Story of Devadatta

Story of Devadatta

Buddha had a cousin, Devadatta, who was extremely jealous of him. Devadatta felt that he himself was as good as Buddha and was jealous that people ignored him and did not honour him the way they honoured the Buddha.

He was always thinking of ways to harm the Buddha.

One day he devised a plot to kill Buddha. He knew that day Buddha was going to pass through a particular town. Before the Buddha came into the town, he brought the elephant to the town, hiding it beside a wall. He then fed the elephant a lot of liquor to make it drunk. 

His plan was to make use of the drunken elephant and trampled Buddha to death.

When he saw from a distance that the Buddha was coming, he immediately use sticks to beat the elephant brutally. The drunken elephant was in great pain and was totally enraged. 

Seeing this, Devadatta immediately released the elephant in the direction of the Buddha.

Overwhelmed with anger and pain, the elephant was now mad and started at full speed towards the Buddha. It raised its ears, tail and trunk, making a lot of noise. It was as if thunder was striking. All the disciples who were with Buddha were horrified at this terrible sight and scrambled to flee from harm’s way. Only Ananda, Buddha’s attendant, stood firmly beside the Buddha.

At that time, Buddha himself remained totally at ease and composed. He took a look at the elephant and felt great love and compassion for the poor beast. He stood where he was and radiated his loving-kindness towards the elephant.

Buddha’s love and compassion were so strong and powerful that the elephant could feel it. 

Just a few steps before it was about to charge into the Buddha, it stopped in its path and calmed down. It then trotted towards Buddha and respectfully bow its head.

Buddha stroked the elephant’s trunk and comforted it with soft & kind words. The elephant was totally tamed.

https://www.originalbuddhas.com/blog/devadatta

https://youtu.be/8kBAAm3vRQU

30 July 2023

Buddhist attitude

Buddhist attitude 

Buddhist are not forbidden to give due respect to other religious teachers , nor are they restricted from visiting other places of worship and even attending religious services. They can show their full respect for other belief systems while maintaining their basic Buddhist principles. 

From the Buddhist point of view, religious labels are not the most important aspects for people to be considered spiritual, but any person leading a respectable and harmless way of life can be regarded as spiritual person.

In examining the Buddhist attitude to other religions one has to note that, unlike in many other religions, there is no claim in Buddhism that Truth is a monopoly of Buddhism. The truth, according to Buddhism, is not a revelation. It is a discovery or a realisation. A discovery humanly possible that needs no external sanctification or justification.  

As a matter of fact the Buddhists are constantly reminded of the fact that Dhamma or Truth is something that each and every individual has to realise himself (paccattam veditabbo). 

Thus it should be clear from the beginning itself that the Buddhist can entertain an open attitude to other religions. 

Just as there are billions of people on this planet, there are also many thousand  of different dispositions and inclinations. From the Buddhist point of view, a wide choice of religions is needed to suit the varied psychological needs of different people. Buddhism recognizes that all religions share a common aim of working for the well-being of human being. With this common basis, Buddhists and Catholic and other religion can learn from one another in the spirit of mutual cooperation and respect.

(copied)

29 July 2023

SONGCHOL’S FIVE BASIC RULES FOR MONKS

SONGCHOL’S FIVE BASIC RULES FOR MONKS

The first is to reduce sleep. If you sleep over four hours a day then you're not really monastic. 

Second, you must stop talking. It doesn’t matter what you are saying, whether it’s good or bad. Talk disrupts concentration on your koan, so you should not talk at all. 

Third, you must eliminate all reading—the Sutras, the records of the predecessors, newspapers, whatever. What you are trying to attain through meditation cannot be expressed even in all of the Tripitaka.  It cannot be expressed in any kind of printed material. If you are to awaken to your true self, then you must rid yourself of everything, including the Dharma Teachings. Buddhism itself becomes an obstruction, it is dust on your mirror. Devote all your energy to your koan and your koan only.

 Fourth, you should neither overeat nor snack. You should eat only enough to keep you healthy. Overeating makes you drowsy, lazy and demented. 

A reduced diet is good for your health and contributes to longevity. 

And fifth, stop traveling. In between the 3-month meditation sessions, everyone is bombing around like a jet. That has to cease. It only interferes with your inner study.

Ven. Tong Songchol (1912~1993), also SeongCheol, one of the great Zen masters in the last century was also called the Living Buddha of Korea.

E141.

28 July 2023

Legend of the Erawan Shrine - a legacy of faith

Legend of the Erawan Shrine - a legacy of faith 

The Erawan Shrine stands majestically in glittering gold at the busy junction of Ploenchit and Rajadamri Roads in the heart of downtown Bangkok. 

Every day, thousands of devotees both Thai and foreigners pray at the shrine to seek blessings, fulfillment of dreams, success in personal lives and careers. 

What was the origin of the legend?

Many Thais believe that there's a deity or god residing in every plot of land. Before construction of any structure on the land, a ceremony must be held on an auspicious date to lay the foundation so as to appease the deity. 

When the project is completed a permanent shrine consisting of a spirit house, housing the chosen deity, is erected at an auspicious location on the plot of land. This accounts for the spirit houses in the gardens of many Thai houses.

In 1953, work commenced to construct the Erawan Hotel some 50 metres behind the present location of the shrine. The required ceremony of appeasing the land deity was duly conducted. 

However, the project was dogged by delays and mishaps that spooked the rural Thai construction workers to the point of halting their work completely.

The hapless contractor turned in desperation to the advice of a well-respected astrologer, who discovered that the foundation stone of the building was not laid on an auspicious date. 

To reverse the tide of misfortune, a shrine had to be constructed to honour the god Brahma. The shrine was inaugurated at the junction on 9 November 1956, a date carefully chosen this time.

Many foreign visitors refer to the deity as the four faced Buddha.

This is a misnomer. Brahma was a four-faced Hindu god worshipped in Brahmanism, a religious system under orthodox Hinduism. 

The Thais call Brahma, Than Tao MahaProm or Phra Phrom. The shrine was named Erawan after Indra's legendary three-headed elephant. 

For more on the legend of Erawan, please see the Erawan Museum.

The construction of the hotel proceeded without any further delays and the building was soon finished. 

Word of the power of the "four-faced Buddha" spread far and wide and the legend of the Erawan Shrine was born. Thais and foreigners, particularly tourists from SE Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong flocked to the shrine to seek the blessings of Brahma. 

When the international 5 star Hyatt hotel chain took over the original Erawan Hotel and rebuilt it, the Hyatt management wisely retained the Erawan Shrine and adopted the name Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.

It doesn't pay to tamper with matters that can't be completely explained by the laws of logic. 

In November 2004, a new boutique shopping mall opened behind the Erawan Shrine and yes, it's adopted the name Erawan Bangkok like its neighbor.

Tragedy at the shrine

On the morning of 21 March 2006, tragedy struck. A mentally ill man smashed and shattered the revered image of Brahma at the Erawan Shrine. He was beaten to death on the spot by two workers who have been charged for the offence.

The brutal killing of a mentally ill man for grossly vandalizing a revered Hindu deity in a predominantly Buddhist society is a cause for some soul searching.

The Department of Fine Arts is replacing the original gold plated plaster statue with a metal one made of an alloy, "nawa loha", consisting of nine metals including gold and silver.

The new statue is expected to be ready in two months time. Meanwhile the shrine has reopened for worshippers on 23 March. The smashed image, however, is covered with a white cloth.

Cost of the new statue is estimated at 20 m baht or almost US$ 0.5 m. 

The Than Tao Mahaprom Foundation that is responsible for the shrine welcomes donations from devotees. Donations can also be in the form of any metal. 

In spite of this setback, the Erawan Shrine retains its aura to this day and remains a Bangkok legacy that pulls thousands of faithful worshippers, many of whom are waiting for the new statue to be ready.

In May 2006, the Department of Fine Arts announced that the new statue for the shrine is ready. 

