The Voice of Dhamma
The Voice of Dhamma
from Suan Kaew
by
Master Nun Wanjai Chookorn
Translated by
Pirajak Tisuthiwongse Suwapatdecha
(pen-name: Pittaya Wong)
www.meditation101.org
Published by the
Disciple Group of Suan Kaew Meditation Center
1st Thai
Hard Copy Edition: 1 August 2002
1st English
Electronic Edition: 6 June 2019
ISBN: 974-528-014-3
Copyrighted 2019 by Suan Kaew Meditation Center, Thailand
Note: The pdf file of this e-book is available for download at the bottom of this page.
Preface
Since the Lord Gotama Buddha’s
lifetime until the present, the teaching of Dhamma has been timeless (akaliko)
for the practitioners and believers to implement as it can be known by oneself.
Most of all, the teaching of Dhamma can elevate one’s mind to be better by
lessening the mental defilement and preventing one’s mind from being
downgraded.
I myself had studied and practiced
the Dhamma and meditation with the Most Venerable Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh
Candasaro) or Luang Por Wat Paknam who instructed Dhammakaya Meditation which
enabled me to see and understand the Dhamma with insight. Hence, I am
able to teach and train my disciples accordingly to my own experience.
All the Dhamma teachings made
available in this book are the collection of my teachings published in
Duangkaew Newsletter and my lectures given to disciples in many occasions such
as on Buddhist Holy Days, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, as well as the question
& answer sessions between me and my disciples. My disciples published
this book as they foresaw that these teachings should be collected for further
benefits to those who wish to study and practice the Dhamma and Dhammakaya
meditation as well as to prolong the availability of Dhamma.
May the virtues of those who took
part in publishing this book and those who managed the printing as well as the
donators prosper in longevity, good health, happiness, energy, wit, and
wealth. May all of your good wishes come true. Most of all, may you
prosper in Buddhism and achieve human wealth and celestial wealth until you
enter the ultimate Nirvana as the final destination forever.
[Signed]
Master Nun Wanjai Chookorn
Master of Dhammakaya Meditation
Headmaster of Suankaew Meditation
Center, Rajchaburi Province, Thailand
Chairperson of Master Nun Wanjai
Chookorn Foundation
Director of Sunday Buddhist
School
at Suankaew Meditation Center, Rajchaburi Province, Thailand
Arrive Well – Stay Well – Depart Well
We come alone and go alone, and we
assume that different individuals are our father, mother, siblings, and
teachers. We meet in this world and depart each other by the end of our
lives. We also have to leave our belongings, wealth, gain, praise, and
fame, which we rely on them only temporarily. This includes our own human
body which we have to leave and end up at the crematorium or cemetery. We
have to return our body to the nature when the body’s cognition no longer
works. Then, we die and reborn per causal factors.
Life is a journey – We are fortunate
to be born in this world and learn Buddhism. The Dhamma teachings
comprise of cause and effect. Everything stems from a cause, so there is
an effect. Buddhism is the religion of wisdom which concerns of actions
or karma. It is not about praying to request for this and that. The
Buddhist teachings are truths. For example, doing good deeds, we receive
good consequences and doing bad deed, we receive bad consequences. We
cultivate people’s faith by making them believe in the Law of Karma. Do not
live our lives recklessly, and be mindful always. We have to urge
ourselves to accumulate good deeds by doing it seriously so we can take it as
our own refuge. This will lead us to attain Dhammakaya. Be mindful
upon our own breaths. Realize what we are living for and what our duty
is. Be in line to our duty and responsibility. Purify and cleanse
our mind. Our past is like a dream, and we live in the world of drama
with an uncertain future. So, keep up with doing good deeds in the
present.
Life Map of Humans
How life come about? Who
destine our life?
Decode our life and find out the come
about of each life.
Ask ourselves for the answers.
What did we commit in the past?
Whatever we do, think, and speak in every second of our inhaling and exhaling
are recorded into the mental recorder with our “cognition sphere.” Inside
each of our cognition sphere, different stories are recorded whether they are
good, fun, appreciated, bad, unpleasant, or unappreciated.
The cognition sphere is conditioned
always, at all time. When it is about time to disembody or die as the
body starts to malfunction, decay, and perish, the cognition sphere is not
destroyed by the nature, but the very same cognition sphere has to be relocated
in search for a new body.
The cognition sphere which can also
be called ‘the spirit’ or ‘vinna dhatu’ which has the cognitive system
or ‘mind.’
The cognition sphere is a kind of
element which is ‘nama rupa’ or immaterial. It is refine and
unphysical. However, it is not beyond our capability to know and understand
the mind with our insight.
In Buddhism, the mind training is
called ‘meditation’ or ‘citta sikkha’ (the study on mind).
Meditation practitioners can achieve the results by controlling the mind to be
focused.
When the same mind is reborn in the
new body amidst the suitable surroundings, the cultivated nature in the mind
will be carried on. As such, humans and animals are differed by their
committed deeds which are called ‘the karma.’
The Mind is Like a Mango Seed
A mango fruit has accumulated its
tasty nutrients from roots to trunk and branches. The accumulation
continues on until the flowers turn into mango fruits. The fruits later
ripe and fall down from branches. Then, the process continues further as
the mango fruits perish until there remain only the seeds.
When the mango seeds are in the
suitable conditions such as surrounding, area, temperature, fertilizer, and
water, their embryos grow to be other mango trees which are likely to bear
fruits with similar tastes such as sweetness, sourness, and chewy.
Therefore, ten mango trees in an
orchard bear fruits of various tastes depending on the seeds that carry on the
distinctiveness. If we consider various fruit trees in an orchard, we can
see that there are differences in taste and form which are caused by gene,
temperature, land, water, fertilizer, and planting technique.
The Origination of the Human Life
Every ‘human’ is the incorporation of tens of thousand types of
cell with the birth components as follows:
- Father & Mother who enable the birth
- The mind or spirit
- Meeting the required conditions such as the mother’s
menstruation, father’s sperm, the engagement between father’s sperm and
mother’s egg, and pregnancy.
In Buddhism, we call this phenomena as the ‘initiation of a
spirit‘ which is the continuation of deed (karma) or, on the other hand,
the birth of another human as a result of the incorporation of the six elements
namely solid, liquid, temperature, combustion, air, and spirit.
The six elements can be clarified as follows:
1. Solid Element (patthavi dhatu) means the natural solid parts of
humans such as bones, hairs, skin, and flesh.
2. Liquid Element (apo dhatu) means the parts of humans which are
liquid such as blood, sweat, and pus.
3. Temperature Element (tejo dhatu) means the heat which penetrates
throughout a human body for various beneficial functioning such as digestion,
absorption, and discretion.
4. Combustion Element (vayo dhatu) means the moving force that
flows through the empty space such as our breaths and gas in our stomach.
5. Air Element (akasa dhatu) means the airy volume in our body such
as oxygen.
6. The Spirit (vinna dhatu) means the mind or cognition system that
allows us to know things.
The Birth Initiation of Humans
After the engagement between a sperm
and an egg, while a spirit rests inside the mother’s womb, the liquid forms up
to be an embryo. One week later, the embryo develops to be dense liquid,
buttons, and chunk, respectively. Then, the embryo develops into head,
hands, feet, eyes, ears, tongue, body, mind, in the form of 32 organs. (the
internal attractions or ayatana) At the same time, the cognition element
starts its function meaning that the embryo turns alive in the mother’s womb
whereas various attractions or ayatana are nourished with nutrients via the
umbilical cord which is directly connected to the mother’s stomach.
Normally, after seven months, the baby’s body development is complete, and the
mother usually gives birth after nine or ten months.
Birth of Living Beings
Birth of creatures in the Existence can be classified as
follows:
- Birth from womb: such as humans, elephants, horses, cattle, cats
and dogs.
- Birth from egg: such as serpents, birds, chicken, and gecko.
- Birth from damp: such as worms
- Birth with a dependent arising means those who arise as a fully
matured beings and leave no remain when they die such as angels and hell
creatures.
What is Life?
The components of life.
‘Life’ means the living of beings.
‘Living’ means not ‘dying.’
‘Being’ means availability including
breath and elements.
‘Human life’ means the living of
humans.
‘Animal’s life’ means the living of
animals.
So, life is the equivalent of
‘living’ whilst ‘being’ means the available breathing, eating, roaming,
speaking, excreting, enjoying, suffering, laughing, crying, and etc.
‘Life’ is essential for everyone’s
mind. When there is something related to birth or death, it is regarded
as a big issue. So, common people importantly express their concern over
such birth and death. Saving life is the top of helpfulness and
sacrificing life is the top of bravery.
As we know that life is beloved and
the most concerned among humans and animals, we always refer to ‘life’ when we
wish to express our concern or commitment about something or someone.
Moreover, life is more important than
all other belongings. It is the most precious for us. When someone
wants to exchange someone else’s life with properties, most people would
refuse. This is because common people and animals love and afraid of
losing their lives.
The Components of Life
A human life comprises of two major
components namely:
(1) The physical
body
(2) The
immaterial mind
In addition, the mind can be divided
into five components or the five aggregates (five khanda).
The Physical Body
1. The physical body is touchable and can be seen with naked
eyes. Physical body is structured with skeletons and flexed with tendons
whereas it is bound by flesh and enclosed with skin. Thus, one’s body is
the assembling of the aforesaid parts. If the skeletons are taken away,
the body will not be able to keep balance. Then, it will collapse and
become a pile of tendons, flesh, and skin. This is similar to a pile of
clothes that we put off.
One’s body is the assembly of the
four material elements namely solid, liquid, combustion, and temperature, which
form up organs like hands, feet, arms, and legs.
The factors that sustain our body
which is the assembly of four material elements are as follows:
- Food which provides nutrients to nourish our life.
- Shelter which is necessary for safety when we rest and sleep.
- Cloth which prevents us from heat and chillness caused by
nature.
- Medicine which cures us from illness and bodily malfunctioning.
The Mind
2. ‘Vedana’ is the realization of emotions whether it is
happiness, comfort, mental pleasant, suffering, bodily and mental discomfort,
or equanimity which is neither happiness nor suffering.
The function of vedana is
to reflect the mental emotion when the cognition is affected by contributing
factors. Hence, the cognition needs to have the strength to sustain
whatever affects it; otherwise, one’s mind will fluctuate per contributing
factors. As a result, the mind will be conditioned to be excited,
surprised, nervous, shy, and sulky beyond the normal level. In
order to immune the mind against these undesirable experiences, we have to
‘train the mind.’
3. ‘Sanna’ means the memorizing of sight, sound, smell,
taste, bodily feeling, and mental thought as well as emotion. The main
function of Sanna is to memorize whatever one experiences by
way of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking. The
memorizing component differs from person to person. Some individual can
memorize better than others. The way to solve regressive memorizing is to
train the mind in the part of Sanna as well.
4. ‘Sankhara’ is the emotions that occur to the mind or the
component that leads to thought. The thinking can be wholesome (kusala),
unwholesome (akusala), or neither wholesome nor unwholesome (abhayagata).
The main function of Sankhara is to think. It means that
the mind thinks at all time and at any moment whether one is standing, walking,
running, speaking, writing, and listening. Each person has more or less
competency of thinking ability. Some can think quickly while others think
slowly, and some can think more profoundly than others. The way to solve
this problem is to train the mind to think.
5. ‘Vinna’ means the perception through the six sensory
namely sight, sound, smell, taste, bodily feeling, and thought. The main
function of Vinna is to perceive through the aforesaid six
sensories.
Who owns our lives?
Life as the Bodily Kingdom
Nobody owns our lives, and no one can
force and control life. We borrow our lives from the mother-nature.
What did we borrow? We borrow the four material elements namely solid,
liquid, combustion, and temperature. We cannot control or force our body to
stop aging or having illness.
Some people can borrow life for
thirty years, sixty years, or even eighty years. Some people can borrow
life for several days only, and they have to return to the nature because their
lives are demanded by death. When we are demanded by nature to return our
lives, we start to have blurred vision, grey hair, losing teeth, and deaf. If we wish to deal with these, we
can improve them by:
Eye vision can be improved with
glasses.
Poor hearing can be improved with
hearing aids.
Body full of wrinkles can be improved
with medical surgery or cosmetics.
Loosen teeth can be replaced with
dentures.
Grey hair can be perm at a salon.
Simply speaking, we strive to
replace, change, transform, or add things to our body in order to hold on to
youthfulness. Humans are quite smart about these even though we finally
have to return the degraded quality of our human body to the
mother-nature. This means that we still cannot do the aforesaid
forever.
The harden parts are borrowed from
solid
The flowing parts are borrowed from
liquid
The heating parts are borrowed from
temperature
The moving parts are borrowed from
combustion
We borrowed all of these and we have
to return them all when it is about time. The importance is when the
borrowed is with us. If we use them well, they will be beneficial;
otherwise, they will cause harms. So, our body is borrowed for the sake
of doing good deeds. If we do not use it well, we will have problems when
we return it to the nature. Therefore, when ‘life’ is still with us, we
should use it appropriately by doing only good deeds.
Life within the Bodily Kingdom
Our human body is like a kingdom with
certain extents of width and height. This kingdom has nine channels of
entrance and exit which are two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, one mouth, one
annul, and one urine channel.
The bodily kingdom is ruled by ‘vinna’
or the mind as the king who is capable of emotion realization (joyful,
sorrowful, or indifferent) whereas memory and thoughts are the courtiers. This
bodily kingdom has to face with the enemies namely birth, aging, illness, and
death who ruin the bodily kingdom until it collapses or die.
Thus, the mind-king who rules the
bodily kingdom has to flee away when the kingdom is badly damaged and seek for
establishing a new kingdom. However, after the new kingdom is
established, the same enemies which are birth, aging, illness, and death will
ruin the new kingdom again. This happens repeatedly and we question if
anyone can stop it.
The mind as the ruling king has the
three common characteristics which are impermanence (anicca), suffering
(dukkha), and non-self (anatta) as his spiritual masters who
advise over the comprehension on how to defeat the enemies (birth, aging,
illness, and death) until achieving victory which is the state of Nirvana where
one no longer subjects to birth, aging, illness, and death.
Life’s Attire & Nature of Life
Time is like the attire of life which is subject to changes from
time to time. An attire is with our body temporarily, and it will be
changed. However, the attire of life is different from clothing that,
once it is removed, the attire of life cannot be brought back again. On
the other hand, the attire of life means the three phases of life as follows:
(1) The
early phase or childhood and teenage which an individual learns about
life. During the era when human’s lifespan is about 100 years, the early
phase ranges from 1 to 30 year-old.
(2) The
middle phase or adulthood when an individual invests time and effort on working
and having a spouse and family. The adulthood ranges from 30 to 60
year-old.
(3) The
final phase or the senior years is when an individual retires from work and
seeks for spiritual guidance as a preparation for the end of one’s life.
Also, one takes time to rest after working throughout adulthood. This
phase ranges from 60 year-old onward.
The Nature of Life
A human life can continue on with
foods which can either benefit or harm. If one consumes too much, it will
lead to obesity and several diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, blood
pressure, gout, and high cholesterol. If one consumes too little, it will
cause diseases such as anorexia.
Foods for humans can be classified
into two groups as:
(1) Foods
for the human body
(2) Foods
for the human mind
(1) Foods
for the human body are available in different tastes and provide various
nutrients which empower and sustain the human body. The sources of foods
for human body are either from agriculture or food industry.
(2) Foods
for the human mind is ‘mental calm’ which empowers the mind. The source
of foods for the human mind is religion such as Buddhism.
Normally, humans give priority to
foods for the body and spoil themselves too much in consuming foods, and this
leads to many problems. However, foods for the mind are also very
important, but they can be neglected.
To keep one’s body healthy, it is
necessary to exercise in various activities such as working out or playing
sports.
To keep one’s mind healthy, we have
to practice meditation which is to focus the mind to achieve mental calm and
stillness.
The mother-nature gives us the human
body whilst Buddhism allows the mind within the body to be free, pure, and
peaceful.
One has to foster oneself in doing
good deeds more than other humans and animals if one wishes to reborn as an
ethical human who is superior to them. Otherwise, one will be no
different from other humans and animals in term of common instinctive
activities such as eating, sleeping, securing oneself, and having sexual
intercourse.
Hence, it is necessary for humans to
have a ‘religion’ that provides answers, solutions, paths, and guideline for
living which explains why we are born and why we live on for certain benefits.
The Bad Human Mind
All humans are almost similar in term
of bodily components and functioning. Notwithstanding, humans are very
much different in term of their mind. What makes the human mind different
are the ‘wholesome Dhamma sphere’ and ‘unwholesome Dhamma sphere’ within each
human.
The unwholesome Dhamma sphere within
a human’s mind comprises of the following sixteen causes of sorrow or
uppakilesa namely (1) greed and covetousness (2) malevolence or ill-will (3)
anger (4) grudge (5) detraction (6) rivalry (7) jealousy (8) stinginess (9)
deceit (10) hypocrisy (11)obstinacy (12) presumption (13) conceit (14) contempt
(15) vanity, and (16) negligence
The above 16 qualities, more or less,
are the characteristics of ‘unwholesomeness’ within a human’s mind. They
can be referred to as contamination of the mind similar to a clean fabric which
is dyed with various dark colors and dirt.
The Butcher
Once upon a time, there was a butcher
family. The son of this family carried on his parents’ business. He
relied on his occupation to earn for his family’s living. There was a
Buddhist temple in his neighborhood, and Buddhist monks from the temple had
their alms round every morning. However, the members of butcher’s family
never gave alms to the monks.
In addition to selling beef to
others, the butcher had beef with his every meal; otherwise, he would lose his
appetite. One day, his shop ran out of beef, but the butcher spared a
chunk of beef for his own consumption. As the butcher returned home, he
handed the beef chunk to his wife for cooking. After that, the butcher had
a shower.
While the butcher was taking a
shower, there was a neighbor coming over to the butcher’s house in order to buy
beef. “Do you have beef? I have to cater guests at my house.” the
neighbor said. “No, it is sold out” the butcher’s wife replied.
“Not at all?” the neighbor questioned. “Nope, but there is only one chunk
left which I need to cook for my husband, but if you have guests at home, I
will sell it to you.” So, the neighbor took the last chunk of beef.
After the butcher finished taking a
shower, he sat down to have his meal. But he saw no beef in his meal, so
he asked his wife “where is my beef?” “There is no more.” His wife
replied. “But I gave it to you before I took a shower.” “Our
neighbor bought it because she had to cater guests at home.” “If there is
no beef, I cannot eat my meal. Find beef for me!” The upset butcher
replied. “Where can I find it? It is not a big deal to have no beef
for one meal.” The wife said. “No! I cannot eat.” The butcher
said and walked away to grab a knife heading to the cattle corral behind his house.
As the butcher arrived the cattle, he
caught a cattle and forced to open its mouth. Then, he pulled out the
cattle’s tongue and cut it with his knife. Then, the butcher went to the
kitchen to grill the cattle’s tongue. Once the cattle’s tongue was well
done, he placed it in his meal set preparing to eat.
By the time he picked the cattle’s
tongue and put into his mouth, the butcher’s tongue torn off and dropped down
onto his plate, and the wound kept bleeding badly. The butcher crawled
into his bedroom crying like the cattle that he just cut its tongue before
meal. Soon after that, the butcher died and reborn as a hell being
receiving severe punishment.
According to the modern science, the
story about the butcher is like a fiction. However, if we consider the
religious teaching, it is possible because the supernatural phenomena can occur
due to the followings:
(1) Related
to the Lord Buddha
(2) Related
to the supernatural ones
(3) Related
to the fruition of karma
Therefore, it is still true that good
deeds bear good results, and bad deeds bring about bad results. Merit and sin
are not for sale, they are available for those who cultivate them either good
or bad.
The butcher rarely committed
wholesome deeds. On the contrary, he mostly had only bad karma(s) that
lead to sufferings. So, he received severe punishment from his karma both
in his lifetime and the future. The butcher’s mind comprised of the
unwholesome qualities, so he thought, spoke, and acted unwholesomely. He
could not take himself as his own refuge, and nobody else could take him as a
refuge as well. Finally, he became the disastrous in his lifetime and
onward.
“Like a brown leaf which is to fall
down from a tree, the hell denizen appears in front of him. He heads
toward the tragedy sparing no food for his journey.”
The Good Human Mind
The good human mind has the following
18 qualities.
- Having no greed
- Having patience
- Having gratitude
- Appreciate others’ success
- Having truthfulness with no pretension
- Being humble
- Positioning oneself appropriately
- Recollecting always
- Being optimistic
- Having no revenge and forgiving others
- Honoring others
- Being generous
- Having no boasting
- Being no rivalry
- Respecting others’ rights
- Being mindful all over oneself
The above 16 qualities are the
characteristics of a wholesome mind of humans. They are like the
detergents for washing clothes to be clean and pure.
The Old Lady
Once upon a time, there was an old
lady who was faithful in Buddhism. She granted her only son to become a
Buddhist monk. The monk was very diligent in studying Dhamma and strict
in obeying his moral conducts until he became knowledgeable in both Dhamma
doctrine and Dhamma practice.
In one year, after the end of rain
retreat, he bid farewell to his preceptor monk to visit his mother. So,
in the morning, he left his temple to see his mom. On his way, he spent a
night at a temple in the neighborhood of his mother’s village.
In the morning, he walked out from
the temple for an alms round. When the old lady saw her son, she was very
happy. She invited her son to enter the house and offered a meal to him.
After meal, she questioned the monk about his living. “Venerable, I heard
that you studied until becoming knowledgeable in both Dhamma doctrine and
Dhamma practice. This deserves appreciation.”
“Who told you, mom?” The monk
responded.
“The earth sprites told me.
They rejoiced in your merit by exclaiming ‘sadhu’ [very well] out
loud. I heard that, so I asked them why. They told me this fact,
then I had an intention to listen to your sermon when I meet you.”
“Venerable, I will hire people to build a sermon hall, and I will invite you to
deliver a sermon.” Then, the monk agreed by remaining silent.
On the date of scheduled sermon, the
old lady prepared meals for offering at the new sermon hall of her
village. There was only one servant left at the old lady’s mansion.
When it was about time, the monk started delivering his sermon.
By that time, there were 900 robbers
who looked for an opportunity to rob the old lady’s mansion. But they had
had no opportunity because the mansion was well secured by seven layers
of wall, and there are guarding dogs at every entrance and exit. The
inner zone of mansion was surrounded by an iron wall and a ditch. With
such protection, the robbers had had no opportunity to rob when the old lady
was at home.
On the scheduled sermon date, the
robbers knew that the old lady and her subordinates were out to listen to the
sermon, so they dug a tunnel which reached the inner residence. The
robbers agreed for the chief robber to keep an eye at the sermon hall. If
the old lady and her subordinates returned home when the robbers were still
there, they planned to kill the old lady and her subordinates.
Therefore, the chief robber had to
listen to the sermon as well whilst the rest of the robbers were busy
relocating the senior lady’s properties.
The old lady’s servant saw that the
robbers entered the mansion, so she rushed to see the old lady at the sermon
hall and informed her that “Madam, the robbers entered your house. They
destroyed the money security room and took money away.” The old lady
replied “Let them take money away. I want to listen to my son-monk’s
sermon. Do not distract me! You should return to the house.”
After the robbers took away all the
money, they destroyed the gold security room. As the servant saw that,
she rushed to see the old lady at the sermon hall again and said “My master,
the robbers are taking away gold.” The old lady responded “let them take
away as they wish, you should return to the house.”
Soon after the robbers took away all
the gold, they started to take all other precious that they could take with
them. Again, the servant went to see the old lady and said “Master, the
robbers took all the properties from your house!”
Instead of being surprised to know
that, the old lady scolded the servant that “Listen! I told you many times that
the robbers can take anything as they wish. I want to listen to the
sermon from my son-monk. Do not district my sermon listening. You
don’t obey my words, you returned and came back over and over. If you
come back again for one more time, I will punish you. Go! Return to the
house.”
The chief robber who was keeping an
eye at the old lady heard the conversation between the old lady and her
servant. He realized that he should not rob the properties of such an
ethical old lady. So, he went to see his fellow robbers and told them to
bring the properties back to their places.
The robbers: “Madam… we would
like to apologize.” They said and bowed to the old lady’s feet.
Old Lady: “What’s the matter,
guys?”
The robbers: “We committed
misdeeds against you.” Then, they told the story.
Old Lady: “Is it so? I
forgive you.”
The robbers: “Could you sponsor
our ordination?”
Old Lady: “If you really wish
to ordain, I will sponsor your ordination.”
The moral of the story of this old
lady reflects the truth that “Dhamma protects the one who practices
Dhamma. The Dhamma which one cultivates will bring peace and happiness to
oneself. This is according to the karmic fruition of practicing the
Dhamma as it will lead one to the good destination.”
Question yourself how the poor, the
fool, the rich, and the wise are different. The answer is that they do
not differ in many ways. When they are hungry, they eat until becoming
full. When they are sleepy, they sleep until they have enough
sleep. When they wish to release the bodily waste, they do so.
Finally, they die, and they take turn to cry and burry or cremate.
Those who have bad qualities of mind
are very much concerned of being poor, fool, rich, or wise as they continue
their living, but people who have good qualities of mind are not attached to
them as their minds are well guarded by the ten merit trees namely (1)
generosity (2) moral discipline (3) renunciation (4) wisdom (5) perseverance
(6) patience (7) truthfulness (8) resolution (9) compassion and (10)
equanimity.
However, there are also other sin
trees which give bad fruition. The fruits from merit trees are peace and
joy whilst the sin trees give fruits which are anxiety and suffering. The
unwholesome people plant sin trees whereas the wholesome people plant merit
trees. The butcher planted sin trees. So, he suffered from the bad
fruition both in his lifetime and the future. The old lady planted merit
trees. So, she enjoyed happiness both in her lifetime and the
future. Let’s plant the merit trees as they are auspicious. Let’s
uproot the sin trees as they are disastrous.
If one wishes to make merit,
One should do it frequently
And be satisfied with such merit
making
As merit cultivation brings about happiness
The Moral Discipline
We are so fortunate to be born as
humans because this is a rare opportunity. This statement is
reaffirmed by the Lord Buddha’s saying.
The human being or the birth to be a
human in the human realm(s) cannot be achieved by just anyone. The
human-to-be is required to have ‘guru dhamma,’ the karma that leads to
the birth as a human, which is ‘sila samadhana’ or the observance
of moral disciplines.
