Dhamma practice

Today is Mother’s Day. I have to ask Phra Ajarn Ar again whether today is Mother’s Day. I couldn’t remember the date. For this occasion, the Clergy has assigned all temples to provide Buddha’s mantra after Evening Chanting. But you guys won’t be here until then as you will be here until 4 pm, the Evening Chanting begins at 4:30 pm. I have witnessed the late King and the former Queen been the core of the nation since I was born. Every day I watched the news and learned about all the great things they had created and generated so many benefits to the country all through their lives. They had worked hard until they aged and could no longer work. It is now time for the new generation to carry on their determination.

When the late King ascended the throne, there were so many major problems such as the World War. I was born 10 years after the World War. I was fortunate. I didn’t have to run and hide in the bunker. Still, the country at that time, due to the effect of the World War, people were starving and poor. People suffered the effects of the World War. There was some disharmony in ideologies and opinions, which led to opposition. Yet, the late King didn’t fight about the ideology. He stayed above politics but fought with poverty to help his people. He was smart and could see through all the problems much more clearly than those politicians or government officers. That was because he stood above any benefits, while the politicians only cared about their own advantages and the benefits they got after they won the election.

The late King had performed the root cause analysis on the country’s problems. At that time people suffered poverty and some politicians just wanted to distribute free items. Yet, the late King didn’t adopt that method. His method was to make sure people could be self-reliant. People needed knowledge; he provided education. People needed land to grow crops, he allocated arable land. People needed water sources for cultivation, so he created artificial rain or built dams for them. All that he had created has made the country prosper until today. People’s wellbeing has been better since then. The new generations that were born during the time that their parents are better off and no longer living in hardship had no idea how their ancestors had fought so hard to maintain and to build the country. The way they see the world is so naive, everything is good. They are so pitiful and gullible and being used by the politicians.

Today is Mother’s Day. We are here to recollect their kindness. They helped build and develop this country until it is so prosperous, especially the past 8 years. The country has advanced so much that it is on the front line. We outperform some countries in Europe or even the U.S. in many aspects. The prosperity and well-being that we all enjoy today originated from the hardship of our ancestors. We Buddhists can never forget the kindness of our ancestors and we recollect the kindness of both the late King and the former Queen. Today as we listen to sermons and practice dhamma, we offer the merits to both of them.

Gratefulness is the symbol of noble souls. We have to be appreciative and repay the kindness to those who are merciful to us. We can repay the kindness by being good children to our parents and to the country. Therefore, when you listen to sermons today, listen and pass through to the mind until the mind becomes gracious and offers the merits to both the late King and the former Queen. We recollect their kindness as they developed the country with hardship. They had to fight really hard as the country during that time was in a very bad shape. Eighty years went by and we have reached this point where we are today not by accident, but through the dedication and hard work of our ancestors.

 

The way out of suffering

I also want to express my gratitude to the team who have helped spread dhamma throughout without any material benefit. We have done all these with the purpose to repay Lord Buddha’s kindness. We have done all these with compassion to others. If they have a chance to listen to dhamma, they will suffer less. All the media that you have put together has created so much impact. I can witness this as when I go out to other temples or places, some monks come to see me and when I see their faces, I know they have watched my teachings on YouTube or listened to my CD. I can tell the facial expressions of those who practice correctly and those who don’t. The look of those who practice and those who don’t are also different.

Those who practice and those who don’t have different facial expressions. Those who practice correctly and those who practice incorrectly do not look the same. The ones that are determined, they listen to my teachings on CD or watch from YouTube. They have improved in a way that they can feel by themselves. Many could feel that the world has become more distant. You used to be caught up and mingled with the world all the time. You barely see the way out but keep drowning in suffering like others. You keep imitating others. When others go to school, you then go to school. When others make a living, you make a living. When others build a family, you build a family too. Your lives are full of ups and downs but no way out.

Until one day, you listened to dhamma. You know that there is a way out of suffering. The world is suffering, and many people could see that. Those with wisdom can see that the world is suffering but they do not know the way out. Like some people in other religions, they suffer as well. They know that life is suffering, and they try to find the way out with different solutions. Like when they see that people encroach on each other due to their egos, they then try to lose their egos by doing good deeds. They try to be good by giving fidelity to God as doing good deeds is the will of God. God teaches people to love humanity. This is the way to lose self and ego. It is a good way too, better than those without a religion.

