“The Buddha has guaranteed that if you can put in 100 % effort, you’ll become enlightened within 7 days, 7 months or 7 years.”

“The Buddha has guaranteed that if you can put in 100 % effort, you’ll become enlightened within 7 days, 7 months or 7 years.”

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Layperson (M1):  Could you please tell us briefly what you have just sermon in the Thai language. Is it about meditation?

Than Ajahn: It’s about the practice. The result of your practice depends on the intensity of your practice. It depends on how much you put into the practice. If you put in a little into your practice, you get little result. If you put in a lot, you get a lot of result.

You have to know what you have to practice and you have to know how much you have to put in, in order to get the result. What you have to practice is dāna, sīla, samādhi and paññā. Right now, how much do you put into charity (dāna), sīla (morality), bhāvanā (meditation)? If you put in 10%, you’ll get 10% back. It’s like an investment. If you buy 10% stock, you’ll get 10% return. If you buy 50%, you’ll get 50% return. If you buy 100%, you’ll get 100% return. This is the same way with the practice in Buddhism.

For example, the enlightened monks are people who give 100% into the practice. They received 100% result. People who give 100% are usually monks. The Buddha was a monk. His noble disciples are all monks. They have put their 100% effort into the practice. So, they get 100% result. They become enlightened. If anybody wants to become enlightened, he has to put in 100% into their practice. Then, the result will be 100%, which is nibbāna.

Question (F1):  To get this 100%, does one get it within one’s life time or over different life times?

Than Ajahn:  These monks have done it in one life time. All these teachers whom you go to pay respect to, do it within one’s life time. The Buddha has guaranteed that if you can put in 100 % effort, you’ll become enlightened within 7 days, 7 months or 7 years.

You don’t need to go through many life time to accomplish it because you now have someone to teach you how to do it. But if you have no teacher, then you might have to do it several life times because you have to do it by trial and error. Right now you don’t have to do trial and error. You know exactly what you need to do. All you have to do is, ‘Do it.’

Right now you do it very little, not 100%. Like you give to charity, you give only 10%. If you want to practice charity fully, you have to give 100% because in order to become a monk, you’ll have to give up all your wealth first. If you still need your wealth, you cannot become a monk. If you cannot become a monk, you won’t have the full time to practice because you still have to look after your wealth.

Youtube video: “Dhamma in English, Aug 15, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g

"My Mother's Death in Dhamma" By S.N. Goenka.

"My Mother's Death in Dhamma"
By S.N. Goenka.

(In 1985 Goenkaji was asked by a student whether it is possible to feel sensations at the time of death. In reply, he related the following story about his adoptive mother’s death.)

I was one of six sons. I was adopted at a young age by my uncle and aunt, Mr. Dwarkadas and Mrs. Ramidevi Goenka, who at the time had six daughters but no son.

My adoptive mother was a devoted student of my teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin. She had made great progress in her seven years of practicing Vipassana under Sayagyi’s guidance, and Sayagyi was quite fond of her. She was the only student of Sayagyi's to die in his presence as far as it is known.

In 1967 when my mother was about 70 years old, she was diagnosed as having an advanced stage of liver cancer. We in the family did not know how long she had suffered because she had never complained. It was only one week before her death that she spoke mildly about some pain she was having in the liver.

When her daughter-in-law (my wife, Mrs. Goenka) asked her to describe the pain, she replied, “Well, the pain is similar to that which a mother suffers when she gives birth—except that this has no break.”

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She had been meditating very seriously for seven years before her death. She went to the meditation center every time there was a course; whether it was for ten days, one month or any other period, her bag was always packed.

She also did self-courses at home.

Although she came from a devotional background, she was no longer interested in rites and rituals. She had left these behind.

From the time she was diagnosed as having cancer until she died seven days later, she would not allow anyone to talk to her about her disease. She gave strict orders that only Vipassana meditators could come into her room, and then, only to meditate. They could meditate for half an hour, an hour or many hours; and then they were to quietly leave.

In our Hindu community, it was customary for the friends of a dying person to come to the house to pay respects. My mother was very popular in the community and she had many people wishing to visit her in her final illness. For those who were not meditators, she gave instructions that they could visit but that they could not come into her room.

They were simply to sit quietly outside a door of netting. My mother was not interested in receiving treatment, but as her son, it was my duty to arrange it for her. Every day our family doctor and a specialist visited her. When they questioned her about her pain she said, “Yes, there is pain. So what? Anissa, anissa (the Burmese way to pronounce anicca-impermanence).” She attached no importance to it.

---------------

One morning the specialist was concerned that the pain of the cancer might be interfering with her sleep. When he asked, “Did you sleep soundly last night?”

she answered, “No, I had no sleep.”

He wrote a prescription for some sleeping pills which she took that night. The next day, again the doctor came and asked if she had slept, and she replied, “No.”

Again on the third day he asked, and again she responded, “No.”

Even though she did not complain, the doctor worried that she was not sleeping because she was suffering so much. Because of drug shortages, he wrote prescriptions for three different strong sleeping pills with the intention that only one be purchased. However, all three could be purchased and by mistake she was given a triple dosage. The next morning all she reported was that, although her eyelids had become heavy, she had not slept all night.

Then it occured to me that the doctor did not understand.

To a Vipassana meditator sleep is unimportant, especially on the deathbed. Despite sedation my mother’s strong determination had kept her alert. She had been practicing Vipassana every moment. I explained to the doctor that sleeping pills would not help but he did not understand.

He said, “I have given her this medicine and even this does not help her sleep. That means she is in great pain.”

I said, “It’s not the pain, it is Vipassana which is keeping her awake, aware of her sensations.”

As we came out of the room he said, “There is something special about your mother. There is a woman of the same age in a neighboring house who also has liver cancer. She is in great misery and cries out in pain, but we cannot console her. We feel so sorry to see her in this wretched condition. And here is your mother who, when we come, just smiles.”

-------------------

The night she died some of the family members were meditating with her.

At 11:00 pm she said to us “It is so late. All of you go to sleep now.”

About midnight the nurse who was on duty noticed that there was no pulse in her wrists. She became frightened and, thinking death was near, asked, “May I awaken your children?”

My mother said, “No, no, my time has not yet come. When my time comes I will tell you.”

At 3:00 am she told the nurse, “Now is the time.Awaken all the family members. I have to go now.”

And so we were all awakened. We came and discovered there was no pulse in many parts of her body.

We telephoned Sayagyi and the family doctor who both came quickly. When the doctor arrived he said she had only a few minutes left.

Sayagyi arrived shortly thereafter. My mother was lying on her back. Even though there was no pulse left in her wrists (it was as if they were dead), as soon as she saw her teacher, she found the strength to raise her hands and fold them together, paying respect to him.

About five minutes before she died she looked at me and said, “I want to sit.”

I looked at the doctor who said, “No, in a few minutes she is going to die. Let her die peacefully. If you move her it will be a painful death. Already she is suffering great pain. Leave her.”

She heard what he said but again told me, “No, let me sit.”

I thought, “This is her last wish. She doesn’t care about pain. What the doctor says is unimportant. I must help her to sit.”

So I placed some pillows at her back. With a jerk she sat up in the meditation position with folded legs and looked at all of us. I asked her “Do you feel sensations? Do you feel anissa?”

She touched the top of her head and said, “Yes, yes, anissa.”

She smiled and in half a minute she died. In life her face had a glow. Now in death also, there was a glow on her face.

(Vipassana international newsletter. April'92)

"Stop Squirming" ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu

 "Stop Squirming" ~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"We endure so that we can understand, so we can see things from a steady point of view. If your point of view is moving around all the time, then you’re not going to be able to detect subtle things. It’s only when your gaze is really, really still that you can see subtle things moving. It’s like going out at night and sitting very still, watching the moon go behind a tree. You realize that you can watch the moon move. You can see it move, even though it’s very slow and very subtle, it’s moving all the time. But to see that, you have to be perfectly still. The movements of the mind are even more subtle than the movement of the moon, so you have to get very, very still around your core where you feel at ease with a sense of nourishment, a sense of refreshment."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Stop Squirming"


https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/Meditations7/Section0024.html

Here are some tips to help the near and dear to deal with the grief of loss.

TO THE DEAR GRIEVING
Lessening the pain and learning from it

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Here are some tips to help the near and dear to deal with the grief of loss.

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1. Don’t just say (or don’t say): “Anything I can do, please … ” or something similar.
Offer to do something real and tangible. “Can I come over for a coffee?” or “Can I bring you anything from the supermarket?”

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2. Be prepared to deal with a muddled mind.
The grieving person often needs help making decisions, but help gently. Clarity of whatever you’re offering is imperative. Simply just deciding a meeting place and time for that promised coffee should be enough. Be a little more patient with the grieving than usual.

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3. Anything can put the grieving on an emotional downward spiral.
Often, however, talking about the lost beloved brings the most peace to the grieving—yet it's the one thing most people avoid talking about.

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4. Watch out for any triggers.
Often the grieving has triggers associated with death. For some, it is ambulances or sirens; for others, it may be a photo. These are neither eggshells we should skirt around nor should we baby the grieving. This helps us understand any sudden change of emotion or conduct in the grieving  in the face of the trigger.

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5. Listen when the grieving tells you of a change in behaviour or in the way they cope.
And listen intently. Read between the lines. Meet up for a cup of tea and talk about it. They may be trying to tell you they're going downhill and need a shoulder, without wanting to appear weak.

