In practice, the mind must have an object to meditate on. If the mind has no object, it will wander. No matter what stage of practice one is in, the mind must have an object to dwell on. Not only us ordinary people, but even the arahants, they still cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness as their meditation object, using body, feelings, mind, and dhamma to give the mind a home. However, we are different from the arahants in that we still cling to the five aggregates. We meditate on the four foundations of mindfulness as our meditation object to develop wisdom, to understand correctly, and then to let go. The arahants, with body, feelings, mind, and dhamma as their meditation objects, their minds separate from and transcend the aggregates. They don’t cling and see the aggregates as emptiness. While we ordinary people see the aggregates as our self.
Therefore, one cannot abandon the meditation object of the mind. Observe yourself. Which meditation object causes mindfulness to arise most frequently? That’s the one you should use. For example, if you breathe in and out, or repeat ‘Buddho,’ and mindfulness is often present, then use that. Or if you are aware of the four postures: standing, walking, sitting, and lying down, and mindfulness arises frequently, then use that. Some people find it difficult to observe the breath. If you cannot observe the breath, then observe something coarser, like the body standing, walking, sitting, or lying down. However, some people feel that even this is too coarse and there are many gaps. For instance, while sitting for 5 minutes, the mind may wander 500 times, meaning the mind forgets the object of meditation.
A suitable meditation object for us
Some people don’t like using the breath as a meditation object. They say it makes them feel drowsy too easily. Some don’t like being aware of the four postures, saying it’s too coarse. It takes a long time to change postures, and before they change, the mind wanders off hundreds of times. It’s too coarse. So some people resort to being aware of the moving and still body. When we sit, our body is constantly moving; it’s not still. As we sit, we breathe in and out. We can be aware of the breath, or we can be aware of the rising and falling of the abdomen.
But we don’t fixate on the breath or the abdomen. We simply use it as an object for our awareness, not as a prison for the mind. If we fixate on it, it becomes a prison, not a meditation object. We give the mind a place to reside, so when it wanders, it won’t wander for long.
Choose a meditation object that suits you best. For me, I find being aware of the postures too coarse. I’m an impatient person, and observing a posture for a long time is not my thing. I prefer being aware of the breath or the movements of the body.
Even when we sit still, our bodies are constantly moving. For example, while breathing, the body breaths in and out. As we inhale, our bodies expand; as we exhale, they contract. We don’t have to focus intently on our breath or our belly. Simply be aware of our body breathing, expanding, and contracting.
Luangpor Phut shared his unique meditation practice with me. He spent all day watching his heart beat, thump, thump, thump. Even at night when he slept, he continued to feel his heartbeat. He used the sensation of his heart beating as his meditation object. This is a rather uncommon practice, although there are others who do it.
In general, we have a hectic life. If we’ve practiced using our heartbeat as a meditation object, when our feelings change, the rhythm of our heartbeat also changes. Since we’re so familiar with using our heartbeat as a meditation object, as soon as the rhythm changes, our mindfulness arises. For example, when we’re watching our heart beat steadily, and then we see a beautiful woman and our heart starts pounding, the rhythm of our heartbeat changes. When this is recognized, mindfulness arises. We realize, ‘Hey, I’m getting caught up in this.’
Therefore, there needs to be a meditation object for the mind to rest upon. And we need to understand that some meditation objects are suitable for samatha (calmness practices) and can also be used for vipassana (insight practices), while some are solely for samatha. For example, if we focus on the body and its movements, continually being aware of them, this tends to lean towards samatha. Or if we contemplate the body’s elements—hair, skin hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones—this also leans towards samatha. However, with the right approach, we can turn this into vipassana as well.
The texts teach that the practice of mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati) can be used for both samatha (calming) and vipassana (insight) practices. Contemplating the impurities of the body can be used for samatha. Mindfulness of the body (kāyakata sati) can be used for samatha and vipassana. And with this practice, we can reach the forth jhāna, just like mindfulness of breathing. But we shouldn’t be greedy and think that this meditation object is better than that meditation object. It might be better for someone else, but it may not be suitable for us.
