“Watching the mind means watching your thoughts and stopping your thoughts.”

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

25th August, 2022

“Watching the mind means watching your thoughts and stopping your thoughts.”

Question:  “Mindfulness of mind seems to be clearer to me than mindfulness of the body. Is it important to focus on the mind or in the body?”

Than Ajahn:  “If you’re using your body, then you have to be mindful of your body. If you don’t watch what your body is doing, your mind can be doing something incorrectly. Like walking, if you don’t watch where you’re walking, you might walk into a tree or you might fall down because you step on the slippery road. 

Mindfulness means to be careful in what you are doing. If your body is moving, then you have to be mindful of your body. If your body is sitting still, then you can watch your mind. In watching the mind, you have to know what you are watching, and know what you’re supposed to do. 

The purpose of watching the mind is to stop your mind from thinking. If you cannot stop your mind from thinking and you still watch it, it doesn’t do you any good. Why do you want to stop your thinking? It’s because your thinking creates cravings and desires which follows by depression, restlessness and agitation. 

So, watching the mind means watching your thoughts and stopping your thoughts. You have to learn how to stop your thoughts. You need something to stop your thoughts. The easiest way is to recite a mantra. 

Keep reciting a mantra or keep watching your breath. You have to go back to have something to stop your mind from thinking. 

Watching your mind is just to make sure that your mind is not doing anything bad. If your mind is not thinking, or if it’s not creating any problem, then it’s ok. But when it starts to create problems, you have to know how to stop it. If you don’t know how to stop your thoughts, watching the mind will not give any benefit.”

From “Dhamma in English to layperson from France, Mar 5-8, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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The teachings of Ajahn Suchart

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart

20 June 2024

“If you know how to meditate and practise properly, you will realise that it’s not necessary to go to see your teacher very often. You only have to do so once in a while.

Especially these days, you have so many recorded Dhamma talks and books. You barely need to see your teacher because their essence is in their Dhamma discourse, not in their physical presence. But you are deluded to become attached to their physical appearance. For instance, when you arrive at the temple, you rush to take a picture of them for worshipping; even though they teach you that their essence lies in their Dhamma.

The Buddha said: ‘Whoever sees the Dhamma, sees me.’ The Buddha never allowed anyone to sculpt his image during his lifetime. He only emphasised on his teaching of the Dhamma: 

‘Dhamma-Vinaya will be your teacher in place of Tathagata from here on out. Whoever sees the Dhamma, sees me.’”

From “Against The Defilements.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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

Buddhist researchers find that religious chanting reduces stress ~ BY HALEIGH ATWOOD

Researchers at Hong Kong’s Center of Buddhist Studies say the power of chanting is effective when dealing with psychological suffering.

   ‎  

Buddhist researchers find that religious chanting reduces stress
~ BY HALEIGH ATWOOD

The same Buddhist researchers who published findings earlier this year pointing to a connection between mind and heart have now published findings that suggest religious chanting can reduce stress.

“We found out the power of chanting is effective in dealing with psychological suffering,” said Venerable Sik Hin Hung, Buddhist monk and director of the University of Hong Kong’s Center of Buddhist Studies, about the center’s newly published study. “That’s why I think the paper is relevant to people who are facing stress.”

The study consisted of twenty-one Buddhist participants with at least one year of experience chanting “Amitabha,” the name of a Buddha. Each participant was shown stress-provoking or neutral images while silently chanting either “Amitabha,” “Santa Claus,” or not chanting at all.

The initial response to stressful stimuli did not change in participants who chanted “Amitabha,” but the late-stage response largely disappeared or became similar to participants’ responses to neutral images.

Results also found that in all three chanting conditions, the initial response to stress-provoking images was higher than the response to neutral images. This means that participants were not shifting their attention away from negative images by chanting, but were attending to the pictures without avoiding them.

In their analysis, researchers point out that this is in line with the Sallatha Sutta, which teaches that a well-trained practitioner would experience the initial pain of harmful events, but wouldn’t react to additional negative emotions.

To further explore the effects of chanting “Amitabha,” researchers asked one monk with “advanced experience” to mentally chant while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Results showed that the posterior cingulate cortex — an area of the brain active during autobiographical memories and self-reflection — showed lower computational centrality. This suggests that chanting decreases the impact of stress by diminishing the influence of self-centered thoughts.

“People keep chanting because it brings them psychological benefits,” says Hin Hung. “Not just because they want to go to the pure land. If you’ve got a stressful daily life, this will help you too.”

How to prevent black magic in your food

 How to prevent black magic in your food

Luksit: If someone adds a cursed substance into your food or drink, hoping that you will succumb to black magic after ingesting it, and we are unaware, how do we resolve this problem?

LP Lek: Luang Phor Wat Tha Sung [referring to LP Lersi Lingdam of Wat Tha Sung - LP Lek is of his lineage], he taught monks to recite kathas over their donated alms food before eating them. 

Which kathas do we recite? The Katha Baramee Sam Sip (30) Tat, followed by Namo Puttaya. 

After that, you arathana (i.e. respectfully invite) the parami of the Triple Gems to destroy any unclean substances or influences present. 

Sometimes he taught us to make nammon (holy water), but it is a little elaborate for me...I am only good at arathana, inviting the virtues and parami of the Buddha to descend downwards, protecting all. So supposing someone cast a spell or put black magic in our food, it will be rendered completely ineffective. 

I tried this when I was battling a Karen hilltribe witchdoctor for many rounds. Both of us were looking at each other, and he was staring at my face, looking to see what would happen to me. I just said this meal is aroi, it is delicious [laughs]. I already deflected the black magic but it also depends on the power of our concentrated samadhi. 

Luksit: How many times do we need to recite the Katha Baramee Sam Sip Tat?

LP Lek: Only once is enough. But you can also recite it all the time when you are eating, that's good too. 

Luang Phor Lek Suthammapanyo

Wat Tha Kha Nun

Admin: Phra Katha Baramee Sam Sip Tat is a very powerful chant for consecrating holy water. If you recite this katha regularly, it will help improve your metta so that the people around you will have loving kindness for you, thus you will have fewer enemies. If prayed for a long time, the happiness and prosperity in your life will increase. 

Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtZSkDEl9BM

http://www.watpamahachai.net/watpamahachai-59.htm

Full Katha Text:

See Comments

Luangpu Jian On Body And Asubha Contemplation

Luangpu Jiak On Body and Asubha Contemplation

Both Luangta Maha Boowa and Luangpu Jiak agreed that until one has fully overcome sexual desire, one should neither talk about it nor teach it to others. As such, Luangpu Jiak was able to teach body and asubha contemplation based on his personal experiences on what truly work as well as how to overcome the obstacles that occur in the course of one's practice. 

Besides being more detailed than the instructions found in the texts, Luangpu was able to pinpoint exactly how the student’s asubha contemplation fell short and what should have been done instead, on occasions even without him having being told. In fact, without Luangpu Jiak's guidance, many monks would still be stuck with the recitation of Buddho and not know how to proceed to the development of liberating insight. 

Luangpu Jiak would exhort the monks: “All of you should contemplate this body composition thoroughly. Don’t miss contemplating any body part, not even an inch of it!”

According to Luangpu Jiak, this body should be contemplated up and down, repeatedly and continuously:

Examine the nails; what is under it? Examine the skin; what is under it? Flesh. What is under the flesh? Tendons and Ligaments. What is under tendons and ligaments? Bones. Like this and so on.

Then set one’s mind to visualise the severance of these body parts one by one methodically-- from the toe to the head, then from the head to the toe-- and keep at this contemplation until one finds it enjoyable.  If one continues this contemplation relentlessly, one will experience the miracles of it one day.

After practising according to Luangpu’s Dhamma instructions, a monk who was proficient in samadhi returned to tell Luangpu:

“Than Ajaan, I cannot do this meditation anymore! After severing two or three body parts, the heart would not want to continue. It’s lazy; it wants to stop. It doesn’t enjoy doing it and the heart is not still!”