The ceremony for the installation of the new deity will be held later in May. We can be certain that an auspicious date will be chosen.

Devotees from Hong Kong have chartered a plane to Bangkok to attend the consecration ceremony, such is the strength of the following.

On 21 May 2006, the reinstallation of the new statue of Brahma took place in a grand enshrining ceremony, telecast live, at the Erawan Shrine. 

The new statue underwent a series of rites in an elaborate ceremony that started precisely at the auspicious time of 7.29 am on Sunday 21 May 2006, when the statue departed from the Fine Arts Department.

The next stage was a blessing ceremony at the City Pillar Shrine near Sanam Luang, then a holy water rinsing rite at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. This was followed by a Brahmin ceremony at the Brahmin Temple in Kalayana Maitree Road.

The statue arrived at the Erawan Shrine for the installation ceremony at 11 am on the dot. 

The participants walked three times around the shrine by 11.39 am and the entire ceremony was completed at 11.59 am.

Brahma has finally returned to his rightful place.

27 July 2023

❖ How long does it take to get enlightened? ❖

❖ How long does it take to get enlightened? ❖

This question may be answered with an old story:

A monk is walking through the countryside. He asks an old lady sitting by the side of the road how long it will take him to get to the mountain. She ignores him. He asks her again and she ignores him again. 

And so for a third time. The monk assumes that the woman must be deaf. As he walks on he hears her shout out: “Seven days!” The monk returns to the woman: “Grandmother, I asked you this question three times and you ignored me each time. Why did you wait until I had walked on by before shouting out the answer?” The old lady said, “Before I could answer I had to look at how fast you were walking and how determined you looked.”

Buddhists who are convinced that there is such a thing as enlightenment and that they have the potential to realize it, and who are following the path to that realization, give little time to speculating on how long it will take. 

Seven days, seven months, seven years, seven lifetimes—however long it takes, there is no alternative route.

~ by Ajahn Jayasaro ~

- - ❖ - -

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

http://www.withoutandwithin.net/ebook/

- - ❖ - -

For other teachings by Ajahn Jayasaro, please visit the Panyaprateep Foundation website:

https://www.jayasaro.panyaprateep.org/

- - ❖ - -

To request the print book, please register: https://www.bia.or.th/wowi/

- - ❖ - -

Photo: ‘Without and Within’

25 July 2023

Bhante Kovida

Bhante Kovida

In Singapore, the cemetery meditation was held during the morning instead of the evening due to the mosquitoes and the threat of Dengue Fever. So, it was not scary as the previous evening sessions. I wanted to dig up an old grave so we could see and reflect on the remaining bones as an aspect of the Earth element, but that would have been illegal. 

After about 45 minutes of meditation (the participants sat apart from each other), we came together in the shade of a tree and did a reflection on the reality of the body-mind process shutting down regarding death. 

Using social convention, we usually say that someone has died or has passed away, but at a deeper reality when there is present moment awareness/mindfulness, the body-mind process simple shuts down, And at a deeper level of reality, the five factors that create our daily experience simply stops working. There is really no self that dies. This is the teaching of Anatta, no permanent, separate self or ego entity.

Then we did a reflection on the six elements - earth, water, heat, air, space and consciousness, and how these elements return to nature after death. The heat element is the first element to leave the body which is why a dead body feels cold when touched. At a deeper level of reality, there are atoms otherwise known as cosmic energy since everything is composed of atoms. And from the first law of science one is able to go beyond the idea of birth and death since energy cannot be created or destroyed. Then we did a reflection on the scientific fact of recycled atoms. Interesting and profound indeed.

After the cemetery meditation and reflection, we returned to the center by bus and continued to do more reflection on the changing nature of consciousness and the thinking process, the conditioning of time as past and future, the conditioning of the self as a collection of memories based on personal history and future projections and plans, having confidence in present moment awareness, our Buddha Nature. And why we want to continue somehow after death and our many beliefs in an after-life.

I'm now in the historic town of Malacca/Melaka, on the SW coast of  Malaysia, and I'm once again staying at the old Seck Kia Eenh temple (SKE). My previous visit was in December, 2019. My first visit as a teaching monk was in 1994-95, a past life for sure. The columbarium is still here (a collection of jars/urns containing human remains - ashes with bits of bones, an aspect of the earth element). There are photos of the deceased on the urns and one can reflect on the three facts of existence - constant change and impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and uncertainty, and no permanent, separate self or ego-center.

Before the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, many people came to do offerings to the departed spirits - food, drink, candles and incense. It is believed that the incense smoke carries the essence of the offerings into the spirit world. During the Hungry Ghost month of August, many large incense sticks are burnt so that the smoke can carry the essence of the many offerings placed in public places and temple areas into the spirit world. There are also different kinds of entertainment for the spirits: classical music, puppet shows and Chinese stage operas.

Why do we believe in ghosts and spirits? Because of the great mystery of death and the unknown and the fertile human imagination. With a calm, reflective mind, one can realise and appreciate the profound wonder and mystery of life and death. And contemplating on the Bigger Picture, the larger perspective of the planet and Solar System and the immense Milky Way galaxy, we can see that birth, existence and death are only parts of a process in a much vaster and timeless reality.

Loving kindness and compassion are the only qualities that give meaning to the whole of existence. Death is the mirror in which the true meaning of life is reflected.

Youtube.....five elements reflection bhante kovida.

Youtube....The Age-Old Question: What happens when I die? by Bhante Kovida.

May all Beings be well, happy and peaceful. Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.

23 July 2023

What was Luang Pu like?

What was Luang Pu like?

Luang Pu was a popular monk and non-ending streams of people came to find him. 

Devotees offered many things to Luang Pu including money in the amount of more than ten thousand baht daily, which was a very large amount at that time. 

In the evening at the end of the day, he would have his close disciples gather the offerings and offer them to the abbot for Wat Sakae, not keeping any as his personal property at all. 

If Luang Pu was free on lazy afternoons with no devotees waiting to see him, he would go and collect all the rubber bands that have fallen on the floor and hung them on the nails beside his kuti. So that the devotees who came to the temple could make use of them. 

When Luang Pu took a bath, he did so at the dragon jar area without using soap or hot water at all.

Luang Pu did not easily change the eight requisites (attha parikkhara) that a monk is allowed to own (i.e. the robes, alms bowl, razor, needle & thread, belt etc.), even though his disciples were constantly offering him new items. 

For example, many disciples would offer Luang Pu a new cushion seat, and he will sit on it for a while to satisfy the donor. After a few days, he would have his disciples bring it to the other monks to be allocated to another bhikkhu, and continue sitting on the hard wooden board again. 

Luang Pu originally only had one meal a day. But as he grew older, many more devotees came from afar to visit him and offer him food. Out of compassion on them who wanted to make merit, he would also start to take a second meal before noon. 

Luang Pu’s mattress that he slept on was very small, without hardly any space for him to turn. 

Nevertheless, he was kind to encourage his luksits to use his kuti as their meditation corner as Wat Sakae didn’t have a meditation hall at that time yet. 

It can be seen that Luang Pu taught the Dhamma not just via words but also by example. 

