Everything is Changing All the Time

I welcome all of you from many countries, including more than 10 people from Laos. Dhamma is universal, and it exists regardless of whether there is a Buddha or not. But the Buddha has discovered the existing truth and taught it to us. Therefore, Dhamma does not belong to any country- not India, not Thailand, but to the world.

Most people cannot see Dhamma because their minds are not sufficiently developed. The Buddha taught us how to develop our mind so that we can see Dhamma. He taught us to give alms, uphold precepts, and meditate. The reason we give alms is to reduce our selfishness. It is in our nature to accumulate more than what we need, but this is not necessary. Even if we have billions of dollars or a lot of clothing, we cannot use it all. Even if we have a lot of food, we can only eat so much until we’re full.

We are tired from seeking money and wealth beyond what is necessary. Sometimes we are too busy seeking; we forget that what we really want is not property, money, or gold, but happiness. Most people tie their happiness to money, so they’re busy finding money, but not happiness. The Buddha taught us to give alms, but not to the point of hurting ourselves or our family. We should share our excess with those who lack it, and this will bring happiness to both the giver and the receiver. For example, during a cold winter, if we have excess clothing, we can give it to those in need. If we share, we will all be happy. Therefore, the Buddha taught us to practice alms giving to reduce attachment and selfishness.

Furthermore, he taught us to uphold precepts, which is a form of self-discipline that strengthens our mind further. People break precepts because defilements overwhelm their mind. Even when defilement is strong, if we maintain mindfulness, the defilements will not be able to control our mind and our mind will become stronger. Having precepts makes our mind stronger, so we don’t give up to defilements. Alms giving is also a way to combat our defilements of stinginess and selfishness.

Have mindfulness guarding your mind, will bring about precepts

Upholding precepts is a way to combat strong defilements. When we uphold precepts, we don’t follow the defilements to engage in speech or physical misconduct. Therefore, precept is a barrier that prevents us from verbal and physical misconduct. Verbal and physical misconduct arise from wrong intention. If our intention is good, our action and speech will also be good. Therefore, while we have mindfulness, defilements cannot overwhelm us, and we will not break precepts. Our precepts will become clean automatically.

During the time of the Buddha, a monk had faith and ordained under the teaching of the Buddha. As a monk, he found that there were many rules to follow. In the Vinaya, there were 227 rules and many more in other texts. He found it difficult to maintain these rules, so he went to the Buddha for guidance. He said he felt overwhelmed by the rules and couldn’t follow them, so he came to the Buddha to leave monkhood. He had a good heart, he felt he couldn’t do it, so he wanted to leave monkhood.

In our modern time, we can see many bad examples of monks that couldn’t maintain monastic conducts, but still drag on scamming people. But this monk was good hearted. He felt he couldn’t maintain the rules, so asked the Buddha to leave monkhood. The Buddha then asked him, “If there’s only 1 rule, can you follow it?” And this monk replied, “If only 1 rule, I’m willing to follow it.” So, the Buddha said that his only rule is to, “have mindfulness guarding your mind.”

Therefore, as we have mindfulness to guard our mind, all the precepts will arise automatically because we will not engage in physical or verbal misconduct. Precept is a barrier that prevents us from verbal and physical misconduct. If we have mindfulness, our mind will not be unwholesome, and we won’t engage in physical and verbal misconduct. Therefore, having mindfulness to maintain our mind will bring about precepts. This is not something I’m assuming but it is something that the Buddha taught as in the case of the monk who only needed to maintain his mind.

This doesn’t mean we need to intentionally guard our mind, but mindfulness is the one that is aware of what is happening in our body and mind. Be mindful of happiness and suffering, be aware of wholesomeness, greed, anger, and delusion when they arise. Be constantly mindful and precepts will be present automatically. Mindfulness is the one that maintains our mind as the Buddha taught. We cannot maintain our mind since it is non-self (anatta). When anger arises but mindfulness is aware of it, anger will disappear as soon as mindfulness arises. Also, when the mind becomes greedy, just be mindful and greed will disappear as soon as mindfulness arises. Mindfulness and defilement cannot arise at the same time.