Or sometimes some people believe that craving is the cause of suffering. Their knowledge is at the next level. The first group sees that the world is suffering but has no way out. They then conclude that life has been destined by God. Therefore, they have to try to do good things to satisfy God so that one day, they will be able to be with God. The other group does not care about God. They do not believe in Lord Buddha or God. They believe that people have to be self-reliant. They consider and find out what the cause of suffering is. They know it is craving that leads to suffering. However, they do not know how to be free from craving. They just try to reject craving by torturing themselves. They try to escape from the world. They even meditate to be able to escape from the world.

There are those who reject craving, their belief had existed even before Lord Buddha’s time. They torture themselves to fight craving. It is human’s nature to enjoy comfort and to admire beauty. They then do the opposite by creating unhappiness and unattractiveness. They apply cremation ashes over their body, so they look dirty, which then leads to them not clinging. Or sometimes they torture themselves by starving. Some even starve to death. They die contentedly as they feel they have battled with defilement. Lord Buddha realized that the world is suffering and craving is the cause of suffering. What he knew that was superior to others is how to be free from craving.

What is the root of craving? Craving is a powerful desire. The root or the origin of craving is ignorance. Ignorance is the force of craving. Craving is the force of prejudice. Prejudice is the craving that is so powerful that it turns to be prejudice. It actually is greed, which is also craving. Craving generates from ignorance. Ignorance is a delusion. Of all the defilements, greed, anger and delusion, delusion is the parent of all defilements while greed is the child of defilement. When greed arises and it is not being met, it turns to anger. Anger is therefore a grandchild of defilements. These are the defilement’s family tree. The root is delusion. Then greed arises, and so does anger. They keep lining up as a chain of defilement.

The way Lord Buddha teaches us is to abandon the origin of the cause. For example, if you want to end the suffering, then you have to abandon the cause of the suffering, which is craving. How to abandon craving? Other religions also teach you to abandon craving. Lord Buddha has analyzed further that the cause of craving is ignorance. Ignorance is not understanding thoroughly about the Four Noble Truths which are not knowing suffering (Dukkha), not knowing the origin of suffering (Samudaya), not knowing the ending of suffering (Nirodha), not knowing the path to end suffering (Magga). Not knowing the role towards suffering. Not knowing the role towards the origin of suffering. Not knowing the role towards the ending of suffering. Not knowing the role towards the path to end suffering. These all are ignorance. Therefore, try to improve yourself by building knowledge. To demolish ignorance, you have to build the right knowledge and understanding. The right knowledge is the right view, which is the right understanding that we have to develop.

Initially, you have to study the theory of the right view based on Lord Buddha’s wisdom as well as his disciples’ teachings. All these doctrines are compiled in the Tripitaka including Lord Buddha and his disciples’ teachings. What we learned is based on these. However, sometimes we still find it difficult to find the right way to practice. Some people may be able to find the right way but not me. Even though I had read Tripitaka many times, I was still unable to start practicing until I met with Luangpu Dune. Luangpu taught me to realize my own mind. Whenever you see the mind, you will see suffering (Dukkha), the origin of suffering (Samudaya), the ending of suffering (Nirodha) and the path to ending suffering (Magga), all arise in the mind. For example, when your body is suffering, if the mind does not grab it, the mind will not suffer. On the other hand, if the mind is clinging to the body, when the body suffers, the mind then suffers as well.

I, therefore, have adopted the guidelines that Luangpu Dune taught me to study my own mind. The mind is the leader or the head of all dhamma. When we realize our own mind, we will then know about suffering clearly. What being known as suffering are the Five Aggregates. The body or the image (Rūpa) seems to be suffering, right? See the real thing, do not just think. The sensations (Vedanā), are they suffering? The perceptions (Sañña) are they suffering? The formations (Saṅkhāra), are they suffering? And the consciousness (Viññāṇa), is it suffering? Keep learning and keep knowing. Whatever it is that you become mindful of, be it concrete or abstract, as long as you are mindful with an upright and neutral mind, then it is the right concentration, which can lead to wisdom development. As the right concentration is the cause of wisdom development.

Therefore, when your mind is upright and neutral and you are mindful of your body and your mind, you will then see the truth. You will realize the body is suffering. The truth about your body is that it is impermanent, and not self. The truth about the sensations is also impermanent, suffering and not self. The truth about the perceptions is also suffering, impermanent and not self. Sometimes we can remember but sometimes we can’t. We try to think what this person’s name is. We cannot remember but once we stop thinking, we then remember. It is out of our control. This applies to both formations and consciousness as well. They are impermanent, suffering and not self. The mind or the consciousness that arises and extinguishes through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are also impermanent, suffering and not self.