Luangpu explained that the heart has been working, that is why it feels tired. This is not enjoyable because the contemplation work is not yet skillful; it does not have the tranquility of the restful stage of samadhi. 

One needs to contemplate harder on the physical elements of the form aggregate. The lazier the heart, the harder one should strive against it. One has to really compel oneself to contemplate on the body as this would not be comfortable like when the heart is peaceful (from being unstirred). Body contemplation is not (initially) enjoyable; it is uncomfortable and must be forced until one achieves mastery. One must persist at doing body contemplation until it becomes an ingrained habit, by then which the mantra Buddho is no longer needed. Instead, for contemplation at this stage, focus one’s investigation solely within this body.

Luangpu would always check on the progress of his students and ask them to tell him of the problems that they had encountered during their practice. He would reprimand those who sat in meditation but did not contemplate to develop insight. This is because once this becomes a habit, it would be difficult to rectify in much the same way like those who sit in meditation and fall asleep.

Subsequently, Luangpu would stress on doing contemplation at all times of the day. Those monks who became skillful at body contemplation following Luangpu’s instructions eventually realised the miracles of the practice that Luangpu had previously talked about. 

However, contemplation of the unattractiveness (asubha) of the body is not enough. After one has become adept at it, one needs to proceed to the final stage of contemplation: To contemplate on the attractiveness (subha) of the body embodied by the sexual organ so as to overcome sexual desire and the defilements that are bound up with it. While humans and animals have organs and body parts like eyes, skin, and flesh that are common to both genders, each gender has their own distinct sexual organ which is an evergreen source of fascination and the biggest stumbling block to overcoming sexual desire.

Thus, Luangpu taught that whichever sexual organ that one is fixated on should be mentally cut up and contemplated upon relentlessly, and to use the Four Noble Truths to comprehend the origination of sexual desire in order to eliminate it. If one is still titillated and affected by the sexual organ, one needs to return to the heart of meditation, which is to keep contemplating on sexual desire and its object till one is freed from their oppression. It is only when both concentration and insight (i.e. asubha and subha contemplations) are developed could one bring an end to one's continuous transmigrations and suffering in samsara.

In doing so, one would have truly crossed over the floods of sensuality, becoming, views, and ignorance^1 to the further shore that has no "here," no "there," no "in between" and be totally unbound, never to be found and ensnared by Mara and their retinue ever again.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *

^1: "Ogha Sutta: Floods (1)" (SN 45.171), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN45_171.html

Kruba Chaiyawongsa

When we make merit, we can dedicate it to our loved ones - hoping that our parents, siblings, husbands, wives, and friends can be happy and free from suffering. [This is something praiseworthy.] 

However, do not make the determination to be reborn or to die with anybody. Even if it is someone you love the most. For example, if the person you made the vow to be with lifetime after lifetime was like Phra Devadatta, happened to fall into Avici Hell, are you going to spend tens of thousands of years waiting for him to get out? Even if you want to go to Nibbana first, you can't, due to the power of the determination which binds you. 

Those who wish to take birth with and become a disciple of a Buddha, attaining enlightenment together. If the Buddha [Bodhisatta] did not accept your vow in the past, it would not be possible. Instead, he would advise you to let go of your defilements. However, those who have affinity with the Bodhisatta can be reborn as his disciples in his final birth and attain Nibbana together. 

However, that we are all born during the Dispensation of a Buddha is still good (Buddha Sasana: meaning when the Dhamma still exists and the Buddha isn't forgotten yet). 

Nonetheless, even though we are all disciples of the Buddha - we aren't the same. Just like how people born in the same year and same month may turn out totally different. 

Some people may be quick to commit unskillful kamma like killing animals, drinking alcohol or taking drugs. They don't practice the Dhamma or seek out monks for instruction. The only time they look for the Sangha is when they are sick and suffering, and ask for the monks to help them relieve their pain. 

But how can the Phra help you when you didn't make merit when you were healthy? Now when you are close to death, you can't recover. Nobody can help you. 

Kruba Chaiyawongsa

Wat Phra Phutthabat, Huai Tom, 

Li District, Lamphun Province

The Recollection of the Buddha

The Recollection of the Buddha 

There are nine qualities of the Buddha.

1) Araham – worthy one

The Buddha is one 

(1) who stands remote and far away from all defilements, 

(2) who destroys his enemies, the defilements, 

(3) who destroys the spokes of Samsāra, the twelve factors of dependent origination, 

(4) who is worthy of receiving the four requisites, 

(5) who is absence of secret evil-doing. 

2) Sammā-sambuddho – fully self-enlightened one

The Buddha is one who realize the four noble truths with direct knowledge without being guided by any teacher. 

3) Vijjā-caraṇa-sampanno – endowed with knowledge and conduct

The Buddha is one who is endowed with eight knowledges: 

(1) the insight knowledge, 

(2) the supernormal power of mind-made body (mano-mayiddhi), 

(3) the knowledge of recollecting past existences, 

(4) the knowledge of divine eye, 

(5) the knowledge of divine ear, 

(6) the knowledge of reading other living being's mind, 

(7) the supernormal power of diving into earth etc., 

(8) the knowledge of destruction of taints. 

The Buddha is also endowed with fifteen conducts: 

(1) observing the precepts, 

(2) guarding the sense doors, 

(3) moderating in food, 

(4) devotion to wakefulness, 

(5) being endowed with faith, 

(6) being endowed with mindfulness, 

(7) being endowed with moral shame, 

(8) being endowed with moral dread, 

(9) being endowed with Dhamma-knowledge (suta), 

(10) being diligent, 

(11) attaining wisdom (paññā), 

(12) attaining the first jhāna, 

(13) attaining the second jhāna, 

(14) attaining the third jhāna, and 

(15) attaining the fourth jhāna.

4) Sugato – well-spoken one

The manner of going is good, purified, and blameless (sobhaṇa-gata) by noble path without attachment to the direction of safety. 

The Buddha has gone to the excellent place, deathless Nibbāna (sundara-gata). 

The Buddha has rightly gone without going back to the defilements abandoned by path knowleges (sammā-gata).

The Buddha enunciates rightly (sammā-gada) – he speaks timely fitting to the place. He speaks timely if the speech is true, beneficial, and unpleasant to the listener.  He also speaks timely if the speech is true, beneficial, and pleasant to the listener.  

5) Lokavidū – knower of the world

The Buddha is the knower of worlds. 

The Buddha also knows all beings' habit, their inherent tendencies, their temperaments, and their bents (inclinations).

The Buddha also knows them as with little dust (defilement) on their (wisdom) eyes and with much dusts on their (wisdom) eyes. 

The Buddha also knows them as with keen faculties and with dull faculties. 

The Buddha also knows them as with good behaviors and with bad behaviors according to their maturity of faculties.

The Buddha also knows them as easy to teach and hard to teach.

The Buddha also knows them as capable and incapable of achievement. 

6) Anuttaro-purisa-damma-sārathi – incomparable leader of men to be tamed

The Buddha surpasses the whole world with higher virtue, concentration, wisdom, deliverance, and the knowledge and vision of deliverance. 

The Buddha tames those who have not yet tamed. He also further tames those who have already tamed teaching them to attain jhānas, stream-entry path and so on.

7) Satthā deva-manussānam – teacher of men and devas

The Buddha is one who teaches the ultimate goal and the benefits here and hereafter to men and devas.  

The Buddha also gets men and devas across the wilderness of birth. 

8) Buddho – enlightened

The Buddha discovered the ultimate truths by himself.

The Buddha is also the awakened of others.  

9) Bhagavā – blessed one

The Buddha has supreme lordship over his mind (issariya)

. The Buddha has achieved all kinds of mundane and supramundane knowledges. 

The Buddha has exceedingly pure fame spreading through the three worlds. 

The Buddha has glory of all limbs and perfect in every aspect. 

The Buddha has his wish, in other words, the production of what he wanted. (The Buddha wanted the beneficial to himself and others.)