In addition, the celestial beings and
the Nirvana beings also need to have moral discipline as their common ground
all alike.
If it is questioned that:
“What is moral discipline?”
“What it means to be moral
discipline?”
“What are the characteristic, duty,
the appearing to be, and the grounding of moral discipline?”
“What are the consequences of moral
discipline?
“What is the number of moral
discipline?
“What makes the moral discipline
blemished?
“What makes the moral discipline
pure?
According to the above questions, we
can answer that:
The abstention from unwholesome deeds
such as killing is the moral discipline because the action and speech are
controlled to be peaceful, thus, they uphold all other wholesomeness.
The moral discipline has the
characteristic of controlling bodily action and speech only. It gets rid
of bad action and speech, so the purity appears whereas the shame and afraid of
sin are the foundation.
The consequence of moral discipline
are the prosperity in wealth and honor as one will be graceful among the
assembly of people and will not die in delusion. After passing away, one
will pass to the wholesome realm.
Moreover, one who observes moral
discipline will be loved, respected, favored, and associated by others.
In general, we can say that the observance of moral discipline is to control
oneself to refrain from all unwholesomeness.
The moral discipline will be
blemished when it is partially or completely violated. On the other hand,
the moral discipline observance is clean when there is no violation either
partially or totally.
The wise one should observe moral discipline
which is the foundation for the establishment of human wealth, heavenly wealth,
and the wealth of Nirvana. All the sages such as the Lord Buddha pursue
their path in moral discipline until they achieve their destination in samsara,
the cycle of birth. Any other sages who wish to pursue the same path of
moral discipline will have their suffering relieved and their perfection
crystallized further even though they cannot leave the samsara in
the present lifetime.
There is a story about the heron who
achieved the human wealth as well as the human being, and the story about a
poor worker who achieved the celestial wealth and celestial being with the
power of moral discipline observance. These stories are good examples for
all of us.
Once upon a time, there was a heron
whose feathers were completely shiny white. Before she reborn as a heron,
she was a human who did not make any merit. But she usually spent time to
make up and decorate herself to be beautiful. After the end of her lifetime,
she reborn as a heron whose feathers were beautifully shiny white.
One day, Indra, the Lord of Tavatimsa
Heaven, who is the king of all angels, had investigated the human world with
his divine eye. He saw the heron and felt pity upon her because the heron
used to be his wife when they were humans. So, Lord Indra headed to the
heron’s place to ask about her well being. As he learned about her
living, he wished to free the heron from being an animal. Lord Indra
advised the heron to observe five precepts. Especially, the first precept
which is to abstain from killing, he advised the heron to eat only dead
fishes. The heron agreed, then, Lord Indra returned to his heavenly
palace.
Later on, Lord Indra wished to test
the heron if she would keep her words about observing precepts. So, he
disguised himself to be a dead fish floating along the stream. Once the
heron saw the dead fish, she was glad to eat it. She rushed to pick the
fish with her beak as she had no food for many days. After she picked the
fish, the fish swiped its tail. When the heron saw that the fish was
still alive, she opened her beak to let go of the fish.
The Lord Indra tested the heron like
this for three times until he was confident that the heron kept her words
honestly as agreed that she would observe the precepts by eating only dead
fishes, not the living fishes. Thus, the Lord undisguised himself to tell
the truth to the heron. He encouraged the heron to be patient and
continue observing precepts.
As the heron rarely found dead fishes
as her food, someday she had nothing to eat at all, she frequently had to
starve. As a result, she got skinnier, but she did not violate her
precepts which she promised to Lord Indra. The heron who was steadfast in
her moral precepts observation died and reborn as a female human being
again. She became a daughter of a well-to-do family having wealth and
many subordinates.
Another story is about the three
millionaires who were very much wealthy. They were close friends who
associated in harmony. They promised to support around 500 hermits who
moved from the forest to the millionaires’ village temporarily during rainy
season. The three millionaires provided accommodations to the hermits for
four consecutive months. After rainy season, the hermits returned to live
in the forest and had fruits and plants as their foods during winter and summer
totaling eight months.
One year, when it was close to the
rainy season, the hermits left the forest and entered the millionaires’
village. As the hermits were traveling to the village, in the afternoon,
they passed by a big shady banyan tree situated on the way toward the
millionaires’ mansions. So, the hermits took a rest by sitting under the
banyan tree whereas they were still distant from the village. It would
take one more day and one more night to reach the village. Thus, the
hermits agreed to spend a night under the big banyan tree.
At dawn, the hermits wondered where
they could find foods as the fruits were available in the distant forest.
If they travel to the village, the time for having food would be over.
The chief hermit wished to find a
solution for his fellow hermits, so he looked upward to the shady banyan leaves
above and made a wish that “O.. the deity who dwells at this big banyan tree,
you must not be the helpless deity. It seems that you are a great
deity. May you, the great deity, provide foods and drinks to all of us,
the hermits who strive in travelling through this uneasy trip. This will
be very great of you.”
Upon the end of the chief hermit’s
wish, the tree sprite who dwelled at the big banyan tree amazingly made foods
and drinks appeared to the hermits. After the hermits had their meal, the
chief hermit wished to know the karma that made the tree sprite becoming a
powerful deity who dwelled at the banyan tree. So, he made a wish for the
deity to appear and tell them about the karma. The hermits learned that
the tree sprite reborn as a powerful deity because of moral discipline
observance. The tree sprite told the hermits that:
“When I was an underprivileged
person, I earned for living by becoming a worker at an ethical millionaire’s
mansion. In addition to working for the millionaire, I observed five
precepts strictly. On the Buddhist observance day, I observed eight
precepts. The millionaire would remind his subordinates at the mansion to
observe eight precepts on the Buddhist observance days without exception to
infants and kids. They observed precepts like this consistently.
One day, it was a Buddhist observance
day, all the members of millionaire’s family observed eight precepts, but the
millionaire forgot to tell myself who was the new worker. On the Buddhist
observance day, the new worker left the mansion early to work outside the
mansion and returned at dusk. The new worker found that the mansion was
quiet, and nobody was busy cooking and having meals like the day before.
There was only one set of meal that the millionaire ordered to prepare for the
new worker. All the kids entered their bed room to chant before they went
to bed. So, the new worker asked others and found out that it was a
Buddhist observance day which everyone at the mansion observed eight
precepts. The new worker was very faithful upon hearing that, so he vowed
to observe precepts for the rest of the day which is over the night until dawn
only. Then, in the middle of the night, the new worker had gastric
problem in his stomach because he worked hard during the daytime and had no
meal after that. As a result, the new worker died of stomachache in the
middle of the night. After he died, he reborn as the tree sprite at the
big banyan tree with the merit from observing eight precepts flawlessly for
only one night.”
After the deity told the hermits
about his karma, he disappeared and returned to his celestial residence which
was at the banyan tree.
This story reaffirms the truth that
‘one earns good results from doing good deeds, and one earns bad results from
doing bad deeds.’ Simply speaking, we reap what we sow. As we learn
this, we should not be reckless by committing more good deeds to be our own
refuge, so that our lifetime will not be useless. Most of all, we should
adhere to the observation of moral discipline or precepts per the Buddha’s
saying.
Sentient beings head toward the
wholesome realms such as the human world and heaven because of moral
discipline. They achieve wealth and fellows because of moral discipline,
and they can ultimately achieve the Nirvana which is the state of cessation and
peacefulness.
The Renunciation
Goodness is the holy power that
enhances the living of those who do good deeds and enjoy calmness, brightness,
and peacefulness against the heat from mental defilements such as greed (lobha),
anger (dosa), and delusion (moha).
A peaceful and bright life is made
possible with renunciation. It means that one renounces the world to
enter ordination in search for the ultimate Dhamma that can free one from
mental defilements and restlessness that bring about sufferings.
When we mention the term
‘ordination,’ most people have the stereotype that one put on robes and shave
one’s head only. Indeed, the term ‘ordination’ means ‘lessening,’
‘abandoning,’ and ‘giving up’ the causes of suffering, mental defilements, and
evilness.
Ordination can be classified into 3
groups:
(1) Temporary
ordination
(2) Partial
ordination
(3) Absolute
ordination
The temporary ordination is to
lessen, abandon, and give up the cause of sufferings and mental defilements for
a period of time, and one will be obsessed again later on similar to the
drunkard or drugs addicted who can give up drinking and using drugs temporarily
only such as during the Buddhist lent or Buddhist rain retreat. After the
lent, they return to drink alcohol and use drugs again.
The partial ordination means the
partial lessening, abandoning, and giving up the cause of sufferings and mental
defilements. In this case, the drunkard and drug addicted who strive to
give up can give up only something. This is like one who can stop using
opium and heroin, but one still drinks alcohol and smokes marijuana. So,
one is still enslaved by some other addictives and still heads toward the
devastation in one’s life.
The absolute ordination means the
complete lessening, abandoning, and giving up the causes of suffering and
mental defilements without being obsessed to them again forever. This is
like a drunkard and drug addicted who strives to give up the addiction and able
to give up completely without returning to be enslaved by alcohol and drugs
again.
To be precise, there are two types of
ordination:
(1) The worldly
ordination
(2) The noble
ordination
The worldly ordination means
lessening, abandoning, and giving up temporarily as an occasional suspension,
and one becomes obsessed to the unwholesome mental defilements again later
similar to a calm bonfire which can be aflame again. Thus, one is unable
to reach the true goal of life which are the calmness, brightness, and
peacefulness in living. This is the case of an evil Buddhist monk called
Devadatta.
Dated back to the Lord Gotama Buddha’s
lifetime, when Buddhism was widespread in the East-Asian subcontinent, people
who wished to free themselves from suffering and have calm, bright, and
peaceful living, entered ordination to become Buddhist monks. Among them,
there was Prince Devadatta from Koliya Clan who acquainted five other princes
from Sakya Clan and another royal page officer. Totally, there were seven
of them.
When Devadatta was new to the
monastic order, he was able to remain in good conduct by being strict in the
monastic discipline. He persevered in meditation practice until achieving
some supernatural powers. Thus, he was able to fly, vanish, and disguise
himself with the power of meditative absorption.
Later on, Devadatta had a conspiracy
to have himself replacing the Lord Gotama Buddha in governing the Buddhist
monastic order, so he joined Prince Ajhasattrus who was still young and naïve by
misleading the prince to follow his advices. Devadatta impressed the
prince by disguising himself to be a young man who had snakes crowning his head
and surrounding his neck, wrists, legs, and crossing from his shoulder to his
waste to have an audience upon the young prince and persuaded the prince to
agree with his scheme. Then, they started the plan that would make
Devadatta to be the topmost leader of the Buddhist monastic community whereas
the Prince Ajhasattrus would dethrone and kill his father and coronate
himself.
Later on, Devadatta lost his
supernatural powers when he started his scheme. However, this did not
make Devadatta giving up his plan to govern the Buddhist monastic order as he
was obsessed by the mental defilements, greed, ambition, and jealousy, which
destroyed everyone who is enslaved by them including Devadatta.
Days after days, Devadatta’s scheme
was unsuccessful, and he became seriously ill. Finally, he realized in
his mistakes and wished to have an audience upon the Lord Gotama Buddha to make
an apology. However, the serious karma(s) that Devadatta committed
prevented him from arriving the Lord Buddha’s place. He ended up being
punished by the nature by being sucked down by land submerging on his way.
Devadatta’s life was almost totally
wasteful since he did not achieve peace and calm. On the contrary, he
faced with sufferings in manifold because he was directed by mental defilements
which he could lessen, abandon, and give up partially and temporarily.
Then, the defilements returned to enslave Devadatta again when they had
opportunities.
Although Devadatta’s life was almost
useless in the Lord Gotama Buddha’s religion, Devadatta’s ordination was not
completely wasteful. This is because by the end of his life, he
made an apology to the Lord Buddha and took the Lord Buddha as his
refuge. Devadatta changed his mind from being evil to wholesome although
he was not at the Buddha’s presence, and this is like a correction at the
end. Thus, this final good karma will bear fruits in the future lifetime
when Devadatta will attain enlightenment to become a Silent-Buddha or the
Buddha who does not establish a religion.
The noble ordination means the
lessening, abandoning, and giving up mental defilements absolutely. Thus,
one’s mind will not be obsessed to the mental defilements again, not even a
little more of them, and one will have a calm, peaceful, and peaceful
living. In addition, one can be a refuge for others without any
harm. The surrounding people will be able to feel the calmness and
peacefulness which stem from the meritorious cultivation of oneself. The
cultivation is made possible through training towards holiness until attaining
enlightenment and having the virtues in guiding sentient beings to overcome the
cycle of birth which causes sufferings. Hence, the Lord Buddha’s
renunciation is an excellent example for all of us.
When the Lord Buddha was still an
unenlightened prince named Siddharta, he abandoned his royal wealth and
ordained himself to search for enlightenment with an intention to free himself
from sufferings in the cycle of birth or samsara. The prince
strived in many ways for six years to seek for calmness, brightness, and
peacefulness in his living. His search went on until one year, in the
full moon night of the sixth lunar month, the prince, as an ascetic, was
steadfast toward his enlightenment. He resolute to persevere in his
meditation practice with the cost of his life that “Although my blood and flesh
will dry up until there remains only the skin which enclose my skeletons, I
shall not rouse from my seat until I pass away if I do not attain the
Buddhahood!”
Thereafter, the prince sat in
meditation posture on his seat under the Bodhi tree and the clear shining full
moon. The prince persevered in meditation, taking the firm ground as his moral
discipline (sila), his hands like the wisdom (panna) that
contemplated over the hidden truth, and mental concentration (samadhi)
that completely removed the barriers which were the embedded cravings in his
mind. The prince was like a man with strength who stood firm on the
ground lifting his very sharp sword to cut off a big cluster of bamboo roots to
be completely eradicated.
At dawn when the sun gleamed its
golden light, the prince who was the Lord Buddha, by then, could lessen,
abandon, and give up his mental defilement absolutely and detached himself from
unwholesomeness. Then, the Lord uttered “Look! The workman who builds the
building or craving whom I discovered, you will never be able to build more
building which is the being of self, because I already broke down the ribs or all of your remaining mental defilements. The peak of
building’s roof or ignorance (avijja) has also been dismantled by
myself.”
My mind has no more conditioned
factor. I already attained the nature where it is the cessation of
clinging.
The Lord Buddha’s utterance is the
vital evidence which shows that his renunciation is for lessening, abandoning,
and giving up his mental defilements as well as searching for calmness and
peacefulness for his own life without being attached to the worldly similar to
a lotus flower that emerged above the water surface without being wet by
water. Thus, the Lord Buddha could carry on his work to benefit the
world.
Life in the Present
Our life in the present is
significant
Our life in the past was significant
Our life in the future will be
significant
So, our life in the present is our
priority
Whereas life in the past and future
are our secondary
Nowadays, people’s life is burdened
by many responsibilities that make them too busy with the past and the
future. This adds troubles to their life which long for solutions.
What should we do with this? In general, troubles in our life will be
dissolved if we live with the ‘present.’ This only one word can solve
problems for the whole world.
How should we proceed in living with
the present?
We should progress our life in the
noble paths which are:
- Having right views upon the present
- Having right pondering upon the present
- Having right speech upon the present
- Having right action upon the present
- Having right livelihood upon the present
- Having right effort upon the present
- Having right prudence and mindfulness upon the present
- Having right mental concentration upon the present
l What does it mean to be
‘righteous upon the present?’
This means the balanced mind that
does not wander to the past or the future as one cannot change whatever already
happened.
l In the present, human society
is imbalanced meaning that it does not give priority to the present.
The above topic connotes that people
are unable to balance their lives as they cannot accept the truth. It is
so because they do not live upon the present.
l What are the truths that
common people find it hard to accept?
The truth about all sentient beings
who cannot solve the causes that lead to puzzlement of life which are:
1. Want something that already happened
2. Wish for something that has not yet happened
3. Remember the irritating that already happened
4. Think of the irritating in that has not yet happened
5. Deluded by something that already happened
6. Deluded by something that has not yet happened
… without realizing truths in the
present.
l What are the truths that we
can witness in the present?
The truths that are true to all
living beings are:
1. As we have a prosperous past, continue the causes that lead to
such prosperity.
2. As we have a prosperous present, continue the causes that lead
to consistent prosperity in the present.
3. The future will be prosperous as well.
On the contrary, if the past was
regressive, but we commit the causes that lead to prosperity in the present,
our future will turn to be prosperous in the future. If our past was
prosperous, but we committed the causes that lead to recession, our present
turns to be recessive. Likewise, if we commit the causes that lead to
recession in the present, our future will be recessive as well.
l Should we correct our past,
present, and future?
Among the three periods of time, we
should correct ‘the present’ because the past cannot be corrected and the
future is too far ahead. What should we do to correct the present?
We can correct it by living upon the truths.
What should we do if people keep
competing and seek for taking advantages over each other as well as lessening
each others’ rights. These seem to be more vital in the
present. This is one of the truths that we can experience by ourselves.
Which part should be corrected
first? The correction should start from ourselves, and this is quite
difficult. However, if we can do it, we will be able to correct the
errors of everyone else. The principles for this practice are:
- If one wishes others to be kind to oneself, one has to be kind
to others first.
- If one wishes others to be merciful to oneself, one has to be
merciful to others first.
- If one wishes others to appreciate one’s achievement, one has to
appreciate others’ achievement first.
- If one wishes to live in peace, one must not harm others.
In addition, if everyone aims to
correct oneself first, the consequence will affect the overall as
well. Because, when the causes of difficulties are eliminated
whilst the causes of happiness are committed in the present:
- Do not want something from what already happened
- Do not wish for something from what has not yet happened
- Do not remember the irritating from what already happened
- Do not think of the irritating from what has not yet happened
- Undeluded by something that already happened
- Undeluded by something that has not yet happened
Then, one keeps oneself on the righteous paths upon the present
which are:
- Having the view
- Having the pondering
- Having the speech
- Having the action
- Having the livelihood
- Having the effort
- Having the mindfulness
- Having the concentration
As per the aforesaid, one will be
able to live one’s life upon the present which is balanced towards the
righteous living.
The Merit Energy
Rush up to make merit, and do not
commit any sin.
If we are not quick in merit making,
our mind may turn to sinful things instead.
Buddhist teachings can be narrowed
down to only one topic which is about sufferings. Sufferings occur only
to the body and the mind. Body is the home of mind, and the mind
experiences emotions. For example, when the mind recognizes what the eyes
see, the mind responses to be either favor or disfavor according to such sight.
Whereas the body is nourished by
nutrients from foods such as savory and sweet dishes as well as vegetables and
fruits, the mind is nourished by merit and sin energy. A healthy person
has less illness because he or she receives adequate nutrients from food
consumption according to the principle of good nutrition. If a person
does not receive adequate nutrients from good nutrition, he or she is likely to
be weak and unhealthy.
A person with a healthy mind usually
has a happy mind which is joyous and clear, free from bad moods. On the
contrary, a person with an unhealthy mind always feels sufferings and moody as
his mind is nourished by sin and unwholesomeness.
The term ‘merit’ can be distinguished
into ‘merit energy’ and ‘wholesomeness.’
The term ‘sin’ can be distinguished
into ‘sin energy’ and ‘unwholesomeness.’
Merit is about mental happiness which
has no revenge without being conquered by greed, love, anger, hatred,
recklessness, and delusion. These good mental qualities lead to mental
balance and fulfillment.
Wholesomeness is the intelligence
which coexists with the meritorious mind or the fruition of happiness from
merit making. Simply speaking, it is the wisdom from righteous thought,
speech, and action.
Sin is about mental suffering from
being revengeful, greedy, in love, angry, hatred, unmindful, and deluded which
obsess the mind. These bad mental qualities always lead to ‘imbalance of
mind’ or ‘mental scarcity.’
Unwholesomeness means the foolishness
which arises when the mind is sinful. Also, it is the consequence of a
suffering sinful mind. The foolishness causes people to have wrongful
thought, speech, and action.
The 10 Meritorious Deeds
1. Merit from generous giving
2. Merit from observing moral precepts or practicing celibacy
3. Merit from practicing meditation or training the mind
4. Merit from being humble upon others
5. Merit from being helpful to others
6. Merit from sharing one’s meritorious deeds to others
7. Merit from appreciating others’ meritorious deeds
8. Merit from learning the Dhamma
9. Merit from teaching the Dhamma
10. Merit from having
the right view
1. Merit from Generous Giving
For this topic, we can exemplify the story of Prince
Vessandara. In one of the Lord Gotama Buddha’s past lifetime, the Lord
was born as Prince Vessandara who donated nine things, 700 each. The
donated are as follows:
- 700 elephants
- 700 horses
- 700 dairy-cows
- 700 chariots
- 700 ladies
- 700 male slaves
- 700 female slaves
- 700 outfits
- Alcohol beverages for the drunkards
Prince Vessandara earned much merit from his donation because it
enabled him to attain the Nirvana in the following lifetime as Lord Gotama
Buddha. The merit energy earned was not due to the quantity of the given
only, but it was because of the strong meritorious intention in giving.
(1) Before
giving, the giver’s mind is joyous.
(2) During
giving, the giver’s mind is joyous.
(3) After giving,
the giver’s mind is joyous.
As the giver has pure and meritorious mind like this throughout
the three phases of giving, the much merit energy occurred to Prince Vessandara
who can be the role model for all in term of generosity practice.
2. Merit from Observing Precepts and Practicing Celibacy
One can earn merit from abstention from misdeeds. The
following story is a good example.
According to the Buddhist scripture, once there was a poor man
who was hired by a rich man to be a worker. Early in the morning, on a
Buddhist observance day, the poor worker left the rich man’s mansion to work
outdoor as usual. However, nobody reminded him that it was a Buddhist
observance day.
In the evening, the worker returned to the rich man’s mansion
and found that a set of meal was prepared for him while other people in the
mansion already went to bed including the kids. The poor worker asked
other fellows and found that it was the day that everyone at the mansion
observed eight precepts. So, the poor worker vowed to observe eight
precepts like others.
In the middle of the night, the poor worker had a stomachache
because he had no meal throughout the day, and he did not eat anything before
observing eight precepts. This caused him to be sick, but his precepts
observance was flawless.
To make merit by observing precepts, we have to be mindful and
careful of our action and speech. Thus, our precepts observance will be
flawless and clean like the poor man.
3. Merit from Practicing Meditation
Meditation practice is the cultivation of mind which eliminates
mental evilness caused by the Mara namely:
(1) Greed (lobha)
(2) Anger (dhosa)
(3) Delusion (moha)
People from all walk of life, no
matter who they are, if they do not cultivate the mind with meditation,
although they have the followings:
(1) Properties
from all over the world
(2) Male
and female subordinates who can fulfill all of one’s wishes
(3) Delicious
foods and good medicines
Such individual is still obsessed by
the three evilness which are:
(1) Unsatisfied
greed caused by lobha, the evil mara
(2) Regular
anger caused by dhosa, the evil mara
(3) Delusion
until death caused by moha, the evil mara
Therefore, the merit from mental cultivation can free one from
the three evil mara(s) by:
(1) Balancing the
demand
(2) Learning to
forgive
(3) Being mindful
without delusion in one’s death
4. Merit from Being Humble
The expression of humbleness of oneself is from:
(1) Action
(2) Speech
The humbleness or respect which can
be expressed physically are:
(1) Rising
to welcome
(2) Placing
one’s hands in the prayer position
(3) Bowing
with hands in the prayer position
(4) Kneeling
down to bow
(5) Other
signs of respect such as removing one’s hat and shoes or putting off one’s
umbrella at religious places such as the Buddha hall, sermon hall, and the
pagoda area.
The humbleness or respect which can
be expressed verbally are:
(1) Speaking the
truth with gentle voice
(2) Speaking to encourage
unity with gentle voice
(3) Speaking
politely with gentle voice
(4) Speaking
reasonably with gentle voice
Individuals who deserve respect are:
(1) The Lord
Buddha and religious founders
(2) Preceptors
(3) The ones who
are senior-most in a family such as parents
Individuals who should show respect to others are:
(1) Religious
disciples
(2) Students,
either senior or junior
(3) The ones who
are juniors in a family such as sons and daughters.
Regarding the expression of respect
and humbleness, we can consider the story of Lord Indra as an example.
According to the Buddhist scripture,
once there was a village called ‘Ajalakam.’ There was a young man full of
gratitude. His name was ‘Maka.’ Maka normally had seven virtuous
conducts as follows:
(1) Looking after
his parents throughout his life.
(2) Being
respectful toward the senior-most of his family such as parents.
(3) Speaking
politely throughout his life.
(4) Never speak
words that disunite others throughout his life.
(5) Making
generous donation throughout his life.
(6) Speaking only
the truth throughout his life.
(7) Having no
anger throughout his life.
In addition to the above virtuous
conducts, Maka also committed other charitable deeds such as building the
pavilions at rest areas for travelers, making roads, and ponds. He also
invited other generous people to join his good deeds for the public.
Moreover, Maka established a group of people to sustain or taking care of what
they built for the public benefit. These dissatisfied a group of people,
led by the Chief Villager, who was jealous at Maka.
The Chief Villager attempted to get
rid of Maka by making a false report to the statemen that Maka and his fellows
were accumulating forces to fight against the king’s ruling. The Chief
Villagers urged the statemen to send their troops to arrest Maka and his
fellows.
When the king knew about this, he
sent his armed force to arrest Maka and his fellows. Thereafter, they
were questioned by the court. It was revealed that Maka and his fellows
did not attempt to fight against the king, but he made numerous benefits for
the public. So, Maka and his fellows were released whereas the Chief
Villagers was fired and punished. Maka was appointed to be the new Chief
Villager, and he was able to make decision and take action immediately upon
things that he deemed appropriate without asking permission from the
king.
After Maka passed away, with the
merit from his wholesome deeds including the seven virtuous conducts and
generous charitable deeds for the public, Maka reborn as Indra, the king of
Tavatimsa heaven whereas his fellows reborn as Indra’s courtiers whose lifespan
last long as the angel’s age.
The karmic consequence of being
respectful and humble also yields results in the present lifetime per the verse
that “the four prosperity namely longevity, fine complexion, happiness, and
energy will occur to ones who usually show respect and humbleness upon the
virtuous people.”
5. The Merit from Being Helpful
Helpfulness on various errands either
significant or insignificant with physical and mental effort full of sincerity
upon oneself, others, and the responsibilities can be taken as ‘the merit from
being helpful.’
