Riding the Horse
騎馬 · 2026
Key Themes
Summary 摘要
Using the extended metaphor of learning to ride a horse — the mind — Ajahn Mettiko explores the relationship between effort (viriya) and relaxation (passaddhi) in meditation. The horse cannot be controlled through force alone; it requires skilled, patient guidance. He walks through the seven factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga): sati, dhamma-vicaya, viriya, pīti, passaddhi, samādhi, and upekkhā, explaining how they arise naturally when the mind is neither too tight nor too slack. The talk addresses a common problem among meditators: straining too hard toward samādhi, which paradoxically prevents the stillness one seeks. Practical guidance is given on working with the breath and bodily sensations to find the 'middle tension' that allows the mind to settle.
Chapter Vocabulary 章節詞彙
| Pāli | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sati | SAH-tee | Mindfulness, recollection, non-forgetful awareness |
| samādhi | sah-MAH-dhee | Concentration, unification of mind, meditative collectedness |
| bojjhaṅga | bojj-HAN-gah | Seven factors of enlightenment: sati, dhamma-vicaya, viriya, pīti, passaddhi, samādhi, upekkhā |
| viriya | vih-REE-yah | Energy, effort, persistence — the faculty of spiritual exertion |
| passaddhi | pas-SAD-dhee | Tranquillity, calmness — the mental factor of relaxation and settling |
| pīti | PEE-tee | Rapture, enthusiasm, pleasurable interest — the uplifting quality of mind |
Study Questions 研習問題
- In your meditation experience, do you tend toward too much effort or too little? How does this manifest?
- How does the metaphor of riding a horse illuminate the challenge of meditating with the mind?
- Which of the seven bojjhaṅgas feels most natural to you? Which feels most difficult to access?
- What is the difference between samādhi and suppression of the mind?