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya Province

24 July 2023

:: Ajahn Dtun | Dhamma Talk on 11 Jan 2020 ::

:: Ajahn Dtun | Dhamma Talk on 11 Jan 2020 :: 

Listen to this Dhamma Talk in Thai and interpretation in English at Palelai Buddhist Temple: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAZJz_aBX30&list=PLQ1AG6NNvCxEAQOtC7kCRQXgN-Q8BjvAz

Transcribed from the Video:

“I would like to greet you all here,

all of you here today

coming in the faith of the Lord Buddha

And when you are free from your work, duties and responsibilities

then you will naturally think of

wanting to come and offer dana or practise generosity

When you have the wisdom

to see that the practice of dana,

the practice of generosity

this is a source of happiness for oneself

then you will probably also have the wisdom to see that 

performing any immoral deeds, this is a source of suffering

therefore when you have this aspiration to seek out true happiness

You should then take up the teaching of the Lord Buddha

and follow it so as to develop your mind

One goes about doing this

by practising goodness, practising generosity,

to the utmost of one’s ability

and further develop your mind

so as to gradually cleanse it and purify it

unless you do it through the practice of sīla, samādhi and pañña 

or namely, moral virtues, concentration and wisdom

for somebody to keep the five precepts,

they need to have wisdom

to see the benefits of keeping these five precepts

Because otherwise if delusion is dominating within the mind

then we will act in accordance to the mental defilements

and therefore we will act and speak in unwholesome or unskilful ways

But if we have the mindfulness and the wisdom

to see the harm of performing any immoral deeds

by way of body or speech

then you will see the benefits of keeping the moral precepts

And for anybody who regularly practises generosity

and keeps these five precepts

then their mind will achieve a degree of coolness and peacefulness

Because there will be no harm or remorse coming to them

through performing any immoral deeds. 

And if one has the mindfulness or the intelligence

to see that within the mind, there is suffering

If one wishes to rid the suffering from within the mind

then one must further go about developing the mind

through the practice of concentration

for if we do not go about learning

how to train the mind and make it peaceful 

then the mind will always be a slave to its emotions

or a servant to mental defilements

there will also be greed and aversion and sensual desires

dominating within the mind

Sometimes the mind will be proliferating

about all kinds of bad or unwholesome things

Then when we see that the mind is suffering

suffering has arisen within the mind

we should therefore go about

the practice of cultivating the mind 

though the practice of concentration 

We do this by keeping our mindfulness

focussed upon a meditation object,

sustaining it at there,

if one can do this

then the mind will gradually

become concentrated and peaceful

One needs to have the wisdom

to see the suffering that arises within one’s mind 

and therefore have this wish to rid it from the mind

When we train the mind to become peaceful

then as a consequence

all the rest of the activities of the mind will cease

and the suffering that arises within the mind

will also cease accordingly

Once the mind has been concentrated and made strong and peaceful

then this will give rise to the energy of mindfulness and wisdom

And it’s this mindfulness and wisdom

that we use to take control over the mind

Always learning to use these two faculties

Always keep constant guard over the mind

Not allowing any suffering or unhappiness to arise within the mind

For if these unwholesome states of mind arise

then we should have the mindfulness to comprehend them

to know that it has arisen. 

And have the mindfulness and wisdom

to know the cause of the suffering that has arisen

and have the mindfulness and wisdom to seek out skilful means

to remove the suffering from the mind

for all manner of suffering

it doesn’t arise at one’s home or even here at this monastery, 

it arises within one’s own heart, within one’s own mind 

therefore one should take an interest

in learning how to free the mind from the suffering 

we practise the keeping of moral precepts

so as to take control over our body and speech

we practise concentration so as to take control over the mind

so as to make it peaceful 

and once the mind is peaceful

then this gives rise to mindfulness and wisdom 

And we use mindfulness and wisdom to screen out or to filter out

whenever greed arises within the mind

And we use these two faculties to screen out and filter out

whenever anger or hatred arises in the mind

and we use them to also remove the suffering that arises within the mind

for anybody who regularly takes good care over their mind

and keeps guard over it

then they will go beyond the control or the snares of Mara. 

~ Ajahn Dtun

:: Profile of Ajahn Dtun ::

Tan Ajahn Dtun is considered to be one of the greatest living meditation masters in Thailand. Renowned for his gentle demeanour and deep wisdom, Tan Ajahn Dtun has always had an impeccable reputation as a well-practised monk in the Ajahn Chah Tradition. Even as a junior monk, there was a buzz among the monks regarding Tan Ajahn Dtun due to his dedication to practise and an aura of calm and clarity around him.

Born in 1955 in Ayutthaya, Thailand, Tan Ajahn Dtun was raised in Bangkok. After completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, he decided to become a monk at Wat Nong Pah Pong with VenerableAjahn Chah as his preceptor. Presently, Tan Ajahn Dtun is the Abbot of Wat Boonyawad in Chonburi, Thailand. Wat Boonyawad has grown from being a hermitage of a few monks to a large monastery with close to fifty monks training under the guidance of  Tan Ajahn Dtun.

#AjahnDtun #LuangPorDtun #Watboonyawad

#DhammaTalk #Dhamma 

#PalelaiBuddhistTemple

www.fb.me/BuddhaDhammaFoundation

22 July 2023

The Ultimate Truth. —Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera

The Ultimate Truth.
—Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera

The Ultimate Truth can be found in the Teaching of the Buddhism.

Buddhism recognizes two kinds of Truth. The apparent conventional truth and the real or ultimate Truth. 

The ultimate Truth can be realized only through meditation, and not theorizing or speculating.

The Buddha's Teaching is the Ultimate Truth of the world. Buddhism, however, is not a revealed or an organized religion. It is the first example of the purely scientific approach applied to questions concerning the ultimate nature of existence. This timeless Teaching was discovered by the Buddha Himself without the help of any divine agency. This same teaching is strong enough to face any challenge without changing the basic principles of the doctrine. Any religion that is forced to change or adjust its original Teachings to suit the modern world, is a religion that has no firm foundation and no ultimate truth in it. 

Buddhism can maintain the Truth of the original Teaching of the Master even under the difficult conditions prevailing in the modern world. The Buddha did not introduce certain personal or worldly practices which have no connection with morality or religious observances. To the Buddha, such practices have no religious value. We must make the distinction between what the Buddha taught and what people preach and practise in the name of Buddhism.

Every religion consists of not only the teachings of the founder of that religion but also the rites and ceremonies which have grown up around the basic core of the teachings. These rituals and ceremonies have their origins in the cultural practices of the people who accepted the religion. Usually the founders of the great religions do not lay down precise rules about the rituals to be observed. But religious leaders who come after them formalize the religion and set up exacting codes of behavior which the followers are not allowed to deviated from.

Even the religion which we call 'Buddhism' is very different in its external practices from what the Buddha and His early followers carried out. Centuries of cultural and environmental influence have made Burmese, Thai, Chinese, Tibetan, Sri Lankan and Japanese Buddhism different. But these practices are not in conflict, because the Buddha taught that while the Truth remains absolute, the physical manifestation of this truth can differ according to the way of life of those who profess it.

A few hundred years after His passing away, the disciples of the Buddha organized a religion around the Teachings of the Master. While organizing the religion, they incorporated, among other concepts and beliefs, various types of miracles, mysticism, fortune-telling, charms, talismans, mantras, prayers and many rites and rituals that were not found in the original Teaching. When these extraneous religious beliefs and practices were introduced, many people neglected to develop the most important practices found in the original Teaching; self-discipline, self-restraint, cultivation of morality and spiritual development. Instead of practicing the original Teaching, they gave more of their attention and effort to self-protection from evil spirits and sought after prosperity or good luck. 

Gradually, people began to lose interest in the original Teachings and became more interested in discovering ways and means of getting rid of the so-called misfortunes or bad influences of stars, black magic, and sickness. In this manner, through time the religious practices and beliefs degenerated, being confined to worldly pursuits. Even today, many people believe that they can get rid of their difficulties through the influence of external powers. People still cling to this belief: hence they neglect to cultivate the strength of their will-power, intelligence, understanding and other related human qualities. In other words, people started to abuse their human intelligence by following those beliefs and practices in the name of Buddhism. They also polluted the purity of the Buddha's message.

Thus the modern religion we see in many countries is the product of normal human beings living in a country and adjusting to various social and cultural environments. However, Buddhism as a religion did not begin as a superworldly system that came down from heaven. Rather it was born and evolved through a long historical process. In its process of evolution, many people slowly moved away from the original Teachings of the founder and started different new schools or sects. All the other existing religions also face the same situation.