When we help others, although it is
an insignificant deed with truly meritorious effort, it can benefit oneself and
others both in the present and future lifetime. There is a story from a
Buddhist scripture which is a good example as follows:
Once, Venerable Kassappa, a Buddhist
Saint was residing at Pippli Cave. There was a lady angel who wished to
prosper her celestial wealth, so she went to Pippli Cave for cleaning and
preparing drinking and using water for the Saint. Venerable Kassappa was
unaware of this as he thought that it was the work of his young disciple monk
or novice monk.
One day, the Saint heard the sweeping
noise, so he came out to take a look. He saw the lady angel who was
cleaning and working in his cave area, so he expressed his appreciation over
her effort and prohibited her from doing it again as he might be accused by
others. The lady angel admitted, and she returned to her celestial
palace.
The lady angel received benefit for
her future lifetime as she was being helpful for Venerable Kassappa. Her
deeds brought about merit that she would enjoy. Those who are helpful in
either significant or insignificant errands of others with meritorious mind,
freed from jealousy, they would enjoy the karmic fruition as well.
The benefits earn in the present
lifetime are:
(1) Gain of
wealth
(2) Fame
(3) Being praised
(4) Physical and
mental happiness
6. The Merit from Sharing Merit to Others
Being generous in the merit means
giving opportunities to others to take part in our merit. This is called
‘sharing merit to others.’
There is a story as an example.
One day, the master and servant went
out to do some errand. When they returned home, they found a Buddhist
monk walking for an alms round at the gate of their home. The monk had
not received any food, so the master told the servant “Look! Go into the house
to check if the chefs finished cooking. If it is finished, offer it to
the monk.” The servant rushed into the house and returned, he said “It’s
finished, master” with the food in his hands. “Put them into the alms bowl,
I allow you to take part in this merit.” The Master said. “You can
make any wish you want out of this.” He added.
The servant relied on the merit that
his master granted him to join to make wishes for future human wealth in the
form of:
(1) Consumption
wealth which includes properties, the precious, and livestock.
(2) Fellow
wealth which includes siblings, kin, friends, fellows, and subordinates who are
honest.
The two kinds of wealth came true for
the servant in the lifetime of Lord Gotama Buddha. The servant reborn as
a king of Ujjeni Kingdom because of the merit that his master shared to him.
With the merit from being generous in
the merit of the master, the servant took part in the merit making and received
the good karmic fruition in the form of desirable wealth. The servant
became a king because of his master’s generosity.
7. The Merit from Appreciating Others’ Merit
The delightfulness and appreciation
when witnessing others’ meritorious deeds or success in term of gain, fame,
praise, and happiness with the thoughts like “It is so delightful for the
meritorious deeds of this person” or “It is so delightful for the success of
this person,” these are the expression of those who have appreciation in
others’ goodness.
We can compare to a person who have beloved
relatives such as parents, siblings, husband, and wife who departed to live
afar for a long time. When they return, we feel glad to meet them and
wait to welcome them at the gate. We become enthusiastic and delightful
for their return thinking “who will arrive first?” Upon the safe arrival
of our relatives such as parents, siblings, and spouse, we rush to see them
with gladness saying “I am so glad to meet you again.” The delightfulness
and appreciation from witnessing others’ good deeds or success are the same as
we meet with our returning relatives who return home safely.
8. The Merit from Learning Dhamma
Learning the Dhamma which benefits
oneself and others such as the story about the pursuit of perfections of Lord
Buddha, Silent Buddhas, Arahants or Buddhist Saints, and disciple monks, are
considered to be ‘Dhamma learning.’
Once, the Lord Buddha resided at
Veluvana Grove, he disclosed the past lifetime of Venerable Kondanya to all
disciple monks. The story was about the Venerable’s karma that made him
became the first disciple who attained enlightenment second to the Lord
Buddha. So, Venerable Kondanya was admired by the Lord Buddha as the
‘senior- most’ disciple monk because he was the first Buddhist monk in the Lord
Gotama Buddha’s religion.
9. The Merit from Teaching Dhamma
The teaching of truths that do not
harm oneself and others such as the Lord Buddha’s teaching about the Four Noble
Truths is considered to be ‘the teaching of Dhamma.’
To make merit from teaching the
Dhamma, one has to know and understand the truths about life, having the wisdom
from insight, and teach the truths in order to promote wellness of others,
similar to the Lord Buddha who taught people for their benefits.
10. The Merit from Having the Right View
Our view means thoughts from
wisdom. So, the right view is thoughts from righteous wisdom with the
truthful comprehension that ‘the world is impermanent, merit and sin are true,
and heaven and hell do exist in reality.’ If one’s views comply to the aforesaid,
it means that one ‘keeps one’s views righteous.’
Once we keep our views to be
righteous, we should have the incorporation of faith which is the four
reasonable beliefs as follows:
(1) Believing in
the karma whereas the causes can bring either good or bad results.
(2) Believing in
the karmic fruition.
(3) Living beings
have their own karma which they have to bear.
(4) Believing in
the Lord Buddha’s enlightenment which enables the disclosure of Dhamma taught
by the Buddha.
Conclusion on the Ten Merit Makings
1. The karmic consequence from generous donation by giving material
objects is the elimination of greed.
2. The karmic consequence from observing moral precepts is to
eliminate the evil mara who brings about revenge and harm.
3. The karmic consequence from practicing meditation can eliminate
the evil mara who causes mental darkness and blindness.
4. The karmic consequence from being humble and respectful can
eliminate the evil mara which leads to arrogance.
5. The karmic consequence from being helpful can eliminate the evil
mara which leads to selfishness.
6. The karmic consequence from sharing goodness to others can
eliminate the evil mara which leads to self-centeredness.
7. The karmic consequence from appreciating others’ goodness can
eliminate the evil mara which leads to jealousy.
8. The karmic consequence from learning the Dhamma can eliminate
the evil mara which leads to doubts.
9. The karmic consequence from teaching the Dhamma can eliminate
the evil mara which leads to foolishness.
10. The karmic
consequence from having right views can eliminate the evil mara which leads to
wrong views.
The Lord Buddha once said “it is easy to commit the unwholesome deeds which are not beneficial to oneself. On the contrary, it is not easy to commit the wholesome deeds which are beneficial.” “Notwithstanding, the wholesome deeds are easy for good people to do whilst the unwholesome deeds are easy for bad people.” Thus, “urge yourself in doing good deeds. Do not familiarize yourself to sin. Because, as you are slow in making merit, your mind will be drawn toward sin.”
What did Luang Por Sodh Teach?
“I do not run out of wisdom. Both the good and bad are
clear to me. Why should I kill myself out of this? Many people do
not know where-about and who-about of the term ‘Dhammakaya.’ Why should
we let them accuse us who are the experienced practitioners, because of their
own ignorance? How could the ignorance remove the truth of Buddhism as
accused? It may be possible only for temporarily, and the truth will be
soon outstanding again like the crystal ball that shines out for the wisdomful
to witness. The righteous must have victory over the wrongful
always. So, we should not worry about this as Dhammakaya is true.
Dhammakaya is not a fake or made up story. The Dhammakaya will appear to
all of those who attain.”
The above statement is the saying of Luang Por Sodh or
Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro), the former abbot of Wat Paknam in
Bangkok, given when he was alive and accused of false teaching by those who
disbelieved in his teaching on Dhammakaya. Luang Por Sodh confirmed the
existence of Dhammakaya in Buddhism with good reasons that Dhammakaya will
appear to everyone who has commitment in meditation practice.
Where is Dhammakaya?
Dhammakaya is within the mind of ones with righteous practice
and conduct.
What does Dhammakaya mean?
Dhammakaya means the virtuous mind of ones with righteous
practice and conduct.
Indeed, if we consider the literal meaning of the term
‘Dhammakaya,’ there may be conflicts upon the truth. Thus, it solely
depends on the practitioners who have commitment in meditation practice until
attaining Dhammakaya by themselves. For non-practitioners, it would be
difficult to discuss about this matter.
What is Dhammakaya?
Dhammakaya is both mind (nama) and form (rupa).
What is the aforesaid mind (nama)?
Dhamma is the mind (nama).
What is the aforesaid form (rupa)?
Kaya or body is the form (rupa).
The 18 Bodies
Luang Por Sodh taught about the 18 bodies namely the physical
human body, the refined human body, the unrefined celestial body, the
refined celestial body, the unrefined Rupa Brahma body, the refined Rupa Brahma
body, the unrefined Arupa Brahma body, the refined Arupa Brahma body, the
unrefined Gotrabhu Dhammakaya, the refined Gotrabhu Dhammakaya, the unrefined
Sotapanna Dhammakaya, the refined Sotapanna Dhammakaya, the unrefined
Sagadagami Dhammakaya, the refined Sagadagami Dhammakaya, the unrefined Anagami
Dhammakaya, the refined Anagami Dhammakaya, the unrefined Arahat Dhammakaya,
and the refined Arahat Dhammakaya.
l What is the physical human body?
It is the form (rupa khanda) mainly composed of the four
material elements (solid, liquid, temperature, and combustion).
l What is the refined human body?
It is the mind (nama khanda) composed of the four
immaterial elements (vedana, sanna, sanghara, and vinna) which comprise
of merit [energy].
l What is the unrefined celestial body?
It is the form (rupa khanda) composed of merit fruition.
l What is the refined celestial body?
It is the mind (nama khanda) composed of refined merit
energy.
l What is the unrefined Rupa Brahma body?
It is the form (rupa khanda) composed of refined merit
fruition.
l What is the refined Rupa Brahma body?
It is the mind (nama khanda) composed of more refined
merit fruition.
l What is the unrefined Arupa Brahma body?
It is the mind (nama khanda) as the result of more
refined merit fruition.
l What is the refined Arupa Brahma body?
It is the mind (nama khanda) composed of the most sublime
merit energy.
l What is the [unrefined Gotrabhu] Dhammakaya?
This is the Dhamma khanda [or Dhamma essence]
which occurs from the most sublime merit fruition.
l What is the refined [Gotrabhu] Dhammakaya?
This is the Dhamma khanda [or Dhamma essence]
composed of the state beyond merit and sin.
l What is the unrefined Sotapanna Dhammakaya?
This is the path (magga) of being Sotapanna.
l What is the refined Sotapanna Dhammakaya?
This is the fruition (pala) of being Sotapanna.
l What is the unrefined Sagadagami Dhammakaya?
This is the path (magga) of being Sagadagami.
l What is the refined Sagadagami Dhammakaya?
This is the fruition (pala) of being Sagadagami.
l What is the unrefined Anagami Dhammakaya?
This is the path (magga) of being Anagami.
l What is the refined Anagami Dhammakaya?
This is the fruition (pala) of being Anagami.
l What is the unrefined Arahat Dhammakaya?
This is the path (magga) of being Arahat.
l What is the refined Arahat Dhammakaya?
This is the fruition (pala) of being Arahat.
We should comprehend the terms ‘merit,’ ‘fruition of merit,’
‘sublime merit energy,’ ‘fruition of sublime merit energy,’ ‘more sublime merit
energy,’ ‘more sublime of merit energy fruition,’ the most sublime merit
energy,’ and ‘the most sublime of merit energy fruition.’
Merit
‘Merit’ means the merit energy earned from the 10 meritorious
activities as follows:
(1) Giving or
donating material objects
(2) Observing
moral precepts
(3) Meditation or
training one’s mind
(4) Being humble
or respectful
(5) Being helpful
toward others
(6) Sharing
goodness with others
(7) Appreciating
others’ goodness
(8) Learning the
Dhamma
(9) Teaching the
Dhamma, and
(10) Having right views
Merit Fruition
Merit fruition means the consequence
of a meritorious deed by resulting the human quality to be more prosperous and
complete.
Refined Merit
The refined merit or parami means
the 10 virtues perfection which one can pursue in three different levels.
Hence, totaling, there are 30 virtue perfections as follows:
1. Generosity with regular commitment
Generosity with living
commitment
Generosity with life commitment
2. Moral discipline with regular commitment
Moral Discipline with living
commitment
Moral Discipline with life commitment
3. Renunciation with regular commitment
Renunciation with living commitment
Renunciation with life commitment
4. Wisdom with regular commitment
Wisdom with living commitment
Wisdom with life commitment
5. Perseverance with regular commitment
Perseverance with living commitment
Perseverance with life commitment
6. Patience with regular commitment
Patience with living commitment
Patience with life commitment
7. Truthfulness with regular commitment
Truthfulness with living commitment
Truthfulness with life commitment
8. Resolution with regular commitment
Resolution with living commitment
Resolution with life commitment
9. Compassion with regular commitment
Compassion with living commitment
Compassion with life commitment
10. Equanimity with
regular commitment
Equanimity with living commitment
Equanimity with life commitment
Refined Merit Fruition
The refined merit fruition means the
result of thirty perfections fulfillment which leads to achievement in human
and heavenly wealth as well as the attainment of the Nirvana.
The More Refined Merit
The more refined merit means the
prospering of the four meditative absorptions as follows:
(1) The first
meditative absorption (the first jhana)
(2) The second
meditative absorption (the second jhana)
(3) The third
meditative absorption (the third jhana)
(4) The fourth
meditative absorption (the fourth jhana)
The More Refined Merit Fruition
The more refined merit fruition is
the result of prospering the four meditative absorptions (jhana) which
enables one to reborn in any of the sixteen Rupa-Brahma realms.
The Most Sublime Merit
The most sublime merit is made
possible by prospering the four formless meditative absorptions as follows:
(1) The first
formless meditative absorption (the first Arupa-Jhana)
(2) The second
formless meditative absorption (the second Arupa-Jhana)
(3) The third
formless meditative absorption (the third Arupa-Jhana)
(4) The fourth
formless meditative absorption (the fourth Arupa-Jhana)
The Most Sublime Merit Fruition
The most sublime merit fruition means
the result of prospering the four formless meditative absorptions (Arupa-Jhana)
which enables one to reborn as an Arupa-Brahma in any of the four Arupa-Brahma
realms.
The physical human body, the
unrefined celestial body, the unrefined Rupa-Brahma body, the unrefined
Arupa-Brahma body, the unrefined [Gotrabhu] Dhammakaya, the unrefined Sotapanna
Dhammakaya, the unrefined Sagadagami Dhammakaya, the unrefined Anagami
Dhammakaya, and the unrefined Arahat Dhammakaya, are like realms for dwelling
whereas the refined human body, the refined celestial body, the refined
Rupa-Brahma body, the refined Arupa-Brahma body, the refined [Gotrabhu]
Dhammakaya, the refined Sotapanna Dhammakaya, the refined Sagadagami
Dhammakaya, the refined Anagami Dhammakaya, and the refined Arahat Dhammakaya,
are like the dwelling minds.
Conclusion
Humans and celestial beings belong to
the realm of sensual desire.
Rupa-Brahmas belong to the realm of
meditative absorption.
Arupa-Brahmas belong to the realm of
formless meditative absorption.
Therefore, the mind [or spirit] that
reincarnates in the aforesaid realms needs to have merit energy which enables
the sustaining.
The Dhamma which is Dhamma
Khanda including Sotapanna, Sagadagami, Anagami, and Arahat, are the
Noble Beings whose mind prosper in good deeds but do not cling to
goodness. They do not need merit energy to enable their sustaining
because their conditions do not comprise of merit as they are beyond merit and
sin. This is because their sustaining is empowered by the insightful
mind.
Luang Por Sodh said “still the mind
at a single mental focus. When the mind becomes still, it ceases and
re-arises. Without cessation, it won’t arise. May you all ponder
upon this truth. This is genuine. The connection is there. If
the mind does not reach meditative mental unification, there will be no
meditation achievement absolutely.”
“Our world is like a big theatre
where people play like actors and actresses. People keep up with their duties
which seem not to make sense and shouldn’t be taken into account
seriously. Finally, everyone dies. If we think about this
seriously, not a single person survives. Why? Because people in
this world are reckless. This world is just like a transit, but we take
it too serious that our home and country truly belong to us. We make it a
too big deal out of this. So, we misunderstand it that way.”
Phramongkolthepmuni
(Sodh Candasaro)
The Superknowledge of Dhammakaya for
Defeating the Evil Mara(s)
The Dhammakaya
Dhammakaya is the original mind of
every living being which is pure, clean, bright, clear, and unblemished.
Dhammakaya is located in the middle of the innermost refinement of element and
essence. This is verified by the pali verse that (พระบาลี) “Look! Monks.. the mind is [originally] bright, pure, and
clear.”
The Evil Mara(s)
The evil mara(s) mean mental
defilements that enter our mind, and they are not beneficial for the
mind. When they conquer the mind, the mind turns dull and blemished by
mental impurities such as greed, anger, and delusion.
Dhammakaya belongs to the wholesome
bright party and empowered by goodness. The evil mara belongs to the
unwholesome dark party and empowered by evilness. As Dhammakaya enhances
prosperity among sentient beings, the evil mara harms, worsens, and destroys
the sentient beings.
The Bright Dhammakaya and the Dark
Mara are Opponents
Whenever the bright Dhammakaya, who
is located firmly in the middle of the innermost refinement of one’s element
and essence, becomes more powerful as empowered by wholesomeness and goodness,
the dark mara will be limited and driven away from one’s element and
essence. On the other hand, whenever the evil mara gains more strength as
empowered by unwholesomeness and evilness, it will be able to seize one’s
origin of element and essence. Thus, the bright Dhammakaya has to
retreat, and one’s mind will be conquered by the dark mara causing the mind to
become dark and blemished as well.
Location of Dhammakaya
Dhammakaya arises in the middle of
the element and essence of human body, celestial body, Brahma body, and
Arupa-Brahma body, within the middle of Sila (moral discipline) sphere, Samadhi
(mental concentration) sphere, Panna (wisdom) sphere, Vimutti (liberation)
sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana (insight of liberation) sphere.
Sila Sphere or the Sphere of Moral
Discipline controls the element and essence of human body, celestial body,
Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body to stop and abstain from existing
unwholesomeness and evilness.
Samadhi Sphere or the Sphere of
Mental Concentration controls the mind of human body, celestial body,
Rupa-Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body to be firmly powerful in getting rid of
the existing unwholesomeness and evilness as well as preventing them from
arising further.
Panna Sphere or the Sphere of Wisdom
controls the mind of human body, celestial body, Rupa-Brahma body, and
Arupa-Brahma body to know and understand the truth about suffering caused by
birth, aging, illness, and death.
Vimutti Sphere or the Sphere of
Liberation controls the mind of human body, celestial body, Rupa-Brahma body,
and Arupa-Brahma body to be free from bondage and contamination which is
ignorance (avijja), craving (tanha), and attachment (upadana).
Vimuttinanadassana Sphere or the
Sphere of Insight of Liberation controls the mind of human body, celestial
body, Rupa-Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body to know that the mind is already
liberated from bondage and contamination which are ignorance (avijja), craving
(tanha), and attachment (upadana).
Location of the Evil Mara
The evil mara intervenes into the
middle of the inner element and essence of human body, celestial body,
Rupa-Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body, at the center of Dhusila (immoral)
sphere, Mijja Samadhi (wrongful mental concentration) sphere, Mijja Nana
(wrongful insight) sphere, Mijja Vimutti (wrongful liberation) sphere, and
Mijja Vimuttinanadassana (wrongful insight of liberation) sphere.
Dhusila Sphere or the Sphere of
Immorality controls the element and essence of human body, celestial body,
Rupa-Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body to violate moral precepts and commit
misdeeds and evil deeds.
Mijja Samadhi Sphere or the Sphere of
Wrongful Mental Concentration controls the element and essence of the mind of
human body, celestial body, Rupa-Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body to be
wrongfully firmed without unwholesomeness and evilness elimination.
Mijja Nana Sphere or the Sphere of
Wrongful Insight controls the element and essence of the mind of human body,
celestial body, Rupa-Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body to know and understand
wrongly, having no effort to correct one’s conducts with the misunderstanding
that the sinful and unwholesome fruitions are good.
Mijja Vimutti Sphere or the Sphere of
Wrongful Liberation prevents the element and essence of the mind of human body,
celestial body, Rupa-Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body from liberation which
is the freedom from bondage and contamination with the misunderstanding that
enjoyment from sensual desire is liberation despite of the fact that such
enjoyment is the evil mara’s bondage and contamination.
How to Attain Dhammakaya
Settle the mind which comprises of
perception, memory, thought, and cognition to become still at the center of our
human body which is the point for reincarnation. Once the mind becomes
still and full of brightness and clarity, the first, the second, the third, and
the fourth meditative absorption will occur. This means that the mind of
the human body progresses into the meditative absorptions. Then, the
refined human body will arise.
Settle the mind which comprises of
perception, memory, thought, and cognition to be still at the center of the
refined human body. When it becomes still at the right mental
unification, it will turn to be bright and clear and progress into the first,
second, third, and fourth meditative absorption. This means that the mind
of the refined human body progresses into the meditative absorptions which rest
within the ‘mind at meditative absorption state’ of the physical human
body. Thereafter, the celestial body will arise.
Settle the mind which comprises of
perception, memory, thought, and cognition to be still at the center of the
celestial body. When it becomes still at the right mental unification, it
will turn to be bright and clear and progress into the first, second, third,
and fourth meditative absorption. This means that the mind of the
celestial body progresses into the meditative absorptions which rest within the
‘mind at meditative absorption state’ of the refined human body.
Thereafter, the refined celestial body will arise.
Settle the mind which comprises of
perception, memory, thought, and cognition to be still at the center of the
refined celestial body. When it becomes still at the right mental
unification, it will turn to be bright and clear and progress into the first,
second, third, and fourth meditative absorption. This means that the mind
of the refined celestial body progresses into the meditative absorptions which
rest within the ‘mind at meditative absorption state’ of the unrefined
celestial body. Thereafter, the unrefined Rupa-Brahma body will arise.
Settle the mind which comprises of
perception, memory, thought, and cognition to be still at the center of the
unrefined Rupa-Brahma body. When it becomes still at the right mental
unification, it will turn to be bright and clear and progress into the first,
second, third, and fourth meditative absorption. This means that the mind
of the unrefined Rupa-Brahma body progresses into the meditative absorptions
which rest within the ‘mind at meditative absorption state’ of the refined
celestial body. Thereafter, the refined Rupa-Brahma body will arise.
Settle the mind which comprises of
perception, memory, thought, and cognition to be still at the center of the
refined Rupa-Brahma body. When it becomes still at the right mental
unification, it will turn to be bright and clear and progress into the first,
second, third, and fourth meditative absorption. This means that the mind
of the refined Rupa-Brahma body progresses into the meditative absorptions
which rest within the ‘mind at meditative absorption state’ of the unrefined
Rupa-Brahma body. Thereafter, the unrefined Arupa-Brahma body will arise.
Settle the mind which comprises of
perception, memory, thought, and cognition to be still at the center of the
unrefined Arupa-Brahma body. When it becomes still at the right mental
unification, it will turn to be bright and clear and progress into the first,
second, third, and fourth meditative absorption. This means that the mind
of the unrefined Arupa-Brahma body progresses into the meditative absorptions
which rest within the ‘mind at meditative absorption state’ of the refined
Rupa-Brahma body. Thereafter, the refined Arupa-Brahma body will arise.
Settle the mind which comprises of
perception, memory, thought, and cognition to be still at the center of the
refined Arupa-Brahma body. When it becomes still at the right mental
unification, it will turn to be bright and clear and progress into the first,
second, third, and fourth meditative absorption. This means that the mind
of the refined Arupa-Brahma body progresses into the meditative absorptions
which rest within the ‘mind at meditative absorption state’ of the unrefined
Arupa-Brahma body. Thereafter, the Dhammakaya will arise.
The Dhammakaya rests inside the
meditative absorption state of the refined Arupa-Brahma’s mind.
The refined Arupa-Brahma rests inside
the meditative absorption state of the unrefined Arupa-Brahma’s mind.
The unrefined Arupa-Brahma rests
inside the meditative absorption state of the refined Rupa-Brahma’s mind.
The refined Rupa-Brahma rests inside
the meditative absorption state of the unrefined Rupa-Brahma’s mind.
The unrefined Rupa-Brahma rests
inside the meditative absorption state of the refined celestial body’s mind.
The refined celestial body rests
inside the meditative absorption state of the unrefined celestial body’s mind.
The unrefined celestial body rests
inside the meditative absorption state of the refined human body.
The refined human body rests inside
the meditative absorption state of the physical human body.
In order to attain Dhammakaya, one
needs to still the mind to proceed into the middle for progressive refinement
of the mind until reaching the most sublime refinement possible. This
Dhammakaya is called ‘the Dhammakaya that has not overcome the mundane state.’
The Noble Dhammakaya
The Dhammakaya which is in between
the mundane and the nobility is called ‘Gotrabhu.’ This is the mind that
attains Dhammakaya but still remains in the mundane state. In order to
overcome the mundane state and achieve the nobility, one has to do the
followings:
Settle the mind of Gotrabhu
Dhammakaya to be still in the middle of the Dhammakaya and contemplate over the
Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and
Vimuttinanadassana sphere, which rest within the Dhamma sphere that forms the
Gotrabhu Dhammakaya. At the right mental unification, the sphere of
elimination causal knowledge and the fruition from eliminating the three
attachments namely (1) personality-belief (sakkaya-ditthi), (2) skeptical
doubt (vicikiccha), and (3) clinging to mere rules and ritual
(silabbata-paramasa) will appear. This means that the mind of Dhammakaya
attains Sotapanna Sainthood.
Thus, settle the mind of Dhammakaya
to be still in the middle of Sotapanna Dhammakaya and contemplate over the Sila
sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana
sphere, which rest within the Dhamma sphere that forms the Sotapanna
Dhammakaya. At the right mental unification which brings about brightness
and clarity, the sphere of the knowledge about causes that enable the lessening
of two additional attachments which are (1) sensuous craving (kama-raga), and (2)
ill-will (panigha) will appear. This means the
mind of Dhammakaya attain Sagadagami Sainthood.
Thus, settle the mind of Dhammakaya
to be still in the middle of Sagadagami Dhammakaya and contemplate over the
Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and
Vimuttinanadassana sphere, which rest within the Dhamma sphere that forms the
Sagadagami Dhammakaya. At the right mental unification which brings about
brightness and clarity, the sphere of the knowledge about causes and fruition
of the elimination of the two attachments which are (1) sensuous craving (kama-raga), and (2) ill-will (vyapada) will appear. This means the mind of Dhammakaya attain
Anagami Sainthood.