When there is mindfulness, there will be no defilement. When there is defilement, there will be no mindfulness. This is the natural law. Therefore, we must maintain mindfulness and when there’s no defilement, there’s no misconduct. How can we maintain mindfulness? We must practice meditation – mindfulness meditation. There are 2 parts to mindfulness meditation, developing mindfulness and wisdom.

How to do mindfulness meditation

When we meditate, we must have at least 1 object of meditation. I recommend that everyone have at least 1 object of meditation, but no more than 3. If there are many meditation objects, the mind becomes confused and exhausted like a person who has many homes. One home is enough, but if one home is too small 2 is still ok, but definitely no more than 3.

For meditation, first focus on 1 object. For example, breathe in and breath out being mindful of the breath. Let your breath be the meditation object. See your body breath mindfully. For some people, just watching the breath is insufficient, they need to have a 2nd home, 2nd meditation object to control their mind. So, they must watch their breath and note Bud-Dho together. This is already 2 objects, watching the breath and noting Bud-Dho. These two together is “Anapanasati“, mindfully watching the breath and noting Bud-Dho together.

For some people, those 2 are not enough, they still get restless, so they need a 3rd tool. In my case, when I was young I went to study with Luang Por Lee. I was only 7 years old at that time. Luang Por Lee taught me, “Breath in note ‘Bud’ and count 1, then breath out note ‘Dho’ and count 2”. He told me to count 1 to 10, and then reverse 9,8,7… down to 1. My breath is the first tool, then Bud-Dho as 2nd tool, and counting as the 3rd tool.

After I came back, I practiced breathing in ‘Bud’, out ‘Dho’. But I was too young and I didn’t like counting backward. So, I modified his method a bit and counted from 1 up to 100, and then back to start from 1 to 100 again. I just practiced like this without expecting anything in return. My teacher told me to watch my breath, so I just did it. I didn’t ask him why I should do it, what would I get, nothing like that. He told me to do, so I did it.

After my mind calmed down, the counting subsided as there’s no need for an extra rope anymore. The mind is like a cow, if a single rope cannot tie it, then we can try up to 3, any more than that and the cow may die. Similarly, with too many meditation objects, our mind will be restless. If we watch the breathe, Bud-Dho, counting and also using kasina, this will make the mind even more restless. So, once my mind calmed down, the counting disappeared, only breathing in –Bud, breathing out –Dho remained.

I breathe continuously without expecting anything, without having any agenda. I kept breathing continuously until both the counting and Bud-Dho disappeared. Then as my mind became calmer, my breath became shallower and shallower. At first, my breath went deep into my stomach, but as my mind got calmer, it became shallower and stayed at the nose only. Once my mind was truly calm, there’s no more breathing. The breath became a bright light at the tip of the nose instead.

The point where we watch the breath is called “preliminary image.” When the light appears and the breathing stops, it is called ” visualized image.” Then the mind is bright and can stay with the light as long as we want to. We can then expand the light to radiate out like the sun or the moon radiating the light into the world. Or we can shrink the light down as small as a needle point. At this point we can order the light as we wish, this is called “conceptualized image.” This is also getting to the access concentration. Some people lose consciousness but thought they got to access concentration, but it’s not. Access concentration is not about losing consciousness, but it’s about having continuous consciousness.

In access concentration, the mind has vitakka and vicara, staying with the light and around the light without our intention. Then piti (rapture), happiness and oneness arise, and the mind enters the 1st jhana. As mindfulness gets stronger, the mind realizes that the light has become burdensome, so the mind let go of the light and come back to the mind itself. This is entering the 2nd level of jhana, and from the 2nd jhana, the true knower mind arises. Why so? It’s because the mind does not move towards the light anymore. This is the path for those who lead by concentration or combine it with wisdom.

