Truth

Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Watch it all the way in, all the way out. Be true to your breath. We want true happiness in life, so we have to be true.

Today we think of Shotai, who passed away on this date one year ago. And one of her main characteristics was that she was really a true person. She set her mind on doing something, and she did it and she did it well. She tried to hold other people to that standard, too.

But it’s up to us to be true in our selves. If we’re going to be generous, really be generous—in other words, really give the item. Put some thought into it as to what would be a good thing to give—what you have to give; and what would be a good thing to give to others, what they need.

The same with the precepts: Really think about what it means to observe the precepts, where it’s going to be difficult, and how you’re going to overcome those difficulties.

And especially when you meditate: It’s easy to sit here with your eyes closed and think about all kinds of things. But that’s just the image of meditation. The real meditation is when you’re on top of your mind. When you see it wandering off, you bring it right back.

The Buddha’s image is of a cowherd during the rainy season when the rice is growing. If the cows get into the rice, there’s going to be a lot of trouble. So he does everything he can to keep them out of the rice.

In the same way, you’ve got to keep your mind away from other things right now. Keep them with the breath, because if you want some true happiness, you’ve got to be true in creating the causes for true happiness. With the least little thought that goes out, you pick it out. Pick it out. Throw it away. Throw it away. Don’t let it take root in your mind. If it takes root, it’s going to be a long, hard process to pull it out. When it just gets started, it’s much easier.

So be on the lookout. Protect what you’ve got. Really value what you’ve got in terms of your goodness. After all, goodness is true to you when it gives its results. So if you’re true to goodness, then the good results will get even better.

Try to develop this quality of truth. It’s not just a matter of saying true things but also one of being true in what you do. Be truly generous. Be truly virtuous. When you develop good qualities of the mind, make sure they’re true as well. As you drive yourself in this way, it’s putting pressure on yourself to do things well. But that pressure is good. It’s what squeezes out your defilements. That way, your mind can settle in and truly understand what concentration is like, what wisdom is like—how truly good it is when you can learn how to let go of things.

As Ajaan Lee would say, “If you want to see the truth, you’ve got to be true.” You want to keep his words in mind in all the things you do.