The Buddha has the endeavor, the right effort.

Karma

Karma

Suppose two years ago a person killed someone in Bangkok. Then he fled to Nong Khai (a province along the Mekong River opposite Laos). This is an analogy of someone who killed another person in his past life and has been reincarnated.

When he fled from Bangkok (past life) to Nong Khai (this world), he felt a sense of remorse and guilt. 

Therefore he repented and undertook the precepts, and likes to make merit. He is also friendly and good to the villagers of Nong Khai. All his neighbours praise him for being a good man with great morals. But the Bangkok police (kamma) is still looking out to find him.

Even if he tries to escape by ordaining as a monk and hiding in the Ubosot (ordination hall, the area around it is considered sacred and immune to civil law in the past), the Bangkok police are still able to locate him and arrest him once he steps out of the Ubosot. The villagers of Nong Khai are very angry at the Bangkok police and curse them for arresting this good man.

This is the bad kamma that follows you even when you do a lot of good deeds. You may think you have done good all your life, keeping precepts and making merit. But you cannot remember what you did in a past life. Again, this is similar to people who are doing evil deeds and yet enjoying a rich glorious life. 

Their wealth is due to their good kamma that they have done in the past. The new evil kamma they are doing hasn't fruited yet.

It is like planting different type of crops. As an example, pepper plants produces fruits faster than mango trees. Planting rice yields faster than coconut trees. There are different kinds of kamma, skillful kamma, unskillful kamma, heavy kamma or light kamma. They all come to fruition at different speeds. But whatever kamma you have created, you have to be prepared to face it either in this lifetime or the subsequent ones.

Somdej Phutthachan Toh

Wat Rakhang

Bangkok

“Asking for forgiveness”

 *The teachings of Ajahn Suchart*

“Asking for forgiveness”

Question from Chile:  “What is the procedure one should use in order to ask for forgiveness from people whom I may have offended or hurt in my life, and to animals that I have harmed or killed in the past? Is this best done through mettā meditation or is there another, preferred, way to do this? Is it even possible to obtain forgiveness from people and animals who have long since died?”

Than Ajahn:  “If they’ve already passed away, it’s not possible for you to contact them. 

There’s nothing you can do. So just be sorry in your mind and try not to repeat the same mistake again. If you think that you’ve hurt those people who now have passed away, then you just have to keep reminding yourself that you should not do it again. 

If you can say, ‘sorry’ or ask for forgiveness from those who are still alive, do it. For example you go to that person and say, ‘I’m sorry and I would like to make amend. What can I do to make you feel better or feel good? Can I give you some money? Can I do something for you?’

This is to show your remorse of what you have done.”

“Dhamma in English, Q&A session, Jan 23, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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

SOTAPANNA : No fear of old age/sickness/death No doubt in the Buddha/Dhamma/Sangha The Dhamma is stable inside the Heart = Right Discernment in the Dhamma/Kamma Full understanding of the 4 Noble Truhs = the only goal is the cessation of any craving

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

19 June 2024

SOTAPANNA :
No fear of old age/sickness/death
No doubt in the Buddha/Dhamma/Sangha
The Dhamma is stable inside the Heart  =  Right Discernment in the Dhamma/Kamma
Full understanding of the 4 Noble Truhs  =  the only goal is the cessation of any craving

———-

Question: When a person attains Sotāpanna, how does he know that he had entered the stream (in his previous life) when he comes back to this earth?

Than Ajahn:  He will have the same ability. A Sotāpanna will never doubt the Buddha, the Dhamma or the Sangha. A Sotāpanna will never be attached to his own body. He knows that this body is temporary; this body doesn’t belong to him, and he is not afraid of aging, sickness or death.

Question: Can a Sotāpanna’s samādhi regress or can he occasionally break precepts?

Than Ajahn:  He will not break precepts because he knows that the body is not worth breaking the precepts for. He knows if he breaks the precepts, he will feel bad and he doesn’t want to feel bad by his own actions, so a Sotāpanna will not break any precepts.

Question: Will there be a chance that a Sotāpanna might not encounter Dhamma or the real teaching for his remaining rebirths?

Than Ajahn: He (a Sotāpanna) has already had the Dhamma inside his heart. He has seen the Noble Truths already. A Sotāpanna knows that his mental suffering arises from his own craving, so his goal is to get rid of his own craving. He doesn’t need anybody to teach him, and he can progress by himself although it might be slower if he doesn’t have a teacher to guide him, that’s the only difference.

If he has a teacher who has achieved a higher level of attainments, the teacher can guide him. 

But if he doesn’t have a teacher, he has the Noble Truths as a standard for him to practise. If he doesn’t have a teacher, he might be slow because he might not know how exactly to get rid of his craving. He might have to go through many trials and errors which will take a longer time, but he knows his goal is to get rid of his craving because he knows craving is the one that makes him feel sad or unhappy. He tries to search for the cessation of his craving, for example when he is sad or unhappy, he will ask himself, “What am I craving for? What do I desire for?” 

And once he finds it, he will find a way to stop that craving.

~ Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

Dhamma in English, Jun 30, 2016. 

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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

“If you have jhāna, you will have the strength to let go.”

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

14 June 2024

“If you have jhāna, you will have the strength to let go.”

Question:  "Is mindfulness practice enough to have insight to see the Dhamma?"

Tan Ajahn:  "Not enough. You see the Dhamma, but you don’t have the strength to let go of your attachments. It is only when you have jhāna, that you have let go of your attachment, but you only let go temporarily in your samādhi. 

After you come out of your samādhi, your attachment returns. That is where you use vipassanā. 

Use the knowledge that the body is not yourself, that the body is impermanent, that if you cling to your body, your mind becomes painful and stressed. If you don’t want this, then you have to let go of the body. 

If you have jhāna, you will have the strength to let go. If you don’t have jhāna, you don’t have the strength to let go."

“Dhamma for the Asking, Vol.2”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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

A Karma Lesson.

 A Karma Lesson.

1. WHAT IS KAMMA? 

"Intention, I tell you, is kamma.”

(“Cetanāhaṃ, bhikkhave, kammaṃ vadāmi.”)

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html

2. WHAT IS THE DIVERSITY OF KAMMA?

1. Kamma to be experienced in hell.

2. Kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals.

3. Kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades.

4. Kamma to be experienced in the human world.

5. Kamma to be experienced in the world of the devas.

This is called the diversity in kamma.

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html

3. KAMMA, CAUSE OF KAMMA, DIVERSITY OF KAMMA, RESULTS OF KAMMA AND THE CESSATION OF KAMMA SHOULD BE KNOWN

"'Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes into play should be known. The diversity in kamma should be known. The result of kamma should be known. The cessation of kamma should be known. The path of practice for the cessation of kamma should be known.' 

Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said?

"Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect.

"And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.

"And what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in hell, kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals, kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be experienced in the human world, kamma to be experienced in the world of the devas. This is called the diversity in kamma.

"And what is the result of kamma? The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell you: that which arises right here & now, that which arises later [in this lifetime], and that which arises following that. This is called the result of kamma.

"And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma.

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html

4. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF INEQUALITY OF RESULTS OF KAMMA

In Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta Buddha talks about possible causes inequality we see among human beings.

Buddha said in this sutta: "Human beings are owners of kammas, heirs of kammas, they have kammas as their progenitor, kammas as their kin, kammas as their homing-place. It is kammas that differentiate beings according to inferiority and superiority."

There are seven groups, each group is divided into two sets depending negative or positive result from unwholesome and wholesome kamma respectively (A brief summary of kamma and its results)

The seven groups:

Group 1

1. Killer of living beings...Short-lived wherever he is reborn.

2. Abandoned the killing of living beings...Long-lived wherever he is reborn.

Group 2

1. Harms beings... He is sickly wherever he is reborn.

2. Do not ham living beings (compassion)...He is healthy wherever he is reborn.

Group 3.

