《180》有一段时间,来自寮国和高棉的难民涌入泰国,有很多慈善机构都来协助救难。因为这点,使到一些西方僧侣认为,当其他宗教机构正致力于减轻难民的困境时,佛教的僧侣却坐在森林里是不对的。因此,他们前去向阿姜 查表示他们的关切,以下就是阿姜 查的回答:「协助难民营是很好,而且我们人类的职责的确是要去互相协助的。但是,以我们的愚痴行为来引导他人,那只能算是治疗。任何人都可以出去捐赠衣服和钉帐篷,可是,有多少人可以来森林里打坐,来认识他们自己的心呢?只要我们仍不知该如何给人类的心「穿衣」和「喂食」一天,在这世界的某一个角落永远会有难民的问题。」
During the time refugees were pouring into Thailand from Laos and Cambodia, the charitable organizations that came out to help were many. This made some ordained Westerners think it was not right that Buddhist monks and nuns should just sit in the forest while other religious organizations were so actively participating in alleviating the plight of the refugees. So they approached Ajahn Chah to express their concern, and this is what he said, "Helping in refugee camps is good. It is indeed our natural human duty to each other. But going through our own madness so that we can lead others through, that’s the only cure. Anyone can go out and distribute clothes and pitch tents, but how many can come into the forest and sit to know their minds? As long as we don’t know how to ‘clothe’ and ‘feed’ people’s minds, there will always be a refugee problem somewhere in the world."