“A SUCCESSFUL WOMAN" By Ven Balacitta

“A SUCCESSFUL WOMAN"
By Ven Balacitta 

According to Pathama-idhalokikasutta (AN 8:49), Visakha once approached our Lord Buddha in Pubbarama (the monastery she had donated to the Buddha and the Sangha) at Savatthi. 

After she had paid respects and sat to one side, our Lord Buddha then told her that there are 4 conditions that will bring success to a woman in this life. 

1.  She is able to perform her chores well (such as helping her husband in his business). 

2.  She takes good care of the people in her household. 

3.  She is faithful to her husband. 

4.  She learns how to manage her husband’s wealth and does not spend money unnecessarily.

A woman is working towards success in this life if she has those qualities but that does not mean that she will be successful in her next life unless she further fulfills the following conditions: 

1.  She has faith in the Buddha. 

2.  She is virtuous. 

3.  She is generous and performs dana. 

4.  She has wisdom.

In order to have faith in the Buddha it is important that we investigate the Dhamma as taught by the Blessed One. 

There are two kinds of faith: blind faith and faith through understanding the Dhamma. But even if you ignorantly developed blind faith in our Lord Buddha, do not worry. Sooner or later when you get to hear the good Dhamma, you will develop the other kind of faith. 

A person develops virtue when she keeps the basic Five Precepts. We should all strive to keep our precepts well. Many people say that it is not easy to observe the precepts. Well, if it is easy to observe them, then heaven will be overly populated and the woeful planes will be empty. 

Those of us who are born in this country must have been generous and performed dana in our previous life because we are not deprived of clothing, food, shelter or medicine due to poverty. May all of us continue to do more dana whenever there is opportunity to do so. 

There are 3 levels of wisdom: 

1.  That achieved through listening to/learning about Dhamma 

2.  That achieved through reflection on the Dhamma learnt 

3.  That achieved when one meditates.

The highest wisdom we can reach is by meditation and that is only after we have gone through the first and second stages of wisdom. 

I hope you will reflect on the Dhamma you have just listened to today and seek to understand and experience it. 

If because of kammic reasons you are unable to achieve meditative wisdom now, at least try to listen to good Dhamma as much as possible as it will conduce to your own enlightenment in the future. Life on earth is extremely short when compared to that in heaven. Do not be like any Tom, Dick or Harry with an aimless life.

Sadhu ........

Sadhu ....... 

Sadhu ........

https://dictionary.sutta.org/browse/i/idhalokika%20sutta/

Happy Mother's Day ......

Five Advantages of Listening to the Dhamma. by Ven Kumara

Five Advantages of Listening to the Dhamma.
by Ven Kumara

Many of you have listened to many Dhamma talks, and now you are listening to another. I suppose you see the benefits of doing this, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. It is also mentioned in the Mangala Sutta (Khp 5) that timely listening to the Dhamma is one of the highest blessings. When we find something good, especially something that benefits us spiritually, it is good to share or introduce it to others. Doing so would also be to our own benefit.

Today I would like to highlight the five advantages of listening to the Dhamma based on the Dhammassavana Sutta (AN 5.202).

Learn new things......

On each occasion that a person listens to the Dhamma, he is likely to be exposed to new information and knowledge. This is especially so for a new student of Buddhism. But even for those who may have heard the subject before, listening to it again can bring about a new perceptive and perhaps even deeper understanding.

The Buddha’s teachings are unfortunately not taught in schools here in Malaysia, unlike Islamic Studies, which is a compulsory subject for all Muslims attending schools. At most, non-Muslims are only given a general subject called Moral Education, which, from what I’ve not heard, is not of much benefit to anyone. So, it is necessary to deliberately expose young people to the Dhamma in a skilful manner.

For adults, there are various kinds of courses on how to get the most out of life: many of them very much oriented to the material side, while some are genuinely more spiritual in nature. 

Usually, you have to pay big money to attend those type of courses. We, however, do it for free!

Clarify what we have learnt...........

The more you know, the more you know how much you don’t know. Listeners who are fairly knowledgeable in the Dhamma often need to clarify their understanding of it. A good example is the first precept: to abstain from killing. Is accidental killing of an insect killing? Is smoking considered as breaking the fifth precept?

Rather than being passive, it is good to ask questions during Dhamma talks and to forward your queries on what is unclear to you. This gives you a great opportunity to increase the depth of your knowledge in the Dhamma and enhance your wisdom.

Abolish doubt...........