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6. Understand that they CAN function quite normally, too.
Often enough, we somehow manage our grief and get on with our life. It’s just that there may be occasions when some powerful images or memories overwhelm us. This is where we should be prepared to apply the coping skills we have learned, or contact someone we can turn to in such times.

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7. Tears.

When the grieving cries, it’s normal to feel awkward. Pass him the tissues. Hold his hand.  Quietly listen. It’s a valuable human experience which helps us understand the nature of grief and loss.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

One of the biggest false statements we often make is to say “Time heals.” We just LEARN to cope and live with it. One of the worst pressures is to think that by a certain date, we should be healed.

Time may blunt or lessen the sting, but for the griever, it’s can be a prison sentence without parole. There seem to be no light at the end of the tunnel. We just have to get up each morning and hope something gives us a glimmer that gets us through the day.

That glimmer for some is the warm presence of family, good friends, new friends, and the small things we have done along the way. One day, we, the grieving, will repay the warm hands of kindness shown to us, when, sadly, their time comes for them to walk down the same road.

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SKY LANTERNS

For the 100th day memorial, a great idea would be for the immediate family to float SKY LANTERNS as a gesture of love and closure. This is best done in an open space away from an  airport, air base, or when planes are flying above. Before lighting the lanterns, someone or everyone may say some reflective words for the dearly departed. The lanterns are then lit and floated up with a feeling of love and well wishes.

A sky lantern, also known as “Kong Ming Lantern,” “Wish Lantern,” or simply "Chinese lantern," is an airborne paper lantern which derives buoyancy through heated air enclosed within the body of the lantern. Heat is usually generated through a small flame housed within the lantern. Sky lanterns are commonly released during Chinese New Year and Mid Autumn Festival.

How to make a SKY LANTERN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHyAefvWpXA. 

In Singapore, before releasing sky lanterns, we should be aware of some rules regarding it:

https://www.caas.gov.sg/public-passengers/aerial-activities/release-of-sky-lanterns

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Biography of the Venerable Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw, Aggamahapandita, D.Litt.

Biography of the Venerable Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw,
Aggamahapandita, D.Litt.

Known to scholars of many countries, the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw, Aggamahapandita, D. Litt., was perhaps the outstanding Buddhist figure of this age. With the increase in interest in Western lands, there is a great demand for his Buddhist Discourses and writings which are now being translated and reproduced in "The Light of the Dhamma."

Bhikkhu Nyana who was later known as Ledi Sayadaw was born on Tuesday, the 13th Waxing of Nattaw, 1208 Burmese Era (1846 C.E.) at Saing-pyin Village, Dipeyin Township, Shwebo District.

His parents were U Tun Tha and Daw Kyone. Early in life he was ordained a samanera and at the age of 20 a Bhikkhu, under the patronage of Salin Sayadaw U Pandicca. he received his monastic education under various teachers and later was trained in Buddhist literature by the Venerable San-kyaung Sayadaw, Sudassana Dhaja Atuladhipati Siripavara Mahadhamma Rajadhi- raja-guru of Mandalay.

He was a bright student. It was said of him: --"About 200 students attended the lectures delivered daily by the Ven'ble Sankyaung Sayadaw. One day the Venerable Sayadaw set in Pali 20 questions on Parami (Perfections) and asked all the students to answer them. None of them except Bhikkhu Nyana could answer those question satisfactorily." He collected all these answers and when he attained 14 Vassa and while he was still in San-kyaung monastery, he published his first book, "Parami Dipani". (Manual of perfections).

During the reign of King Theebaw he became a Pali lecturer at Maha Jotikarama monastery in Mandalay. A year after the capture of King Theebaw, i.e. in 1887 C.E., he removed to a place to the north of Monywa town, where he established a monastery under the name of Ledi-tawya Monastery.

He accepted many bhikkhu-students from various parts of Burma and imparted Buddhist education to them. In 1897 C.E. he wrote Paramattha Dipani (Manual of Ultimate Truths) in Pali.

Later, he toured in many parts of Burma for the purpose of propagating the Buddha Dhamma. In towns and villages he visited he delivered various Discourses on the Dhamma and established Abhidhamma classes and Meditation Centres. He composed Abhidhamma rhymes or Abhidhamma Sankhitta and taught them to his Abhidhamma classes. In some of the principal towns he spent a Vassa imparting Abhidhamma and Vinaya education to the lay devotees. Some of the Ledi Meditation Centres are still existing and still famous. During his itinerary he wrote many essays, letters, poems and manuals in Burmese. He has written more than 70 manuals[1], of which eight have been translated into English and published in "The Light of the Dhamma". Vipassana Dipani (Manual of Insight) was translated by his disciple Sayadaw U Nyana, Pathamagyaw Patthanuddesa Dipani (A concise exposition of the Buddhist Philosophy of Relations) was originally written in Pali by the late Ledi Sayadaw and translated by Sayadaw U Nyana. Niyama Dipani (Manual of cosmic Order) was translated by U Nyana and Dr. Barua and edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids. Sammaditthi Dipani (Manual of Right Understanding) and Catusacca Dipani (Manual of the Four Noble Truths) were translated by the Editors of "The Light of The Dhamma." Bodhipakkhiya Dipani (Manual of the Factors Leading to Enlightenment) was translated by U Sein Nyo Tun, I.C.S. (Retd.), and Magganga Dipani (Manual of constituents of the Noble Path) was translated by U Saw Tun Teik, B.A. B.L., and revised and edited by the English Editorial Board of the Union Buddha Sasana Council.

He was awarded the title of Aggamahapandita by the Government of India in 1911 C.E. Later, the University of Rangoon conferred on him the degree of D. Litt. (Honoris Causa). In the later years he settled down at Pyinmana where he died in 1923 C.E. at the ripe age of 77.

APPENDIX
Below are some of the Tikas, Manuals, essays and letters written by the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw:--
In Pali:
1. Paramattha Dipani (Manual of Ultimate Truths) or Abhidhammattha Sangaha Maha Tika.
2. Nirutti Dipani or Vuttimoggallana Tika.
3. Anu-dipani.
4. Vibhatyattha Tika.
5. Vaccavacaka Tika.
6. Sasanasampatti Dipani.
7. Sasanavipatti Dipani.
8. Patthanuddesa Dipani.
9. Sammaditthi Dipani.
10. London Pali Devi Questions and answers.
11. Exposition of Buddhism for the West.
12. Padhana Sutta (Pali and word for word meanings).
13. Anattavibhavana.
14. Yamaka Puccha Visajjana.
15. Niyama Dipani.
16. Vipassana Dipani.
In Burmese:
17. Rupa Dipani (Manual of Material Qualities).
18. Lakkhana Dipani (Manual of Characteristics of existence).
19. Parami Dipani (Manual of Perfections).
20. Vijjamagga Dipani (Manual of the Way to the Holy-Path- Knowledge).
21. Nibbana Dipani (Manual of Nibbana).
22. Mahasayana Dipani (Manual of Great Lying Down).
23. Uttama Purisa Dipani (Manual of the Real Superman).
24. Paticcasamuppada Dipani (Manual of Dependent Origination).
25. Ahara Dipani (Manual of Nutritive Essence).
26. Anatta Dipani (Manual of Impersonality).
27. Anatta Dipani (new).
28. Kammatthana Dipani (Manual of Meditation subjects).
29. Anapana Dipani (Manual of Exhaling and Inhaling).
30. Catusacca Dipani (Manual of the Four Noble Truths).
31. Bodhipakkhiya Dipani (Manual of the Factors Leading to Enlightenment).
32. Somanassaupekkha Dipani (Manual of Joy and Equanimity).
33. Bhavana Dipani (Manual of Mental Concentration).
34. Sukumara Dipani.
35. Saccattha Dipani.
36. Sasanadayajja Dipani.
37. Rogantara Dipani.
38. Dhamma Dipani.
39. Danadi Dipani.
40. Magganga Dipani (Manual of the Constituents of the Noble Path).
41. Gonasura Dipani.
42. Niyama Dipani (Manual of Cosmic Order).
43. Silavinicchaya Dipani.
44. Virati-silavinicchaya Dipani.
45. Inaparibhoga-vinicchaya Dipani.
46. Dighasana-vinicchaya Dipani.
47. Asankhara-Sasankhara-vinicchaya Dipani.
48. Sikkha-gahana-vinicchaya Dipani.
49. Cetiyangana-vinicchaya Dipani.
50. Upasampada-vinicchaya Dipani.
51. Decision on Ajivatthamaka Sila.
52. Decision on Vikalabhojana-sikkhapada.
53. Sarana-gamana-vinicchaya Dipani.
54. Paramattha Sankhitta.
55. Vinaya Sankhitta.
56. Sadda Sankhitta.
57. "Alphabets" Sankhitta.
58. Prosody Sankhitta.
59. Alanka Sankhitta.
60. Spelling Sankhitta.
61. Paramattha Sankhitta.
62. Chapter on Material Qualities (in brief).
63. Nibbana-visajjana Manual.
64. Ledi Questions and Answers.
65. Questions on Sotapanna.
66. Sasanavisodhani. Vols. I,II & III.
67. Gambhira-kabya-kyan (Manual of Profound Verses).
68. Open letter for abstention from taking beef.
69. Letter of reply to U Ba Bwa, Township Officer of Dedaye, saying that he could not go on a pilgrimage to Ceylon that year.
70. Admonitory letter to U Saing, Headman of Saingpyin Village for abstention from taking intoxicants.
71. Admonitory letter to the inhabitants of Dipevin Twonship for abstention from taking intoxicants.
72. Admonitory letter prohibiting Lotteries and Gambling
73. AN Advice to hold a Lighting Festival at the Bo Tree within the precincts of Ledi Monastery, Monywa.
74. Letter to U Hmat, a Ruby Merchant of Mogok.
75. Inscription at Sihataw Pagoda written by the Ven'ble Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw at the request of U Hmat.
76. Epic on Samvega.