One should not come to a hasty conclusion either by judging the validity of a religion or by condemning the religion simply by observing what people perform through their blind faith in the name of that religion. To understand the real nature of a religion one must study and investigate the original Teachings of the founder of that religion.

In the face of the profusion of ideas and practices which were later developments, it is useful for us to return to the positive and timeless Dhamma taught by the Buddha. 

Whatever people believe and practise in the name of Buddhism the basic Teachings of the Buddha still exist in the original Buddhist texts.

21 July 2023

Khuddaka Nikāya Itivuttaka-Mānapariññā Sutta Understanding Avijjānīvaraṇa Sutta Ignorance

Khuddaka Nikāya
Itivuttaka-Mānapariññā Sutta Understanding 
Avijjānīvaraṇa Sutta Ignorance

This was said by the Buddha:

“One who has not directly known and fully understood conceit, who has not detached the mind from it and abandoned it, is incapable of destroying suffering. But one who has directly known and fully understood conceit, and who has detached the mind from it and abandoned it, is capable of destroying suffering.”

Humankind is possessed by conceit,

Bound by conceit and delighted with being;

Not fully understanding conceit,

They come again to renewal of being.

But those who have abandoned conceit,

And who by destroying conceit are freed,

Have conquered the bondage of conceit

And overcome all suffering.

I do not perceive any single hindrance other than the hindrance of ignorance by which humankind is so obstructed and for so long a time runs on and wanders in saṃsāra. It is indeed through the hindrance of ignorance that humankind is obstructed and for a long time runs on and wanders in saṃsāra.”

No other single thing exists

Like the hindrance of delusion,

Which so obstructs humankind

And makes it wander on forever.

Those who have abandoned delusion,

Cleaving through this mass of darkness,

No longer roam and wander on;

In them the cause is found no more.”

Translated from Pali to English by Ven Sujato

20 July 2023

Bhante Gunaratana 

When sitting anxiously at the dentist office, meditate on your anxiety.

When feeling angry and upset while standing in line at the bank, contemplate the anger and upset.

When you get bored at the shuttle stop, meditate on boredom.

Try to stay awake and conscious throughout the day.

Pay attention and see what is happening exactly now, even if it is hard and boring. Take advantage of the moments u have alone. Utilize mechanical activities - not requiring any thought and mental work - to a great extent.

Seize and utilize every second to be an alert present.

💞 Buddhist monk and teacher : Pantheh ji 💞

Sitting anxiously in the dentist’s office, meditate on your anxiety. 

Feeling irritated while standing in a line at the bank, meditate on irritation. 

Bored, twiddling you thumbs at the bus stop, meditate on boredom. Try to stay alert and aware throughout the day. Be mindful of exactly what is taking place right now, even if it is tedious drudgery. Take advantage of moments when you are alone. Take advantage of activities that are largely mechanical. Use every spare second to be mindful.

💞 Bhante G 💞

16 July 2023

Article by Bhante Gunaratana and Don de Silva, courtesy, Lion’s Roar

Article by Bhante Gunaratana and Don de Silva, courtesy, Lion’s Roar

World-renowned author and meditation teacher, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana — also known as “Bhante G” — had a moment of coming face-to-face with death while on a flight.

This incident was shared by him when he spoke at the Cittaviveka monastery in Hampshire, England, during 2015. 

This narrative is also in the jointly written article, by Bhante G and myself, published in Lion’s Roar, linked below. I am reproducing Bhante G’s narrative as I think it is critical for the challenging times, we are all facing. 

Speaking to an audience at Cittaviveka, he said:

“I had received word of my mother’s final illness. On the way to Sri Lanka from Washington, DC, I changed planes to a jumbo jet in Hawaii. An hour or two after taking off from Hawaii, I looked out my window and noticed flames coming from the plane’s engine.

Then the pilot’s voice came over the intercom: the engine was on fire, and we were turning back. He told the flight attendants to give instructions on how we should exit the plane if we managed to get back to Hawaii. We were to sit quietly with our seat belts on.

 When we landed, floor lights would lead us to the eight emergency doors. 

The doors would open, and emergency chutes would come out. 

We were to jump on to the chutes without a moment’s hesitation, slide down and run away from the plane.

I doubt anybody understood much of these instructions. From the moment the pilot had announced that the engine was on fire, everyone in the cabin seemed to be seized with fear of death. 

Some started crossing themselves, couples clutched to each other and kissed, others wept or looked tense and anxious.

I thought, “If this is my time to die, well I will die anyway, whether I am afraid or not. Let me keep my mind clear.” First, I recalled my intellectual understanding of what death is. I considered that death is inevitable, and that this would be a good time for me to die for I had been doing good deeds, and I had nothing to regret. 

Then, I thought about the likely sequence of events. “If the plane falls quickly from a height of thirty-nine thousand feet we will be unconscious before the plane hits the ocean.” I do not know whether this is scientifically true, but that is what I thought at the time.

I exhorted myself: “I have to keep my mind very clear, very pure before I lose consciousness. This is the time to use my mindfulness to realize the inevitability of death. If I die peacefully with a pure, clear state of mind my future life will be bright. 

Perhaps I will attain a stage of enlightenment through seeing the truth of impermanence. I must not block my mind with fear or confusion. 

No matter how strong my attachment to life, I must let go of that attachment now.” 

Thus, I made the effort to prevent any unwholesome state of mind arising in the face of death and encouraged wholesome states of mind to arise.

I was just too stunned to feel afraid, and felt no fear, I actually enjoyed watching the flames coming out of the engine at thirty-nine thousand feet! 

The flames were blue and yellow and red. You seldom see such blue flames. 

Sometimes they were streaming out; sometimes they were low. They looked like fireworks, or the Aurora Borealis.

While I was enjoying the drama the three hundred or so other passengers from time to time saw the agony they suffered from the very thought of death. They seemed almost dead before they died! 

I noticed, however, that the little children did not seem affected. They kept laughing and playing as they did before the crisis. I thought, “Let me put myself in their place in a child-like mind.”

We did make it back to Hawaii and the plane made an emergency landing. 

We went out the emergency doors as instructed, sliding down the chutes. 

Going down the chute was an entirely new experience for me. 

Perhaps everyone else on the plane had at least gone down a playground slide in their childhood, but I had never done such a thing in the poor village where I grew up.

Right up to the end I enjoyed it all very much.”

Bhante G’s offers a profound lesson for modern living. In the face of adversity, fear and panic can easily take hold of us. But as Bhante G shows, it is possible to respond with clarity, mindfulness and even joy.

Bhante G @ Cittaviveka Photo credit 2015: Ajahn Kāruniko, Abbot at Cittaviveka, from 2014 to 2019.

Article by Bhante Gunaratana and Don de Silva, courtesy, Lion’s Roar: https://www.lionsroar.com/facing-death-mindfully/

My 2015 Linkedin Blog with thanks to Ajahn Karuniko: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/facing-death-mindfully-don-de-silva/

#EngagedBuddhism #buddhism #bhavana #mindfulness

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

11 January 2024

Q:  I’ve just been down with situation and I’m very thankful for your teaching. The key thing is mindfulness. It solves problems again and again. The moment I forget to use it, that’s the time I suffer. It’s a beautiful teaching and I appreciate the simplicity of it. 

I’m still going through difficult time which I will survive. 

Than Ajahn:  I’ll give you one reminder. This might solve all your problems: just think that when you came to this world, you didn’t bring anything with you; and when you leave this world, you won’t take anything with you either. Look at the starting point and the ending point of life. Then you get the right perspective. 

Then there is nothing for you to worry about because whatever you worry about, you won’t take it with you anyway. And nobody takes anything with him anyway when he dies. 

Everybody leaves everything he has here when he goes. And everybody has to go one day sooner or later. 

Think like this then you can become less attach to things and people. 