1. Anger...He is ugly wherever he is reborn.

2. Not angry (loving-kindness)...He is beautiful wherever he is reborn.

Group 4.

1. Envious...Not influential wherever he is reborn.

2. Not envious... He is influential wherever he is reborn.

Group 5.

1. Not a giver of food, drinks etc., to monks or brahmans (stingy)...He is poor wherever he is reborn.

2. A giver of food, drinks etc., to monks or brahmans (generous)...He is rich wherever he is reborn.

Group 6.

1. Obdurate or haughty (disrespect)...He is low-born (low cast/class/society) wherever he is reborn.

2. Not obdurate or haughty (pays respect)...He is high-born (high cast/class/society) wherever he is reborn.

Group 7.

1. Not asking questions (Non-inquiring mind) about what is wholesome, what is unwholesome, What is blamable, what is blameless What should be cultivated, etc.,...He will be stupid wherever he is reborn

2. Asking questions (Inquiring mind) about what is wholesome, what is unwholesome, What is blamable, what is blameless What should be cultivated, etc.,...He will be wise wherever he is reborn

Story of Luang Por Jamnian

Story of Luang Por Jamnian

When I was a young child, I accumulated a lot of bad karma at one point, beginning when I was seven years old. I would only use half a coconut to cook for my family. I would invert the other half of the coconut and save it for the next meal. 

When I came back to pick it up, a large group of fire ants had unknowingly ravaged the coconut. When I turned the coconut over, I was bitten. In addition to the pain of being bitten by fire ants, I also developed a strong allergic reaction. My hands became swollen and itchy. Out of fury, I set fire to the ants. The hand later had an ulcer, and it took a long time to heal. 

Since then, whenever I spot fire ant colonies, I would pour oil or alcohol on them and set them on fire. I did this for a few years, when I was very ruthless with fire ants. During the period that I killed fire ants, my body developed an itchy red rash. I tried several therapies and drugs, but they still didn't work for a long time.

During my ninth year as a monk (twenty-nine years old), I was undergoing Vassa (the rainy season retreat). No matter where I meditated, fire ants would bite me. Whenever I stopped meditating, the fire ants would stop biting. When I started to meditate again, they would bite again. I could not get rid of the rash.

One day, while I was meditating, a monk noticed my situation. He said, "Ajaan! You have rashes all over your body, your body is swollen! What's wrong with you?" I replied, "It's okay. I was bitten by fire ants." 

The bhikkhu asked me, "Where are they? I haven't seen one. Let me find them for you."

I replied: "They are the fire ants of karma."

In my mind, I could see them clearly. I saw how they lifted their feet when they pierced their heads into my flesh. The scene was as clear as in the day. They were all over me. I felt an unstoppable burning sensation overwhelming my entire body. The feeling was so strong that I almost died. At that moment, I felt the pain piercing through my heart and soul, but I refused to get up from my meditation. For a short moment, I saw myself setting fire to the ant column. I could see clearly what happened the first time, but the ones that followed were less clear.

I gained the insight that out of my anger towards the first few fire ants which had bitten me, I had burned lots of fire ants, most of which never actually caused any harm to me.

Thereafter, my body felt really light and I felt very relaxed. Since then, I have never been harassed by ants when I meditated, nor have I gotten another rash. I believe that the karma of burning fire ants has been worn out. 

Luang Phor Jamnian

Wat Khao Lao

Cr. Translated by Ted and photo from oaor.org

The Nimitta of Kamma

The Nimitta of Kamma

When a person is at death's door

He may experience a nimitta

Which reveals the kamma that a person has committed

Some people writhe and struggle in pain

Some people keep boxing and punching at air

Some people eyes bulge out while

Others are beaming brightly in good spirits

If you practice the Satipaṭṭhāna (4 Foundations of Mindfulness)

You can prepare in advance for your death

By practising meditation seriously.

If you don't practice the kammaṭṭhāna,

You will certainly not stand a chance. 

I have seen this for myself many times. 

If someone has pāṇātipāta kamma 

(i.e. breaking the first precept by killing)

You are certain to become paralysed in some form.

I used to break the necks of birds

When I was in high school year 3

My mindfulness during meditation told me

On the 14th of October 2521, at 12.45pm

I will meet with a fatal car accident

The cause of death? A broken neck.

Through the power of the Noble Ones,

My neck was indeed broken, but I did not die.

Because I was able to breathe through my navel.

I did not have to wait for a future life to see

The results of my kamma. 

For example, Yohm Sum Tong Ying. 

I knew that she would be dead in 3 hours. 

So I gave her a sermon, she walked back to her kuti.

Vomitted blood and passed away. 

She received the consequences immediately

Because she was already prepared. 

I taught her meditation since she was 38 years old

I taught her until she could practice on her own

Later the doctor said she had a terminal illness

I did not recite magical incantations or use spells

But she went on to live for 15 more years. 

If you adinnādānā (break 2nd precept)

By taking what is not given

Your house might catch fire, or be robbed

Or if you take intoxicants such as alcohol

You will become neurotic and mentally unbalanced

Only by practising the kammaṭṭhān will you be able to expiate your kamma. Are you prepared to do this before you die? If not, you are going to continue carrying your kammic debt with you. 

Phra Dharm Singhaburajarn 

LP Jaran Thitthamo

Wat Amphawan, Singburi Province

A karma Lesson

 A karma Lesson 

Luang Ta Maha Bua hardly talks about his own mystical experiences because those who do not believe may incur bad kamma when they criticise him. But there was one experience he revealed to his disciples at the hot water room of Wat Pa Ban Tat around 2550 (2007). Luang Ta said that one time after he had said his goodbyes to Luang Pu Mun, he went into the deep forests to accelerate his practice, and fasted for several days. 

His body became thin and his skin sallow, and his physical strength dwindled, but yet his heart remained radiant and bright, focused on the themes of the Dhamma. His physical rupa, however, was exhausted because of all the walking and sitting meditation, coupled with the lack of food. Concerned about his declining health, the female thep (tewada/deva) that was constantly protecting him, materialised in front of Luang Ta in a form visible to humans. 

The divine being paid respects to him and revealed that she has a strong kammic affinity with Luang Ta because she was his mother in a past life a long time ago, and was delighted to be able to see her son again. She also expressed concern and wanted to help him by offering him divine food, which just a little would help revitalise his body, and reminding him of their past connection, hope he would kindly accept. 

Luang Ta replied, "Now is not the time for me to accept food" [Monks cannot eat after noon]. 

The goddess replied, "This is divine food, which is superior to human food, it need not be consumed using one's mouth, it can also be absorbed via the body." Luang Ta was adamant, and said that "Kamma is based on intention. Even if it is divine food, absorbing it after noon is against the Vinaya. Even if nobody sees it, my heart knows. The heart is the origin of good and evil, the one who is responsible for one's kamma." 

Seeing that he remained unmoved, the goddess replied that she will bring the food to offer him tomorrow morning instead. 

Luang Ta was circumspect and asked her, "It will not be good if you appear around my dwelling, as it would look like a monk and a lady are together on their own." The goddess assured him that there was nothing to worry about, as she was only visible to him and nobody else. The next morning, after consuming the divine food, Luang Ta's body was instantly refreshed like a dehydrated fish out of water was placed back into its pond. He was also able to find the strength to continue practising hard for the next several days. He mentioned that the goddess' beauty was incomparable, even the prettiest Miss Universe looked like a monkey compared to her. 

Admin: Note that another monk who has consumed divine food is LP Jaran of Wat Amphawan. Divine food, even upon consuming a small mouthful or morsel, is enough to fill one up for the day. It also does not produce any waste, because of its refined nature, unlike human food which makes us go to the toilet. However, devas generally only offer them to monks who practice well, and not ordinary beings like us.

THAT WHICH IS WORTHY OF PRAISE ~ AJAHN BRAHM

THAT WHICH IS WORTHY OF PRAISE
~ AJAHN BRAHM

Goodness is worthy of praise. Good meditation is worthy of praise, and that’s why you should praise yourself. Tell yourself how good meditation is, how wonderful it is. Then you will do it again and again. 

