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“And with that, I lost my nerve. I jumped out of the hut and ran for a large tree about six meters away. But just as I reached it and had taken my first step up the trunk, a sound like a person whispering came to my ears: ‘You’re not for real. You’re afraid to die. Whoever’s afraid to die will have to die again.’ Hearing this, I let go of the tree and hurried back to the hut. I got into a half-lotus position and, with my eyes open, sat facing the elephant and meditating, spreading thoughts of good will.”
― The Autobiography of Phra Ajaan Lee
― The Autobiography of Phra Ajaan Lee
“Anyone who’s a real, live person will have to meet up with real, live problems in life. When you meet with obstacles, you have to put up a fight. If you give up easily, you’ll end up giving up all your life long. Tell yourself you’re made out of heartwood, and not out of sapwood.”
― Awareness Itself
― Awareness Itself
“I had to be willing to learn everything anew. To be able to stay with him for any length of time, you had to be very observant and very circumspect. You couldn’t make a sound when you walked on the floor, you couldn’t leave footprints on the floor, you couldn’t make noise when you swallowed water or opened the windows or doors. There had to be a science to everything you did—hanging out robes, taking them in, folding them up, setting out sitting mats, arranging bedding, everything. Otherwise he’d drive you out, even in the middle of the Rains Retreat. Even then, you’d just have to take it and try to use your powers of observation.”
― The Autobiography of Phra Ajaan Lee
― The Autobiography of Phra Ajaan Lee
“Brevity is the soul of wit.”
― Hamlet
― Hamlet
“Every day, after our meal, I’d go to straighten up his room, putting away his bowl and robes, setting out his bedding, his sitting cloth, his spittoon, his tea kettle, pillow, etc. I had to have everything in order before he entered the room. When I had finished, I’d take note of where I had placed things, hurry out of the room, and go to my own room, which was separated from his by a wall of banana leaves. I had made a small hole in the wall so that I could peek through and see both Ajaan Mun and his belongings. When he came into the room, he’d look up and down, inspecting his things. Some of them he’d pick up and move; others he’d leave where they were. I had to watch carefully and take note of where things were put.”
― The Autobiography of Phra Ajaan Lee
― The Autobiography of Phra Ajaan Lee
Mayank’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Mayank’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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