Simple Teachings on Higher Truths

Short teachings that bring us to let go of our attachments. Ajahn Anan tells us a simple yet profound story from his time with Ajahn Chah. He then goes on to describe how to become unmoved by the conditions in the world, thus discerning our inner Buddha. And lastly, emboldening encouragement to keep us going with our practice.

In these seven short teachings we learn how to see in accordance with truth. By observing how everything we experience arises and passes away, we start to gain a direct and deep understanding of both the world, and our bodies and minds. This allows us to stop claiming possession over everything, to stop taking it all personally. It's here that we can begin to truly let go.

In these eight short teachings we discover how to live in the world with ease. Even though it's normal to get angry at those around us, we can learn to develop kindness and acceptance towards them. And by seeking out the teachings of the wise and the company of good friends, they can help steer our life in a wholesome direction. We learn to live skillfully and with gratitude, knowing how to wisely care for those around us.

The question of what happens after death, and whether our actions really do have results, has been around for a long time. In these five short teachings, Ajahn Anan tells us how we don't need to look far away for the answer—we can see karma at work right within our own minds in the present moment. With this knowledge, we try to create as much goodness as we can in this life. But we must also accept the mistakes that we've made, learn our lesson, forgive ourselves, and move on.

Six short teachings on how to cultivate our lives so they become a genuine source of happiness. By being wise with our actions, we foster feelings of trust and peace, both in our relationships with others and within our own hearts. This provides us with a strong and stable foundation upon which we can grow internally; without this base, our meditation will always be unsettled. When we develop generosity and virtue well, they form into an inner wealth that is truly ours.

These eight short teachings tell us of the nature of life. Throughout just one day we meet with a huge number of sights and sounds that tug at our hearts. If we haven't cultivated much mindfulness or wisdom, our minds chase after them all, becoming exhausted in the process. Furthermore, the things of this world don't last. If we cling tightly, we'll suffer a lot. During the Buddha's time a young woman felt deep pain over the loss of her son, and we discover how the Buddha skillfully taught her to put her grief down and come to a place of acceptance and peace. Through this practice, we too can learn to let go of our suffering.

In these seven short teachings, we learn how to cultivate mindfulness—the very heart of our practice. It's the ability to keep the mind aware and centered in the present moment, knowing what's going on. At the beginning it appears as just individual drops. Over time, however, these join together into a steady stream that brings clarity into our lives and minds, helping us to resolve any difficulties we may be dealing with. As we continue to cultivate mindfulness, both on our meditation cushion and throughout our day, it becomes a safe haven that we can always return to and abide in.

In these five short teachings, Ajahn Anan talks about a side of meditation that is often neglected—using our minds' activity to bring inner calm and direct knowledge into truth. Both the recollection of life's impermanence and chanting are effective tools to cut off distracted thought. And with a clear mind we can examine what the Buddha called the 'three characteristics of existence,' thereby gaining true insight.

If we try to force our minds to be a certain way, or hold high expectations, meditation can be a pretty stressful experience, can't it? In these short teachings, we learn to bring a sense of acceptance and mindful knowing to our cultivation. We can also reflect on the Buddha's beautiful qualities and the Four Sublime Abidings to allow the heart to relax and recharge.

Presented here are the foundation meditation practices taught by Ajahn Anan, leading to collectedness, stillness and joy. Initially, he talks about posture and methods of watching the breath, then explains how to use a mantra. When we develop this practice, feelings of bliss and increasingly refined levels of concentration will naturally arise within us.

Everyone wants to be happy, and we can see that in our lives we experience many different kinds of happiness. Those that come from external things have their drawbacks, however. Because they don't last, they can easily turn into disappointment. So true happiness—one that we can rely on—has to be found within our own hearts. The first two chapters of this book were posted on the podcast least year, but we never got around to posting the rest. So, we'll start again from chapter one, adding a new chapter each Friday.

The introduction to Ajahn Anan's book Simple Teachings on Higher Truths.