Be mindful of yourself. Read your own mind. Our mind likes to wander. It leaves our bodies and escapes to other places. It escapes to look at other people, to listen to other things, to think. The mind is our precious treasure. If we take good care of it, we will be happy. Everyone wants happiness, but they only know about the happiness that is outside. They go to the movies and are happy. They listen to music and are happy. They watch TV series, hanging out with friends, and enjoy themselves all day long. They say that this is living life to the fullest.
I have a relative, the nun’s relative, actually. When she was young, she loved to go out and have fun. She rarely slept late at night, listening to music and whatever else was entertaining her all day long. She said that this was her life’s profit, her happiness. In the end, such happiness is empty. There is nothing to it. It’s a lie.
The happiness of the world is called sensual pleasure. It’s like an addictive drug, like marijuana. When people consume it, they feel good for a short while. But when the drug wears off, they become not normal. In the old days, people called those who smoked a lot of marijuana “marijuana crazies.” They didn’t praise them. The same goes for those who chew kratom: they’re called “kratom crazies.” They don’t look normal. Sensual pleasure is like indulging in these substances. It’s fun and enjoyable for a short while, but when the effect wears off, they feel down and sluggish.
Happiness and peace from precept
If you want happiness, you must know that the highest form of happiness, unlike any other, is peace of mind. The Buddha said, “There is no other happiness equal to peace.” This is in the language used during the era of the King Rama V. To put it simply, peace gives the most happiness. And nothing compares to it. How can we achieve peace?
Some people think that peace comes from the environment. They say, “How can I be peaceful when I live in the city and there is noise all day long? During the day, there is the sound of cars roaring, advertisements, and all sorts of other sounds. At night, there is the sound of karaoke bars. These days, they have even reached the area around this temple. When I first came to live here, it was so quiet at night. Now, even at night, there is noise of music, people singing karaoke, and other things.
Happiness. If people don’t understand and don’t know how to meditate, they think that in order to be peaceful, they must be in a truly secluded place where there are no disturbances or stimuli. However, it is impossible to find such a place anymore. Everywhere is full of houses, shops, and communities. Therefore, we should not hope to find peace by being in a truly secluded place. We must train our own minds. This is more important. If we train our minds well, then any place can be a peaceful place. There is a teaching that says, “Wherever an Arahant is, that place is suitable for meditation.” We may hear this and misinterpret it to mean that we must go find an Arahant and live with them. But even if we live with an Arahant, we will not be peaceful.
In the past, many people would visit temples and seek out revered teachers. It was so common that some people even called it the “Arahant Tour.” They would board a tour bus and travel from temple to temple, claiming to be making merit with the Arahants. But I don’t see how anyone could find peace in such an environment. The temples are always bustling with activity and crowded with people.
So, ‘wherever an Arahant is, that place is suitable for meditation’ means it is suitable for the Arahants because their minds are peaceful, regardless of where they are. Their minds are well-trained, and they are filled with happiness. But for those who visit temples and still cause chaos and disturbance, they can’t be peaceful. In fact, sometimes, going to the temple can even make their defilements worse. They look down on those who don’t go to the temple, considering them immoral and inferior.
Therefore, true peace is not something to be sought outside of ourselves. Instead, we must turn inward and cultivate peace within. If we train our minds well, we can find peace anywhere, even when we are in crowded and noisy places, chattering and bustling.
When I was a layman, not an Arahant, I loved to meditate. Even as a layman, when I went to places where people were loud and boisterous, lost and distracted, my mind would feel calm, being peaceful within. Even though the outside world was chaotically jumping, it appeared as a mere mirage unfolding before me. And so, my mind remained peaceful, as if I was alone amidst the chaos.
Such happiness, if one has never meditated, never tasted it, one will not know that it is a truly extraordinary happiness. It is a happiness that does not depend on others, does not depend on anything else. It is unconditional, without stipulations.
If we want to experience this kind of happiness, we must learn to walk on the path that the Buddha showed us. We must be determined to uphold the precepts. If we can uphold the precepts firmly, our minds will begin to calm down to a certain extent. Because for a mind without precepts, when one goes against the precepts, their mind will become even more restless. For example, if we get angry with someone, we can’t prevent our minds from getting angry. We just watch our minds, but we don’t go and blame them or hurt them. The angry mind, as we watch it, will eventually go away. But if we go and scold them or hurt them, we create more long-term problems. We may have to go to court or jail. Or, if they don’t sue us, they will hate us. When we enter a place where everyone hates us, our minds will not be happy. When we enter a place where everyone gives us love and kindness, our minds feel warm. Therefore, the harm of breaking the precepts, even if it is not against the law, but it is against the precepts, it also makes our minds chaotic.
