The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.
30 March 2024
"Asadha Puja commemorates the day when the Buddha gave his first sermon."
Question: Can Luangphor advise us on the significance of Asadha Puja and how it can inspire us to practice?
Than Ajahn: Asadha Puja commemorates the day when the Buddha gave his first sermon. It was the day when the Dhamma became known to the world. This is similar to the rising of the sun. Before that, there was no sunlight, and we were all living in the dark and could not see anything clearly. But once there was a sun, we can see everything.
It is the same way with the Dhamma teachings.
Once the Lord Buddha gave his teachings, he gave the light to the world. He taught the Four Noble Truths.
Before the sermon, we don’t know that our suffering was caused by our desire and we don’t know how to get rid of our suffering. He told us the way to get rid of our suffering, by practising dāna, sīla and bhāvanā.
Once we have developed dāna, sīla and bhāvanā, we will have the strength to get rid of our cravings. Once there is no craving, there will be no suffering in the mind. So this is basically the significant of Asadha Puja day, to commemorate the day the Buddha gave his first sermon.
Once he delivered this sermon, one of the five ascetics who was listening to this sermon became enlightened.
Once we have developed dāna, sīla and bhāvanā, we will have the strength to get rid of our cravings. Once there is no craving, there will be no suffering in the mind. So this is basically the significant of Asadha Puja day, to commemorate the day the Buddha gave his first sermon.
Once he delivered this sermon, one of the five ascetics who was listening to this sermon became enlightened.
He became a Sotāpanna.
He could understand that his suffering was due to his attachment to living things. He didn’t want things to die and he became sad when things disappeared. If he wanted to be free from sadness, he has to accept that everything will die and nobody can stop it from dying.
Once he accepted the truth about death, the truth of dissolution and of impermanence, he got rid of his desire for things to be permanent.
When there is no desire for things to be permanent, there is no suffering.
Khao Phansa is the day which the Lord Buddha told monks to stay in one place for three months because it is a planting season. In the old days, monks used to travel and they travelled by walking and they tended to cross the planting fields and damaged crops in the fields. So the farmers complained to the Lord Buddha and asked why don‘t the monks stay in one place during the rainy season, why did they keep travelling back and forth across the fields and destroying the crops in the process?
Khao Phansa is the day which the Lord Buddha told monks to stay in one place for three months because it is a planting season. In the old days, monks used to travel and they travelled by walking and they tended to cross the planting fields and damaged crops in the fields. So the farmers complained to the Lord Buddha and asked why don‘t the monks stay in one place during the rainy season, why did they keep travelling back and forth across the fields and destroying the crops in the process?
So the Lord Buddha said that from then on during the rainy and planting season, monks should stay in one place for three months. This is the reason why monks have to stay in one place for three months, so that monks don’t hurt the farmers. This also allows monks have the opportunity to stay with a teacher to study and practise.
By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com
www.phrasuchart.com
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