Perseverance in Dhamma Practice

Doc, you have practiced well. Keep being aware with an ordinary mind. That is good. Do not force or squeeze the mind. Almost all practitioners tend to force their bodies and minds instead of feeling them naturally. To be able to feel without forcing, the mind has to be free from craving, the desire to be good, happy, peaceful, or to achieve the path. Whenever there is a desire, the mind is altered. Even breathing gets interfered with. To see the truth of the body and mind, you must be aware with an ordinary mind.

If the mind is forced to be tense, then some people believe they see the Three Characteristics. They say they see everything comes and goes, all reflecting the Three Characteristics. So, what’s wrong with that? The point that is wrong is that the mind does not display the Three Characteristics. It remains still and dull for a long time. A mind that remains still for a long time is the mind of a Brahma deity. You have to let the mind be natural. If you want to understand the natural state of the body, then don’t force the body but instead, feel the body. If you want to see the natural state of the mind, then don’t force the mind but be aware of the changes in the mind with an ordinary mind.

Ordinary people cannot be natural. The minds of those who have never trained nor practiced are always deluded. Their minds are constantly dragged by defilements, sometimes by lust, sometimes by anger, or by delusion. They are dragged all day long. That is not a natural mind. It is a mind enslaved by defilements, not an ordinary mind.

As for practitioners, when they desire goodness, happiness, peace, and attainment of the path and fruit, it all begins with desire, then craving creates existence, forming the realm of existence of a practitioner, which is not ordinary. The mind becomes still and dull. This is a significant issue. As long as the mind does not have the right concentration, the mind is not a knower, an awakened, a joy, and the mind not overwhelmed by defilements. As long as we do not have such a mind, we cannot truly develop wisdom. Even if we go on meditating and feeling calm, bright, peaceful, and happy. We may enjoy it, yet we still won’t see the truth.

The principle must remain accurate, techniques should be employed occasionally

Earlier this morning, one of the assistant teachers submitted his assignment. He had recently undertaken a major task for the sake of Buddhism, forming a group to conduct a course in Malaysia. Over 300 people from various Chinese-speaking countries attended the course, and it was well-organized. Each participant returned home happy. Many of the Chinese attendees from Malaysia followed the group back here as well, dozens of them. I saw this team from Malaysia on Thursday. They came from various countries and were very good. The team that went to help, including the assistant teachers, were joyful and radiant. This morning, one of the assistant teachers reported that his heart was happy, bright, and light, saying that this happiness arose from merit. The team undertook this work of spreading dhamma teachings without expecting anything in return. They dedicate the merit to Lord Buddha. Their hearts are filled with merit and virtue.

Merit is the name for the happiness that stems from doing good deeds. The mind is happy. Yet, it has not settled in its base. As the mind has not settled, it remains happy on the outside. This state involves Nandi-raga, which is a pleasurable distraction. It is a feeling of happiness, seemingly aware, but actually being outwardly focused. Instead, try turning inward. If you still remain in that state, you may feel happiness but do not see suffering. You must retreat inward, directing the mind to be truly stable at its base. When the mind goes outward and we do not know or see it, we need a technique. The technique I suggested to this assistant teacher was to direct the mind to the bones, about a hand’s width below the neck. When the mind is directed there, it settles into its base.

Then, that assistant teacher asked me if he could continue using this method. The answer is no. The technique can only be used temporarily. Defilements develop very quickly. If we use the same technique repeatedly, the defilements will change their form. It’s like producing a vaccine, but the virus has already mutated. Defilements mutate very quickly. So, using the same old technique will not succeed. A senior venerable teacher, Luangta Maha Bua, said that we must use fresh mindfulness and wisdom. Old and repetitive strategies would not work.

We must distinguish between the principles of practice and the strategies for practice. These two are different. The principles of practice cannot be changed. If we want the mind to be calm, we must induce the mind to a single, continuous, and pleasurable object that does not stimulate defilements. This will bring calmness. If we want the mind to be steadfast, the principle is to have mindfulness. Use mindfulness, not by focusing it on an object, but by being aware of the mind itself. As we practice meditation, we should know when the mind wanders and know when it sinks into the meditation object.