Thus, settle the mind of Dhammakaya
to be still in the middle of Anagami Dhammakaya and contemplate over the Sila
sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana
sphere, which rest within the Dhamma sphere that forms the Anagami
Dhammakaya. At the right mental unification which brings about brightness
and clarity, the sphere of the knowledge about causes and fruition of the
elimination of the five attachments which are (1) craving for fine-material
existence (rupa-raga) (2) craving for immaterial existence (arupa-raga) (3)
conceit (mana) (4) restlessness (uddhacca), and (5) ignorance (avijja) will appear. This means the mind of Dhammakaya attain
Arahat Sainthood.
l The mind of Dhammakaya which
already attained Arahat fruition rests within the mind of Dhammakaya which
attained Arahat path.
l The mind of Dhammakaya which
already attained Arahat path rests within the mind of Dhammakaya which attained
Anagami fruition.
l The mind of Dhammakaya which
already attained Anagami fruition rests within the mind of Dhammakaya which
attained Anagami path.
l The mind of Dhammakaya which
already attained Anagami path rests within the mind of Dhammakaya which
attained Sagadagami fruition.
l The mind of Dhammakaya which
already attained Sagadagami fruition rests within the mind of Dhammakaya which
attained Sagadagami path.
l The mind of Dhammakaya which
already attained Sagadagami path rests within the mind of Dhammakaya which
attained Sotapanna fruition.
l The mind of Dhammakaya which
already attained Sotapanna fruition rests within the mind of Dhammakaya which attained
Sotapanna path.
l The mind of Dhammakaya which
already attained Sotapanna path rests within the mind which attained [Gotrabhu]
Dhammakaya .
The Dhammakaya in the mundane state
can achieve the nobility this way.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) in the Mundane
State
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) within the
Human Body
The evil mara(s) are mental
defilements which intervene themselves into the very middle of human
body. There are three chief evil mara(s) as follows:
(1) Lobha Mara which
is greed
(2) Dhosa Mara which
is anger
(3) Moha Mara which
is delusion
There are five additional categories
of courtier evil mara(s) who support the chief mara(s) as follows:
(1) Courtier Mara
as the killer
(2) Courtier Mara
as the stealer and robber
(3) Courtier Mara
as the sexual violator
(4) Courtier Mara
as the liar
(5) Courtier Mara
as the drunkard
The evil mara(s) have five tools as
their human traps as follows:
(1) The trap via
sight
(2) The trap via
sound
(3) The trap via
smell
(4) The trap via
taste
(5) The trap via
bodily feeling
Once the evil mara(s) place their
traps, they and their courtier mara(s) wait for the foolish humans to be
entrapped and enslaved by them similar to the hunters who are hiding and
waiting for animals to be entrapped and killed for foods.
How to Defeat the Evil Mara(s),
Courtier Mara(s), and Mara(s)’ Tools
Defeating the Evil Mara(s), Courtier
Mara(s), and Mara(s)’ Tools with the Dhamma
Allow the Dhammakaya who is comprised
of the sphere of perception, memory, thought, and cognition to be still and
purified until becoming clear and bright. This means that the Dhammakaya
is progressing into meditative absorption in the middle of the Sila sphere,
Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana sphere,
which rest within each other at the center of human body. As such, there
are three Dhamma spheres which are the Dhamma weapons as follows:
(1) Alobha is
the Dhamma that defeats lobha or greed
(2) Adhosa is
the Dhamma that defeats dhosa or anger
(3) Amoha is
the Dhamma that defeats moha or delusion
Under such state of mind, there are
five additional Dhamma weapons for defeating the courtier mara(s) who support
the chief evil mara(s) as follows:
(1) Compassion is
the Dhamma that defeats mara, the killer
(2) Right
livelihood is the Dhamma that defeats mara, the stealer and cheater
(3) Contentment
is the Dhamma that defeats mara, the sexual violator
(4) Verbal
truthfulness is the Dhamma that defeats mara, the liar
(5) Recklessness
is the Dhamma that defeats mara, the drunkard
In addition, we have four Dhamma
spheres which are tools for removing the evil mara(s)’ traps as follows:
(1) Impermanence
of form is the Dhamma that removes sight entrapment
(2) Impermanence
of sound is the Dhamma that removes sound entrapment
(3) Impermanence
of smell is the Dhamma that removes smell entrapment
(4) Impermanence
of taste is the Dhamma that removes taste entrapment
(5) Impermanence
of bodily feeling is the Dhamma that removes bodily feeling entrapment
Defeating the Evil Mara within the
Refined Human Body
After we defeat the chief and
courtier evil mara(s) within the human body, they hide themselves into the
middle of the refined human body. They refine themselves to fit into the
condition of the refined human body and monitor the mind of refined human body
similar to a wise hunter who hides or camouflages himself waiting for an animal
to be caught and killed.
There are the total of sixteen chief
evil mara(s) and courtier(s) mara as follows:
(1) Covetousness
(2) Malevolence
(3) Anger
(4) Being
revengeful
(5) Detraction
(6) Being
comparative upon others
(7) Jealousy
(8) Selfishness
(9) Being tricky
or deceitful
(10) Boasting
(11) Obstinacy
(12) Rivalry
(13) Arrogance
(14) Disdain
(15) Indulgence
(16) Negligence
The Dhammakaya brings up the Dhamma
weapons by stilling the mind which comprises of perception sphere, memory
sphere, thought sphere, and cognition sphere at the center of one’s body until
becoming clear and bright. This is to proceed into the meditative
absorption in the middle of Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti
sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana sphere, which rests within each other at the
middle of the refined human body. There are sixteen Dhamma spheres which
can be used as the Dhamma weapons for defeating the evil mara(s) as follows:
(1) The
non-covetousness is the Dhamma that defeats covetousness, the evil mara.
(2) The
non-malevolence is the Dhamma that defeats malevolence, the evil mara.
(3) The non-anger
is the Dhamma that defeats anger, the evil mara.
(4) The
non-revengeful is the Dhamma that defeats revengeful, the evil mara.
(5) The
non-detraction is the Dhamma that defeats detraction, the evil mara.
(6) The
non-comparativeness upon others is the Dhamma that defeats comparativeness, the
evil mara.
(7) The
non-jealousy is the Dhamma that defeats jealousy, the evil mara.
(8) The
non-selfishness is the Dhamma that defeats selfishness, the evil mara.
(9) The
non-tricky or non-deceitful is the Dhamma that defeats the tricky and the
deceitful, the evil mara.
(10) The non-boasting is the Dhamma that defeats the boasting, the
evil mara.
(11) The non-obstinacy is the Dhamma that defeats the obstinacy, the
evil mara.
(12) The non-rivalry is the Dhamma that defeats the rivalry, the evil
mara.
(13) The non-arrogance is the Dhamma that defeats the arrogance, the
evil mara.
(14) The non-disdain is the Dhamma that defeats the disdain, the evil
mara.
(15) The non-indulgence is the Dhamma that defeats the indulgence,
the evil mara.
(16) The non-negligence is the Dhamma that defeats the negligence,
the evil mara.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the
Unrefined Celestial Body
The chief evil mara(s) and courtier
mara(s) who obstruct good deeds are defeated inside the refined human
body. Thus, they fled into the unrefined celestial body by conditioning
themselves to be equivalent to the state of the unrefined celestial body and
conquer the unrefined celestial body as their residence with a aim to use as
their base for encountering the Dhammakaya. They form the ten dark
spheres in the middle of the unrefined celestial body as follows:
(1) Sensual
desire is the evil mara
(2) Mental
irritation is the evil mara
(3) Foolishness
is the evil mara
(4) Arrogance is
the evil mara
(5) Wrong view is
the evil mara
(6) Hesitation is
the evil mara
(7) Disheartening
is the evil mara
(8) Wandering
thought is the evil mara
(9) Unshame of
sin is the evil mara
(10) Unafraid of sin is the evil mara
The Dhammakaya who rests in the
middle of the unrefined celestial body incorporates the Dhamma weapons to
encounter the evil mara immediately by stilling the mind which comprises of
perception sphere, memory sphere, thought sphere, and cognition sphere until
becoming clear and bright. This is to proceed into the meditative
absorption in the middle of Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti
sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana sphere, which rests within each other at the middle
of the unrefined celestial body. Thus, the dark mara(s)’ spheres are
defeated by the bright holy spheres as follows:
(1) Realization
in the harm of sensual indulgence is the Dhamma that defeats sensual
indulgence, the evil mara.
(2) Pitiful or sympathy
is the Dhamma that defeats mental irritation, the evil mara.
(3) Courage is
the Dhamma that defeats discouraging foolishness, the evil mara.
(4) Non-self is
the Dhamma that defeats self-centeredness, the evil mara.
(5) Right view is
the Dhamma that defeats wrong view, the evil mara.
(6) Confidence is
the Dhamma that defeats spiritual doubt, the evil mara.
(7) Joy is the
Dhamma that defeats disheartening, the evil mara.
(8) Steadfastness
is the Dhamma that defeats mental wandering, the evil mara.
(9) Shame of sin
is the Dhamma that defeats unshame of sin, the evil mara.
(10) Afraid of sin is the Dhamma that defeats unafraid of sin, the
evil mara.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the
Refined Celestial Body
Once defeated by the Dhammakaya, the
evil mara(s) within the unrefined celestial body escape into the refined
celestial body by refining themselves until being able to penetrate into the
refined celestial body and obstruct the goodness further by forming up the dark
spheres located in the middle of the refined celestial body disallowing other
wholesome spheres to arise. The evil mara(s) are as follows:
(1) Favor of
sensual desire, the evil mara
(2) Preference of
socializing, the evil mara
(3) Selfishness,
the evil mara
(4) Frequent
anger, the evil mara
(5) Frequent
delusion, the evil mara
(6) Frequent
attachment, the evil mara
The Dhammakaya incorporates the
Dhamma weapons within the center of the refined celestial body by stilling the
mind which comprises of perception sphere, memory sphere, thought sphere, and
cognition sphere until becoming clear and bright. Then, the Dhammakaya
proceeds into the meditative absorption in the middle of Sila sphere, Samadhi
sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana sphere, which rest
within each other at the middle of the refined celestial body in order to
defeat the evil mara(s) as follows:
(1) The
preference for ordination is the Dhamma that defeats favor of sensual desire,
the evil mara.
(2) The
preference for contentment is the Dhamma that defeats preference of
socializing, the evil mara.
(3) The
preference for sharing is the Dhamma that defeats selfishness, the evil mara.
(4) The
preference of forgiving is the Dhamma that defeats frequent anger, the evil
mara.
(5) Mindfulness
is the Dhamma that defeats frequent delusion, the evil mara.
(6) Detachment is
the Dhamma that defeats frequent attachment, the evil mara.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the
Unrefined Rupa-Brahma Body
In the middle of the unrefined
Rupa-Brahma body, the evil mara(s) intervene and embed themselves within.
The evil mara(s) refine themselves to match the refinement level of the
Rupa-Brahma body which is further than the celestial body. They form up the
dense dark spheres located in the middle of the Rupa-Brahma body and spread out
the dark ray covering the unrefined Rupa-Brahma body. This reflects the
very slight bonding condition of being a Rupa-Brahma body as follows:
(1) The bonding
to the lightness of form, the evil mara.
(2) The bonding
to the delicacy of form, the evil mara.
(3) The bonding
to the practicable of form, the evil mara.
(4) The bonding
to the formation of form, the evil mara.
(5) The bonding
to the continuation of form, the evil mara.
(6) The bonding
to the worsening of form, the evil mara.
(7) The bonding
to the changing of form, the evil mara.
The Dhammakaya which comprises of
perception sphere, memory sphere, thought sphere, and cognition sphere stilling
the mind further until becoming clear and bright and proceeding into the
meditative absorption in the middle of Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna
sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana sphere, which rest within each
other at the middle of the unrefined Rupa-Brahma body in order to defeat
the evil mara(s) who create bondage within the unrefined Rupa-Brahma body with
the Dhamma weapons as follows:
(1) The releasing
of bonding defeats the boding to the lightness of form, the evil mara.
(2) The releasing
of bonding defeats the bonding to the delicacy of form, the evil mara.
(3) The releasing
of bonding defeats the bonding to the practicability of form, the evil mara.
(4) The releasing
of bonding defeats the bonding to the formation of form, the evil mara.
(5) The releasing
of bonding defeats the bonding to the continuation of form, the evil mara.
(6) The releasing
of bonding defeats the bonding to the worsening of form, the evil mara.
(7) The releasing
of bonding defeats the bonding to the changing of form, the evil mara.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the Refined Rupa-Brahma Body
The evil mara(s) who dwell inside the refined Rupa-Brahma body
is powerful because they refine themselves until matching the condition of
refined Rupa-Brahma body. The evil mara(s) are dark and glossy.
They enable themselves to grow further to become mighty within the refined
Rupa-Brahma body extending throughout the Rupa Realm by transforming themselves
to be self attachment in being the refined Rupa-Brahma body as follows:
(1) The adherence
to the lightness of form, the evil mara.
(2) The adherence
to the delicacy of form, the evil mara.
(3) The adherence
to the practicable of form, the evil mara.
(4) The adherence
to the formation of form, the evil mara.
(5) The adherence
to the continuation of form, the evil mara.
(6) The adherence
to the worsening of form, the evil mara.
(7) The adherence
to the changing of form, the evil mara.
The Dhammakaya, who is the direct
opponent of the evil mara(s), comprises of perception sphere, memory sphere,
thought sphere, and cognition sphere stilling the mind further until becoming
clear and bright and proceeding calmly into the meditative absorption in the
middle of Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana
sphere, which rest within each other at the middle of the refined Rupa-Brahma
body are the Dhamma weapons for defeating the evil mara(s) within the refined
Rupa-Brahma body as follows:
(1) The releasing
of adherence is the Dhamma that defeats adherence to the lightness of form, the
evil mara.
(2) The releasing
of adherence is the Dhamma that defeats adherence to the delicacy of form, the
evil mara.
(3) The releasing
of adherence is the Dhamma that defeats adherence to the practicable of form,
the evil mara.
(4) The releasing
of adherence is the Dhamma that defeats adherence to the formation of form, the
evil mara.
(5) The releasing
of adherence is the Dhamma that defeats adherence to the continuation of form,
the evil mara.
(6) The releasing
of adherence is the Dhamma that defeats adherence to the worsening of form, the
evil mara.
(7) The releasing
of adherence is the Dhamma that defeats adherence to the changing of form, the
evil mara.
Defeating the Evil Mara Within the
Unrefined Arupa-Brahma Body
The unrefined Arupa-Brahma body is
the state of mind which is very sublime. It is formless and exists as the
status for two mental experiences as follows:
(1) The state of
consciousness over spaciousness is infinite.
(2) The state of
consciousness over cognition or vinna is infinite.
The evil mara(s) refine themselves to
match the state of being formless and intervene and embed themselves into the
Arupa-Realm with an attempt to obstruct and cause misunderstanding to the mind,
extending their might and power throughout the Arupa-Realm by clinging the mind
of meditators to the unrefined Arupa-Brahma body with the power of slight
bondages as follows:
(1) The interest
in the state of consciousness over spaciousness of Arupa-Brahma body.
(2) The interest
in the state of consciousness over cognition or vinna of Arupa-Brahma body.
Thus, the Dhammakaya, who rests
inside the unrefined Arupa-Brahma body, comprises of perception sphere, memory
sphere, thought sphere, and cognition sphere, stilling the mind further until
becoming clear and bright and proceeding into the first formless meditative
absorption (The First Arupa-Jhana) calmly in the middle of Sila
sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana
sphere, which rest within each other at the middle of the unrefined
Arupa-Brahma body are the Dhamma weapons for defeating the evil mara(s).
Moreover, the Dhammakaya, who rests
inside the unrefined Arupa-Brahma body, comprises of perception sphere, memory
sphere, thought sphere, and cognition sphere, stilling the mind further until
becoming clear and bright and proceeding into the second formless meditative
absorption (The Second Arupa-Jhana) calmly in the middle of Sila
sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana
sphere, which rest within each other at the middle of the unrefined
Arupa-Brahma body, are the Dhamma weapons for defeating the evil mara(s) as
follows:
(1) Disinterest
which arises during the first formless meditative absorption is the Dhamma that
defeats the evil mara(s) which is interest in the state of consciousness over
the spaciousness of Arupa-Brahma body.
(2) Disinterest
which arises during the second formless meditative absorption is the Dhamma
that defeats the evil mara(s) which is interest in the state of consciousness
over cognition of vinna of Arupa-Brahma body.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the
Refined Arupa-Brahma Body
The refined Arupa-Brahma body is the
state which is more sublime. This is the state of being formless,
infinite spaciousness, and infinite mind. There exists the status for two
mental experiences as follows:
(1) The state of
consciousness over no remaining of cognition or vinna
(2) The state of
consciousness over the slight remaining of sublime remembrance or sanna
The evil mara(s) within the refined
Arupa-Brahma body also achieve the state of being formless, infinite
spaciousness, and infinite mind. These conditions cling one’s mind to
adhere to the state of being a refined Arupa-Brahma with the power of slight
bondages as follows:
(1) The evil mara in
the form of minding the state of consciousness over no remaining of cognition
or vinna
(2) The evil mara in
the form of minding the state of consciousness over the slight remaining of
sublime remembrance or sanna
Thus, the Dhammakaya, who rests
inside the refined Arupa-Brahma body, comprises of perception sphere, memory
sphere, thought sphere, and cognition sphere, stilling the mind further until
becoming clear and bright and proceeding into the third formless meditative
absorption (The Third Arupa-Jhana) calmly in the middle of Sila
sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana
sphere, which rest within each other at the middle of the refined Arupa-Brahma
body, are the Dhamma weapons for defeating the evil mara(s).
In addition, the Dhammakaya, who
rests inside the refined Arupa-Brahma body, comprises of perception sphere,
memory sphere, thought sphere, and cognition sphere, stilling the mind further
until becoming clear and bright and proceeding into the fourth formless
meditative absorption (The Fourth Arupa-Jhana) calmly in the middle
of Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and
Vimuttinanadassana sphere, which rest within each other at the middle of the
refined Arupa-Brahma body, are the Dhamma weapons for defeating the evil
mara(s) as follows:
(1) The disinterest
which exists in the third meditative absorption defeats the interest in the
state of consciousness over no remaining of cognition or vinna
(2) The
disinterest which exists in the fourth meditative absorption defeats the
interest in the state of consciousness over the slight remaining of sublime
remembrance or sanna
Note: The Dhammakaya in this
state is the mundane Dhammakaya which can get rid of the evil mara(s) in the
form of mental impurities or defilements with the power of one’s meditative
absorptions as long as one does not regress in the meditative absorptions or
still be progressive in the meditative absorption. This is because the
power of meditative absorptions can get rid or suspend the evil mara(s) from
alteration temporarily.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) at the
Noble Level
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the
Unrefined Sotapanna Dhammakaya (Sotapattimagga)
The Dhammakaya contemplates on the
vipassana which is incorporated with the Perception sphere, Memory sphere,
Thought sphere, and Cognition sphere which are the Dhamma(s) that enable five
sustaining powers as the followings:
(1) The
consistent faith
(2) The
consistent perseverance
(3) The
consistent mindfulness
(4) The
consistent mental concentration
(5) The
consistent wisdom
At the right mental stillness which
leads to unification of mind, in the middle of the Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere,
Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana sphere, there will arise
respectively of the followings:
(1) The sphere of consciousness
over the mind and form
(2) The sphere of consciousness
over the reason of mind and form
(3) The sphere of consciousness
over the impermanence, suffering, and non-self
(4) The sphere of consciousness
over the arising and ceasing of mind and form
(5) The sphere of consciousness over the
dissolvent of mind and form
(6) The sphere of consciousness
over the mind and form as to be afraid of
(7) The sphere of consciousness
over the harm of mind and form
(8) The sphere of consciousness
over the tiresomeness of mind and form
(9) The sphere of consciousness
over the wish to be liberated from mind and form
(10) The sphere of consciousness over the Trilaksana of mind and form
(11) The sphere of consciousness over the equanimity towards all
Sanghara
(12) The sphere of consciousness which is in-line towards the
enlightenment over the Four Noble Truth
(13) The sphere of consciousness to absolutely uproot the state
of being mundane
From this point onward, the insight
which rises in the noble magga or path appears in the form of maggananasphere
(the sphere of insight from path achievement) will arise, and the Dhammakaya
has attained Sotapanna Magga which allows him to consider and see the three
obstructive attachments. Thereafter, the Dhammakaya can incorporate the
sphere of primary insight from path achievement to be his Dhamma weapon in
defeating the evil mara(s) which are the three attachments as follows:
(1) The sphere of
primary insight from path [achievement] defeats the evil mara which is the
misunderstanding in mind and form (sakkāya-ditthi).
(2) The sphere of primary insight from
path [achievement] defeats the evil mara which is the doubt or hesitation in
the Triple Gem namely the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha (vicikicchā).
(3) The sphere of primary insight from
path [achievement] defeats the evil mara which is the adherence to the wrongful
conducts (sīlabbata-parāmāsa).
The Evil Mara(s) Calm Down in the
Refined Sotapanna Dhammakaya
(The Fruition of Sotapanna)
After the Dhammakaya attains the path
of being Sotapanna and completely defeat the evil mara(s) which are the three
attachments with the insight from path [achievement], the two Dhamma spheres
will arise as follows:
(1) The sphere of
consciousness over the achievement from absolutely defeating the evil mara(s)
which are the three attachments with the primary insight from path
[achievement].
(2) The sphere of
consciousness over the reconsideration on the eliminated and the remained
attachmentswhich are the evil mara(s).
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the
Unrefined Sagadagami Dhammakaya
(The Path of Sagadagami Dhammakaya)
The Dhammakaya which already attained
Sotapanna Sainthood can contemplate on Vipassana further by incorporating the
Perception sphere, Memory sphere, Thought sphere, and Cognition sphere to
empower the five virtuous qualities for sustainment as follows:
(1) The
consistent faith
(2) The
consistent perseverance
(3) The
consistent mindfulness
(4) The
consistent mental concentration
(5) The
consistent wisdom
By way of stilling the mind further
in the middle of the Sila sphere, Samadhi sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere,
and Vimuttinanadassana sphere, then, the following spheres of Vipassana Nana
(insight power) will arise as follows:
(1) The sphere of
consciousness over the arising and ceasing of mind and form
(2) The sphere of
consciousness over the dissolvent of mind and form
(3) The sphere of
consciousness over the mind and form as to be afraid of
(4) The sphere of
consciousness over the harm of mind and form
(5) The sphere of
consciousness over the tiresomeness of mind and form
(6) The sphere of
consciousness over the wish to be liberated from mind and form
(7) The sphere of
consciousness over the reconsideration on Trilaksana or the three worldly
natures of mind and form
(8) The sphere of
consciousness over the equanimity towards mind and form
(9) The sphere of
consciousness over the inclination towards enlightenment on the Four Noble
Truth
(10) The sphere of purity which arises to replace the sphere of
consciousness in order to uproot the state of being mundane
From now on, the sphere of insight
[from path achievement] or magganana will arise. The Sotapanna Dhammakaya
has attained the Sagadagami path. Then, one is able to contemplate and
see the evil mara(s) or the three attachments which were eliminated with the
primary insight [from path achievement] of the Sotapanna Dhammakaya.
Thereafter, the magganana (the secondary insight from path achievement] of
Sagadagami is incorporated to be the Dhamma weapons for defeating the evil
mara(s) as follows:
(1) The sphere of
secondary insight from path [achievement] defeats the evil mara by lessening
the sensual desire over the mind and form.
(2) The sphere of secondary insight from
path [achievement] defeats the evil mara by lessening the mental irritation
over the mind and form.
(3) The sphere of primary insight from
path [achievement] defeats the evil mara by lessening the sensual indulgence
over the mind and form.
The Evil Mara(s) Within the Refined Sagadagami
Dhammakaya Calms Down
(The Fruition of Sagadagami
Dhammakaya)
The Dhammakaya which already attained
the path of Sagadagami Sainthood can lessen the evil mara(s) which are the
sensual desire, mental irritation, and sensual indulgence towards the mind and
form with the secondary insight from Sagadagami path achievement. The two
Dhamma spheres which arise for the Sotapanna body will also arise for the
Sagadagami body as follows:
(1) The sphere of
consciousness over the achievement in lessening the evil mara(s) which are
sensual desire, mental irritation, and sensual indulgence towards the mind and
form with the secondary insight from path achievement or ‘dutiyamagganana.’
(2) The sphere of
consciousness over the reconsideration on the eliminated and remained
attachments.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the
Unrefined Anagami Dhammakaya
(The Path of Anagami Dhammakaya)
The Dhammakaya who already attained
Sagadagami Sainthood will contemplate the Vipassana further incorporation with
the Perception sphere, Memory sphere, Thought sphere, and Cognition sphere and
empowered by the five Dhamma(s) which occur consistently as follows:
(1) Faith
(2) Perseverance
(3) Mindfulness
(4) Mental
concentration
(5) Wisdom
Hence, the Dhammakaya stills the mind
further at the right mental unification, in the middle of Sila sphere, Samadhi
sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana sphere.
Then, the following Vipassana spheres of insight will arise:
(1) The sphere of
consciousness over the arising and ceasing of mind and form
(2) The sphere of
consciousness over the dissolvent of mind and form
(3) The sphere of
consciousness over the mind and form as to be afraid of
(4) The sphere of
consciousness over the harm of mind and form
(5) The sphere of
consciousness over the tiresomeness of mind and form
(6) The sphere of
consciousness over the wish to be liberated from mind and form
(7) The sphere of
consciousness over the reconsideration on Trilaksana or the three worldly
quality of mind and form
(8) The sphere of
consciousness over the equanimity towards mind and form
(9) The sphere of
consciousness over the inclination towards enlightenment on the Four Noble
Truth
(10) The sphere of purity which arises to replace the sphere of
consciousness in order to uproot the state of being mundane
From now on, the insight sphere of path achievement will arise
as the Sagadagami Dhammakaya attains the path of Anagami Sainthood or Anagami
Magga. Then, consider the evil mara(s) which are the absolutely
eliminated attachments and incorporate the insight sphere or
Magganana of Anagami Dhammakaya to be used as the Dhamma weapon to defeat the
evil mara(s) which are the two additional attachments that are the evil obstruction as follows:
(1) The sphere of
third insight from path [achievement] or ‘tatiyamagganana’ defeats the evil mara(s) which are adherence to all sensuous
craving (kāma-rāga).
