“As far as emotions, you cannot help your parents because emotion is a difficult support to provide.”

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

24 November 2024

“As far as emotions, you cannot help your parents because emotion is a difficult support to provide.”

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Question (M): My parents are getting old. My wife and I plan to come back and live in Thailand. Is it bad action if I leave my parents in France?

Than Ajahn: If they can look after themselves, then it’s ok. But if they don’t have anyone who can look after them, then it’s your duty as the son to look after your father and mother. If you cannot do it yourself, you can hire someone to do it for you. Hire a nurse or somebody to look after them. Then, you’re still considered that you are doing your duty. You should not abandon or leave them without any support when they need support. If they need your support, you have to give them. If they can support themselves, you don’t need to support them.

As far as emotions, you cannot help your parents because emotion is a difficult support to provide. They should learn to find their own support, like doing some meditation or finding some hobbies so that they don’t have to rely on other people for their emotional support. 

Because we all have our own life to live. But physically, you have to help them. If it is a physical need and they cannot provide it for themselves, and if you can help them, you should do it. But if you cannot do it, then say, ‘what can I do?’

Question (M): Does it mean if I give them a good place to stay and ensure that they are well taken care of, it is okay if I come back to live in Thailand?

Than Ajahn: Yes. You can connect with them via video conference. Right now you can use video conference to talk to them. From time to time, you ask them how they’re doing and you do it on a regular basis.

Youtube: “Dhamma in English, Nov 9, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

The purpose of dāna is not to cure your body sickness.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

21 November 2024

The purpose of dāna is not to cure your body sickness.

Question: When a friend, a young mother of two, was diagnosed with cancer, she was advised to practice a lot of dāna. The cancer went into remission. She then continues to practise dāna with the thought that she will be cancer free. However, the cancer reoccur after a few months of remission and it is considered as terminal stage cancer. She then lost faith with the practice of dāna. What advice to give her in order to restore her faith back?

Than Ajahn:  First of all, giving dāna is not the cure for cancer. Giving dāna can make you feel better, make you feel good. It makes you be able to relinquish your attachment to your wealth, so that when you have to die, you won’t die feeling tormented for losing what you love.

When you give dāna, you lessen your attachment to your wealth, and so when you die, you won’t have that attachment. This is the purpose of dāna. The purpose of dāna is not to cure your body sickness. Even the Buddha cannot cure the sickness of the body. The Buddha had also to get old, get sick, and die like everybody else.

Her mind can be safe from suffering if she can develop mindfulness and wisdom. So, if she wants to be free from suffering, from her sickness, then she should try to develop mindfulness by reciting the Buddho, Buddho mantra and to develop wisdom by accepting the truth of the body that the body is temporary, it’s going to get old, get sick, and die. The body is not you. You are the mind. 

You are the one who possesses the body. If she lets go of the body, then the cessation of the body will not hurt her mind.

Q&A, May 31, 2017

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube:
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How to eliminate the desire for praise, attention and fame?

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

29 June 2023

Question:  How to eliminate the desire for praise, attention and fame?

Than Ajahn:  You have to think of it as something temporary. It’s something you might get or might not get. Everything in this world is anicca and anattā. ‘Anicca’ means it’s never certain. It’s constantly changing. Sometimes you might get it and sometimes you might not.

‘Anattā’ means you cannot control it. So, it’s better not to go after it because when you go after it, you can be disappointed when you don’t get what you want.

And the happiness that you get from fame is only temporary. Once you get it, you no longer feel happy. You need to be more famous. You have to keep getting more attention. And when you don’t get the attention you want, you become sad again. So, you should look at your desire for fame as the cause of your bad feeling, the cause of your stress. It’s better to give up that desire for fame.

The way to be able to give up the desire for fame is you have to meditate. You have to calm your mind. You have to stop your mind. 

You have to make your mind still. Meditation will calm your mind and will make your mind still. Once your mind becomes still, your mind will be happy, contented and will not need to be anything. You will not have the desire to be famous. You should switch your object of your desire from desiring for fame to desiring for peace of mind by practicing mindfulness meditation.

You have to be mindful all the time to stop your mind from thinking. If you have strong mindfulness, when you meditate, you can focus on your meditation object, like your breath. If you can keep watching your breath without thinking about anything, then sooner or later your mind will become calm, peaceful and happy. You’ll then see that this is the real happiness. It is the happiness that you can get any time you want. It’s not the kind of happiness that you will get from fame. 

Sometimes you get it but sometimes you don’t. 

When you don’t get fame, you feel sad, you feel disappointed. Like when people go to receive awards, such as the Academy Awards, if they don’t get the awards, they feel discouraged. They feel unhappy. And if they get the awards, they will be happy for just a few days. Then, after that they want more awards to make them happier.

So, no matter how much fame you get, you will never be contented. You will never be satisfied. If you want to be contented, if you want to be satisfied, you should meditate instead. Seek peace of mind, make your mind still, and make your mind empty of your desire. When your mind stops, your desire will stop. When there are no desires, then your mind will become happy.

“Dhamma in English, Oct 2nd, 2017.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube:
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Life is suffering. What is the best method to face this existential issue; How to keep one going in the middle path?

Question: Life is suffering. What is the best method to face this existential issue; How to keep one going in the middle path?*

Than Ajahn: Well, you have to start with dāna, sīla, and bhāvanā. You should learn to be generous. Don’t cling to your wealth. Don’t be greedy with your wealth because wealth is the cause of your suffering. So, try not to cling to your money or possessions. If you have a lot and you cannot use all of them, then, give them to other people, help other people. It will lessen your suffering with money.

Next, you have to maintain sīla. Do not hurt other people because when you hurt other people, you will get hurt in return. You will feel bad, feel sad afterwards. Then, try to practice meditation by first developing mindfulness. Keep trying to stop your mind from thinking. Bring it to the present. Keep it to the present. Don’t send it to the past or to the future by watching your body activities or using a mantra to stop you from thinking.

Once you can stop your mind and make your mind calm and happy, then you can develop wisdom by teaching your mind that everything you crave or desire for will make you unhappy because you will lose what you get one day. So, if you know that you’re going to be sad afterwards, you don’t want to have anything. Then, you can just live without anything, live with a mind that is peaceful, calm, and happy.

“Dhamma in English, Jul 27, 2017.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube:
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Insomnia

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart. 

“Insomnia.”

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Question (M): It has been two months that it’s hard for me to go to sleep. When I try to go to sleep, my mind starts to work very actively. So, what’s the best way to do when I have insomnia? Do I wake up and do meditation or do I try to sleep again? 

Than Ajahn: Well, there are two causes. The basic cause is your attachment to things – your desire to get things done and to acquire things. This will make you keep thinking about it even while you want to go to sleep. 

The second cause is your desire for wanting to go to sleep when you cannot fall asleep. Once you cannot go to sleep, you want to sleep. This desire of wanting to go to sleep makes it harder for you to go to sleep.

You have to try to fix the first one, that is your desire to get things done, and to acquire this and that. You have to tell yourself that there is only so much you can do. If you cannot do it, you just have to let go. Try to go back to basic. In life, you don’t have to be rich to be happy. All you have to do is to be able to look after your body. 

If you have the basic necessities, I think you should be satisfied. 

Try to think that other things are bonuses. If you can have extra things, fine. If you can’t have them, it’s no big deal. If you can do this, then you can calm your mind down.

