About Meditation ⚛️

About Meditation ⚛️

Problem 1 - Physical Pain

Nobody likes pain, yet everybody has some at one time or another. It is one of life's most common experiences and is bound to arise in your meditation in one form or another.

Handling pain is a two-stage process. 

First, get rid of the pain, if possible, or at least get rid of it as much as possible. Then, if some pain lingers, use it as an object of meditation. 

The first step is physical handling. Maybe the pain is an illness of one sort or another, a headache, fever, bruises, or whatever. In this case, employ standard medical treatments before you sit down to meditate: take your medicine, apply your liniment, do whatever you ordinarily would do.

Then there are certain pains that are specific to the seated posture If you never spend much time sitting cross-legged on the floor, there will be an adjustment period. Some discomfort is nearly inevitable. According to where the pain is, there are specific remedies. If the pain is in the leg or knees, check your pants. If they are tight or made of thick material, that could be the problem. Try to change it. Check your cushion, too. It should be about three inches in height when compressed. If the pain is around your waist, try loosening your belt. Loosen the waistband of your pants if that is necessary. If you experience pain in your lower back, your posture is probably at fault. Slouching will never be comfortable, so straighten up. 

Don't be tight or rigid, but do keep your spine erect. Pain in the neck or upper back has several sources. 

The first is improper hand position. 

Your hands should be resting comfortably in your lap. Don't pull them up to your waist. 

Relax your arms and your neck muscles. Don't let your head droop forward Keep it up and aligned with the rest of the spine.

After you have made all these various adjustments, you may find you still have some lingering pain. If that is the case, try step two 

Make the pain your object of meditation. Don't jump up and don't get excited. Just observe the pain mindfully. When the pain becomes demanding, you will find it pulling your attention off the breath. 

Don't fight back. Just let your attention slide easily over onto the simple sensation. Go into the pain fully. Don't block the experience. 

Explore the feeling. Get beyond your avoiding reaction and go into the pure sensations that lie below that.

You will discover that there are two things present. The first is the simple sensation-pain itself. 

Second is your resistance to that sensation. 

Resistance reaction is partly mental and partly physical. The physical part consists of tensing the muscles in and around the painful area. 

Relax those muscles. Take them one by one and relax each one very thoroughly. This step alone will probably diminish the pain significantly. Then go after the mental side of the resistance. Just as you are tensing physically, you are also tensing psychologically. You are clamping down mentally on the sensation of pain, trying to screen it off and reject it from consciousness. 

The rejection is a wordless "I don't like this feeling" or "go away" attitude. It is very subtle. 

But it is there, and you can find it if you really look. Locate it and relax that, too.

That last part is more subtle. There are really no human words to describe this action precisely. 

The best way to get a handle on it is by analogy. Examine what you did to those tight muscles and transfer that same action over to the mental sphere; relax the mind in the same way that you relax the body. 

Buddhism recognizes that body and mind are tightly linked. This is so true that many people will not see this as a two-step procedure.

Bante G

Dhamma talk for the monks at Wat Pa Barn Tard - Venerable Ācariya Mahā Boowa Ñānasampanno

Dhamma talk for the monks at Wat Pa Barn Tard - Venerable Ācariya Mahā Boowa Ñānasampanno

When the world is in a state of anarchy, everybody, whether smart or stupid, literate or illiterate, wealthy or poor, finds happiness from material objects. No matter how much or how little they have, it never lives to their expectations. That’s why there’s sorrow everywhere you go inside the hearts of every kind of people, no matter the gender, age, or status, because the mind goes beyond reasoning, never suspecting that it became a doormat for material values to step on all this time, and it will remain like that unless a realization is made now.

If the world remains attentive only to the material objects and not to religion or moral as well, the world will come to its end. The world’s end is the world’s damnation which roots from men’s greed and wrath which harm themselves and others until nothing remains.

Venerable Ācariya Mahā Boowa Ñānasampanno

Dhamma talk for the monks at Wat Pa Barn Tard

On January 8th 1979

www.luangta.com

The Teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.

The Teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.

'Breathing in, I know this is my in-breath. Breathing out, I know this is my out-breath. 

💮'The sixteen exercises proposed by the Buddha on mindful breathing.' 

“It is like this, bhikkhus: the practitioner goes into the forest or to the foot of a tree, or to any deserted place, sits stably in the lotus position, holding his or her body quite straight, and practices like this:  

💮Breathing in a long breath, I know I am breathing in a long breath.  

Breathing out a long breath, I know I am breathing out a long breath.

💮Breathing in a short breath, I know I am breathing in a short breath.  

Breathing out a short breath, I know I am breathing out a short breath.

💮Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body. 

💮Breathing in, I calm my whole body.  

Breathing out, I calm my whole body. 

💮Breathing in, I feel joyful.  

Breathing out, I feel joyful. 

 💮Breathing in, I feel happy. Breathing out, I feel happy. 

💮Breathing in, I am aware of my mental formations. Breathing out, I am aware of my mental formations. 

💮Breathing in, I calm my mental formations. Breathing out, I calm my mental formations. 

💮Breathing in, I am aware of my mind. Breathing out, I am aware of my mind.

💮Breathing in, I make my mind happy. Breathing out, I make my mind happy.

💮Breathing in, I concentrate my mind. Breathing out, I concentrate my mind.

💮Breathing in, I liberate my mind.  

Breathing out, I liberate my mind.

💮Breathing in, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas.  

Breathing out, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas. 

💮Breathing in, I observe the disappearance of desire. Breathing out, I observe the disappearance of desire.

💮Breathing in, I observe the no-birth, no-death nature of all phenomena. Breathing out, I observe the no-birth, no-death nature of all phenomena.

💮Breathing in, I observe letting go.  

Breathing out, I observe letting go.’ 

"There is a little difference between joy and happiness.  In joy there is still some excitement.  But in happiness you are calmer.  

In the Buddhist literature there is the image of someone very thirsty walking in the desert, and suddenly he sees an oasis, trees encircling a pond.  So he experiences joy. He has not drunk the water yet. He is still thirsty, but he is joyful because he needs only to walk a few more minutes to arrive at the pond. That is joy. 

There is some excitement and hope in him. 

And when that traveler comes to the oasis, kneels down and cups his hands, and drinks the water, he feels the happiness of drinking water, quenching his thirst. That is happiness, very fulfilling.

In Buddhism the world is considered the object of mind. Our mind, our consciousness, our perception, may be described as having two components: the knower and the knowable. In Buddhism when you write the word “Dharma” with a capital letter, it means the teaching, the law. When you write the word “dharma” with a small letter, it means the object of your mind. 

Most of us get caught in notions when we learn Buddhism. We don’t know how to make skillful use of these teachings in order to bring about insight. We have to practice. While sitting, walking, reading, drinking, we are concentrating... Concentration means to keep awareness alive, moment after moment, to maintain it for a long time. Only concentration can bring insight and liberate you."  

❤Thich Nhat Hanh 

Excerpts from 'Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing' and Dharma Talk, August 16, 2009 

Image: Thay in the orchard at Plum Village

The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

2nd June, 2022

"The goal is to be able to control your mind when you are still alive. So when you die, the mind will be able to control itself in the way you've trained it to behave."