(2) The
sphere of third insight from path [achievement] or ‘tatiyamagganana’ defeats
the evil mara(s) which are the mental counteract within all of the sensuous
craving (kāma-rāga).
The Evil Mara(s) Calms Down Within
the Refined Anagami Dhammakaya
(The Fruition of Anagami Dhammakaya)
After the Dhammakaya attained the
path of Anagami Sainthood, one is able to defeat the evil mara(s) by absolutely
eliminating the two attachments with tatiyamagganana or the third
insight from path [achievement], one attains the fruition of Anagami Sainthood,
and the two Dhamma spheres will arise to oneself similar to the Sotapanna
Dhammakaya and Sagadagami Dhammakaya as follows:
(1) The sphere of
consciousness over the achievement in absolutely defeating the evil mara(s)
which are the two attachments with tatiyamagganana or the third
insight from path [achievement].
(2) The sphere of
consciousness over the reconsideration on the eliminated and remained
attachments.
Defeating the Evil Mara(s) Within the
Unrefined Arahat Dhammakaya
(The Fruition of Arahat Dhammakaya)
The Dhammakaya who already attained
Anagami Sainthood can contemplate the Vipassana further with the incorporation
of the Perception sphere, Memory sphere, Thought sphere, and Cognition sphere
and empowered by the five Dhamma(s) which occur consistently as follows:
(1) Faith
(2) Perseverance
(3) Mindfulness
(4) Mental
concentration
(5) Wisdom
Hence, the Dhammakaya stills the mind
further at the right mental unification, in the middle of Sila sphere, Samadhi
sphere, Panna sphere, Vimutti sphere, and Vimuttinanadassana sphere.
Then, the following Vipassana spheres of insight will arise:
(1) The sphere of
consciousness over the arising and ceasing of mind and form
(2) The sphere of
consciousness over the dissolvent of mind and form
(3) The sphere of
consciousness over the mind and form as to be afraid of
(4) The sphere of
consciousness over the harm of mind and form
(5) The sphere of
consciousness over the tiresomeness of mind and form
(6) The sphere of
consciousness over the wish to be liberated from mind and form
(7) The sphere of
consciousness over the reconsideration on Trilaksana or the three worldly
quality of mind and form
(8) The sphere of
consciousness over the equanimity towards mind and form
(9) The sphere of
consciousness over the inclination towards enlightenment on the Four Noble
Truth
(10) The sphere of purity which arises to replace the sphere of
consciousness in order to uproot the state of being mundane
Thereafter, the magganana sphere or the sphere of insight from path achievement will
arise, and the Anagami Dhammakaya attains the path of Arahat Sainthood.
One is able to contemplate on the evil mara(s) which are the absolutely
eliminated attachments with the primary magganana or the
insight from path achievement. This will lead to the incorporation of the
Arahat Dhammakaya’s sphere of insight from path achievement to be used as the
Dhamma weapon for defeating the evil mara(s) which are the remaining five
attachments as follows:
(1) The sphere of
fourth insight from path [achievement] or ‘catutthamagganana’ defeats the evil
mara which is adherence to the realm of form (rūpa-rāga).
(2) The sphere of
fourth insight from path [achievement] or ‘catutthamagganana’ defeats the evil
mara which is adherence to the realm of formless (arūpa-rāga).
(3) The sphere of
fourth insight from path [achievement] or ‘catutthamagganana’ defeats the evil
mara(s) which are arrogance and egoism towards the mind and form (māna).
(4) The sphere of
fourth insight from path [achievement] or ‘catutthamagganana’ defeats the evil
mara(s) which are mental wandering into the mind and form (uddhacca).
(5) The sphere of
fourth insight from path [achievement] or ‘catutthamagganana’ defeats the evil
mara(s) which are the dark delusion towards mind and form (avijjā).
The Evil Mara(s) Calm Down Within the
Refined Arahat Body
(The Fruition of Arahat Dhammakaya)
The Dhammakaya who already attained
the path of Arahat Sainthood after absolutely defeating the evil mara(s) in the
form of five attachments with the catutthamagganana or the fourth insight from
path [achievement], is able to achieve the fruition of Arahat Sainthood.
Then, the two Dhamma spheres will arise to such Arahat Dhammakaya as follows:
(1) The sphere of
consciousness over the achievement in absolutely defeating the evil mara(s) by
eliminating the final five attachments with catutthamagganana or the fourth
insight from path [achievement].
(2) The sphere of
consciousness over the reconsideration on the completely eliminated attachments
with no remain.
Note: The Dhammakaya in the
aforesaid state is the Noble Dhammakaya which can arise within the noble
Buddhist disciples or Buddhist Saints who are able to defeat the evil mara(s)
by absolutely eliminating the mental defilements or impurities with their basic
to advanced insight power whereas the evil mara(s) can never arise within them
again.
Q&A with The Master Nun
1. Life with a
Principle
Q: Master Nun, I had listened
to a Buddhist monk’s sermon. He said our lives need to have
principles. What does it mean?
A: According to the sermon, the
meaning can be differentiated into two perspectives as follows:
(1) Studying the
Dhamma principles
(2) Practicing
the Dhamma principles we learned
Q: Master Nun, is it the same
as your teaching that “create the principles for our life?”
A: The meanings are similar
with some difference. My teaching was according to the results of the
aforesaid two perspectives of principles which is the achievement of truth from
both correct study and practice. Simply speaking..
(1) The
theoretical studying
(2) The practice
per theories
(3) The
achievement from practicing according to the theories
Q: Master Nun, I still do not
see how they can become the principles for our life. Also, I don’t see
how our life can be carried on by taking them as the principles.
A: You should not be
misfortunate from meeting with Buddhism. Don’t you know that the Buddha’s
Dhamma is the topmost principle and refuge for our life?
Q: How can we make them the
principles of life which is the topmost refuge?
A: We have to make the Buddha,
Dhamma, and Sangha come into existence.
Q: Where should they exist?
A: Within ourselves by
harmonizing them to become one with us.
Q: How can we do this?
A: The method is easy, but it
is quite difficult in practice. Anyway, we can do it by:
(1) Cherish the
Dhamma in our action
(2) Cherish the
Dhamma in our speech
(3) Cherish the
Dhamma in our thought
When we can do these completely, it
means that the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, come into existence within
ourselves.
Q: How can we know that the
Dhamma already existed within ourselves because the Dhamma is immaterial?
A: We can know it, dear! The
one who pursues it will witness its existence by oneself. It will appear
to oneself while doing duties.
Q: I still don’t
understand. May Master Nun kindly explain and exemplify further?
A: I will give you an
example. Look at a father, mother, and child. I will explain the
duties of parents first, and the duties of parents is to look after the
child. It sounds simple, but the term ‘look after’ man not the simple meaning
as the way we utter or write down.
“Look” means looking at
(1) Good conducts
must be encouraged
(2) Bad conducts
must be discouraged
“After” means caring after
(1) The body of a
child to be healthy.
(2) The mind of a
child to be warmhearted
(3) The brain of
a child to be well learned and educated
As the parents practice the above,
they deserve the title ‘parents’ who provide ‘parenting’ to their
children. This is the direct duties of parents. For the child or
children, their duty is to pay back the gratitude they owe to their
parents. To pay back, they have to ‘look after’ their parents in return
when their parents get old. This is to ‘pay back.’
‘Pay’ means
(1) Paying an
effort to keep the parents’ bodies healthy
(2) Paying an
effort to keep the parents’ minds healthy
‘Back’ means
(1) Back up the
continuation of the family tree
(2) Back up the
good practices passed down from the parents
As the children put the aforesaid
into practice, they pay back the gratitude they owe to the parents. This
is possible by knowing the goodness that the parents have upon them and express
such goodness to be known by others. Then, the Dhamma which already
exists within oneself will arise for one to experience upon fulfillment of this
duty.
Q: Thank you so much. I
quite understand now. Master Nun, nowadays the world has gone through a
quick change. It is now the age of globalization where science prospers
but people are more selfish. What are the causes for all of these?
A: It is because people give
priority to materialism instead of the wholesome humanity. In addition,
the development of material objects has been advanced, and this draws people
into it. Thus, they don’t realize in the truth of life.
Q: Master Nun, sometimes I
treat others well, but they mistreat me. Why is it so?
A: It is because they lack
gratitude and do not realize of goodness and badness. Although we offer
properties in the whole world to these people, they won’t be satisfied because
they lack awareness of humanity.
Q: What should we do when we
have to associate with this kind of people?
A: We have to forgive
them. When it is necessary to associate with them, we have to take into
account of the last virtue of the Four Divine Abodes of Brahma which is
‘equanimity.’
Q: How can we practice the Four
Divine Abodes of Brahma?
A: We have to practice the
virtues respectively as follows:
(1) Loving-kindness
which is to wish others happiness and success
(2) Sympathy
which is the wish to help and support others
(3) Appreciation
upon others’ happiness and success
(4) Equanimity
towards others
Q: I quite understand the first
three virtues, but I still don’t understand the last one. How can we
practice equanimity?
A: Please listen
carefully. I will clarify this to you. The literal meaning of
equanimity is being indifferent. We have to remain indifferent to comply
to this virtue. We remain indifferent when an individual faces with the
two ruins as follows:
(1) The ruin over
material wealth which includes money, belongings, and the precious.
(2) The ruin over
one’s goodness such as morality.
Q: So we have to remain
indifferent while witnessing such person facing with ruins?
A: That’s correct!
Q: Wouldn’t it be selfish or
against the Dhamma?
A: No. Please listen
carefully. The equanimity which is the last virtue of the Fourfold Abode
of Brahma can work well only after we use the first three virtues respectively
and continually until reaching the fourth. On the contrary, the one who
is selfish is the one whom we practice the Fourfold Abode of Brahma for.
Such person relies on our virtues and causes us troubles. Then, we have
to remain indifferent toward him or her, and this won’t be against the virtuous
Dhamma.
Q: Thank you so much, Master
Nun. I would like to ask one more question. In this age of
globalization, how should we treat our children?
A: “We have to do good deeds as
examples for them, and we have be teachers for them to respect.” This
needs further clarification; otherwise, it won’t be clear. Doing good
deeds as examples for them means the basic good deeds necessary for daily
living such as
- Diligence
- Thrifty
- Honesty
- Gratitude
These goodness or virtues must start
from ourselves, and they will learn from us automatically without wasting time
to teach them verbally. This is learning from doing. So, they can
take us as their role models. For being teachers for them to respect, it
means that we have to show them our steadfastness such as:
- Being able to endure the suffering
- Being able to withhold the emotional impact
Do not show our weakness, false
speech, immoral action, and meanness. These virtues are the quality of a
teacher who can gain respect from the children.
At last, I would like to bless all of
you to be happy, prosperous, and attain the Lord Buddha’s Dhamma, as well as
having all of your wishes come true!
2. Craving or Tanha
Q: Must Nun, are the sensual
desire, sensual hunger, craving, the tasty, the distasty, the satisfied, and
the dissatisfied, regarded as craving all alike? Could you kindly
clarify?
A: Please pay attention to my
answer. Being mindful promptly to eliminate the attachment over the five
aggregates and the craving will not arise. Know what craving is as we
still rely on craving. The sensual hunger, the tasty, the distasty, the
satisfied, and the dissatisfied, are by products of the craving or tanha.
To explain the Dhamma, we cannot
refuse that it is necessary to use the idioms and proverbs for the reason of smoothness, preciseness, and the clarity of
the topics. Sometimes, the repetition of idioms, especially in Thai
language, can cause doubts such as sensual hunger, craving, the satisfied, the
dissatisfied, and tanha. We question how they are similar or
dissimilar.
If we make a simple consideration on
our familiarity with the language, we find that they differ in meanings such as
the hungriness is normally used with foods whereas the desirous can be used
with the spiritual sense. So, we understand and know the meanings in common.
The sensuous craving (kāma-rāga) is hunger, desirous, the
satisfied, and emotional indulgence towards sight, sound smell, taste, and
bodily feeling. If one is attached to even any of the aforesaid, one will
suffer like lighting fire into oneself. The suffer is caused by struggling
from searching, keeping, losing, or departing. One who likes what one
sees is attached to a sight and satisfied with the beautiful sight. Thus,
one is subject to suffering from changing of such sight. Likewise, one
who is attached to a smell will suffer from the changing smell. When one
is attached to taste, one will suffer from the taste like those who
over-consume foods with craving. One is satisfied with the tasty and
dissatisfied with the distasty. So, when one has a delicious meal, one
consumes excessively until causing problems to one’s body and health.
This is eating with craving. As the matter of fact, our human body needs
foods, so we earn for living and consuming in order to sustain our life and
good health. Thus, we have to eat or consume foods moderately in order to
make it righteous and in-line to the Dhamma. Frankly speaking, we eat in
order to live on and continue doing good deeds. We do not live in order
to enjoy eating or entertaining with indulgence, being trendy, or luxury, until
causing problems to our own health, causing us to harm each other, or
increasing additional mental impurity. The Lord Buddha taught his
disciple monks to seek for foods and consume them earnestly and virtuously
according to the principle of being moderate towards one’s consumption.
For the term ‘craving’ or ‘tanha,’
the common understanding is the negative desire which cannot be truly fulfilled
or satisfied. For example, the five sensual desire which makes us ‘want’
this and that or ‘want to be’ this and that including satisfaction,
dissatisfaction, wishing to have, and wishing not to have. In the Dhamma
perspective, the sensual hunger, craving, and desire are all ‘tanha’
which can be defined as the anxious and unrest worldly demand which can never
be truly fulfilled or satisfied. As we consider the nature of craving, we
find that craving causes sufferings to those who are not aware of it until
becoming emotionally enslaved. Thus, the sensual hunger, desirous, and
craving are similar in this aspect.
When the sensual hunger, desirous,
and craving arise in one’s mind, the mind is like being corroded. So,
they can be deemed as the causes of problems to one’s life as well as the whole
human society. They lead to fear, suspiciousness, furiousness, hatred,
sensual indulgence, delusion, troubles, and numerous sufferings.
Theoretically, craving or tanha which
is the root of sufferings can be divided into three categories as follows:
(1) Sensual
Desire or kamatanha which occurs from sight, sound, smell,
taste, and bodily feeling.
(2) Wishing for
Achievement or bhavatanha which results one to endlessly wish
for more power and superior status.
(3) Dissatisfaction
over various things or vibhavatanha which makes one rejects or
refuses whatever one dislikes or dissatisfies of.
Craving causes only sufferings, and
it can never be truly fulfilled. A vast river can be brimmed with water,
but an individual who is enslaved by craving will feel desirous from time to
time, so it can never be completely fulfilled. Thus, it is necessary for
us to create the immunity against craving. The immunity in this place
means the mindfulness over right view.
The Mindfulness of Right View means
the awareness and realization of righteous thoughts which do not harm oneself
and others. This means that one knows what to do righteously.
For our daily living, we must not lack the mindfulness because it can help us
solving problems in time of difficulty or confrontation with problems.
For example, when we drive on a road at a high speed and one of the tires
blowout, we must know what to do promptly. Some people are shocked by the
accident and lost control by pushing the brake pedal which causes the car to
spin and turnover, and they are badly injured or even passed away. Some people
drive on a road as normal, but a big lorry heads against them on the
lane. What should we do with this situation after we do the honking but
it does not help? Some may say that the lorry is on our lane, so it is
the false of the lorry’s driver. So, we have to see who will be fortunate
or misfortunate out of this situation. These are the situations that can
occur in our daily living.
Thus, we have to be mindful at every moment because mindfulness
secures our mind from wandering and degrading. Mindfulness cautions our
mind not to over-enjoy or indulge into the sensual pleasure until becoming
attached to the five aggregates which comprises of form (rupa), perception
(vedana), remembrance (sanna), thought (sangara), and cognition (vinna).
So, one misunderstands that things truly belong to us, and everything lasts
forever. These are the sources of mental impurity that continues the
infinite cycle of birth and death.
To conclude, we have to train
ourselves to be mindful. In addition, we must be able to use mindfulness
at every moment of our life whether we are taking action, speaking, or
thinking. They must always be secured by mindfulness, so we can make
achievements in our works completely and safely. Indeed, the mindfulness
itself is the ‘recklessness’ which the Lord Buddha emphasized its significance
to his disciples that all of the Lord Buddha’s teachings can be concluded into
the recklessness.
3. Making Merit &
Making Donation
Q: Master Nun, I have heard
about ‘making merit & making donation’ which is commonly known to Thai
Buddhists. Are the two different or similar? Is it necessary that
when we make merit, we have to make donation?
A: Alright, the literal
meaning of merit or ‘punja’ is the factor that leads to happiness while
‘dhana’ or donation means giving such as giving a material object.
The common stereotype of Buddhists is
that ‘merit making’ is to offer material objects to a virtuous person such as
an ascetic or a monk whilst donation making is understood to be giving material
objects to commoners including the beggar and vagabond.
The two terms are similar that they
are the actions of giving. However, the difference is that merit making
can be made in several ways whereas ‘donation making’ is limited to giving
material objects or money. So, it is necessary that when we make merit,
we should also make donation from time to time.
Q: What are the other ways of
merit making?
A: There are ten ways to earn
merit as follows: (1) Making donation (2) Observing precepts (3) Practicing
meditation (4) Being humble (5) Being helpful (6) Sharing goodness to others
(7) Appreciating others’ goodness (8) Learning the Dhamma (9) Teaching the
Dhamma and (10) Keeping up with right views. All of these are the ways to
earn merit in Buddhism.
Q: Master Nun, for the part
that merit making and making donation are different, please kindly clarify your
saying that we have to make merit and donation as well from time to time.
A: We do not live alone on
earth, and we have to rely on each other. I mentioned that it is a
necessity because merit can be the true refuge for humans in the
afterworld. We make merit, so that the merit can be our refuge. The
donation making is to be a refuge for others who cannot rely on themselves
since they did not accumulate enough merit.
4. Doctrine –
Practicality - Achievement
Q: In Buddhism, there are three
significant terms, ‘doctrine – practicality – achievement.’ These three
can be regarded as the dogma of Buddhism. I would like to ask Master Nun
about the meaning extent of the Buddhist doctrine or Pariyatti.
A: Buddhist doctrine or Pariyatti is
the primary level of Buddhism. It is like a geography map which is
necessary for travelers; likewise, Buddhist doctrine is necessary for Buddhist
practitioners. The extent of Buddhist doctrine is the right & wrong
of practice.
Q: What is the definition
extent of Dhamma practicality?
A: Dhamma practice is the
intermediate level of Buddhism. We can compare to a traveler who relies
on a map which he studied well when travelling. If one studies the Dhamma
doctrine but does not put into practice, one will not gain benefit from the
knowledge. So, the knowledge is useless. This is similar to a
geographer who studies maps well, but never travel by himself.
Q: What is the definition of
Dhamma achievement?
A: Dhamma achievement is the
advanced level of Buddhism. It is the result of practicing and studying
Dhamma. We can compare to a person who studies a map well and complete
the travelling with the knowledge gained from such map until arriving one’s
destination.
Q: Master Nun, if we practice
the Dhamma only, can we make achievement?
A: That is not possible.
It would be like a traveler who does not know the route. One may go to
the wrong way and waste one’s time.
Q: Why is it so? There
are many meditation masters who do not pass the Dhamma study or pali language
examination, but they can practice correctly without violating against the
teaching & discipline (Dhamma & Vinaya).
A: According to your question,
it is a misunderstanding about Dhamma doctrine, Dhamma practice, and Dhamma
achievement. The examination of Dhamma and pali language study does not
mean that those meditation masters neglect the study of Dhamma doctrine as they
acquire knowledge from competent Buddhist teachers and masters who teach them
Dhamma and Vinaya correctly. Their teachers and masters provide them
guidelines like this as if they were certified for knowledge in the Dhamma
doctrines.
Q: Master Nun, so we need all
of the three which are Dhamma doctrine, Dhamma practice, and Dhamma achievement
in order to gain benefit and fulfill the objective of our religion, isn’t
it?
A: That is correct. The
religion we are referring to has Dhamma doctrine as the primary level, the
Dhamma practice as the intermediate level, and Dhamma achievement as the
advanced level. If we can fulfill all of the three levels, it means that
we fulfill the objective of our religion without mismatching.
5. Happiness
Q: It is usual that everyone in
this world wish for happiness. So, how can we find happiness?
A: Do you wish to seek for
internal or external happiness?
Happiness cannot be found from
the external. It is normally claimed that one is happy, but it is untrue
because there is no happiness from the external. The true happiness can
be gained from the internal only.
Q: What is all the external
happiness about, Master Nun?
A: The external happiness needs
to rely on the materials. This misleads people that it is
happiness. Only the internal happiness is true happiness, and it can
occur by relying on the Dhamma.
Q: What are the materials which
you mean?
A: The materials are from
(1) Sight which
people think of it as pleasurable
(2) Sound which
people think of it as pleasurable
(3) Smell which people
think of it as pleasurable
(4) Taste which
people think of it as pleasurable
(5) Bodily
feeling which people think of it as pleasurable
(6) Thought which
people think of it as pleasurable
Q: As they are commonly
accepted by people as pleasurable, they should be regarded as happiness, isn’t
it?
A: The aforesaid are not
happiness, but we can regard them as ‘less suffering’ because they are
misunderstood to be happiness. In fact, they are suffering. There
is no material thing which exists in this world can be regarded as happiness
since they are subject to change and continual transformation. So, they
are not the source of happiness although the material objects which we can
pleasurably perceive from sight, sound, smell, taste, bodily feeling, and
thought, are subject to change at all time.
Q: I quite understand now with
some remaining doubts. From my understanding, the happiness from the
material objects is the ‘worldly happiness’ or ‘happiness of people in the
world.’ Isn’t it?
A: It’s not wrong to say that.
Q: What about the happiness
which relies on the internal Dhamma, Master Nun? How is it about?
A: Before I explain further, I have
to clarify first that the happiness from Dhamma does not occur to commoners,
but it occurs only to the wise ones who have cultivated virtue perfections
which enable them to attain such internal happiness like the Lord Buddha and
the enlightened Buddhist saints. In this case, the internal happiness
occurs to their ‘mind.’
Q: How is the mental state of
Lord Buddha and the enlightened Buddhist saints?
A: I would like to give you a
story as an example. There is an underprivileged person who never
experiences tasty foods, soft mattress, air-conditioned mansion, and other good
accommodation to provide convenience in his life. So, he wishes to know
it and asks a wealthy millionaire about these experiences. The
millionaire kindly explains the experience of tasty food, soft mattress, cozy
air-conditioned mansion, and convenience from other good accommodations. However,
the underprivileged can never know what they really mean because he never
experiences by himself. On the contrary, the millionaire knows well of
such pleasure as he is the one who experiences them.
If you understand this story, it
means that you can understand the answers for your questions.
6. Living Beings are
Destined by Their Karma
Q: Master Nun, is it true and
believable according to the Buddhist teaching that ‘living beings are destined
by their karma,’ and ‘karma distinguishes living beings to be well or unwell?’
A: It is true and
believable. Please understand that Buddhism teaches the truth and true
stories which are not deceiving fictions. The term ‘Buddha’ alone has the
meaning that people can trust. One who studies the Lord Buddha’s
teachings can see and know the truth accordingly.
Q: You mean that it is
true and believable, but how can we see it in reality. Can it be seen by
us?
A: Yes, it can be seen
everywhere. Please ponder the following. The poor, the beggar, the
vagabond, the millionaire, the wealthy businessmen, and the monarchs are all
destined by karma, and none of them can escape from the karmic ruling.
Q: I do consider your
words. People are poor because they are lazy in doing their jobs.
The wealthy and millionaire become rich because they are diligent in doing
their works and smart in earning for living. Isn’t this true? I
don’t see how it is related to the karma, Master Nun.
A: Your claim is correct.
But you see just only the karmic fruition or results of the causes. The
overall is still unclear to your understanding. You have to consider the
causes, so you can see the overall process.
Q: Now I don’t understand your
words. Please kindly explain further.
A: According to your opinion
and understanding, laziness makes people become poor whereas diligence makes
people rich. But we have to see how laziness and diligence occur on the
first hand. They occur at the mind of people, then turn into
actions. As actions are committed, they become karma.
Q: I quite understand your
explanation now. So, it means that the laziness and diligence occur at
the mind first. But what do they rely on when they occur?
A: Well, this is a good
question that reflects your intelligence. The laziness relies on
unwholesomeness which is the root of sinfulness embedded in the mind whereas
diligence relies on wholesomeness which is the root of merit embedded in the
mind as well. Don’t you see now how they originated?
Q: Master Nun, as it is so,
this means that poverty originates from unwholesomeness while wealth originates
from wholesomeness. How many category of karma are there? What are
the principles of karmic fruition for each category of karma?
A: That’s correct. The
issue about poverty and wealth which I exemplified to you aims to show you the
condition of karma when giving effects to the one who commits karma. In
general, there are 12 main categories of karma with 3 principles of karmic
fruition as follows:
(1) Timely fruition of
karma
(2) Fruition of
karma based on functions
(3) Respective
fruition based on the power of karma
Q: Master nun, what are the
twelve categories of karma?
A: The twelve categories of
karma are:
(1) The karma
that bears fruits in the present lifetime.
(2) The karma
that bears fruits in the next lifetime.
(3) The karma
that bears fruits in the future lifetimes.
(4) The karma
that no longer bears fruits.
(5) The karma
that leads to rebirth.
(6) The karma
that supports the rebirth.
(7) The karma
that troubles the karma that leads to and supports rebirth.
(8) The karma
that lessens other karma(s).
(9) The powerful
karma that bears fruits soonest.
(10) The regular but frequently committed karma(s).
(11) The karma which is close to one’s death.
(12) The karma committed with weak or no intention.
Q: What is the timely fruition of karma?
A: The karma that bears timely fruitions can be classified
into three groups.
(1) The karma
that bears fruit in the present lifetime.
(2) The karma
that bears fruit in the next lifetime.
(3) The karma
that bears fruit in the following future lifetimes.
Q: Master nun, I still don’t
understand why karma can be differentiated like that?
A: Listen carefully. I
would like to give you an example. Normally, commoners have three meals
which are breakfast, lunch, and dinner, right? Among the three meals, we
start from breakfast. It is not common that people start their first meal
of the day with lunch or dinner.