All others like images, sensations, formations and consciousnesses can be easily spotted that they are impermanent, suffering and not self. Yet, how do you see that perceptions are impermanent, suffering and not self? I used to wonder about this. One day I finished work and took the Chao Phraya Express Boat back to Nontaburi where my home was. Commuting by boat was more convenient than by car. While on the boat, I wondered how perceptions are not self. You can only reckon that sometimes you remember but sometimes you cannot. It is not in your power. Once I got off the Express Boat heading to the bus station, my mind became a knower. All my sentiments extinguished and there was only the mind. Then the mind moved a little and I could then feel the body. The body, the sensations, the consciousness happened but there was no perception. The perception just clarified my doubt. At that moment, I did not even realize who I was. There was no perception of who I was. I could not remember. It was not that I had dementia. It was just that the mind was demonstrating to me.

When you practice and sometimes you have doubts, your mind just demonstrates dhamma for you. As I wondered how perception was not self, the mind extinguished all aggregates. Only the mind that existed, and then the aggregates arose but the perception was idle. Actually, the perception existed but it was unable to identify who the self was, how it existed there, and where it would go. It realized nothing. I knew nothing but I was not afraid as I was quite skillful at practicing meditation. I did not know what to do but I didn’t panic. I was just standing still. As I was yet to know where to go next, I just stood there and made way for others while I kept seeing and knowing myself. Then later on the perception arose and demonstrated who I was, what was the name, where I was heading and how. It all became clear and I was able to see that perception really is not self. Perception (Sañña) is impermanent. For example, you may remember or you may not. This is quite easy to see. But as it all extinguished and then later it arose, it did not translate to anything. I did not recollect anything but witnessed all, the form, the sensation, the perception, formation and consciousness. All fall under the Three Characteristics.

 

Except for Nirvana, everything else arises and extinguishes

That was how I learned. I learned from seeing the truth and after a while, I could understand that the body or image, the sensation, the perception, the formation and the consciousness are not self. They don’t belong to us. They are just arising, existing and extinguishing. Like this image exists and it extinguishes such as the body exhales, then it extinguishes. The body inhales, then it extinguishes. The body stands, then extinguishes. The body sits and sleeps for a while, then it extinguishes. The body moves for a while, then it extinguishes. The body stays still for a while, then it extinguishes. Happiness arises in the mind, then it extinguishes. Suffering arises in the mind, then it extinguishes. Indifference happens in the mind, then it extinguishes. Perceptions of image, sound, scent, taste, touch and the feelings of the mind also arise and extinguish as well.

All things arise and extinguish. Perceptions and wholesomeness arise and extinguish. Greed, anger and delusion arise and extinguish. Unwholesome deeds and wholesome deeds also arise and extinguish. Consciousness is the mind. The mind feels the temperament through the eyes, then extinguishes. The mind feels the temperament through the ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, then extinguishes. When the mind is upright and neutral, then it recollects the image, it will then see the truth that the image arises and extinguishes. It is not self. There is no everlasting image. When the mind is upright and neutral, the mind recollects sensations, it will then see that sensations arise, exist and extinguish. No everlasting sensation. When the mind is upright and neutral, then it recollects perceptions, it will then see that perceptions also fall under the Three Characteristics. It arises and extinguishes. It is not self.

So, keep knowing and keep seeing that there is no self. Perception has no self. Image, sensations and perception are not self. Formation of either good or bad deeds, the mind whether good or bad, as long as the mind is neutral and upright, when wholesomeness arises, the mind will recollect and see it. Wholesomeness also arises, exists and then extinguishes. There is no self. As long as your mind is neutral and upright, when unwholesomeness arises, the mind will see it and the unwholesomeness will then extinguish. Then you develop wisdom. Unwholesomeness arises, exists and extinguishes. There is no self and nothing is everlasting. This applies to the mind as well. Sometimes the mind is a knower, then it becomes a thinker, a watcher or a listener. The mind is the one who smells, the one who tastes, the one who feels the touch of the body or the feelings of the mind. All just happen and extinguish. Even the knower mind also arises and extinguishes. There really is no self. Nothing is everlasting.