The mind feeds on praise, feeds on joy. Use that as a skilful means to encourage yourself more, and more, and more. We even have a word in Buddhism, Sādhu, Sādhu, Sādhu, well done, well done, well done! You have heard that so many times.

Buddhism is into praise, into encouragement, because it works. So worship that which is worthy of worship. Don’t praise foolish people; don’t praise sports stars, who win cups, or film stars, or whatever. If someone wins a war, don’t praise that sort of stuff. Praise those who are worthy of praise. It’s not worth praising those worldly qualities. If you’ve become a millionaire, that’s not worthy of praise.

What is worthy of praise? The person who has just given flowers to the shrine, or somebody who has worked so hard on the meditation cushion is worthy of praise. Maybe, it was the first time they have been on a retreat, and they have done so well. That’s worthy of praise. Someone who has for the very first time maintained a mind in the present moment, even if just for a while during this whole nine day retreat, that’s worthy of praise. Praise that which is worthy of praise. 

Work at that which is truly workable, and then you encourage yourself, and you encourage good qualities in the world. It means that your meditation becomes strong. Goodness becomes strong. Virtue becomes strong. Not only does it mean that your happiness level rises in life, but it also means that when you come to a meditation retreat, you’ve done all of the background work. You come into the retreat not just with an empty hand, but with all these great spiritual qualities, with this great spiritual wealth, with all this goodness that you have done.

Source: “Practising In The World” by Ajahn Brahmavamso

https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebmed084.htm

📸 was taken on Sep 23, 2016 during Ajahn Brahm’s Meditation Retreat @Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore.

From The Heightened Mind: Dhamma Talks of Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu

From The Heightened Mind: Dhamma Talks of Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu

Don’t be a busybody. Wherever you live, try to be quiet and at peace. 

Don’t get entangled or “play the gongs” with the other members of the group. Don’t get involved in issues unless it really can’t be helped. 

When you’ve studied and understand your duties, look for quiet, solitary places to live and to meditate. 

When you live with others, look for quiet groups to live with. When you live alone, in physical seclusion, be a quiet person. Even when you live with the group, be a secluded person. Take only the good, peaceful things the group has to offer. 

When you live alone, don’t get involved in a lot of activity. Be quiet in your actions, quiet in your speech, quiet in your mind. 

When you live in a group—either two or three people—don’t get involved in quarrels, for when there’s quarreling there’s no peace. Your actions aren’t peaceful, for you have to get up and storm around. Your words aren’t peaceful. Your mind—with its thoughts of anger, revenge, and ill will—isn’t peaceful. And this gives rise to all sorts of bad karma. 

When you live in a community— anywhere from four on up to 99— you have to make sure that the community is at peace, that there’s no conflict, no quarreling, no hurting one another’s feelings or doing one another harm. 

The community should be a cooperative for training peacefully in virtue and the Dhamma. That’s when it’s a good community, orderly and civilized, fostering progress for all its members. 