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

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

Judging Your Thoughts by What They Do October 21, 2016

Judging Your Thoughts by What They Do October 21, 2016

There is an old controversy in ethics, as to when you’re judging an action, whether you should judge it by its motivation or by its consequences. 

The Buddha’s answer to that question is, “Both.” You look at what mind state it’s coming from, and you also look at what impact it has. 

We have to be careful, because sometimes something seems to be coming from a good mind state but it can have a bad impact, in which case you have to go beyond simply having good intentions. You have to make them skillful. In other words, you have to be willing to learn from past mistakes, and apply that knowledge the next time you act.

This principle applies not only to external actions but also to the actions of the mind—in other words, your thoughts. When we settle the mind down into meditation, it’s not simply to watch what’s going on in the present moment. We want to give the mind the solidity to remember lessons from the past when they are necessary, and also to be able to resist old habits, when you’ve learned that they’re not skillful. The concentration gives you strength, keeps you grounded in the present. 

But remember: The present isn’t everything.

The present has its own input—in other words, in terms of your intentions right now—but it’s also got things coming in from the past that are going to have an impact on the future. And you want to take all of that into consideration. It’s when the mind is stable and still that it can take that larger view and not simply jump for whatever the immediate impulse is.

After all, as the Buddha said: There are some things that feel good in the present moment but have bad consequences in the future; some things that feel good and have good consequences; things that feel bad in the present moment and will have bad consequences in the future; and also things that feel bad but will have good consequences. In all those cases, you have to aim for the consequences. 

Those are the means by which you judge things. 

There’s one spot where he even says, “If leading the holy life has you crying so that the tears are bathing your cheeks, it’s still worth sticking with it, because the long-term consequences are worth it.”

When the Buddha divided his thoughts into two sorts—that was the point where he first got on the path—he looked both at where the thoughts were coming from and where they were going. 

Thoughts that were motivated by sensuality—in other words, our fascination with thinking of sensual pleasures, planning for sensual pleasures—thoughts motivated by sensuality, by ill will and by harmfulness, he realized would have bad consequences, simply because of the motivation. That’s enough to tell you right there that these are heading in the wrong place, wrong direction. 

Those are the kinds of thoughts that he tried to stop. As he said, he would check them and curb them, keep them in line, in the same way that a cowherd would beat his cows to keep them away from rice plants, for fear that they’d eat the rice.

Thoughts that were motivated by renunciation, non-ill will, and harmlessness he said were okay; he didn’t have to keep them in check. He further commented to himself that the kinds of thoughts you think become tendencies in the mind. They bend the mind in their direction. It becomes easier and easier to think those thoughts. And those thoughts will lead to actions.

So what kind of actions do you want to head toward? Apply the principle of skillfulness expressed in his teachings to Rahula. You look at the action while you’re doing it and when it’s done. If you see that it’s causing any harm while you’re doing it, you stop. If it’s not, you continue with it. If you realize after it’s done that it has caused harm, then you resolve not to repeat the mistake. This means that even though you thought the action was going to be harmless, maybe there was some delusion in your motivation that you didn’t realize. So you’ve got to keep checking things back and forth like this.

Notice: Nowhere does it say that the thought is to be judged by how it feels. Some unskillful thoughts can really feel bad, but there are also skillful thoughts that create a lot of stress, especially when you have a strong urge to do something that you know is unskillful, and it would be easy just to go along with the urge. 

But you’ve got to put up a fight, and that’s going to cause stress. It’s going to feel tense in your breath, tense in your breath energy. But that’s no gauge as to whether the thought is good or not. We can’t just relax our way into nibbana. It’s going to require some work.

And again, this is one of the reasons we try to get the mind into concentration, to give ourselves the strength we need in order to do that work, the sense of well- being that allows us to say No to the thoughts that otherwise would run right over us. Because one of the things that those thoughts dangle in front of our faces is: “There’s going to be some pleasure, and it’s going to come right away.” If you don’t have an alternative pleasure to withstand them, you’re bound to give in, either openly or surreptitiously. In other words, sometimes you admit to yourself that you’re giving in to something unskillful, and other times you learn to tell yourself, “No, it’s not unskillful.” 

You can come up with all kinds of justification. So we work with the breath to create a sense of well-being that gives us strength, and a stillness of mind that allows us to see things clearly for what they are.

The concentration will also sensitize us to disturbances in the mind. The more you get in touch with the breath energy in the body, the more you begin to see that the breath is a mirror for the mind. But we have to take more than just that sense of disturbance as our gauge for what’s worth thinking and what’s not. You have to think of where it’s going. And again, sometimes the difficult thought or the difficult thing to do, the stressful thing to do, is going to be the right thing to do. Remember Ajaan Lee’s analogy for the relationship of the path to the goal. He said it’s like distilling salt water to get fresh water. 

As you know, the fresh water is already there in the salt water. But if you just let it sit, it’s not going to separate out. You have to apply the heat of the fire to the water. Only that way can you distill it to get the fresh water out. It’s not like you’re creating fresh water, but it requires that effort to get the water out. To find the element of the awareness that’s unconditioned requires the heat of effort—right effort and all the other factors of the path.

So we get into the present moment to have a better perspective on what we’re doing, to see more clearly what’s going on. But the present moment isn’t everything. You’ve got to think about where your decisions are going to lead. Try to get a better and better reading of what’s happening in the mind right now as an indication of where your thoughts are going to lead—so that you can develop an all-around skill, so that your actions are good both in their motivation and in their consequences. 

This applies to thoughts as well—they’re actions, too, you know.

“Notice: Nowhere does [the Buddha tell his son Rahula] that the thought is to be judged by how it feels. 

Some unskillful thoughts can really feel bad, but there are also skillful thoughts that create a lot of stress, especially when you have a strong urge to do something that you know is unskillful, and it would be easy just to go along with the urge. But you’ve got to put up a fight, and that’s going to cause stress. It’s going to feel tense in your breath, tense in your breath energy. 

But that’s no gauge as to whether the thought is good or not. We can’t just relax our way into nibbana. It’s going to require some work."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Judging Your Thoughts by What They Do" 

https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Published/Meditations10/161021_Judging_Your_Thoughts_by_What_They_Do.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3qO7bTla9ue2odFJp1S7shVCyib6V420Pv4uvmx-Xh-J_HSQn_HNPFtO4&fs=e&s=cl

Under the Shadow of Wiriyatharo

Under the Shadow of Wiriyatharo

Devotee: I want to make merit through life liberation. What kind of animals should I let go?

Luang Ta: “Releasing thousands of birds or hundreds of thousands of fish is still not as good as letting go and forgiving. Life liberation is a good thing as it involves compassion, but it’s still at a basic level of tamboon. 

This is suitable for people who are just starting out in keeping the precepts and making merit, because the mind is still neither stable nor strong yet. Some people do it out of pity, some do so to make merit. 

Ultimately, it depends on each individual’s intentions.”

Luang Ta also brought up an incident which happened when he and his group travelled to Phichit Province. They went to a temple to pray which happened to be near a river. Many well-wishing disciples went to buy a large number of small fish, asking Luang Ta to release them. 

Luang Ta just went “Anumodana Boon” to rejoice in their merits when the disciples brought the 100-odd small fish and released them into the river in front of them temple. The moment they released the fish, the large predator fishes appeared and ate all the small fish up in front of their eyes. 

