Living In The World, Undeluded By The World | 14 Mar 2025

In his talk, Ajahn Anan emphasizes that while modern technology and rapid information offer convenience, they diminish our mindfulness and wisdom, leaving the mind restless. To counteract this, he advises practicing daily meditation to cultivate self-awareness and stay grounded in the body and mind.

He urges us to consume information in moderation and view the world through the principles of impermanence (*anicca*), suffering (*dukkha*), and non-self (*anatta*). External possessions and relationships are only temporary; attaching to them inevitably leads to anxiety. Using a story from Ajahn Chah about a distressed merchant, he illustrates how a single moment of clear insight can break the cycle of suffering.

Ultimately, different generations must learn to live harmoniously without conflict. True happiness comes from shifting our focus from fleeting external wealth to enduring inner cultivation.

Transcript

Regarding the practice of meditation to concentrate the mind. The methods used nowadays and in the past are the same. The key is to cultivate sati, Mindfulness, Which means being able to recollect and to have sampajanya, Maintain self-awareness, Staying present in the moment a lot, Being with the body and mind. With mindfulness, We become aware of our body and mind. Early lives, From the moment we wake up, We often direct our attention outwards. For example, Upon waking, Before doing anything else, We might check our phones to see who has called us, What messages we have online, Or what news has come in. As we browse through these, We can easily get carried away, Spending at least 15 minutes. So here we have to reset this. When we wake up, We have mindfulness and self-awareness, And we meditate by reciting butto, Tamo, Sanko, Or chanting ittipiso. We allow our mindfulness to settle on the body and mind. We are making our samadhi concentration to be firmly established. We prevent the mind from wandering off. This is because, During sleep, Our mindfulness is absent, And upon waking, Our minds tend to drift outwards again. So trying to sit in meditation in the morning or evening can be challenging. We receive a lot of information, And then when we sit down, Memories and thoughts arise. There are many memories, And to clean them out, It takes time. Therefore in the first half hour, We may not yet get any results of Samadhi. We need to continue sitting for about an hour before the mind begins to calm down. However, If someone has more time, Sitting for two hours will bring a greater sense of peace. There was a group of monks who travelled to India, Led by Chakun Achalo, And they meditated for seven to nine hours, And they gradually began to experience a sense of peace. Their minds became concentrated, Calm, And their bodies and minds felt light, Filled with joy. I often mention this lightness of body and mind, But you might not fully understand what it's like. When our mind gathers together and is with the breath, Or a specific point in the body, It gathers there, And we feel a sense of lightness in the body. Previously, Our awareness was scattered throughout the body. But when the mind becomes calm and gathers on a single object, The body feels light. The mind feels light, Like it separates from the physical form. Inner joy arises and happiness follows. When we experience this, We see the fruits of our practice. The effort then comes up. We can then compare the state of when we have Samadhi filled with happiness and contentment like this, To the state of a restless mind. This helps us recognize the benefits of training the mind to be calm and the drawbacks of a mind that is constantly agitated and thinking non-stop. Why does our mind, Which belongs to us, Keep thinking without stopping? Even if we tell it to stop, It doesn't listen. It doesn't stop. It goes according to causes and conditions. This is why we need to train our mind in this way. However, In this modern era, Everything has advanced, Hasn't it? In today's world, There are so many conveniences and various forms of media that reach us very quickly. In the past, There was no television, Only transistor radios with a few channels. Television also had only a few channels. We heard that in America, There were hundreds of channels, And we wondered, How is that possible? Our country only has a few channels. They were more advanced than us back then. But now it's all here. Communication has expanded greatly in Thailand and across the world. We can receive news, Connect with people we know, And respond quickly. As you can see, We receive many more sense impressions. We have more mental proliferations, More sense of self, More of a feeling of me and mine. But on the flip side, Our mindfulness and wisdom has diminished significantly than in the past era. Our mental stability, Our patience, Our diligence has decreased. And more so, Our wisdom has decreased even more. So this makes it even harder to train the mind. To calm the mind we really