An Outer Temple To Find A Refuge Within | 29 Nov 2024
by Ajahn Anan
Ajahn Anan guides us on building a "refuge within the heart." He illustrates mindfulness with the metaphor of a single chair in a house: if we occupy it with our ego, the mind is cluttered. By stepping aside through mindfulness, we allow experiences to pass without clinging to them as "me" or "mine." Marking Wat Marp Jan's 40th anniversary, Ajahn Anan emphasizes that the "outer temple"—the physical monastery—exists solely to support this inner construction. He sincerely warns that physical seclusion in the forest is meaningless if the heart remains lost in the "city" of worldly distractions. True peace requires silencing internal chaos through moral conduct and meditation. Ultimately, he urges us to use wisdom to see the body’s true nature: a temporary, decaying compound of elements rather than a permanent self. With deep compassion, he encourages us to practice with urgency, securing a true refuge before this life fades.
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