Keep being aware of the mind. Once you are aware of the mind, it will become stable. The mind flows here and there, and we don’t see it. We don’t need to force it to be stable as no one can do that. By using mindfulness to know when the mind is unstable, when it wanders in thoughts, or when it gets lost in concentration, mindfulness will recognize the wandering mind, and that wandering mind will extinguish. Then, a bright, awakened, and upright mind will arise. This upright and bright mind needs to be frequently stable to maintain its prominence. It will be steadfast, but not in the way we imagine. The mind has the power to be stable without the intention to make it stable. That’s when it truly has strength.

To develop wisdom, the principle is to have mindfulness of the body and mind, according to their true nature. To understand the true nature of the body and mind, we must have right concentration, which is seeing with an upright, steadfast mind. Once we see, we must remain equanimous. These principles apply regardless of the method of practice. They do not change. However, strategies are used to address specific problems, and they can be adjusted according to the situation. But we should not become attached to strategies and forget the principles. Many people tend to chase after strategies and forget the principles of practice. This approach will ultimately fail.

Previously, there was a master who had a very agile mind. He lived in Surin. Whenever he spotted a layman practicing dhamma, he would immediately give an instruction to fix the mind here or there. As soon as he gave the instruction, the mind of the practitioner would become firmly established as he said. Practitioners then remember to set their minds like this. It became a standard, a principle of practice. In the end, they realize that it was wrong. Strategies should only be applied when necessary.

During an ancient time, when engaging in warfare, the crucial point was to ensure adequate food supplies. Those with insufficient provisions would lose, while those who could continuously acquire more provisions won. The key factor was about securing provisions. Stockpiling provisions served as self-defense. A strong army maintained a solid defense, while a careless one fell into attack. The technique was to not allow the enemy to rest. Troops were sent out to harass their camps, but didn’t engage in real combat. The idea was to keep them from resting. That was a technique. However, if this same tactic was used repeatedly every night, our army would eventually be surrounded and defeated. Therefore, techniques cannot be used regularly. They should be employed occasionally, while the principle must remain accurate.

The principle is not complicated, as I have told you. Practice calmness meditation, choose one temperament that comforts you. Then, gently induce the mind towards that emotion without forcing it. If you force the mind, it will not be happy, nor will it be peaceful. In my case, if I want to be calm, then I just breathe. I find happiness while breathing. There’s no need to bother anyone. Once I feel happy and breathe 2-3 times, the mind becomes calm. It doesn’t wander off elsewhere.

If you want the mind to be firmly established, don’t force it. Simply maintain awareness. Be mindful of the mind’s instability. Do you see? It’s not about being in a particular emotion but rather being aware of the mind. When the mind wanders into thinking, be aware. When the mind inclines to focus too much, be aware. When we are aware, the mind naturally becomes more firmly established, without us doing anything. It arises on its own. And if we want to develop wisdom, we must be mindful of the body and mind according to reality. To be mindful of the body and mind according to reality, we must have a firmly established and neutral mind. These are the principles. However, in daily life, sometimes we need techniques like this or that. If we’re not truly skilled, we don’t need to apply too many techniques. And we don’t need to ask others much either. Look within ourselves.

Yesterday, there was a woman who was very agitated and restless. I then advised her not to engage with others and not to engage in too many activities but dedicate all her time to practice, be it sitting meditation or walking meditation. She followed my advice. Each day, she spent 6-7 hours meditating and walking meditation. Her restless mind gradually calmed down, but she felt exhausted. When she expressed her fatigue, she tried to persuade me to say that what she had done was enough, and she could proceed to develop wisdom. However, I didn’t mention anything but instructed her to continue. It wasn’t enough. She had to practice more.

When she became exhausted, she sought guidance and approached one of the assistant teachers. That assistant teacher advised her to practice wisdom instead as she got stuck in calmness meditation. Once she went on to practice wisdom, what she had cultivated through calmness meditation went south. The one who had studied under various teachers’ supervision could lead to such issues. Let me tell you about Pra Ajarn Ar’s case. I instructed him to cultivate tranquility for many years before he became very good at practicing as he tended to be in delusion. In that woman’s case, she too, was very restless. Therefore, she needed to train in calmness meditation until her mind became truly strong. Then, the practice of wisdom would require only a short time.

