Ajahn Chah

They deceive us constantly.

We find no certainty anywhere.

When happiness disappears, unhappiness arises again.

On and on, like this.

In the end, we can say only this.

Apart from the birth, the life, and the death of suffering, there is nothing.

There is just this.

But we who are ignorant run and grab it constantly.

We never see the truth of it, that there's simply this continual change.

If we understand this, then we don't need to think very much, but we have much wisdom.

If we don't know it, then we'll have more thinking than wisdom.

And maybe no wisdom at all.

It's not until we truly see the harmful results of our actions that we can give them up.

that log will definitely reach the sea.

Our practice is comparable to this.

If you practice according to the path laid down by the Buddha, following it straight, you will transcend two things.

What two things?

Just those two extremes that the Buddha said were not the path of a true meditator.

Indulgence in pleasure and indulgence in pain.

These are the two banks of the river.