77. Vipassana Dipani, The Manual of Insight
78. Patthanuddesa Dipani, The Buddhist Philosophy of Relations
79. Sammaditthi Dipani, The Manual of Right Views
80. Niyama Dipani, The Manual of Cosmic Order
81. Catusacca - Dipani, The Manual of The Four Noble Truths
82. Bodhipakkhiya Dipani, The Manual of The Factors Leading to Enlightenment
83. Magganga Dipani, The Manual of The Constituents of The Noble Path
84. Alin Kyan, An Exposition of Five Kinds of Light
85. Appendix - I. Five Questions on Kamma
86. Appendix - II. Anattanisamsa - A Concise Descritption of The Advantages Arising Out of The Realisation of Anatta

“Latent tendencies.”

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

22 April 2023

“Latent tendencies.”

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Question (F2):  “What are latent tendencies?”

Than Ajahn:  “Latent tendencies are the things that you used to do. They are karmic force. 

What you used to do, you would want to do it again. If you used to drink coffee, you want to drink coffee again. If you used to watch TV, you want to keep on watching TV.

You can get rid of latent tendencies by resisting your desire. Every time when you want to have a cup of coffee, you should say, ‘No.’ If the body needs liquid, then just drink plain water. The body doesn’t need coffee. The body needs water. This way you can then get rid of your latent tendencies.

Whatever tendencies you used to do, you can get rid of them by using common sense. 

However, if you do something for the body’s needs, it is not latent tendency, it’s a requisite, it’s a necessity like the body has to drink water, the body has to breathe the air. You do these without having any desire. Other activities that you do with desire are latent tendencies. You want to get rid of them because they are the ones that push you to be reborn again and again.”

Youtube video: “Dhamma in English, Aug 15, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g



*Whatever defilements desire, such as craving for food or drinks, we will have to give in.* 

We have to go on an offense by setting limits and a timetable regarding how much to eat or to drink.

For example, if we limit our food intake to once a day, whatever we wish to eat, we will have to eat during that time.
Whatever we wish to drink, we will only drink at that time. Beyond that time we will only drink water.

This is how it has to be managed.
Watching television is off limits.
Sell the TV set.
Remove anything that is connected with entertainment.
Donate all entertainment gadgets.
That is what we call being aggressive and going on the offensive.
If we sit and wait, defilements will entice us to watch this and that, eat this and that.
When this kind of craving occurs, we might not be able to win the fight.
Without the props of the defilements, when the craving occurs but we do not have anything to chew or to watch, we will not have a problem.

Ajahn Suchart

“Your mind becomes empty and full at the same time. It’s empty of the desire, but it feels full because the mind becomes calm and empty of any cravings.”

“Your mind becomes empty and full at the same time. It’s empty of the desire, but it feels full because the mind becomes calm and empty of any cravings.”

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Question (F1):  “How do we deal with the defilements that are very latent inside us? This defilements are very deep inside us and they arise only through the rising of certain condition.”

Than Ajahn:  “You have to create the conditions for it to arise. Like having the fear of death, you have to go to places where it can cause your fear of death to arise; For fear of pain, you have to sit until the body becomes painful. If you wait for it to happen by itself, it might be too late. For example, if you wait until the time when you get sick or when you’re about to die, it might be too late for you to handle this latent tendency. So, that’s why you have to create the conditions for this latent tendency to arise.

That’s why forest monks go to the forests. They go live with wild animals, with ghosts in the cemeteries or they sit in meditation for many hours to let the strong bodily pain to arise so that they can use mindfulness and wisdom to deal with this pain. The pain is not the problem. The problem is the latent tendency to reject the pain which is causing the mental suffering. And this can be dealt with by the application of mindfulness and wisdom. So, you have to generate conditions for it to arise.

Like people fast for many days to create hunger so that they know how to handle the hunger. There are two types of hunger: the physical hunger and the mental hunger. For physical hunger, you know that there is nothing you can do about it because it’s part of the body’s needs. But for the mental hunger, you can deal with it by calming your mind because your mental hunger arises from your craving for food. Once you use the right kind of contemplation and you can stop your thought about food, your mental hunger will disappear. Then, your mind becomes empty and full at the same time. It’s empty of the desire to eat but it feels full because the mind becomes calm and empty of any cravings.”

Youtube video: “Dhamma in English, Aug 15, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g

The Bare-Bones Instructions to "Mindfulness of Breathing" Taken from the Anapanasati Sutta, #118 in the Majjhima Nikaya

The Bare-Bones Instructions to "Mindfulness of Breathing"
Taken from the Anapanasati Sutta, #118 in the Majjhima Nikaya

Bhikkhu Vimalaramsi

Introduction

This booklet is written to beginner meditators as well as for those who are more practiced in meditation. The author is taking the instructions given in the oldest of the original discourses [suttas] still in existence today. They may seem a little different from other instructions that you have been given or read in the past. But, rest assured, these instructions are what the Buddha taught over 2500 years ago.

These instructions include 'The Four Foundations of Mindfulness' (in Pali this is called Satipatthana), that is Mindfulness of the Body, Mindfulness of Feeling, Mindfulness of Mind, and Mindfulness of Dhammas. By practicing these meditation instructions given by the Buddha in this sutta, the meditator will naturally experience the meditation stages called Jhana (This is a Pali word that means a level or stage of meditation).

According to the original teaches of the Buddha, the 'Four Foundations of Mindfulness' and 'The Mindfulness of Breathing' suttas are intimately intertwined and dependent on each other. So, when the meditator practices in this way, can then gain the insight, wisdom, tranquility and equanimity needed to experience the ultimate goal of awakening called Nibbana.

What is meditation?

Meditation is one of those kinds of words that we all hear and it seems to have different meanings for different people. When asked, some people may practice meditation but, they can't explain exactly what it is they do. So here is a definition of meditation that agrees with the Buddha's instructions. Meditation is the skill in watching "how" mind moves. By this I mean, when mind is very happy, peaceful and calm then all of a sudden something happens and mind becomes sad, or anxious, or angry, "How" did that happen? "How" did mind move from the happiness, peacefulness and calm to becoming sad, anxious or angry? Meditation is being able to watch how this happens, and then "how" to let go, without getting sad, anxious, or angry. Meditation is the art of observation and relaxing.

Commentaries

The instructions given here may seem different from what may be taught elsewhere. The reason is that over the years many scholars have written about meditation. These writings are called commentaries.

These commentaries are often written by people who have never practiced meditation, but have studied exclusively. They didn't write about their own direct experiential knowledge from practicing meditation, but would talk to people who practiced many different types of meditation and copied what was reported to them. These commentaries may have been very convincing to the scholars, but when anyone compares them against what is taught in the original texts, they can see a very big difference in the instructions. Sometimes the commentaries completely leave out whole sections of the instructions and sometimes they just go out on their own and add what another style of meditation they think works, then gives them as the proper instructions, as if they were given from the Buddha.

Please understand that all styles of meditation are of real benefit to anyone who practices regularly. But consider that just like looking at a map, all roads don't lead to the same place. (there are many different roads that may be taken, but they may not get to the desired destination.) In the same way, when we go back to the discourses given by the Buddha there is a map that leads directly to the cessation of all suffering, when we follow it closely. This is the reason that the author has taken the time and energy to go back to the original discourses [suttas] to understand and practice meditation in the way that was originally taught. Which was painstakingly researched by direct experience and studied for many, many years.

Psychotherapy and Buddhist Meditation

Western psychology and psychotherapy differs from Buddhist meditation and awareness in very subtle but obvious ways. This is not to say that western psychology and psychotherapy are wrong and Buddhist meditation is right.

They both have their advantages and uses but the end results are quite different. The roads on the map are different and lead to different results. Western psychology and psychotherapy takes a person suffering from mental imbalances and shows them how to live in a more balanced way. Buddhist meditation takes a mentally balanced person and shows them how to be fully awake, truly happy and free from all suffering.

Psychology and psychotherapy deals entirely with thoughts and feelings, then spends time analyzing them. The therapist helps the client to get involved with the identification and content of the feelings or emotions. This is when the psychologist talks about making the "ego" healthy.

Whereas, in Buddhism we learn to see how the experiences we have are nothing more than an ever-changing "process" (called dependent origination). We learn that getting involved with these thoughts and feelings personally, or taking them to be "me or mine", is the cause of great unhappiness and suffering. The ultimate goal of the Buddha's teachings is to show us how to let go of any ideas about there being a permanent "self or ego" that controls everything. The Buddhist meditator learns to see all things in life as being simply part of a "process" (dependent origination) that is ever-changing (anicca), painful (dukkha) and impersonal (anatta).

Why versus How

The goals of western psychology and psychotherapy and Buddhist meditation work at solving the human conditions of suffering, but they are quite unique and have extremely different end results. They both teach a person to become more aware of thoughts and feelings, but as you can see their perspectives are quite different.

