From A Taste of Freedom
by Ajahn Chah
It’s of great importance that we practice the Dhamma. If we
don’t practice, then all our knowledge is only superficial
knowledge, just the outer shell of it. It’s as if we have some
sort of fruit but we haven’t eaten it yet. Even though we have
that fruit in our hand we get no benefit from it. Only through
the actual eating of the fruit we really know its taste.
The Buddha didn’t praise those who merely believe
others, he praised the person who knows within himself.
Just as with that fruit, if we have tasted it already, we don’t
have to ask anyone else if it’s sweet or sour. Our problems
are over. Why are they over? Because we see according to
the truth. One who has realized the Dhamma is like one
who has realized the sweetness or sourness of the fruit. All
doubts are ended right here.
When we talk about Dhamma, although we may say a
lot, it can usually be brought down to four things. They are
simply to know suffering, to know the cause of suffering,
to know the end of suffering and to know the path of practice
leading to the end of suffering. This is all there is. All
that we have experienced on the path of practice so far
comes down to these four things. When we know these
things, our problems are over.
More from Ajahn Chah
More Buddhist writings on Allspirit