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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 13

development of strong bodhicitta. That is the purpose
Do you know
of your consciousness manifesting as a being with
one thousand arms so that vou can lend a hand to a
thousand suffering beings. If you don’t like to manifest
yourself this way you can relate the meditation what this
to your own culture and see yourself as Jesus.
Avalokiteshvara and Jesus are the same: completely
mind is?
selfless and completely devoted to serving others.

By Venerable Ajahn Chah (1918-1992)
Remember what happened the first time that
Avalokiteshvara took the bodhisattva ordination?
Venerable Ajahn
He vowed to guide all universal living beings to
Chah was born on
enlightenment from behind, like a shepherd.’I do not
want to realize enlightenment until first I have led all June 17, 1918 in a
mother sentient beings there first. That will be my small village near
satisfaction.’ He worked for years and years, leading the town of Ubon
thousands of beings to enlightenment, but when he Ratchathani, North-
checked to see what was happening he found there East Thailand. His
were still countless more. So again he worked for early monastic
years and years and again when he checked there
life followed a
were still so many left, and this cycle was repeated
traditional pattern,
until finally he was fed up and thought to himself,
of studying Buddhist
“For aeons and aeons I have struggled to lead all
teachings and the
sentient beings to enlightenment but there are still
Pali scriptural language. Ajahn Chah practiced in
so many left. I think it is impossible to fulfil my vow.”
the style of the austere Forest Tradition, wandering
And because of the intensity of his emotion his head
through the countryside in quest of quiet and
split into eleven pieces. Then Amitabha Buddha
secluded places for developing meditation. In
came and offered to help, and blessed him to be
1977, Ajahn Chah was invited to visit Britain by
successful.
the English Sangha Trust, a charity with the aim of
So I’m sure some of you people can be like Chenrezig. establishing a locally-resident Buddhist Sangha. He
The main thing is to have strong motivation. Even if took Venerable Sumedho, the American Buddhist
it comes strongly only once, it is extremely powerful. monk, and Venerable Khemadhammo along to
It is very rare to have this kind of thought. A mere England. Seeing the serious interest there, he left
flash is so worthwhile; to have it for a minute for a them in London at the Hampstead Vihara, with
day...
two of his other Western disciples who were then
visiting Europe. He returned to Britain in 1979,
Lama Yeshe gave this teaching at Kopan Course
No. 16, held at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, in Nov-Dec at which time the monks were leaving London to
1983. This was the last public teaching by Lama begin Chithurst Buddhist Monastery in Sussex. He
Yeshe before his tragic passing away in March 1984, then went on to America and Canada to visit and
so it has a special significance. Kopan Monastery, teach. Renowned for the beauty and simplicity of
his teachings, Ajahn Chah was Thailand’s best-
Nepal 1K983 (Archive #395). EH
known meditation teacher. His charisma and

Source: Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, www. wisdom influenced many American and European
lamayeshe.com seekers, and helped shape the American Vipassana
community.