In other words, western psychology and psychotherapy places its focus on observing past experiences and analyzes these experiences to find out "WHY" it occurred. Then it shows a person how to live a healthy life by dealing with these past occurrences. The therapist helps to teach an unbalanced person to experience life in a more balanced or regular way. Buddhism, on the other hand, puts its focus on observing experience and seeing "how" the whole process of experience occurs through seeing dependent origination and teaches us to understand that it is an impersonal evolution. The key to Buddhist teachings deals with "HOW" this process works. Whereas, western psychology deals with "why" these things come up. Which is dealing mostly with concepts and the reasons for their appearing.

Buddhism shows how to develop our mind with pure, coherent awareness and observation of every process (experience) as it arises and teaches us to understand how to see more clearly. This is dealing directly with the reality of observing exactly "how" things arise in the present moment. So the Buddha's teachings are seen only as an impersonal process and not to falsely identify with or get overly involved with this process by thinking about it. The Buddha teaches us to see this whole experience and let go, relax, then gently re-direct our attention back to the breath and relaxing, without getting involved with and wrongly identifying with the content of those thoughts and feelings. Or we could say, we learn to see everything as an impersonal experience to be seen, not to get involved with or take this process as being a personal self or ego.

These two different types of perspective have different goals and objectives. Their separate approaches can bring happiness and balance into our life. The Buddhist approach tends to go beyond ordinary types of awareness and it leads us to see how to let go of all ego-identification so we can truly see and experience the ultimate goal, which is the complete cessation of all suffering.

When a person takes the time and energy to practice meditation in this way, they will begin to see and understand for themselves just why the Buddha's path is such an amazing way of experiencing the world around them. The Buddha proclaimed that "We are the Happy One's" . Doing the meditation that is written in this booklet, you will see why for yourself.

Anapanasati Sutta

The actual instructions given in the discourse called "The Anapanasati Sutta" are only one paragraph long but the explanation will take a bit more space. These instructions are word for word, letter for letter repeated in other discourses [suttas] as well. For example, they are in the "The Four Foundations of Mindfulness" [Satipatthana Sutta] and the "Mindfulness of the Body" [Kayagatasati Sutta] discourses as well, to name just a couple.

As you read these instructions and give them a try, you will begin to see and understand how mind works, which is a very exciting and fun experience. Also, if you have practiced other styles of meditation, you will notice that things like headaches, vertigo, or ringing in the ears, won't occur anymore.

This meditation practice is not only about sitting as still as a statue and doing a quiet type of meditation but it is very helpful in all daily activities that we have to do during our everyday lives.

Please follow these instructions as closely as possible for the best results and progress. Also, it is best to do only one meditation at a time, because mind is fickle and will jump around when there are different types of meditation being practiced at the same time. It can become confusing as to which meditation to practice then the meditator tries doing one type and when it doesn't seem right the meditator jumps to another type of meditation, as a result, they wind up not doing any real meditation at all.

So, please prepare yourself for a very pleasant journey to the cessation of suffering.

Maha-Metta always,
Bhante Vimalaramsi Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
Arcadia. MO 63621. USA
Dec.2003 Current Era - Dec. 2547 Buddhist Era

-ooOoo-

Meditation Instructions

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa

There will be some Pali words introduced into this instruction and the author will try to make these words understandable in English for the readers. This discourse is taken from the "Anapanasati Sutta", 'Anapana' is a Pali word meaning in breathing and out breathing. 'Sati' means mindfulness, watchfulness or observation power. So, the meaning of "anapanasati" means watchfulness of the in breathing and out breathing. The Pali word "Sutta" means 'thread'. So whenever we see the word 'sutta' it is another thread that is woven with other 'suttas' and together they make a very beautiful cloth of 'Dhamma' [many people use the Sanskrit word 'Dharma', instead. they have exactly the same meaning but the author prefers to use the Pali pronunciation] 'Dhamma' is another Pali word that has many different meanings some of which are truth, the way things are, the Buddha's teachings, the true nature of things, etc.

This sutta [thread] is taken from the "The Anapanasati Sutta" and will be given in bold letters and underlined. There will be an explanation given in regular type after each section.

[16] "And how, monks, is mindfulness of breathing developed and cultivated, so that it is of great fruit and great benefit?

[17] "Here a monk, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, sits down; having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and establishes mindfulness in front of him, ever mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.

These are the preparatory stages of the meditation. It basically means for the meditator to find a quiet place to sit with little or no distractions. Turn off the TV, radio or telephone and find a place that has very few noises which will pull you away from the sitting. For the beginning meditator noises can turn into a big distraction and can pull one's attention away from watching the breath and relaxing. After the meditator becomes more familiar with this practice, noises won't really be a bother anymore. They just become a part of the meditation practice.

The next part says to sit with the legs folded crosswise. But the author has found that many people in this country are not used to sitting on the oor with their legs crossed. When they try, it can cause a lot of pain to arise. The meditator can sit on a cushion or if they prefer they can sit on a chair [as long as they don't lean into the back rest]. Some meditation teachers want their students to sit in what is called a "full or half lotus" position, but it really isn't necessary. There is no magic in sitting on the floor and twisting the legs into a pretzel. A comfortable sitting posture where the legs don't go to sleep is best.

The reason that the Buddha recommended sitting on the floor is at the time he was alive they didn't use chairs, so everyone sat on the floor and they were used to it. But, in our culture, we hardly ever sit on the oor, so our bodies are not used to it. Also, it may take quite a long time to become used to sitting on the oor in a comfortable way. It can even be a painful experience for a long time before the legs get limber enough to be comfortable.

It is the meditator's choice whether they sit on the floor or not. When sitting in meditation it is best to sit with the back nicely straight, with one vertebrae stacked on the other. Please don't sit in a rigid way where the back is overly straight as this can cause unnecessary pain and back problems to arise. Contrary to what many people think, pain is not the point of the meditation and nothing is further from the truth. Watching mind move and seeing how it goes from one thing to another is what meditation is all about. Please sit with the legs in a comfortable position and have the back nicely straight.

Now is when the actual instructions begin.

[18] "Breathing in long, he understands: 'I breathe in long'; or breathing out long, he understands: 'I breathe out long': Breathing in short, he understands: 'I breathe in short'; breathing out short, he understands: 'I breathe out short'.

The key words here are "He understands", it doesn't say anything about placing your attention on the nostril tip or the abdomen. The instructions don't say to count the breaths, nor do they say anything about following the breath around in the body from the nostril tip to the throat to the lungs to the abdomen and back again. The instructions simply say to "understand" what the breath is doing in the present moment, They never mention focusing one's attention in any one place. All that these instructions say is the "He/she understands when they breathe in and out long or short. So where does one put their attention? The answer is 'One Understands' when breath is long or short, they understand when breath is fine or coarse, they understand when breath is fast or slow. In other words the meditator knows what the breath is doing in the present moment. The meditator doesn't need to focus on any one place or follow it from one place to another. They only have to understand the general characteristics of what the breath is doing. Let us continue on:

He trains thus: 'I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body';
He trains thus: 'I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body.
He trains thus: 'I shall breathe in tranquilizing the bodily formation':
He trains thus: 'I shall breathe out tranquilizing the bodily formation'.

Now, we get to the part where the real instructions abide. When the instructions says 'He trains thus' the meditator begins to train their mind to become more observant, so they see their whole physical body on the in breath and out breath. The meditator NEVER tries to control their breath in any way! They just let body breathe naturally. They notice where body has tightness or tension in it. On the in breath notice when there is tightness in the muscle of the shoulders or back or hands, etc. And do the same on the out breath.

This, is the most important part of the meditation and that is to relax those tight muscles consciously and do this on the in breath and the out breath.

An interesting observation about the people in this country is, that they think the whole body starts at the neck then goes down, while from the neck up is a part of mind. This is a wrong perception that needs to be addressed. The whole body starts at the top of the head and goes down from there. When noticing any tightness or tension, the first place that needs to be observed is in the head. Every thought, every movement of mind begins with a subtle tightness or tension arising in the head. Meditators need to be aware of this and relax on the in breath and relax on the out breath. The meditator uses the breath as a reminder to relax.

Smiling

Once the meditator begins to meditate, first softly close the eyes, then put a little smile in the mind, a little smile in the eyes, even though the eyes are closed, put a little smile on the lips and a smile in the heart.

Having a smile is a very important part of the meditation! There have been some studies done on the corners of the mouth. When the corners of the mouth go down, mind has a tendency to be heavy, rigid and unhappy. So at that time, mind tends to be sluggish and can become stiff and it moves very slowly. But when the corners of the mouth go up mind tends to be happy and have uplifting thoughts. Then mind tends to be lighter and more uid in watching. Joy is one of the enlightenment factors and smiling leads the meditator to this joy. Just look at a good Buddha image and see the smile. The artist is showing us that this should be a joyful experience. This is definitely a smiling meditation!

On the in-breath, relax the tightness in the body [especially the head]... smile. On the out-breath... relax... smile... in-breath... relax... smile... outbreath... relax.. smile. When relaxing feel mind kind of open up and expand, like a hand does when it opens up after it was holding onto something, then, at that time, mind becomes very calm and clear. It is like mind takes a tiny step down from where it was. This open calm mind has no thoughts in it, there is only a pure awareness, that is exceptionally alert and bright. The meditator stays with the breath and relaxing as much as possible, without grabbing onto or trying to control anything. Just observe, and relax. This is the simplest and most fun meditation to practice, that the author has ever seen or experienced.