If you cannot calm your mind, while you are lying down, you will be thinking of wanting to go to sleep and this makes it harder for you to go to sleep. So, you may want to count sheep or recite a mantra. Keep counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  Then, you will forget about the things that you worry about. This might help you to go to sleep. At the same time, you must not wanting to go to sleep right away. Just tell yourself, ‘If I go to sleep, fine. If I don’t go to sleep, I just keep counting or keep reciting a mantra.’ As long as you don’t go back to think about the things that keep you up, eventually you will fall asleep.

Question (M): Is it better to do those when I’m lying on my bed or should I get up and sit somewhere? 

Than Ajahn: It’s up to you. If you feel that you can get up and meditate and calm your mind, you can do it. And when your mind becomes calm, then you can lie down and go to sleep. Or you can do it while you’re lying down so when your mind becomes calm, you can go to sleep right away because this is not the time when you expect meditation result. What you want is to go to sleep.

So, all you have to do is to stop your mind from thinking by reciting a mantra or counting sheep, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Keep on counting. When you forget about what you worry about or the things you are attached to, then you can go to sleep. What keeps you awake is your thoughts. If you can stop thinking, you can go to sleep.

Layperson (M): I worry about not being able to go to sleep.

Than Ajahn: I know. You should accept that right now you cannot go to sleep. Let it be. 

Eventually, you’re going to fall asleep. Because when the body gets really tired, it will fall asleep by itself. You shouldn’t have any desire to fall asleep because this will create more agitation and restlessness. Keep chanting, keep reciting a mantra or keep counting sheep.

Eventually, you will go to sleep.

Youtube: “Dhamma in English, Nov 9, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

Is there Any Hope? by Ajahn Pasanno

Is there Any Hope?
by Ajahn Pasanno

One of the Thai women meditating here had an insight into the quickness of the mind. Even meditating with the wholesome desire to bring the mind to a place of peace, tranquility, and clarity, she could see the mind go out to the sound of a dog barking. Then there was some other sound or distraction and the mind went out to that. The mind doesn’t stay still, even when we have the intention to train the mind. It’s just so quick.

She wanted to know if that insight, according to the Buddha’s teachings, is what constitutes becoming and birth. I explained that it does. In terms of analyzing the movement of the mind, when the mind moves, there is a becoming, and when it becomes something, it fastens onto an idea, a concept, a sound, or a place—it takes birth there.

Given that the mind moves so quickly, she also wanted to know, “Is there any hope?” Yes, obviously there is hope. Otherwise, the Buddha wouldn’t have taught us how to train our minds—to find that point of stillness where there is no birth and no death. But it’s about learning to understand how the mind moves like it does and what it fastens onto. We need to see what it’s drawn to and what it’s repelled by, because that in itself is a becoming as well. We take birth on a moment-to-moment basis according to our likes and dislikes.

That same process generates birth at the death of the body. Even though the overwhelming tendency of the mind is towards goodness, we still need to incline and condition the mind in that direction. During the death process, the senses naturally start to break down and attention turns inward to the heart itself. A strong practice carries that momentum of attention so that we are focused on that which is clear, steady, and peaceful. We naturally relinquish the things that create dissonance and discontent within the mind.

This kind of letting go is what the Buddha referred to as Right View from a supramundane or transcendent perspective.
The supramundane aspect is couched in a more visceral, experiential mode. The foundation of one’s entire being is on a moment-to-moment basis and embodies the Four Noble Truths. There is a natural, unshakeable recognition of the nature of dukkha, its cause, its cessation, and the path leading to cessation.

This reflection by Luang Por Pasanno is from the book, Don’t Hold Back.

“About helping others to do merits.”

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

22nd July, 2022

“About helping others to do merits.”

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Question (F): We have a relative who is very old. Due to his illnesses, sometimes he cannot think properly. He also has physical limitations so he can’t do much now. What can we do to help him?

Than Ajahn: You should treat him like a baby. This is what the body will become. When it starts, it starts as a baby and when it ends, it ends like a baby. It goes back to the starting point. It will slowly losing its ability to help itself, to take care of itself. It’s up to you to help him when he cannot help himself.

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Question (F): What about helping him to do merits? Is there any way to help him to do merits?

Than Ajahn: This is something he has to know. If he doesn’t know what merit is, or what he can get from doing it, then it’s useless. So, he has to know. It’s like eating, he has to know what he’s eating. When he eats something, how will he feel from eating that food? If he feels good, then he will want to eat it. It’s same with making merits, like doing dāna. It’s to make him to feel better. If he doesn’t know that, then he won’t feel better and he wouldn’t want to do it.

So, first you have to explain to him that if he wants to feel better, he has to do some dāna or listen to Dhamma talks. Dāna is easier to get the result although it has smaller result. In doing dāna, he has to sacrifice. He has to give up his money for the benefit of other people. He has to know it. And it has to be his own money and his own initiation.

For example, your relative (who is sick) knows what it’s like to be sick. So, when there is another sick person needs help and if he (your relative) helps other sick person to get better, then he (your relative) will feel better. You have to explain to him the benefit of dāna and how to do it. The donation has to be his own money. It has to be from his own initiation. He must be the one who wants to do it, and it’s not someone else telling him to do it.

Youtube: “Dhamma in English, Nov 9, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g

THE PATH TO PEACE By AJAHN CHAH

THE PATH TO PEACE
By AJAHN CHAH

“ In its natural state, the mind is the same - in it, there exists no loving or hating, nor does it seek to blame other people. It is independent, existing in a state of purity that is truly clear, radiant and untarnished. In its pure state, the mind is peaceful, without happiness or suffering - indeed, not experiencing any vedanå (feeling) at all. This is the true state of the mind. The purpose of the practice, then, is to seek inwardly, searching and investigating until you reach the original mind. The original mind is also known as the pure mind. The pure mind is the mind without attachment. It doesn't get affected by mind-objects. In other words, it doesn't chase after the different kinds of pleasant and unpleasant mind-objects. Rather, the mind is in a state of continuous knowing and wakefulness - thoroughly mindful of all it is experiencing. When the mind is like this, no pleasant or unpleasant mind-objects it experiences will be able to disturb it. The mind doesn't 'become' anything. In other words, nothing can shake it. The mind knows itself as pure. It has evolved its own, true independence; it has reached its original state. How is it able to bring this original state into existence? Through the faculty of mindfulness wisely reflecting and seeing that all things are merely conditions arising out of the influence of elements, without any individual being controlling them.

This is how it is with the happiness and suffering we experience.

When these mental states arise, they are just 'happiness' and 'suffering'. There is no owner of the happiness. The mind is not the owner of the suffering - mental states do not belong to the mind.

Look at it for yourself. In reality these are not affairs of the mind, they are separate and distinct.

Happiness is just the state of happiness; suffering is just the state of suffering. You are merely the knower of these. In the past, because the roots of greed, hatred and delusion already existed in the mind, whenever you caught sight of the slightest pleasant or unpleasant mind-object, the mind would react immediately - you would take hold of it and have to experience either happiness or suffering. You would be continuously indulging in states of happiness and suffering. That's the way it is as long as the mind doesn't know itself - as long as it's not bright and illuminated The mind is not free. It is influenced by whatever mind-objects it experiences. In other words, it is without a refuge, unable to truly depend on itself. You receive a pleasant mental impression and get into a good mood. The mind forgets itself.”

Source: THE PATH TO PEACE
By AJAHN CHAH

[http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_Chah_Path_to_Peace.htm](http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_Chah_Path_to_Peace.htm?fbclid=IwAR15auXxaFsucri0rRlw-yfMs3gxxfeRi7IacA_F8BMfGL-ayulr_fOBO_U)

Why is it difficult to attain jhāna?

The Teaching Of Ajahn Suchart.

1st March, 2022

Question: Why is it difficult to attain jhāna?