A suitable meditation object for us is one that consistently brings forth mindfulness. For example, reciting ‘Buddho, Buddho’ continuously. When the mind becomes calm through this recitation, ‘Buddho‘ serves as a meditation object for doing samatha. This is because ‘Buddho‘ is a thought, and thoughts are not ultimate realities; they cannot be used for vipassana (insight meditation), according to the texts. However, if we practice skillfully, instead of letting our minds settle on the word ‘Buddho‘ (which is samatha), we can use it to be aware of our minds. As we recite ‘Buddho, Buddho,’ if our minds wander, be aware, if our minds become calm, be aware. But if we just keep continuously reciting ‘Buddho‘ (without being aware of our minds), we are doing samatha.
But when we recite ‘Buddho‘ and simultaneously observe our minds, whether they are calm or wandering, we can progress towards vipassana (insight meditation). However, we don’t achieve insight simply because we’re reciting ‘Buddho’; it’s because we’re observing our own minds—their wandering, their calmness. This leads directly to the contemplation of the mind (cittānupassanā), using ‘Buddho’ as a starting point or a bait to catch the mind. The dynamics of meditation are enjoyable. Therefore, I have enthusiasm (chanda) and satisfaction in learning about the body and mind, especially the mind. It’s fascinating to see what the mind can do.
Mastered samatha
Initially, focus on only one meditation object. If you find a particular meditation that calms your mind, use that one when you need to calm down. For example, if I want to calm my mind, I simply inhale while reciting ‘Bud’ and exhale while reciting ‘Dho.’ I do this in a relaxed manner. With this relaxed approach, my mind becomes calm. However, if we inhale, reciting ‘Bud’ and exhale, reciting ‘Dho’ with the expectation of becoming calm, our minds are filled with craving and we won’t find peace. Our minds will remain restless.
There are tricks, principles, and strategies involved in meditation practice. Once you’ve become skilled, you can do samatha whenever you want. Not only through breathing, you can use any meditation object to do samatha. For example, when you see a crowd, you can simply put your mind in the right way, then you can see the whole world as empty. Your mind enters a state of emptiness or ‘sunyata.’ Seeing everything as empty is a form of samatha.
So, at first, people might feel that both samatha and vipassana are difficult. Just choose one meditation object that you feel most comfortable with to start. Once you’ve mastered samatha using a particular meditation object, and you understand the underlying tactics, you’ll realize that your mind becomes calm not because of the specific breathing technique or mantra you’re using. It’s because your mind is no longer craving this and that objects. It’s no longer grasping at various mental objects. When your mind is focused on a single, agreeable object, it naturally becomes calm. Once you realize that your mind is calm because it’s focused on a pleasant object, you’ll start to notice that there are countless objects that can bring you mental happiness.
For example, when I was a child, my house was by the canal. It was the Ong-Ang canal. In the evenings, I would go sit by the canal. The sun would set, and it wouldn’t be hot. The wind would blow, and I would see the water ripple. Watching those tiny ripples, my mind would be happy. Eventually, I would see shimmering light, and my mind would gradually calm down. See? It started with watching my breath, and then I moved on to watching the water. It worked just as well.
You could try watching a candle flame. Just watch it, and apply the correct tactic, i.e., not forcing your mind to be calm. Watch with a sense of contentment. Notice when your mind is calm and when it’s wandering. Don’t do it for the sake of achieving calmness.
Think about a candle flame. Initially, you have to open your eyes to see it. Eventually, your mind will remember the image of the flame, and you won’t need to open your eyes. Even with your eyes closed, it will be as if they’re open. Then, the flickering light will disappear, and a steady light will emerge. Your mind will experience joy, bliss, a sense of oneness, and concentration.
See, there are countless ways to practice samatha (calmness meditation). In the scriptures, there are 40 meditation objects mentioned, but these are just examples. In actual practice, there are countless possibilities. Any object can be used as a meditation object. It can be a constructed mental object, like a thought or idea, or a physical object or a mental phenomenon.
And for an enlightened person, they can use Nibbana (Nirvana) as the object of their samatha. This is different from vipassana (insight meditation), which requires the use of physical objects or mental phenomena. You can’t use a constructed mental object or Nibbana for vipassana. They can’t be used.
If you understand this principle, when you want to calm your mind, you direct your mind towards a single, pleasant object continuously. You direct your mind towards a single, pleasant object continuously. This doesn’t mean you’re forcing your mind to be happy or trying to force it to be calm. That will only make your mind more agitated.