It’s like when you go to the casino. When you stop playing, you don’t take the chip with you, right? You exchange the chip for money. So you don't take anything with you when you leave this world. You give it away as dāna (charity) then you’ll take the merit from that charity with you. Okay? You might not understand this yet.

Q:  I understand it. I’m lucky that I have the Dhamma and I have to make the most with the time that I am left with by practising.

Than Ajahn:  Okay. Try to put all your effort into the practice as much as possible especially mindfulness, all the time from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep. Don't be without mindfulness.

“Dhamma in English, Apr 4, 2023.”

- - - - -

Q: I’ve been noticing when things disturb my equanimity, it’s usually because I have an opinion about something that happens so I’m trying to develop mindfulness to be more acceptance. 

Than Ajahn:  Yes, it’s your desire and cravings that cause you to lose your equanimity. 

When you see something you don’t like, you want to change it. So you have to teach your mind that everything happens. It’s the law of nature. Sometimes we can’t stop it. 

Sometimes things can be good and sometimes things can be bad. This is the way how things work. 

Anicca. Not always good, not always bad—sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes neither good nor bad. 

But we always want something to be good so when things don’t work out that way, we lose our calm.  

Q:  Quite often I find that it's because I don't like something but really it doesn't matter. 

That feeling is the cause of the suffering, isn't it? whereas if we just accept it then we don’t suffer.

Than Ajahn:  That’s right. Accept it with equanimity. Don’t react.

“Dhamma in English, Feb 28, 2023.”

- - - - -

Q:  I’ve been meditating for a decade but I get to a halt now and I need some guidance from you. I just lost my son and two years ago my husband passed away. I get to the point that I have no desire or attachment to this world, I just feel numb. 

Than Ajahn:  I think your mind isn’t yet calm to really accept this truth of impermanence. 

Deep down inside there's probably some longing or yearning for things because you haven't yet truly seen that everything is impermanent. Everything is subjected to dissolution or disappearance. And your mind isn’t yet calm enough to make you feel good or happy. This can be the result of [the non-acceptance of] thinking of the impermanence so it doesn’t give you the sense of peace. So I think you should try to do some mindfulness meditation first to calm your mind. Once your mind is calm, when you look at the impermanent of things your mind will not feel sad, you’ll actually become wiser. You will become less attached to things. 

You have to practice more mindfulness meditation to get the mind into real equanimity where the mind has contentment/happiness for being alone and for not having to rely on anything to make you happy. 

Right now you are still being pulled between the wisdom that everything is impermanent and the desire for things to make you happy. You have no other replacement for your happiness. If you can meditate, you’ll find the replacement for your happiness then you can really let go of everything. You know that you don’t need them. You don’t have to rely on them to keep you happy. 

Right now you should stop thinking if you can. This is the problem. Thinking leads you to attachment, leads you to needing somebody or something to hold on to. 

So you have to practice mindfulness to stop thinking. Meditate to make your mind becomes calm then you'll become independent of everything. Once you're calm, once you have jhāna, you’ll feel that you don’t need to have anything to make you happy. 

Q:  In deep sleep, I feel blissful but the moment I am awake, here we go again, all these thoughts and attachment towards everything. The mind is grasping on it. 

Than Ajahn:  All these grasping and desiring come from your thinking. If you can stop thinking, you’ll forget about everything then there’s nothing for you to go after. Try to use a mantra or chanting, and meditate to stop your mind completely for a while then you’ll find peace and happiness. And when you come out of your meditation, you can look at things in a different light, and say, ‘Hey, I don't need these things! I don't need these people. I can be alone by myself and still be happy.’

Mindfulness and meditation are very important practice to get your mind into jhāna, to equanimity. Once you have equanimity, your mind has contentment, it has no desire, it doesn’t grasp on anything.

The problem is not the body, the problem is the mind. 

The thing that causes the mind to have problems is your craving, your desire for things or people. This is what we have to deal with: to stop the kilesa, by using mindfulness and wisdom. I hope you feel better. I hope that you maintain your mindfulness practice. 

Try to stop thinking as much as possible. 

Think only things that you have to think. Those that you don’t have to think about, don’t think. 

“Dhamma in English, Dec 27, 2022.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English.

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

Dharma from Luang Pu Boonsong Thitasaro Watsantiwanaram Temple, Chanthaburi, Thailand🌈

Dharma from Luang Pu Boonsong Thitasaro Watsantiwanaram Temple, Chanthaburi, Thailand🌈

Let’s hurry up. Don't be careless. Don't think we're [too] young [to die]. Children dies everyday. No matter how we’re going to die, let it die. But die in honor as we are Buddhists.

For people who die with smile and no regret will go to Sugati (a good bourn).

But those who die with buldge eye or scream like cow or buffalo will go to Duggati (woeful existences) or Vinipāta (birth of demons). So, hurry make merit for them and continually make merit for them because they definitely starve for merit.

Don't think that you’re too old to make merit. Making merit is not an intensive work like carrying 50 or 100 Kg. Making merit uses only the mind to sacrifice laziness and weakness. Even you’re old, make merit with the old man power. Because, that is the only strength you have.

When you’re dead, importantly, the Citta (mind) is not dead along.

If you have the Kilesa (defilements) attached to the heart whether Lobha (Greed), Kodha (Anger), or Diffuseness then you go to Apāya (sorrowful ways), Duggati (woeful existences), Vinipata (birth of demons), Naraka (hell)

If you have 5 Sīla (5 precepts)or 10 Kusalakammapatha ( the tenfold wholesome course of action), then you can return to the human world.

If you have 4 Brahmavihāra (the four divine states of mind), the Hiri (Moral shame) & Ottappa (Moral fear), Mettā (loving-kindness), Bhāvanā (meditation), and continually dharma practice, then you will be able to go to Devaloka (heaven) or Brahmaloka (the Brahma world).

Then, it will quickly be able to change the world like passing the promotion exam from human to deva.

At least, with our wisdom, won’t you be able to be Sotāpanna (one who’s attained the first stage of holiness - the Stream-Enterer)? will you? Think about it.

Sotāpanna is not know much in dharma. Just knowing the cause and knowing the effect. Knowing that all the dharma only come from cause.

Being Sotāpanna will be enlightening through that everything is coming from the cause. Good comes from the cause. Bad comes from the cause.

Good and Bad are born in the same place.

Don't let Kilesa dominate that same place. If it could rule that place, goodness can't be in now.

It's in the same place! Good and evil are in the same place. Do not let Kilesa conquer and collect you taxes from the income that you make everyday.

What is the tax? Taxation from liquor and cigarette. Useless things that we collect and put in body.

Body don't need it. But when the mind is not smart, it took these thing as Sarana (refuge). It won’t take Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as Sarana (refuge).

Taking cigarette as Sarana (refuge).

Taking liquor as Sarana (refuge).

Then, you will struggle throughout your whole life.

At the very least, even it’s not cause difficult to anyone but it causes difficult to the owner. It causes disease to the owner. It will cause suffering before death. If you get hurts, can't tolerate, and lose Sati (mindfulness) then go to hell. At that time, it is important ... "

Dharma from Luang Pu Boonsong Thitasaro

Watsantiwanaram Temple, Chanthaburi, Thailand

Thai version from

Piriya Jord Chukeawngam

Translated by

Nattawut Prohdeengam

30 June 2023

Luang Pu Si

Luang Pu Si

In general, when the Kruba Ajaans pluksek (consecrate) sacred objects, they will use certain kathas which they prefer. For instance, most monks including Luang Phor Samruay, use kathas that invoke the Buddhaguna, Dhammaguna and Sangaguna (virtues of the Triple Gems). 

Luang Na Sai Yut, a Buddhist monk at Wat Sakae, whom Luang Pu Doo often asked to teach people who came to the temple to practice meditation, ever once mentioned that Luang Pu Si (See) of Wat Sakae was very perceptive in this matter. 