Tan Ajahn: Because you don’t have mindfulness that is strong enough to pull your mind inside. Your mind is constantly being pushed outward by your defilements (kilesas), by your desire.

Your desire keeps pushing you out towards the sight, sound, smell, taste and tactile objects. It pushes you out towards the physical activities. 

It pushes you out to acquire things. You never pull your mind inside. So, when you start to do it, you feel that it is almost impossible.

It is like a novice boxer going to box with the heavyweight champion. When you first start boxing, you cannot face the heavyweight champion, you have to slowly develop your ability and strength first. Here it means developing your mindfulness.

When your mindfulness becomes stronger, you will find that it is easier to sit and become calm. And the level of calm will be deeper and deeper, until eventually when you have very strong mindfulness, you can enter the fourth jhāna, full concentration, and upekkhā.

Right now you are like a novice, starting to meditate, starting to develop mindfulness. You must first try to develop mindfulness until you can bring your mind to the here and now, to the present, not allowing it to think aimlessly.

In order to do this productively or efficiently, you need to be alone. When you are alone, you will not be distracted by other people or things. 

That is why people become monks. As monks, they can be free from all other kinds of contact. 

They don’t have to go to work. They don’t have to go to social functions. They can go into the forest, be alone, and develop mindfulness.

That is why most of the people who became enlightened were monks, not laypeople. Laypeople are not professional meditators, they are amateur meditators. You only meditate, maybe half an hour a day, so how can you compare with people who meditate all day, developing mindfulness all day and night, except for the few hours they sleep?

So, this is the effort you have to put in if you want to have the result, otherwise you will just get what you are getting right now. But don’t be disappointed. Don’t be discouraged. You have to encourage yourself with the knowledge that if you want to reach the level that the Buddha attained, like his Noble Disciples did, you have to follow their path. Do what they did.


“Dhamma for the Asking, Nov 25, 2014”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube:
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Your meditation improves correspondingly to the improvement of your mindfulness.

“Your meditation improves correspondingly to the improvement of your mindfulness.”

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Question: With regards to meditation, is it generally true that one should aim to meditate as long as possible, before the kilesas set in? For example, after being able to sit for one hour, should one try to increase it to one and a half hour and then two hours and so on?

Tan Ajahn: The amount of time that you are able to sit depends on the strength of your mindfulness. If you have strong mindfulness, you can sit for a verylong time because you can enter into jhāna very quickly. Once you are in jhāna, it is like you are in a timeless zone. You don’t know the time. You don’t feel anything. You can sit for a long time that way.

But if you haven’t entered jhāna, you will have to experience all kinds of distractions. This can disturb your meditation and you will not be able to sit for long.

So, the important thing is to try to develop strong mindfulness first. Try to develop and maintain mindfulness all day long. Try to stop thinking about things that you don’t need to think about, and then your meditation will improve. Your meditation improves correspondingly to the improvement of your mindfulness.

 “Dhamma for the Asking, Dec 2, 2014”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

Four Wheels for a Good Life By : Ven Aggacitta

Four Wheels for a Good Life
By : Ven Aggacitta

Today’s talk will be based on Cakka Sutta (AN 4:31). “Cakka” is the Pali term for “wheel”. A wheel is a structure that aids movement. In any mechanism, when the wheels are properly aligned and functioning, the entire structure moves smoothly. In the same way, if the following four ‘wheels’ in our lives are smoothly rotating, we will soon be steered to prosperity.

1) Staying in a suitable place

It is obvious, from the worldly perspective, that staying in a suitable place is one of the major factors required for one to make a successful living. For example, the chances of a business becoming successful will be greatly increased if it is situated in a place where there is a good and constant flow of its targeted customers. A hawker should be situated in a place where there is a mass of hungry consumers.

A monk on the other hand, needs a quiet and secluded place to practise, where he has a chance to associate with the wise and be in contact with the Triple Gem. But this spiritual need is not only confined to a monk.

Several decades ago when political and economic circumstances were unfavourable, many Asians emigrated to greener pastures, particularly in the West. They settled and prospered in their adoptive countries but often felt a sense of emptiness and alienation. As Buddhists by birth, they missed being in contact with the Sangha and places of worship such as monasteries and stupas, which are as common back home as the air they breathe in. As such, they often gathered together and pooled their resources to find suitable places of worship and to invite monks over so that they could come into active contact with the Triple Gem again. Eventually many Buddhist centres sprouted in western countries, serving not only the needs of the immigrants but also that of the increasing number of Westerners who were interested in Buddhist teachings.

SBS devotees in Taiping are fortunate because they have the chance to come into contact with the Sangha all the time and listen to Dhamma talks almost every week. This is not so for other places even within Malaysia and Singapore. During my annual tour of these places, many devotees often request that I come back to see them more often as they lack qualified monks to guide and lead them in their spiritual quests.

2) Association with the wise

When people associate with the virtuous and the wise, they have a better opportunity to practise cultivation of the body, speech and mind. Why? Because they are influenced by their ‘good vibes’: by their exemplary presence, moral and spiritual values and profound teachings. So they develop wholesome tendencies to keep the precepts well and lead a life of good conduct.

3) Having done merits in the past

There is a Burmese saying, “Because we were good in the past, now we are good; because we are good now, we shall be good in the future.” In other words, our past good kamma resulted in our present good life, and our present good conduct will ensure a good future life.

Look around you. You can see many kinds of people—some are beautiful, clever and affluent while others are deformed, ugly, stupid and poor. We often hear stories of those who became prosperous later in life even though they started with humble beginnings. They may even be uneducated, whereas those who are supposed to succeed in life because they have all the advantages in their youth fail miserably. This is largely due to their past kamma.

Our present actions, too, will influence our future. Take a look at many middle-class and affluent families nowadays. Parents spoil their children because they have no time for them (common in dual income families) or because they led a deprived youth and want to spare their children a similar fate. So they pander to their children's whims and fancies, suffocating them with material luxuries, but neglecting to nurture them with moral and spiritual values. In terms of moral conduct and aptitude, these kids end up in a sorry state.

There is a story of Visakha who attained stream-entry (sotapatti, the first stage of enlightenment) at the age of seven. When she came of age she was married off (as was the Indian custom of that era) to a man from a rich Brahmin family. However, she continued with her usual practice of giving dana to monks. Her father-in-law, who did not believe in doing so, always remained in the kitchen eating his breakfast whenever the monks came. Desiring to lead him into the Dhamma, the wise Visakha said aloud that her respected father-in-law only knew how to eat leftovers but not fresh food. Of course, the old man heard it and demanded to know why Visakha said such a thing. She replied that even though he was wealthy now, he did not know how to ensure his continued prosperity in future lives as he was missing the excellent chance of doing merit by giving dana to those worthy of it. The old man was impressed by her cleverness and eventually became a pious Buddhist.

After death, we cannot bring our current wealth with us, but our good kamma is carried forth, like a good investment, into our future lives.

4) Set yourself in the right direction

An excellent guide in the right direction for us is the Noble Eightfold Path. All thoughts, speech and action arise from the mind. Where there is greed, hatred or delusion, all actions arising from this are unwholesome. Where there is generosity, metta or wisdom, all actions arising from this are wholesome.

Once a devotee from Pokok Assam brought an elderly lady to seek guidance from me. Apparently, she had led a good life because even though she was uneducated, she managed to bring up all her children well enough that they became professionals with fulfilling and prosperous lives of their own. However, she was prone to frequent compulsive worrying about nonsensical and illogical things. This is a situation where one creates unnecessary worry and unhappiness for oneself because one does not know how to restrain the mind.