The group of luksits who released the fish felt very sad and dismayed. Some tried to cheer each other up by saying that they still made merit by feeding the big fishes. 

Luang Ta commented that making merit is good, but one must consider the cost and benefit of each action. But in this case, one shouldn’t think too much as whatever is done is done. We should only think about virtuous and good things. 

Admin: Some people release predatory fish such as catfish in large amounts which will devastate the ecosystem by eating up all the small fish and aquatic animals. If you release a few catfishes from the market stall to prevent them from being eaten, that is still fine. 

But many Buddhist devotees around the world hold very large and grand life liberation events that involve hundreds or thousands of fishes being released at once. We must consider the impact on the eco-system and aquatic life. 

There are many kinds of merit. The best merit is to change our own hearts for the better, by eradicating our defilements. Therefore if you ask Luang Ta what is the best thing to release, Luang Ta will reply that it is to release unhappiness and letting things go and learning to forgive. 

Cr. Under the Shadow of Wiriyatharo

“There is no real conceit. There is no real self-hatred. That’s just the creation of the mind through its thoughts.”

The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

28th May, 2022

“There is no real conceit. There is no real self-hatred. That’s just the creation of the mind through its thoughts.”

Question:  “What is the best way to deal strong negative thoughts and emotions?”

Than Ajahn:  “The easiest way is by using a mantra. When negative thoughts and emotions arise, you just recite a mantra to pull your mind away from those thoughts. If you can stick to your mantra for five or ten minutes, you will forget about those negative thoughts and emotions. But if those thoughts are still in you, you just continue on reciting your mantra because sometimes your mantra is not strong enough, sometimes you may only be able to recite it for a few second and your mind goes back to the negative thoughts again. So it is like a tuck of war between reciting mantra and pulling your mind away from those thoughts, until you can win it, you achieve peace and calm and your negative thoughts disappear.”

Q&A, May 5, 2017

----------

Question:  “How do you deal with conceit and self-hate?”

Than Ajahn:  “First you need to have strong mindfulness to stop your thoughts because your conceit or self-hatred comes from your thoughts. As soon as you start to think of hating yourself or to think of how good you are, you should stop that thought. Once you can stop the thoughts, your conceit and your self-hatred will disappear. Then, the next thing is to teach your mind that your self-hatred, your conceit arise from your delusion. It’s just the thought. 

There is no real conceit. There is no real self-hatred. That’s just the creation of the mind through its thoughts.”

Q&A, Oct 9, 2017

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

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

What is the best way to deal with stress?

❖ What is the best way to deal with stress? ❖
~ by Ajahn Jayasaro ~

Given our responsibilities and the pressures upon us, feeling a certain amount of stress is probably inevitable. It is not always a bad thing, and hard to imagine how making positive changes in our life, abandoning old unwise habits, could be possible without any stress at all. If we are unable to deal with stress or feel we should not have to deal with it, we may fail to realize important goals in our life.

Nevertheless, it is possible to radically reduce the amount of stress we experience. It helps to simplify our lives as much as we can and learn to slow down a little; trying to fit too much into a day is needlessly wearing. 

Bringing attention to the quality of our actions and speech reduces stressful interactions with others. A more judicial use of resources reduces stress over personal finances. Regular exercise, especially yoga and tai chi (because designed to affect the nervous system), alleviates much physical tension, and teaches us to breathe more naturally.

Regular meditation practice gives us the skill to recognize and let go of the toxic moods and thoughts that underlie chronic tension. 

Unrealistic expectations of ourselves and those around us, for instance, can be crippling. In daily life, taking regular short breaks to calm and center the mind prevents stress from gradually accumulating throughout the day. 

These breaks might take the form of a sixty-second breath meditation in front of a computer or simply taking a few deep grounding breaths before picking up a ringing phone. 

Developing the ability to come back to the present moment and re-establish a state of calm alertness on a regular basis throughout the day can make significant changes to the quality of our life.

- - ❖ - -

To read the ebook, please visit ‘Without and Within', by Ajahn Jayasaro:

https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/11/Without-and-Within-by-Ajahn-Jayasaro.pdf

Sex By Professor Lily de Silva

Sex

Buddhism recognizes the sex attraction as a universal reality. 

Among animals the sex impulse is regulated by nature and thus their mating and breeding are seasonal. 

Among humans there is no such natural mechanism, and man has by a long process of experiment and adjustment arrived at certain taboos, rules and regulations to handle his sex drive in a manner appropriate to himself and his fellow beings. Though these rules differ according to times and place, on the whole they have helped man to emerge from savagery to civilization.

According to Buddhism monogamy is the ideal form of marriage, while chastity and fidelity form ideal behavior before marriage. This alone is not sufficient for success in married life. Mutual confidence (saddha), morality (sila), self-denial (caga) and prudence (pañña) are emphasized as virtues which ensure conjugal happiness and success. In other words, mutual confidence means dependability, morality implies strength of character, self-denial or the joy of selfless service to the beloved denotes emotional maturity, and prudence shows intellectual maturity. These qualities bring the spouses so close to one another, it is said, that the relationship could persist even after death in a future existence. Nakula's parents are portrayed in Buddhist literature as an ideal couple who, in their old age, expressed the wish that their love should survive death. The Buddha replied that the wish would materialize if the above qualities are equally shared by both partners (A. II, 61-61).

Marital bonds of modern man are so brittle and fragile because these cohesive emotional forces are lost in sensuality. Much emphasis is laid on carnal pleasure while personality adjustments and emotional involvement which call for sacrifices and selflessness respectively, are ignored or neglected. Though sex is an important basic requirement in marriage, it is certainly not the be-all and end-all of family life. 

Indulgence in sex for its own sake never brings satisfaction, whence fulfillment? The insatiability of lust is disdainfully illustrated in Buddhist literature by the traditional simile of a dog licking a bone to satisfy hunger. But sex as an expression of conjugal love is a satisfying emotional experience. If sex was the only concern, man need not have evolved an institution like the family. Animals too satisfy their sex instinct, but nothing compared to the human family has evolved in the animal kingdom. The important function of family life seems to be to teach man a great moral lesson to overcome his egocentric nature. Man starts life in his mother's womb as the most selfish parasite. He then passes through the emotional stages of self-love, conjugal love and parental love. 

As a mature man and a parent he completely loses himself in the service of his offspring. His self-denial is such he even relinquishes his personal possessions, acquired through the toil of a lifetime, in favor of them. Finally he makes an emotional self- sacrifice when he gets a partner for his child to love and cherish. In his old age he regards his offspring with equanimity and contentment. This emotional maturity and fulfillment is utterly impossible if sensuality is regarded as the goal of married life.

From: -- One Foot in the World

Buddhist Approaches to Present-day Problems

by Lily de Silva

The Wheel Publication No. 337/338 

(Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1986). 

For free distribution

Thanks Claudia

Note; Marriage is not Buddhist, but sectarian.  There isn't a marriage concept in Buddhism.  Perhaps in different more modern times and cultures, marriage is encouraged, but not a teaching of the Buddha.  All the Buddha taught was that sexual relations be consensual and non-harming - physically, mentally or emotionally. In Buddhist countries, marriages are performed by a civic official, and perhaps blessed by a monk or nun.  Even here, monks or nuns don't perform marriages, but have to get special licensing to do so, whereas in the Abrahamic religions the cleric can perform them as it is a tenet of the faith.

