Thanissaro Bhikkhu on the Ultimate Goal

"The four noble truths set a high standard, but they also promise a lot. They provide a path we can follow, and it leads to true happiness — ultimate, unchanging, unlimited happiness. When you think about that, then whatever is required on the path doesn’t seem so onerous. It doesn’t seem so scary. It doesn’t seem so large. The happiness we want is much larger than what we have; we have to keep that in mind at all times." ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Training Your Desires" (Meditations10)

"So here we are in the midst of a storm. But there’s something deep inside that doesn’t have to suffer from the storm, doesn’t have to be threatened by the storm. Even though we may reflect on the awesomeness of the powers of nature and how huge they are, there is something in the mind that’s even more enormous, more solid, than they are. It can be found through our own efforts, and it offers a security that you can’t find in any place — because it’s outside of places. There’s a recurrent phrase in the Canon of the arahant’s being “released everywhere,” which means released from every where, every place. That idea’s awesome, too. The reality of it, once you’ve touched it, is even more awesome than the idea. It’s always helpful to keep these thoughts in mind." ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Awe" (Meditations6)

"You develop a sense of dispassion. Notice, dispassion’s not saying we’re going to kiss and make up and pretend that everything is okay. Things are not okay. That’s the underlying condition of samsara: It’s not okay . And if you want closure, samsara’s not going to provide it. Part of the mind doesn’t like the idea that there are all these dangling ends that are not tied up. But our lives are nothing but dangling ends. How many dangling ends are left over from your previous lives, you have no idea. We’ve been going through samsara with lots of ends dangling. The only closure is to admit that the whole business is not okay and it’s time to get out. It’s only when you get out that you’re really free." So when hurtful memories come up like this, remind yourself that as a meditator you now have new tools and a new identity: the person who’s mastered those tools. That changes the narrative and heads it toward the only point of genuine closure — nibbana — which no lo...

"The Buddha compares the mind to the sun, with clouds coming and going. There’s a big maelstrom of clouds that swirls around ignorance, and then the fabrications we make based on the ignorance. And the way we look at things, the way we deal with things, our intentions: For most of us, that’s all in the dark. As we meditate, we’re trying to bring some light to that, by the way we reflect on our actions. So even though the world may seem dark at times, we don’t have to allow that darkness to affect the light of the mind, the potential for light in the mind. The potential is there, it’s simply a matter of learning how to develop it. Once we start shining a light in the mind, then the darkness doesn’t have the right to stay. Ajaan Suwat made this comment one time: “When the light of awareness, the light of discernment comes in, even though there are areas of the mind that have been dark for eons, they can’t say, ‘Well, we’ve been here first. You have no right to come in.’” You bring ...

"The Pali word sukha, which is ordinarily translated as happiness, actually has a very wide range of meanings: bliss, happiness, pleasure, ease, well-being. Take your pick. But the essence of what the Buddha is getting at as he talks about happiness as a goal, nibbana as the highest sukha, is in his statement that there is no happiness, there is no sukha, other than peace. That’s because it’s peace of the mind that gives well-being. Even when we’re happy in the normal sense of smiling and cheerful, it’s because part of the mind is at peace. Things fit together." ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Peace vs. Clinging"

"Most people think in the terms of a story with a beginning and an end, where it’s clear to them who’s right and who’s wrong. We argue over the details, especially about what’s relevant to the story and what’s not — that’s why there’s so much conflict — but everybody seems to have the idea that there’s a beginning point and an end point and a plan to all this — and that there’s somebody up there who’s got an idea about a just way to arrange things, and assigns us duties. But that’s not in the Buddha’s universe at all. There’s no clear end, no clear beginning, and “There’s no one in charge.” As that passage also says, the world is swept away. Just make sure you don’t get swept away with it. Try to be clear about what you’re doing, clear about doing it skillfully. That’s how you come to closure. That’s how you get out. This is what the practice is all about: getting out. We try to leave some good things behind as we get out — in fact you can’t get out without leaving some good thin...