Arising thoughts

Many people think that when they are "meditating", mind is not "supposed" to have thoughts in it. But this is not the case. Especially at the beginning mind will run all over the place and think about this and think about that. "AND" that is alright!

Thoughts are not the enemy to push down, stop or fight with. Thoughts are just thoughts, so the meditator treats them simply as a small distraction and when the meditator notices that mind is thinking about this or that, they just let go of those thoughts, even if mind thinks that these thoughts are "important". Let them go , relax the subtle tightness caused by the thoughts and softly redirect the attention back to the breath and relaxing again.

At first the meditator may not notice that mind has gone away for a long time, but as soon as they have noticed they let go, relax and redirect mind back to the meditation object (the breath, relaxing and smiling). There is no need to criticize or condemn oneself, at all. This is a part of training one's awareness and it can be a fun part of the meditation when not taken too seriously. It is alright to have fun and make the meditation a part of a game. Smile!

Body movement

When the meditator begins to sit they must not move any part of there body at all. Please don't wiggle the fingers or toes, don't sway the body, don't scratch, don't shift the body, don't rub, don't change your posture, for any reason. Please sit as still as a Buddha image or big rock that is stuck in the ground. You can move as much as they do.

When sitting like this there may be some sensations that arise, like an itch, a tickle in the throat, a sneeze, heat, vibration, or even pain. Please remember that you can't move at all! So what to do? First, notice that the impulse to make the sensation go away is very strong and your mind will begin to think about it. These thoughts sound something like this, "I wish that this would stop!", "I hate this feeling", "Why doesn't this just go away and stop bothering me!", "I want this to leave me alone!", "But the instructions say that I can't move!", or "Oh, what torture!".

The first thing that the meditator will observe is the thoughts about the sensation. The meditator will see that the more one tries to control the sensation with their thoughts, the bigger and more intense that sensation becomes. The instructions tell us, to let go of the thoughts and then to notice that there is a subtle tightness in the head and in one's mind, so then relax.

Next the meditator will notice that there is a tight mental fist wrapped around that sensation, one lets the sensation be there without any resistance at all. The truth [dhamma] of the present moment is, when a sensation arises, 'It is there' ! If the meditator tries to fight that sensation, or they try to control that sensation in any way, or they try to make that sensation go away, as a result, it gets bigger and more intense.

Allowing sensations to be

The meditator learns through this training of themselves, to allow that sensation to be there. One learns to open up that tight mental fist and allow the sensation to be and do whatever it wants to do. It is only a sensation and it is alright for that sensation to be there. It has to be alright, why? Because that is the truth! Anytime one tries to fight with the truth or control the truth or make the truth be they way they want it to be, it causes more and more suffering.

The meditator simply allows the sensation to be there and to float like a bubble floating in the wind. When the wind blows from one direction the bubble goes in the same direction and when the wind changes and blows in another direction the bubble goes in that direction. The bubble has no resistance at all it just oats around wherever it will. So in the same way, the meditator allows the sensation to float wherever it will. This meditation is about watching the movements of mind.

Meditation is learning how to lovingly accept whatever it is that arises in the present moment and allow it to be there without any resistance at all. Now, the meditator notices a kind of subtle and sometimes not so subtle tightness or tension in their body, especially in the head, relax and smile. Now they feel mind relax and kind of expand then open up and next mind seems to take a little step down and it becomes calm.

At that time, mind becomes very clear and alert, there are no thoughts in mind so it becomes pure. Now the meditator will please redirect their attention back to the breath, relax and smile again. Of course, the nature of these kinds of sensations is that they don't go away right away. So mind may get pulled back to that sensation again and the meditator does the same thing again. No matter how many times mind gets pulled away, the process is always the same. First let go of the thought... relax... smile, next let go of that tight mental fist wrapped around that sensation... relax... smile... softly redirect mind back to the breath, relaxing and smile...

Conclusion

These are the bare-bones instructions for the Mindfulness of Breathing. These instructions when followed closely will work for every type of distraction that takes mind away from being in the present moment, relaxing and smiling. One thing to remember is that this is an all of the time meditation. When a person is walking from their house to the car or the car to their work place, what is their mind doing at that time? Thinking about this or that, liking this, disliking that and so on. This is the time to recognize that mind is wandering around and let go of the thoughts, relax, smile and redirect their attention back to the breath, relaxing and smiling again. Do this as many times during the day as can be remembered. This is how one practices the meditation all of the time.

May this booklet be of some assistance to all who are searching the path of awakening. May all beings be successful in attaining Nibbana quickly and easily, in this lifetime. The author shares the merit of writing this booklet with his mother, father and all beings. It is customary after reading or sharing Dhamma with some else to Share Merit with all beings. So:

May suffering ones, be suffering free
And the fear-struck, fearless be.
May the grieving shed all grief,
And may all beings find relief.

May all beings share this merit that we have thus acquired,
For the acquisition of all kinds of happiness.

May beings inhabiting space and earth,
Devas and nagas of mighty power,
Share this merit of ours.

May they long protect the Lord Buddha's dispensation.

Sadhu ... Sadhu... Sadhu...

“Giving dāna is the first step of having spiritual happiness.”

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

8 September 2024

“Giving dāna is the first step of having spiritual happiness.”

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Question: Around 7 or 8 years back, I remember that I was doing dāna offering with much joy, but now it seems that I have lost much of the joy in offering dāna. 

So how can I get back the same level of joy and enthusiasm?

Tan Ajahn: Giving dāna is the first step of having spiritual happiness, but the mind is like the body. When you were born you could be happy with just drinking milk, but as your body grew bigger, you found that drinking milk alone was not enough, so you had to have more, something heavier like rice, meat, and vegetables in order to make you feel full.

That is the same way with Dhamma practice. 

When you first start, your mind is like an infant. When you give dāna, you feel very happy. But after a while your mind becomes accustomed to this happiness and it wants something stronger, something heavier, and something more. That’s why you have to start keeping the five precepts.

When you start keeping the five precepts, you feel happier, happier than giving dāna. After you have been keeping the five precepts for a while, you feel that you need something more, so you have to keep the eight precepts. After keeping the eight precepts, then you have to also practice meditation, because these two go hand in hand. If you want to practice meditation, you should keep the eight precepts.

When you keep the eight precepts and meditate, you will have more happiness, bigger happiness. And once you have developed jhāna, you want more happiness than that, because jhāna can give you only temporary happiness. You are happy when you are in meditation in jhāna, but when you come out of your jhāna, your mind can start to think about and desire things, and it can make you lose that happiness.

If you want to have longer, lasting happiness, you have to use vipassanā, you have to use paññā, which is aniccaṁ, dukkhaṁ and anattā. 

You have to contemplate aniccaṁ, dukkhaṁ and anattā in everything that you see or are involved with. You have to teach your mind to let go, because these things don’t belong to you. Sooner or later the original owners will come and take them away from you. Who are the original owners? They are the four elements: earth, water, fire and wind elements.

The four elements are the things that make up everything in this world, including the human body and the animal body. Eventually the human body will dissolve and return to the four elements. This is something you have to teach your mind, remind your mind, tell your mind to readily to give it up when the time comes. If you think like this, then the mind will not want to have anything because no matter how much you have, one day you will lose it all.

So, it is better to have something that you will not lose. 

That something is peace of mind—peace of mind that you can achieve by sitting in meditation and letting go of everything leading to the development of vipassanā or paññā.

“Dhamma for the Asking, Nov 11, 2014”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g

GAME RULES by Bro Piya Tan

GAME RULES by Bro Piya Tan

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Imagine when we have no access to the suttas; we don’t even know that they exist. Then, we have no way of knowing what exactly the Buddha and the early arhats taught. We will be completely ignorant of the Buddha Dhamma.

Even worse, we will be blindly follow the numerous Teachers, Gurus and Talkers of Buddhism today. With only our views and biases acting like a lightning rod in a dark sky clouded by the thunder and lightning (the Teachers, Gurus and Talkers), they will just zap into our lightning conductors and electrify our lives.

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PROPERLY GROUNDED

Sadly, we have not grounded our lightning-rods in the earth that holds the Bodhi tree. So we are electrified and stunned by the enticing and inspiring Teachings of the Teachers, Gurus and Talkers. We think we have found the only true Guru and hid Teaching. We place him even above the Buddha, since we do not even know the Buddha.

We will be quarrelling with one another or hate one another because we are Buddhists!
These are Cult Buddhisms.

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DHAMMA SEEKERS

Dhamma teachers, monastic or lay, are only human. They sometimes promote themselves without knowing it, or we think they are promoting themselves. When we behave like their servants and slaves, we only encourage them to treat us so. We should all be Dhamma-seekers. At the right time, we should point out the wrong things they are doing or teaching; we should remind them of the Vinaya (many of the Vinaya rules were introduced because of complaints from the laity). These are our duties as lay followers.

If they are truly good monastics, they will listen to us and respect us. And we listen to them and respect them. This mutual respect is like a “social contract.” The monastic almsbowl represents the “bond” between the monastics and the laity.

The monastics live in Vinaya and Dhamma, and teach the laity by example, and the laity support them respectfully. It is for this reason, true monastics do not need money: they are RENUNCIANTS, working for awakening in this life itself.
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KIND AND RIGHT

We will be foolish to think that it is better to be “kind” rather than “right.” We may then think of this as an excuse to accept wrong conduct and false teachings as being “all right.” It is only proper to be both KIND AND RIGHT. This is the Buddha’s wisdom (right) and compassion (kind) which we should follow.