We need to train our mind to stay still—just like the way a dog-handler trains his charge to sit and not to move unless a command is given. A well-cultivated mind is able to steer away from the unwholesome and follow what is wholesome. Meditation is the most excellent way to cultivate the mind. As such, all are welcome to join us up in SBS for our weekly Saturday night meditation sessions.

When all the 4 ‘wheels’ are properly aligned in life, we will be steered to lead a prosperous and happy life

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

Taking Refuge by : Ven. Kumara

Dhamma Talk :

Taking Refuge
by : Ven. Kumara

Question 1: The way of taking refuge in the Triple Gem as practised in the Mahayana tradition differs from that of the Theravada tradition. Why are they different? When a Mahayanist devotee takes refuge in the Triple Gem, he goes through a special ceremony and is given a Buddhist name. This is a lifetime commitment and he needs not renew his pledge. On the other hand, a Theravadin devotee repeats his pledge over and over again. 

Before we answer this question, let us clarify the practice of taking refuge as explained in the scriptures.

What is ‘to take refuge’? 

Taking refuge here refers to taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, after which one becomes an upasaka or upasika. For this to be complete, one must understand their qualities. For example, the Buddha is fully enlightened, has severed all defilements; the Dhamma leads to Nibbana; the Sangha has wisdom and keeps precepts. If one merely recites them without any proper understanding, then it has no meaning.

What does taking refuge mean? 

A mind that is pure and free of defilements arises in one who has faith in and respect for the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and one relies on them as the highest support, thinking that nothing else can give rise to such a pure mind or give such support.

There are various ways of taking refuge: 

One says: “I take refuge in the Buddha; I take refuge in the Dhamma.” as done by Tapussa and Bhallika, the two earliest Buddhists of this Sasana. They did not take refuge in the Sangha as there was none yet. When the Sangha came to be, the Sangha was included in such a manner of taking refuge.

One says to the Buddha: “Bhante, the Blessed One is my teacher. I am his disciple.”

After listening to the Dhamma, one arranges one’s robe (as how a member of the Sangha does) and recites “Namo tassa…” three times.

One surrenders one’s body in self-dedication to the Buddha.

When one attains the stage of an ariya (noble one), one automatically becomes an upasaka or upasika, a Buddhist lay disciple.

How does one break one’s refuge-taking in the Triple Gem? 

The Refuge-taking is broken two ways:

1. Blameless way: One who has taken refuge dies, and in the next life one has no memory of the past life.

2. Blameworthy way: Doing the opposite of the ways of taking refuge, such as:

Dedicates oneself as one would to the Buddha, but does it for another teacher, e.g. to Jesus Christ.

If one denounces the taking of refuge in the Triple Gem

If one says: “Buddha is my disciple and I’m his teacher.”

It is not possible to break the refuge-taking when one has become an ariya (noble one).

There are certain situations in which a person can have a defiled refuge-taking in the Triple Gem, though these do not constitute a breach.
Examples of this are: when one doubts the virtues of the Buddha; when one shows disrespect towards the Dhamma or the Sangha; when one prays to Buddha for help (i.e., one has wrong views about the Buddha). In these instances, the refuge is defiled though still intact.

When a person consults a psychic (such as Sai Baba) or a deva through a medium (such as at the Moral Uplifting Society) on matters such as health, etc., one has neither defiled nor broken one’s pledge. This is because one merely consults for advice or to find out something, as in consulting a medical doctor, or lawyer.

Now, to answer the question…

The difference is an external matter probably due to the differing cultural backgrounds of these two traditions. However, considering the reasonable points made in the Pali commentary mentioned earlier, it is safer to repeatedly renew our refuge-taking in the Triple Gem, because it is possible to break or defile it.

Besides that, it also reminds us of the Triple Gem which we have taken refuge in and reinforces our faith in them. Repeating the recitation of going for refuge can also be very useful.

Ven Varadhammo, an Indian monk who stayed in SBS for a short while told us of a supernatural encounter. When he awoke from a nap, he felt something holding his body; so he could not move. At the corner of his eyes, he saw a being flipping through his Dhamma books at super speed. When the being noticed that Ven Varadhammo was looking at him, he went to him and pointed his finger with a long and sharp fingernail at him, as if threatening to poke his eye. At that point, Ven Varadhammo instinctively recited “Buddham saranam gacchami!” Then, poof! The being was gone, and he was able to move again.

That’s an example of the power of faith in the Buddha. If one habitually recites the Three Refuges, then one can remember to do so when one needs to. When we chant the Three Refuges, we arouse faith in us. When we have faith, fear disappears because fear and faith cannot coexist.

So, would you rather do it once or repeatedly?

May all beings be well and happy always.....

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

Remind yourself that death is part of life.

“Remind yourself that death is part of life.”

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Question (F): What should we do when the image of the deceased appeared during meditation? 

Than Ajahn: If you want to use the image to your benefit, then you should compare this image to your body, that in the future you will be also like this deceased person. Then, you can get the benefit from this image. Remind yourself that death is part of life. Eventually, your body will have to die. Teach your mind to accept this reality. Once the mind accepts this, you will not be afraid of death. But if your mind is not strong enough to accept this yet, you should just ignore it and come back to your object of meditation, either watching your breath or reciting Buddho, Buddho.

- - -

Question (F): What does it mean when the deceased come to visit us? 

Than Ajahn: It can mean something or it doesn’t mean anything. If you don’t know, then you shouldn’t worry about it. If you know that it’s the deceased that you can connect with, then it’s just your ability to connect with the deceased. That’s all. It’s a special ability or a psychic power which has no bearing on your well-being or ill-being. Your well-being or your ill-being is the result of your action.

When you meditate, you want your mind to be calm and empty. In order to be calm and empty, you should focus on your meditation object only. Don’t be distracted by whatever appears in your mind. Just ignore them.

- - -

Question (F): We have a relative who has passed away and during his life time, he had dealt with supernatural beings, such as making use of their power to do something. He sometimes also became a medium. Is there any consequence upon his dead due to those actions and what can we do for him? 

Than Ajahn: Being a medium is not a good or bad action. It’s how he used it. If he used the medium to help people, then it’s a good action. If he used the medium to hurt people, then it is a bad action. If he had not done any good or bad action, he will not have to bear any results from his actions. If he did good actions, he will reap the benefit of this good actions. If he did bad actions, he will have to bear the consequence of the bad actions. This is the law of kamma.

Youtube: “Dhamma in English, Nov 9, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

Will a Sotāpanna know that s/he has already become one?

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

2 August 2023

Question: Will a Sotāpanna know that s/he has already become one?

Than Ajahn:  S/he might not know the name of a Sotāpanna but he knows the quality of the Sotāpanna. He knows that his sadness or his suffering are created by his desire, his attachment to his body. He knows that he’s no longer attached to the body. He sees the body as not himself. He has no attachment to the body and has no desire for the body to exist forever. So, he is not hurt by the ageing, sickness and death of the body. That’s the quality of a Sotāpanna.

He can let go of the body because he sees the body not as himself. He sees the body as being impermanent. He sees that his suffering or his mental pain is caused by his desire for the body to last forever, for the body not to get old, get sick and die. In order for him not to be affected by the ageing, and the sickness of the body, he has to have the wisdom or the insight to see that the body is not himself. He is the mind who is like a driver, while the body is like an automobile. When the time for the automobile to become obsolete, then he just let it be. When it’s time for the body to die, he let the body dies. He is not hurt by the death of the body.

- - -

Question: Will his next life continue to intersect with Buddhism?