- The karma that bears fruit in the present lifetime is like
breakfast.
- The karma that bears fruit in the next lifetime is like
lunch.
- The karma that bears fruit in the following future
lifetimes is like dinner.
Among the three meals which we do our
best to prepare them, we enjoy the delicious taste. If we don’t prepare
them well, and they become rotten in one meal or all of the three meals, we can
enjoy only one or no meal at all.
- The delicious meal which is well prepared is like merit
fruition that causes happiness.
- The rotten meal which is not well prepared is like sin
fruition that causes suffering.
Q: Master nun, could you please
explain the karma that bears fruit according to its functionality?
A: The karma bears fruits
according to its category as follows:
(1) The karma
that leads one to reborn in either good or bad realm.
(2) The karma
that supports or adds the burden to the karmic consequences. For the
supportive karma, one will have better experience in the good realm. For
the burden karma, one will have worse experience in the bad realm.
(3) The karma
that causes lessening or elevating. For the good karma, one’s sufferings
will be lessened. For the bad karma, one’s happiness will be lessened.
(4) The karma
that directly intervenes the overall karmic fruition. In case of the good
karma, it gets rid of one’s suffering immediately. In case of the bad
karma, it gets rid of one’s happiness immediately.
Q: I see how it works now,
Master Nun. What about the karma that bears fruits according to the level
of its power? How does it work?
A: This kind of karma bears
fruits from ‘more’ to ‘less.’
- The strong karma which bears strong results will occur first.
- After experiencing the strong results of strong karma, the
frequent karma will bear fruits in the next phase.
- Once the strong and frequent karmas are completely experienced,
one will experience the near-death karma when one is about to die.
- Finally, the karma committed by chance or unintentionally will
bear fruits.
Q: Thank you for your
answers. Anyway, I forgot one question.
A: What is it?
Q: How is the karmic
consequence of the forgiven karma, Master Nun?
A: Okay, the forgiven karma is
the karma that no longer bears fruit. This is the karma that one
committed and cannot cause karmic results to one while he or she is still in
the cycle of birth since the karmic force is too weak or there are other
powerful karmas that are bearing fruit. Thus, the weak karma has no
opportunity to give fruition, and it becomes totally depleted and given up.
Q: Thank you so much.
7. Suffering
Q: Master Nun, it seems that
people in the present have more sufferings. Do I misunderstand? How
would you explain this?
A: You don’t misunderstand
because the truth is that there is only suffering in this world. The
suffering arises and ceases as usual. All other things are just the
material symbols of sufferings.
Q: What do you mean for the
material symbols of sufferings? Why do they arise? Can we prevent
them from arising?
A: People, animals, and objects
which appear in this world and can be seen with naked eyes, heard with ears,
smelled with nose, tasted with tongue, felt with body, and thought of with
mind, are altogether the material symbol of sufferings. They arise due to
their causes. To prevent them from arising, we have to eliminate their
causes.
Q: What are their causes?
How can we find them?
A: Their causes are the
infinite desires which is called ‘craving’ in Buddhism. It can be found in
the material symbols of sufferings which are people, animals, and objects.
Q: Master Nun, you mentioned
the term ‘craving,’ it is commonly known, but how does it appear to be?
A: The appearance of craving
are:
- Unmindful misbehaving
- Downgrading
- Going along the worldly stream
Their functions are:
- Entangling the living beings
- Entrapping the living beings
- Binding the living beings
Craving is like an excellent
trap. It is hard for any trapped living being to be released or flee away
except the Holy Ones.
Q: Master Nun, are there the
Holy Ones in this world? If there are the Holy Ones, which type of people
who can be released from the trap or craving do you mean?
A: There are the Holy Ones in
the world, and they are:
-
The Lord Buddha
- The Silent Buddha
- The Fully Enlightened Saints or Arahant
The trap or craving cannot entrap these Holy Ones.
Although they are trapped, they will be able to release themselves from the
trap. This is called ‘liberation’ from freeing oneself from all
sufferings and entering the state of eternal happiness without further
sufferings.
Q: Master Nun, the individuals
you mentioned may be people in the daydreaming. I think we cannot find
them in reality. Isn’t it true?
A: Your words are
incorrect. The Lord Buddha, the Silent Buddha, and the Fully Enlightened
Saints are not people in our daydreaming. They do exist in reality, and
this can be proven, but those who disbelieve in them will not be able to attain.
Q: Master Nun, if the Holy Ones
do exist and people believe in them, how can we find them?
A: Within oneself! The Lord
Buddha, the Silent Buddha, and the Enlightened Saints can be made possible
within oneself. I think you don’t understand what I mean.
Q: Yes, I don’t quite
understand what you said. Could you kindly clarify?
A: Listen to my
explanation. Common people usually build Buddha images, but they don’t
create the Buddha within. The way to build the Buddha within is to
realize in the virtues of the Lord Buddha, the Silent Buddha, and the
Enlightened Saints, to prosper within one’s mind by way of following the Holy
Ones’ teachings or Dhamma. The Lord Buddha and such would arise in their
mind of ones who have Dhamma or virtues prospering in their mind.
Q: Master Nun, what do you
think about people in the present days?
A: People in the present
society mostly live independently, and they don’t take the Dhamma as their
refuge. They seek for unrighteous self-satisfaction in their
living. So, they are enslaved by craving and wrongful desire. Their
livings seem to be happy, but, in fact, they always encounter with sufferings.
Q: Master Nun, how is the true
happiness which is in-line to the Buddhist teachings?
A: True happiness is not the
happiness from material indulgence, but it is the happiness from Dhamma
indulgence which is true happiness according to the Buddhist teachings.
Q: How can we make people in
the society truly happy?
A: Principally, it is not
possible that people can make each other truly happy or one makes one another
truly happy. The happiness that we make for each other in this world is
merely the mundane happiness which goes along the worldly
stream. If one wishes to have true happiness, one has to know
how to see, hear, smell, taste, feel, and think correctly.
Q: What do you mean by saying
that knowing how to see, hear, smell, taste, feel, and think correctly?
Could you please explain further?
A: Craving stems from sight,
sound, smell, taste, bodily feeling, and emotional thinking.
¯ Seeing without being deluded by
sight is the correct seeing
¯ Hearing without being deluded
by sound is the correct hearing
¯ Smelling without being deluded
by smell is the correct smelling
¯ Tasting without being deluded
by taste is the correct tasting
¯ Feeling without being deluded
by bodily touch is the correct feeling
¯ Thinking without being deluded
by emotional thought is the correct thinking
This is because one is not enslaved
or entangled by the trap which is craving. So, one is free from bondages
and being able to live one’s life along the wholesome nature and meet with
eternal true happiness.
Q: Master Nun, are the
statements “living independently” and “living by relying on oneself” similar or
different?
A: They are not similar, and they
are completely different. Living independently is the living of people
who have no religion. For those who live by relying on themselves, it is
the living of religious men.
Q: Could you explain?
A: Simply speaking, one who has
no religion is one who doesn’t have Dhamma as the principle of one’s
living. So, one doesn’t have hospitality toward others and become selfish
and greedy as well as lacking generosity and don’t realize and appreciate
others’ goodness.
The religious men are those who apply
Dhamma to their livings. They have hospitality towards those surrounding
them, and they share what they have to others when they have enough. In
time of scarcity, they fulfill their own needs first. These people are
diligent, thrifty, honest, and patient. These are their basic virtues that one
needs when dealing with difficulties. The religious men also appreciate
others’ success. They are kind to others and rely on one another which
promote unity of their community or society.
Q: Master Nun, between the
religious men and non-religious men, who would have more suffering?
A: All of them face with
suffering all alike. But the differences are:
(1) The
Non-religious men don’t know suffering, its causes, the state of no suffering,
and how to cease suffering. They are like the blind cattle who roam into
a forest unable to find food.
(2) The religious
men attempt to know suffering, its causes, the state of no suffering, and how
to cease suffering. They are like the cattle with good eyes roaming into
a forest and finding good foods to eat.
Q: Thank you so much, Master
Nun.
A: Religions are the noble
refuge for people. The religious men will be able to secure themselves
against harms because there is no other refuge in this world which is better
than religions, especially Buddhism which comprises of the Triple Gem as
follows:
(1) The Buddha
Gem or the Lord Buddha who attained the righteous enlightenment by himself, and
he taught the knowledge from enlightenment to others.
(2) The Dhamma
Gem or the Lord Buddha’s teachings which secure the Dhamma practitioners
against recession.
(3) The Sangha
Gem or the Buddhist monks who follow the Lord Buddha’s teachings and teach
others as well.
8. The Crystal Dhamma
City
Q: Revered Master Nun, what is
life about?
A: Life is the being of people,
and life of animals is the being of animals. So, life is the being of the
living who is not dead yet. The living being still have motions such as
standing, walking, sitting, and sleeping as well as other functioning such as
eating, drinking, excreting, sexual intercoursing, doing, speaking, and
thinking. The living beings have love, hatred, and other emotions, and
they may be accounted as good or bad ones.
Regarding living beings other than humans and animals, I will
not explain about them, but I will explain about the human beings only.
Humans’ life comprises of five components or the five aggregates namely form,perception, remembrance, thought, and cognition. These are immaterial.
(1) Form (rupa)
means the figure or shape which can be seen with naked eyes.
(2) Perception
(vedana) means the feelings such as happiness, suffering, or neutrality.
(3) Sanna
(remembrance) means memory upon sight, sound, smell, taste, and bodily feeling.
(4) Sankhara
(thought) means mental conditioning to be wholesome, unwholesome, or neither
wholesome nor unwholesome.
(5) Vinna
(cognition) means perception, memory, and thought which are conditioned to give
rise to cognition. For example, the eyes see, the ears hear, the nose smells, the
tongue tastes, the body feels, and the mind thinks emotionally. Then, one
has happiness, suffering, and neither happiness nor suffering. Our lives
are borrowed from the four elements which are the solid, the liquid, the
combustion, and the temperature. The solid is the hard parts. The
heat and warm parts are from temperature or fire. The flowing of air from
above to below and from below to above are borrowed from the combustion.
The cooling and fluid parts are borrowed from liquid. We have to take
good care of what we borrowed. If we use them well, we will gain
benefits; otherwise, we will face with harms or problems.
Q: Master Nun, you named your meditation center’s magazine
as ‘The Crystal Dhamma City,’ what does it mean?
A: The ‘City’ means our human body which extends over the
height, width, and thickness. The bodily city is governed by the King
which is our own mind that comprises of form, perception, remembrance, thought,
and cognition.
Q: So, what does the Dhamma City mean?
A: The Dhamma is nature. Then, the Dhamma City means
the city built with nature. The nature builds up humans to be male and
female, father and mother, and nature also builds so many various things both
living beings and non-living beings. All of what I said, both humans and
things, were built to live in the nature under the same system which is called
karma in Buddhism.
Q: What are the karma(s)?
A: Mainly, karma is the action of humans which can be
differentiated into physical action, speech, and thought. There are both
good karma, bad karma, and neither good nor bad karma. All of them share
one thing in common that their particles move at all time whether they are
living beings or non-living beings.
Q: What are the Vinna?
A: Vinna is the natural element of
cognition. It can be of a ‘transcendroid’ nature.
Q: What is the meaning of spirituality?
A: It is our mind whose functions are to perceive,
memorize, thought, and cognize. When there is sensual experiencing via
sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental feeling, these are processed and
conditioned to give rise to cognition within the mind.
Q: What is the original condition of mind?
A: Originally, the mind is pure, clear, and radiant.
When it is contaminated by mental defilements which is the dirty nature or the
unwholesome dark nature according to Luang Por Wat Paknam, then, the mind
becomes gloomy.
Q: What is craving?
A: Tanha or craving is a nature that
makes one wishes to continue indulging into emotions. It is like a
sticky glue-rubber that makes it easy for other things to cling to and develop
into dirt further. Our mind is like a plant seed, tanha or
craving is like the moisture contained inside the seed. So, the moisture
enables the seed to sprout and grow further endlessly.
Q: As our mind is pure and radiant, can’ it stay
liberated?
A: This is possible for the mind of the enlightened ones
which is pure and tough like a diamond that cannot be dissolved in
liquid. Its quality is supernormal. However, the mind of commoners
is like clear water. When it is contaminated by dirty water, it becomes
unclear. This is the natural quality.
Q: How is the Crystal City?
A: The Crystal City is developed from the Dhamma
City. We already have a Dhamma City, and this can be developed into the Crystal
City. To do this, we develop ourselves to have the Buddha Gem, Dhamma
Gem, and Sangha Gem, as well as mindfulness, righteousness, awakening and
joyfulness, having righteous conducts, and these will make our own body pure
like the Crystal City.
Q: How can we turn the Dhamma City into the Crystal City?
A: Heading along the Noble Eightfold Path, and this will
lead to the Crystal City.
Q: What is the meaning of “Dhamma Body seeing the
Dhammakaya?”
A: As we were born humans, we have to be diligent by
working and doing our duties to earn for livings. In order to survive, we
need to have the four basic necessities which are foods, clothes, shelter, and
medicine. The Dhamma Body means that our body has to do the duties.
First of all, we do things for ourselves. Next, we help others and the
society. Lastly, we have to search for the truth of life and true
happiness by putting an end to suffering completely.
Seeing the Dhammakaya means comprehending the truth of nature or
Dhamma condition that everything exists, stays for a period of time, and
decomposes. This is normal according to the Three Nature namely
impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta). We
should not be attached to the state of being humans, animals, and self.
As we are bound to these attachments, it will create the mirage that deceives
our mind to have both happiness and suffering. Who else will be able to
know this as the answer is within humans themselves?
As we observe things that occur naturally, stay over a period of
time per natural contributing factors, and cease later on, these can be
distinguished into the material and immaterial. So, we explain this
phenomena as “the Dhamma body sees the Dhammakaya.”
9. The Superknowledge of Dhammakaya (Vijja
Dhammakaya)
Q: What is the superknowledge of Dhammakaya?
A: Vijja or superknowledge means the bright insight wisdom
that gets rid of avijja or the dark ignorance that causes unknowing or
misunderstanding.
Q: Does the superknowledge of Dhammakaya belong to the Lord
Buddha?
A: Yes, the superknowledge of Dhammakaya is the principles
of Lord Buddha’s teachings which Luang Por Wat Paknam rediscovered and taught
to his disciples.
Q: How can superknowledge of Dhammakaya defeat the evil
mara?
A: Mara is the defilement. It is the nature of the
dark side. Mara is the root of unwholesomeness. For the neutral
party, we call them ‘abhayagata.’ We have to create and promote
the wholesome elements and essences within ourselves as well as cultivating
goodness to root deeper into our mind further. Then, we will gain the
strength to uproot unwholesomeness that always attempts to seize our mind which
comprises of perception, memory, thought, and cognition. The
unwholesomeness normally misleads us to be attached to ‘self’ altogether with
ignorance, craving, attachment, and clinging, resulting us to continue the
cycle of rebirth and suffering endlessly.
Q: How can we make merit?
A: To make merit, we have to believe in the Lord Buddha’s
teachings, the law of karma, merit and sin. Next, we should learn to do
giving, observing moral precepts, learning the Dhamma, practicing meditation,
and pursuing the Noble Eightfold Path. We have to be committed in doing
these things in order to build the weapons to defeat the evil mara absolutely.
Q: How can the superknowledge of Dhammakaya cure disease?
A: The superknowledge of Dhammakaya can cure disease as it
empowers the practitioners to decompose elements within humans such as solid,
liquid, combustion, temperature, air, and cognition, and create balance among
them. However, if the patient has strong karma, it will be difficult to
heal. The patient who has enough merit energy or can reconnect to the
given energy, or sense the Dhammakaya Master will be able to
purify the patient’s elements and essences in order to extend the
lifespan. So, merit energy is also very important as it energizes one’s
life. In case that the patient’s body is much degraded due to the natural
process which makes it impossible to cure or heal, the elements and essences
have to be returned to the nature.
Q: The decomposition of elements and essences is not
death, isn’t it?
A: Yes, the human does not die when his elements and
essences are decomposed and purified because his physical body still works as
usual according to the mother nature that things exist, stay for a period of
time, and decompose. There are both the material and the immaterial as we
live in this assumed world. We rely on the nature which creates both
living beings and non-living beings. The elements and essences function
throughout the cycle of rebirth. When the body is decomposed, our spirit
has to seek for a new body.
Q: As the old home or our body decomposes, where would the
spirit head to?
A: The spirit will continue on according to the karmic
power which is the consequence of our actions when we are alive. If we do
good deeds, we will reborn to a good realm to enjoy happiness. On the
contrary, if we do bad deeds, we will reborn to a bad realm for punishment.
Q: How can Dhammakaya Meditation help the people who
already passed away?
A: Dhammakaya Meditation can help, but one has to believe
in the Dhammakaya with one’s wisdom when one is still alive. This is
because the Dhammakaya’s mind is very powerful. If one hold on to the
Dhammakaya and follow the path of Dhammakaya, the Dhammakaya can guide you both
in the present lifetime and the afterlife. In the present lifetime, you
will live with mindfulness and without recklessness.
Q: What types of Dhammakaya are there?
A: The Dhammakaya can be classified into three parties
namely the Holy Dhammakaya, the Neutral Dhammakaya, and the Evil Dhammakaya
(mara). All of them are inside everyone’s mind.
The Holy Dhammakaya belongs to the wholesome party. They
have bright wholesome mind full of virtues. In addition, they are shame
of sin, diligent, truthful, and in-line to the pure Dhamma. They
cultivate merit to end the cycle of birth and foresee the truth of life.
Those who get close to one who attains the Holy Dhammakaya will feel refreshed,
and their sufferings will be solved. So, the one who attains the Holy
Dhammakaya does the duty of the wholesome party.
The Neutral Dhammakaya neither does good nor bad deed.
They don’t believe in merit and sin, and they live their lives based on past accumulated
merit with over-pride.
The Evil Dhammakaya or mara belongs to the unwholesome dark
party. Their mind is sinful. They are lazy and selfish while
causing troubles to themselves and others. They believe in being self
(atta). These people are hypocrites or pretenders, and they are
tricky. They misbehave and do not observe moral precepts and have no
virtue. They don’t believe in heaven and hell, merit and sin, as well as
having no gratitude. Thus, they attempt to continue on the cycle of rebirth.
Those surrounding them would have suffering and troubles. These are the
characteristics of people who do the duties of the Evil Dhammakaya.
All of the three parties of Dhammakaya compete each other in
everyone’s mind. Humans have different thoughts based on the accumulated
karma, and they have their own reasons which they believe to be correct.
So, they have different opinions. We have to study and decide which party
we want to belong to.
Our mind is the cognitive element which is immaterial. It is
capable of accumulating wholesomeness and unwholesomeness as well as stories
similar to the hard drive of a computer. Humans can reconnect to the
immaterial and reflect to be the material in the form of being good or bad
person.
Q: Can the Superknowledge of Dhammakaya help in every
aspect?
A: Yes, it can help. However, one has to have faith
and wisdom believing in the Dhammakaya and has accumulated enough merit
energy. The belief and the power from the Superknowledge of Dhammakaya,
altogether, can solve every problem. If an individual has so much sin
energy, it may not be able to solve or reconnect. We can compare this to
the rechargeable battery, if it is not wired or connected, we cannot recharge
the electricity.
10. Meditation Practice
Q: I would like to ask Master Nun about the meditation
practice. If we do not practice the Dhammakaya meditation method, can we
attain Dhammakaya?
A: Yes, any meditation practitioner who follows the Lord
Buddha’s teachings will be able to attain the Dhammakaya, all alike.
There are numerous meditation methods, and the Dhammakaya rests within the pure
mind irrespective of the method. So, it depends on our commitment if we
will be able to reach the Dhammakaya or not. If we are truly committed, we
will be able to attain Dhammakaya.
Q: Those who practice meditation until attaining
Dhammakaya will be able to see hell and heaven, but why some of them are still
selfish?
A: There are different parties of Dhammakaya.
The Evil Dhammakaya can also see hell and heaven, but they don’t
see the real thing. The Evil Dhammakaya is selfish and lacks moral
discipline and virtue. They have no shame and fear upon sin. They
are tricky and boast themselves to be the supernormal person. They are
the pretenders who commit the causes that continue on the cycle of rebirth
endlessly. Those who get close to them would feel troublesome,
sufferings, and darkness.
The Holy Dhammakaya can see the real hell and heaven.
After seeing the hell and heaven, they are shameful and fear of sin.
These urge them to accumulate more merit and pursue virtue perfections in order
to discontinue the cycle of rebirth as they foresee the suffering and harm in
the cycle. Those surrounding the one who attained Holy Dhammakaya would
feel comfortable, refreshed, calm, peaceful, and bright. In addition, the
Holy Dhammakaya makes one realizes in oneself, having sympathy upon oneself and
others.
Both the Holy Dhammakaya and the Evil Dhammakaya rest inside
ourselves. They have to rely on each other. We have to rely on the
Lord Buddha’s teachings only to be our guide light that leads us the way to
defeat and overcome the evil mara. The most venerable Phramongkolthepmuni
(Sodh Candasaro) or Luang Por Wat Paknam researched the Lord Buddha’s teaching
in meditation until he rediscovered Dhammakaya Meditation, he taught his
disciples and the knowledge has been passed on until the presents.
Q: I would like to ask Master
Nun about meditation practice. Some people can see the crystal sphere
with insight, but some people has practiced for a long time but they still
don’t see the crystal sphere. What is the reason behind this?
A: In meditation practice, some
people are able to see a crystal sphere with insight while others who have
practiced for a long time still do not see, this is because their minds have
not calmed down yet. Their minds still wander around, if their minds calm
down, they will see the crystal sphere all alike because the crystal sphere
which represents the Dhamma sphere rests inside everyone.
Q: Master Nun, do you have any
special technique for us to be able to see the crystal sphere with insight?
A: The recommendation for
seeing a crystal sphere with insight is to observe precepts flawlessly and be
mindful at all time so you become aware of whatever you do at every
moment.
Q: Those who cannot see the
crystal sphere with their insight is because the meditation method does not fit
their mental cultivation, isn’t it?
A: Yes! The reason for
being unable to see the crystal sphere with insight could be the mismatching
with mental cultivation. There are many causes for this. Some
people had practiced various meditation methods before and had many meditation
masters. They don’t know exactly which method to use. This is
similar to planting a tree, when a tree is growing up, it is relocated.
Some people have doubt whether it is real or not or some people have excessive
attempt to see the crystal sphere. However, if everyone is really
committed to the practice, they will see the crystal sphere all alike because
the crystal sphere or the Dhamma sphere exists within everyone.
Q: For those who cannot see the
crystal sphere, what should they do?
A: Those who cannot see the
crystal sphere should keep their mind indifferent which is neither glad nor
sad, having no anger, hatred, or love. Keeping their mind still and
focused only.
Q: Is there any involvement
with the cultivated merit?
A: Absolutely! This is because
everything stems from a cause. Thus, there are causes and effects which
involve past and present.
Q: Can those who have
accumulated less merit see the crystal sphere with insight?
A: Those who have accumulated
less merit can see the crystal sphere with insight. This depends on the
causes and effects. They have to make merit by giving alms and observing
precepts because precepts or moral discipline is the quality of humans.
Meditation practice is based on moral discipline. Comparing this to
planting, we have to prepare the ground well, so the tree can grow further to
bear flowers and fruits.
Q: What would happen if one
practices meditation without observing moral precepts?
A: Without moral precepts, the
meditation practice will be wrongful. This is called ‘micca-samadhi’ which
belongs to the dark evil party.
Q: Some people can see the
Dhamma sphere with their insight. What does the ‘Dhamma Sphere’ mean?
A: The Dhamma sphere is the
mind or the sphere of spirit. It is a kind of nature.
Q: What is the characteristic
of Dhamma sphere?
A: The Dhamma sphere is
immaterial. It is pure and crystal clear. The Dhamma sphere is the
cognition element. When we have a good mind, the Dhamma sphere is
clear. When we have a gloomy mind, it turns grey. When our mind is
sinful, it turns dark. The characteristics are outcome that we can
destine. It is all up to us to think and turn it to be. For
example, a person with good immaterial mind is expressed to be a materially
good person. On the contrary, if a person is selfish, harmful, and
tricky, having gloomy mind, then he or she expresses himself or herself to be a
physically bad person.
Q: Does the Dhamma sphere have
color and brightness?
A: The Dhamma sphere has no
color and brightness, it is immaterial. But some people create the
imagination of its material characteristic. So, one can take the material
as their meditation object for visualization. This is because the mind
normally thinks and conditions infinitely. So, we can make our mind
thinking of the Dhamma sphere as the image with color and brightness that we
can hold our mind to in order to enable mental unity or mental calm (Samadhi).
Q: How is the Sphere of Moral
Discipline?
A: The Sila Sphere
or the Sphere of Moral Discipline is a kind of nature that allows the action
and speech of an individual to be normal. Thus one does not harm oneself
and others with any action, speech, and thought. As a result, one
continues one’s duty as usual without alteration.
Q: What is the difference
between Moral Discipline with and without Magga (path)?
A: The moral discipline
with magga means the supra-mundane moral discipline according
to the Noble Eightfold Path. The moral discipline without magga means
the mundane moral precepts.
Q: How is the Sphere of
Concentration or Samadhi Sphere?
A: The Sphere of Concentration
is a kind of nature of mind that calms down and stops still or focused.
So, one is mindful and awaken.
Q: Does it have power?
A: Yes, the focused and still
mind is powerful.
Q: How is the Sphere of Wisdom
or Panna Sphere?
A: The Sphere of Wisdom is the
cognition element that enables one to know the beginning, the middle, and the
advanced. If one accumulates good deeds with wisdom until it becomes
perfection or parami, there will be the Vimutti Sphere
and Vimuttinanadassana Sphere arising in the middle and unify
to become one. Then, one will have insight and intuition to know and
understand various phenomena.
In conclusion, if we practice
meditation according to the Lord Buddha’s teaching until attaining the Holy
Dhammakaya, we will have insight and intuition to discover and understand the
truth as well as the nature that created humans and various things, both
material and immaterial, which function systematically and belong to the same
nature system. Nonetheless, humans are capable of reconnecting their mind
to experience all of these.
Humans have created rules and
regulations to organize the human society whereas the Law of Karma organizes
the actions of humans and animals to be either happy or unhappy.