The suttas are our gold standard and quality control. They teach us how to live our lay lives properly and happily so that we can reach the path in this life itself, even as lay followers. The Vinaya protects the monastics from worldly distraction, and keeps the laity safe from false or weak monastics

The suttas, then, are the most ancient and true RELICS we still have today, going back, at least in spirit, to the Buddha himself. When we seek the suttas we learn to practise the true teachings of the Buddha no matter where we are. Temples and centres that love and respect the suttas become the protectors of suttas to propagate the Buddha Dhamma to benefit countless people.

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RULES DEFINE THE GAME

A teaching is true not because a teacher says so, but because it is found in the suttas. We properly understand the suttas through our own practice of moral virtue, mental cultivation and wisdom, even on a simple level.

When we know nothing about the suttas, then, we will be ignorant and helpless. When we don’t understand the Vinaya, it’s like not knowing the rules of a game. Football is not football without its rules. What is Buddhism then?

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fb191020 piya

“Remembering past lives is not necessary for the practice for enlightenment because you don’t need to know what you were in your past lives to become enlightened.”

“Remembering past lives is not necessary for the practice for enlightenment because you don’t need to know what you were in your past lives to become enlightened.”

Question:  Ajahn mentioned that the memory is not in the body. Does it mean that memory is part of the mind?

Than Ajahn:  Yes, sañña is part of the nāma-khandas. The mind has four-khandas: vedanā, sañña, sankhāra, viññaṇa. Vedanā is feeling, sankhāra is thought, sañña is memory, and viññaṇa is consciousness. These four-khandas stay with the mind and don’t die with the body. Some parts of the body rely on bodily functions to work, like the brain which sends messages to the mind, so when the brain stops and cannot send messages, it then cannot remember some of the things that the body sees or hears, because the brain doesn’t tell the mind what it is seeing or hearing. The work of the memory is dependent on two parts, on the body and on the mind. However, even without the body, you can still recollect what you did in the past, like recollection of past lives, which do not need the body for.

You need a calm mind to be able to retrace your past lives. If you forget what you did yesterday, you may be able to retrace and remember it by sitting in meditation, this is the function of the mind. When you have to use the body to remember things and when the body doesn’t remember then you cannot remember it. So this is something different between the physical and the mental. If it is purely mental, then you can still remember it.

If you have a strong memory, you can remember your past lives, like the Lord Buddha.  He can remember whether he was this person or that person in his past lives, and he can remember when he did certain things in his past lives. But not everyone who meditates will have this ability. This depends on each individual’s ability to recollect past lives. Some people don’t have that strong ability, so they cannot remember their past lives. Some people do, some don’t, so this is considered to be a special ability. Remembering past lives is not necessary for the practice for enlightenment, because you don’t need to know what you were in your past lives to become enlightened.

By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Youtube: Dhamma in English
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g

he Meditation On Loving-Kindness (Mettá) By Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

The Meditation On Loving-Kindness (Mettá)                       
 By Bhante Henepola Gunaratana 

Practicing Loving-Kindness (Part One)

Sometimes the practice of Insight meditation may be assumed to be a kind of practice, which makes the meditator seem rather like a heartless or indifferent being, or like a vegetable without any love and compassion for other living beings.

We must remember, however, that the Buddha has strongly advised us cultivate the four sublime states of mind: as loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity. The first of these four is so important that the Buddha said that one who depends entirely upon people for one’s living (i.e. a monk or nun) can repay one’s indebtedness to lay supporters when one practices loving kindness towards all living beings, even for such a short time as a fraction of a second each day.

Karaniyametta Sutta says "One should develop this mindfulness which is called divine behavior here" Mindfulness is one of the most important factors in the Buddha's teaching. From the day he attained enlightenment till he passed away at the age of 80, in almost every Dhamma talk he stressed mindfulness. When he equates the practice of loving-kindness with that of mindfulness, we can understand the significance of the practice of loving-kindness in the Buddha's teaching. The Buddha perfected it for the attainment of Enlightenment and balanced it with wisdom. Even after the attainment of Enlightenment, the very first thing he did every day, was to enter into the attainment of Great Compassion, which is an outcome of the practice of loving-kindness. Then he surveyed the world to see if there were any beings whom he could help to understand Dhamma. These four sublime states of mind are called Brahma Vihara, best behavior or best attitude. The first three of these are strong enough to attain the first three Jhanas and the last to attain the fourth jhana. They are so important in the practice of Vipassana meditation that they are included in the second step of the Noble Eightfold Path. In fact, no concentration is possible without these sublime states of mind because in their absence the mind would be filled with hatred, rigidity, worry, fear, tension and restlessness.

Preliminary to the practice of these noble states of mind is overcoming our hatred, which is a thoughtless way of wasting one's energy. Hate is compared to boiling water when it is active or jaundice when it is unexpressed. It can destroy your meditation practice and moral training. The hateful person is compared to a half burned log of wood left in a funeral pyre. Both ends of this log are burned and turned to charcoal and the middle is covered with filth. Nobody would like to pick it up for firewood or for any other purpose because it can dirty the hand of the person who handles it. Similarly the hateful person will be avoided by all means, if possible, by everybody.

We must start the practice of loving-kindness with ourselves first. Sometimes some of you may wonder why we have to love ourselves first. Wouldn't that amount to self-love and lead to selfishness? When you investigate your own mind very carefully, however, you will be convinced that there is no one in the whole universe that you love more than yourself. The Buddha said, "Investigating the whole world with my mind never did I find anyone dearer than oneself. Since oneself is dearer than others, one who loves oneself should never harm others" One who does not love oneself can never love another at all. By the same token one who loves oneself will feel the impact of loving-kindness and then can understand how beautiful it is if every heart in the whole world is filled with the same feeling of loving-kindness.

The loving-kindness that we want to cultivate is not an ordinary love as it is understood in everyday application. When you say, "I love such-and-such a person" or "such-and-such a thing", for instance, what you really mean is that you desire that particular person's appearance, behavior, ideas, voice, or overall attitude; either towards you in particular or towards life in general. If that person changes the things you like very much in him or her you may decide that you do not love him or her. When your tastes, whims and fancies or that of the other person change, then you would not say "I love so-and-so". In this love-hate duality you love one and hate another. You love now and hate later. You love when you wish and hate when you wish. You love when everything is smooth and rosy and hate when anything goes wrong with the relationship between you and the other person or thing. If your love changes from time to time, place to place and situation to situation in this fashion then what you call "love" is not true loving-kindness but lust, greed, or desire--not love by any means.

The kind of loving-kindness that we want to cultivate through meditation does not have its opposite or an ulterior motive. Therefore, the love-hate dichotomy does not apply to loving-kindness cultivated through wisdom or mindfulness, for it will never change into hate, as circumstantial changes take place. True loving-kindness is a natural faculty concealed under the heap of greed, hatred and ignorance. Nobody can give it to us. We must find it out within ourselves and cultivate it mindfully. Mindfulness discovers it, cultivates it and maintains it. "I" consciousness [ahankara] dissolves in mindfulness and its place will be taken by loving-kindness free from selfishness.

Because of our selfishness we hate some people. We want to live in certain ways, do certain things in certain ways, perceive things in certain ways; not in any other way. If others do not agree with our views, our ways and our styles, we not only hate them but become entirely so irrational and blind with un-mindfulness that we might even deprive them of their right to live.

When you practice loving-kindness you do not get angry if you do not receive any form of favor in return from persons and beings to whom you radiate your loving-kindness, because you have no ulterior motive when you radiate loving-kindness towards them. In this net of loving-kindness not only do you include all beings as they are, but you wish all of them, without any discrimination, to be happy minded. You continue to behave gently and kindly towards all beings, speaking gently and kindly about them in their presence as well as in their absence.

When we meditate, our minds and bodies become naturally, relaxed. Our hindrances dissolve. Our sleepiness and drowsiness, for instance, are replaced by alertness. Doubt is replaced by confidence, hatred by joy, restlessness and worry by happiness. As our resentment is replaced by joy, loving-kindness hidden in our subconscious mind expresses itself, making us more peaceful and happy. In this state of meditation we gain concentration and overcome our greed. We can see how meditation destroys hatred and cultivates loving-kindness, which in turn supports our practice of meditation. Together these two operate in unison, culminating in concentration and insightfulness. Therefore, to pick up one's own mind wave of loving-kindness one must fine-tune oneself through the practice of mindfulness meditation.

Mindful observation of our own individual mental states can make us aware of how some thought waves are harmful, destructive and painful. Others are peaceful and joyful. Then our mind rejects that which is harmful and cultivates that which is peaceful and joyful. We don't learn this from books or teachers or friends or enemies, but from our own practice and experience. When harmful thoughts arise we learn not to entertain them and when peaceful thoughts arise we let them grow and stay in the mind much longer. This way we learn from our own experience how to think more healthily. This practice conditions our minds to grow loving-kindness. This means that peaceful thought waves appearing in our mind by themselves can be generated at will later on. This practice helps us to comprehend that loving-kindness does grow in the backyard of our own mind. Environmental or circumstantial factors play an important role to cultivate it. No human being could be totally devoid of loving-kindness, no matter how cruel he or she may appear to us. The loving-kindness, concealed in each person’s subconscious mind, should be brought out through the skill of mindfulness.