From the 2nd level, we can see that the mind has piti (rapture). For example, the body may feel inflated, big, heavy, or sometimes crying, these are symptoms of piti. Further, the mind can see that piti is a burden to the mind, so it lets go of piti, and then there’s only happiness remaining. Next, we see that happiness is also a burden, so it let go of happiness and enters the 4th level of jhana. In most teachings, the Buddha teaches entering the 4th jhana and then direct the mind towards spiritual insight, which is wisdom development. This is the way for those who lead with jhana.

However, there is another way by leading with momentary concentration. There are 3 levels of concentration: “Appana samadhi” -the level of jhana; ” Upacara samadhi” – the level that is close to jhana, when the light arises and the intensity of the light can be controlled according to will; And “Khanika samadhi” – momentary concentration, but actually all concentration is momentary. Even in the 8th level of jhana, the mind is still arising and ceasing one by one, but the next mind that arises is still in the 8th level of jhana.

In the 4th level of jhana, the mind is also constantly arising and ceasing, just like for other people; but the mind that arises still has the quality of the 4th jhana. So, we mistakenly think that concentration is long, but in reality, all concentration arises from moment to moment. Therefore, do not underestimate the importance of momentary concentration. Most noble people attain enlightenment through it.

It is easy to obtain concentration if we pay attention to our own mental state. When our mind is happy, or suffering, or neither happy nor suffering, be aware of it. When our mind is virtuous, or greedy/angry/deluded/restless/depressed, know it as it is. As we are aware of our current mental phenomena, momentary concentration will arise automatically. Therefore, most masters teach us to be aware of the thinking mind, but we can also be aware of the angry mind, the greedy mind, or the peaceful and happy mind. As we are aware of any current phenomena, momentary concentration will arise.

However, most of the time our mind is busy thinking. It is not angry or greedy all day, but it thinks all day. This is why most masters focus on watching the thinking mind. Luang Pu Dule taught, “Thinking is not knowing, but knowing requires thinking.” “Requires thinking” means that don’t stop your thoughts. If there’s no thought, the mind just stays still, no wisdom. So, let your mind think. As the mind is thinking it has no wisdom yet, but once we’re aware that it goes thinking, the thought immediately ceases, and concentration and wisdom arise at this point.

Therefore, we need to establish a foundation and be mindful of our mind. For example, stay with breathing in and out, and when the mind wanders to think of anything, be aware of it. We need to be mindful of the mind that goes thinking. It doesn’t matter what the mind is thinking about, but it’s important to be aware of the mind that goes thinking. Focus on this principle and practice something, such as breathing in ‘Bud’, breathing out ‘Dho’. Then, the mind may wander off to think about travelling to China. Just be aware that the mind has wandered off thinking and has forgotten Bud-Dho.

Constantly practice and when the mind goes thinking, it won’t be lost for long. Most people’s mind is lost all day, but for meditators we practice being aware of the mind that goes thinking. At first, the mind may be lost for an hour before we realize it, but as we practice further, we can see it going away every 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute, and then immediately. It’s great when the mind wanders off and we become aware of it, not when it doesn’t wander off. Not being lost at all is the state of the arahant, not our state. Our state of mind is that it always wanders off. Everyone’s mind in this world tends to wander, but they’re not aware of it.

So, our mind needs to stay with a foundation, and when we’re aware that it has wandered off, the knower mind will arise. This new mind has mindfulness and momentary concentration. As mindfulness arises frequently, the mind becomes upright frequently and has more power. We will feel that our mind has changed. Our mind will constantly be upright, mindful, bright, calm and happy. All these requires having a meditation base and then being aware of our own mind. We can be aware of any fabrication, and it gives the same result that mindfulness and concentration arises, but most of the time our mind goes thinking.