At times, we are doubtful about certain aspects of our understanding or practice. For example, can Buddhists pray to deities or should they do as Christian converts often do: throw out their images? Should Buddhists make food offerings to their departed relatives?

If you listen to enough Dhamma, you are sure to come across topics that address such issues and you can then dispel any doubt or misgiving that you may have on such topics.

Straighten our views...........

There are a number of false views that occur among people. One such view, for example, is that there is no rebirth, i.e., when this body dies, that is the end. Such a person can be rather confused when he dies. In fact, he can be very afraid as he approaches his death. Another wrong view is that there is no law of karma. This is potentially dangerous as one having such a view would be more likely to act as he likes, believing that the evil that he does will not return to him so long as he can circumvent the worldly law.

For many of you, however, having learnt much, you probably have much less wrong views. Yet we should keep straightening them, discarding our wrong views as we learn. I too am still doing that. For example, you know that giving is good and brings good results, but do you know that it does not bring about rebirth in a happy existence? Only virtue does that. So with that knowledge, people seeking a good birth would be motivated to go beyond mere giving.

Listening to the Dhamma can help you to straighten your views so that you have a better understanding of life. With that, we can then live in better harmony within the laws of life and live a happier life.

Gladden the mind............

While living in this world we cannot be free from suffering. Yet, when you keenly listen to the Dhamma, you may experience occasions when what is said strikes you deeply and you go, “Ah…” During such an occasion, happiness and joy arises in the mind and suddenly suffering diminishes, at least momentarily. 

Wisdom arises and peace prevails. Just imagine what it would be like if such states of mind never leave us.

In a nutshell, listening to the Dhamma is immensely beneficial and will definitely lead a person to happier living and even to the ultimate liberation. 

Sadhu.........

Sadhu.........

Sadhu.........

Ācariya Mun Bhūridatto attains to the Dhamma-element as recounted by Luang Pu Chob Translated by Thiracitto Bhikkhu

Ācariya Mun Bhūridatto attains to the Dhamma-element as recounted by Luang Pu Chob

Translated by Thiracitto Bhikkhu

When Venerable Luang Por Chob Ṭhānasamo and Venerable Luang Por Mun Bhūridatto were staying in the Chiang Mai area practising meditation together at the Dok-Kham cave near Sahagorn Village, Nam-Phrae Township, Phrao District, an event of utmost significance occured. Although Luang Por Chob was not directly involved in the event, he bore witness to the crucial moment when Luang Por Mun finally realized the Dhamma-element, that is, the moment when Luang Por Mun realized the path and fruit of the Buddha's teachings and ultimately became one of the Arahants of our time.

It all happened on a day in May 1935, around 3 a.m. As Luang Por Chob was sitting in deep meditation, his mind still and sublime, shining brightly immersed in samādhi, all of a sudden, the brightness and stillness of his heart was blown away in an instant. That very moment, he heard a tremendously loud resounding thunderclap, so massive that everything started to tremble and shake. Later on, Luang Por Chob would describe this bang as being as if a nuclear explosion had gone off right next to him. The force was so powerful that everything started to shake as if the whole world was breaking apart and dissolving into the tiniest particles. The whole scene, however, was unfolding solely within his own mind; the outside world remained the same.

Never since he had begun practising, had Luang Por Chob experienced a meditational phenomenon like this. Inwardly examining his mind, he tried to figure out what was responsible for this mindstate. But in the end, he couldn't discover anything unusual. 

Therefore, he directed his investigation outwards to inquire as to the reason for such a phenomenon to have occured. As soon as he sent his mind outward, it shot straight towards the nearby dwelling place of Luang Por Mun. 

There he witnessed (with his mind’s eye) multifarious male and female devas crowding around Luang Por Mun. There were more heavenly beings than he had ever seen before. 

Hordes of devas from every single heavenly plane gathered to such an extent that the whole of space - from heaven to earth -  seemed to be completely saturated. Devas from more than a billion galaxies clustered around Luang Por Mun. The brilliance of their luminosity shone so brightly that the entire surroundings of the Dok-Kham cave were flooded with light, fully illuminated by the powerful radiance of virtue. 

And yet, the luminosity of all the deva gods combined was nothing compared to the mesmerizing brilliance and majestic beauty of Luang Por Mun's own heart; the blazing radiance of his Dhamma perfection exceeded all else. Luang Por Chob would later report that Luang Por Mun's grandeur and beauty was so much brighter and more majestic than could possibly be described in words.