As long as you brought a sacred object to him, he would be able to tell which katha the original master used to consecrate this amulet. 

Luang Pu Si was a monk who lived at Wat Sakae and inherited the Phra Phrom wiccha from Ajaan Heng. 

He was senior to Luang Pu Doo but practiced differently. Nevertheless, Luang Pu Si had very strong powers himself.

One day, a devotee brought an amulet consecrated by Luang Phor Jamnian’s teacher, the revered Golden Mouth Monk Phor Than Klai. He inspected it for several days, but couldn’t figure out what katha Phor Than Klai used to bless this amulet.

In the end, Luang Pu Si came to the conclusion that Phor Than Klai didn’t use any katha or incantation, because he was a Golden Mouth Monk who hardly opened his mouth, but whatever he said would come true. He must have just told the amulet to become holy and thus it was done as he spoke. 

I think Luang Pu Si’s answer was probably correct as Luang Phor Jamnian mentioned that Phor Than Klai taught him how to consecrate amulets using the purity

29 June 2023

Luang Phor Lek Suthammapanyo

Luang Phor Lek Suthammapanyo

Devotee: If all beings fare in accordance with their kamma, and yet those with apinya (psychic powers) know the future, does that mean that they will be able to escape misfortunes? Or is it that the future cannot be changed?

LP Lek: Everything is not stable and uncertain (impermanence). For ordinary people, their kamma is constantly in flux.

But those with the Higher Knowledges have insight of the future. 

Most of these wise people will accept the Law of Kamma. Simply put, even if you try to change the future, the ending might still not be good. So you have to accept it reluctantly. 

As an example, there was a tudong monk at Phu Kra Dueng who had some trouble with a large snake. In fact, he was swallowed almost in half by the python already. It was strange, the snake started swallowing him from his feet up.

When the villagers and hunters found him, they were discussing a way to save this monk, how to kill the snake so that they could save him. But the monk used the remaining of his strength to wave away the villagers, telling them not to interfere. 

The monk said that he had once committed bad kamma and harmed this being and as a result he is accepting that he wants to let the snake eat him as a form of compensation. 

Even though he knew in advance and could escape, but he still let the snake attack him. 

Luang Phor Lek Suthammapanyo

Wat Tha Kha Nun, Kanchanaburi Province

28 June 2023

READING THE NATURAL MIND (An informal talk given to a group of newly ordained monks after the evening chanting, middle of the Rains Retreat, 1978) by AJAHN CHAH

READING THE NATURAL MIND
(An informal talk given to a group of newly ordained monks after the evening chanting, middle of the Rains Retreat, 1978)
by AJAHN CHAH

“Everybody, including the Buddha, started out like this, with the desire to practice — wanting to have peace of mind and wanting not to have confusion and suffering. These two kinds of desire have exactly the same value. If not understood then both wanting to be free from confusion and not wanting to have suffering are defilements. They're a foolish way of wanting — desire without wisdom.

In our practice we see this desire as either sensual indulgence or self-mortification. It's in this very conflict that our Teacher, the Buddha, was caught up, just this dilemma. He followed many ways of practice which merely ended up in these two extremes. And these days we are exactly the same. We are still afflicted by this duality, and because of it we keep falling from the Way.

However, this is how we must start out. We start out as worldly beings, as beings with defilements, with wanting devoid of wisdom, desire without right understanding. If we lack proper understanding, then both kinds of desire work against us. Whether it's wanting or not wanting, it's still craving (Tanha). If we don't understand these two things then we won't know how to deal with them when they arise. We will feel that to go forward is wrong and to go backwards is wrong, and yet we can't stop. Whatever we do we just find more wanting. This is because of the lack of wisdom and because of craving.

It's right here, with this wanting and not wanting, that we can understand the Dhamma. The Dhamma which we are looking for exists right here, but we don't see it. Rather, we persist in our efforts to stop wanting. We want things to be a certain way and not any other way. 

Or, we want them not to be a certain way, but to be another way. Really these two things are the same. 

They are part of the same duality.

Perhaps we may not realize that the Buddha and all of His Disciples had this kind of wanting. However the Buddha understood regarding wanting and not wanting. He understood that they are simply the activity of mind, that such things merely appear in a flash and then disappear. These kinds of desires are going on all the time. When there is wisdom, we don't identify with them — we are free from clinging. 

Whether it's wanting or not wanting, we simply see it as such. In reality it's merely the activity of the natural mind. 

When we take a close look, we see clearly that this is how it is.”

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/chah/bodhinyana.html?fbclid=IwAR2lPP_hT5XuY8sq9qt5cQePPjBJzxy-dHZjny9wkS9fdM9Bu94SrX2Yc6o#reading

27 June 2023

Phra Kruba Boonchum

Phra Kruba Boonchum

Many brothers and sisters here may have seen videos or photos of Kruba Boonchum exhibiting some unusual behaviour since he exited his 3 year cave retreat. There has been much speculation on this. Some devotees claim that Phra Kruba is demonstrating a “Dhamma Riddle”. 

Others, report that he has taken ill and has been rushed to Thailand through the Mae Sai Border Checkpoint and then via plane to Bangkok for medical treatment. 

Luang Phor Lek offered his opinion that Phra Kruba Boonchum is most likely suffering from recurring symptoms of cerebral malaria, which as its name states, affects the brain. If a person does not have enough rest, like Kruba Boonchum having to meet tens of thousands of devotees after emerging from the cave, the malaria virus can wreak havoc on the brain and body. 

If malaria or illness causes a monk or bhikkhu to exhibit strange behaviour and lack of sati, then in accordance with the Vinaya, this is considered anapatti (acquittal or freedom from penalty) due to mental disorders. 

Moreover, the symptoms that Phra Kruba Boonchum has expressed are not so severe as to violate the precepts, just some very unusual behaviour that people do not expect of a revered monk. Luang Phor Lek also mentioned that malaria virus affecting one’s brain is very serious, and he once suffered from it.

Luang Phor went to see a doctor at the department of tropical diseases, but the nurses were busy watching some drama after the news. They saw that Luang Phor was walking normally, so they continued watching the drama until they remembered there was a sick monk 15 minutes later.

When they took the thermometer to measure his temperature, it registered 42 degrees Celsius! And they were wondering how Luang Phor Lek could be walking around. Luang Phor joked that if they had continued watching the drama or movie until the end of the show, maybe that would be the end of him as well. 

Anyway jokes aside, I just want to reiterate that Phra Kruba Boonchum is a Maha Bodhisatta with a confirmation prophecy from a Sammasambuddha. Kruba Boonchum is important enough for Luang Pu Doo to project his mind and appear to him, teaching him via visions before both of them actually met in person. 

Therefore, one should not take Phra Kruba Boonchum lightly even if he is exhibiting strange symptoms now. And may we also pray that Luang Pu intervene to assist his luksit in getting better soon regardless of what the cause may be. 

Photo cr. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=731093094627626&set=pcb.731093124627623

26 June 2023

Thanissaro Bhikkhu "What's Real

Thanissaro Bhikkhu "What's Real

"One day I happened to mention something about the psychic powers that come with meditation, and I mentioned devas, I think, as well. So the next day I got a question in the box: “I don’t want to hear anything about this supernatural stuff. I don’t want to believe in anything that I can’t see with my own eyes.” That was the question. And then right next to it was another question: “Why is it that teachers in Western Buddhism are so afraid of talking about the supernatural side of the tradition?”

The answer to the second question, of course, was the first question. In a form of Buddhism that’s very sensitive to market forces, teachers tend to shy away from issues that would stir up the militant materialists. But the answer to the first question is a bit more complex. As I said that afternoon, how do you know that what seems to be the natural world really is real? We don’t have any proof that there really is a world out there, that other beings really exist. What we do know, though, is that we suffer. Some people have the kamma to experience only a natural world; other people have the kamma to experience a lot of supernatural things. But both kinds of people suffer, and this is what Buddhism is all about: teaching us how to not suffer.