Thanks Bhikkhuni Tịnh Quang

“The goal of Dhamma practice is to let go.”

The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

11 September 2023

“The goal of Dhamma practice is to let go.”

"The goal of Dhamma practice is to let go. To set your mind free from stress. 

Your mind creates stress by interfering with other people and things. You want to change them. But you don't know that you can't really control or change them. Because they are Anattā: According to the Lord Buddha, “Sabbe Dhammā Anattā.” All phenomena including humans are natural processes, they are without a self. You can't order them to be like this or like that. If you want unceasing happiness in your heart, you will have to let go of all things in this world. If you don't, they will make you suffer.

What makes you suffer? Everything in this world, including your physical body, does. 

Your body is a heap of suffering, so are your spouse's, your children's and your grandchildren's, as well as your possessions, and all the visual objects, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations. You are living unknowingly with these hoards of suffering. 

Without the teaching of the Lord Buddha, you would never know this truth.

You would forever be stuck with these masses of suffering. After death, you will be reborn and repeat this cycle of suffering again. But if you study Buddhism and take up the Dhamma practice, you will have peace and happiness. 

You will see that your suffering is the result of your clinging to things. You will then use sati (mindfulness), samādhi (concentration), and paññā (wisdom) to let go of your clinging. You will let go of what you like and what you dislike. When you have let go of everything, you will then have accomplished your mission. “Vusitaṁ Brahma Cariyaṁ”."

“My Way”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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

10 Unallowable meats for Buddhist Monks in the Theravada Tradition

10 Unallowable meats for Buddhist Monks in the Theravada Tradition

Next time you wish to offer a meal to a monk, consider this list of the ten unallowable meats for Buddhist monks in the Theravāda tradition:

1. Human meat (manussamaṁsaṁ);

2. Elephant meat (hatthimaṁsaṁ);

3. Horse meat (assamaṁsaṁ);

4. Dog meat (sunakhamaṁsaṁ);

5. Snake meat (ahimaṁsaṁ);

6. Lion meat (sīhamaṁsaṁ);

7. Tiger meat (byagghamaṁsaṁ);

8. Leopard meat (dīpimaṁsaṁ);

9. Bear meat (acchamaṁsaṁ);

10. Hyena meat (taracchamaṁsaṁ).

Although it is ethically unproblematic to eat meat that is not part of the above list as a Buddhist monk when one has not seen, heard or suspects that the meat that one receives was not butchered for oneself, it is equally no problem to encourage people to refrain from eating meat.

"ARE THERE MANY DOORS?”

"ARE  THERE  MANY  DOORS?”

Q: Is it true that there are '84 thousand' ways of the Buddha's teaching for reaching nibbana?
A: Let us understand what this means. A lot of people say a lot of things but are unappreciative of its meaning inside.
Now '84000 Dhamma doors' is a common expression but it has a deep meaning!
It means that whatever Dhamma door you take MUST HAVE:
8- the 8 Fold Noble Path
4- the 4 Noble Truths
000- seeing all things in reality as empty; the three Universal characteristics of ALL Conditioned states ie
1. Impermanence [anicca],
2. Suffering [dukkha] and
3. Non Self [anatta]
Now we must clearly understand what this 84000 Dhamma doors mean.
It means that whatever teacher, guru, shifu, bhante, lama, sir, madam, prof , etc that we learn from... MUST teach us the 8 Fold Path, the 4 Noble Truths and the 3 Universal characteristics!!! 
Anything deviated from that IS NOT THE RIGHT PATH and we must run away like he's got Bird Flu! Or the bird flu will kill us!
Subhadda approached the Buddha, and after greeting him, said,
"O Gotama, there are many famous religious teachers who teach other teachings, different from yours. Have they all, as they claim, discovered the truth? Or have only some of them discovered the truth while others have not?"
"Enough, O Subhadda," said the Buddha, "You should not worry about other teachings. Listen to me and pay close attention to what I say, and I will make known to you the truth.
"In whatever doctrine or teaching the Noble Eightfold Path is not found, there will neither be found those who have become sotapanna, sakadagami, anagami or arahant (four levels of sainthood). But in those teachings where the Noble Eightfold Path is found, there also you will find the sotapanna, the sakadagami, the anagami and the arahant. In this teaching of mine, O Subhadda, is to be found the Noble Eightfold Path, and in it alone the sotapanna, the sakadagami, the anagami, and the arahant are found. In no other schools of religious teachers can such arya beings (saints) be found. And if only my disciples live rightly and follow my precepts or training rules, the world will never be without genuine arahants."
-- 
KK
如如不動See it Thus, 
See it Thus, 
With Mind unmoving. 
All conditioned phenomena
are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows, like dew drops and a lightning flash: contemplate them thus.
一切有為法  如夢幻泡影
  如露亦如電  應作如是觀
84000 Doors to Enlightenment, Mystical Buddhist, Zen Buddhist, Intellectual Buddhist, Devotional Buddhist, Hipster Buddhist, many doors one destination.
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Bhante Ariyadhammika

Even when agitated "not doing anything" is often not really an option. 

Instead, the mind does a bit of this, a bit of that; but nothing is done ‘well’.

With the help of meditation, we are able to slow down and regain control of our lives, which so often unfolds on auto-pilot.

Then, with sufficient clarity, we can focus on the things that are truly important to us, and put aside those activities that are not. 

Also, with the help of the mindfulness that was generated through meditation, our speech becomes better, and we need to spend less time "repairing" prior conversations which didn't go so well. 

In total, ‘meditation does not cost time, but gives time’, by allowing us to identify unnecessary things, and by becoming more proficient in the necessary and useful aspects of our lives......... 

~ Bhante Ariyadhammika

Luang Phor Derm

It is said that the great Luang Phor Derm of Wat Nong Pho was a very skilled preacher of the Dhamma. He was brilliant at delivering sermons as well as solving Dhamma riddles, and can explain the teachings so well that the villagers could understand. 

Luang Phor Derm was regularly invited around to preach and had been a preacher for several years. He would be invited event after event. 

But one day, he suddenly stopped delivering Dhamma sermons. 

Whenever his disciples asked him, he just went “Just being busy going around to teach others, wasting their money. Never even teaching oneself. 

From now on I have to teach myself.”

From then, Luang Phor Derm stopped preaching and rejected all such invitations. In his 9th to 11th pansa (rains), Luang Phor went to study and practice Vipassana kammathan with Luang Phor Ngern of Wat Phra Pang in Nakhon Sawan. 

Luang Phor has always practiced seriously. For instance, he always sat up straight. This is in line with the Pali verses “Nisidati pallankam abhujitva ujum kayam panidhaya parimukham satim upatthapetva so satova assasati sato passasati” which translates to the meditator “sitting down, having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect and established mindfulness in front of him."

Since then, Luang Phor sat up straight all the way until the ripe old age of 90.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

23rd May, 2022

Question : When a person is going to die, will he or she know?

Phra Ajahn :  Well, do you know when you’re going die? Usually, most people don’t know, except for those who are highly developed persons, like the Buddha and the arahants. 