Therefore, we Buddhist do not seek such an everlasting thing but rather seek for Dhamma that is immortal, which is Nirvana. Nirvana is everlasting. Anything but Nirvana is everlasting. All things arise and extinguish, even the Noble Path also arises and extinguishes. The Noble Fruits also arise and extinguish. Only Nirvana is everlasting. Forms or material images, sensations, perceptions, fabrications and consciousness are not everlasting. They all arise and extinguish. As we practice until we possess an upright mind, we then will be mindful and can recollect all, whether they are forms, sensations, perceptions, fabrications and consciousness. No matter what the mind can recollect, as long as it recollects with an upright and neutral mind, wisdom will then arise. The mind will then see that all things arise, exist and extinguish. Nothing is immortal and therefore nothing is worth adhering to.

It is not beneficial to adhere to things that are not everlasting. You cannot hang on to it. For example, there is no use adhering to your body as it is not everlasting. When the time comes, your body gets old, it gets sick and it passes away. You cannot cling to it. All the happiness that you have searched for with your dedications are not sustainable. You cannot adhere to them. As a result, as you dedicate all your energy all through your lives chasing after happiness, you are just lost. You try to seize things that do not exist. Even if it exists, it is not sustainable. There is no sustaining happiness in this world. The only sustaining happiness exists in nirvana. Apart from that, there is no sustaining happiness.

Keep seeing and knowing with an upright and neutral mind. This is very important. It is an essence. If you do not possess an upright and neutral mind, then you cannot grow wisdom. When your mind recollects your body, for example, you see your abdomen deflating and inflating, then your mind thinks your abdomen is deflating and inflating. You think it is “yours”. Or even if you didn’t think that it is “yours” but do you really believe it isn’t? No, you don’t. Only when you practice until you reach the Jhāna or attainment concentration, then you can see and believe that it is not yours. When you practice until you achieve the Noble Path, your mind grows wisdom in the Noble Path, you wonder why it is so powerful? That is because that strength is backed up by the power of attainment concentration.

The wisdom that is developed in the attainment concentration is very powerful even if it is the same wisdom. You may be able to see everything arising and extinguishing, yet you cannot let go of your defilement. Nevertheless, the mind possesses enough strength, it will reach the level of attainment meditation, then it can see that everything arises and extinguishes and it then lets go. It understands that it cannot cling to anything. Therefore, the right concentration is essential. Even the initial stage of the right concentration is momentary concentration, but when you keep practicing until wisdom is fully developed, then it will automatically reach the attainment meditation. Most Arahants are those who really understand and see the Noble Truth. They do not possess special power. They may not practice contemplation but they have practiced until they achieve momentary concentration. Once they become an Arahants, the mind then reaches attainment meditation. The mind at least will enter the first absorption or the initial stage of instinct. Then it reaches the 8th level of contemplation. Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Level 1 2 3 4 are image contemplation while level 5 6 7 8 are formless contemplation.

When the Noble Path arises, you have to possess a meditative mind. The knowledge you gain in contemplation is very powerful. It can set you free from lustful desires. It eliminates defilements that bind you with the round of existences (Samyojana). You can reach that stage if you keep doing the following: 1. Keep the 5 Precepts. 2. Keep practicing by having a home base and keep knowing your mind. Whenever the mind wanders from its home base, be mindful. Whenever the mind keeps concentrating on the home base, be mindful. Keep practicing like this. The rest of the time, try to be mindful in your daily life. Whether you stand, walk, sit, sleep, eat, drink, act, speak or think, just be mindful. When you see an image that affects the mind, be mindful. When you hear a voice that affects your mind, be mindful. When you smell some scents, or when you taste some flavors or you experience some touches, or there are some thoughts that affect your mind, be mindful. For example, when you think about something negative which causes anger, be mindful. Keep knowing your mind.

The way to practice in your daily life is whenever your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind experience any sensations which lead to some changes in the state of the mind, be mindful. Do not be aware of the image, the sound, the scent, the feelings or mental objects but rather be aware of your mind. This is like the story I always talk about a novice who taught dhamma to Venerable Potila by personifying a story of a Bengal monitor that resided in a termite hill. There were 6 holes in the termite hill where the Bengal monitor could go in and out freely. To be able to catch the Bengal monitor, you had to cover 5 out of the 6 holes. This is like you disregard the 5 sense doors including the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body and keep being aware of just the mind. You then will succeed in catching the Bengal monitor. You will then know that you are not different from the Bengal monitor. So keep being aware.