need to make an effort. We have to let go of external distractions and reduce the amount of information we consume. We should set aside time to let go. Perhaps we try to look only at what is necessary for a month and avoid unnecessary information. We train to calm the mind because we see the harm these distractions cause to our mental state. Chaos, And we become caught up in this and that, And it just brings up likes and dislikes, And we are unable to find a centered, Balanced feeling. The space for Dhamma is so small for people to come in and be interested in it. The world is advancing. But as the Buddha said, Darkness is also advancing. We can see that entertainment and media has proliferated. In the past, Going to the cinema or theatre was rare. In rural areas, There was only outdoor screenings. And in the city, Movies were shown in theatres at specific times. But now it's not like that. We can watch whatever we want. Whatever we like, We can watch it straight away. It's sent right to our phones. And people can't resist following these things. They feel compelled to press and to watch. This makes our minds restless and not peaceful. Only those with wisdom will strive to train their minds. It takes a lot of bharami, Spiritual accumulations, To train the mind to be calm and to be able to put down the thoughts, Imaginings and mental proliferations. If we don't train our minds, There's no way we will be peaceful. From since we have been born until death, It will be this way. We do have to study and to use our memory and to work. Why? Because we need the four necessities of life to survive. But we should aim for moderation, Just enough to sustain our lives. When we are born, Do we ever think that the candle of life has been lit? The candle of life has been ignited, But it gradually burns down. We don't know when the brightness of the flame will go out. We can't be certain. If a strong gust of wind blows, The candle might be extinguished in an instant. Just like our heart might suddenly stop, And life would end. To the elements. In the end, It will inevitably disintegrate, Just as we've seen with our parents, Grandparents and ancestors. They've all passed away. Therefore, When we come to this realization, We begin to reflect. This candle of life, We must let it shine brightly from our efforts to do good, To accumulate merit, To cultivate goodness, To practice generosity, To uphold the precepts, And to meditate as much as possible. Let our minds be filled with goodness We are someone with wisdom And so with wisdom we can transform coarse wealth into refined wealth Which then resides within our hearts These virtuous actions will follow us like seeds Once planted, The seeds will grow Develop roots, Stems, Branches, Flowers and leaves But all of this is already contained within the seed even if we cannot see it. Our minds are the same. They contain both the good and bad. From the moment we are born, We shape our minds in this way. When we gain wisdom to know this, Then we abandon wrongdoing. We strive to cultivate goodness and to purify our minds. The wrongdoing, It arises through body, Speech and mind. But we must examine these wrongdoings, Unwholesome states. If they become excessive, They cause stress, Don't they? Anxiety, Worry, And restlessness follow. Therefore we should consume information in moderation. We cannot pay attention to everything in this world. This world is inherently chaotic. Sometimes the Buddha said that this world is dazzling, Like a royal chariot. Let us see the world like this. The royal chariots of ancient kings were adorned with elaborate decorations, Dazzling to behold. We study, Observe, And learn to recognize the benefits and drawbacks of everything in this world, Which are abundant. However, In the end, Everything falls under the principles of anicca impermanence, Dukkha suffering, And anatta not-self. Everything humans create in this world follow these principles. Especially in this era, New things are constantly being produced. Advances in robotics, Artificial intelligence and other technologies have made human life more comfortable and academic research has improved. However, The human mind has deteriorated. Those born in earlier generations lived in very different environments. Their play, Entertainment and way of life were vastly different to this generation. If we look back to the past, Say, 50, 60 years ago, We wanted only progress, To get happiness, And we aspired to those goals. Anything that brought progress and convenience was seen as a source of great happiness. Humans have continuously invented things to alleviate suffering, To make life more and more convenient. Yet our minds still suffer. We don't achieve the happiness that we desire. Now, With improved communication devices, Transferring money and doing things have become more convenient. In the past, Those who wanted to cheat us might have robbed us or threatened us directly, But now that's unnecessary. If we lack mindfulness and wisdom to protect