So let’s observe ourselves and see how we practice. What kind of meditation keeps our mind content and focused, without wandering off to other things?
For example, some people really enjoy arranging flowers. Instead of simply enjoying the flowers, they start thinking about this and that, like ‘I need to add another flower here’ or ‘I should put a leaf in there.’ This is restlessness. If we arrange a beautiful vase of flowers, feel satisfied with it, and offer it to the Buddha, we can then sit and enjoy it. Then, observe how our minds might wander as we watch the flowers. ‘Hey, I got lost in thought.’ When we notice this, we bring our attention back to the flowers and our minds become calm. This is also a form of samatha (calm abiding meditation). It’s not like we can’t use flowers as mediation object.
Like last week, I told a story about a monk who was looking at red lotus flowers. He really enjoyed the beautiful flowers and felt very content. As he continued to look at them, his mind became calm and settled (samatha). After a while, he noticed that the flowers were starting to wilt. This triggered insight meditation, i.e., his mind progressed to vipassana. He realized that even beautiful things are impermanent, arising and passing away.
So, let’s examine ourselves and see what kind of meditation object brings us contentment. Then, we should meditate on that. But it’s important that these objects don’t fuel our defilements. For example, if someone spends all day on social media and claims to be happy, that doesn’t work. Their mind is constantly fluctuating and restless.
In this temple, I have this one rule: no monks are allowed to use social media. I don’t even want them using mobile phones, but it’s hard to enforce. Everyone has their own reasons, like saying they need it in case their parents call. But they’re not allowed to go online. If monks use the internet, it’s like a disaster. It creates an itch in their minds. They see others sharing this or posting that, and they get tempted to do the same. They start sharing information they find online. For example, some monk bought a bracelet worth over a hundred thousand baht and showed it off online. That’s very foolish. Or they might go on a forest pilgrimage and livestream it. That’s disgusting and will never lead to any spiritual progress. That’s why I don’t let the monks use the internet. Their minds will be restless.
Dhamma is all around us
Therefore, the meditation object that our minds enjoy must be one that doesn’t stir up our defilements. Saying you enjoy using the internet is not right. It actually strengthens your defilements. We need to choose a meditation object that won’t arouse defilements. The scriptures provide 40 kinds of meditation, but we can be flexible and adapt them. It’s not like we can’t do it. For instance, the scriptures mention water kasina. To practice water kasina, you take a bowl or a bowl cover and fill it with water. Then you sit and watch the water. It will ripple slightly when the wind blows. Then you recite, ‘apo, apo’ (water, water).
We don’t have to recite ‘apo’ (water). We can just chant ‘water, water, water’ repeatedly. Or we can even chant nothing at all, but mostly our minds will wander. So it helps to recite, like chanting ‘water, water, water’. Once we become proficient at this, when we see water in a canal, our mind will naturally start to form a kasina. Once we’ve mastered one, it’s not difficult to expand to other objects. Or we can look at a flame. Light a candle and sit and watch it. Open your eyes, close your eyes, and repeat. Later, when you see the moon, you can use that to do kasina. Your mind can focus and see it as a bright sphere.
Some people, when they see the sunrise, their minds naturally form a kasina. They use the sun as a meditation object. There are many ways to use the sun for kasina practice, but avoid looking at it when the light is too strong. You might damage your eyes. It’s better to do it during sunrise or sunset. What kind of kasinas can you practice? You can do a light kasina or a color kasina, like focusing on the red color. As you observe, imagine it as a ball of fire and practice fire kasina. See? Wherever you are, there are countless objects you can use for meditation. Or, as you’re walking, you might notice the wind blowing the trees. Focus your awareness on the wind and your mind will calm down. Some people sit under a tree, feeling the breeze on their skin. They find peace in this and are practicing wind kasina.
So, the truth is, Dhamma is all around us. It’s not just at the temple or with the monks. Once you understand the basic principles of practice, you can do it anywhere. When you see a dog get hit by a car, it can serve as a reminder of the uncertainty of life. Use it to practice reflecting on mortality and you can achieve samadhi right there. So, if you grasp the fundamental principles of practice, you can use everything around you as a tool for your practice. There’s a limitless amount of things you can use. And what do we see? See the three characteristics.