This is one of our duties as part of the Buddha’s following, in line with the Buddha’s bidding. It’s called pantañca sayanāsanaṁ: creating a quiet place to live, at your ease in both body and mind.

~~~~~~~

https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/HeightenedMind/Contents.html

PDF: https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/TheHeightenedMind_181215.pdf

“You have to tackle the real problem and the real problem is you, not other things or other people.”

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

24 August 2024

“You have to tackle the real problem and the real problem is you, not other things or other people.”

- - -

Layperson (M): When I meditate and feel that the body disappears or feel like falling into a deep place, I don’t know what I should do next.

Than Ajahn: If you can sit still and your mind becomes calm and peaceful, then this is the result of your meditation. Try to let it stay calm as long as possible. If you can stay there for hours, let it stay there. Let it stay there as long as you don’t fall asleep. 

You must be fully aware that you’re sitting there. You are aware that your mind is still. You feel a sense of relief and you feel good. Then, try to do as much as possible. This state can be your refuge – a place away from stress and problems. When you are not in meditation, sometimes you can run into problems or stress. 

Then, you can use this place to relax and to get away from your problems temporarily. 

However, your problems won’t go away until you develop the next level which we call ‘wisdom’ or ‘common sense.’ You have to tackle the real problem and the real problem is you, not other things or other people. Other things or other people are only the instigators of your problems. 

The real problem is your mind. The real problem arises from your craving or desire for things or people to behave in a certain way. 

When you don’t get it, you’ll feel that you have a problem. But if you know that the problem is your desire or your craving for other people or things, then you should cut off your craving or desire. Leave people alone. Leave things alone. Let them be whatever they want to be or whatever they’re going to be. 

Then, your mind will be free from stress. You will not feel any sense of having problems in you. 

You’ll see things as they are. You’ll let things be. You’ll know that things are impermanent. You'll know that they are anattā – you cannot control them, you cannot manage them all the time. Sometimes, you might be able to control them, but sometimes, you might not. 

When you cannot control things, just let them be. 

So, this is the next step you should do. When you come out of meditation, you should teach your mind to look at everything as the Three Characteristics – everything is anicca, dukkha, anattā. Everything in this world that your mind comes into contact with is anicca, dukkha, anattā. You should not have any desire or craving for it. 

You’d rather stay away from it. Leave it alone if you don’t want to be hurt.

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

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

4 June 2024

Question:  How to develop more sati?

Than Ajahn:  Well, sati is to be mindful of what you do, be mindful of every movement from the time you get up in the morning. You have to keep watching what you are doing with your body, ‘What am I doing now? I’m lying down, I’m getting up, I’m sitting down, I’m standing up, I’m walking, I’m brushing my teeth, I’m washing my face, I’m eating’: this is the way to develop sati or mindfulness. If your mind cannot focus on what you do, if it still keeps thinking about other things, then you might use a mantra to help you. Just keep reciting ‘Buddho, Buddho, Buddho,’ then you cannot go think about other things. 

When you think about something of the past or of the future, it means you are not mindful. 

If you think of what you’re doing, you are being mindful, but if you think about something else, then you are not being mindful. That’s why sometimes you need to go to some places that have some kinds of danger, like here in the forest. When you walk, you have to be more mindful because you know there might be snakes or something else coming out of the forest, so you tend to be more mindful when you go practice in places where there are some kinds of danger waiting for you. If you practice in a safe place, then you become smug and you don’t feel you need to be mindful. 

“Dhamma in English, May 28, 2019.”

- - - - - 

Question:  I chant a mantra continuously, but at times, when I am not mindful, my false thoughts appear non-stop. How do I remain focused on chanting my mantra even when I’m doing my daily activities and during my working hours?

Than Ajahn:  You just have to keep reminding yourself to recite the mantra. Keep checking yourself to see if you’re reciting the mantra or not. You have to be the watcher of yourself. You have to remind yourself, ‘Am I reciting the mantra or am I not doing it? What am I doing right now?’ The Buddha taught us to ask ourselves this question all the time, ‘What am I doing right now?’ So, just keep asking this question, ‘Am I being mindful or am I not being mindful?’ Then, you will know whether you’re mindful or not mindful, and when you are not mindful, you can go back to become mindful again. Keep asking yourself these questions, ‘What am I doing right now? Am I being mindful or am I not being mindful?’

“Dhamma in English, Aug 8, 2021.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English.

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

“Am I meditating or am I talking to myself?”

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

30 May 2024

“Am I meditating or am I talking to myself?”

Question from California, USA:  “When I meditate, sometimes I find myself saying in my mind, “breath in, breath out” and sometimes I keep talking in my head about body parts and reminding myself of their impermanent nature. Am I meditating or am I talking to myself?”

Than Ajahn:  “You’re talking to yourself. You’re doing two different things at the same time; you’re meditating for calm, and the next moment you’re contemplating on vipassanā. So, it will not give you any result. You have to separate the two practices. Don’t do both at the same time. 

If you want to calm the mind, you should focus on your breath. Don’t think about anything else. 

If you want to teach the mind the truth, then you can contemplate, like thinking about the different parts of the body, or thinking about the body as being impermanent, as being anattā (not under your control). You don’t do both at the same time. 

Basically, the way to practice is first, you have to calm the mind to build the strength to resist the desire. If you have no samādhi, you will have no strength to resist your desire. Even though you might have the wisdom to tell the mind that you have to stop desiring, you will not be able to stop it. This is because you have no samādhi. Before you can go to the vipassanā level, you must first develop the samādhi or samatha level. You have to calm the mind.

Next, once you can stop the mind from desiring, then the next step is teaching the mind the reason why you don’t want to desire for things. It is because everything you desire for will hurt you. It will fall apart; It will break up.”

“Dhamma in English, Q&A session, Jan 23, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

21 August 2024

Question:  Can we enter all four jhāna state in other postures other than sitting cross-legged?

Than Ajahn:  It’s difficult to enter jhāna in other postures because when you are in other postures you have to use the mind to control your body so your mind has to work, it has to deal with your body, hence the mind cannot become still. But when you sit down, you can disregard the body because the body doesn’t need any attention from the mind, so the mind can then pay attention to the meditation object and it will then gradually enter into the 4 stages of jhāna. 

 Question:  Is it possible to enter all four jhāna using walking meditation?

Than Ajahn:  Normally no, but under some unusual circumstances, yes. For example, there’s a story of a meditation teacher who was a disciple of Ajahn Mun. 

He liked to do walking meditation at night in the forest and he would carry a lantern with a candle inside the lantern globe. When he was walking concentrating on his meditation object, suddenly he came across a tiger. 

As soon as he saw the tiger, his mind suddenly went inside and entered jhāna and left the body alone. The mind didn’t acknowledge the body and wasn’t aware of it for quite some time because when the mind withdrew from that state of calm, the candle inside the lantern had already burnt out, yet he was still standing in the same position as before he entered into jhāna. 

So, you need something drastic, like a life threatening situation, to force your mind to enter inside and leave your body temporarily. But to do this, you need to have strong mindfulness. If you don’t have strong mindfulness, when you see a tiger, you start jumping out of where you are instead of entering jhāna. With this meditation teacher, because he had strong mindfulness, as soon as the mind felt threatened by the tiger, instead of running away, the mind went inside into jhāna.

“Dhamma in English, May 28, 2019.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English.

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

Sharing of Short - Down to Earth Dhamma 6

Sharing of Short - Down to Earth Dhamma 6

Since today is the death anniversary of Phra Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, I thought I would like to share a story. Around the year 2499, at Tham Phra Sabai, Mae Tha District, Lampang Province, Phor Than Lee Dhammadaro of Wat Asokaram, also known as Phra Khru Suthithammajarn, led his disciples to establish a chedi to enshrine the relics in the Phra Sabai cave. He also decided to hold a puja ceremony and plant three Bodhi trees in front of the cave. 

After the chedi was built, he invited his 4 fellow friends and very powerful monks, Luang Pu Dteu Ajolathamo, Luang Pu Cham Mahapunyo, Luang Pu Wan Thanapalo and Than Phra Achan Noi Suparo to hold a puttapisek puja. All four of them chanted prayers from the early evening until 4am the next morning.

In this special ceremony, each of them sat in an opposite direction of the chedi, and had a prayer tray in front of them. They had decided that the amount of Phra That or relics that appeared would depend on the parami and amount of contribution that each of them had individually made to the Buddha Sasana. During this puja, each of them chanted their own mantra in accordance with their memory and preferences. 

They prayed until around 4am, having made a determination (adithan) for a miraculous sign, when the sound of falling glass broke the silence of the cave. Therefore, that was a signal for them to withdraw from concentration, and each of them examined the tray in front of their seat. 

It appeared that in Phor Than Lee Dhammadaro's tray there are the most relics. Followed by Luang Pu Cham Mahapunyo, then by Phra Achan Noi Suparo, Luang Pu Dteu Acholathamo and Luang Pu Wan Thanapalo respectively.

All of the Sangha agreed to let Luang Pu Dteu use his psychic powers and samadhi to find out the reasons why, since he was known for his powerful visions. 

When Luang Pu Dteu meditated, he saw that in the past Phor Than Lee was Ashoka the Great and Luang Pu Cham Mahapunyo was the king named Devanampiya of Sri Lanka. Phra Ajarn Noi Suparo is the minister of the Sri Lankan King (Devanampiya), Luang Pu Dteu Acholathammo was a benevolent thief who robbed the rich to help the poor, with his bandit camps near Tham Phra Sabai. Finally, Luang Pu Wan Thanapalo was the former governor of Lampang.

Before that, I had a similar suspicion. Why must Phor Than Lee's temple be called Wat Asokaram? Indeed, it is because in his past life, he was none other than King Ashoka the Great.

Source: ธรรมะทะลุโลก ประวัติท่านพ่อลี ธมฺมธโร วัดอโศการาม จ.สมุทรปราการ

The Art of Letting Go AUGUST 17, 1956