The problem is not with the worlds out there. It’s what’s in our minds. The world may be real, it may not be real — this is another issue that came up during the retreat. Apparently, at an earlier retreat, the teacher had taught that reality is actually an illusion. Well, the Buddha never went that far. He didn’t say that the world doesn’t exist. But the world is not the problem. The problem is inside. The suffering we create for ourselves is real, and the way we create it is real. Even though we may be operating under illusions, the suffering we create from our illusions is real. And the way we can solve that problem is also real."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "What's Real" 

https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Transcripts/180228_What's_Real.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0KMWZIKB4WX0EidyYGKPDPYF5w6zNPquotNtJXYtkOKJOQ5jWUg766U7c&mibextid=awm2gE&fs=e&s=cl

25 June 2023

Luang Pu Boonsong Thitasaro

Luang Pu Boonsong Thitasaro

Phra [Monks] should not be thick-skinned to tell fortunes and predict the future. Which year will I die…which month, come sit, ask the fortune teller and doo duang. Phra are not [fortune tellers].

Just look at the kilesas [defilements] in one’s heart. If the kilesas are gone, we will be able to see through things clearly. When seeing through things, we don’t boast or display any form of arrogance or conceit. It is not the way of the Phra to become “knowledgeable people”.

The more you know what someone is up to, the more saksit (sacred but also means powerful) you are, the more you have to keep quiet. Because whatever you say out will cause others to become worried and anxious. Why do you want to say it? What is the use?

Actually, it is not really necessary to see. We just need to look at the heart. Look at it all the time. Today, did we cause the heart to soar high? Or how low did the heart fall. How human is it? Or is it at the level of a Deva or Brahma? Or ghost or hungry demon? 

When it craves things for no reason it is like a hungry ghost. But any hour our heart sees merit, tamboons and performs good deeds, there is a heart making merit, it will improve and get better. That is the mind of a Thep and Tewada. 

Do we have enough morality to maintain our humanity? Or if we fall below even the 5 Precepts, we must be careful. If our morality is lower than the 5 precepts, then we should hurry to add to it to make it full. Depleted, it can be refilled. 

Luang Pu Boonsong Thitasaro

Wat Santiwanaram, Chanthaburi 

Cr. to the original owner of the photo

24 June 2023

Phra Suthipong Apipunyo

Phra Suthipong Apipunyo

A long long time ago, long before your great-grandfather’s time, humans were always happy. They didn’t know what “suffering” meant, there was no such word in the dictionary.

The demons felt envious of human happiness, so they held a meeting. 

During the Annual Demon Meeting, it was decided that a demon volunteer would take turns to try to hide happiness from the humans. 

The first demon, a powerful wizard, went to the remote mountains as far as the eye could see on the horizon, and hid happiness there. But soon the humans who liked exploring mountains and going hiking found it. 

The second demon was a water ghost, who volunteered to hide happiness in the depths of the oceans. However, humans still found it after learning to dive in the seas. 

The third demon, a space alien, tried to hide happiness in outer space. But humans still learnt to build rockets and spaceships and found happiness above the planet. 

Wherever the demons tried to hide happiness, humans still managed to find it in the end. The demons were frustrated.

Finally, the demons were out of ideas when suddenly, a small voice spoke up, “I’ll volunteer to do it.” Everyone looked around the room but couldn’t identify the source of the voice, until they saw an almost invisibly tiny demon. 

The demons almost wanted to burst out laughing in disbelief. The demon leader couldn’t help but ask, “Where will you hide human happiness?” 

“I’ll hide it in the hearts of humans. If you hide it there, they will never find it,” the little demon replied. 

And so as time passed, it has been proven that the little demon was right. 

Because how many people will find true happiness?

If you think happiness is in the sea…go to the beach.

If you think happiness is in the mountains…go for a hike.

If you think happiness lies in having a lot of money…then devote your life to making money. 

If you think happiness lies in being famous…then do whatever it takes to become famous. 

But even if you go to the sea, the mountains, have all the money or fame in the world, you still won’t be happy when you suffer from depression or disease. 

Even all kinds of beautiful treasures cannot fill the emptiness of the heart. 

They only bring short-lived satisfaction. Finally, it ends up in stress and exhaustion. 

Fortunately, all human beings are born with this one ability, to be a generator of happiness for oneself. Happiness that doesn’t depend on others or external factors. 

The source of happiness within human hearts is experiencing contentment with whatever one has at the moment and knowing what is enough. 

Phra Suthipong Apipunyo

Wat Pa Si Mongkhon

Cr. https://www.facebook.com/TongTongsuthipong/

23 June 2023

Ajaan Chai,

Ajaan Chai

After hanging out with Ajaan Chai for today, I realised I misunderstood some things and have to issue a correction for my previous post.

Ajaan Chai clarified that actually there are two types of mediums, or rather, two different degrees of mediumship. 

To be a full medium, one has to rap khan and allow the deity to enter one’s body fully, allowing the deity to take control. 

In such a scenario, it is possible that some mediums will end up trancing because they are no longer in possession of their bodies. This uses about 90% power which is why if mediums overdo it, may end up with shorter life-spans. 

However, if one is only to become a half-medium or a “medium-lite”, then one does not need to rap khan but just rap pan kru. This will allow you to officially become a luksit of Ajaan Chai and your deity. This will allow the connection of minds between you and your deity, as well as the additional power of Ajaan Chai's deity, Phra Pikanet. 

Doing so only uses 60% power but one is not able to fully accept the deity’s presence in one’s body.

However, it is sufficient a connection for you to access the deity’s powers especially his divine eye which will allow you to doo duang and see the past, present and future of others.

You can also benefit from deity’s powers to assess fengshui, empower amulets and chase away black magic and evil spirits, or interpret poker and tarot cards as Ajaan Chai is able to do.

Ajaan Chai also mentioned that not everyone can gain such powers. Every individual is different. It is possible that even after the rap pan kru ceremony, some people are still not sensitive enough to become psychic mediums. 

Therefore if you fall into this category, the only thing he can teach you is numerology (using numbers to divine the future) and certain kinds of wiccha. Ajaan Chai is quite famous for his metta and saneh wiccha, with his luksits from BKK inviting him to perform Nanathong for them for example.

But you may not be able to perform psychic readings and if you are really lacking in extrasensory perception (6th Sense), you won’t even be able to perform the most basic form of fortune telling using cards.

22 June 2023

In Memory of Phra Ajaan Jiak Cundo 18th Death Anniversary 6 June 1916 - 23 August 2004

In Memory of Phra Ajaan Jiak Cundo
18th Death Anniversary
6 June 1916 - 23 August 2004 

~÷~÷~÷~

Wat Yanasangwararam is rather unusual in that despite having a rather dry and unpleasant living environment, it is very peaceful when it is time for sitting meditation. When it is tranquil, one doesn’t want to stop sitting. So when the monks sat for a long time to accelerate their meditation, Luang Pu would repeatedly admonish: “The group of you, sitting absorbed like this will not be enough to feed on; it’s not enough to feed on; it’s not enough to feed on.” 

When the monks sat enjoying the comfort and ease, he would also always reprimand them in the same way that sitting like this is not enough to feed on.

At that time, a monk who had developed a lot of tranquillity in sitting meditation marveled at the miraculous experiences experienced in his heart. He could foresee exactly who is coming and going in advance, to the point that he would even show off to Phra Ajaan Jiak because his heart felt extremely peaceful and so was bold and unafraid of the latter. He walked softly to him to respectfully inform him: “Than Ajaan, tomorrow there will be a vehicle coming to the monastery. It is big like a train with a pipe added on top of its roof. Let’s wait for tomorrow to prove and see if it is true like how the vision appeared to me in meditation.” 

As soon as dawn arrived the next day, a very big GMC with an exhaust pipe on its rooftop drove into the monastery. The monks also came together to look at this big vehicle. 