In the past, I read a sutra. There was a part that I didn’t quite understand. The Buddha asked the monks, ‘How many times a day do you think about death?’ Some monks said once, before going to sleep, to contemplate. Others said ten times, twenty times. Venerable Ananda said he thought about it a hundred times daily. The Buddha replied, ‘That’s very careless.’ Even thinking about death a hundred times and still being careless, the Buddha said he thought about it every moment. At that time, I didn’t understand. How could one think about death every moment? Isn’t there anything else to do?
Actually, no matter what you look at, you can see death embedded in everything. Look at a tree; within that tree, there’s death. See a mountain? Even a mountain has death within it. Take a beautiful, large mountain, for instance. With enough rain, it gradually erodes. The mountain dissolves. Sometimes, with a big landslide, it collapses. It dies right before our eyes. Early on, it dies little by little. Like under this dhamma hall, the monks have to sweep the sand away. Then the rain comes again, and more sand drifts in. The clean dhamma hall dies and becomes unclean with sand underneath once more. Everything teaches us the three characteristics.
Therefore, what the Buddha said about seeing impermanence every moment is indeed true. His wisdom was so profound that he could perceive things in this way. However, as his disciples, our qualities are not at that level. We see the three characteristics intermittently, and then our minds retreat to rest, becoming calm. Our wisdom doesn’t operate continuously.
Even our highly skilled meditation teachers, when the time comes, don’t necessarily continue to observe with vipassana insight, seeing everything arising and ceasing all the time. When it’s time, they practice samadhi. They are skilled in their methods. They don’t need to sit with closed eyes. With open eyes, they look and see only emptiness. Their minds are already in a state of emptiness absorption (sunyata samapatti). Looking at the whole world, at all these people, they see emptiness.
But if they were to leave their absorption and teach or to cultivate wisdom, they would let go of the emptiness. When they interact with the external world, they see only fabrications, not people, not animals, not cats, not dogs. When they leave their absorption, they see only formations, only form and formless phenomena, only suffering, and only fabrications. They don’t stay in a meditative state at all times. They leave their absorption, when they need to use their physical and mental faculties to work, such as teaching. When they are outside their meditative state, what do they see? They see suffering, or they see formations, which are all suffering.
To upgrade our samadhi to become rooted in awareness
So let’s practice, train ourselves, try. First, we look at ourselves and see what kind of meditation object suits us best. Whatever makes us feel at ease, we practice with that object more often. Our minds will become calm and gradually gain strength. It will become rooted in awareness and robust. When the mind is calm, it gains strength. Then, we can upgrade it a little more to make it become rooted in awareness. When we want to achieve calmness, we direct our minds towards a pleasant object. When we want to upgrade our samadhi to become rooted in awareness, we return to observe our minds. But don’t focus too intently on the mind.
For example, when we’re aware of our breath, our minds are calm and at ease with the breath. When we want to upgrade our samadhi, we see that the breath is the object of awareness. Our minds are the ones aware of the breath. Sometimes they’re aware of it from a distance, sometimes they get drawn into the breath. Or perhaps they’re aware of the breath and then wander off to something else, i.e., it now knows something else. We should be aware of our minds. When they wander, when they get drawn into the breath, be aware. When they wander off to something else, be aware. It’s this awareness of our own minds that gives rise to rooted-in-awareness samadhi. Without this rooted-in-awareness samadhi, true wisdom cannot be cultivated.
We cultivate calmness in meditation as a way to rest and bring happiness to the mind. It gives the mind strength and makes us want to meditate more. If we meditate and never experience calmness or happiness, we get bored and don’t want to continue. But once we establish calmness, oh, we love it. When that happens, we don’t want to be bothered by others and seek solitude. However, too much calmness isn’t good either. We might get attached to happiness and peace.
Once the mind is sufficiently calm, we can lessen the intensity of focusing on the meditation object and start observing the mind instead. We shift our attention from the meditation object to the mind itself. When we breathe and the mind follows the breath, we become aware of it. When the mind wanders to thoughts, we become aware of that too.
Or when we’re engaged in physical activity, our minds might wander and become focused on the body. Sometimes it’s focusing on body, sometimes it’s wandering off into thoughts. Be aware. When we become aware of our minds wandering, our minds will become rooted in awareness. Once our minds are rooted in awareness, we can cultivate wisdom. There are many ways to cultivate wisdom, depending on one’s temperament, tendency, and accumulated spiritual perfections. For example, some people have a strong foundation in jhana (meditative absorption). The Buddha didn’t advise them to abandon this practice. Just like Luangpu Dune, when we went to study with him, regardless of what meditation practice people had been doing, he didn’t tell them to stop. Instead, he would build upon their existing practice.