 

Three assignments : keep the 5 Precepts, keep practicing in a format while observing your own mind, and being mindful in your daily life

So, remember number 1 is to keep the 5 Precepts, this is a must. You cannot grow wisdom if you don’t keep the Precepts as during the state of developing wisdom, you do not force your mind and at that moment, if defilements arise and you do not have the Precepts to block those defilements, it will turn bad and can lead to many bad deeds. Therefore, be determined to keep the 5 Precepts and keep practicing every day to strengthen the power of concentration. The way to strengthen the power of concentration is to be aware of your mind. Then your mind will gain its strength. The mind that has not been trained will be scattered endlessly through the eyes, ears, notes tongue, body and mind. The way the mind scatters is like a mad dog scalded by hot water. It keeps running until it is worn out. If we can be aware of the mind, then whenever the mind wanders away and you are aware, then it will no longer wander and will become upright. When the mind keeps focusing too much and we are aware, the mind will then stop focusing and become upright. Once it becomes upright and neutral, it will gain its strength as it has got enough rest. The minds of most people have never been rested. They keep wandering around day and night through the sense doors.

As a result, when the mind is scattered and we are aware, the scattered mind will extinguish. If the mind is scattered due to delusion that causes restlessness and agitation, when you become mindful and your mind is no longer scattered, it will then become upright and it does not require your energy. The mind then accumulates energy and becomes a knower mind. When the mind has enough strength, then it is time to develop wisdom. How do you develop wisdom? When the mind recollects an image, be aware of the truth about the image. When the mind recollects sensations, be aware of the truth about sensations. When the mind recollects formations, be aware of the truth about formations. When the mind recollects the mind, it will be aware of the truth about the mind that is the Three Characteristics. Be it image, sensation, perception, formation or consciousness, each falls under the Three Characteristics. When you can see this truth, you will know that you cannot cling to image, sensation, perception, formation and consciousness. They are not everlasting.

To cling to things that are not everlasting and take possession as yours, soon they will just dissolve. Then you have to search for new ones. The mind keeps wandering to find an existence as the aggregates keep dissolving and never last. The mind then keeps finding an existence and the Samsara becomes so long. Yet, if you learn about the truth, you will see that the images sensations, perceptions, formations and consciousness, all things known as the world, cannot be an anchor. They are not last and not everlasting. Things that are not everlasting cannot be your anchor as they keep changing. Like when you fall in love with a woman. She becomes your spiritual anchor. When she is gone, you will then collapse and have no spiritual support. You will fail and have no one to depend on. You cannot even depend on yourself forever.

Right now, you are still youthful and strong. Your body can still work to support yourself. Once you turn old and can no longer work, you lie down with a thin breath. Sometimes you cannot even flip yourself. If there is no one to help flip the body while lying down, then there might be bedsores which then lead to infection and finally death. You cannot really depend upon your body. All the happiness and suffering cannot be your anchor as they are not sustainable. Wholesomeness and unwholesomeness are also unreliable as they are not sustainable. Your mind as well, cannot be your anchor as it is not everlasting. When you see that all images, sensations, perceptions, formations and consciousnesses all arise and extinguish and are not dependable, you will then feel tiresome and no longer cling to them. When you stop clinging to image and form, you then will not cling to the world. By not clinging to the world, you are released from it. The word to explain being released from the world is Supermundane.

“Supermundane” is the state of being above the world. How to be released from the world? You can if you really know the world lucidly. In Dhamma there is a word “Lokavidū” which means the knower of the world. For us, we are not Lokavidū like Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha knows the world unequivocally while we only know roughly. We know about image, sensation, perception, formation and consciousness as much as we can comprehend. Nevertheless, Lord Buddha knows all images, all sensations, all perceptions, all formations and all consciousnesses. He is omniscient. We only know what we can and that’s good enough. When the mind is aware that all things in life are just temporary. It can then let go. When the mind can let go, it is then released from the world. It is called Supermundane. When you are in the state of being above the world, then look back into the world and see that in this world, there is nothing but suffering. Apart from suffering, nothing is arising. Apart from suffering, nothing is in existence. Apart from suffering, nothing is extinguishing. This is how you see the world.

Therefore, keep practicing deliberately. Observe the 5 Precepts. Every day, practice in a format by having a home base and keep being aware of your own mind. Do not focus too much and do not stare but just be aware of the mind. When the mind wanders to think, be aware. When the mind wanders to focus, be aware. The rest of the time, be mindful during the day. The eyes can see. The ears can hear. The nose can smell. The body can feel and the mind can think. It is not that you can’t think but whatever emotions arise through your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, which lead to some changes in the mind like being happy or being sad, be aware. If the mind feels of wholesomeness or unwholesomeness, be aware. If the mind wanders through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, just be aware. Be aware the best you can.