If the strength is not sufficient, a practitioner feels exhausted and becomes lazy, then avoiding doing what needs to be done, the training will likely fail. Therefore, when practicing the fundamentals, it’s essential to study seriously under one teacher who oversees your practice. The teacher sees you from the beginning, understands your true character, and knows why you want to change the methods. That teacher knows the ins and outs of it all. Therefore, that teacher can guide your practice forward.

If you want to excel, you must endure

Before I was ordained, there was an older woman whose husband happened to work at the same place as I. This woman wanted to study dhamma. So, I taught her and had her practice walking meditation. She kept walking relentlessly until her feet swelled. She walked for many hours and she wondered when would it be enough? I told her to continue. Some days, she stayed home and started lingering, refusing to walk. I had to call her and insisted that she continue walking. So, she walked until her feet swelled, unable to put on shoes and unable to climb stairs. She couldn’t even go up to the second floor. She asked if it was enough, but it wasn’t. “Just keep walking,” that was my answer. “Even if you have to die from walking, keep going.” If this life’s difficult, the next one would be easier. So, she walked and walked until she witnessed her mind turning back to look at the body and the mind. All she saw was that there was non-self and nothing belonged to herself. Practicing is not easy for anyone.

There’s a female teacher assistant who works tirelessly, managing multiple businesses. She comes home late at night from work but still takes care of everything at home, ensuring everyone eats, the house is clean, and overseeing the household chores until about 10-11 p.m. Then, what does she do next? Does she sleep? If it were us, exhausted since morning, we’d surely sleep. But not her. She continues walking meditation. Why does she have to? If sitting drains all her energy, she’d just sleep. So, she walks until 2 a.m., then sleeps, and wakes up at 4 a.m. to walk again. Those with a strong determination to practice, they fight until the end.

As for some people, practicing dhamma seems so easy for them. Sometimes while they are sleeping, wiggling their toes, they see the body as meaningless, and can let go of it completely. Why can they do it? Before it became easy for them, it had already been difficult. It’s like the story of Pahiya, you can Google it later on. Read about Pahiya’s story and his biography. He was the master who was an expert in enlightening quickly. Lord Buddha only taught him a few sentences: “When you see, just be aware that you see. When you hear, just be aware that you hear. When you know, just be aware that you know. At that moment, there’s nothing. If you were not there in the past, you are not there in the future, and you don’t hold onto the present, then the end of suffering is here”. Just by hearing this, Pahiya enlightened and became Arahant or Buddhist Saint. Even if you listen a thousand times more, you would not turn Arahant. Go study his biography and you will understand how much he had fought.

In his past lives, Pahiya practiced dhamma so hard he was willing to die because he did not progress. There were 5 companions who were born at the very end of Buddhism during the era of the previous Lord Buddha, Kassapa Buddha. During that time, Buddhism was almost entirely degraded. Together with their five companions, seeing the deteriorating state of religion, the five said, “Oh, if we stay in the temple, in this city, we won’t be able to excel. We’ll just die.” Hence, they left the temple, climbed up the mountain, built stairs, and then kicked the stairs away. Once they reached the summit, they started practicing.

On the first day, one of them attained enlightenment and became the Buddhist Saint. The next day, another one did. Then, one attained the state of Non-Returner. As for Pahiya, he achieved nothing. He famished on the mountain, yet he didn’t give up. When offered food by a friend, he refused to eat, saying, “From now on, I will not eat the food provided by co-religionists. If there is no righteousness within me, I will not go out to receive food in an alms bowl”. He fought so hard. And because he fought like this, in this life, he only needed to hear a few sentences of the teachings before attaining Buddhist Saint.