Luangpu knew that I had trained my mind until it became the knower and it observed without any forcing or intention. So he taught me to just observe the mind. At first, I thought I had to preserve this knowing, but he said that was wrong. Just let the mind do its thing. Sometimes, it would become the knower, and sometimes, the thinker. And once it starts thinking, what follows these thoughts are the happy one, the suffering one, the wholesome one, or the unwholesome one. Or, if you see the mind working through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body, getting lost in the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body, know that too.
Eventually, wisdom arises. You see all kinds of minds arising and ceasing: happy minds, suffering minds, good minds, bad minds, all arising and ceasing. The mind that sees forms, the mind that hears sounds, the mind that smells scents, the mind that tastes flavors, the mind that knows bodily sensations—all arise and cease. The mind that is rooted in awareness arises and ceases. The mind that is scattered arises and ceases. When you see all kinds of minds arising and ceasing like this, that’s when you’re truly cultivating wisdom. Being earnest doesn’t mean being overly intentional. The mind sees it on its own. If you intentionally try to see, you’re still a beginner. You must see without intention. But before you can reach the point where you can see without intention, you must first practice with intention.
When practicing samatha (calmness meditation), we have to intentionally meditate on a specific meditation object first. Later, we become aware of our intentionality. Oh, it’s too forced, too tense. Gradually, we relax just right. Whether the mind is calm or not, we simply observe. When we grasp the principle, the mind immediately calms down. Yesterday, a monk came to clean my hut. He reported about his practice, saying that when the mind… he couldn’t remember exactly, but the gist was, when the mind arises in a certain state, and it’s not impartial, it would continue to fabricate without ceasing. Then, it becomes exhausted, feeling completely exhausted and weak. No matter how hard he tried to force it, it wouldn’t improve. I told him not to force it. When the mind is exhausted, just know that it’s exhausted. And if you know it with impartiality, the mind will immediately gain strength and become calm.
Let’s prove it to ourselves whether it’s true or not. Our minds can be in any state. Just know it as it is. If our minds are truly neutral and we really know it as it is, the mind will rebound and regain its strength. The reason why the mind loses its strength is that when a state arises that we don’t like, we just try to fix it. Now the mind loses its energy. How can we have energy? We try to build ourselves up, build, build, build. The more we build, the more energy we use, and the weaker our minds become. I said, ‘Don’t try to do anything.’ When the mind is weak, know that it is weak. When you dislike something, know that you dislike it. When you notice this dislike, the dislike ceases. When the mind is neutral towards the state of being weak, it becomes calm for a moment and then regains energy immediately.
Truly, if you practice until you become skilled, everything becomes easy. If you don’t know how to do it, everything is difficult. Any meditation practice becomes difficult. But everyone who finds it easy has gone through difficult times.
Therefore, don’t be discouraged, be patient, and keep practicing. Practice with your meditation object. Whether it’s calm or not, it doesn’t matter.But stay with that meditation object that brings you contentment. Continue with it, and eventually, it will become calm on its own. Or, if while meditating on that meditation object, your mind wanders into thoughts, be aware of it. If your mind becomes engrossed in the meditation object, be aware of it. The mind will become rooted in awareness as a knower mind. If you don’t practice calming the mind before, the knower mind will be weak. It will soon lose its strength and become the lost mind again.
Once you have a knower mind, the next step is to cultivate wisdom
Therefore, don’t be impatient with your meditation. If your mind is still wandering, calm it down first, so it can gain energy. Then, when it has energy, don’t waste that energy like a stupid ox or a buffalo. Know how to use that energy effectively. When the mind has energy, let go of the meditation object and simply observe the mind. Glancingly be aware of the mind. We’re also aware of that meditation object, but don’t focus on it 100%. Then, observe your own mind. Don’t observe too hard. When I say, ‘observe the mind,’ you’ll end up staring at your mind again, and that’s wrong.