At one time, I was teaching like this in Kanchanaburi and a young man came to study with me. I taught him, “Breath in note ‘Bud’, breath out note ‘Dho’, and when your mind goes thinking, be aware of it.” He said he didn’t like this, could he do something else? I asked, “What will you do?” He replied, “When there’s thunder in the sky, then I will know.” I said that’s not enough as it takes a long time for a thunder to appear once. So, he would be distracted for many days and months until the next thunder, but the wandering mind happens all the time.

Therefore, several masters taught us to be aware of our wandering mind. Luang Pu Dune taught, “Thinking is not knowing. Stop thinking to know, but it requires thinking.” That is, let the mind think, and then be aware that it has gone thinking; the thinking will stop and the knower mind will arise instead. Luang Por Tien also taught, “Thinking is a mouse. Knowing is a cat.” When thought arises, be aware of it, just like a cat catching a mouse. When awareness arises, restlessness is extinguished. Many masters have taught this point, so we should practice it. It’s not difficult.

When I was young, Luang Por Lee taught me clam meditation, and I have been practicing calm meditation since then. When I met Luang Pu Dune, I was 29 years old and went to pay respect to him. He taught me to watch my own mind, the way I’m teaching you. I watched my breath and notice when my mind goes thinking, finally the knower mind arose. Once my knower mind arose, I realized that it’s the same knower mind that I got from my concentration practice since I was a child. But previously I didn’t know how to proceed. I got a bright upright mind and just stopped there not knowing how to develop wisdom. Calm meditation doesn’t give rise to wisdom, but it makes the mind stronger. We need to know how to develop wisdom.

When the mind had power, it could practice mindfulness in daily life.

Just calm meditation doesn’t lead to wisdom, otherwise wisdom would have arisen since I was a child. I have been practicing calm meditation since I was 7 years old until I was 29, because I didn’t know how to proceed further. At that time, my mind would alternate between being calm and restless. Sometimes it would travel outside to see ghosts and angels. The only thing I couldn’t see was my defilement. This is useless. Then I met Luang Pu Dune who taught me to have mindfulness and watch my own mind. So, I practiced to be aware of my wandering mind and my mind became upright. Then I realized that I had seen this mind since I was a child. After that my mind had power, and I could practice mindfulness in daily life.

Practicing mindfulness in daily life is different from formal meditation. For formal meditation, we can sit and breathe in noting Bud, breath out noting Dho, or we can watch the expanding and contracting stomach and be aware of our mind. Or we can do a meditative walk and be mindful of our mind. All these practices are ok. They key is to be aware of our mind. This is one aspect of meditation; it brings peace and strength to our mind. But when we cultivate wisdom, it is another aspect. We don’t make the mind calm, but we see our mind working by itself in daily life.

We practice until we become proficient and be aware whenever the mind becomes greedy, angry or deluded. Practice consistently and we will be able to develop mindfulness in our daily life. Some people think developing mindfulness in daily life is easy, but it’s not. If it were easy, everyone would have already achieved enlightenment. Luang Pu Mun taught, “Meditating too much slows progress. Contemplating a lot is restlessness. The most important thing is to develop mindfulness in daily life.”

I never met Luang Pu Mun, but Luang Pu Suwat, who studied under Luang Pu Mun recalled his teaching to me: “Meditating too much slows progress.” That’s what I did for 22 years without getting any results, because I didn’t know how to develop wisdom. Then he said, “Contemplating too much is restlessness.” Some people only contemplate without meditating and they think they’re smart, but that doesn’t work either. Therefore, we meditate enough to make our mind strong and be aware of our mind in order to develop mindfulness in our daily life.

While we’re practicing formally, we will focus on 2 channels only: the body and mind. Our body is sitting and breathing, be aware of it and also be aware when it moves and when the mind fabricates wholesomeness or unwholesomeness. But when we practice mindfulness in daily life, we use the six senses without intention. While we practice, we use two senses: the body and mind. The body sits or walks, and the mind knows. But in daily life, our mind is working through all six channels. We constantly look at sight, listen to sound, smell scent, taste flavor, feel the body sensation, and fabricate in the mind.