The Art of Letting Go  
AUGUST 17, 1956

“The purpose of training the mind to be still is to simplify things. When things are simplified, the mind can settle down and rest. And when the mind has rested, it'll gradually become bright, in and of itself, and give rise to knowledge. But if we let things get complicated — if we let the mind get mixed up with sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, and ideas — that's darkness. Knowledge won't have a chance to arise.

When intuitive knowledge does arise, it can — if you know how to use it — lead to liberating insight. But if you let yourself get carried away by knowledge of the past or future, you won't get beyond the mundane level. 

In other words, if you dabble too much in knowledge of physical things, without gaining wisdom with regard to the workings of the mind, it can leave you spiritually immature.

Say, for example, that a vision arises and you get hooked: You gain knowledge of your past lives and get all excited. Things you never knew before, now you can know. Things you never saw before, now you see — and they can make you overly pleased or upset. Why? Because you take them all too seriously. You may see a vision of yourself prospering as a lord or master, a great emperor or king, wealthy and influential. If you let yourself feel pleased, that's indulgence in pleasure. You've strayed from the Middle Path. Or you may see yourself as something you wouldn't care to be: a pig or a dog, a bird or a rat, crippled or deformed. If you let yourself get upset, that's indulgence in self-affliction — and again, you've strayed from the path. 

Some people really let themselves get carried away: As soon as they start seeing things, they begin to think that they're special, somehow better than other people. They let themselves become proud and conceited — and the right path has disappeared without their even knowing it. If you're not careful, this is where mundane knowledge can lead you.

But if you keep one principle firmly in mind, you can stay right on the path: 

Whatever appears, good or bad, true or false, don't let yourself feel pleased, don't let yourself get upset. 

Keep the mind balanced and neutral, and discernment will arise. You'll see that the vision or sign displays the truth of stress: it arises (is born), fades (ages), and disappears (dies).

If you get hooked on your intuitions, you're asking for trouble. Knowledge that proves false can hurt you. 

Knowledge that proves true can really hurt you. If what you know is true, and you go telling other people, you're bragging. If it turns out to be false, it can backfire on you. This is why those who truly know say that knowledge is the essence of stress: It can hurt you. 

Knowledge is part of the flood of views and opinions (ditthi-ogha) over which we have to cross. 

If you hang onto knowledge, you've gone wrong. 

If you know, simply know, and let it go at that. You don't have to be excited or pleased. You don't have to go telling other people.

...So whatever you know, simply be aware of it and let it go. Don't let there be the assumption that "I know." When you can do this, your mind can attain the transcendent, free from attachment.”

 

Source: The Art of Letting Go.

AJAHN LEE

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/inmind.html#art

“You have to have both requisites (for your physical part and mental part) in order to maintain a good life.”

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

22 May 2024

“You have to have both requisites (for your physical part and mental part) in order to maintain a good life.”

- - - - -

Question:  I’m living in a small but materialistic country. Everybody is trying hard to make a living here. 

Some who can’t take the stress in this country will either turn mad or work until their health turn bad. How can we get the balance?

Than Ajahn:  Well, you have to first know where the balance is before you can get the balance. 

You have to know that your existence is made up of two parts: the physical part and mental part. Right now, you only concentrate on your physical part, you are not paying any attention to your mental needs, so you have to strike a balance. Yesterday I gave a talk on how to handle the physical and mental parts. Your physical part needs the four requisites of living (food, clothing, shelter and medicine), so does your mental part. 

Your mental part needs food, and it can get food by giving dāna, or by doing charity work. 

For the clothing requisite for your mental part, it needs to have sīla (precepts). You have to have moral uprightness. You don’t want to live hurting other people because when you hurt other people, you are a disgrace to yourself, you are liken to someone who has no clothing. If you are someone who is morally upright, you maintain the precepts, then you become a respectable or a likeable person. A likeable person is liken to a person who puts on a good and nice clothing and people like to see people with nice clothing. 

So, the clothing requisite for your mental part is to maintain good moral behaviors such as keeping the five precepts i.e. abstaining from killing, stealing, committing an unethical sexual act, lying and drinking alcohol.

The housing requisite for your mental part is to have a calm mind. When your mind is calm, you have a place where you can rest and be safe from all the problems that you might face in your daily life. It’s like you have a house where you can go and sleep, and be protected while you’re taking a rest. So, your mental house is meditation (samādhi).

And the medicine requisite for your mental part is paññā or wisdom of the Buddha. When you are not happy, the Buddha said that you’re being afflicted by the germs of your desires. 

Your desires are the germs that cause illness to your mind. If you want to get rid of your mental illness, you have to get rid of your desires or your cravings. 

So, these are the four requisites for the mental part that you need to have: dāna (charity), sīla (precepts), samādhi (meditation), and paññā (wisdom). Wisdom is to understand the Four Noble Truths, to understand that your mental suffering arises from your cravings. If you can get rid of your cravings, then you can get rid of your mental suffering. 

So, you have to have both requisites (for your physical part and mental part) in order to maintain a good life. 

You have to have the four living requisites for the body (food, clothing, housing and medicine) to keep your body well. For your mental health, you need the four requisites for the mental part: 

(1) you need to give to charity; 

(2) you need to be morally upright, to keep the five precepts; 

(3) you have to know how to meditate to calm your mind. When your mind is restless or agitated, you just go into samādhi, or when your mind is tired, you rest the mind in samādhi; 

(4) and if your mind is afflicted with illness, then you have to get rid of your cravings or your desires by using the wisdom of the Buddha, by thinking of the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha said that your mental stress or suffering arises from your desires or your cravings. If you can get rid of your cravings, then your mental stress and suffering will disappear.

“Dhamma in English, Nov 13, 2017.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English.

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

Story of Khun Mae Boon Ruean

Story of Khun Mae Boon Ruean

There has been the testimonial and records of close luksits of Khun Mae Boon Ruean, that she often had dinner in the late afternoon or early evening. This comes as a surprise to many, because normally Mae Chees observing the 8 precepts do not eat dinner. 

This is very remarkable because Khun Mae Boon Ruean is highly respected even by highly attained monastics like Luang Phor Sangwan of Wat Thung Samakitam and Luang Phor Tim of Wat Lahanrai etc. 

Modern day masters such as Chao Khun Udom of Wat Tham Wattana trace their lineage to her. 

In fact, it is widely accepted by monastics and lay Buddhists alike that Khun Mae Boon Ruean is a Noble One who has attained high states of enlightenment, her abhiññā (psychic powers) and ability to heal all kinds of illnesses are undisputed. 

Khun Mae is often held up and regarded as the exemplary laywoman Buddhist devotee, and a role model for those who cannot ordain due to their personal duties or gender. As someone who upholds the 5 precepts can achieve such remarkable results is testament of her willpower and discipline to meditate and keep to the Noble Eightfold Path strictly.

Biography of Mae Chee Boonruen

Mae Chee Boonruen Tongboonterm was born on 4th march 1894 in old capital of Thailand which is Ayuttaya. She was born in a poor family but was very hard working in learning how to write and read Thai language. When she was young, she met Luang Phor Phring which is the abbot of Wat Bangkok who encourage and inspire her to learn Dhamma and to do meditation. She had great passion in learning and was a fast learner in everything that was taught to her.

Mae Chee got married to a police who worked at samphanthawong district, the both love to make merits and study Dhamma together as they visit temple very often. After her husband resigned as a police officer, her husband went to ordained as a monk for duration of 1 year and Mae Chee went to ordained as a nun in Wat Samphanthawong. She become an expert in intensive mediation and hold great powers while meditating, even though Mae Chee holds a lot of super natural power, she make good use of it and used it to help those people that are in need.

Mae Che Boonruen passed away on the 7th September 1964 peacefully. Although she has gone, people always remember her because she did a lot of good things and gave people a favor. During her time, she have created and co-chanted many great amulets and even till this date, it is highly sought by collectors and devotees.

“The mind and the body exist in different planes of existence.”

The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

27 August 2024

“The mind and the body exist in different planes of existence.”

Question:  Are life and death pre-destined and is it useful to know about our past lives?

Than Ajahn:  ‘Life and death’ is a process. Once there is birth, then there will be aging, sickness and death. So if you don’t want to have aging, sickness and death then you should not have birth. In order not to be reborn, you have to stop all your desires.

Knowing about past lives doesn’t make any difference to your practice. The only thing it can help you is to tell you that life is endless, that suffering is endless if you keep continuing to be reborn. So if you don’t want to have this endless suffering then you have to stop rebirth and the way to stop rebirth is to practise meditation so you can get rid of your desires.

……..

Question:  Where are the other lokas (plane of existences) located?

Than Ajahn:  The planes of existence are usually invisible to the physical eye, so you can only see it in your meditation. So if you want to see all other planes of existence, you have to meditate.  When you meditate, you will enter into the invisible planes of existence and then you will see all the different levels. 

So this is the only way to see it, that is to meditate. 

When you meditate, you open your inner eye, your mental eye and then you will see all the things that the physical eye cannot see. The Buddha can see everything because he meditates. So if you want to see everything as the Buddha did, then you have to meditate. 

Question:  Are all other planes of existence located in this world?

Than Ajahn:  The mind and the body exist in different planes of existence. The body is in the physical plane, the mind is in the spiritual plane, they are at different levels. To see the spiritual plane you have to meditate. 

………….

Question:  If all lower beings are destroyed, where will they go? Are they all going to higher realms or are they free from rebirth?

Than Ajahn:  Every being has its own kamma that directs it to the various planes of existence. 