Sometimes, they can see when they’re going die. Like the Buddha, he told Venerable Ananda that he (the Buddha) will die in 3 months’ time. So, some people know when they are going to die. Some people don’t know. 

It depends on their mental abilities.

Dhamma in English, Aug 16, 2020.

- - -

Question :  Before one’s last breath, will the body be definitely tensed even if he/she is a practitioner?

 Phra Ajahn:  Whether the body is tensed or not is depending on the mind. If the mind is still attached to the body, the body can become tensed. Because the tension comes from the mind, from the attachment of the mind to the body. If the mind doesn’t attach to the body, the mind is equanimous, calm and peaceful, then the body will not be tensed. 

Question :  Will the mind still be in the body after the last breath?

Phra Ajahn:  As soon as the body stops functioning, the connection that the mind is connected to is disconnected. The mind doesn’t stay in the body. The mind is connected by the viññāṇas.

Question :  If the mind still stays in the body after one’s died, when will the mind be gone?

Phra Ajahn :  The mind will never be gone in terms of its existence. The mind will be separated from the body. 

But mind will continue on. It lives as a spiritual being and lives depending on the quality of the mind. If the mind is purified, like the Buddha and his noble disciples, then the mind will not reconnect with a new body. But if the mind is not purified, if the mind still has the 3 cravings: craving for sensual gratification, craving for being, and craving for non-being, then the mind will eventually reconnect with a new body.

Dhamma in English, Jun 13, 2020.

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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My Story: Part 1 & Part 2

My Story: Part 1

I thought it’d be good to share more about myself since I have been helping Luang Phor Samruay with his projects. Personally, I’m a reserved and private person. I don’t like being in the limelight or public eye, which is why I never really revealed my identity or photos until recently. However, handling donations require transparency and accountability. This is why I am also careful to keep a record of who donated what and how much, which I update regularly on the page.

I have a strong affinity with Buddhism. 

If I had been born in Thailand, I would likely have ordained already. Ajaan Phitthinat knows this without me telling him, he said that I was born in the wrong country for some reason. 

But I myself know the reason, it was because my mother made a very strong wish after having been childless for some time (see the power of adithan). 

Not long after, she discovered she was pregnant and I was born on the 4th day of the 4th lunar month, which coincidentally is Manjushri Bodhisatta’s birthday. I also have some affinity with Manjushri Bodhisatta and he rescued me from a very dangerous situation before, but that is a story for another time. 

Even when I was young, I remember in primary school, I had a very strong sense of Dukkha (Unsatisfactoriness of life) and Anicca (Impermanence) but I couldn’t really put my finger on it. I hadn’t been born into a Buddhist family so I didn’t know how to label these concepts.

After my grandmother passed away, she appeared in my dream 1 or 2 weeks later and told me she was moving on, and that I should become a Buddhist. I felt it was somewhat ironic considering she was of another religion. 

But it was only years later when I finally embraced Buddhism in secondary school. 

Finally I could put a name on the feelings I had towards life. But I still hadn’t started practising yet. 

Until a chance encounter at the start of 2013, one friendly Buddhist DXO (civilian officer) asked me whether I wanted to join him and go for a talk by Tahn Ajaan Viradhammo which would be held at the (now defunct) Dhamma Wisdom Centre. I had never been to this temple before so I thought why not. At that time, I was still serving National Service and was due to ORD (complete my service) in a few months. 

I can't remember a single word of what Ajaan Viradhammo said, but what struck me was how serene, beautiful and amazingly calm this meditation centre was. I returned one more time when I was in Kembangan just before I was due to ORD. It was on that day when I met Ven Dr. Phra Maha Winyoo, whom we just address as Maha. I realised that he was the resident monk at the centre and he invited me to come to join them often.

Maha’s temperament and personality was very suitable for my disposition, as he was a very open-minded, humble, easy-going and friendly monk. I went to the centre almost everyday from Monday to Sunday to practice meditation with Maha Winyoo and read Dhamma books together with him. It was fortunate I discovered this centre right before I ORD-ed and had the spare time to practice daily from April until I entered university in August 2013. 

This was a very important period in my life as Maha Winyoo focused purely on Anapanasati, Vipassana and the Satipatthana, which are very basic fundamental techniques that every Buddhist should understand and practice first. 

Maha also taught me how to chant in Pali, which we did together every evening. He was always kind towards me and would tell me stories about his tough childhood and life in Thailand after chanting in the evenings.

I still remember that I was rather doubtful and asked Maha many questions at the start. 

I told him, “How can I be sure that the Buddha’s teachings are true? Also, how can I be sure that rebirth and kamma exist?” Maha just smiled and told me to start practising first, and so I did. 

Walking meditation, sitting meditation and reading of Dhamma books. This is what we did together every day. 

Because DWC was not a very popular place during weekdays, it was mostly Maha and myself most of the time. So I got the chance to practice intensively. During these 4 to 5 months, during my practice, certain insights arose which convinced me that this was the path towards the ending of Dukkha...

--------------------------------------

This post is getting a bit long so I have decided to stop here for now. But I must say that I was very fortunate to meet Maha, and I am truly and deeply indebted to him. Maha Winyoo is not an eloquent monk and doesn’t teach or preach the Dhamma much. But he gave me the space and resources to practice and demonstrated to me how a good monk should practice and behave. 

Eventually the centre closed and he had nowhere to go. But the Dhamma takes care of people who practice the Dhamma. Chao Khun Keng kindly took him in at Wat Palelai and he was not forced to return to Thailand. Even there Maha was known as the walking monk because of the hours he put in walking back and forth in meditation. 

A photo taken almost 10 years ago in 2013 at DWC.

********

My Story Part 2: 

Studying and Going to Wat Tham Muang Na for the First Time

I have always been someone who excels at his studies. But being academically inclined has never brought me any lasting happiness. 

When I was in Primary 3, I passed both aptitude/IQ tests and got into the Gifted Education Programme. For non-Singaporeans: this is something done in Singapore, where students aged 9 are made to sit for special difficult selection papers aimed at identifying the top 0.25-1% of students with outstanding intelligence (according to Wikipedia at least - neither the best nor most reliable source around).

Well, I decided to drop out of that programme and go to an ordinary neighbourhood secondary school - Presbyterian High School, after my PSLE (when I could have gone to Raffles Institution or Hwa Chong or something).  I greatly enjoyed my time in PHS by the way, best years of my life. Plus it was near my house too. 

Anyway, repeating this pattern, despite doing well, I gave up studying Law at SMU after 1 semester and transferred to NUS to major in Sociology. (Again, no regrets there, I made great friends in NUS) But what struck me when I was reading Law was that I was back to square one again with regards to my Dhamma practice. When I faced real life stresses and pressurising situations, my sati (mindfulness) is still unable to catch up with the kilesas (defilements). 

I also noticed Dukkha (unsatisfactoriness) clearly. Many of my peers who read Law didn’t do so because it was their passion. Some did it for the potential renumeration of the career, others did it for the prestige, and some because they just did well and at that time, Computing wasn’t so hot yet. But many of them, who were from middle to upper class families, weren’t truly happy. So I realised doing well in life doesn't guarantee happiness either. And that very few people knew what they wanted to do in life.