So, while we practice, focus on our mind, and in daily life we don’t have to watch all 6 channels, just be aware of our mind. When our eyes see something and happiness, suffering, neutral feeling, or wholesomeness arises, just be aware of it. If we see a Buddha statue and wholesomeness arises, be aware of it. If we see somebody we don’t like and anger arises, be aware that anger has arisen. Similarly, when our ears hear something and happiness/suffering/neutral feeling arises or wholesomeness or anger/greed/delusion arises, be aware of it.

Happiness/suffering, wholesomeness/ unwholesomeness all arises in the mind, just watch at the mind. Pleasant/unpleasant feeling also arises in the body, but it’s a bit difficult to see, so let the people who can do jhana practice it. For us, just have the mindfulness to watch our mind whenever our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind senses something. When the mind thinks and become happy or unhappy, be aware of it. When it thinks and the mind becomes virtuous or greedy, angry, or deluded, be aware of it. Just be aware at the mind. When our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, the mind senses something, there is a change in our mind. Be aware at our mind.

This is how mindfulness maintains the mind. Next, wisdom will arise, it sees that the happy mind and the suffering mind arises temporarily and goes away. Virtuous thoughts, greed, anger, and delusion are all temporary and eventually fade away. We cannot command our mind to be happy or prohibit it from being sad. We cannot control it. Even if we order it to always be good, it doesn’t happen. We cannot command the mind to not be bad. Likewise, if we are angry and tell our mind to stop being angry, it doesn’t stop. Therefore, the mind is uncontrollable. It is not within our power. It changes constantly, and it can be happy one moment and sad the next. It can be good or bad. This is cultivating wisdom.

Wise men liberate from suffering

By practicing mindfulness, we’ll get everything from the beginning. At first, if we want to do merit but frugality arises, just be aware of it and frugality will go away. We can then continue to do merit. During the Buddha’s time, there was a poor family who had only one piece of cloth to share between a husband and wife before they go out of their house. One day, the husband went to listen to the Buddha’s preaching in the evening. That day, King Pasenadi had just returned from a victorious battle and also came to listen to the preaching. The Buddha welcomed everyone equally, and they all sat together to listen to the preaching.

The king, who had just won a battle, was still full of pride and admiration from his own victory. As the poor man listened, he had faith and wanted to donate something. However, he didn’t have anything to donate except that one piece of cloth that was shared with his wife. So, he was continuously considering what to do. He began to wage a war within himself between his desire to donate and his reluctance to give away his only piece of cloth. The internal struggle continued, alternating between donating or not donating and the Buddha continued to preach without pause until dawn.

Finally, his mind got enough power and decided to offer his cloth to the Buddha, feeling happy and relieved when he did. He shouted, “Victory! Victory!” The king thought that it was he who had just achieved victory in a big battle. What was a poor beggar doing, shouting “Victory!” in front of a king? So, the king asked him, “What victory have you achieved?” And the bagger replied, “I have won over my own mind.” At this point the Buddha stopped preaching, he had achieved his goal of teaching the bagger.

Therefore, look at our own mind, see if wholesomeness or unwholesomeness will prevail in our mind. But saying this does not mean that we should give away everything. This beggar met the Buddha. If it were me who met the Buddha, I would also give everything. But in our actual life, we just give alms for what is necessary. We don’t always have to give to monks, we can also give to poor people who are suffering. When people donate money to this temple, I further donate money to build hospitals and help the poor. I usually don’t give to other temples. Since temples that follow the Buddha’s teaching will gain support from people already. We don’t have unlimited money, so choose to do what we can. We choose what is most beneficial and brings happiness to many people and we do that.