Everything stems from a cause, and they exist to stay for a period of time
before being decomposed. This is the Dhammic condition according to the
law of nature.
As we were born humans and be
fortunate to meet with Buddhism which has the Lord Buddha’s teachings as the
truth that enlightens humankind, anyone who follows the Lord Buddha’s teachings
will be able to discover the truth. Then, we will have gratitude upon the
nature, and we will not destroy it. If we practice meditation and
cultivate good deeds until reaching the advanced level, we will be beyond
nature and able to put an end to sufferings.
11. Religion
Q: Revered Master Nun, there
are many severe problems in the present human society such as a son killing his
father and mother as well as parents killing their children. Why is it so?
A: This is because people have
no religion. They know religion, but they don’t practice the religious
teachings. So, it is useless as they have no refuge.
Q: Is it due to past karma?
A: It could be the past karma
and/or the present karma which made that happen.
Q: How can religion help to
prevent this?
A: If people obey the religious
teachings, they will be able to prevent and solve problems absolutely.
Q: What are the Buddhist
principles in term of practice?
A: Buddhism teaches people to
abstain from misdeeds, promote good deeds by way of giving, observing precepts,
and practicing meditation. In another word, it is to cherish moral
discipline, metal concentration, and wisdom. Buddhism is the religion of
wisdom where cause and effect are taken into account. Also, Buddhism
emphasizes on karma, especially the good karma via action, speech, and thought
which are in-line to the wholesome Dhamma.
Q: Some people committed
misdeeds in the past, how can we solve this?
A: As we study the Lord
Buddha’s teaching, we have to accept the karmic fruitions and stop doing bad
deeds. Then, we do only good deeds and continue our duty as usual.
The past karma will be relieved. However, if the past karma is still very
strong, it may intervene the karmic fruition directly causing us to die or
recess from wholesomeness.
Q: How many types of karma are
there?
A: There are three major types
of karma namely the wholesome, the unwholesome, and the neutral.
Q: Some people have committed
good deeds for a long time, but why they turn to commit misdeeds again?
A: Because they are not
steadfast in the Buddhist teaching and teachings of Buddhist masters.
Their truthfulness is weakened or their past karma bears fruit powerfully, so
they recess from wholesomeness.
Q: It is said that ‘Doing good
deeds, earning no good results. Doing bad deeds, enjoying good results.’
A: We earn good results when we
do good deeds, if it is in-line to the Dhamma. This means that we do good
deeds and feel happy. Those who do bad deeds will earn bad results as
they feel unpleasant or unhappy. We have to look at the mind, not just
the external. Sometimes, people look nice outside, but they are gloomy
inside. Some people do bad deeds and gain good results because of their past
good karma supports them. For those who do good deeds but still do not
gain good results, it is because their past good karma has not bear fruits in
time. In some case, they gain bad results because their past bad karma
causes the effects. This is similar to planting a tree today, we will
receive fruits in the future. Please be confident in doing good
deeds. If we plant mango trees and keep watering and adding fertilizer,
we will absolutely receive the mango fruits. This is the law of nature.
It is the truth of life. Those who enjoy their past good karma are like
ones who already have the mango trees planted years ago, so they can enjoy the
mango fruits today. However, if they don’t keep up with watering and
adding fertilizer, the trees may die soon.
Q: How can we convince people
to do more good deeds?
A: It is difficult to reborn as
a human. So we are fortunate to be humans. This is possible because
of our past merit. If we develop ourselves further, we will be humans
with humanity; otherwise, we are just people without or with less
humanity. We have to cultivate virtues to people since their childhood
similar to our forefathers who brought their children and grandchildren to
Buddhist temples for merit making. Our forefathers’ merit making is a
good example for us, and we can take them as our role models.
Q: Why do people in the present
days are so selfish?
A: Because people have become
more materialist. They give priority to money. So, they neglect the
spiritual development. Hence, they lack virtues and compassion, unlike
our past generations when people admired virtues and morality, so they live
peacefully with less selfishness.
12. India
Q: Master Nun, how was your
experience from travelling to the Buddhist pilgrimage places in India from 20
to 27 February 1994.
A: I felt like the Lord Buddha
was still alive. In addition, I felt overwhelmed and encouraged to
further my meditation practice. I felt like the Lord Buddha reminded me
to speed up my merit cultivation and never be reckless. This eliminated
my doubt and enhanced my faith.
Q: Why does Buddhism in India
is in recession?
A: Because there are numerous
beliefs in India, and later on, there are fragmenting of ideas without true
commitment in meditation practice.
Q: Is the lineage of the Lord
Buddha still there?
A: Yes, there is still Sakya
clan in Nepal.
Q: Master Nun, do you think
that Buddhism will prosper in India again?
A: I think Buddhism will not
prosper in India like in the past, but it will prosper elsewhere.
Q: Do the Indians in the
present time still believe in Buddhism?
A: From my experience during
the pilgrimage, I saw only Tibetans and Buddhists from other countries who
built their temples in India such as the Japanese, Burmese, and Thai.
Q: Will you visit India again?
A: Yes, I will because I had
only seven days for my previous trip. I think it’s too short.
Q: According to your trip to
Australia from 6 to 13 September 1995, I would like to ask how Buddhism in
Australia is now.
A: From my visit, there are
numerous Buddhist temples. They share something in common as the temples
are indeed the residential homes. Some temple has a pagoda instead of the
Buddha hall or uposatha. There is Buddharangsi Forest
Monastery which is a big monastery in Sydney where the Most Venerable Viboon
Silabhorn is the abbot.
Q: Are there many monks in each
temple?
A: Some temples have only one
Buddhist monk, and some have two.
Q: Do the Australian believe in
Buddhism?
A: Yes, some of them are
Buddhists. But mostly, lay devotees are Thai Buddhists who live in
Australia, and they recommend Buddhism to Australians.
Q: What are the nationality of
Buddhists who build temples in Australia?
A: From my experience, there
are Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, Taiwanese, and more which I didn’t have a
chance to visit yet due to a tight schedule.
Q: How are cities in Australia?
A: They are clean and
peaceful. People compete to plant flowers at homes. Australians
have good discipline and respect the governing laws. Their homes have no
fence to prevent robbery. People live together peacefully. Shops
are closed at 5 p.m. except restaurants which are closed no later than
midnight. In the evening, Australians take their family members out for
dining at beaches amidst beautiful scenes and seagulls.
Q: Is Australia populous?
A: Yes. One thing which
is not common in Thailand is the mobile homes which are tugged by
vehicles. Another thing is that there is a ringing to welcome people who
enter shops, and most of the shops have only one shopkeeper.
Q: Are there thieves and
robbers in Australia?
A: I asked people there, and
they told me that there is no thieve or robber. This shows that people
have good morality.
Q: What are other interesting
things about Australia?
A: There are parks, playgrounds,
clean public restrooms or toilets, maple trees, and many penguins.
(Master Nun’s laughter)
Q: How is the traffic there?
A: Transportation is very
convenient. There is no traffic jam. Each bus has no fare keeper
because passengers can insert coins to pay fare, and they have to fasten seat
belts; otherwise, the driver will be fined. The drivers also have to go
through alcohol drinking check up.
13. Meditation Retreat
Q: What are the benefits from
joining meditation retreat at Suan Kaew Meditation Centre?
A: The meditation retreat at
Suan Kaew Meditation Centre allows the participants to gain several
benefits. Normally, our Centre organizes retreats for the period of three
days, seven days, or nine days. Participants will have chances to learn
Buddhist teachings and know why one was born and what the life goal is.
In general, one comes to reborn by oneself, and when one passes away, one has
to depart by oneself as well. Our centre will also educate meditation
retreat participants on merit and sin, the gratitude upon parents, teachers,
and religious masters, the existence of ghosts, spirits, demons, ogre and
ogress, the evil mara, animals, humans, angels, Brahmas, monks,
hell, heaven, and the Nirvana. We will teach where they are. Once
we come to realize in the truth of Buddhism, we will know, love, and have
sympathy upon ourselves. All of what I said are within our mind as they
are immaterial. There are also the material which can be seen with naked
eyes and heard with physical ears in the aspect of being a good or bad person.
Q: What are the activities
during retreat?
A: In each retreat,
participants will have opportunities to do Buddhist chanting, practicing
meditation, giving alms, observing precepts, listening to Dhamma lectures, and
more. These activities are aimed to cultivate virtues and good habits for
participants. So, they can have their own guide light that leads their
living as well as having a refuge for their own. The refuge is something
they can hold on to as well as securing and protecting them. So, their
own life and their family will be happy, and this will promote a better society
in general.
Q: That’s true.
A: When we are at home, we put
on our clothes, make up our face so we look more attractive and
beautiful. Ladies have to use cosmetics to add beauty to their face in
the worldly way. Likewise, precepts observance is to add beauty in the
spiritual or Dhamma way. To do so, we have to be mindful and careful of
our action and speech. When someone is mindful always, he or she is
elegant, isn’t it?
Q: That’s right, Master Nun.
A: If an individual has a calm
action and speech without provoking, challenging, or hurting others, such
individual can keep one’s mind normal. Will this bring happiness or
suffering?
Q: Happiness, Master Nun.
A: This is how observing
precepts can bring about happiness without causing troubles to oneself and
allowing one to maintain one’s properties and necessities for consumption.
Q: How does precept observation
enable us to have properties for consumption?
A: It is karmic fruition in the
present lifetime. When people observe precepts during a retreat program,
they are provided food, beverage, and other accommodation for free at our
meditation centre. These accommodations are made possible with generous
donations from our lay devotees. They make donation to support the
retreat because they are faithful upon the participants who observe precepts
during the program. This is the present consequences. The
participants are required to observe eight precepts which yield much merit if
they can observe the precepts flawlessly, and they will have enough meals for
their retreat.
When an individual who has moral
discipline and honesty works to earn for living, they will not become poor
because of their virtues. The ethical persons are diligent in working and
they are well disciplined by the moral precepts which secure their bodies
whereas the virtues secure their minds. So, they can do their worldly
duties very well in order to earn for living appropriately.
Lastly, moral discipline (Sila)
is the foundation of mental concentration (Samadhi) and wisdom (Panna).
Once the action, speech, and thought are disciplined, this will bring about
right concentration (Samma Samadhi) where our mind is correctly, powerfully,
and firmly focused. We will also have right view (Samma Ditthi)
which allows us to think reasonably. Thus, our mind will be clean,
bright, calm, and peaceful.
Q: Can moral precepts
observance helps to extend our lifespan or eliminate our misfortune?
A: People who have both healthy
body and mind will live longer. But those who have so much stress,
aggressiveness, harm upon oneself, false speech, and mistreating others, will
die earlier. Stress alone is the cause of many diseases. So, the moral
precepts observation can help one to have a good living, and this is called ‘a
fortunate lifestyle.’
Q: What are the benefits of
giving and meditation?
A: I already mentioned about
the benefits of giving in the past chapter on giving perfection which I
exemplified the story Prince Vessandara. To conclude, if one wishes to
get rich, one has to do generous giving. If one wishes to be freed from
sufferings, one has to observe moral precepts and practice meditation.
Everyone who joins the meditation retreat
at Suan Kaew Meditation Centre will gain benefits from merit and virtue
cultivation to prepare good foundation for their mind. The frequent
participants will have opportunities to further this cultivation to reach the
advanced level which is called ‘perfection’ or ‘parami.’ This can
be used as the Dhamma weapon for defeating the evil mara.
Both the Holy and the Evil are within our mind, and they rely on each
other. The evil mara has the duty to darken our life and
causes us to face with trouble, obstacle, and suffering while continuing the
cycle of rebirth endlessly. Therefore, we must not be reckless, and we
must not lack mindfulness. We have to urge ourselves in creating the
contributing factors that will further our perfections or merit accumulation.
As we follow the path of the Holy, we will have triumph over the evil mara.
Then, our life will be bright, calm, clean, and attain the Holy Dhammakaya.
14. The Gold Replica of
Lord Buddha’s Footprint
Q: I would like to ask why you
built the gold replica of Lord Buddha’s footprint.
A: It is due to my insight
which I saw a pavilion where a big Buddha statue in standing posture was
enshrined, and there was the Lord Buddha’s footprint in the pavilion. So,
I asked an artisan to draw a picture according to my insight.
Q: Why is it made of gold?
A: Gold is a valuable precious
metal. It glows by itself without turning gloomy. To build the Lord
Buddha’s footprint replica with gold is to express our strong faith and to
value Buddhism. This is a great material veneration upon the Lord Buddha.
Q: What is your objective in
building the gold footprint?
A: The goal is to pay homage to
the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. There are two different kinds of homage
in Buddhism, the homage with material offering and the homage with
practice. I made this homage to eliminate greed which is the defilement
embedded in my mind. This kind of defilement causes us to live in
darkness and suffering.
Q: How does the creation of
gold Buddha’s footprint relate to homage with practice?
A: As we sacrifice our
properties such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, gold, and money, we
partially eliminate greed (lobha) which is a kind of defilement.
Dhamma practice in Buddhism aims to get rid of mental impurities or defilements
such as greed (lobha), anger (dhosa), and delusion (moha).
Q: What does it mean to follow
the footprint or the path of the Lord Buddha?
A: To follow the footprint or
the path of the Lord Buddha, we practice the Noble Eightfold Path. This
means that we have the mindful wisdom upon the Right View or having the Right
View, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right
Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Mental Concentration which are
complete. If we do the opposite way, it is to follow the evil mara’s
path.
Q: What will be the result from
following the Lord Buddha’s path?
A: We will have a refuge that
secures our life to be happy, bright, calm, and peaceful. When we are
still in this world, we will be sensible enough. After we depart this
world, we will head to heaven in the afterlife.
Q: Why are there so many
problems at the present days?
A: Because people do not follow
the Lord Buddha’s path, on the contrary, they follow the evil mara.
As we live with the evil mara, we are not sensible enough upon
the mara’s tricks. So, we cannot solve our problems, and our
life turns chaotic. We have to face with suffering. There will be
problems and disorders in both social and national level. So, I built the
Lord Buddha’s footprint to raise the awareness among people to think, speak,
and act reasonably by following the Lord Buddha’s footprint. Practically,
to practice generous giving, observing moral precepts, learning Dhamma, and
practicing meditation, in order to achieve self-realization.
Q: The gold footprint has
sunken patterns and images. What do they mean?
A: They are the 108 auspicious
symbols which represent prosperity such as turtle, fish, elephant, horse,
cattle, and sailing ship. Also, there are the symbols of longevity,
beauty, happiness, and strength such as the image of Brahmas, gold tree, and
silver tree. The symbol of governing power is the sword. All of
them are the Dhamma clues.
Q: Why do you place the gold
footprint in holy water basin?
A: In order to imitate the
original one. When Mr. Boon, the hunter, discovered the Lord Buddha’s
footprint in Saraburi Province, the footprint was flooded by water. The
animals which were shot and attacked with weapons can be healed by drinking
water inside the footprint. So, I brought Lord Buddha’s shower water from
Savatthi City in India altogether with holy water from 108 Buddhist temples in
Thailand and pour down into the footprint basin at my meditation center.
The Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro) who discovered the Lord
Buddha’s Superknowledge of Dhammakaya, also transferred his power from
Dhammakaya meditation into the basin. So, it is very sacred, and lay
devotees can drink the water as they wish.
Q: Can common people see and
pay respect to the gold footprint?
A: Yes. Everyday from
9.00 am. to 3.00 pm.
15. What is life?
Q: I would like to ask what
life is all about?
A: Life is ‘living.’ One
is living when one is not dead or ‘unliving’ yet. For ‘being,’ it means
‘remaining.’ One’s elements are still being. Thus, humans’ life
means the living and being of humans while animals’ life means the living and
being of animals. Life is very much important for both humans and animals
who are living beings. So, we can conclude that life is more valuable
than properties, and they are more precious than any other precious. If
someone were to give us much money in exchange for our life, we will absolutely
deny. This is because we love our own life. Therefore, humans and
animals are afraid of losing their life.
Q: As humans and animals love
their life, why do some of them commit suicide?
A: We cannot prohibit illness,
aging, death, departure, and recession in our life. And some people
commit suicide because of ‘karma.’ The Lord Buddha said that “Living
beings are under the Law of Karma.” So, humans’ life is predestined by
karma which they committed themselves. We can say that they reap what
they sow.
Q: So, who do people wish to
commit suicide?
A: Because they do not have a
safe refuge, so they cannot be freed from suffering.
Q: What is the safe refuge
which you mean?
A: The safe refuge comprises of
the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Whoever takes refuge upon them will
foresee the Four Noble Truth with their righteous wisdom. This means that
they understand suffering, the cause of suffering, practice that leads to
cessation of suffering, and enlightenment. These made the refuge safe and
superlative. People can be liberated from suffering if they rely on the
refuge. Without them, we don’t know what to hold on to, so we may take
refuge in the sinful instead. One is regarded as being sinful because his
mind is sinful. When one has sinful mind, one commits sinful deeds.
Thus, the mind turns gloomy, and one has only sufferings. It is like
burning a big stone and place it into one’s mind. This makes one feels
anxious and over tempered. One feels like one is in darkness with no
exit. So, one keeps thinking with the wandering mind, and some becomes
stressful and turns insane. These can cause one to have psychotic
problems and become a psychotic patient. When this happens, some people
cannot stop thinking as they are unable to solve problems. So, they wish
to commit suicide in various ways. This is because they lack Dhamma in
their heart. The Lord Buddha’s Dhamma or teaching is an excellent
medicine that can heal and calm people’s heart. But people are not
interested in religion although they have Dhamma books at home. Dhamma
can heal suffering. People disinterest in the Dhamma when they are well,
so they have no refuge when they have suffering. This makes them get lost
in darkness.
Q: Some people think that they
will be freed from suffering after they die.
A: Living beings including
humans and animals have mind or spirit. When they die, their mind or
spirit is not destroyed. The mind has to search for a new body.
This is like moving to a new home from one place to another. If one does
good deeds, the new home will be beautiful. On the contrary, if one does
bad deeds, the new home will be horrible, and it makes one feel even more
suffering to live in.
It is sinful to commit suicide.
We can escape from trouble in this world, but we will have to suffer from the
karma in the following lifetimes. The right way is to accept the truth
about suffering that it is due to our past karma committed in the past
lifetimes. We need to have mindfulness and patience to continue doing
good deeds as we are still alive. Once we can accept this truth, our mind
will be joyous and not sorrowful. We will feel refreshed and have no
suffering. Then our wisdom will arise, and the thought of committing
suicide will disappear.
16. The Triple Gem
Q: Master Nun, it is said that
the Lord Buddha is superbly helpful as he can be our refuge in getting rid of
suffering. What does this mean?
A: We were born with our own
karma, and we have to face with our karmic fruition. This is the same to
everyone. We will receive the fruit of karma whether it is good or bad
karma. This is the cause that makes us strive against suffering since we
were born in order to survive. Then, we face with suffering from aging,
illness, and death. We have the bodily and mental discomfort, resentment,
sorrow from departing our beloved, experiencing what we dislike, and various
dissatisfaction. All of the aforesaid are suffering. Don’t you see
now that since our first breath until the last in our life, we have to
experience with much suffering. Thus, the Lord Buddha kindly pointed out
the way to get rid of suffering by living our life with the Dhamma.
Dhamma is the truth and the
righteousness. It means that the Lord Buddha’s teachings are completely
truthful. Whatever that the Lord Buddha recommended us to do, we will
enjoy the result if we do so. Whatever that the Lord Buddha recommended
us to undo, we will suffer from the result if we do it. Thus, all of us
should apply the Dhamma which is the Lord Buddha’s teachings into our daily
living.
Dhamma can work as medicine that
cures or heals our mental suffering. We cannot find any other medicine to
heal the mind. So, we have to accept the truth that all of us have karma
that leads to birth, and karma is in our ‘gene.’ We cannot choose where
we want to reborn or to be alive, once we can accept the fruition of karma, our
mind will calm down and have no temper. We will have wisdom choosing to
do only good deeds, and the good deeds will make us happy according to the law
of karma. This is to use Dhamma as medicine for curing and healing our
mind against suffering. This is the reason why the Lord Buddha can help
to get rid of our suffering.
Q: What does it mean that the
Dhamma can prevent one against harms.
A: After we were born, we have
to face with different problems surrounding us. They are like storms or
robbers that threaten our life. This is the ‘harm’ that everyone has to
encounter. If we always have Dhamma in the form of ‘moral discipline,’ it
will protect us against such harm at all times.
In addition to its function as
teachings, Dhamma can also be regarded as the instruction. This is in the
form of ‘Vinaya’ that helps to organize our living to be in good
order. Thus, people respect and do not harm each other.
For moral precepts or ‘Sila,’
there are different levels such as the five precepts, the moral discipline
within themagga, and the moral discipline outside the magga.
There is also the superior level of moral precepts which is the eight
precepts. It is all up to us to choose based on our convenience.
The goal of observing precepts is to get rid of anger and violence and rudeness
of our action, speech, and thought, as these can lead us to do bad deeds
easily. The moral discipline promotes our awareness not to commit
misdeeds and being able to distinguish between goodness and badness.
Thus, moral discipline is like fences that surround ourselves to prevent us
against harmful sin and unwholesomeness.
Our living in the present is more
difficult, but five precepts can secure our life as it controls us not to kill,
harm each other, steal others’ belongings, commit sexual misconduct, lie, speak
sarcastically, and drink alcohol. All of the aforesaid secure our living
by reducing suffering both in the present lifetime and in the afterlife.
The frequent violation of five precepts will causes one to receive punishment
in the unwholesome realm like hell. But if one observes moral precepts,
one will have clean action, speech, and thought. In addition, one will
not have much impurity, free from harm and revenge. One will be more
disciplined and ready to prosper further in life. This is how the Dhamma
can get rid of harm.
Q: One more thing, Master
Nun. It is said that the Sangha or Buddhist monks can get rid of
illness. What does it mean?
A: Our present world is full of
various diseases. The physical diseases require medication as treatment,
but the mental diseases cannot be cured with medicines. We cannot produce
medicines to cure mental illness, but we need experts who know well about
mental diseases. They are the Buddhist monks or Sangha. They can
heal and cure mental diseases which stem from hatred, anger, delusion, and
jealousy. The Buddhist monks are specialists on this matter. They
will use the Dhamma which is the Lord Buddha’s teachings as medicines for the
mind. In addition, the Buddhist monks suggest us what we should do and
undo. For example, “if we do this, we will be mentally ill of
that.” “This mental illness can be cured this way.” “Doing this and
that can cure the illness.” There is also the Superknowledge of
Dhammakaya rediscovered by Luang Por Wat Paknam which can cure diseases.
This is why it is said that the Sangha can cure illness. There is no
other comparable medicine because the medicine for the mind is produced by the
Lord Buddha. Luang Por Wat Paknam knew this, so he taught us to use this medicine
to cure illness. Significantly, we need to have faith and confidence in
the Dhamma doctor and the Dhamma medicines. Thus, our disease can be
cured. We have to learn and put into practice as our habits. If we
learn without applying into practice, it won’t yield good results since the
Dhamma medicine cannot work. And the illness will cause more problems and
sufferings for us endlessly. Without the Buddhist monks who continue the
religion and religious teachings as well as telling us about the teachings to
be applied into our life, we will die badly of the mental diseases until there
is no one who is mentally healthy left. This is how the Buddhist monks or
Sangha can get rid of illness.
According to my explanation, it is
just the primary step of Dhamma practice. The Lord Buddha’s teaching is
much more profound. We must be truly committed in meditation practice,
and we will discover the true thing which can be known by oneself only on how
the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha can get rid of suffering, harm, and
illness.
17. The Four Factors
Leading to Achievement
Q: On the occasion of coming
New Year, I would like to ask Master Nun which Buddhist teaching we should
implement in order to strengthen our mind, so we can encounter with suffering
and difficulty.
A: The most suitable Buddhist
teaching is ‘The Four Itthipada’ or the Four Factors Leading to
Achievement which comprise of:
(1) Pleasure (chanda)
which is the satisfaction of one’s being. So, one is satisfied to
continue working on one’s righteous job. As one has less money, one
spends less and knows how to be thrifty. This complies to the Lord
Buddha’s teaching on appropriation over oneself, one’s earning, income, and
spending without overspending and overconsumption.
(2) Perseverance
(viriya) which means the striving to do one’s work the best with
persistence whether the work is hard or easy. With perseverance, one can
be successful if one has strong commitment.
(3) Attention (citta)
means after we have satisfaction and perseverance toward one’s work, we have to
love the work we do. So, one does one’s work happily and
attentively. For example, if we like bakery, we enjoy making bakery for
sales. We will be happy to do it as it is what we like. Thus, we
don’t have to force ourselves to do it.
(4) Pondering (vimamsa)
is the consideration over causes and effects of one’s work with wisdom.
It is to check if what one has done is correct and righteous as well as
possible for any improvement. One has to ponder over these factors prudently.
If one applies all of the four Dhammas into regular practices,
one can bring success to one’s life even though one has to encounter with
difficulties and problems while the four Dhammas support and secure oneself.
Q: Nowadays, people worry so much about changes in
life. People who used to have good jobs get laid off, and those who have
fame get disdained and criticized by others. Which Dhamma should we apply
to empower our mind, so we don’t feel disheartened and discouraged?
A: At this time, everyone has to turn to the truth that
all living beings are always under the ‘Worldly Conditions’ or ‘Lokadhamma.’
This means that people enjoy gains, fame, and praise, but according to the Lord
Buddha’s teachings, there are also the opposite qualities which are lose,
defame, and criticism which can occur to one’s life. So, we have to
comprehend that everything is impermanent, subject to suffering, and keeps
changing. We should know this very truth and prevent our mind not to be
colonized by them, and we will be happy everywhere because the mind is joyous.
Q: When people are in difficulty, they start to be selfish
and neglect good deeds. This leads them to experience suffering
endlessly. According to this fact, what Dhamma should we apply to cleanse
the mind?
A: For this happening, we should apply ‘the three
meritorious deeds’ namely generous giving, precepts observance, and meditation
practice. These three can purify our mind to be clean and freed from
greed or selfishness because we learn to give. In addition, we think,
speak, and act only in the wholesome ways due to the observance of precepts
which controls us to abstain from misdeeds. Finally, our mind can be
trained with meditation. This promotes mental calm and peacefulness, and
all of these are the fruition of merit from the top of merit making which are
generous giving, precepts observance, and meditation practice.