So, continue with your meditation practice. When your mind wanders into thoughts, be aware of it. When your mind becomes fixated on the meditation object, be aware of it. That’s enough. You’ll develop a knower mind. Once you have a knower mind, the next step is to cultivate wisdom. The first step in cultivating wisdom is to differentiate the aggregates, elements, forms, and names. If your mind is firmly established as a knower, differentiating these is very easy, simple, and effortless.
When your mind is the knower, notice that your body is now sitting. The body is being known; it’s not the mind. The mind is the one knowing the body. When you’re walking, the walking body is being known. The mind knows that the body is walking. Be aware, but don’t focus on the mind itself. Simply observe that the body is being known. That’s enough. Don’t try to find where the knower is. If you do, you’ll end up in the non-form jhana (formless realm).
Keep practicing. Once you can differentiate the aggregates, you’ll see that the body and mind are separate. Feelings—sensations of pleasure and pain—in the body are separate from the body. The pleasure, pain, and neutrality in the mind are separate from both the body and bodily feelings. When the mind is happy, you will perceive that it’s not you that’s happy. Happiness arises in the mind, separate from you. It’s not you that’s happy.
When the aggregates combine, we mistakenly identify with them and think there’s a self or me. But when the aggregates are separated, and our mind is truly rooted in awareness, we see that all these aggregates—when our awareness recognizes them—are not self. There is no self, no me. The body is not self, the feelings of pleasure and pain in the body, the feelings of pleasure, pain, and neutrality in the mind are not self or me, and even wholesome or unwholesome mental states are not self. When anger arises, we might initially think I am angry. But when we can differentiate the aggregates, we see that anger is separate from the mind. Anger is impermanent, suffering, and without a self. We perceive it in this way.
Therefore, the cultivation of wisdom begins with differentiating the aggregates. Separating the elements and aggregates. Once separated, each element, each aggregate, including the mind itself, is seen to be subject to the three characteristics: impermanence, suffering, and non-self. This is the true cultivation of wisdom. You have to do it. You must practice. If you don’t, you won’t get anything.
To study Dhamma, you should start by seeking out wise or knowledgeable people. Or find a teacher who teaches in accordance with the Tipitaka. Once you find a teacher, what do you do? You listen to Dhamma, study Dhamma. After listening and studying, what do you do next? Reflect and contemplate what you have heard to see how you can apply it in your practice. This is called yoniso manasikara (wise reflection).
Some teachers, as soon as we meet them, their words make us retreat. Their teachings contradict the basic principles of practice, such as the Three Characteristics, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Five Aggregates, the Elements, the Sense Bases, the Faculties, and Dependent Origination. It’s simply not right. For example, if we go to a teacher who says we can receive energy and don’t need to make an effort, that others will help us, it’s not in line with the Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha said, “Be your own refuge.” Who can help anyone else?
If simply touching something could lead to enlightenment, understanding the Dhamma, or seeing light, the Buddha would have done it. If it were truly beneficial, why wouldn’t he have done it? It’s simply not true. Beings have their own karma. If you want to be good, practice meditation. If you want to be bad, do bad deeds. When we listen, we can discern what is right and what is wrong. Or the idea that an arahant could die and be reborn to accumulate merit and become a Buddha is completely absurd. When we hear such things, we should reject them. This is not the way of a wise person. We should withdraw.
If you listen to a teacher, they should teach you to be content with little, to be simple, to seek solitude, and to be diligent. They should teach you about sila (morality), samadhi, and panna (wisdom), and how to cultivate these qualities. Ultimately, they should teach you about liberation and the Noble Eightfold Path and its fruits. If a teacher teaches in this way, then it’s good. But if they teach things that are out of line, like seeing ghosts, spirits, or creditors, then we’ll just get caught up in those things endlessly. After all, we all have countless creditors. Are we going to try to appease them all? It’s pointless and never-ending.
Therefore, approach a wise person and listen to the Dhamma. Some teacher teaches beautiful Pali. We should listen carefully and reflect on what we hear. We should use wise discernment to determine if what is taught aligns with the Buddha’s teachings or contradicts them. If it contradicts, then we should reject it. Once we have reflected and understand how to practice, we should engage in the practice accordingly and sufficiently.