Now you can see that for those who find it easy to practice, it was difficult for them before. As for some of us, our spiritual faculties are still weak, so we submit to hardships first, enduring difficulties before they arise. We may face challenges before we even begin, but we shouldn’t worry about the limitations of the body. We still have the strength to practice, so go for it. If we have the energy to walk, then walk. If we have the strength to sit, then sit. We must fight. Never give up. Don’t succumb to weakness or the temptations of pleasure. If you’re willing to give up, and keep asking those assistant teachers who don’t know the background, that’s not right. They don’t know your background and why they are being asked. Yet they still teach. They may comment that you have meditated so much that it’s about time to cultivate wisdom. But as we start cultivating wisdom, it may seem chaotic. Your mind wanders as it still does not have enough strength.

As a result, it takes quite a long time for the mind to become stable and resolute. It’s not an easy job. But if we only aim to make it a habit, calling it just a habit means sometimes do, sometimes don’t—then it’s okay. Just keep doing and accumulating over many lifetimes. In the next lifetime, if we encounter Metteyya Buddha, we can then go learn further from him. Yet, if our habits are still weak and fluctuating like this, when we meet with Metteyya Buddha, we’ll still be as weak as before. This isn’t my idea. My master used to share the idea with me. Some people said, “Oh, just practice a little bit at a time, accumulate it gradually. When you meet with Pra Sri Arya one day, then take it seriously.” But as Luangpu Dune said, these kinds of people would never take it seriously. They’ve been fluctuating since this lifetime. When they encounter Sri Arya, they’d still be astray because they’ve always been astray.

Therefore, we will pass by countless Lord Buddhas. We’ve been in the Cycle of Birth and Death for so long and came across many different Lords Buddhas, because of this fluctuating nature. If we don’t fight, then we keep allowing those defilements to drag ourselves along by our desires. We must fight and endure hardships first, then we can find comfort later. I can tell you from experience, once you keep practicing, the results are immense. It is a happiness like no other, a happiness that arises from within. It’s not just calmness but a deep inner peace. The mind becomes naturally tranquil, and within that tranquility, happiness overflows while the mind is not addicted to it. If the mind is content, it means it hasn’t attained the ultimate goal yet. It still needs more practice. There’s no free lunch. Dhamma operates under the law of karma. Whatever effort we put in, that’s the result we’ll get. There are no shortcuts.

Once there was a woman who refused to practice. Yet, she enjoyed listening to my teachings and imagined that one day while listening, she might catch a golden phrase, and upon hearing it, she would attain enlightenment. This kind of thinking is flawed from the start. She only seeked pleasure and comfort. If you enjoy pleasure and comfort, then do good deeds, and the result will be happiness and comfort. But you must do it in the right way. It is not like you have to borrow money to donate. This is not true merit-making as it causes you trouble. To make merit in the right way, your mind has to be joyful before, during and after doing good deeds. But if you feel exhausted after making merit, like some people even sell their homes or borrow money to do good deeds, ending up homeless. They suffer even before death. This is not true merit-making; it’s foolish. Merit-making should be accompanied by wisdom. You need to know what’s appropriate and what’s not. Otherwise, it’s ineffective. Merit-making requires understanding. It’s about willingness to sacrifice.

In the past, about 40 years ago, I would go to visit many Master’s temples. I didn’t see them raising funds. During that time, there were fewer material possessions in the temple. However, there was a big focus of meditation practice. Nowadays, there’s more focus on material possessions, but less in practicing so it becomes weakened. In the past, it was difficult to travel to practice at the Masters’ temples. At that time, we only had one meal a day. Some days, food was available but some days not. So sometimes we got food to eat while sometimes we would just drink water. There was no facility for you to sleep comfortably either.

That wasn’t an issue for me. I even slept under the tree before. The place they assigned for practitioners to sleep, most of them were spacious for many people to sift in. Some people were drunk, and some never stopped talking. It was difficult to meditate in silence there. That was the reason I went to meditate under a tree and as the night fell, I just slept there quietly. It wasn’t a big deal. Before the night fell, I stayed in the cubicle to avoid mosquitoes which came out at dusk. During the night, it was manageable to stay under the tree.