ourselves, Our savings of 1 million, 5 million or even 10 million can disappear in just a few minutes. It's easily stolen. So there is those born between 1946 and 1964, And we call them the Baby Boomer Generation. Then came Generation X, 1965 to 1980. Then Generation Y, 1981 to 1996. And Generation Z, Born after 1997. And has it changed again now? But now, Different generations must live together. And so the older and younger generations shouldn't conflict or argue. The younger generation believes that since they were born in this era, They can't live like the past, Because they're influenced by the current era. The music of the past was soft and natural, Harmonizing with nature. Now, Everything has to be faster. Things have changed with progress. But the principles of Dhamma remain. The teachings of Dhamma remain unchanged. For example, The principles of harmonious living for laypeople include supporting one another, Practicing generosity towards each other, Sharing, Fostering goodwill, Using kind and gentle speech, Acting for the benefit of others, Helping society, Maintaining humility, Having a mind filled with metta, Loving-kindness, Karuna, Compassion, Mudita, Sympathetic joy, And upekka, Equanimity, In body, Speech, And mind. So let us study and reflect on those teachings. So what is this world like? Some say the world is like a drama. A grand theatre where we all play our parts. The Daevas, The celestial beings, Probably look at this world and wonder, Why are humans so chaotic? Always competing and fighting. In the celestial realms, Precious gems and jewels are in piles, And as common as pebbles and sand, Scattered everywhere, Because they hold no value in that other world. But in the human world, These things are given immense conventional value. They can be transformed into money, Gold, Beautiful ornaments and other valuable possessions. However, The Daewas themselves possess inner goodness and radiance. They don't rely on the light of the sun or the moon. Their fulfillment is divine and it arises from the good deeds they've done in the past. They can see how humans are so deluded. They cling to external things and neglect the pursuit of inner cultivation. When humans seek only happiness in external things then when they get those external things what happens if those things disappear? Some become so heartbroken and die they can't go on living in this world. Why? Because they are too attached to external objects. Therefore we must withdraw our minds and be with our meditation object contemplating the truth that This separation is something normal. What we gain can also be lost. Why? Because our lives are decaying every day. The candle of life is burning down day by day. So what external things can we truly hold on to? They are merely temporary supports that we need. Without them, Life would be too painful. And we wouldn't be able to practice because we'd be too busy seeking wealth to sustain our lives. So, People's suffering varies. Keep warm, And medicine to heal themselves, They will already have immense happiness in their life. But those who already have much, They always want more. And what do those who are already suffering need? For example, A blind person. They desire to see. If our eyes are healthy, We should be content. The deaf long to hear, And so on. But for those with great wealth, What they lack is time. They need more time, Because their time is consumed in the pursuit of wealth. Endless meetings, Endless striving for riches. They gain wealth, But lose time. Time is what they truly need. You see, People's needs differ. Those who have nothing need food and basic necessities. So, Therefore, If we still have time, We're not overwhelmed with work, We have food to eat, We have the four necessities of life, Good eyesight to see, Ears to hear the Dhamma, And a body that can move freely, Not bedridden, We are already well equipped. Even for monks who have ordained and practiced, We have these conditions. Meditation. You In some places, I've gone on tudong, Wandering in the forest. At one temple, The area was about 2 hectares. During the hot season, There wasn't a single leaf in the temple, None at all. The heat was intense, And the ground was this reddish clay. It was that hot. The roof of the halls and kutis amongst dwellings were made of corrugated zinc sheets, Not like the tiles we have today. It was really hot. As I walked in meditation, I thought, When I return to Wat Nong Pa Pong, I'll walk in meditation every day. It's so much cooler and shaded over there. You see, Wat Nongpa Pong has many trees providing good shade. When we go on Tudung and face difficulties, It reminds us of the comfort we usually have, And that we must continue to practice diligently without missing out on it. Practicing meditation and the Dutanga, The ascetic practices, They help us put up a fight. They enable us to endure the various pains and sensations. Therefore, When we have all these good conditions, We have the time and our physical health is strong, Then