These are the 3 assignments for you. Keep the 5 Precepts. Every day, keep practicing in a format while observing your own mind. The third assignment is being mindful in your daily life. When there are any emotions that arise through your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, which lead to any changes in your mind, be aware. If you can complete these 3 assignments, then the path to nirvana is not too far. It is not out of reach. As long as you keep practicing continuously and be patient. Listen to Dhamma teachings until you have some good understanding. Then realize the principle of Dhamma practice. A very important factor is to be patient. It does not make sense to only practice occasionally. You spend so much time accumulating the defilements. When you battle with them, you can’t expect to do it in a short period. It is impractical. It takes a very short time to create defilement. Yet, it is quite difficult to develop wholesomeness as you all have so many defilements.

It is difficult for an evil person to develop wholesomeness. It is simple for a good person to develop wholesomeness but quite hard to develop unwholesomeness. Evil people conduct unwholesome deeds quite easily while they conduct wholesome deeds with difficulty. As for you guys, you are in a not so good category. That is why you are born in this era where you cannot meet with Lord Buddha while he is still alive. We could not meet with Lord Buddha but his disciples. Some of the disciples are spurious. It is quite hard to distinguish. Some of you are obsessing over some disciples so badly that they fall apart. Those people are so pathetic. They believe in something so weird. They believe they only listen to Lord Buddha’s teaching. Yet, they disregard the teachings of Lord Buddha’s disciples from Buddha’s time but rather believe in the teaching of one current disciple. They don’t even know if the teaching is actually Lord Buddha’s words. The truth is all the teachings have been passed on through the disciples and have been interpreted into knowledge.

To study Lord Buddha’s teachings, you have to look into Tripitaka. I teach all the monks here based exactly on Tripitaka. When the monk first enters the monkhood, they have to study the discipline. The Tripitaka is composed of Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and lastly the Abhidhamma Pitaka. Those who study with me have to start with the Vinaya Pitaka, which contains the rules of the Order of Buddhist monks. Next, they have to learn how to practice dhamma as appeared in the Sutta Pitaka, which lays down the principle of religion and how to practice. They do not discuss the weather and climate or spirits and angels. The main objective in the Sutta Pitaka is to teach how to practice dhamma. Therefore, what the master teaches you to practice according to the Sutta Pitaka, that is the principal.

Then, when you start practicing, what do you see? You see your own mind. You see the mental factors like happiness and suffering, you see the good and the bad. You see an image, which is your body, your mind, mental factors and forms. Those are the Abhidhamma Pitaka. As a result, those who study here will have to complete all three. First, they start with the Vinaya Pitaka, this Pitaka you have to read, listen and go through some training. There are some interpretations as in studying Law. We have to hold on to the principles of Tripitaka. Next, we go on to the practice part based on the Sutta Pitaka. Some are the direct words from Lord Buddha’s teachings while some are the explanations of Lord Buddha’s disciples from Buddha’s time. All these teachings appeared in Tripitaka. From there, there are also the teachings of the Arahants, which have been screened by 500 Arahants before they compiled in Tripitaka. They are not from an interpretation of an individual.

Therefore, we have to take those teachings into consideration and see how we can proceed to practice. In my case, I studied Tripitaka and read all the teachings but I was still unable to clarify the essence of the practice. Thanks to Luangpu Dune, who taught me to study the mind first. Once I know about my own mind, I can comprehend all the teachings. No matter how difficult, I can understand all the Dhamma as they all transmitted through my mind. When it is time to practice, look into the body and the form. Be aware that the body is impermanent, suffering and not self. This is about Abhidhamma Pitaka. When you see your own mind, the mind is a natural phenomenon. It is the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth includes the mind or consciousness, mental factors, corporeality and Nirvana.

What we have studied are the mind, mental factors and corporeality in the 5 Precepts. We study the truth about them. However, the way we study is through the truth and through practicing, not through the book. Can we study through practicing? Yes, we can. During the Buddha’s time, people heard Dhamma from Lord Buddha. They heard Dhamma and took action. They did not just read and memorize the doctrines. If they only memorize the doctrines, Lord Buddha would call them Potila, which translates as an empty palm leaf. Therefore, we study the teaching in Tripitaka, we learn about the mind, mental factors, corporeality and at one point the mind will experience Nirvana by itself.

 

Luangpu Pramote Pamojjo
Wat Suansantidham
12 August 2023