I could practice calmness meditation, walking meditation and all. It was comfortable. We ate when food was available and we slept when space was available. Otherwise we could do without sleeping. We were trained like this, not in a comfortable manner. This path is for the brave. Those who can’t endure will just retreat. This applies to the monk. As for you laymen, I understand your limitations. So, I am not overly strict. Those who come to ordain here will realize that the way I teach the monks and laymen are different. I am very strict with the monks. Some people arrive and complain, “Oh, my feet hurt, I can’t walk.” If you can’t walk, you don’t need to eat. This one I can’t do it, that one I can’t either. Then you better just leave.

So, those who remain will be strong, really strong. Good iron must be put through fire and beaten until it becomes sharp knives. Here, we have many sharp knives, which is great. As for teaching laymen, I understand your limitations. Whoever is determined and dedicated, then I give you my all. Those who just want to accumulate merits, that’s all they’ll get. But those who are restless, I just don’t waste my time. What are the characteristics of the restless ones? They love activities. They invite others to join activities here and there. That’s a waste of time. They’ve done enough. No need to do it further. If you want to excel, you must endure, learn the principles, and then endure and practice accordingly. When the cause is appropriate, the result will appropriate to that cause.

When the cause is appropriate, the result will be appropriate to that cause

Like myself, I started practicing meditation at the age of 7. At that time, I was tiny, just a little boy. I went to see the venerable Luangpor Lee. He was kind to children. He would sit me down and teach me to breathe, inhale ‘Bud’ and exhale ‘Dho’ and count one, inhale ‘Bud’ and exhale ‘Dho’ and count 2, then continue to 10. Then count backwards from 9, 8 and so on. He kept teaching me like this every day. But counting backward didn’t work, so I counted from 1 to 100 and started over. I learned to adapt to suit myself. As a little kid, counting backward was hard. Plus, counting meant thinking, which I was not fond of at that time. I felt that counting meant thinking, the mind did not enjoy that. But back then, I didn’t know why. I just felt that I had to count and think, and that wasn’t suitable for me. So, I applied it a little differently, inhaling “Bud”, exhaling “Dho” and counting ‘one.’ After just a few days of doing this, my mind gathered and became steadfast.

Once I was in that stage, I didn’t know what to do next. There were no teachers to teach me further at that time. So, it just deteriorated. Then I practiced again, and it deteriorated. The cycle of thriving and then deteriorating kept repeating. Then one day when I was 10 years old, a fire broke out near my house. I was startled, and in my panic, I rushed to tell my father. Step 1, startled; step 2, startled; Then step 3, my consciousness returned, and I became mindful of the mind that was panicking. Then the panic extinguished. The mind became bright and resolute. It was there that I grasped the state of the knowing mind clearly. It happened around the age of 10. From then on, when I continued to practice, it would reach this point. Yet, I didn’t know how to take advantage of it, how to benefit from the resolute mind. I wanted to ask the teachers, but I was just a child, and when no one took me, I couldn’t go on my own.

Around the age of 50 plus, venerable Luangpor Lee passed away, around the year 1963. He was relatively young. During that period, there were no teachers around. Most masters resided in the east, north, northeast, and south. So, I couldn’t go. I could just meditate to calm the mind. Some days, it was calm. Some days, it wasn’t. Some days, the mind became steadfast. Some days, it wasn’t. I just kept practicing continuously until I met with Luangpu Dul. He instructed me to observe the mind. Before Luang Pu gave instructions to observe the mind. Since before Luangpu told me to observe the mind, this practice had already developed wisdom. Seeing the arising and extinguishing of various types of minds.

Before Luangpu mentioned this sentence, he meditated for about 40 or 45 minutes. Then he opened his eyes and told me so. It’s not like he saw my face and suddenly told me. However, in this industrial era, it’s impossible for me to sit and watch all of you for an hour each. There are too many, hundreds, thousands of you. Who would be able to do that? So, I just give you the principles so that you can observe yourselves. In my case, Luangpu Dul told me to be aware of the mind and see the mind working as he knew that my mind was already steadfast. It was just there without knowing what to do next. So, he taught me to develop further. My mind then became steadfast and a knower, an awakened and a joy. It became that way automatically. Moreover, a steadfast mind has two characteristics: one becomes calm and content, while the other becomes steadfast and develops wisdom.

