the
names of the monks and nuns whom I know, who are living with Sumedho at
Chithurst: Anando, Viradhammo, Sucitto, Uppanno, Kittisaro, and Amaro. Also Mae
Chees Rocana and Candasiri. I hope you are all in good health and living
harmoniously together, co-operating and proceeding well in Dhamma practice.
There are supporters, both in
England and here in Thailand, who help keep me up to date with your
developments. I gather from them that the building work at Chithurst is
complete, and that it is now a much more comfortable place to live. I often
enquire about this, as I remember my stay of seven days there was quite
difficult! (laughter} I hear that the shrine-room and the other main areas are
now all finished. With less building work to be carried out, the community will
be able to apply itself more fully to formal practice.
I understand also that some of
the senior monks have been moved off to start branch monasteries. This is normal
practice, but it can lead to a predominance of junior monks at the main
monastery; this has been the case in the past at Wat Pah Pong. This can bring
difficulties in the teaching and training of monks, so it is very important in
these situations that we help one another.
I trust that Sumedho is not
allowing these sort of things to burden him! These are small matters, quite
normal, they are not a problem at all. Certainly there are responsibilities -but
it can also be seen that there are none.
To be the abbot of a monastery
can be compared to being a rubbish bin: those who are disturbed by the presence
of rubbish make a bin, in the hope that people will put their rubbish in there.
In actual fact what happens is that the person who makes the bin ends up being
the rubbish collector as well. This is how things are -it's the same at Wat Pah
Pong, it was the same at the time of the Buddha. No one else puts the rubbish
into it so we have to do it ourselves, and everything gets chucked into the
abbot's bin!
One in such a position must
therefore be far-sighted, have depth, and remain unshaken in the midst of all
things; they must be consistent- able to persevere. Of all the qualities we
develop in our lives, patient endurance is the most important.
It is true that the
establishment of a suitable dwelling place at Chithurst has been completed -the
construction of a building is not difficult; a couple of years and it is done.
What has not been completed, though, is the work of upkeep and maintenance -the
sweeping, washing and so forth has to go on forever. It is not difficult to
build a monastery, but it is difficult to maintain it; likewise, it is not
difficult to ordain someone, but to train them fully in the monastic life is
hard. This should not be taken as a problem, though, for to do that which is
hard is very beneficial doing only that which is easy does not have much use.
Therefore, in order to nurture and maintain the seed of Buddhism, which has been
planted at Chithurst, you must now all be prepared to put forth your energies
and help.
I hope that what I have said
today has conveyed feelings of warmth and support to you. Whenever I meet Thai
people who have connections in England, I ask if they have been to visit
Chithurst. It seems, from them, that there is a great deal of interest in a
branch monastery being there. Also, foreigners who come here will frequently
have visited Wat Nanachat and have news of you in England as well. It makes me
very happy to see that there is such a close and co-operative relationship
between Wat Pah Pong, Wat Nanachat and Wat Chithurst.
That is all I have to say,
except that my feelings of loving-kindness are with you all. May you be well and
happy, abiding in harmony, co-operation and togetherness. May the blessings of
the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha always be firmly established in your
hearts - may you be well.
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