We do not give alms or donate hoping to gain merit in return. This is still having a narrow mind. We donate to help other people and other animals. Realign your mind this way. If we do good deeds hoping to become rich or to become an angel, this is done out of greed. Will we get merit? Yes, but not much. If we do it out of sacrifice and selflessness, this is wholesomeness, and doing so can reduce defilements. This is not just merit, it is wholesomeness, because it reduces defilements.

Making merit is doing good, and what we get in return is happiness and prosperity. If we make merit wishing to be happy, to become an angel, to become a millionaire, this is only getting small merit. But if we do merit with the wholesome mind, meaning the mind that has wisdom, then this is wholesomeness. When we do merit, we should do it to benefit the people in need, not to get something in return; this is doing merit with wholesomeness and wisdom. The biggest merit is not alms giving, precept, or concentration, but the biggest merit is wisdom.

Aim giving, precepts and meditation practice will lead us to be born in a happy realm. However, developing wisdom will enable us to transcend realms and suffering. Yesterday, I asked all of you to examine your hearts. Do you want happiness or want to be free from suffering? Most people want happiness, they meditate, uphold precepts, and give alms wishing to be happy. There are few who want to be liberated from suffering. Those who are wise desire liberation. We can see this in the world that no matter how wealthy or high-ranking people are, they cannot escape suffering.

Therefore, what all wise men aspire to is not happiness, but liberation from suffering. What is suffering? The body and the mind itself is suffering. Suffering arises in our mind whenever desire arises. Why does desire arise? Because the mind doesn’t see the truth that there’s nothing permanent, nothing worth attaching to in this world. There’s nothing else in this world except suffering. When wisdom is ripe, our mind will be able to see that nothing arises except suffering, nothing extinguishes, except suffering. This mind that is able to see this truth will be liberated from this world.

Keep practicing until one day we can reach this state, and we will discover a new experience in our mind that we have never experienced before. As the mind detaches from the world, we will see the world in its entirety as a phenomenon that flows through time, like a river that flows endlessly. In the past, the Mekong River flowed continuously, and I could compare the flow to it, but now sometimes the river is running dry, so I can’t compare to it.

Things in this world arise and extinguish, but in Dhamma there is something that doesn’t arise and doesn’t extinguish.

The world is just a phenomenon that flows continuously, never stopping. This phenomenon has no beginning or end; it flows endlessly. Similarly, in history, we can see that our hometowns were different in the past, constantly changing over time, just as people change. If we look at old pictures from 100 years ago, everyone in the pictures have passed away, and the background of the photo would have completely changed. In Laos, for example, it used to be very rural with a lot of trees providing shade and with wild animals. But now it is more like Thailand with roads, trains, and buildings changing the entire atmosphere.

The country in the period of different kings is also vastly different. Everything is changing all the time. Therefore, this world has nothing at all. It is just a phenomenon that passes through time. It’s always changing, always impermanence. However, there is something that doesn’t flow, something permanence, and that is the Dhamma. The mind that can access to true Dhamma element will ultimately see the whole world as a passing phenomenon, like a dream. The mind detaches itself from the world, but it doesn’t go to a particular place. It just exists separately as it is. It will know that the world has no end, but Dhamma does have an end, and it’ll know that it has reached that point. This is the end of suffering. All the worldly phenomena are the manifestation of suffering, and nothing else.

So, we must practice, and we’ll understand the world and life better. There is nothing but suffering. Once wisdom sees this, the mind will withdraw and be free from the world, but it will not withdraw as a separate entity. It’s not like when we pull the mind from the body as an etheric body, that is still only a sign. This kind of mind is free, it doesn’t have any border, no location, no travel, no birth, no death. Things in this world arise and extinguish, but in Dhamma there is something that doesn’t arise and doesn’t extinguish.

Keep practicing and one day we’ll get something special. Even we don’t get it yet, but we must keep ourselves in the middle path, the noble path. Have mindfulness to guard our mind and precept, concentration, wisdom will improve. Wisdom arises from being aware of the body and mind with the upright and neutral mind. Wisdom will let our mind detach from this world. It’ll see that the world is like a dream, a mirage. The world is just a transient phenomenon which is not under anyone’s control. There’s no beginning, no end.