Than Ajahn:  It is not necessary that he comes into contact with Buddhism because he already has Buddhism in his mind. ‘The Four Noble Truths’ has been established in his mind. He will move forward with or without Buddhism because he can get rid of all his sufferings. He knows the cause of his suffering is his own desire. So, every time he has any sufferings, any bad feelings, he just gets rid of his desire that causes this bad feelings. Eventually, he will get rid of all the desires that cause him the mental suffering. Then, he will reach nirvana.

“Dhamma in English, Mar 28, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

When a person dies, does he immediately take rebirth?

Question (M):  When a person dies, does he immediately take rebirth?

Than Ajahn:  If the person is going to be reborn as a human being, s/he has to wait for a new body. But s/he is automatically becoming whatever being s/he has developed in his/her life. If you are a deva (character), you’ll become a deva. If you are a brahma (character), you will become a brahma. If you are a Sotāpanna, you’ll be a Sotāpanna right away. Your mind takes birth before the body dies.

Question (M):  So, do you mean that it is immediate?

Than Ajahn:  Yes, it’s already taken place right now. If you are a Sotāpanna, you’re a Sotāpanna. If you have an animal mind, you are an animal now, even though your body is a human body. Your mind has already taken the character of an animal. It’s your character that is taking rebirth.

There are different types of characters when you die. You can become a hungry ghost. You can become a hellish being. If you’re constantly angry at people or constantly hating people, then you’ll become a hellish being. If you’re continually being greedy, you’ll become a hungry ghost. It’s your character. Your mind takes birth right away.

So, you might have a human body, but your mind can be an animal mind if you can’t keep the five precepts. That’s why sometimes they (the authority) have to put people who can’t keep the five precepts in the cells, because they are not human. They are animals. Even though the bodies are human bodies but their minds are not human mind anymore. They can hurt other people if you put them outside the cells. So, they have to be locked up.

If you keep the five precepts, they won’t lock you up because you’re a human being. The character of a human being is to be able to keep the five precepts. Keeping the five precept will make you become a human. If you can keep the five precepts and you help other people, if you make other people happy, you become a deva.

Layperson (M):  Do you mean that this present moment is very important?

Than Ajahn:  That’s right. The Buddha said that you have to keep doing good things at the present moment. Don’t do any bad things.

“Dhamma in English, Apr 24, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

“You tend to forget to be mindful. You like to be unmindful. You like to let the mind go adrift.”

“You tend to forget to be mindful. You like to be unmindful. You like to let the mind go adrift.”

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Question (F): Sometimes when I come out of meditation and start to deal with things and people, I tend to become more anxious than usual. Why is this so and how to overcome that?

Than Ajahn: It’s because you let go of your mindfulness. When you come out of your meditation, you forget to restore your mindfulness. You let the mind run wild. You let it do what it feels like to do. So it creates all those anxiety and bad feelings. You should continue on with your mindfulness after you come out of meditation. You can either watch your body or recite a mantra. When you start to feel bad, you know that you are not mindful. You should bring back your mindfulness by reciting ‘Buddho, Buddho, Buddho’ for a few minutes. Then, your bad feelings will disappear.

You tend to forget to be mindful. You like to be unmindful. You like to let the mind go adrift. You let it do whatever it wants to do. As the mind usually creates cravings and desires, it will start to give you bad feelings. You should stop it either by having mindfulness or using wisdom. You say to yourself, ‘It’s my craving that want this and that. When I don’t get this and that, I will start to feel restless and agitated. So, I must resist and stop my cravings and desires.’ Once you can stop it, your restlessness and agitation will disappear.

Youtube: “Dhamma in English, Nov 9, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

“Restlessness occurs because you think too much.”

“Restlessness occurs because you think too much.”

- - -

Question: May Tan Ajahn please share with us some techniques to overcome restlessness?

Tan Ajahn: Restlessness occurs because you think too much. You have no mindfulness to restrain your thinking. So you should try to develop mindfulness by keeping your mind busy with your meditation object, instead of thinking about this or that thing, this or that person, or this or that event.

You have to stop thinking by developing, repeating, reciting your mantra. If you don’t like Buddho, you can use something else. You can use counting if you like; just keep on counting one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Keep on counting. When you concentrate on your counting, then you will not be able to think about other things.

When you don’t think about other things, then your mind will become empty and peaceful.

“Dhamma for the Asking, Nov 18, 2014”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

“Fasting is very conducive to meditation if it suits you.”

*“Fasting is very conducive to meditation if it suits you.”*

Question:  “How to deal with very unrestrained defilements?”

Than Ajahn:  “You have to fight them. You have to torture them. You have to fast. That's why the Buddha fasted for 49 days in order to rein them in. Fasting really helps weaken the defilements (kilesas)— all three types of craving will be very much subdued, unlike when you eat. The defilements usually act up when you're full. You won't want to do your walking meditation because you'd like to nap first.

There are different types of fasting: it depends on you and your surrounding. If you're alone in the woods, there will likely be only water. But if you're at a monastery, there will be some drinks in the afternoon. So it depends on how regimented you are with it.

To fast means to not consume food, to not go on alms round. But if another monk happens to drop off some food for you, such as milk, you can have it if you like. You can have honey and other juices in the afternoon if you like. It depends on your level of regimen.

Fasting makes it easier to meditate; it helps with walking meditation and cures any sleepiness while sitting. There will be more effort and determination and less laziness. You'll be more alert to any danger and mindful because you're constantly watching your own mind. Your mind will keep thinking about food while fasting so you need to keep it focussed on 'Buddho' if you have yet learnt to contemplate.

If you know how to contemplate, you can think about food and the bodily waste. Thinking about the food that's in your mouth and stomach will help curb your craving. You won't be able to fast if you have no mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom— sati, samādhi, and paññā—because you'll keep thinking about and seeing all the food. If you can rein back your mind with mindfulness, then you'll be able to get into practice.

If you don't recite 'Buddho', you'll need to contemplate food and the bodily waste. You will be able to deal with your craving once you know how to contemplate such matters. You'll only consume according to your body's need. You'll use fasting as a means for meditation practice. You won't eat like you normally do because doing so will only give you that feeling of torpor.

You'll see the difference. If you're in a monastery, fasting will allow you to be alone, not having to do chores with the community, such as going on alms round and cleaning at the dining hall. All these chores can take up three to four hours easily, during which you can do your sitting and walking meditation and be alone instead.

Fasting is very conducive to meditation if it suits you. It can be your go-to resource until you no longer need to rely on it. If it doesn't suit you, it will stress you out and make your mind unruly. You'll be obsessed with thinking about food all the time and not meditate. If you don't meditate while fasting, you'll end up thinking about food, thus feeling hungry and insufferable.

You have to keep meditating. As soon as you come out of your absorption, carry on with walking meditation to control your mind from thinking about food. You can also recite 'Buddho' or focus your mind on walking. You may contemplate: the virtue of Dhamma; the four elements— earth, water, wind, and fire; the cycle of birth, ageing, illnesses, and death; the three marks of existence—impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self; and food and bodily waste. You may alternate them as you see fit.”

“Essential Teachings”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

5 practices for nurturing happiness ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

5 practices for nurturing happiness ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

"The first method of creating joy and happiness is to cast off, to leave behind. There is a kind of joy that comes from letting go." —Thich Nhat Hanh
https://buff.ly/2R2vRk1


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Thich Nhat Hanh says that we can put an end to suffering by realizing that our suffering is not worth suffering for:

“The greatest miracle is to be alive. We can put an end to our suffering just by realizing that our suffering is not worth suffering for! How many people kill themselves because of rage or despair? In that moment, they do not see the vast happiness that is available. Mindfulness puts an end to such a limited perspective. The Buddha faced his own suffering directly and discovered the path of liberation. Don’t run away from things that are unpleasant in order to embrace things that are pleasant. Put your hands in the earth. Face the difficulties and grow new happiness.”