After admiring Luang Por Mun's dazzling brilliance for a sufficient period of time, Luang Por Chob pulled back his mind and thought to himself: "This is certainly due to an important occurrence in the Great Ajahns practice today. 

I'm quite sure about it!”

The very next day, around 4 p.m., Luang Por Chob went to Luang Por Mun's dwelling place to prepare the wash water for his daily bath. 

Just as Luang Por Chob was handing his teacher a fresh bathing cloth, Luang Por Mun asked him: “Tan Chob, how is your practise lately?” Luang Por Chob replied respectfully: “My practise is as usual, Venerable Ajahn. But yesterday something happened in my meditation that almost literally blew my mind away. There was an explosion, a bang as loud as if a huge bomb had detonated right next to me. I've never experienced anything like it in my meditation.” Luang Por Mun then asked: “How do you assess the matter?” Luang Por Chob replied: “I started looking for causes in my heart, but couldn't find anything unusual. 

But when I directed my mind outwards, immediately I saw an incredibly wonderful light emanating from you, more radiant than I have ever seen before.  And on top of that, I have never seen such multitudes of devas gather around you, Luang Por. But still, I don't know why so many devas would have visited you on such a scale.”

Luang Por Mun answered: “The multitude of devas you saw yesterday gathered in such enormous numbers to express their Anumodanā - their emphatic joy and appreciation - to me. They congratulated me for realizing the Dhamma-element - the complete liberation from suffering and the end of the samsaric transmigration. From now on, there is no further birth for me. Everything is cut off completely. To the extent that an Arahant is without delusion, that's exactly how I am now without delusion. The explosion you heard was caused by the devas' saluting proclamation of appreciation and recognition. 

The Anumodanā-blast created by their psychic power, in all likelihood, impacted your mind so violently, that it was properly shaken and catapulted you out of samādhi."

Luang Por Chob later tells us: “At that moment, all of my hair stood on end. I would never have dreamt to ever hear such a statement from Luang Por Mun personally, nor – up to that day – had I ever heard of this term ‘Dhamma-element’ in my entire life. But it kindled such a mental delight (pīti) that all mindfulness and self-control escaped me and tears began streaming down my face. In that moment, I could not find words appropriate enough to do justice to that highest level of Dhammic realization which my revered and beloved Master - who was like mother and father to me - had attained. So I fell on my knees in front of him and bowed low to his feet. Kneeling with my chest bent down, staring at his feet, I started crying profusely without any inhibition. I was so stunned and overwhelmed by the fact that he had penetrated to the Dhamma-element and had become a fully-awakened Arahant. Never had I cried so much in my life. I don't know how to describe the feelings in my heart that day. It is too deep a spiritual experience and defies any description.

“Up until that day, Luang Por Mun was generally very strict and would reprimand me if I lost my composure. But however harsh he scolded me, I always took it to heart (that's why I had expected a harsh admonishment on that day). But now he said nothing. He just let me cry, let me express my feelings freely.

When I calmed down after a while, Luang Por Mun said to me: "Well, look at that one, Tan Chob!  See how far the mind can go!  Things can be so profound that your mind is so overwhelmed by spiritual joy that it even makes you sob! Isn't that right Tan Chob?" I replied to him: “I am speechless at the idea that you, Luang Por, have finished your work in the Buddha's teachings. That you have overcome all suffering and that now I am left behind and still have to keep practicing. I wish to understand the Dhamma - to see the Dhamma - in this very life, just like you Luang Por!"

Luang Por Mun responded, “If you want to achieve path, fruit and Nibbāna in this life, under no circumstances slacken your efforts. It takes unremitting dedication for the practise. 

No slacking up, no matter what. Practise as I have taught you so far. If you practise exactly as I have instructed, you will realize to your complete satisfaction path, fruit and Nibbāna in this very life. That, I guarantee you.”

*******

Ācariya Mun Bhūridatto attains to the Dhamma-element as recounted by Luang Pu Chob

Translated by Thiracitto Bhikkhu

At https://sites dot google dot com/site/wideanglewilderness/quotestories/witness

(As some earlier postings from this website were taken down by Facebook, the URL is modified to show "dot" instead of ".")

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

6 April 2026

Question:  Nowadays there are many exhibitions about relics of some practitioners who are not monks or arahants. How do I differentiate them?

Than Ajahn:  You don’t need to because you don’t know how to do it, so you don’t need to differentiate them. Let them exhibit whatever they want. It does not make much difference to your life. It doesn’t enhance your practice or move you closer to enlightenment. Just know that those are relics as per what they said. 

