"Monastics who use Buddhism for self-profit will fall into the hell realms!"
Excerpt from a teaching given by Luang Phor Ganha Sukhakamo on April 1, 2021. Luang Phor instructed Phra Maha Anuchon Sasanakitti to spread this message to the public. Transcripts and pictures provided by Kung Isarankura. Translated by Bro Ted.
The purpose of this monastery is to practice the Buddha's path in order to attain Nibbana.
People who come here attain the same mindset, they abide by the same precepts, practice meditation together, and have the same wisdom. They aim for Nibbana, and end with Nibbana, so everyone knows their goal and the reason for coming here.
But some people have different intentions. Some people come to seek a living. Other places may not be as comfortable, because the facilities here are perfect. Live well, eat well, everything is fine. So some come here to recover from their illnesses.
Based on past causes, one will have different intentions. However, when you come here, whether it is a bhikkhu, a bhikkhuni, a novice, a layman, an ordinary person, or an old man, your heart must aim at Nibbana, and your behavior must be consistent with this.
Here, you must always take care of your mind, because a monk must be a monk physically and mentally, and there must be rules for a monk. We are guided by Dhamma and the precepts, rather than being casual and sloppy.
We must not be self-centered. The Dhamma must be the focus, and the Dhamma must be the place of refuge.
Many people come here to request to stay and practice Dharma. It depends on your own behavior, your behavior will determine whether you can stay here. Do you follow the Dhamma and precepts as taught by the Buddha?
This applies to everyone. No matter who seeks the way of Nibbana, one must be selfless.
Such a person can settle down and practice the Dharma, thereby bringing great benefit to others.
Because the Dhamma is the benchmark, there should not be pride and arrogance. There is only Dhamma and precepts, and pure practices. It is not determined by who is poor and who is rich. Those who keep the precepts strictly inherit the Buddha's spirit.
This temple does not use other temples as the standard, but the Buddha's standard as the standard. Our practice should be based on the Dhamma and precepts formulated during the first assembly presided over by Venerable Arahant Kassapa three months after the Buddha entered Mahaparinibbana...Strictly observe the precepts. Everyone must understand this and not have other ideas. The precepts of the Buddha must be followed.
Don't compare with this or that monastery. You don't need to compare. There is only Buddha's Dhamma and precepts. It is sufficient to practice only in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha, in the spirit of the arahants. Only by practicing according to this standard can your practice be complete.
Buddhism has a history of more than two thousand years. After 2004, 99.9% of Buddhism has become a religious tumor. We look at Thailand, or some other countries, most of which harbor sectarian tumors. In each country, the different sects are split. Just like how Theravadins pride themselves as being the real deal, the only sect espousing the authentic true Dhamma. But in fact, that's not true. Disputes between different factions led to the emergence of this religious tumor.
Mahayana, Vajrayana, Dhammayuttika Nikaya and the Maha Nikaya. All these are subjective conventions and labels. There is only one lineage, that of the Buddha, but it has been split into many factions. No matter which faction you are in, if you really aim at Nirvana, they are the same.
There are a lot of problems, because there is no practice, so you have cancer, which leads to the onset of tumors, such as sacrificial offerings, worship of ghosts and spirits, and so on.
Some make amulets, and many of these things happen. These are all caused by innate kilesas (defilements). In fact, many religions have objects of worship. However, monastics should not use these as a means of earning a living. After ordaining, instead of aiming for Nibbana, some monks do all these kinds of funny things.
First of all, becoming a monk is to achieve Nibbana. But after ordaining for so long, where has Nibbana gone? When the way of Nibbana does not arise in the mind, the monk will not do things in accordance to the Dhamma and precepts.
They may get involved in healing strange diseases, fortune-telling, amulet blessing, warding off evil things and so on in order to gain money. Because of inherent greed, they deceive foolish people instead of keeping the precepts.
When the way of Nibbana does not arise in the mind, many things are easy to do. In order to live a comfortable life, one makes amulets to deceive fools. We have to understand that Nibbana is not like this.
When problems arise, we must know that these things have nothing to do with Buddhism. The Buddha never taught this.
The Buddha only taught suffering, the cause of suffering, the eradication of suffering, and the way to eradicate suffering.
Many people are born and have seen suffering, but they don't understand that Buddhism is of a a higher level. People who use Buddha Sasana as a tool for their livelihood have cheapened the value of Buddhism.
They have no sense of shame, no shame or fear of bad kamma. These people appear to have been ordained, but their mind is not that of a monk. Their minds are of a thief, hooligan, that of a devil, and a beast.
It does not come from a noble cause, it has no wisdom, indulging in drinking, gambling, irresponsibility, and laziness. When you became a monk, but do not aim at Nibbana, you are still clinging to your old habits.
The purpose of becoming a monk is not to earn a living from the religion. This is an improper way of earning a living. This is horrible. We cannot use this as a standard. We must strictly adhere to the Buddha's teachings and keep the precepts until we are liberated.
If there is no shame committing evil kamma, this is the way of obstruction, and the way of Nibbana will not arise. Take the Buddha's standard as the standard. This is the standard of measurement. This is what a real temple looks like.
Luang Phor did not use the word "monk" to represent the Buddha, the steam enterer, the once returner, the non returner or the Arahant. Those who truly practice the Dharma firmly and walk on the path to Nibbana are the real practitioners. Those who become monks for the purpose of Nibbana are the real monks, and they are the conquerors of desires.
If you don't follow the Dharma and precepts, you will be beset with troubles. If one does this just to make a living, he has no shame and is not afraid of doing bad karma. He can be called a thief, a giant, shameless thief. We must reflect on our own minds: are the Dhamma and the precepts complete in our minds?
We must destroy the thief in the heart. Don't be unashamed of bad kamma, activities of body, speech and mind that will cause evil, that of indulgence in money, sexual misconduct, lust, wealth, fame and status.
This is not the Buddha's way. This is the way of thieves, especially those who indulge in sensual pleasures, surely the way of practicing Nibbana will not arise in the heart. The Buddha clearly stated this point.
If you understand this in your heart, you have to work hard. You have to know that when you get lost, you must do good to get rid of evil, practice hard, and get rid of the thief in your heart as soon as possible.
Don't use religion to make a living, otherwise the evil karma created must be endured in a future lifetime.
In the great hell, railroad tracks as thick as tree trunks are pressed against the robes of monks who have fallen into hell until the rails bend. Because this monk has to go through the immense negative fruits of the hell realm. This is because he did not pursue the way of Nibbana after he was ordained, but instead used religion as a means of earning a living. You must understand this and you must abide by the precepts.