That monk then respectfully informed Phra Ajaan Jiak, “This is it, this is it! 

This is the thing in the vision that I described for you to hear yesterday. 

How is it that Than Ajaan say sitting in samadhi with the heart in tranquillity is not enough to feed on (i.e. attain) Appana Samadhi (fixed concentration)? I could foretell whoever will be dying; whoever is going and coming I would also know. 

This is so wonderful; how could it not be enough to feed on?”

Phra Ajaan Jiak then spoke fiercely in a loud voice, raised but not quite yet shouting: “Hey! To practise like this, it’s still not enough to feed on, it’s still not enough. (To know) the type of vehicle, there’s no need to sit in meditation; it’s a waste of time. Also, one can see more clearly (with open eyes) than to see in sitting meditation; I can still see like this too. What is so wonderful about seeing the type of vehicle?”

That monk was unwilling to accept his teaching that this practice is inadequate because many marvels arose in his concentration. He therefore objected in his heart to Phra Ajaan Jiak’s instructions.

“Eh! Why is our teacher like this?” 

Shortly after, he challenged Phra Ajaan Jiak saying, “Than Ajaan, tomorrow there will be a car that will be white in front with another colour on the sides. It’s a car but doesn’t quite look like one.”

The next morning, a car looking like that with unfinished putty paint really sped into the monastery. Many monks then pointed at the car and said, “That’s it, that’s it! Here it comes: this mental agenda is certainly real!”

In the past, Wat Yanasangwararam was in the middle of a field with the occasional car coming only once in a long while, so it was not easy to guess correctly. That monk then said respectfully to Phra Ajaan Jiak again, “Eh…Than Ajaan khrap, the mind going out to know is very miraculous. 

Than Ajaan has never taught it too; this mind of mine went out to know on its own. How could Than Ajaan say that it is not enough to feed on?”

“Hey!... It’s still not enough to feed on. Hey!... 

It’s still not enough to consume the appropriate medicine for the practitioner to go Nibbana. 

(If) you say that your mind is very miraculous due to samadhi, you should try some insight meditation and you will see how much more miraculous it is. 

Samadhi is only a tool to block defilements but wisdom is the tool to destroy the dam of defilements so that it collapses. It will be amazing like open eyes that are unobscured- you can see wherever you walk. There’s no need to sit and enter concentration (to see visions), the eyes are miraculously clear regardless of whether there are many people or few people; one can clearly see regardless of the manner of talking, even when walking and talking like this. Or as I talk to you now offering you to try contemplating by insight. 

Throw away the wretched thing that you are doing now… it’s not good enough to consume... for my Dhamma language! 

A thought arose in the mind of that monk who was interested in meditation: “Why did Than Ajaan talk like that? But alright…Than Ajaan used to stay and attend to Luang Pu Sao and Luang Pu Mun; used to perform duties and practise under the senior monks of insight meditation such as Luang Pu Sao. Or even when staying here at Wat Yanasangwararam, there are many famous meditation masters who often come here to visit him such as Luang Pu Lui Candasaro, Luang Pu Chob Thanasamo, Luangta Maha Boowa Nyanasampanno, Phra Ajaan Wan Uttamo, Phra Ajaan Juan Kulachettho and Phra Ajaan Singthong Dhammavaro, etc. as well as various monks who are meditation teachers of the forest tradition coming here to prostrate him continuously. 

I might not understand the venerable by looking at him with the physical eye, but for the monks who visit often to look for the venerable, they are all very important monks respected by people all over the country. The venerable sirs might be able to connect with each other through the Dhamma inside (which I can’t). Even though Than Ajaan Jiak might not always have pleasing worldly behaviour, but regarding the Dhamma-Vinaya which is the important aspect he is always very strict. Even all his work of every kind is meticulously done and difficult to find his equal.” 

Thinking like this he decided to give in to Phra Ajaan Jiak and heed his Dhamma instructions.

~•~•~•~

Translated from "Reverend Grandfather Jiak Cundo- The Monk Who is Rag-wrapped Gold"

Any mistakes in translation are the admin's.

Luang Pu Jiak's instructions on body and asubha contemplation:

https://www.facebook.com/341332523209497/posts/703566403652772/

21 June 2023

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

In the later part of his life, Luang Pu started falling ill due to old age. There were disciples of his who were concerned, telling him they “felt worried for him”.

Luang Pu would reply them that it would be more appropriate for them to worry about themselves. 

Because he was still concerned about his disciples whose hearts lacked a strong foundation and not yet ready to deal with old age, sickness, death and separation from loved ones that would arrive one day. 

Towards the end of his life, Luang Pu’s body started to weaken. Just getting up alone, he had to support himself with his arms until they trembled. 

But with the strong determination to keep on fighting until the day he died, he made the effort to continue meeting his disciples.

Despite being diagnosed with a leaky heart valve and advised by the doctor to rest at the hospital, Luang Pu refused to go. 

Luang Pu mentioned, “At most, just continue fighting till death comes. Who can be like me? 

I am beyond the death of the body.”

Luang Pu Doo Prompanyo

Wat Sakae, Ayutthaya 

Cr. to the original owner of the photo

20 June 2023

Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Respect for Concentration"

 "It’s good training to learn to look at your speech. If you have an absolute rule against speaking, then the mind just goes on chattering to itself, chattering all the time, to fill up the space. But if you’re allowed to speak, you’re reminded to speak wisely. 

Ajaan Fuang had a good rule for this. 

He said, “Ask yourself before you say anything, ‘Is this really necessary?’ If it’s not, you don’t say it.”

I found that when I first started to try to apply this rule to my own speech, it cut my speech down about 95%. You come to realize that a lot of the chatter in the course of the day is just that: idle chatter. It fills up the space, and you know what filler usually is: styrofoam peanuts. Shredded newspapers.

The problem is when you’re trying to fill up space, many times whatever comes into your mind pops out of your mouth without your really thinking about what the consequences are going to be. A lot of the speech that creates problems is composed of things you didn’t really intend to say but somehow they managed to come out.

So, try to show respect for the concentration of people around you, too. This way the fact that we have a lot of people here, instead of becoming a hindrance, actually becomes a help. Many people notice that when you sit in a room full of meditators it’s a lot easier to get concentrated. But then if you leave the room and everyone chatters, it just destroys it."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Respect for Concentration" 

https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/ePubDhammaTalks_v1/Section0022.html?fbclid=IwAR0cvny2y6CB64MAz7hYuWRn1fa_BJXzitcPLEUGuvYcxm9bm2vvUcc-vY0

18 June 2023

COMPARE NOT WITH OTHERS ~ by Ven Dr K Sri Dhammananda

COMPARE NOT WITH OTHERS
~ by Ven Dr K Sri Dhammananda

You can rid yourself of unecessary worry and trouble simply by not comparing yourself with others. As long as you regard others as your "egual", "superior" or "inferior", you will have intolerance and restlessness. If you do not adopt such an attitude, there is nothing for you to worry about. If you think you are higher than others, you may become proud. If you think you arẹ second to none, others may descend on you. If you think you are inferior, you may lose your own self-confidence.

For most people, it is very difficult to subdue their pride. It is advisable to learn how to reduce one's pride. 

If you are able to sacrifice your pride, then you can find your inner peace. you can harmonise yourself with others so as to experience peace and happiness. 

Which is more important - to maintain your pride or peace of mind?

Try to realise that equality, inferiority, and superiority are all changing realtive states: you may be poor now but at another point of time you may be rich. Today you may be ignorant, later however you can be become wise. Today you may be sick and unhappy but given time you will probably be healthy again. 

However, there are many intangible human qualities which are regarded as mankind"s heritage - human rights, human dignity, human status etc.. Others have no right to deprive you of them.

If you are good to yourself, you are good to others. If you good to others, you are good to yourself'.

17 June 2023