Venerable Luang Pu Du Phromapanyo who is an inspiration in our hearts, and one of the luminaries.

Venerable Luang Pu Du Phromapanyo who is an inspiration in our hearts, and one of the luminaries.

No matter how much you find in this world, nothing can be kept when you die. Even the body that we thought was “I and Mine” also had to be burned by others, turning it into ashes, being worthless and forgotten over time.

When listening to the sermons of Ven. Luang Pu Du Phromapanyo, he mentioned: “What you have done is wasted. Life is only worthy, if you diligently practice paying homage to The Triple Gem (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha), Chanting and Bhavana” 

At this point in time, a contradiction arose in my heart: why is it wasted? 

We work and do various activities to get material achievements, earning money for living, buying gold and helping our relatives. 

Drawing from each person's life experiences, if you ponder it well, you will realize that whatever we do, no matter how complicated or beautiful life is, it is just living and nurturing your body. 

The most, greatly increase your pride in the work you done. However, when there is no more breathing, then everything is gone. 

This is unlike kusala kamma (meritorious deed) which consist of dana (practicing generosity), Sila (precepts), and Bhavana (Developing mindfulness meditation) which will develop your mind to reach a realization so deep and unfathomable that you can bring it over to the next life. 

Worldly Treasure! Worldly Treasure, no matter how abundant and exquisite is the treasures of the world, it is just an “Ice Treasure” anyway This is because as we hold it, it continues to melt, continuously melting nonstop. 

We could only grasp this “Ice Treasure” for a very short time. 

Luang Pu used to tell metaphorically that “Generally newborns clench their fists, this indicates that birth comes with attachment, clinging, grasping as desire and consequently results in suffering (Upādāna), unlike a child who will be born as an Arahant, his palms will be open during birth”. 

Therefore, we should consider all the various worldly treasures as “The Ice Treasures”, which do not last long. 

They have value only when we are still breathing, alive. 

Some people collect valuable objects until it's like a little museum. However, when we (alias owner) run out of breath, the value disappears (from him). Sometimes even family members may not know the names of these treasures. 

Look! when they were alive, they were badly striving for it. They were satisfied, happy with it upon collecting these treasures. But when they run out of breath, they cannot appreciate it anymore! 

Not only treasure, even the water that people pour over the hand of our dead body, we also can’t hold it. No matter how elaborates the food tastes, it’s just to fill us up. A house or even a mansion, is just a place for us to sleep for the night. Humans create complex hypotheses, deceiving themselves to the point of forgetting life’s basic truths, which is, simplicity. 

"The Ice Treasure" is a good reminder, to always remind yourself that life is short, thus you need to realize which activities we should be focusing on. 

Most of life’s activities is just “The Living Tools" to sustain life. We should always be reminded that treasures, people and all Things do not really belong to us. They are just “The World Treasures” that we had temporarily borrowed, and would have to return back to the world, on the day that we had stop breathing. 

Namo Bodhisatto Phromapanyo 

Venerable Luang Pu Du Phromapanyo who is an inspiration in our hearts, and one of the luminaries.

Cr. Translated from the Thai. Provided by Kelvin; translator does not want to be named.