“The function of mindfulness is, first, to recognize the suffering and then to take care of the suffering. The work of mindfulness is first to recognize the suffering and second to embrace it. A mother taking care of a crying baby naturally will take the child into her arms without suppressing, judging it, or ignoring the crying. Mindfulness is like that mother, recognizing and embracing suffering without judgement.

So the practice is not to fight or suppress the feeling, but rather to cradle it with a lot of tenderness. When a mother embraces her child, that energy of tenderness begins to penetrate into the body of the child. Even if the mother doesn’t understand at first why the child is suffering and she needs some time to find out what the difficulty is, just her act of taking the child into her arms with tenderness can already bring relief. If we can recognize and cradle the suffering while we breathe mindfully, there is relief already.”

Judicious vs. Judgmental Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Judicious vs. Judgmental
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"One of the most difficult but necessary skills we need to develop as meditators is learning how to be judicious without being judgmental. And as a preliminary step to developing that skill, it’s good to reflect on the difference between the two.

Being judgmental is basically an effort to get rid of something we don’t understand and probably don’t want to understand. We see something we don’t like and we try to dismiss it, to stamp it out without taking the time to understand it. We’re impatient. Whatever we’re being judgmental about, we just want to get rid of it quickly.

Being judicious, however, requires patience together with understanding. A judicious choice is one you’ve made after understanding all the options, all the sides of a question. That way your choice is based on knowledge, not on greed, aversion, or delusion."

Judicious vs. Judgmental
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/Meditations1/Section0016.html

Ajahn Chah

Ajahn Chah 

As panna strengthens, it acts to develop samadhi which becomes steadier and more unshakable. The firmer samadhi becomes, the more resolute and complete sila becomes. As sila is perfected, it nurtures samadhi, and the strengthening of samadhi leads to a maturing of panna. These three aspects of the practice are pretty much inseparable  -  they overlap so much. Growing together, they combine to form what the Buddha called magga, the Path. When sila, samadhi and panna reach their peak, magga has enough power to destroy the kilesa. Whether it be greed, hatred or delusion which arises, it is only the strength of magga which is capable of destroying it.

The Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha as a framework for practice are: dukkha (suffering), samudaya (the cause of suffering), nirodha (the end of suffering) and magga (the path leading to the end of suffering) which consists of sila, samadhi and panna  -  modes of training which exist in the mind. Although I say these three words  -  sila, samadhi, panna  -  out loud, they don't exist externally, they are rooted in the mind itself.

(Ajahn Chah)

“I teach people the same thing, whether bhikkhunīs or bhikkhus. I teach them to practice sīla, samādhi, and paññā.”

“I teach people the same thing, whether bhikkhunīs or bhikkhus. I teach them to practice sīla, samādhi, and paññā.”

Question:  “I was born in this life with fifth jhāna attainment which I experienced it in my childhood. Now I want to ordain as a bhikkhunī and I don’t know which teacher who will be good for me. I am afraid that no teacher will be able to help me to become enlightened because he himself is not enlightened. So I want to know if Ajahn Suchart teaching a woman who wants to become a bhikkhunī?” 

Than Ajahn:  "I teach people the same thing, whether bhikkhunīs or bhikkhus. I teach them to practice sīla, samādhi, and paññā. If you have sīla, samādhi, and paññā, then you will be able to become enlightened. If you have jhāna, this is on the level of samādhi. You still need to develop wisdom or insight. In order to develop insight, you have to contemplate. You have to contemplate on the nature of things that they are aniccaṁ, dukkhaṁ, anattā. Once you see that everything is aniccaṁ, dukkhaṁ, anattā, you will become enlightened. Then, you will let go of everything."

………. 

Question:  “Does Ajahn ordain bhikkhunīs?”

Than Ajahn: “No, I don’t. I have nothing to do with ordination here. This Monastery don’t ordain bhikkhunīs. In Thailand we don’t ordain bhikkhunīs because in Thailand tradition we consider the tradition of bhikkhunīs has already ended and there’s nothing we can restart it. If you want to be ordained as a bhikkhunī, you have to go to some other countries. I heard in Taiwan or in SriLanka still have bhikkhunī ordination.

Once you’re ordained, you should stay with the temple where you’re ordained. If you go to some places else, they might not accept you because you are not practicing the same way that they are practicing. In the monastery, they need uniformity. Everybody has to practice the same way. If everybody chooses to practise the way he or she wants, it could be a chaos and disruption.

So, my recommendation is ordination as a bhikkhunī or not is not the prerequisite to your enlightenment. The prerequisite to your enlightenment is the practice of sīla, samādhi, and paññā. If you can stay wherever you are and practice sīla, samādhi, and paññā, you can become enlightened.

Nowadays you don’t have to go and study with the teachers in person. You can study on line. You can read their books. If you have an opportunity, if you have questions, you can come and listen to my Dhamma talks. You can send in questions. I think trying to become a bhikkhunī can be an obstacle instead of being a help. It’s very difficult to be ordained as a bhikkhunī and to find a place where you will be accepted.

In Thailand, we don’t have any bhikkhunī. If you want, you have to become a mae chee, keeping the eight or the ten precepts. This is enough. It’s practising sīla. What you need is samādhi and paññā. You need a quiet environment to practice. This is what you should look for: a monastery where it is quiet and without any disruption or disturbances, where you are allowed to practice all day long, from the time you get up to the time you go to sleep. You might have to help with other work in the kitchen when you have to come and eat. Other than that you should be able to be free and practice. I think this will be sufficient for your enlightenment.”

Q&A, May 31, 2017.

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

“You have to have a ‘don’t look back’ mentality. Once you’re on this path, don’t turn back.”

“You have to have a ‘don’t look back’ mentality. Once you’re on this path, don’t turn back.”

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Question: When I go back to my country, I plan to ordain. Some teachers have told me to break up contact with my family. It doesn’t feel very compassionate because it seems that it’s going to hurt them. I’m wondering about how often I can see them and speak to them. They live in a different country from me.

Than Ajahn: Well, ideally, it’s better to be separated from them during the initial period because you want to cut off the flow of your thoughts towards them. Because it can be an impediment to your practice if you keep thinking about them, or if you keep wanting to have contact with and see them. This will prevent you from meditating reaching into the depth of your mind if you still cling to your family and friends. So, look at it as a probationary period. It’s not something permanent. It’s for your benefit. Tell your family that you want to be isolated temporarily to develop mental strength.

If you constantly in contact with your family and friends, sometimes you can be emotional.  After you see them and talk to them, when you go back and live alone, you’ll become sad and lonely. So, it’s better to be sad and feel lonely once than to be sad and feel lonely every time you have contact with them and you have to separate from them after seeing them because this will be just like seesawing in which you will never get to anywhere. It’s better to tell your family that this is a probationary period where you need to be alone, that you are not running away from them or hate them. It’s like going to the hospital and be isolated from people so that the doctor can fix your illness. That’s all. You have no contact with them temporarily until you have enough strength to know that by having contact them doesn’t bother you, and doesn’t hurt you. Then, you can be in contact with them again.

The Buddha spent 6 years alone. After 6 years, he kept in contact with everybody but his mind was no longer attached to anyone. Seeing family and friends or not seeing them had the same result. It didn’t make him happy or sad. Seeing them didn’t make him happier and not seeing them didn’t make him sadder. You have to get to that point of neutrality before you can go out to the world and deal with other people, otherwise why bother doing it if you’re ordained and you practice but you don’t get to anywhere. You might as well staying with your family all along.

