Very Well Is Not Good

~ By Ajahn Jayasāro ~

Ajahn Chah did not speak English but he was very skilled in teaching his Western disciples who knew little Thai. One day, in the weeks following my arrival at Wat Pah Pong, I was sweeping leaves when he walked by on an inspection tour. As soon as I saw him, my heart started pounding against my ribcage as if it was going to jump out into the forest. I squatted down by the side of the path, eyes downcast, my hands in anjali.

He said, “Chaun (“Spoon” his nickname for me as he couldn’t pronounce my English name, Shaun) Are you well?”

Yes, Luang Por, I’m well.

Are you very well?

I’m very well.

Very well is not good.

And with a stern look on his face, Ajahn Chah walked away. I was stunned. What had I done wrong? I had recently learned the phrase ‘Sabai dee’ and nobody had ever told me that it was not good. How could it be bad?

He’d clearly given me some sort of teaching. I spent many hours that day trying to work out what Ajahn Chah was telling me.

This is the conclusion that I reached: Being well was good. It meant that I felt content with my decision to take on the training and was settling in okay. But ‘very well’ was not good, because I was at the beginning of practice, and my heart was still full of defilements. Feeling very well was only possible if I was overlooking all the inner challenges I faced. I had received a warning against complacency. My understanding was that Ajahn Chah had seen how much I loved monastic life, observed my easy-going personality, and given me the best possible teaching he could in a few simple words.

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"Food for the Heart", a series of Dhamma teachings handwritten weekly is posted on the Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives page with Ajahn's kind permission.

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For other teachings by Ven. Ajahn Jayasāro, please visit the Panyaprateep Foundation website.