Those who enjoy criticizing on social media, writing critiques of this and that, are engaging in false speech. How is it false speech? We are simply writing about the truth: how this government is corrupt in this way and that, how that politician is evil in this way and that. These are all facts. So how is it false speech? It is a small form of false speech: it’s idle talk and our mind is restless. We write to insult them, but will they read it? They won’t. We write it and read it ourselves, or our like-minded friends read it and say, “Wow, that’s satisfying!” Our peaceful mind becomes agitated when we read this kind of thing.
When I was a layman, my work required a lot of news. I had to read it all. But when I became a monk, I avoided reading the news altogether. Lately, I realized I should know current events, so I started reading the news again. But after reading it, I thought, “Who is cheating whom? It’s their affairs. It’s not my business as a monk. Monks aren’t involved in these things. I have left the world behind.
And then there are monks who get involved in politics and criticize political affairs. The yellow robe burns. Why does the yellow robe burn? Because the mind is burning; it’s not happy. Or, there are monks who like to go and look at beautiful things. This is also the yellow robe burning. Craving arises in his mind, so his mind is not happy. It is best not to look at things that arouse defilements. It is best not to listen to things that arouse defilements. It is even better not to think about things that arouse defilements.
Then when our minds are like this, we call it having precepts. We have a sense of normalcy in our own minds. Our minds are normal, they don’t swing up and down. We have a certain level of happiness and peace.
Practicing samadhi, we will gain even more happiness and peace
If we practice samadhi, we will gain even more happiness and peace. Samadhi itself has three levels. One is called khanika samadhi, which is momentary samadhi. Another is upacara samadhi, a higher level of samadhi but not yet jhana. The third is called appana samadhi, a state of deep mental tranquility and one-pointedness on a single object. This is jhana. All three types of samadhi can always bring us happiness.
If we practice having mindfulness of our own mind from moment to moment, samadhi will also arise at the same time as we have mindfulness of our own physical and mental phenomena. Whenever we have right mindfulness, right samadhi will also arise with it. If our mindfulness is aware of the physical or mental phenomena that are currently arising and passing away, samadhi will also arise as khanika (momentary) samadhi. As we continue to practice, we will discover certain states. For instance, when our mind wanders off into thoughts, we know it. When our mind becomes focused, we know it. We continue to practice observing, constantly and casually. At a certain point, happiness may arise in our mind, welling up periodically. As we observe for a while, happiness arises, wafts up, and our mind savors the happiness of samadhi. This is even without entering jhana. At the level of jhana, the happiness is even greater.
When the mind reaches the level of jhana, happiness just soaks right in, fills you up to every pore. It’s like taking a cool shower on a hot day. You feel cool and refreshing all over, every single pore. This is a happiness from jhana-level samadhi-the level of appana samadhi.
Regarding the happiness from momentary concentration, that’s more like being hot and then having a cold drink. It cools you down for a second, but then it goes away. But with jhana, it’s like taking a cool shower when the weather is hot, washing over your whole body and making you feel refreshing all over from head to toe. The happiness becomes more refined with each level of jhana.
Why does meditation bring happiness to the mind?
The essence of samatha (calmness meditation) lies in bringing the mind to focus on a single object continuously. This object should not be one that arouses defilements, or mental disturbances. When we dwell on a single object that the mind is happy to be with, the mind becomes still and undistracted. It finds rest and tranquility. The mind becomes restless because it wanders constantly to the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. This constant movement exhausts the mind.
When we bring the mind to focus on a single object, it no longer wanders aimlessly. It finds rest and experiences happiness and peace. Even as lay practitioners, we should cultivate samadhi and taste the happiness it brings. Each day, when it’s time, worship the Buddha, chant mantras, practice meditation, and/or walking meditation. Bring the mind to dwell on a single wholesome object.
If we would like to contemplate the Buddha, but have no idea what he actually looked like, we can use the image of a Buddha statue that we find beautiful, one that resonates with us. Beauty is subjective, so what one person finds beautiful may not be the same for another. So, we choose a Buddha statue that we find appealing and simply repeat “Bud-dho” over and over again. Whether we feel calm or not, we continue the practice for a while. Don’t force the mind. If our mind finds happiness in contemplating a particular Buddha statue, we continue to do so. Happiness is a near cause for developing samadhi. The mind experiences happiness in focusing on a single object, such as a beautiful Buddha statue like Phra Phuttha Chinnarat. When we think about this Buddha statue, our mind becomes content.