You have to use rationality. What is your goal? Your goal is to have freedom from suffering. The only way to do it is by isolating yourself from everybody. Even when you live in monastery, you’re also not supposed to have any close contact with people who live in the same compound. You just know each other but you don’t spend time associating and developing relationship with them.

Associating with people is not the way for someone who practice and never look back. You have to have a ‘don’t look back’ mentality. Once you’re on this path, don’t turn back. Just keep moving forward. Then, you’ll get there very quickly and easily. But if you keep looking back, you’ll be pulled back because every time when you think about your friends and your family, you’ll have to go and see them. You just keep going back and forth.

This separation is not permanent. It’s temporary. You are just like an astronaut who have to go to the space and you cannot take your family with you. After you complete your mission, you’ll come back and greet your family.

Try to develop mindfulness as much as possible, all the time. This is the key to your meditation success. You have to curb your thinking by using something like reciting a mantra or concentrating on what you’re doing. When you’re moving around, you use your body as your object of meditation. Keep watching what you’re doing. Don’t let your mind go somewhere else.

When you sit, you can either use the recitation of a mantra or watch your breath. Try to do a lot of those activities. Do nothing else. Just develop mindfulness and meditate. Then, you’ll move very quickly. Don’t waste time with other people. Don’t talk to them. Don’t do things that you don’t really have to do. Do only the things that you have to do, like taking care of your body, wash your clothes, eat, etc. Don’t do other social activities because it’s a waste of time. It’s a hindrance.

You should try to read Dhamma books every day, maybe an hour a day so that it can remind you things that you’re supposed to do. That was what I used to do when I was staying with a teacher in the monastery. He didn’t teach every day. So, I read his books for about an hour a day. Reading his books was similar to listening to his talks because the books was the transcribed of his talks. When I read it, I could pick up the teachings and it went into my mind. When you read books written by meditation masters, the teachings come from a calm mind and they can calm your mind.

Youtube: “Dhamma in English, Nov 9, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

Talk by Ajahn Lee

Talk by Ajahn Lee

In Christianity they teach that if you've done wrong or committed a sin, you can ask to wash it away by confessing the sin and asking for God's forgiveness. God will then have the kindness to hold back punishment, and you'll be pure. But Buddhism doesn't teach this sort of thing at all. If you do wrong, you are the one who has to correct the error so as to do away with the punishment on your own behalf. What this means is that when a defilement — greed, anger, or delusion — arises in your heart, you have to undo the defilement right there so as to escape from it. Only then will you escape from the suffering that would otherwise come as its natural consequence.

We can compare this to a man who drinks poison and comes down with violent stomach cramps. If he then runs to a doctor and says, "Doctor, doctor, I've drunk poison and my stomach really hurts. Please take some medicine for me so that the pain will go away," there's no way that this is going to cure the pain. If the doctor, instead of the sick man, is the one who takes the medicine, the sick man can expect to die for sure.

So I ask that we all understand this point: that we have to wash away our own defilements by practicing the Dhamma — the medicine of the Buddha — in order to gain release from any evil and suffering in our hearts; not that we can ask the Buddha to help wash away our mistakes and sufferings for us. The Buddha is simply the doctor who has discovered the formula for the medicine and prepared it for us. Whatever disease we have, we need to take the medicine and treat the disease ourselves if we want to recover.

(Ajahn Lee)

BÃHIYA´S TEACHING – in the Seen is just Seen by AJAHN BRAHM

BÃHIYA´S TEACHING – in the Seen is just Seen
by AJAHN BRAHM 

"The Buddha explained that it is the Five Hindrances5 that distort perception and corrupt our thinking. He called the Five Hindrances the nutriment that feeds delusion (AN 10.61). The first hindrance, Sensual Desire, selects what we want to see, hear, sense and cognize. It often embellishes the truth. It presents to our consciousness the product of wishful thinking. The second hindrance, Ill Will, is that negative impulse that blocks us seeing, hearing, sensing or cognizing, what we don't want to know. It blinds us to what is unpleasant, and to what is contrary to our view. Psychology knows the second hindrance as the process of denial. The third hindrance is Sloth and Torpor. This does not distort what we see, hear, sense or cognize. It buries it in a fog so that we are unable to discern clearly. The fourth hindrance is Restlessness and Remorse, which keeps our senses on the run, so fast that we do not have sufficient time to see, hear, sense or cognize fully. Sights do not have time to fully form on our retina, before the back of the eye has another sight to deal with. Sounds are hardly registered, when we are asked to listen to something else. The fourth hindrance of Restlessness, and its special case of Remorse (inner restlessness due to bad conduct), is like the over-demanding boss in your office who never gives you enough time to finish a project properly. The fifth hindrance is Doubt, which interrupts the gathering of data with premature questions. Before we have fully experienced the seen, heard, sensed or cognized, doubt interferes with the process, like a cocky student interrupting the teacher with a question in the midst of the lecture. You should now be able to appreciate that it is these Five Hindrances that distort perception, corrupt the thinking and maintain a deluded view...

As the Buddha repeatedly said (e.g. AN 6.50), only as a result of Jhāna (sammā samādhi) does one see things as they are (yathā-bhūta-Яānadassanam) and not as they seem...

Also, in Jhāna, real Jhāna not fake ones, the seen and the heard and the sensed all disappear. The external five senses cease. This data is also so clear. When one reflects on the complete absence of these five senses within the Jhāna experience, in the hindrance-free state of post-Jhāna upacāra samādhi, one will see with certainty that there is no self, soul or me observing the sight, hearing the sounds or sensing the smells, tastes and touches. There is no self, soul or me, knowing the known. Consciousness, too, all forms, is seen as an impersonal process that can come to a complete cessation. In short, you are not identical with your mind. The mind is just a natural process. It can completely stop. It does stop, once and for all, at Parinibbāna! Once again you, my reader, will be incapable of agreeing with me. The Five Hindrances active within you now, under the surface of cognition, prevent you from seeing the truth. It challenges your most basic view, the view that 'You Are'! Just don't worry about such disagreements for now. Instead, meditate until you have experienced Jhāna and suppressed those Five Hindrances. Then see if I'm right!"

Source: BÃHIYA´S TEACHING – in the Seen is just Seen
by AJAHN BRAHM

http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books6/Ajahn_Brahm_BAHIYA_S_TEACHING.htm

When you forgive you heal, when you let go, you grow

When you forgive you heal, when you let go, you grow 

Thirty years ago, if you were to buy fresh fruit or vegetables in a Thai market, you would probably take your purchases home in bags made from stapled newspaper.
One young mother in Bangkok arrived home from such a shopping trip, mind obsessed with anger towards her unfaithful and absent husband, plotting all kinds of revenge.
Something on the kitchen table caught her eye.
She pulled one of the newspaper bags apart and started to read.
The column gave a summary of a Dhamma talk given at the Ministry of Industry by a Western monk, Ajahn Jayasaro.
She read that the monk had said that indulging in the desire for revenge does more long-term harm to our well-being than the actions of the person who hurt us.
Every sentence made sense.
Tears started to fall down her cheeks.
She cried and cried.
Finally the tears stopped and she felt as if a great weight had fallen away.
She had forgiven her husband, and was now determined to make the best of her life without him.
Some time later she sent me one of the most beautiful and memorable thank you letters that I have ever received.

Ajahn Jayasāro

When we come out of meditation and we like to share the merit with our parents who has passed away, is it possible or not possible?

Question:  When we come out of meditation and we like to share the merit with our parents who has passed away, is it possible or not possible?