Whether it’s true or not, you’ll never know, so there is no need to pay too much attention to them. You should pay more attention to the teachings of the Buddha which can be more beneficial to you than paying attention to the relics of different people. 

- - - - - - -

Question:  Is it true that only arahants’ remains will become relics after they passed away?

Than Ajahn:  That’s according to the common wisdom. 

Everybody accepts this truth that once a person became an arahant, part of the remains would turn into relics. 

But it doesn’t mean that every arahant will have his remains turned into relics because it depends on how long he lived after he became an arahant. If a person died right after he became an arahant, then his pure mind hadn’t had time to purify his body. So, if a person died right after he became an arahant, then his remains might not turn into relics. But if an arahant lives for many years after he attained arahanthood, like the Buddha who lived for 45 years after he got his enlightenment, then after he died, some of his remains would become relics right away. So, it depends on how much time his purified mind purified the bones to make them to become relics. 

But, there is no guarantee to assume that once a person died, if his remains didn’t turn into relics, he wasn’t an arahant. You can’t assume that because he could be an arahant, but he didn’t have enough time to purify his body to make the remains to become relics. But if one’s remains became relics, then you can assume that he must be an arahant.

“Dhamma in English, Mar 25, 2019.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto

www.phrasuchart.com

YouTube:  Dhamma in English. 

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

Meditators who are uncertain

 Meditators who are uncertain

At present, many people who are interested in meditation practice are extremely confused and doubtful about the correct way to practice. This is especially true of people just beginning to get interested, because meditation teachers often give conflicting advice on how to practice. 

What’s worse, instead of explaining things in a fair and objective way, these teachers seem reluctant to admit that other teachers or methods of practice might also be correct. There are not a few who show actual disdain for other methods.

Because many people with these sorts of doubts would often come to ask Luang Pu’s advice, I frequently heard him explain things in this way:

“When you start practicing meditation, you can begin with any method at all, because they all lead to the same results. 

The reason there are so many methods is because people have different tendencies. This is why there have to be different images to focus on or words to repeat—such as “buddho” or “arahang”—as means of giving the mind a point around which to gather and settle down as the first step. 

When the mind has gathered and is still, the meditation word will fall away on its own, and that’s where every method falls into the same track, with the same flavor. 

In other words, it has discernment as its surpassing state, and release as its essence.”

***

Gifts He Left Behind: The Dhamma Legacy of Phra Ajaan Dune Atulo, 

translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. 

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

"When you pray, you must be sincere and not just fool around!"

"When you pray, you must be sincere and not just fool around!"

Luang Pu Chob liked to remind his disciples to be serious about their chanting. 

"The devas in each place may like different prayers. In some areas, the gods may prefer the Dhamma Cakka Pavattana Sutta. In another place, the group there may prefer the Karaniya Metta Sutta. Yet somewhere else, the deities like to listen to the Mathika Chapter. And further away, the divine beings are inclined towards the Mettanisamsa Sutta.

When you start chanting their favourite suttas, they may raise their voice in an unanimous rejoice - anumodana sadhu! 

You might hear a loud sound that seemingly shakes the earth below your feet. The devas bring one another to listen to the verses being chanted because they really like it."

Luang Pu cautioned his disciples, "When it is time to pray, don't go fooling around. 

You are reciting the Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha. If you treat it frivolously, you are making unwholesome kamma. When you pray, you should set your mind in concentration and exercise great mindfulness. Then there will be great virtue and merit. 

All these devas, they were once humans - just like us. The key factor is that they had a virtuous mind and liked to make merit. 

When their khandas broke up upon death, they took rebirth in the different heavenly worlds, some lower and some on higher planes, in accordance with their deeds and merit they had accumulated when they were human beings. 

As they were used to making merit and doing good deeds, their minds are steeped in virtue. Whenever they hear or see someone perform a charitable or praiseworthy act, they will gather together to express their appreciation and anumodana. 

If our cittas are refined enough with adequate samadhi, we will be able to perceive these beings around us expressing their approval and rejoicing together with us."

Luang Pu Chob Thansamo

Wat Pa Sammanusorn

Wang Saphung District, Loei Province

Blessing ceremonies for students sitting for exams; children reaping the benefits of parents’ meritorious deeds. By Ven Aggacitta

Blessing ceremonies for students sitting for exams; children reaping the benefits of parents’ meritorious deeds.

By Ven Aggacitta

 

Today Ven Aggacitta answers some questions related to whether or not a person can gain benefits just through praying and performing rituals in temples as well as through their parents’ good deeds. 