While the body of each individual is destroyed, the body is not the real thing. The real being is in the mind, in the spirit, which cannot be destroyed. And it is the mind that goes and takes up different planes of existence. So even if everybody in this world is killed by an atomic bomb  nobody is left, because everybody has a spirit and this spirit doesn’t die with the body, the spirit will then take up a difference level of plane of existence according to their kamma in the past or while they were still living. 

So kamma is the one that separates people in the different planes of existence. If you do good kamma, you go to the higher plane of existence, if you do bad kamma, you go to a lower plane of exitence. A lower plane of existence means more suffering, a higher plane of existence means less suffering and more happiness. 

The highest is Nibbāna where you have 100% happiness and zero suffering. The lowest is hell, where you have 100% suffering and zero happiness. This is the result of your kamma, your words/speech, your thoughts and your actions. When you do good kamma, you are putting your mind into a higher realm. 

When you do bad kamma, you are putting your mind into a lower realm and when you die, this good or bad kamma will direct the mind accordingly.  

By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Youtube: Dhamma in English

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

The teachings of Ajahn Sumedho. PRAISEWORTHY ~ Ajahn Sumedho

The teachings of Ajahn Sumedho.
PRAISEWORTHY
~ Ajahn Sumedho

The advantages of community life lie in our ability to be sensitive and caring, to be considerate and thoughtful of other human beings. A life without generosity, respect and giving to others is a joyless life. 

Nothing is more joyless than selfishness.

If I think of myself first, what I want and what I can get out of this place, that means I might live here, but I will not have any joy living here. I might because of my seniority be able to intimidate, and because of my size be able to push my weight around and get my way, but I am not going to be joyful by doing that. 

Just asserting myself and getting my way is not the way to peacefulness, equanimity and serenity of the heart.

As we gain seniority in the Sangha, we have to think more about other people. We need to consider how to train and look after the juniors and how to help the seniors. Nothing is more depressing than to be in a community of bhikkhus who don’t really bother and just want to do what they want. They are so blind or self-centred they don’t look and see, they don’t ask, they don’t notice – you have to tell them everything. 

It is very frustrating to have to live with people who are not willing to put forth the effort to try to notice and to take on responsibility…

To offer one’s services and be eager to help is really praiseworthy. It is something I appreciate very much. It is not always what one wants to do, but it is a very lovely gesture and very important.

This reflection by Luang Por Sumedho is from the book, Peace is a Simple Step (Ajahn Sumedho Anthology, Volume 1), (pdf) pp.168, 172.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

Question:  I’m from New York, and I have two kids. I don’t know how to educate or teach my children because the time has changed. There are a lot of things that are different from the old days. So, in the new world, how do I better educate my kids to become better citizens of the world?

Than Ajahn:  Well, you teach them to be honest, not to cheat others, not to lie to others, to be charitable and to be kind to others. These are the golden rules: be kind, be safe, be honest, be polite, not to disturb others from learning, not to destroy properties. These are the rules they teach in schools which I learned from students who came here. 

So, just teach them the golden rules: to be kind, to be safe, to protect themselves, to look after themselves, to be honest, to be polite, to not destroy properties and to not disturb others from learning—these are things you can teach the kids. Honesty and being charitable are also very important. So, other things that you should teach your kids are to be charitable and to have kindness. Having kindness is having generosity. When you are kind, you will give, you will help other people. 

“Dhamma in English, May 28, 2019.”

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Question from Australia:  What is the most important thing to teach your children?

Than Ajahn:  Teach them to be good and to be kind. Teach them to be good means teaching them to keep the precepts – not to hurt other people, not to steal things from other people. 

Teach them to be kind means teaching them to help other people when other people need help, not to become cold-hearted. So, you mainly teach children to be good and to be kind. 

That’s all they need to know for now. 

When they grow up, you may be able to teach them more, like teaching them how to become calm, how to become mindful, how to see things as they are instead of what your children think they are. It’s a gradual teaching. You can’t teach everything at the same time.

“Dhamma in English, Feb 27, 2018.”

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Question:  I spend a lot of time worrying about my children. You said that I need to take care of myself and those who depend on me. Does this mean that I don’t need to worry about things like my son wanting to use the computer all the time instead of having physical activities? I am such in conflict and I don’t know when I need to let go or when I have to control things?

Than Ajahn:  Well, you have to see whether what you give to your kids will hurt them or benefit them. If it hurts them, then you have to stop it. If it benefits them, then you can continue on doing it. So, just use this as your guide. Look at the benefit and the harm that they will get from your giving. If the thing you give them will make them smart, happy, intelligent and have a good life, then you give it to them. If you give it to them in a way that you are spoiling them, then you shouldn’t give it to them.

“Dhamma in English, Jul 11, 2018.”

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Question:  I have a 17yo daughter studying at Cambridge now. Although I always remind myself that everything is impermanent, I can’t let go of seeing her not doing what she is supposed to do and what she should do at her age. She doesn’t like to do homework revision. She involves in relationship with her classmate and likes to talk to strangers on social media. I desperately need Ajahn’s advice on how to go forward to live happily again. Should I let my daughter be what she will become and let go of her regardless if she becomes good or bad?

Than Ajahn:  All you can do is to teach her what is good and what is bad, whether she will do what you’ve taught her is up to her. That’s all you can do. You cannot act on her behalf. She has to act on her behalf. 

What she needs is a good advice which you can give to her. Once you’ve given her the advice, if she doesn’t want to take up your advice, then it’s too bad for her. 

There’s nothing you can do. We call it, ‘It’s her kamma.’ Kamma means it’s her pre-direction path to go, the direction she is going which was caused by her past actions (past kamma); she used to be like this (in the past), so she is continuing to be like that now. But she can change it if she finds that this is the wrong path or a bad direction for her, and you can help her by telling her that it’s a wrong path. But you have to be careful. You shouldn’t tell her too much because she can become antagonistic to your advice if you keep saying it to her ears until she finds it unbearable. So, you have to know when to stop giving advice. 

When she starts to react negatively, then it’s time for you to stop giving her advice.

“Dhamma in English, May 28, 2019.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English.

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

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

26 May 2024

Question:  How to practise Dhamma when we have to work for very long hours?

Than Ajahn:  The only thing you can do when you work is to be mindful. You can develop mindfulness if you keep focusing on your work and don’t let your mind go thinking about other things, don’t go to the past, don’t go to the future, just fix your mind on what you do: this is developing mindfulness. But it will not be as good as mindfulness develop when you practice in a retreat because in a retreat you can practice mindfulness without thinking, you are not doing anything important that you have to think. If you work, you still have to think. Although you are mindful on what you do when you work, it is still a hindrance because you are still continuously thinking. The goal of practice is to stop thinking, so the best way is to go to a retreat on your day off and try to develop mindfulness in the retreat. Besides practising mindfulness on your working days, other things that you can do are keeping the 5 precepts (sīla) and doing dāna (charity) like sharing something with your co-workers, or if you’ve got something that you don’t need, you can give it away. You can do these in your daily life. But if you want something more, you need to go to a retreat. 

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Question:  How can we discipline ourselves to practice Dhamma, especially when we don’t feel like practicing because of our tanhā or kilesa?

Than Ajahn:  You have to have a schedule and stick to the schedule. If you don’t have a schedule, and only do according to your feeling, most likely won’t do it because most of the time, your feeling will tell you not to do it. So, you have to have a schedule like when you go to a meditation retreat, the retreat centre have a schedule for you to follow. You have to get up at 4 o’clock, go for chanting, sit in meditation, do walking meditation and so forth. So, you have to set up a schedule of practice because if you don’t have a schedule, you won’t practice as much as you could. After you’ve set up a schedule, then you have to stick to it because some people set up a schedule and then they skip it, hence, it is useless to set up the schedule. 

So first, you have to set up a schedule and stick to the schedule, and then, increase your practise as you advance in your practice. When you find that you are able to practice more, then you increase your time to practice and eventually, you will be practicing all day long, from the time you get up to the time you go to sleep. 

Layperson:  So we have to force ourselves.

Ajahn:  Definitely. If you don’t force yourself, you won’t go anywhere. The Buddha had to force himself to leave the palace. He had to force himself to fast for 49 days because normally, people don’t want to do this. So, for the sake of nibbāna, for the sake of the end of suffering, you have to force yourself. 

This is not unnatural. This is a matter of disciplining the mind. You have to discipline your mind by forcing it. If you just let the mind decide for itself, it won’t force itself to practice. 

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Question:  I am in my mid 40s. I value the cultivation of mind and find that there’s no meaning in 9 to 5 working life. As I haven’t ordained, I can’t afford to live without working because money is required to sustain my living in this world. I have a wife, a 70 yo father and a younger sister. 

What is Ajahn’s comment on my situation? 

Than Ajahn:  Well, you can use your free time to develop your mind. Instead of spending time on entertainment or on other activities, use this time for your mental development. This is about what you can do on your free time because most of your time have been devoted to working and looking after other people, so you only have a few hours a day to look after yourself. So, use this free time and spend it on mental development rather than on entertainment or any other pleasures because entertainment are not as useful as mental development.

“Dhamma in English, May 28, 2019.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English.

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