The teachings of Ajahn Suchart
28 June 2024
Question: How can we develop mindfulness and Metta (Loving - kindness)?
Than Ajahn: To develop mindfulness you need to have a ‘mindfulness’ object such as your body – movement. Keep watching every movement of your body and your actions. Whatever you do, concentrate on what you do. That’s what it means. Don’t send your mind elsewhere. [For example] when you are brushing your teeth you should watch how you brush your teeth, and not think about other things.
Metta means being friendly with everybody. So when you meet people smile and say 'Hello' and if there is something to share with them, [do share] - when people are happy share it with them. This is what practising Metta (kind) means. Also do not hold a grudge when somebody does something wrong to you.You should forgive them. This is also Metta.
Whatever you do, you must not hurt them either physically or mentally.
This is what having Metta means. Having a Metta mind means [having] goodwill towards all living beings.
Question: What role does one's 'Chutti Citta' play, when an individual's next birth is concerned?
Than Ajahn: The Chuthi Citta will connect itself to a new body.
Eventually it will come across an available body, then it will connect to this physical body by sending the streams of Vinyana or consciousness to attach to the five mental objects/organs of the body.
Question: If a person dies with a pure "Kusala citta", will he definitely get a good birth?
Than Ajahn: It depends on the total summation of the good and the bad Kamma. They will be competing to take control of your mind. If your good kamma is more than your bad kamma then your next birth will be a good birth. If your bad kamma is more than your good kamma then your next birth will not be a good birth.
Question: What key factors will determine one's rebirth?
Than Ajahn: Your kamma. Your good and bad kamma. It is like your financial account. You have both debit and credit. If you have more debit than credit then you are in the green.
If you have more credit than debit then you are in the red. Same way with good and bad kamma.
Question: As the Buddha said, what we experience in this lifetime results from what we ourselves created in the past. Can we overcome all our bad kamma by engaging in good deeds in this birth. What's the Buddhist explanation?
Than Ajahn: Some of our experiences are the results of our past good or bad Kamma. But they don't determine what your present Kamma will be. You are the one who can choose the kamma you want to make - good or bad kamma.
Your bad kamma will eventually, [once it has shown its consequences] disappear from your mind.
Question: What is the best way to practise Buddhism?
Than Ajahn: The Buddha taught us to do three actions:
1) avoid bad kamma,
2) do only good kamma ,
3) purify the mind.
- get rid of the defilements such as greed, hatred and delusion in the mind
- purifying the mind by the practice of meditation.
Question: Thousands of people fall prey to Covid 19. At the moment over three million people have died. Are these people destined to die at this particular moment? Is it their kamma?
Than Ajahn: Well, it is the kamma to die. For every birth there is death. But when and where [to die] depends on circumstances that they happen to be in. So those people who die just happen to have the right conditions for them to die. So they die. For those still alive, it means they don't have the right condition for them to die yet. But eventually they will find the right condition for them to die sooner or later.
Everybody will have to die.
Question: It is said that the highest form of birth is to be born as a human being. However there is also a view that the "Devas" are above humans and human beings are in the habit of praying for gods to achieve material benefits/to cure illnesses etc. Are the Devas truly more powerful than us?
Than Ajahn: No, Devas cannot do anything for us. We cannot pray to devas and expect them to do something for us. When they say human birth is the highest form it means it is the best form for Enlightenment. It is the best form to receive the teachings of the Buddha.
If there is a Buddha around or his Noble Disciples, [humans] have the chance to become Enlightened, to be liberated from the realms of existence, to be liberated from aging sickness and death forever.
For Devas it is harder to achieve Enlightenment because they need someone who can communicate [with them] either the Buddha or his Noble Disciples. Not all Noble Disciples can connect with the Devas. So it is better to become a human being than a Deva as far as becoming Enlightened is concerned.
Question: In Sri Lanka "Bodhi Poojas" (paying homage to the Bo tree) is a common ritual practised by the Buddhists in order to invoke blessins on oneself or others. There are certain cults who view such acts with scorn.
What is your view of the Buddhist Bodhi Pooja concept?
Than Ajahn: The concept of paying respect to the Bodhi Tree is really to remind us of the Enlightenment of the Buddha. That is what it means.
[Thoughts] are focused on the Buddha, so that we don't forget that once upon a time, a few thousand years ago, there was a person sitting under the Bodhi tree who became Enlightened, became free from suffering forever. That is the purpose of paying respect to the Bodhi Tree, to recollect the Buddha's Enlightenment and once you have recollected the Enlightenment of the Buddha it will inspire you to become Enlightened.
So you will study the teachings of the Buddha to see the way to become Enlightened. Then you would start to practise the teachings of the Buddha in order for you to become Enlightened.
Question: When practising meditation, laymen often find it a little hard to stay focused. How to stay focused on meditation/what we are doing?
Than Ajahn: You have to train your mind with mindfulness from the time you get up and to the time you go to sleep.You should take control of the mind right away as soon as you wake up by forcing [making] the mind to concentrate on the body movement.
Keep watching what the body is doing, keep reciting a mantra 'Bhuddo Bhuddo, Bhuddo'.
Then you will stay focused and when you meditate you can calm your mind easily.
Question: How can one tame one's Monkey Mind?
Than Ajahn: Again mindfulness is the key here. Be mindful of your body movement and be mindful of a mantra such as Bhuddo , Bhuddo. Just keep training yourself in mindfulness all the time, from the time you get up to the time you go to sleep. Then you will have continuous mindfulness and when you sit and meditate you can calm the mind and tame the ‘monkey’ in the mind.
Question: Is it true that feeding hungry animals and being kind to them is a very insignificant activity in terms of acquiring merit when compared with treating and feeding a hungry human being?
Than Ajahn: No, the merits are the same.
Animals and humans are the same 'thing'. They need kindness, they need help. So when you give 'kindness and help' to them you get merit.
It does not matter who you give. The act of giving itself is what makes you have [acquire] merit. and if you want more merit then you have to give more . That is all. It is not the person or the animal who received the help from you that matters. It is the amount that you give [that matters].
The more you give the more merit you will get.
“Dhamma in English, Apr 11, 2021.”
By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
YouTube: Dhamma in English.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g
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This Q&A was published on Ceylon Daily News by Samangie Wettimuny, SriLanka.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2021/04/26/features/247442/tame-%E2%80%98monkey%E2%80%99-mind
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