"When you pray, you must be sincere and not just fool around!"

"When you pray, you must be sincere and not just fool around!"

Luang Pu Chob liked to remind his disciples to be serious about their chanting. 

"The devas in each place may like different prayers. In some areas, the gods may prefer the Dhamma Cakka Pavattana Sutta. In another place, the group there may prefer the Karaniya Metta Sutta. Yet somewhere else, the deities like to listen to the Mathika Chapter. And further away, the divine beings are inclined towards the Mettanisamsa Sutta.

When you start chanting their favourite suttas, they may raise their voice in an unanimous rejoice - anumodana sadhu! 

You might hear a loud sound that seemingly shakes the earth below your feet. The devas bring one another to listen to the verses being chanted because they really like it."

Luang Pu cautioned his disciples, "When it is time to pray, don't go fooling around. 

You are reciting the Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha. If you treat it frivolously, you are making unwholesome kamma. When you pray, you should set your mind in concentration and exercise great mindfulness. Then there will be great virtue and merit. 

All these devas, they were once humans - just like us. The key factor is that they had a virtuous mind and liked to make merit. 

When their khandas broke up upon death, they took rebirth in the different heavenly worlds, some lower and some on higher planes, in accordance with their deeds and merit they had accumulated when they were human beings. 

As they were used to making merit and doing good deeds, their minds are steeped in virtue. Whenever they hear or see someone perform a charitable or praiseworthy act, they will gather together to express their appreciation and anumodana. 

If our cittas are refined enough with adequate samadhi, we will be able to perceive these beings around us expressing their approval and rejoicing together with us."

Luang Pu Chob Thansamo

Wat Pa Sammanusorn

Wang Saphung District, Loei Province