Qualities of a good Buddhist
To walk along the path, we need a good teacher who teaches correctly according to the Tipitaka. Listen to what they teach and carefully consider if what they’re teaching is truly the path to purity and liberation or if it’s a foolish path. Listen carefully, and once you’re sure of the method, put it into practice. When I was a layman. I practiced samatha meditation for 22 years but couldn’t progress any further. I read the Tipitaka again and again, but with so many practice principles mentioned, I couldn’t figure how to further my practice.
One day, I met Luangpu Dune—that’s like coming close to a scholar, having a conversation with the scholar. Luangpu taught me to be aware of my own mind. “If you understand your own mind, you’ll understand all of Dhamma.” I thought about it. It’s true. If one’s mind is evil, one is evil; if one’s mind is good, one is good. So, if one’s mind goes the wrong way, one goes the wrong way. If one’s mind goes the right way, one goes the right way. The mind is the most important thing, the leader, the chairman of all Dhamma. Luangpu taught me to observe the mind. Once I grasped the main point, the leader, it’s like catching the ringleader.
When we go to a scholar—like when I went to Luangpu Dune—they teach us, and we then consider and reflect on it, and put it into practice. We practice Dhamma appropriately. Practicing Dhamma appropriately means doing it all the time when we have the opportunity. We observe how our mind works all the time, and then we understand what they taught: This world is nothing. It’s empty and not worth clinging to. This world is full of suffering. By practicing meditation in this way, we will become good Buddhists.
A good Buddhist has strong faith in the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha), upholds the precepts, and feels remorse for breaking them. They can discern between what aligns with the law of karma and what is merely superstitious belief. When people believe in superstitions, they follow trends like believing that visiting a certain place or statue will bring them good fortune. For instance, they might believe in the power of spirits, or supernatural beings. In the past, many people flocked to India to see a person who claimed to perform miracles, materializing a Rolex watch from thin air. And people flocked to worship and give him money.
Or, more recently, they believed in the idea of a “Little Buddha” being born in Nepal. These beliefs are based on superstition rather than the understanding of karma. Karma means that our actions have consequences. No one can save us from the results of our own actions. When we can distinguish between right and wrong, we support what is right and avoid what is wrong. In Buddhist terms, we don’t make offerings outside of the Buddhist realm. Offering money to those who practice black magic, i.e., fraudulent people, is considered making offerings outside the Buddhist realm. Buddhists do not do this.
Making offerings outside of Buddhism doesn’t mean we can’t help people of other faiths. For example, if a Muslim’s house is flooded or on fire, it’s good for Buddhists to help them. This is still considered a good deed within Buddhism. However, we need to understand what actions are truly beneficial and align with Buddhist teachings. Actions like saving animals, releasing fish and birds, or repairing temples or Buddha images are considered good deeds within the Buddhist framework.
But lately, I’ve been focusing on one thing. Lately, with many people doing other good deeds, I’ve been mainly focusing on doing good deeds for hospitals. I haven’t been doing as much for temples lately, as I’ve already done a lot. I’ve gotten tired of it. When one project is finished, another one starts, and it goes on like this your whole life. There’s no end to it. Building big things, when the temple only has a few monks. It’s too much to take care of. It’s a burden. Or maybe the temple is becoming a tourist attraction, which is not conducive to meditation. So lately, I haven’t been doing much for the temple. Instead, I’ve been focusing on hospitals, because it’s clear that people are benefiting from it. This is true merit, merit according to the Buddha’s teachings.
Another thing we Buddhists should do is study the Dhamma well and improve ourselves. Whatever wholesome virtues we haven’t developed, we should develop them. Whatever unwholesome qualities we haven’t abandoned, we should abandon them. We should gradually improve ourselves. So, the duty of us Buddhists is what I’ve just told you. And then we will progress.
We must have faith in the Triple Gem, not just faith in this or that monk. We must have faith in the Triple Gem. We must have morality. We must not be superstitious. We must believe in karma and its results. We should support groups that do good deeds, not those who deceive and cheat. Selling the Dhamma is cheating and deceiving. The Buddha’s Dhamma cannot be sold. It is sacred. It was given to us from the Buddha’s pure heart. We cannot sell it. And then, we should gradually improve ourselves by learning the Dhamma better. Our morality must be purer. If we are monks, we must study the monk disciplines, and theoretical and practical aspects of the Dhamma. Only then will we be true Buddhists. Go and apply it. Go and observe yourselves.
Wat Suansantidham
6 July 2024