we must strive to practice. Like today, Whether it's a weekend or a weekday, We come to listen to the Dhamma. On Fridays, We come to study, Practice and learn the Dhamma, To understand the nature of the mind. What is the mind? The mind is the knowing element. Vijnana, Consciousness. It has the function of perceiving the sense objects. When we perceive these sense objects, And we lack wisdom, Then we will cling to all these objects as being me and mine. Therefore we must teach the mind. We must cultivate the one who knows, To teach our mind to be wise. To understand that we should not cling to those sense objects, As it leads to suffering. For the material things we acquire, We must reflect that they are uncertain. They are impermanent. They will inevitably break, Decay, Disappear, Or be lost. Then, When these things are gone one day, Our mind will not suffer. But this is difficult, Isn't it? It's not easy. Sometimes laypeople might think, The teacher makes it sound so simple, But it's actually very hard for me. Like when we buy a new car, Or get something new, And it gets scratched or damaged. How does our mind react? We cling to that car, Attached to those possessions. While they bring us some happiness, We haven't been freed from suffering. They do bring happiness, But we must have wisdom to use them. We worked hard to acquire these things, And it was exhausting. But when they change, Is our mind at ease? So we must protect our mind. That external car is for traveling, But we must build an internal vehicle, Which is the noble Eightfold Path. It is the inner wisdom, The special wisdom. And the more of this wisdom we have, The less our mind will suffer. If we lack wisdom, Then external possessions can bring a lot of suffering. For example, We have one object. We have just one bicycle, One motorcycle, Or one car that we rely on for our livelihood. And when we go somewhere unfamiliar, We worry. Will someone steal it? Is it locked properly? Do I have the keys? Could it get lost? Oh, This also brings suffering. Worry arises. And this is just about material things, That we worry so much about them. But for things that have consciousness, The worry is even greater, Isn't it? For example, When we have children or grandchildren, Our mind becomes deeply concerned. This stems from our worry for ourselves. Therefore we must train our mind, Teach it to understand the world, At least to some extent. Whatever we lose, Let it go, But don't let our mind suffer along with it. Most important, We must protect our mind. You Just as when Venerable Ajahn Chah once said in a wise story A pork merchant came to him, Lamenting, Oh no, The price of pork has dropped. I've lost everything, Completely ruined. He wept and cried, Telling Ajahn Chah, Venerable, I'm bankrupt. Ajahn Chah asked, What happened? The merchant replied, The price of pork has fallen. I have so much, And now I've suffered a huge loss. He was in deep distress and suffering. And Ajahn Chah taught him in a zen-like manner. When pork prices are high, The pigs die. When pork prices are low, The pigs still die. I sat there listening and thought, Oh, That's true. The pigs die either way. But the last thing Ajahn Chah said went deep. He said, And the pigs haven't even cried. The pigs haven't made a sound. It dies without crying. But here you are, Crying and complaining about how much you're suffering. But the pig dies without any crying. Ajahn Chah's words were a wake-up call for mindfulness. How sharp and profound. It's perfectly suited for spreading the Dhamma in this modern age, Where people prefer short, Concise teachings. Short Dhamma snippets. Like this, It directly removes suffering. The merchant immediately gained mindfulness, Thinking, Ah, That's true. I'm still alive. I can start over. I'm not dead yet. Ajahn Chah gave him wisdom and I listened and reflected deeply. So whenever something causes us suffering, We should contemplate it. If our children cause us suffering, Venerable Ajahn Chah also taught, Who brought these children into the world? Is it only the children's fault? We are the ones who brought them into existence, So we must take responsibility too. Don't just blame the children. This is also worth reflecting on. The relationship between parents and the level of respect in this modern era is very different from 70 or 80 years ago when we were born. The gap is vast. We must first learn to understand the new generation. Their respect and courtesy have diminished compared to the past. It's not like how the older generation was brought up. The Dhamma. Nevertheless, The Dhamma is never outdated. Even today, If we practice, We can still realize, See and understand the Dhamma. Let us all dedicate ourselves to this practice. May you grow in blessings.

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Blessings and thanks
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I found this a helpful, insightful talk on the importance of meditation and the cultivation of wisdom and truth of the dhamma.