Notes

1. Samadhi is the state of concentrated calm resulting from meditation practice.

2. Jhana is an advanced state of concentration or samadhi, wherein the mind becomes absorbed into its meditation subject. It is divided into four levels, each level progressively more refined than the previous one.

3. That is, at all times, in all activities.

4. This is a "shame" based on knowledge of cause and effect, rather than mere emotional guilt.

5. "Outer activity" refers to all manner of sense impressions. It is used in contrast to the "inner activity" of absorption samadhi (jhana), where the mind does not "go out" to external sense impressions.

6. Samsara, the wheel of Birth of Death, is the world of all conditioned phenomena, mental and material, which has the three-fold characteristic of Impermanence, Unsatisfactoriness, and Not-self.

7. See Introduction.

8. In the Thai language the word "sungkahn," from the Pali word sankhara (the name given to all conditioned phenomena), is a commonly used term for the body. The Venerable Ajahn uses the word in both ways.

9. Paticcasamuppada — The Chain of Conditioned Arising, one of the central doctrines of Buddhist philosophy.

10. Feeling is a translation of the Pali word vedana, and should be understood in the sense Ajahn Chah herein describes it: as the mental states of like, dislike, gladness, sorrow, etc.

11. Defilements, or kilesa, are the habits born of ignorance which infest the minds of all unenlightened beings.

12. Khandhas. They are the five "groups" which go to make up what we call "a person."

13. Nature here refers to all things, mental and physical, not just trees, animals, etc.

14. Silabbata paramasa is traditionally translated as attachment to rites and rituals. Here the Venerable Ajahn relates it, along with doubt, specifically to the body. These three things, sakkayaditthi, vicikiccha, and silabbata paramasa, are, in the scriptures, the first three of the ten "fetters," which are given up on the first glimpse of Enlightenment, known as "stream-entry." At full Enlightenment all ten fetters are transcended.

15. I.e., vipassanupakkilesa — the subtle defilements arising from meditation practice.

16. Mara (the Tempter), the Buddhist personification of evil. To the meditator it is all that obstructs the quest for enlightenment.

17. "Freedom from dependence," that is, he lives under the guidance of a senior monk, for the first five years.

18. "Rains" refers to the yearly three-month rains retreat by which monks count their age. Thus, a monk of five rains has been ordained for five years.

19. The head is regarded as sacred in Thailand, and to touch a person's head is considered an insult. Also, according to tradition, men and women do not touch each other in public. On the other hand, sitting in meditation is regarded as a "holy" activity. Perhaps here the Venerable Ajahn was using an example of Western behavior which particularly shock a Thai audience.

20. It is considered auspicious in Thailand to have one's head touched by a highly esteemed monk.

21. The four supports — robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines.

22. Venerable Jagaro, the Australian abbot of Wat Pah Nanachat at that time, who brought his party of monks and laypeople to see Ajahn Chah.

23. Sadhu is the traditional Pali word used to acknowledge a blessing, dhamma teaching, etc. It means "it is well."

24. In Thailand the word "Teacher" is used as a title of address much like "Doctor" is used in English. "Teacher Choo" is one of four elderly local residents who came to spend the rains retreat at Wat Pah Nanachat, to whom the latter part of this talk was addressed.

25. Dhutanga properly means "ascetic." A Dhutanga monk is one who keeps some of the thirteen ascetic practices allowed by the Buddha. Dhutanga monks traditionally spend time traveling (often on foot) in search of quiet places for meditation, other teachers, or simply as a practice in itself.