When our mind becomes content and happy, it no longer needs to wander in search of happiness elsewhere. When the mind is not distracted by external pursuits and remains focused on a single object, samadhi arises. Therefore, we should find an object that brings us happiness and dwell upon it.
For instance, in the past when I was a kid, I would practice mindfulness of breathing (anapana sati). I would breathe out, then breathe in, reciting “Bud”, then breathe out and recite “Dho”. Breathe in, reciting “Bud”; breathe out, reciting “Dho”.
This practice brought me happiness and my mind would focus on a single object, that is, breathing in while reciting “Bud” and breathing out while reciting “Dho”. As the mind didn’t wander anywhere, samadhi emerged, and the mind experienced happiness. Even if I did not enter jhana, the mind was content.
Therefore, we should give ourselves a reward. Often, we think that treating ourselves to a new movie or indulging in our favorite music is a great way to reward ourselves. But these things are not good rewards. We watch one movie and soon we’ll forget it, then we seek another movie to watch. It’s a never-ending cycle that can be quite exhausting.
Instead, if we turn our minds towards a single, wholesome object. Regardless of whether the mind is calm or not, we should continue the practice. As we persevere, the mind will naturally experience happiness and serenity.
Or we would like to contemplate the Dhamma, but have no idea what the Dhamma look like. Similarly, when contemplating the Sangha, we might think about a particular monk. Sangha doesn’t mean this or that monk. Buddha means Buddha, it doesn’t mean any specific Buddha. We just use symbols that we’re familiar with to meditate on. When we would like to contemplate the Buddha, just think of the Buddha image that we like.
To contemplate Sangha, Sangha means 8 kinds of noble individuals, which are: the path to stream-entry and the fruition of stream-entry, this is the first pair; the path to once-returning and the fruition of once-returning, this is the second pair; the path to non-returning and the fruition of non-returning, this is the third pair; and the path to arahantship and the fruition of arahantship, this is the fourth pair.
We don’t possess the quality to be able to identify a noble person. Being noble is not about physical body, such as flesh or skin. Being noble is about the purity of the mind, which is hard to perceive. So we can only guess. We guess this person is an arahant and when we think about him, we’re happy. Our mind doesn’t wander elsewhere. This is like contemplating a Buddha image.
Or like the Dhamma. In the past, I used to wonder, “How should I contemplate the Dhamma? How should I stay with the Dhamma?” So I would use the method of thinking of a specific Dhamma topic and then contemplate that topic. I would relax my mind and contemplate slowly, without my mind wandering elsewhere. My mind would become calm, and as I continued to contemplate, true knowledge and understanding would arise. Oh, such great peace and happiness would arise!
To achieve tranquility of mind, we choose an object that we can meditate on, an object that brings us happiness and makes our minds virtuous. When we think of the Buddha, the Dhamma, or the Sangha, for example, our minds become virtuous.
When we go to funerals, do not sit around and chat. Nowadays, at various temples, funerals are like alumni gatherings, social gatherings, or family reunions. People chat incessantly. The monks have a duty to chant, so they chant. The laity have a duty to chat, so they chat. When the monks finish chanting one section, the laity say “Sadhu” once, raise their hands in reverence, and then continue chatting. It’s the most pointless thing ever. Why not take the opportunity to cultivate samadhi? Just reflect on the person lying in the coffin. He is teaching us dhamma. Before he was in the coffin, he walked around like us, standing, walking, sitting, lying down, doing all the same things we do now. And now he’s in the coffin. He sees his friends come and wants to greet them, but his friends can’t hear him.
Someone went to a funeral for an acquaintance. The deceased had passed away from either hepatitis B or liver cancer. In the early days, they kept the body at the temple. When people came to visit, the deceased was happy, especially when he learned that the visitor friend had practiced meditation and could see ghosts. There are many people who can see ghosts, but even fewer can see their own defilements. When someone who could see ghosts went in, the ghost was so happy that he jumped in and tried to hug his friend, because he couldn’t communicate with anyone else. He finally found someone he could talk to. The visitor friend was startled. As the ghost jumped in, he stamped his foot. Oh, so the ghost was really upset. He went back into the coffin and tried to lie down so that his subtle body would overlap with his physical body. He tried to lie down, hoping to get up again. You see, he didn’t want to die. He still loved and cherished his body. This is the realm of hungry ghosts.