I was fortunate that my parents didn’t oppose my decision to leave, my mom said that she just wanted me to try it out, and if I didn’t like it I could choose to do whatever I wanted. I wonder whether my parents ever felt disappointed with my life choices, but if they had, I am grateful that they have never openly expressed it and have always supported me all the while. 

Reading Sociology gave me a lot of free time to go back to visit Maha at DWC, and also to continue catching up with the Dhamma. In 2015, conditions happened in such a way that changed my life’s trajectory – I saw a documentary video of Wat Tham Muang Na and its way of practice on the internet. 

Oh I forgot to mention this in my earlier post, but I actually met someone when I was studying at Anderson Junior College who also wanted to ordain. We thought it was incredulous that two people who were interested in the monastic life were actually batchmates (a mutual friend introduced us – he told me, Aaron I found someone else who wants to be a monk). We thought - what were the chances? So while I was practising at DWC, my friend actually went to a Burmese meditation centre in Batu Pahat to practice intensely. 

Okay so back to the story. My friend happened to go for exchange in Khon Kaen University at that time. Because I was lazy, I only took Thai 1 at NUS. But my friend was already taking Thai 6 or 7 or something. So he was extremely fluent in Phasa Thai while I could only ask hongnam yu thi nai (where's the toilet?). I definitely needed a guide to survive. So I showed him the video of Wat Tham Muang Na and asked whether he would be keen to stay there for several nights. He said sure. 

After a 2 hour long ride from Chiang Mai, where my friend was nice enough to let me sit in the cabin while he sat in the back holding on to our luggage bags preventing them from falling off the Song Thaew, we finally reached Wat Tham Muang Na. When I stepped out of the vehicle, I looked around me and saw several buildings. I was a little disappointed. 

What’s so special about this place that I travelled so long to find?

But then my friend asked around and we realised that Muang Na cave was up there on Level 5 or something. So after we got our key to our room from the nice lady at the guest reception office, we headed to the building (which was an extension of a hill with Tham Yai at the top), deposited our luggage and made our way upwards.

Finally, Tham Yai was right in front of my eyes. 

It was beautiful. 

I felt like I had finally reached home.

(Photo taken from the internet, story to be continued)

Mudita

Mudita

In Buddhism, there is the ancient Pali word: Mudita. It means to have empathic joy at seeing the goodness in another. It is not that kind of "Rah! 

Rah! Let's go celebrate!" kind of joy. 

Rather, it is more like being able to see and appreciate the manifestation of the latent goodness in someone. 

It is easy in these trying times to sink into the darkness of seeing only that which  is bad. We need to remember, that it was due to “kusala"   - (wholesomeness), that a given sentient being took re-birth in the human realm. In other words, there has had to have been a basic goodness in a given person for him/her to have taken on human existence. 

This is where Mudita comes in. People need an "admirable friend" — someone who sees that basic goodness within them. Why would that be important? It is important because that latent goodness may be very faint, poorly developed, unappreciated, unknown, to the individual. 

When we can see that goodness in others, and we react with appreciation and joy, we highlight that latent tendency which has just been manifest. So? Big deal! Right? No — IT truly is a big deal! Mudita is a "reinforcing event". 

Years ago, a famous psychologist, B. F. Skinner, meticulously documented the importance of "reinforcement" in strengthening behavioral tendencies. 

Mudita reinforces "goodness" It makes it more likely to appear again in the  future. It  strengthens and develops that tendency in others. 

Thus, when we are genuinely happy at seeing the goodness in others and express it openly, it assists in their future development and strengthening of that particular good quality.

Just imagine how important that could be to a given individual. It might be a very rare kind of experience for that person to have someone else see, and acknowledge, a basic goodness in them. Such might be the case for a person with poor self-esteem, an inmate, a homeless person, even a "deplorable" person. Can you imagine what it would be like to have others not recognize any goodness in you and you not even being able to see any goodness in yourself? Mudita can be that shot-in-the-arm — that toe-hold — that stepping stone — that helps the person to turn away from evil and start the process of developing into something better.

In order to extend Mudita to others, however, one has to be in a place of being free of envy, jealousy, ill will, etc. Only then, can one extend genuine mudita to others. Also, one must be able to see goodness, even if it is barely discernable, and react accordingly. 

We want so badly to build a better world, but often we are so unskillful in the way we engage in protests, counter-protests, finger-pointing, criticism, etc., when we could be doing so much more by focusing on that little goodness that already exists and reinforcing it via. mudita.

🌹  May all sentient beings, everywhere — now, or at some future time — realize the great value to be had in seeing the good in otherso and reacting joyfully when they do meritorious things.   🌹 

🌹  With metta ....

From Craft of the Heart, by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, translated by ~ Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.

From Craft of the Heart, by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, translated by ~ Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.

1) Why is concentration so important?

2) How is it used for both mundane activities and in the practice?

3) What are the drawbacks for those who don't practise concentration?

~~~

Concentration is not something exclusive to Buddhism. Even in mundane activities, people use concentration. No matter what work you do, if you’re not intent on it, you won’t succeed. Even our ordinary everyday expressions teach concentration: “Set your heart on a goal.” “Set your mind on your work.” 

“Set yourself up in business.” 

Whoever follows this sort of advice is bound to succeed.

But apart from mundane activities, whoever comes to put the Buddha’s teachings into practice is sure to perceive the great worth of concentration. To be brief: It forms the basis for discernment, which is the central principle in the craft taught by the Buddha, the craft of the heart. 

“Discernment” here refers to the wisdom and insight that come only from training the heart. 

People who haven’t practiced concentration—even if they’re ingenious—can’t really be classed as discerning. Their ingenuity is nothing more than restless distraction—an example being the person who thinks to the point where his nerves break down, which goes to show that his thoughts have no place to rest. They run loose, with no concentration.

People with responsibilities on the level of the world or of the Dhamma should train their hearts and minds to be concentrated. Then when the time comes to think, they can put their thinking to work. When the time is past, they can put their thinking away in concentration. 

In other words, they have a sense of time and place, of when and where to think. People without concentration, who haven’t developed this sense, can wear out their minds; and when their minds are worn out, everything breaks down. Even though they may have the energy to speak and act, yet if their minds are exhausted, they can’t accomplish their purpose. 

Most of us use our minds without caring for them. Morning, noon, and night; sitting, standing, walking, and lying down, we don’t rest for a moment. We’re like a man who drives a car or a boat: If he doesn’t let it rest, he’s headed for trouble. The boat may rust out or sink, putting all that iron to waste, and when this happens, he’s in for a difficult time. When a person’s mind hasn’t been developed in concentration, it can create difficulties for its owner’s body, as well as for the bodies of others.

Thus the Buddha saw that concentration can be of value on the level of the world and on the level of the Dhamma, which is why he taught it in various ways to the people of the world. 

But some people are deaf, i.e., they can’t understand what concentration is about; or else they’re blind, i.e., they can’t stand to look at the example of those who practice, and so they become detractors and faultfinders, bearing ill will toward those who practice.

Those of us who hope to secure ourselves—on either the level of the world or the level of the Dhamma—should thus give firm support to the message of the Buddha. We shouldn’t claim to be his followers simply because we’ve been ordained in his order or have studied his teachings, without putting those teachings into practice. 

If we let ourselves be parasites like this, we’ll do nothing but cause Buddhism to degenerate.

Thus people who train their minds to attain concentration are of use to themselves and to others; people who don’t train their minds to attain concentration will cause harm to themselves and to others. 

To attain concentration is like having a strategic fortress with a good vantage point: If enemies come from within or without, you’ll be able to see them in time. The discernment that comes from concentration will be the weapon enabling you to wage war and destroy defilement. 

Whatever is worthwhile, you will keep in your heart. Whatever is harmful, you will throw out. The discernment that comes from concentration will enable you to tell which is which.