Before the Buddha attained enlightenment, he viewed back to the past, to his past lives. He looked further and further back, he wanted to see the beginning of life to end it at the source. However, he found that this samsara has no beginning. All the animals die and rebirth indefinitely and there is no end. So, the Buddha put his mind back to the middle path and meditate on his breath, breathing in, breathing out. But he probably didn’t chant ‘Bud-Dho’ because there was no Buddha yet at that time. He continued breathing until his mind was calm and bright without defilements, without hinderances.

Then he contemplated on Dhamma. He considered where did suffering come from? He found that suffering arises with birth, without birth there would be no aging, no pain, no death, no suffering. So where does birth arise from? It arises from working and struggling of the mind, this is called ‘Bhava’. Where does Bhava come from? It comes from Taṇhā and Upādāna – which is strong Taṇhā. Upādāna comes from Taṇhā -which is craving, and Taṇhā arises after Vedanā – which is feeling of happiness/suffering. Vedanā arises after perception through the eye, nose, ear, tongue, body and mind.

Vedanā arises after perception, perception arises after having the sense bases, and the senses arise because the mind is working through it. Even while we have open eyes, but if the mind doesn’t work through the eyes, we don’t see anything. This mind working through the senses is called ‘vinyana’. Without vinyana, our senses don’t sense anything. Vinyana arises due to sankara – fabrication, good, bad and empty fabrication. Fabrications arise from avija -the unknown in the noble truth, that this body and mind is suffering, so it struggles. We want our body to be comfortable, when it’s not, the mind struggles resulting in more suffering.

The Buddha contemplated to the root cause and he was able to relinquish avija. Before he was able to relinquish avija, he first needed an upright mind, so we also need to practice for the upright mind first. The way to practice is to be aware of our mind when it goes away thinking. Practice one meditation and when our mind goes away, be aware of it, and our virtue, concentration and wisdom will improve. Some people say virtue, concentration and wisdom are like 3 steps of a stair, and it’s somewhat correct. But when the noble path arises, virtue, concentration and wisdom all come together in our mind at the same moment. All the steps of virtue, concentration and wisdom all come together in that same moment.

It’s a new year. Nothing can stay the same for long; everything must change. The things we know and the things we’re familiar with are constantly changing. Day passes, and new phenomena come to replace the old ones. The new generation replaces the old generation. The world keeps spinning, so we live with it knowingly. Don’t dwell on the past, it’s gone and passed. Don’t worry too much about the future. Everything is constantly changing. Be mindful and observant.

If our mind truly understands this truth, it will gradually detach from the world. Our body and mind are changing every day; watch them mindfully. The external world is the same; it keeps changing as the years pass by. The world changes, our body changes and our mind fluctuate between happiness and suffering in a constant state of agitation. If we practice meditation for a year, our mind will become calm, upright and stronger. But if we follow defilements for a year, our mind becomes weaker. Learn to see the truth. Virtue and vice are both impermanent.

We don’t aim for goodness, happiness, or peace because they are not permanence. We practice meditation to see the truth. Let our mind see the truth. The truth of the body and mind is that both are impermanent, suffering and non-self. The world outside is also impermanent, suffering and non-self. Feed your mind with true information, which is the three characteristics. Once the mind learns the truth that there is nothing in the world except suffering, it will let go of the world.

We practice and try to train ourselves. Today it may be difficult, but learning everything is difficult at the beginning. Even learning to drive a car is difficult at first. But as we practice further, eventually we will feel that Dhamma practice is easy. We don’t need to intentionally do anything. Be mindful of our own mind. Sila (morality), Samadhi (concentration), and Panna (wisdom) will become complete.

Practice a meditation and be aware of our mind. I’ve already taught you, so go back and practice your homework diligently.