If we don’t have divine ears and divine eyes, we can just look and see. Before this person was alive, he could jump and dance, laugh and cry, be happy and sad. Now, everything he ever possessed, including his own body, has been put in a coffin, in a box. These days, there’s no need to inject bodies; they put bodies in the refrigerated coffins. The temple has a meat freezer, but they probably wouldn’t put a body in there. They put the body in a refrigerated coffin because they still want to maintain the body, not wanting it to change. People don’t want the living to change, and they don’t want the dead to die. This is what people who don’t meditate think.
But meditators would see that aging, sickness, and death are natural. Every life has a beginning in birth and an end in death. But death is not the end. When we die, it is simply the beginning of a new life. We only change our state of being and our realm according to our karma. We go through the cycle of rebirth.
This life is uncertain and impermanent. Death is certain, and no one can escape it. When we go to funerals, we reflect on these things. Then, our minds would feel calm and settled. We may feel a deep sense of Saṃvega, a dismay from realizing the truth. Some may experience joy. When we see a corpse, a dead person, and we contemplate the dhamma, joy arises.
In the scriptures, it is said that a corpse is a flower of an Arahant. Therefore, when an Arahant sees a corpse, they do not grieve or lament. Instead, they rejoice. It sounds strange, but their minds rejoice. Oh, this person is showing us the dhamma. They do not rejoice that he is dead, but they rejoice that they have seen the dhamma, that they have seen a witness to the dhamma. Their minds are filled with happiness, peace, and contentment. They do not cry or mourn. There is only joy. Samadhi arises just by going to a funeral. This is called contemplation of death.
Therefore, when we focus our mind on a single, wholesome object that our mind likes, our mind will gain samadhi, and become happy and peaceful. You see, keeping the precepts leads to happiness and peace. Having samadhi leads to peace and happiness.
By keeping the precepts, our body and speech become peaceful. By meditating, our mind becomes peaceful. When our body and speech are peaceful, we gain certain level of happiness. When we meditate and our mind becomes calm, we gain another level of happiness. If we develop wisdom, we will find even greater happiness.
Greater happiness from developing wisdom
When we cultivate wisdom, we see the true nature of form and non-form, body and mind. We see the form standing, walking, sitting, or lying down arises, abides, and then ceases. We see the form that breathes out or the form that breathes in arises, abides, and then ceases. We watch and observe. We see that the body that stands, walks, sits, or lies down is not us. It is material substance; it is like a robot. We see that the body that breathes out and breathes in is not us. It is like a balloon, taking in air and then releasing it. We see that the body is just an object like this. We continue to cultivate wisdom, by observing.
We can also see the happiness and suffering that arise in the body arise and then cease. We can see the happiness, suffering, and indifference that arise in the mind. Happiness in the mind arises and then ceases. Suffering in the mind arises and then ceases. Indifference in the mind arises and then ceases. We continue to watch and observe. We only see arising and ceasing.
Or we can see that our own mind is wholesome sometimes and unwholesome sometimes. Wholesome mind also arises and ceases. Greed, anger, and delusion are temporary. They arise and then cease. As we continue to passively observe, we will see that all goodness, evil, happiness, and suffering are temporary. The body is not our true self. The mind itself arises and ceases. It is sometimes the knower mind, sometimes the thinking mind, sometimes the focusing mind, sometimes the mind that sees forms, sometimes the mind that hears sounds, sometimes the mind that smells odors, sometimes the mind that tastes flavors, sometimes the mind that feels physical sensations, sometimes the mind that thinks and fabricates. Each type of mind arises and then ceases.
When I first started practicing meditation, I felt that my mind was wandering. It would run off to see forms. As soon as I became aware of it, it would come back. Then it would run off to hear sounds. As soon as I became aware of it, it would come back to being the knower mind. I saw the mind like a spider, running to the left, then to the right, running and then coming back to the center. Some people say that it’s good to stay at this center. But that’s just samatha. Then, as I continued to practice meditation, I saw that the mind arises and ceases. It goes to the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mind. Seeing this, I realized that the mind is not constant.