~~~~~~~

From Craft of the Heart, by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, translated by 

~ Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.

PDF: https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/TheCraftoftheHeart_181215.pdf

What Buddhist Believe - The Last Message of the Buddha ~ Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera

What Buddhist Believe - The Last Message of the Buddha
~ Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera

'When I am gone, my Teaching shall be your Master and Guide.'

Three months before His passing away the Buddha addressed His disciples and said: 'I have delivered sermons to you during these forty-five years. You must learn them well and treasure them. You must practise them and teach them to others. This will be of great use for the welfare of the living and for the welfare of those who come after you'.

'My years are now full ripe; the life span left is short. I will soon have to leave you. You must be earnest. O monks, be mindful and of pure virtue! 

Whoever untiringly pursues the Teaching, will go beyond the cycle of birth and death and will man an end of Suffering.'

When Ananda asked the Buddha what would become of the Order after He pass away, the Buddha replied, 'What does the Order expect of me, Ananda? I have preached the Truth without any distinction; for in regard to the Truth, there is no clenched hand in the Teachings of the Buddha°‚. It may be, Ananda, that to some among you, the thought will come 'The Master's words will soon end; soon we will no longer have a master.' But do not think like this, Ananda. 

When I am gone, my Teaching and the disciplinary code shall be your Master.'

The Buddha further explained: 'If there is anyone who thinks, 'It is I who will lead the brotherhood', or 'The Order is dependent on me, it is I who should give instructions', the Buddha does not think that He should lead the order or that the Order is dependent on Him. I have reached the end of my days. Just as a worn-out cart can only be made to move with much additional care, so my body can be kept going only with much additional care. 

Therefore, Ananda, be a lamp and refuge unto yourselves. Look for no other refuge. Let the Truth be your lamp and your refuge. Seek no refuge elsewhere.'

At the age of eighty, on His birthday, He passed away without showing any worldly supernatural powers. He showed the real nature of component things even in His own life.

When the Buddha passed away into Nibbana, one of His disciples remarked, 'All must depart---all beings that have life must shed their compounded forms. Yes, even a Master such as He, a peerless being, powerful in Wisdom and Enlightenment, even He must pass away.'

The parting words of the Buddha:

'Appamadena Sampadetha Vaya Dhamma Sankhara'. 

'Work diligently. Component things are impermanent.'

-ooOoo-

The Teaching of Ajahn Chah

 The Teaching of Ajahn Chah

Take note, some of you may not be aware that this is a Dhamma teaching. I’m going to give you some Dhamma that’s outside the scriptures. Most people read the scriptures but don’t see the Dhamma. Today I am going to give you a teaching that’s outside the scriptures. Some people may miss the point or not be able to understand it.

Suppose two people are walking together and see a duck and a chicken. One of them says, ‘Why isn’t that chicken like the duck, why isn’t the duck like the chicken?’ He wants the chicken to be a duck and the duck to be a chicken. It’s impossible. If it’s impossible, then even if that person were to wish for the duck to be a chicken and the chicken to be a duck for the rest of his life it would not come to pass, because the chicken is a chicken and the duck is a duck. As long as that person thought like that he would suffer. The other person might see that the chicken is a chicken and the duck is a duck, and that’s all there is to it. 

There is no problem. He sees rightly. If you want the duck to be a chicken and the chicken to be a duck, you are really going to suffer.

In the same way, the law of aniccaṃ states that all things are impermanent. If you want things to be permanent you’re going to suffer. Whenever impermanence shows itself you’re going to be disappointed. 

One who sees that things are naturally impermanent will be at ease, there will be no conflict. The one who wants things to be permanent is going to have conflict, maybe even losing sleep over it. This is to be ignorant of aniccaṃ, impermanence, the teaching of the Buddha.

(Ajahn Chah)

“That’s how such an endless cycle is formed and carries on.”

 The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.

14th May, 2022

“That’s how such an endless cycle is formed and carries on.”

“As long as there still remain craving and desire in one’s heart, all the happiness and pleasures from sight, sound, odour, taste, and touch—no matter how much—will be fleeting. They are temporary—only last while experiencing them. After that, there will be even more craving to experience such pleasures, just as we’ve experienced them from the day that we were born up until now. We have yet to feel enough and satisfied. We still constantly crave to see forms, hear sounds, taste flavours, smell odours, and feel touches.

This is a delusion—to think that experiencing these sensual pleasures would bring happiness. Little did you know that you’ve already become a slave of your sensual craving. That is, if you somehow don’t manage to consume or experience such sensual pleasures when you’re longing for them, i.e., sexual/sensual craving (rāga-taṇhā or kāma-rāga), you’ll suffer and feel discontent. You’ll have to find a way to experience pleasing sights, sounds, odours, tastes, and touch. After being content for a while, another craving will reoccur; that’s how such an endless cycle is formed and carries on.

Even after you die, your mind still holds onto these cravings, and so it will search for these sensual contacts in the next realm and existence. You will have to be reborn in a sensual realm where sentient beings can experience such sensual pleasures. This can range from the heavenly realm of devas, that of humans, that of animals, that of ghosts, that of demons, to that of evil/hell beings; they are the places for sentient beings that are still attached to and have desires for sensual pleasures. As long as your craving for sensual contact has not been curbed and eliminated, you’ll still be bound to be reborn in this endless cycle.

The type of realm in which you will be reborn depends on how you sought out your sensual pleasures. 

You would be reborn in the realm of happiness after you die if you sought pleasures out in a skilful way—with good and pure intentions: not through killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and substance abuse. You may be reborn in the heavenly realm of devas or in the human realm.

But if you sought out the sensual pleasures in an unskilful way—with wrong intentions: through killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and substance abuse, you will then be reborn in those four lower realms of animals, ghosts, demons, and evil/hell beings. Your mistaking of sensual experiences and pleasures through sights, sounds, odours, tastes, and touch for happiness will subject you to the endless cycle of rebirth and death in these sensual realms.”

“Essential Teachings”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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“You have to be mindful at all times and as much as possible.”

The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart

19 August 2023

“You have to be mindful at all times and as much as possible.”

Question:  “How do I get my mind to focus when it is full of thoughts?”

Than Ajahn:  “It is due to a lack of mindfulness; you haven’t yet established your mindfulness. 

Mindfulness (sati) is what controls your thoughts—preventing it from thinking about other things. You should try reciting only the word, ‘Buddho’. It has to be done beforehand, prior to your sitting meditation.

Mindfulness is something that you must continually cultivate and keep up with from the moment you wake up to the time of your sitting meditation. If you cultivate your mindfulness only after starting to sit in meditation, your mind won’t be able to quell all of the proliferations. You have to practise from the moment you awake. As soon as you’re awake, just start reciting ‘Buddho’ and then carry on doing your routine while reciting it. You may stop reciting it and focus on other things when they require your attention.

