About This Teaching
A lay meditator asks Ajahn Dtun whether mindfulness and concentration accumulate over time, given that practice is interrupted between retreats. Will a level reached on one retreat return more quickly on the next?
Ajahn Dtun says these qualities do accumulate, but if practice is set aside for long periods it becomes harder to pick up again. He compares it to a vehicle left parked for a long time: when you start it, the engine may not turn over straight away or run smoothly because it has not been used. Continuity of practice keeps the mind ready.