One day, I decided to ask Luangpu Dune, “Luangpu, where is the mind located?” I thought it’s in the middle of the chest because it goes away and then comes back repeatedly, no matter where it goes. It always comes back to this spot. So I thought the mind is in the chest. I would keep watching it there. Some people watch two inches above the navel, depending on where they set it. Luangpu said, “The mind has no fixed location. Wherever the mind arises, it ceases there.” This was Luangpu’s insight. He didn’t study Tipitaka or anything. He just practiced meditation, and he found that wherever the mind arises, it ceases there. I thought, “Wow, sadhu! So I don’t have to keep watching at that one particular spot.” However, I saw the mind ceasing and saw the mind as the knower mind. Then the knower mind ceases, giving rise to the mind that goes to see. Then the mind that goes to see ceases giving rise to the knower mind. Then the knower mind ceases, giving rise to the mind that goes to listen.
Therefore, the knower mind, the thinking mind, the mind that goes to see forms, to hear sounds, to smell, to taste, and to know physical sensations are all different minds. The mind arises at the eye, sees a form, and then ceases at the eye. The mind goes to hear a sound at the ear, arises at the ear, and then ceases at the ear. The mind is not one single entity, but arises and ceases in alternation through the six doors: the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. That’s why Luangpu said, “The mind arises and ceases wherever it is.” If we are still practicing meditation and we see that the mind is one single entity, running to the eye and then coming back, running to the ear and then coming back, this is called “santati” (continuous consciousness) and it is not yet broken. We see the mind as immortal, as one single immortal entity, but it wanders endlessly. After death, the same mind crosses over to different realms and rebirths. This is a wrong view.
If we truly practice meditation, our mindfulness becomes keen and our samadhi strong enough, we will have the wisdom to see that the mind arises at the eye and ceases there. The mind arises at the ear and ceases there. The mind arises wherever it goes and ceases there. The mind is not a single entity, running back and forth like a spider running to the left, then to the right, and then back to the center. Therefore, we do not need to maintain the mind. Our only duty is to know when the mind goes to the eye, to be aware of it when the mind goes to the ear. If the mind goes to the eye and we are not aware of it, pleasing or displeasing will arise, then wholesome or unwholesome state will follow, and then mental happiness or suffering will follow. If the mind goes to the ear, nose, or tongue and we are not aware of it, we will experience likes or dislikes, pleasing or displeasing, wholesome or unwholesome state. When the mind is in the world of thoughts, happiness or suffering arises, good or evil arises, and the mind continues to wander.
But if our mindfulness is quick, we can see the mind arising and ceasing constantly. This means “santati” or continuity is broken. Santati is an illusion that makes us see impermanent things as permanent. The mind is impermanent, but it arises and ceases so quickly that we think it is permanent. It’s like an old-fashioned movie film that is a long strip of frames, each frame being a single image. Each image is still, but when we run the film fast, it looks like a character moving and wiggling. So we perceive it as permanent. If we look at the film, we will know that this character cannot move. It is just a series of images, one after the other, each slightly different from the last. In reality, they are all different images.
In the same way, there are many individual minds, but they arise frequently one after another, which creates the illusion that there is only one mind that can move. It’s like the characters in an animated film that seem to move, when in reality they aren’t moving anywhere. They arise in one place and then cease in that same place. It’s just that there are many images that run in succession. This succession is called “santati”. So, as long as this succession doesn’t break, there is no true vipassana. We don’t see arising and ceasing, but instead we see permanence. Keep practicing to see this.
When we meditate and gain understanding of something, the mind experiences happiness. This happiness is different from the happiness of samadhi, different from the happiness of keeping the precepts. The happiness of wisdom feels content. It’s not addictive, but it feels content. But it only lasts for a few days before it fades. We continue to meditate, keep the precepts, practice samadhi, and cultivate wisdom.
The happiness that surpasses all others is the happiness of liberation, especially the happiness of Nibbana. We cannot see this yet, but we can continue to cultivate our precepts, samadhi, and wisdom, until they are mature. One day, we will see and experience the happiness of Nibbana. This is what the Buddha meant when he said, “Nibbanam paramam sukham”, which means Nibbana is the supreme happiness. There is no other happiness that can compare to peace. And what is called peace is Nibbana. Nibbana is the ultimate peace. Keep meditating.
How is Nibbana blissful? It’s liberation from the world, transcendence from the world. The world remains as it is, but the mind that touches Nibbana sees through the world. It sees only emptiness. It sees all beings, all trees, without defining them as “this is a person,” “this is an animal,” “this is a tree,” “this is a woman,” “this is a man.” It sees only phenomena arising, abiding, and ceasing, revolving and changing according to their own causes and conditions. In that state, the mind is empty. The mind is empty, bright, and empty. It experiences a happiness unlike any other. It is the happiness of Nibbana.