You should only think about necessary things. 

For instance, what is on today’s schedule or your to-do list? 

Once you’ve figured it out, you may then get yourself ready. You should carry on reciting ‘Buddho’ even while getting ready. Just keep reciting it and don’t think about anything else. 

If you can manage that, your mind will easily calm down when you do your sitting meditation. You’ve already cut down your thoughts and there’s mindfulness in place to keep a hold on them. Once in sitting meditation, your mind will quickly calm down with the recitation. 

It all comes down to mindfulness for those who cannot seem to get any result from their meditation practice. You didn’t cultivate your mindfulness beforehand. You start meditating right away when it is time, just like a boxer who goes into a match without any practice. 

As soon as he gets into the ring, he gets knocked out in the very first round. Without any training and practice with his partner, he ends up being knocked out himself, thinking that he can easily take down his opponent.

It is not unlike expecting your mind to be calm as soon as you sit down and start reciting ‘Buddho’. Your mind readily goes astray thinking about other things with no more than two words of ‘Buddho’. So it all comes down to your mindfulness. You have to be mindful at all times and as much as possible."

“Essential Teachings”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

Latest Dhamma talks on Youtube: 

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

Is it necessary to consecrate a Buddha Image?

Is it necessary to consecrate a Buddha Image?

The above is the topic expounded by Bhante K Ratanasara of DKBS at its premises this Sun 8 May 2022 afternoon.  Days before DKBS announced that it was offering to devotees for free a ''Beautiful, Serene Buddha Statute to set your Spiritual Sanctuary'' as a Vesak Day Gift and that Vesak Day ''is an Auspicious Day to make renewed aspirations and determination to strengthen our Spiritual Practice.'' Thus this afternoon's exposition serves well to enable us to appreciate the true significance of a Buddha Image as practitioners and going forward. At the same time, Bhante made it clear that a Buddha Image is not meant to do magic contrary to mistaken beliefs and misconceptions held by less informed devotees.

Consecration of images is not unique to Buddhism and every religion has ritual ceremonies of some kind.  

Socially these ceremonies bring both monastic and lay followers together in spiritual unity. A common belief is that it is necessary to undertake an ''Eye Opening Ceremony.'' When an image is crafted by an artisan or drawn by an artist, invariably they would fill in the ''pupils'' to the eyes to complete and in a way can be described as ''giving breath or life.'' The truth is that The Buddha is a Fully Self-Awakened One and who can be qualified to conduct ''Eye Opening'' for a Fully Self-Awakened One?  Even awakened ones like the Arahants prostrate in homage to the Buddha. 

Every artist or artisan behind a Buddha Image will endeavour to fulfill the description of the Buddha as described in the Lakkhana Sutta (The Marks of a Great Man), DN 20 as best as he can.

The question is if a Buddha Image is not consecrated is it of any less efficacy? From the Dhamma point of view, it does not make any difference.  

The true purpose of a Buddha Image is for practitioners in seeing the serene image to feel a sense of calmness and be inspired by and to recall the sublime qualities of the Buddha as embodied in the Image.  

We must remember that while the Buddha is Fully Self-Awakened, all of us are still in deep slumber of ignorance. Hence to the Buddha we endeavour to be inspired to be like Him who sees the Four Noble Truths directly and by Himself. He had no teacher or any outside agency to tell him what to do.

Why is it special that the Buddha Image is given as Gift on Vesak Day?  To understand this, it can be traced to the Udana Vatthu, Verses 153 and 154 of the Dhammapada which were uttered by the Blessed One as expressions of intense and sublime joy. He felt at the very moment of His attainment of Enlightenment; as such, they are replete with a wealth of sublime meaning and deep feeling. In Verse 153, it is recorded as ''I who have tried to find the builder of the house.'' The house is the body, the builder is Craving (Tanha).  The meaning of this verse is given in the Commentary as follows: ''I who have been seeking the builder of this house, knowing that he could be seen only with a certain wisdom, have been trying to attain such wisdom (Bodhi nana) ever since Dipankara Buddha prophesied that I would, one day, become a Buddha like him. But failing to attain Bodha nana, I have wandered through this course of hundreds of thousands of existences in the endless round of rebirths. To be reborn again and again is dukkha.  

This is the reason for trying to find the builder of this house, the Carpenter Craving. Birth which comes together with aging, disease and death is dukkha; that is why I have been incessantly looking for the House-builder Craving.''

In his exposition, Bhante shared common questions that devotees are faced with and he cited:

1. Can you bless the Buddha Image?  

The Buddha is already the Blessed One and who is qualified to ''bless''  Him; even awakened ones like Arahants prostrate in homage to Him.

2. There are some devotees who feel good if a simple ceremony of recitation and chanting is provided as they embark on their spiritual journey [something like those who must pump 98 octane petrol and pay more when 95 octane which is cheaper can also power the car!]

3. What is a ''right'' Buddha Image for oneself? 

When one sees one and feels a sense of calmness and is inspired by it, then go for it. 

The spiritual journey has just begun!  Keep walking!

4. Where to place a Buddha Image?  

There is no restriction so long as it helps in one's practice in providing some kind of seclusion, aid meditation practice and learning and studying and aiding mind transformation to be better and wiser Buddhists.

5. Which direction should a Buddha Image be placed?  It is an irrelevant question to say the least.

6..Should one offer fruits, waters, flowers every day to a Buddha Image?  

It is optional for the purpose of such is to demonastrate respect just like offering flowers to one's mother on Mother's Day [surely no mothers will mind if their children do not observe, isn't it? Suppose a mother a mother has 6 children and each brought home a huge bouquet of flowers, isn't it troublesome just where to place them and finally to dispose them?]  Also these items serve only to remind us of the impermanent nature of all phenomena.

7. Will a Buddha Image protect the devotee? This is irrelevant.  Simply put, the Buddha is not a security guard to protect the occupants, the devotees or the house itself. The golden rule is really to see in this teaching: He who lives by the Dhamma is protected by the Dhamma.  

Another inspiring teaching is: He who sees the Dhamma sees the Buddha.  

The key is learning and practising the Dhamma.

8. Will a Buddha Image bring one, good luck? 

Such a question smacks of ignorance. The Buddha is not against wealth accummulation but it must be done honestly and without harming others like bees collect honey without hurting the flowers and with the wealth one earns, to use it wisely including to benefit others by way of dana.

Bhante related an interesting experience of a man who came up to him to ask for a Buddha Image for his house as he and his wife were always quarrelling. Bhante obliged him and taught him to practise the Metta (Loving Kindness) Sutta and urged him to also encourage his wife to do likewise.  A week later, the man returned the Buddha Image and said that the Image was not effective!

[In listening to this afternoon's exposition by Bhante, I recall a talk some years ago in Singapore by Ajahn Brahm who related that once a journalist went up to him and asked what he would do if he took a Dhamma book and threw it into the WC. Ajahn said he would call in a plumber. The journalist repeated his question and again Ajahn repeated calling in the plumber. He was startled and Ajahn then explained to him that it was just a book and there is no way that he could flush away the Truth but if it was to destroy the Truth, then of course he would respond  differently and vigorously.]

[Grateful for Bhante Ratanasara's exposition. All errors in narration are mine.]

🙏🙏🙏