To Go Beyond Dukkha, Must Quench Without Remaining

~ By Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu ~

Now, illness and fever have arrived to caution you, to demonstrate how life is. If you wish to be free of this sort of existence – namely, illness – you must prepare yourself for quenching without anything left over. This remainderless quenching is the cooling of saṅkhāras that leaves no fuel behind for further birth. Even though the body isn't ready to break up, the heart volunteers for dissolution. To put it directly, we are fully willing to be without Ego from this moment. We volunteer to be free of Ego right now. Our hearts release regarding everything and give up all matters concerning saṅkhāras. End all matters concerning these saṅkhāras so that there's no thinking in terms of Ego and Mine remaining. We are aware that insisting on wandering around within saṃsāric cycles leads to being like this (sick). There's no end to it. If you wish to stop being like this, then quench the feelings of saṅkhāras as being Ego and Mine. With no more feeling that anything is me or mine there's quenching.

(From 'Dharma for Ordinary Sick People,' a talk addressed to a general audience, many of whom were in their elder years. At the same time, July 1982, Tan Ajahn's own health was up and down. Translated from the Thai by Santikaro Upasaka.)

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Photograph from the Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives collection (C00308)