Than Ajahn: Well, it was never mentioned by the Buddha. He only mentioned giving dāna and giving to charity, and then you can dedicate that merit to the departed. But regarding dedicating the merit from the result of your meditation for the departed, he didn’t mention it. But you can try. There is nothing to stop you from doing it.

Layperson: But you know that sometimes the king and people go to some temples to chant, pay respect and give merits to kings who had passed away. So, it’s not impossible, right?

Than Ajahn: Well, it’s not possible and it’s not impossible because the Buddha didn’t say either way. He only said to dedicate the merit to the dead by giving dāna, by giving offerings to monks and once you’ve done that, then you have merit, so you can dedicate this merit to the people who died.

Layperson: And if they haven’t died, can we give it to them or not?

Than Ajahn: No.

Layperson: And we cannot give it from the meditation.

Than Ajahn: No, you cannot because if I can give it to you, then you don’t have to meditate, right?

Layperson: But sometimes we want to share.

Than Ajahn: I know. I think if it’s possible, the Buddha would have mentioned it. The merit that you can give is the merit that you do by charity. Maybe it’s because it’s the thing people can do readily, right away because most people won’t be able to meditate any way.

So, maybe you can if you can meditate and you can have this serenity, and you dedicate this serenity. But for the people, whether they are waiting for it and can accept it or not, it depends. It’s because nothing can stop you from dedicating whatever you have.

Layperson: No, I heard in your dhamma talk that some people asked if someone they know died, what could they do? You said truthfully, ‘Well, if they didn’t practice throughout their lives, what can you do? You just let them go. Some are auspicious. They have their own kamma.”

Than Ajahn: Yes, it’s the law of kamma, ‘Whosoever does any good or evil kamma, will receive the result of that kamma.’

Layperson: The foreigners say, ‘What goes around, comes around,’ the same thing.

Than Ajahn: Yes, the same thing. You reap what you sow.

“Dhamma in English, Aug 4th, 2017.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

“When you resist your desire without knowing the reason why you resist it, you will not be able to eliminate your desire permanently”

“When you resist your desire without knowing the reason why you resist it, you will not be able to eliminate your desire permanently”

- - - 

Question: Does the desire disappear because we are resisting it or because we use paññā to eliminate it?

Tan Ajahn: When you resist your desire without knowing the reason why you resist it, you will not be able to eliminate your desire entirely or permanently. You have to see that your desire does not bring you happiness but suffering.

It is like when you have the desire to take drugs. You have to see that taking drugs does not bring you true happiness, but it will surely bring you immense suffering. When you can see that, then you will stop. When you resist it, you might resist it from time to time, but when your resistance is low, you might not be able to resist it again.

So, you have to see the cause and effect of your actions following your desire that will not take you to contentment but only to more desire, eventually killing you if you take drugs. And then it will take you to a new birth to suffer more aging, sickness, and death. You have to see the cause and effect of following your desire and not following your desire.

It is like taking poison; if you know that what you are taking is poison, will you take it? Everything that we take, every single thing that we desire, is poison, but the problem is we don’t see the suffering that ensues. We only see or remember the transitory happiness that follows. When we buy something, we are happy for a spell, but we don’t see the suffering that follows when we run out of money and when we want to buy more things but cannot buy them.

“Dhamma for the Asking, Dec 9, 2014”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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

THE FOUL: TRANQUILITY MEDITATION by AJAHN LEE

THE FOUL: TRANQUILITY MEDITATION
by AJAHN LEE

"Sit in a half-lotus position, your right leg on top of your left; your hands palm-up in your lap, your right hand on top of your left. Keep your body comfortably erect and your mind on what you’re doing. Don’t let your thoughts go spinning forward or back. Be intent on keeping track of the present: the present of the body, or the in-and-out breath; and the present of the mind, or mindfulness and all-round alertness. The present of the body and the present of the mind should be brought together at a single point. In other words, make the object of the mind single and one. Focus your attention on the breath, keeping watch over it until you’re clearly aware that, ‘This is the in-breath,’ and ‘This is the out.’ Once you can see clearly in this way, call to mind the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha, gathering them into a single word, ‘Buddho.’ Then divide ‘Buddho’ into two syllables, thinking ‘bud-’ with the in-breath, and ‘dho’ with the out, at the same time counting your breaths: ‘Bud-’ in, ‘dho’ out, one; ‘bud-’ in, ‘dho’ out, two; ‘bud-’ in ‘dho’ out, three, and so on up to ten. Then start counting again from one to nine; then one to eight, one to seven… six… five… four… three… two… one… zero. In other words:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4

1 2 3

1 2

1

0

Keep three points – the breath, your mindfulness, and your awareness – together in a single stream. If when you’ve finished counting you find that your mind still won’t stay with the breath, start by counting again, from one to ten and so on to zero. Keep this up until you feel that your mind has settled down, and then stay with zero. In other words, you no longer have to count, you no longer have to think ‘Buddho.’ Simply keep careful watch over your breath and your awareness. Keep your awareness focused on a single point, mindful and watchful. Don’t send it in and out after the breath. When the breath comes in, you know. When it goes out, you know, but don’t make your awareness go in or out. Keep it neutral and still. Keep watch only on the present. When you can do this, the five hindrances won’t be able to find entry into the mind. This is called parikamma bhāvanā, repetition meditation.

At this point, the mind becomes light and can put aside its heavy burdens. When the mind is light, so is the body. In Pali this is called, kāya-lahutā, citta-lahutā. The mind is peaceful and solitary – free from agitation and unrest – clear and calm with the refined sense of the breath. When the mind reaches this state, it’s in the sphere of directed thought (vitakka), which is the first factor of jhāna.

Now survey and examine the characteristics of the breath. Try adjusting the breath in four different ways: Breathe in long and out long, and see whether your mind is at ease with that sort of breath. Then breathe in short and out short to see whether you feel comfortable and at ease that way. Then see whether you feel at ease breathing in long and out short, or in short and out long. Continue breathing in whichever of these four ways feels most comfortable and then let that comfortable breath spread throughout the different parts of the body. At the same time, expand your sense of mindful awareness along with the breath.

When the breath runs throughout the body, and the sensations of breath in the various parts of the body are coordinated, they can be put to use, for example, to relieve feelings of pain. Your sense of mindfulness at this point is broad; your alertness, fully developed. When mindfulness is spread throughout the body, this is called kāyagatāsati – mindfulness immersed in the body. Your frame of reference is large and expansive, and so is called ‘mahāsatipaṭṭhāna.’ Your alertness is present throughout, aware both of the causes – i.e., what you’re doing – and of the results coming from what you’ve done. All of these characteristics are aspects of evaluation (vicāra), the second factor of jhāna.

Now that the body and mind have received nourishment – in other words, now that the breath has provided for the body and mindfulness has provided for the mind – both body and mind are bound to reap results, i.e., rapture. The body is full and refreshed, free from restlessness. The mind is full and refreshed, free from anxiety and distraction, broad and blooming. This is called rapture (pīti), which is the third factor of jhāna.

Once fullness arises in this way, body and mind settle down and are still. In Pali this is termed ‘kāya-passaddhi, citta-passaddhi.’ This feeling of stillness leads to a sense of relaxation and ease for both body and mind, termed pleasure (sukha).

These are the beginning steps in dealing with the mind. Once you are able to follow them, you should make a point of practicing them repeatedly, back and forth, until you’re skilled at entering concentration, staying in place, and withdrawing. Even just this much can form a path along which the mind can then progress, for it has to some extent already reached the level of upacāra bhāvanā, threshold concentration."

Source: THE FOUL: TRANQUILITY MEDITATION

by AJAHN LEE

https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/BasicThemes/Section0022.html