"Mitra" in Vedic literature and "Mitta" in Pali literature means the sun. The nature of the sun can be called "Maitri" or "Mettá". Maitri or Mettá also means friendliness or loving-kindness. Perhaps the reason why loving-kindness is called so is that it generates very warm feeling towards all beings. Like warmth comes from the sun, one who has loving-kindness has a warm heart towards others. Just as the sun shines indiscriminately on any object in the world, "Mettá" or "Maitri" pervades all beings without any discrimination. Just as the sun dispels darkness, loving-kindness destroys the darkness of hatred. Just like some objects absorbs sun more than others , some living beings absorb loving-kindness better than others. Those beings who absorb more loving-kindness are the ones who learn to relax because of their Kamma.

The Buddha had cultivated such a powerful loving-kindness that he loved his bitterest enemy, Devadatta, who tried many times to kill him. He loved the highway robber and murderer, Angulimala, who also came to kill him. He loved Dhanapala, an elephant that came to kill him. He loved all of them just the same way he loved his own son, Rahula. When Devadatta died on the way going to see the Buddha, monks asked the Buddha what his future would be. The Buddha said that he would become a silent Buddha in future. That is the kind of loving-kindness, guided by mindfulness that allows us to live in peace and harmony.

Loving-kindness or Mettá cannot be cultivated by mere repetition of words of loving-kindness. Repetition of such a formula is very much like repeating a prescription to a patient in a hospital or a menu to a hungry person in a restaurant. Repeating a list of things will never produce the tangible result of the words in the list. Loving-kindness is something we have to cultivate intentionally in our own minds by ourselves.
Loving-kindness develops through meditation. When the mind is relaxed the meditator is able to forgive and forget any offense committed against him. One can practice Mettá through tranquility (Samatha) meditation.

But that is not perpetual because tranquility achievement can be only temporary. Friendliness cultivated through Vipassana, on the other hand, is perpetual because the effect of Vipassana meditation takes deep root in one’s mind. Vipassana meditation softens the mind, and friendliness, cultivated along with the softening of the mind, will take deep root in the mind.

Vipassana meditator’s see the impermanence in their forms, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness. They can compare the changes of these aggregates with those of others. Then they do not see any person or thing to hate. If they ask themselves whom they hate, they may not find any individual to hate. By the same token they may not find any being towards whom they can cultivate loving-kindness, too. All they perceive is the phenomena of continuous flux of events that take place every moment in their own states of affairs and that of others. This enables them to forgive and forget the offenses that other aggregates have committed against them or their friends or relatives. Loving-kindness meditation is the real thing that genuinely develops our noble qualities, which can promote peace and happiness. We cannot inculcate loving-kindness in others' minds. Nor can others give theirs to us. You cannot inculcate loving-kindness in me by force if my Kamma prevents my mind from accepting it. Each one of us must prepare the ground for loving-kindness to grow within our own minds.

In the final analysis the practice of loving-kindness depends on an individual's spiritual development and Kamma. Some people's minds are Kammically so unfortunate that they find it almost impossible even to dream of the effectiveness of loving-kindness let alone practicing it, for their Kamma prevents them from seeing the benefit of loving-kindness. If you teach a class you will notice that each and every student's performance is not equal. Even identical twins have different performances in a class taught by you. Individuality is the way of expressing one's own emotional, intellectual, physical and spiritual development conditioned by one's own Kamma.

Not even the Buddha can intervene in some body’s Kamma. We are not created equal, but born different from one another according to our own Kamma, which divides beings into superior or inferior qualities. If you do some good Kamma and enjoy its result I cannot steal or take it away from you by force or by friendly means. If I practice loving-kindness for all beings I can clear my mind from hatred. Thus my practice of loving-kindness manifests in my behavior. Beginning the practice of loving-kindness is the beginning of practice of good Kamma, for no good Kamma can be practiced without loving-kindness. Introducing the four Foundations of Mindfulness, therefore, the Buddha asked meditator’s to overcome covetousness and hatred for the reason that during the practice of mindfulness the meditator will encounter many problems with both covetousness and hatred. More often than not, people ask, "Can we eliminate other people's pain, suffering and hatred by cultivating loving-kindness within ourselves?"

Even the Buddha is unable to eradicate other people's pain and suffering by wishing peace and happiness. The Buddha said: "You must work out your own salvation. The Buddhas are teachers." As individuals have their share of Kamma, each and everyone has to work for their own salvation. If we can eliminate others' suffering by wishing them to be free from their pain and suffering, then bringing peace and happiness to the whole world is very easy. If this is possible, by the same token, it should also be possible for a vindictive person to destroy all their enemies by wishing them: "Let them be ugly, let them lie in pain, let them have no prosperity, let them not be rich, let them not be famous, let them have no friends and let them, after death, be born in woeful states of existence". In reality those who make these types of unwholesome wishes themselves can be ugly, in pain, have no prosperity, not be rich, not be famous, have no friends and after death be born in woeful state of existence, because they commit evil Kamma in their own minds by making a wish full of hatred.

Evil thoughts have the power of making others ill and good thoughts have the power of making others well. You may wonder, "If there are no beings in the ultimate sense or no self in any sense or if there are beings in conditional sense and if my practice of loving-kindness does not annihilate their pain and suffering because of their own Kamma, why should I cultivate loving-kindness?" You should remember that when your mind is full of evil thoughts or angry thoughts, for instance, you speak very roughly in filthy language, cursing language, slanderous language and falsehood. You talk maliciously.

When your mind is full of hatred whatever you see brings you pain; whatever you hear is painful; whatever you smell is unpleasant to you; whatever you eat makes you sick, whatever you touch is unpleasant to your body; and whatever you think is painful. You become vindictive. You always speak ill of others, never see any good in others. You become very critical. You always find faults in others. You never appreciate any good things others do. You can be very jealous all the time. You become very arrogant, ungrateful, mean, very wicked minded. You always think of doing harm to others. You enjoy seeing others in pain, in trouble, in difficulties. You will be very happy to see others fail in their lives. Then your behavior is very offensive to others. You can easily make others sick. Your behavior will be very unpleasant to others. All who are around you will feel sick in their stomach to work with you. They get headaches and stomachaches. They become very nervous to be around you. This is how your unwholesome thought affects others.

If your mind is full of loving-kindness, on the other hand, you will speak gently, kindly, in friendly language. Whatever you see will be a source of happiness to you; whatever you hear is pleasing to your ears. You can taste your food better. Whatever you touch makes you glad. Whatever you smell will be pleasing to your nose. Whatever you think will be very pleasant and peaceful. You would go out of your way to be very helpful to people. You would become very considerate and understanding. You would have great patience. You would be accommodating. You would always speak the truth. You would always wish to please others. You would be ready to forget and forgive people who wronged you. You would always be relaxed. You would not have an unnecessary and nervous giggle, but would have a friendly smile on your face. Then people would love to work with you. They would feel comfortable around you. Their minds also would be very soft and gentle towards you. They would be protective of you. They would not speak ill of you behind your back, but would speak well of you. Their productivity level would increase. Your reputation would increase.

Moreover, you may ask "What is the use of practicing loving-kindness for all living beings by saying: 'May all beings be happy and secure! May all beings have happy minds! Whatever living beings there may be without exception, weak or strong, long, large, middling, short, subtle, or gross, visible or invisible, living near or far, born or coming to birth--may all beings have happy minds!’ Why should one wish, ‘Let no one deceive another nor despise anyone anywhere. Neither in anger nor ill-will should anyone wish harm to another. As a mother would risk her own life to protect her only child even so towards all living beings one should cultivate a boundless heart’. Why should ‘one cultivate for all the world a heart of boundless loving-kindness, above, below, and across, unobstructed, without hate or enmity. Whether standing, sitting, walking or lying down one should cultivate this mindfulness?’ "

Also sometimes people wonder how can we wish our enemies "May my enemy be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them; may no difficulty come to them; may no problem come to them; may they always meet with success. May they also have patience, courage, understanding and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems and failures in life?"

We must remember that we practice loving-kindness for the purification of our own minds, just as we practice meditation for our own attainment of enlightenment. As I practice loving-kindness within myself I can behave in a most friendly manner without biases, prejudices, discrimination or hate. My noble behavior helps me to help the other conditional beings in a most practical manner to reduce their pain and suffering. It is the compassionate people who behave very gently and kindly to make people around them feel comfortable. Compassion is a manifestation of loving-kindness in action, for one who does not have loving-kindness cannot help others. Noble behavior means behaving in a most friendly and most cordial manner. Behavior includes our thought, speech and action. If this triple mode of expression of our behavior is contradictory, then something is wrong in our behavior. Contradictory behavior cannot be noble behavior. If someone speaks of loving-kindness and behaves in a most unkind manner, he/she is hypocritical, not honest.

On the other hand, pragmatically speaking, it is much better to cultivate the noble thought, "May all beings be happy minded" than the thought "I hate him". The noble thought will definitely express itself in our noble behavior and our spiteful thought will express itself in our evil behavior.
We must remember our thoughts are transformed into speech and action in order to bring the expected result. Intention or thought translated into action is capable of producing a positive hormone in our brain. This positive hormone acts as a nutrient and nourishes and strengthens our nerves. When our nerves are positively charged with this positive hormone they become strong. This positive hormone will also be transported throughout our bodies by blood circulation, making our cells very healthy. All healthy nerve cells and blood cells make our body and mind strong and very healthy.

