Benefit to Oneself and the Community
Ajahn Liem
Venerable Ajahn Buddhadasa gave some good advice (on the topic of work): “We need to work with no feelings of upadana or grasping.” When I work I am not worried about anything or think much at all. I just keep doing the work, only in order to do something that is in some way of use to the community. That’s all. I don’t think about whether there is a lot to do or not – that only causes one to worry. I also don’t do things expecting that the outcome will last very long – I just consider that the things we build should be good enough to provide some shelter from heat and cold. Still, I try to do a good job. I guess it does make a difference for the stability of things whether the work was done properly or not. If one works without being worried about things, or with not much of a critical mind, one can really do these things properly.
With working, it is just like with travelling: if we don’t care about reaching the destination particularly quickly, the distance won’t seem far. But if we want to arrive quicker than usual, our aim will be far away. These things depend on our desires.
When we work, we can pay attention to the different bodily postures and movements we make and observe them. If we keep awareness of our body, the stress that comes from the power of desire won’t weigh on us. Whether we are sitting, standing, walking or lying down there won’t be anything (heavy). We can see everything as a matter of changing one’s bodily posture, work included.
When we work, we sometimes experience strong feelings that we usually don’t have to face. But focusing on emptiness while working or seeing work as merely a change of posture can turn the experience into something good. In the case of office work or writing, there is also not much of a problem, unless we worry a lot. Then things can become difficult. If we don’t think anything about the things we do, they become something absolutely normal.
…Concerning the use of our requisites – the ways of putting on the robes and looking after them, or even how we practise with conducting our bodies in all the different postures – Luang Pu Chah would give the advice to do things mindfully: sitting with mindfulness, walking and standing and so on, or being mindful when putting on the robe. Everything would in some way give rise to people becoming self-reliant. And they wouldn’t be a burden for others by having them do everything for them. This is also an aspect of ‘work’.
The way Luang Pu Chah lived, it is not the case that one doesn’t have to do anything. One does work that is of benefit to oneself and to the community at the same time.
This reflection by Luang Por Liem is from the book, The Ways of the Peaceful, (pdf) pp. 74-75, 77.
