65. Hope and Hopelessness

By Luang Pu Thate Desaraṅsī

December 8, 1988

If one were to have nothing at all, that would be hopelessness. Hopelessness means the end of the story. Every human being must have hope. There are two kinds of people who are without hope: a prince who has been crowned king – that is called being without hope; and one who has attained arahantship, who has ended defilements – that one is without hope.

We are not yet without hope. To be without hope means one has stopped doing, one’s story is over, there is nowhere left to go. Every human being must have hope. Even when chanting, there must be hope. For anything not yet achieved, in making effort there must be hope. The practice of meditation is a long and vast matter. We must make it grow ever greater. It’s not that we ordain and then become hopeless. If we ordain and are hopeless, it’s of no benefit.

We must always know what we still need at this moment. We must always take care of ourselves. We are not those without hope; we still have hope. For example, before going out to a secluded place, we search for a spot according to our wishes. That place must be important in this way, important in that way. Everyone says it’s excellent and wonderful. But when we actually go there, we become hopeless just the same. We try and test everything – the place, the climate, all conditions – while making effort in meditation. If we ourselves are not good, then no place is good. Even a good place becomes not good.

We must know the matter clearly, not go sightseeing. That is not seclusion. If we go sightseeing in seclusion, we become hopeless just the same. Go looking for a place there, it’s like that; go looking for a place here, it’s like this. But if there is nothing good within ourselves, then it’s hopeless just the same.

We must have hope within our own hearts. Those who have hope – wherever they stay, they are hopeful at all times. Place is not important. What is important is ourselves.

For those who have practiced to the point of attainment, it happens. Go traveling, it happens. But if it is going to happen, and it doesn’t happen, then wherever you go – you just keep going, with no stopping or settling. In the end, the requisites prepared in advance are not taken out of the bowl, for fear of not being able to continue the journey. You sleep one night, then in the morning you’re lazy. The things in the bowl are not taken out. That kind of behavior has no hope.

If we stay in a good place, we have the aim to practice. Practice on this very self of ours with sincerity. Be willing to sacrifice our life in this Dhamma for the sake of making effort. Resolve like that. Resolve to make effort with unwavering courage. "Is this all there is to practice?" No, we have not done enough. We have not yet reached the limit. That is why we do not see the truth.

All things – if we are not willing to sacrifice, they will not happen. We will not see the truth. But when we are willing to sacrifice, letting go of everything, then we see the truth. Thus, the Buddha’s teaching is about letting go – letting go completely of both external and internal things, near and far. Take only the present moment. If we do not let go of everything, our heart "remains," and there is nowhere left for it to go. Whether you call that hopeless or not hopeless – up to you, depending on who is speaking. Well, that’s enough for now.