We should always speak and do things with mindfulness of loving-kindness. While speaking of loving-kindness, if you act or speak in a diametrically opposite way you will be reproached by the wise. As mindfulness of loving-kindness develops, our thoughts, words and deeds become gentle, pleasant, meaningful, truthful and beneficial to us as well to others. If our thoughts, words or deeds cause harm to us, to others or to both, then we must ask ourselves whether we are really mindful of loving-kindness.

For all practical purposes, if all of your enemies are well, happy and peaceful, they would not be your enemies. If they are free from problems, pain, suffering, affliction, neurosis, psychosis, psychosomatic, paranoia, fear, tension, anxiety, etc., they would not be your enemies any more. Your practical solution to them being your enemies is to help them to overcome their problems, so you can live in peace and happiness. In fact, if you can, you should fill the minds of all your enemies with loving-kindness and make all of them realize Nibbána, so you can live in peace and happiness. The more they are in neurosis, psychosis, fear, tension, anxiety, etc. the more trouble, pain and suffering they can bring to the world. If you can convert a vicious and wicked person into a holy and saintly person then you perform a miracle that the Buddha permitted us to perform. Let us cultivate adequate wisdom and loving-kindness within ourselves to convert evil minds to saintly minds.

Practicing Loving-Kindness (Part Two)

One should spend some time every day to practice loving-kindness. We recommend that you repeat the following outline every time you practice loving-kindness meditation. If you know a better structure other than this you may follow it. Read each paragraph once and then close your eyes and reflect upon the meaning of that paragraph for ten seconds. Open your eyes and read the next paragraph. You might take more than an hour to read these passages and feel loving-kindness in your entire mind and body. Do it every day. This alone is a wonderful meditation to overcome resentment that has been troubling you for a long time.

1. May I be well, happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to me.
May no difficulties come to me. May no problems come to me.
May I always meet with success. May I also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

2. May my parents be well, happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to them.
May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.
May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

3. May my teachers be well, happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to them.
May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.
May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

4. May my relatives be well, happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to them.
May no difficulties come to them, May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.
May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

5. May my friends be well, happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to them.
May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.
May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

6. May all indifferent persons be well, happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to them.
May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.
May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

7. May all unfriendly persons be well, happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to them.
May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.
May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.

8. May all living beings be well, happy and peaceful.
May no harm come to them.
May no difficulties come to them. May no problems come to them. May they always meet with success.
May they also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable difficulties, problems, and failures in life.


1. May I be happy, and free from suffering!
And, always, like my self
may my friends, neutral persons,
and the hostile be happy too.

2. May all beings in this village,
in this state, in other countries,
and in the world systems
be ever happy.

3. May all persons, individuals,
beings, creatures
in all world systems
be ever happy.

4. So too, may all women, men,
noble ones, non-noble ones,
gods, humans, and beings
in the lower worlds be happy.

May all beings in the ten directions be happy
May I be free from hatred!
May I be free from affliction!
May I be free from worry!
May I live happily!
As I am, so also may my parents, teachers, preceptors, friendly, indifferent, and hostile beings, be free from hatred!
May they be free from affliction! May they be free from worry!
May they live happily!
May they be released from suffering!
May they not be deprived of their fortune, duly acquired!
All of us have Kamma as our own possession.
May all beings... all living things... all creatures... all persons...all those who have arrived at a state of individuality, all women... all men...all noble ones... all non-noble ones...all gods...all humans...all non-humans...all those who are in the hell, and in this home, village, town, this country, in this world, in this galaxy, may all of them without any exception be free from worry!
May they live happily!
May they be released from suffering!
May they not be deprived of their fortune, duly acquired!
All have Kamma as their own possession.
May all beings be happy and secure!
May all beings have happy minds!
Whatever living beings there may be
without exception, weak or strong,
long, large, middling
short, subtle, or gross,
visible or invisible,
living near or far,
born or coming to birth
may all beings have happy minds!
Let no one deceive another
nor despise anyone anywhere.
Neither in anger nor enmity
should anyone wish harm to another.
As a mother would risk her own life
to protect her only child,
even so towards all living beings
one should cultivate a boundless heart.
One should cultivate for all the world
a heart of boundless loving-kindness
above, below, and all around,
unobstructed, without hate or enmity.
Whether standing, walking or sitting,
lying down or whenever awake,
one should develop this mindfulness;
this is called divinely dwelling here.
May those with no feet receive my love;
May those with two feet receive my love;
May those with four feet receive my love;
May those with many feet receive my love;
May those with no feet not hurt me
May those with two feet not hurt me
May those with four feet not hurt me
May those with many feet not hurt me
May all beings, all those with life,
May all who have become, all in their entirety,
May all see what is good
May suffering not come to anyone.
May the suffering be free from suffering.
May the fear-struck be free from fear.
May the grieving be free from grief.
so too may all beings be.
From the highest realm of existence to the lowest,
may all beings arisen in these realms
with form and without form,
with perception and without perception
be released from all suffering
and attain to perfect peace.
May my mind be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May I be generous!
May I be gentle!
May I be relaxed!
May I be happy and peaceful!
May I be healthy!
May my heart become soft!
May my words be pleasing to others!

1 May all that I see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help me to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May all of them help me to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness!
May all of them help me to relax and activate my friendly behavior! May all of them be a source of peace and happiness.
May they help my personality!
May they help me to be healthy! May all of them help me to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!

Whether I walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may I meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness.
May I be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

2 May the minds of my parents be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May they be generous!
May they be gentle!
May they be relaxed!
May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy!
May their hearts become soft!
May their words be pleasing to others!
May all that my parents see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness!
May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior!
May all of them be a source of peace and happiness.
May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!
Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

3 May the minds of my teachers be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May they be generous!
May they be gentle!
May they be relaxed!
May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy!
May their hearts become soft!
May their words be pleasing to others!
May all that my teachers see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness!
May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior!
May all of them be a source of peace and happiness.
May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!
Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

4. May the minds of my relatives be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May they be generous!
May they be gentle!
May they be relaxed!
May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy!
May their hearts become soft!
May their words be pleasing to others!
May all that my relatives see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think see help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness!
May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior!
May all of them be a source of peace and happiness.
May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!
Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

5. May the minds of my friends be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May they be generous!
May they be gentle!
May they be relaxed!
May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy!
May their hearts become soft!
May their words be pleasing to others!
May all that my friends see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness!
May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior!
May all of them be a source of peace and happiness.
May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!
Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

6. May the minds of all indifferent persons be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May they be generous!
May they be gentle!
May they be relaxed!
May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy!
May their hearts become soft!
May their words be pleasing to others!
May all that all indifferent persons see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness!
May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior!
May all of them be a source of peace and happiness.
May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!
Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

7. May the minds of all unfriendly persons be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May they be generous!
May they be gentle!
May they be relaxed!
May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy!
May their hearts become soft!
May their words be pleasing to others!
May all that all unfriendly persons see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness!
May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior!
May all of them be a source of peace and happiness.
May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!
Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

8. May the minds of all living beings be filled with the thought of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May they be generous!
May they be gentle!
May they be relaxed!
May they be happy and peaceful! May they be healthy!
May their hearts become soft!
May their words be pleasing to others!
May all that all living beings see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think help them to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, equanimity!
May all of them help them to cultivate the thought of generosity and gentleness!
May all of them help them to relax and activate their friendly behavior!
May all of them be a source of peace and happiness.
May they help their personalities! May they help them to be healthy! May all of them help them to be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness!
Whether they walk to the east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast, no matter where they go in the world may they meet people with happiness, peace and friendliness. May they be protected in all directions from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear!

Let each and every one of us think that our minds are free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let the thought of loving-kindness embrace us, envelope us.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of our entire bodies and minds be charged with the thought of friendliness.
Let us relax the body.
Let us relax the mind.
Let our body and mind be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade our entire bodies and minds.
Let us expand the area of our thought of friendship to the entire room that you are sitting in and wish that each and everyone in this room be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds in the eastern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the southeastern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the southern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the southwestern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the western direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the northwestern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the northern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the northeastern direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the celestial direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
Let us direct our minds to the terrestrial direction and wish all living beings in that direction be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them.
Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness.
Let them relax their bodies.
Let them relax their minds.
Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness.
Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all beings in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all beings everywhere be filled with the feeling of loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, measureless, free from enmity, free from affliction and anxiety. May they live happily.

May all those who are imprisoned legally or illegally, all who are in police custody anywhere in the world waiting trials meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from greed, anger, aversion, hatred, jealousy, and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all who are in hospitals suffering from numerous sicknesses meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all mothers who are in pain in delivering babies meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all single parents taking care of their children meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.

May all children abused by adults in numerous ways meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.
May all rulers be gentle, kind, generous, compassionate, considerate and have best understanding of the oppressed, underprivileged, discriminated and the poverty-stricken. May their hearts melt at the suffering of the unfortunate citizens. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, free from disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May the oppressed, underprivileged, discriminated and the poverty-stricken meet with peace and happiness. May they be free from pain, afflictions, depression, free from disappointment, dissatisfaction, anxiety and fear. Let these thoughts of loving-kindness embrace all of them, envelope them. Let every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, every molecule of their entire bodies and minds be charged with these thoughts of friendliness. Let them relax their bodies. Let them relax their minds. Let their bodies and minds be filled with the thought of loving-kindness. Let the peace and tranquility of loving-kindness pervade their entire bodies and minds.

May all of them in all directions, all around the universe be beautiful; let them be happy; let them have good fortune; let them be wealthy; let them be famous; let them have good friends; let them after death be reborn in heavens.


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