After I have practiced enough to understand quite a bit, I started reading a book of the Tripitaka. Though it is quite good to study from the book, yet before reading it’s better to practice first. If you read without practicing, your mind will wander and it will lead the way. This mind is the process of cognition. This one is called this, and the next one will be like that. That’s mind scattering and it won’t be effective. On the other hand, if you practice enough before reading the textbooks, you will find that they align. The knower mind in the textbooks is called the Great Virtue Mind. There is no intention to create it. It’s the Great Virtue Mind. Its characteristics are light, gentle, soft, flexible, and agile. It’s suitable for work.

If you want to practice calmness meditation, you know how to. If you want to cultivate wisdom, this mind should be capable. It is sincere in recognizing emotions. This mind is not greedy, not angry, not deluded. It possesses the characteristics of a steadfast mind and a knower mind. First, it is a wholesome mind, and it is the mind that does not intend to create. You must train your own mind until it becomes an automatic knower. They call it ”

[‘.” No need to artificially create it. If your mind wanders outside and you try to find a way to fix it, or to find excuses to make the mind steadfast, it is a mind created with intention. It does not possess the strength to cultivate wisdom. It cannot stay upright for long.

And this steadfast mind has two aspects: one is the one cultivating wisdom called “Ñāṇa-sampayutta,” and the other is the mind that doesn’t cultivate wisdom, just being aware and steadfast, called ” Ñāṇa-vippayutta.” ” Ñāṇa” refers to wisdom, and “Sampayutta” means composed of wisdom. Therefore, some knower minds are composed of wisdom, while others are not composed of wisdom but are not composed of defilements either. As the knower mind is a wholesome mind, associated with knowledge. Of all 80-something minds, you need to train them to attain these two minds: the knower mind that can also navigate wisdom and the knower mind that remains steadfast without navigating wisdom.

Therefore, while we have the knower mind, we can cultivate wisdom. The knower mind progresses in wisdom for a while, then it stops and retreats to a state of tranquility, being a knower and being composed. The mind unifies without an intentional effort. Therefore, keep walking the path of wisdom until at one point, the mind unifies itself without an intention. It unifies automatically. It just unifies. Because, truthfully, it’s not really self. We will see… Ah, the mind can function in a wonderfully spontaneous way.

Once the mind becomes a knower mind, it observes the phenomena arising and extinguishing for a period. Then it unifies and remains still, then, after a while, the mind moves out but remains steadfast. It sends out streams of perception to impact the phenomena that arises in the body. There is mindfulness, but the resolute mind is the knower without being retained. If it were retained, it wouldn’t be without fabrication. So, if we retain the knower mind, which is mostly what we cultivate and claim to have, it’s the knower mind we’ve retained, but it’s not fully functional. We call this a mind that needs to be fabricated as it lacks strength. It’s still being fabricated.

The good, powerful knower mind is one that arises naturally when one keeps being mindful. When one keeps practicing and as the mind moves, be aware of the mind that moves, not be aware of the temperament. Once being aware of the mind, it becomes resolute and bright. This isn’t mere speculation or digesting from a textbook as I have practiced before even reading the textbook. I can speak fully because I have made many mistakes before. Then I could rely on the merits of venerable teachers who guided, supported, and kept leading me on the right path. And I myself have the perseverance to practice accordingly.

I keep saying continuously that I am not smart. I am no smarter than you guy, being around the same standard as you. Don’t imagine yourself as smart. If one were truly wise, he or she would have transcended suffering long ago. I am not a smart person, but I am patient. I persevere to learn about myself repeatedly. Keep practicing and never be disheartened. In the life where Buddhism does not exist, it might be okay to feel hopeless or weak. However, if one has practiced well, even if Buddhism is gone, the well-trained mind will find the way to move forward. It won’t abandon what it possesses. Then, as you go on, once you encounter the Metteyya Buddha’s teaching, just a flick and you can transcend.

That’s all for today. Today’s sermon was quite fiery. Did you feel stirred or withered after listening? Listening to my teaching doesn’t leave anyone feeling withered; only stimulated. But once you leave the hall, you might feel withered again. You have to endure and keep practicing until your mind becomes resolute and steadfast.