Theravada · 1907–1961
Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo
Thai forest tradition · Dhammayut · Keeping the Breath in Mind
A master of the breath who gave the most precise, embodied method for entering deep stillness.
The essence of the teaching: The breath is not only at the nose: it is a flow of energy through the whole body, and with it the whole organism can be calmed. Keep attention motionless, like a body casting a moving shadow – and let the thoughts be only shadows.
Transmission
Ajahn Lee taught you to tune the breath itself: to make it long or short, deep or light, until a sense of ease arises in the body. Then to spread that feeling from the base of the skull down the spine and into the arms and legs. The body grows full, the mind grows bright. He warned of a dangerous trap: visions, knowledge of past lives, any powers at all – these become a source of suffering the moment you grasp at them. The one who knows does not move – only its shadow moves, our thoughts. We suffer by chasing the shadow. Stand still as the one who knows, and let go even of your insights.
The full transmission — for members of the School. Here is its essence and its taste.
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