Question 1: 

Some Buddhist temples conduct special prayers and ceremonies to boost students’ performance in exams. 

Is there efficacy in such a practice? Will it help students to pass exams and to get excellent results? 

Answer: 

This is a practice prevalent among the Chinese. The Buddhist scriptures say that if you do meritorious deeds you receive merits. This is all dependent on one’s actions. If we check the scriptures for specific reference to passing of exams, then we will not be able to find any because there were no exams in those days. 

Logically, since our actions reflect our state of mind, it is the state of our mind that matters. We can look at this from two aspects. 

Firstly, if parents are worried about their children’s exam performance, then they should encourage them to listen to the Dhamma. This will calm the mind, enable them to think more clearly and remember things better and as a result will enhance their performance in exams. 

If the mind is not settled, then one cannot study. This has a direct effect on exam results. 

Secondly, the Dhamma has been proven to have power. For example, the Angulimala Paritta has been proven to be effective in helping mothers deliver their babies safely. Once, one of our devotee’s wife had complications during her delivery and after I chanted the paritta while in my office, the problem corrected itself. It works, although I do not understand how it works. The Bojjhanga Paritta is also chanted to help a person recover from illness. Of course it also depends on the faith of the person. If there’s faith, it will work. 

The Angulimala Sutta heals through the power of truth. Angulimala was a serial killer who became one of the Buddha’s disciples after the Buddha stopped him from killing his own mother. As a monk, his pre-monkhood reputation many a time caused him to be deprived of food as people refused to give him any. In spite of this, he was compassionate, especially towards mothers who faced problems delivering their babies. He asked the Buddha’s advice as to how he could help them. The Buddha told him to say, “Since my birth in the holy life, I know not of having intentionally deprived a living being of life. By this asseveration of truth, may you be well, may the child in your womb be well.” 

This is healing by the power of truth. 

There is a story about a healer in Burma. 

Usually, traditional healers carry around with them a bag-full of herbs. 

This particular one did not, yet was a very much sought after healer. One day, someone asked him, “What’s your secret?” He was on his way to see an old lady who was ill. So he asked his questioner to follow him and to have faith in him. The doctor instructed the old woman’s daughter to say. “I am my mother’s daughter. By the power of this truth, may she be well.” The old woman recovered. 

Another incident happened in Burma during the Japanese occupation. Some soldiers went to a village and were treated with hospitality by the villagers who gave them the best food. After the meal the soldiers, who were very cruel, asked each villager to dig a depression in the ground. Then they just knocked each villager unconscious with the butts of their rifles and buried him in the depression that would be his grave. 

One of the villagers, after he was hit (but was still conscious), thought, “With all sincerity, I treated them well. By the power of this truth, may I be saved.” 

While the rest died, he was saved. 

Thus faith is important. With faith, many things are possible. 

Question 2: 

The elders believe that meritorious deeds of parents can benefit children. 

We reap what we sow, but can we reap what our parents have sown? 

Answer: 

Our Buddhist scriptures say, “Do good deeds and you reap rewards. Do evil deeds and you reap misfortune.” So, from the Buddhist perspective, each one is responsible for one's own actions. 

Possibly the belief that meritorious deeds of parents can benefit children originated from China where people believe in feng shui, especially where burials are concerned. 

They believe that if the grave is not sited according to good feng shui practice, then the fortunes of the younger generation will be affected. 

Question : 

There is an example of a group of devotees who have given strong support by providing service during meditation retreats. By doing so they give others the opportunity to develop wisdom. It is believed that consequently the children of these devotees have done well in their studies and have tertiary education. Can Bhante explain this? 

Answer : 

These seem to be only very vague assertions. We would have to look at actual numbers to understand the truth of these assertions. Furthermore, these children could also have contributed their fair share of service by going along with their parents to help out. The role of parents is very important. They provide the impetus to the children to do good deeds. If the children also meditate, then this will bring them very good merits. 

The Buddha said that we create our own kamma. Parents provide the initial prod by taking children to the temple, to volunteer service and so on. Still, it is the children’s own efforts that will bear fruits. 

However, considering that merits can also be shared with the living and not only with the dead, the meritorious deeds of parents may also benefit their children in some ways that complement their children's own efforts.

Sadhu ...... 

Sadhu ...... 

Sadhu ......

Angulimala Paritta 

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than.html

Bojjhanga Paritta

https://youtu.be/sxb-Lx0YAFs

16 October 2023