Shouldn’t act like a mangy dog
Therefore, if we want to have a happy life, we shouldn’t act like a mangy dog. A mangy dog feels itchy here, so it runs to another place. Then it starts itching again, so it runs again. Our constant wandering in search of happiness from the external world is just like the behavior of a mangy dog. But we shouldn’t criticize them, because people in the world haven’t had the opportunity to listen to the Dhamma, to practice the Dhamma, or to experience the Dhamma. They still need to run around because they think it’s the best thing for them. We shouldn’t judge them, because we were once like that too. As we accumulate merit, listen to the Dhamma, practice the Dhamma, and understand the Dhamma, our lives will gradually lead to true peace.
We don’t judge them. We look at them with compassion. We used to be like them, foolish, crazy, and stupid in the same way. We were no better or worse than them. It’s just that we love goodness and have the diligence to study and learn the Dhamma. As a result, our minds are gradually accessing happiness and peace. When we look at other people and other beings, we see them as fellow sufferers. But now we have escaped from our friends. Our friends haven’t escaped yet, so we send them goodwill, hoping that one day our friends will be free from suffering, free from behaving like mangy dogs, running and itching endlessly.
Therefore, our hearts will not be enemies to anyone. Our hearts will be cool and peaceful. We will have precepts without keeping it, samadhi without practicing it, and right knowledge and right understanding, which is mature wisdom. Everything is empty. Everything is void. There is nothing. If the mind does not cling, there is nothing. If the mind clings, there are things. Therefore, the ultimate teaching of the Buddha is non-attachment. We practice until we are unattached to anything in the world, not even our own bodies or minds. When we are unattached, we let go. When we let go, our minds enter into true peace, serenity, emptiness, brightness, and purity.
These profound teachings are found nowhere else in the world. They exist only in the Buddha’s teachings. Therefore, we must always remember the Buddha and be grateful for his astonishing teachings that he discovered. His enlightened wisdom is truly astonishing. We aren’t capable of discovering this. We merely follow in his footsteps. The Buddha was brilliant, we are not. We are just old, mangy dogs.
That’s all for today’s sermon. I urge you to shed your mangy dog ways. If you choose to remain a mangy dog, so be it. This is the essence of freedom – the freedom to choose your path. Whether you choose to remain a mangy dog or to transcend suffering, the world, and samsara, the choice is yours. It is up to you to train yourself. This is the true meaning of equality and justice. Equality does not mean that good and bad people receive the same outcome. Instead, equality means receiving the consequences of one’s actions fairly. Just as one person can attain enlightenment, so can another. Both can reach the same state of purity and liberation. This is the true essence of equality.
In this world, there is no true freedom. There is no true equality. There is no true brotherhood, no sense of being brothers and sisters. These are just slogans, empty ideals. But when our minds are free from suffering and defilements, that’s when we experience true freedom. We will understand true equality based on the law of karma. Everything will be equal and we will have brotherhood, like brothers and sisters. We will be one.
Not only among ourselves, but even between the pure minds of the disciples and the pure mind of the Buddha, there is no distinction, no separation. They are completely equal, like brothers and sisters. Therefore, these concepts of freedom, equality, and brotherhood do not exist in the world. They are just slogans that politicians use to deceive us and make us run around in circles. If you want to experience these true qualities, then practice meditation. One day, you will discover the real thing.
Lately, I’ve been feeling quite tired. I’ve been busy with continuous tasks for months without a single day off. There’s a lot to do. Last Thursday, I went to the hospital for a swollen foot. They examined it and gave me compression socks, which helped. This morning, the doctor came to check on me and said, “Oh, these symptoms are normal for old people. It’s just that as we age, our bodies become more prone to wear and tear.”
Think of the Buddha. He once told Venerable Ananda that his body was like an old cart that had been repaired over and over again, to the point where he didn’t know how much longer it could be fixed. Our bodies when we’re young and healthy are like new carts or new cars, just bought, strong. After running for many years, things start to break down. It’s natural, it’s the Dhamma, the natural way of things. The mind can accept this, that naturally we will grow old, get sick, die, and be separated from the things and people we love. It’s just the way of the world. Practice reflecting on these things often, and your mind will not be deluded by the world.
Wat Suansantidham
14 April 2024