Q: According to what I asked you, the Dhamma we talked
about may not last forever, so which Dhamma we should use in order to prevent
all other Dhamma from regression or disappearance.
A: The Lord Buddha’s Dhamma which can sustain all other
Dhamma(s) is ‘Saddha’ or faith and confidence. This kind of faith
must stem from the righteous belief only which encourages one’s confidence especially
the ‘kamma-saddha’ or belief in the existing of karma. Then, one
proceeds to believe in ‘vipaka-saddha’ or belief in the existing of
karmic fruition, so everyone reaps what one sows. Next, there is ‘kammasagata-saddha’ which
is the belief that everyone has one’s own karma. Lastly, there is ‘tathagata-bodhi-saddha’ or belief and confidence in the Lord Buddha’s
enlightenment. This is because the Lord Buddha taught us to do good deeds
and abstain from bad deeds. As we are confident in our teacher, we will
believe in his teaching. Thereafter, we will have the wisdom to
understand that we were born to experience with sufferings, and we have to
encounter problems and difficulties due to our own karma which we committed in
the past lifetimes. So, we should continue doing good deeds with
patience. Thus, this is the Dhamma that can sustain all other Dhamma(s)
since faith can bind oneself to the teachings.
May everyone make wishes for this coming New Year that we will
cultivate our firm faith in the Lord Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha
furthermore with the belief that the Lord Buddha is wisdomful, helpful, and
pureful. Then, our mind can have a refuge to rely on, and the mind will
not fluctuate according to the worldly stream of defilement or impurity.
Our mind will be able to withstand the changes without being misled into the
unwholesome ways according to the Lord Buddha’s saying tha
18. Samadhi
Q: I would like to ask Master
Nun about meditation practice. How can we practice meditation, and what
is the objective?
A: Meditation is a simple term
which is easy to understand. In Buddhism, we call this ‘kammathana.’
‘Kamma’ means ‘work’ and ‘thana’ means ‘base.’ So, this
means the mental work or the work which prospers the mind. Another term for
meditation is ‘bhavana’ which means mental training or development in
order to calm down the defilements or mental impurities as well as cherishing
wisdom.
Q: How many types of kammathana are
there?
A: There are two major types
of kammathana.
(1) Samatha
Kammathana or mental calm
(2) Vipassana
Kammathana or insight contemplation
Q: What are the differences?
A: Mental calm helps to calm
down our mind against the mental hindrances while the insight contemplation
helps to promote wisdom in order to get rid of ignorance or avijja which
is the origin of defilements or mental impurities.
Q: What is the purpose of
doing kammathana?
A: According to the Lord
Buddha, we do kammathana to:
(1) Practicing
mental calm to train the mind
(2) Training the
mind to eliminate lust or raga
(3) Practicing
insight contemplation to train wisdom or panna
(4) Training
wisdom to eliminate ignorance or avijja
Q: What is the meaning of
meditation or Samadhi?
A: Samadhi means
the firm settlement and mental concentration which is steadfast without
fluctuation.
Q: How many types of meditation
are there?
A: In one aspect, there are
three major types of meditation or Samadhi.
- Khanika samadhi which is temporary mental
concentration
- Upacara Samadhi which is unfirm mental concentration. This
almost reaches mental absorption or jhana, but not yet.
- Appana Samadhi which is firm mental concentration without
fluctuation. The mind is focused and unified until achieving the mental
absorption or jhana by being able to eliminate mental
hindrances and gain the five factors of mental absorption namely directed
attention, examination, rapture, pleasure, and one-pointedness of mind.
Q: What is the beholden of
mental calm meditation or Samatha Kammathana?
A: Something that the mind
holds on to in order to calm down. This is called ‘the experience of
mental calm meditation’ which is indeed ‘the method to calm down the mind.’
Q: What is the beholden of
insight contemplation or meditation methods of Vipassana Kammathana?
A: Totally, there are forty
methods classified into seven groups as follows:
1. Ten Kasina
2. Ten Asubha
3. Ten Anussati
4. Four Brahma Vihara
5. One Aharepatikulasanna
6. One Catudhatu-vavatthana
7. Four Arupa
Q: What is the meditation image
or Nimitta?
A: Nimitta means
the appearing image or meditation object which is the image one sees within
one’s mind as the beholden of meditation practice. Also, it is the symbol
or meditation object primarily used for mental focus during meditation.
The meditation image or Nimitta is a material object that can
be seen with naked eyes such as in the case of the ten Kasina.
Q: What are the Nimitta?
A: There are three types of
Nimitta as follows:
(1) Parikamma
nimitta which is to stare at an object for visualization in meditation
such as in the case of the tenkasina. Also, practitioners can also
use mantra repetition in his or her mind such as ‘Samma Arahang’ or ‘Buddho.’
(2) Ukkaha
nimitta means the parikamma nimitta that practitioner can master meditation
object visualization well and being able to see the image clearly either when
opening or closing the physical eyes.
(3) Panibhaga
nimitta means the image of meditation object which practitioner masters
visualization similar to ukkaha nimitta. However, panibhaga nimitta is
like the memory of the clear and pure image in one’s mind that one can think of
enlarging or downsizing as one wishes to. Whoever has panibhaga nimitta,
this means that the practitioner already attains appana Samadhi where one’s
mind is calm enough until achieving mental absorption or jhana.
Q: How can we practice kammathana according
to Dhammakaya Meditation?
A: The Most Venerable
Phramongkolthepmuni or Luang Por Wat Paknam taught his followers that, in the
first step, one has to calm down the mind by stop thinking of things other than
the beholden of mind in meditation. The, one pictures the parikamma
nimitta crystal sphere image in one’s mind. The crystal sphere
image should be crystal clear like a diamond without any flaw. Its size
should be about one’s eye pupil. Then, repeat the mantra ‘Samma Arahang’
and relocate the image pictured in one’s mind from the first base,
respectively, until reaching the seventh base. The details can be found
in ‘The Principles of Samatha & Vipassana Kammathana of
Phramongkolethepmuni (Luang Por Sodh of Wat Paknam).’
Q: What will happen if we can
picture the meditation object in our mind until reaching the level of panibhaga
nimitta?
A: The crystal clear sphere
will arise at the seventh base of mind. Its size varies from the size of
a sesame seed to the size of full moon. This sphere is called
the pathamamagga Sphere orDhammanupassanakammathana Sphere
or the Sphere of Primary Path of the human body. All humans have this
sphere nourishing their life. If this sphere ceases, their life will
discontinue as well.
As one focuses one’s mind at the
seventh base, one will see the Primary Path Sphere. Focusing one’s mind
further in the middle of the Primary Path Sphere, one will see Sila Sphere.
Focusing one’s mind in the middle of Sila Sphere, one will
see Samadhi Sphere. Focusing one’s mind in the middle
of Samadhi Sphere, one will see Panna Sphere.
Focusing one’s mind in the middle of Panna Sphere, one will
see Vimutti Sphere. Focusing one’s mind in the middle
of Vimutti Sphere, one will see Vimuttinanadassana Sphere.
Focusing one’s mind in the middle of Vimuttinanadassana Sphere,
one will see the refined human body, celestial body seated in the middle of Vimuttinanadassana Sphere.
Then, continue focusing one’s mind in the middle furthermore. Thekammathana meditation
practice ranges from the level of human body, celestial body, Rupa Brahma body, and Arupa-Brahma body. These steps are samatha
kammathana or mental calm meditation.
Q: How can we
do Vipassana level?
A: When one meditates until
attaining the Dhammakaya, focus one’s mind at the Dhammakaya which is still
small. Thus, the Dhammakaya will enlarge to be equal to one’s human
body. This Dhammakaya is crystal clear throughout the body, seated in
meditation posture, and topped with a lotus bud, this Dhammakaya is called ‘Gotrabhu Dhammakaya.’
Then, allow the Gotrabhu Dhammakaya to meditate in
contemplation of the Four Noble Truth namely suffering or Dukkha,
cause of suffering or Samudaya, cessation of suffering orNirodha,
and the path towards cessation of suffering or Magga within
the human body as well as contemplating on birth, aging, illness, and death,
which are impermanent (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self
(anatta). These contemplations are Vipassana which
one can prosper further, and there are much more in details.
Q: Can we prove them?
A: The Lord Buddha’s teachings
can be proven or ehipassiko and always timeless or akaliko.
Q: Can those who do not
practice understand these?
A: If they do not practice, it
would be difficult to understand because the verbal and written language are
just humans’ presumption. The results of one’s practice can be known by
oneself or paccattam only. It is difficult to
explain. For example, when someone tastes salt in one’s mouth, he will
feel the saltiness. If he is questioned how saltiness is, it is difficult
to explain.
Q: What does Dhammakaya
mean? How can Dhammakaya defeat the evil mara?
A: Dhammakaya is the original
spirit of living beings. This original spirit is pure, clean, elegance,
cheerful, and radiant.
The evil mara is the
defilements or mental impurities that enter one’s mind such as greed, anger,
and delusion. They do not benefit the mind. When they conquer one’s
mind, the mind turns gloomy.
The [Holy] Dhammakaya belongs to the
white wholesome party. They are empowered by merit, wholesomeness, and
goodness. The evil mara belongs to the dark unwholesome
party, they are empowered by sin, unwholesomeness, and evilness.
The White Wholesome Dhammakaya and
the dark unwholesome evil mara are opponents upon each
other. For more details about how Dhammakaya defeating mara,
please read the previous chapters of this book.
19. The Solution
Q: With my utmost respect to
Master Nun! Why do people have to encounter with many problems that
pressure their minds. As they cannot find out solutions, they think of
committing suicide. Why is it so?
A: As people were born and have
to encounter with many problems in life, the cause is due to karma which
destines our life to be this and that way, more or less. Nobody can
escape from the karmic fruition. So, we have to study the Lord Buddha’s
teaching. Therefore, as we cannot avoid problems, we have to study and
comprehend how to solve problems.
Q: What is the solution?
A: If we wish to solve
problems, first of all, we need to seek for a refuge for ourselves. The
refuge is ‘Dhamma’ or teaching of the Lord Buddha. The teaching is deemed
to be a safe refuge for us. People who have no refuge are usually unable
to solve problems for themselves. Even worse, they cause troubles to
themselves and others as they do not know how to intake and learn
correctly. So, they are deluded by sensual desires and enslaved by
materialism. These cause them to lose the opportunity to reborn as
humans. Moreover, some of them meet with Buddhism but disinterest in
studying the Lord Buddha’s teachings.
Q: How can Dhamma solve
problems for us?
A: First of all, we have to
understand the term ‘Dhamma.’ In one aspect, Dhamma is ‘the duty.’
For example, the duty of legs is walking, eyes for seeing, ears for listening,
brain for thinking, and hands for working. Every organ is created and
destined to do its duty correctly without interrupting each other. This
is one example regarding our physical body.
Ourselves also have duty of being
reborn as humans. As Buddhists, we need to have ‘awareness’ which means
that we have to study the Buddhist teaching until we understand, then, put into
practice. Thereafter, we will receive the answers on the causation of all
problems and sufferings we encounter in life. We will realize that all of
them are subject to impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha),
and non-self (anatta). The way to solve the very cause of
sufferings is to avoid the bad cause, thus the undesirable result will not
occur. Then, we have to commit only good cause in order to achieve the
desirable result. This is the solution to life problems that the Lord
Buddha taught us to follow in the journey of life.
Q: How can we commit the good
cause?
A: The aforesaid ‘good cause’
means to commit good contributing factors which start from moral precepts
because it is the foundation that naturally gives rise to shame and fear of sin
or hiri and ottappa. We will have the
awareness by ourselves. Therefore, we have to be mindful of our action,
speech, and thought and keep them righteous. This is the foundation of
all humans. Once we commit a cause, there will be effect(s). We
need to have good principles and refuge. This will make people trust and
believe in us, and we will be able to make achievements properly. In
addition, we will be able to appropriate our speech, thought, and action
whether we are walking, sitting, or consuming. We will realize in the
gratitude we owe to others without being a person with ingratitude. These
are teachings of the Lord Buddha.
Q: Some people may object that
they do good deeds, but they still have to encounter problems. So, why
should they continue doing good deeds?
A: At the present days, most
people do good deeds because of ‘craving.’ They don’t do it because it
should be done. So, they feel discouraged in doing good deeds which is to
create the contributing factors. Everyone who is born has to die all
alike. So, we should learn from each other as we are still alive.
This means that we have to practice until we know that an effect is due to a
cause. Then, we will be able to choose when we reborn. Please
observe the surroundings, we will find people who are even more suffering than
us. Don’t look at people who are better than us. We should make
ourselves ‘moderate’ and do our duty correctly. Keep our mind pure and
live with the present. Our past is like a dream, and let go of the future
somehow. Do our best in the present. Don’t be disheartened!
Everything goes on according to the nature. Things exist, remain for a
period of time, and decompose. We live in the world of presumption.
Humans are the ones who assume day, night, suffering, and happiness.
Above all of these, the Lord Buddha’s teaching is the truth for all that
everything exists, remains for a period of time, and decomposes according to
the impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta).
When it is about time, we have to depart this world all alike. We have to
abandon our money, precious belongings, gain, dignity, fame, properties, as
well as our own body. Only our virtues and goodness will remain in this
world.
20. Doing Good Deeds
Q: I would like to question
Master Nun about doing good deeds. Nowadays, people doubt why they do
good deeds but receive no good result. If it is so, why should they
continue doing good deeds?
A: First of all, we have to
consider what kind of good deeds we do. Are they good deeds according to
Buddhism or the worldly? For good deeds according to Buddhism, we need to
have awareness of humanity and observe the five moral precepts. This can
exist within ourselves. The moral precepts according to themagga or
path means following the Lord Buddha’s path. The Lord Buddha is the owner
of Buddhism which teaches the righteous way of living with wisdom and right
view. This means that everything complies to righteousness without
harming oneself and others. Next, there is the right livelihood.
For moral precepts outside the magga or path, it is the
regular moral precepts which deal with worldly happiness and suffering.
In this case, it means common living of humans who pursue their career as
usual. For example, people who work with livestock do not consider that
killing is harming. The animals love their own life which is similar to
humans, but that is the way humans do their worldly duty. Another example
is gambling. We wish to earn money from others, and others wish to earn
money from us, so the duty continues on with the power of karma or action that
causes either happiness or suffering or having both together. However, if
we observe moral precepts, we will have awareness and better consideration.
We will know how to intake and learn. The virtuous and
knowledgeable ones who can secure and rely on themselves can also help
us. So, we should ask them about cause and effect, so we become
knowledgeable and understand well until we can apply to our life. Finally,
we can have the refuge of our own.
Q: What is the difference
between merit making and committing good deeds.
A: The term ‘merit’ is the
result. We have to commit the cause which is to train our action, speech,
and thought to be virtuous and ethical. We have to do our duty
righteously. For example, the child, the mother, the father, the teacher,
and the master have to do their duty correctly. One has to be diligent,
honest, and responsible in doing one’s job. For example, if we are
employees, we have to do the duty of employees. This is how we can gain
the internal Noble Wealth. Thereafter, the external Noble Wealth will
occur to us. We will become good people who have merit. The level
of dignity as humans in ourselves will progress. If we invest so much
effort in doing good deeds, we will be promoted from humans to be angels,
Brahmas, and the Holy. Then, we will enjoy only happiness in both the
present and future lifetimes. Human society always needs people like
this. As we are born humans, we have the right to develop our mind to be
better. This is to be the ‘meritorious person.’
Q: If we do good deeds
according to Buddhism, but why do we sometimes have problems?
A: We must have faith in the
Lord Buddha’s teaching. We must believe in the Law of Karma. Since
we still cannot make a choice when we reborn. Every living being, either
human or animal, loves happiness and dislikes suffering. By the end of
their lifetime, they all have to decompose according to the Law of Nature.
But we are fortunate to be born and meet with Buddhism. The Buddhist
teaching is truthful as Buddhism is the religion of wisdom, thus Buddhism can
be the guiding light for humankind. Buddhism teaches people to be
rational. People will earn good results from doing good deeds and bad
results from doing bad deeds. These are the matter of cause and
effect. Otherwise, we would have had being unable to make a choice when
we reborn. But in the present, we are able to make a choice to reborn in
the future. This means that we have faith believing in the Law of
Karma. Hence, we can choose to stop doing bad deeds and pursue the ten,
twenty, and thirty virtues perfection namely generosity, moral discipline,
renunciation, wisdom, patience, perseverance, truthfulness, resolution,
compassion, and equanimity. So, the bad karma will not have an
opportunity to bear fruits. For example, in the present generation,
humans are very wise in doing research and discovery of things for their own
convenience and happiness. This leads to the age of globalization.
But it causes people to compete endlessly in their society. They do not
realize in Buddhism, and they have no refuge since they rely heavily on
materialism. The materials can be relied on temporarily, but suffering is
still there. To get rid of suffering, we have to follow the path of the
Lord Buddha. This will make us realize, love, feel sympathy, and rely on
ourselves. So, the reason why we do good deeds and receive no good
results yet is probably that we have the past karma called the supporting karma
that will bear fruits later on. We cannot avoid our karma or actions
because it is the nature of cycle of rebirth.
Q: What does the cycle of
rebirth mean?
A: Simply speaking, the cycle
of rebirth is like the boundless sea with its depth that cannot be
reached. Then, our life is like windsurfing in the sea by existing,
remaining for a period of time, and decomposing. It goes on like this as
long as we still have mental impurities or defilements. We have to be
destined by the karmic force which we cannot avoid. Whatever we do is
recorded into our mind, and we can know this by ourselves. Our mind is
like a computer that can store data, but it can store data for uncountable
lifetimes over the period of billions or trillions years or more. As we
have been reborn for numerous lifetimes, we store data in the mental format in
manifold volume while there is no error like the computer. If we have righteous
refuge for our mind, we will be wise and wisdomful, being able to rely on
ourselves and help others. In the present, most people are very smart,
but they cannot survive because they are enslaved by materialism. Those
who cannot solve problems choose to commit suicide. People like this
should be embarrassed upon other animals like cattle, pig, duck, and chicken
who do not commit suicide despite of the fact that some humans attempt to kill
them for food.
21. The Triple Gem
Q: The Triple Gem is deemed to
be the most revered in Buddhism. I would like to ask Master Nun what the
Triple Gem is?
A: That’s correct. The
Triple Gem is the most revered in Buddhism. The Triple Gem comprises of
the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. We can call them the Three Gem which are the
Buddha Gem, Dhamma Gem, and Sangha Gem. These three are the most revered.
Q: Why are they called the
Three Gem?
A: Because the Buddha can get
rid of suffering, the Dhamma can get rid of harm, and the Sangha can get rid of
illness for faithful Buddhists. To clarify the Three Gem, the Lord Buddha is
the one who taught people to have righteous action, speech, and thought
according to the Dhamma and Vinaya or teaching and discipline
which form Buddhism. The Dhamma is the Lord Buddha’s teaching, and the Sangha
means those who learn the Lord Buddha’s teachings or instructions and put into
practice accordingly.
Q: It is said that the Lord
Buddha is virtuous. What does it mean?
A: The Lord Buddha’s virtues
include the enlightenment which he attained by himself, and he taught to others
to attain enlightenment and have knowledge like him.
Q: How did the Lord Buddha know
well, know righteously, and teach others to know accordingly? What did
others know?
A: The Lord Buddha attained
enlightenment and knew well and righteously by himself. This means:
(1) The Lord
Buddha is an Arahant or the fully enlightened one.
(2) The Lord
Buddha is a Buddha.
(3) The Lord
Buddha is competent of superknowledge (vijja) and good conduct (carana).
(4) The Lord
Buddha reaches his destination safely as he has no defilements.
(5) The Lord
Buddha has omniscience over the world
(6) The Lord
Buddha is an excellent trainer who trained qualified trainees
(7) The Lord Buddha is the religious
leader for deities and humans.
(8) The Lord
Buddha is always awaken and joyous without delusive attachment.
(9) The Lord
Buddha is fortunate as well as being able to clarify the Dhamma successfully.
The Lord Buddha taught others to know
like him as follows:
(1) Knowing
suffering
(2) Knowing the
cause of suffering
(3) Knowing the
cessation of suffering
(4) Knowing the
method to cease suffering
Q: What does it mean that the
Dhamma is virtuous?
A: The virtue of Dhamma is that
it secures those who practice Dhamma against recession. The Dhamma
practitioners can be safe against harms because the wholesome deeds committed
virtuously do not cause suffering as consequence.
Q: How can we know that the
Dhamma is virtuous and yield happiness as the result?
A: We have to be committed
in practicing the Dhamma. In addition, we have to practice it
righteously, then, we will know that the Dhamma’s virtues are:
(1) The Dhamma
that the Lord Buddha delivered well and taught truthfully is well delivered in
the beginning, in the middle, and at the end, with complete principle and
content for one’s good and pure livelihood.
(2) The
practitioners can realize by themselves. Only one can do for
oneself. The one who practices can attain, and the one who attains can
see.
(3) It is timeless,
meaning that one can do it whenever one is ready. One will see the result
upon attainment. And this fact remains true forever.
(4) All others
are invited to prove this as it is true and good.
(5) It should be
taken into account or practice until it occurs to one’s mind.
(6) The wise one
can know this by oneself, and the one who practices Dhamma will remain happy
according to the pali that ‘Dhammacari Sukham Seti’ or
‘the one who practices Dhamma will remain joyous.’
Q: After I asked you about the
Lord Buddha and the Dhamma… what about the Sangha?
A: The Sangha, who is indeed,
the Noble Disciple Monks are the Lord Buddha’s disciples who have good and
righteous conducts according to the Lord Buddha’s teachings, then, they teach
other people. The virtues of the Sangha are as follows:
(1) They have good
conducts.
(2) They have
honest conducts.
(3) They have
correct conducts.
(4) They have
appropriate conducts.
(5) They deserve
material offerings and homage.
(6) They deserve
welcoming.
(7) They deserve
donation.
(8) They deserve
respect.
(9) They are the
source for the world’s excellent ethics cultivation.
Q: Master Nun, as you already explained about the Noble
Disciple Monks, what about the common Disciple Monks? What are their
virtues?
A: They have virtues according to their practice.
The common Disciple Monks are still ‘trainees’ who have to study the Trisikha which are moral discipline, mental concentration or meditation,
and wisdom. Then, their virtues will occur according to their
practice. If they don’t have good practice appropriately to their
monastic conducts, they are no different from the lay devotees.
Q: Master Nun, what did the Lord Buddha teach so people
believed and confident in the Lord Buddha as well as his teaching and the
disciple monks.
A: The Lord Buddha taught the three aspects to the
believers as follows:
(1) Teaching the
believers to know even more and understand the Dhamma that they ought to know
and see.
(2) Teaching
reasonably, so believers can consider accordingly until they can see likewise.
(3) Teaching
wonderfully, so believers can practice and benefit from it correspondingly.
Q: How is the teaching to make believers know and see the
truth?
A: The Lord Buddha taught that it is common for everyone
to have suffering, and his words are true as people have suffering from the
three harms as follows:
(1) Suffering
from birth
(2) Suffering
from aging
(3) Suffering
from illness
(4) Suffering
from death
Simply speaking, people suffer from the four harms namely birth,
aging, illness, and death.
Q: Yes, that’s true. What about the reasonable
teaching?
A: What are the cause(s) of suffering in life? The
Lord Buddha mentioned the causes of sufferings as sufferings are the result of
their cause. The cause is ‘craving’ or tanha which can
be classified into three categories as follows:
(1) Kama Tanha
(2) Bhava Tanha
(3) Vibhava Tanha
This is the reasonable teaching of
the Lord Buddha.
Q: Master Nun, what about the
‘wonderful teaching?’
A: The Lord Buddha’s teaching
emphasizes on practicing. As learners believe and put into practice, they
will receive the wonderful results out of their practice. According to
the Lord Buddha’s saying that “to cease suffering, it is necessary to cease the
cause of suffering first.” So, how can we do this? We have to cease
craving or tanha. After ceasing craving, there will be no
rebirth. When there is no rebirth, there is no aging, illness, and death,
respectively. This is how the teaching is wonderful. Therefore,
Buddhists should show respect, pay homage, believe, admire, and revere the
Triple Gem always.
Q: Thank you, Master Nun.
About
the Author
Reverend
Wanjai Chookorn (Acariya Maechee Wanjai Chookorn) was born on Saturday, 15
October 1934 in Samutsongkram Province, Thailand. When she was twelve
year old, she had an opportunity to practice meditation with the Most Venerable
Phramongkolthepmuni (Luang Por Wat Paknam) for the first time. Then, in
1952, she was ordained to be a Buddhist nun at Wat Paknam and practiced
advanced Dhammakaya meditation with Luang Por at the meditation workshop of Wat
Paknam until Luang Por passed away. Later on, Reverend Wanjai Chookorn established
a nunnery center for Dhamma study and meditation practice in Rajaburi province
where she runs many religious services and activities to promote peace and the
cultivation of virtuous perfections among people from all walks of life.
1944 -
Finished Grade 4 at Wat Suan Kaew School in Samutsongkram Province
1945 –
Started practicing meditation with Phramongkolthepmuni, the great master of
Dhammakaya meditation
1952 -
Ordained to be a Buddhist nun at Wat Paknam when she was 18 year old
1958 –
Taught Dhamma at Wat Khlong Bho in Rajaburi
1993 –
Received an honorary doctorate degree in education from Rajabhat University,
Jombueng Campus
1993 –
Received the Dhamma wheel trophy from Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn in
recognition for her works which benefit Buddhism in term of promoting
meditation practice
1994 -
Received a certificate and an honorific pin from the Teacher Training Division,
Ministry of Education, in recognition for her contribution for building a
Buddha shrine for Rajabhat University, Jombueng Campus
1996 -
Reverend Wanjai Chookorn Foundation received an honorific plaque from the
National Foundation League of Thailand for its running many activities which
benefit Buddhism and the public in a broader context
2002 -
Received an honorific certificate from the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB)
in recognition for her dedication as a Buddhist nun who propagates Buddhism
2008 -
The Suan Kaew Dhamma Center was selected by the Office of Cultural Affairs of
Rajaburi Province to be a leading Dhamma center which is capable of joining the
virtues and morality promotion projects. Its information was publicized
in the government’s religious services website at www.dra.go.th
2008 –
Reverend Wanjai Chookorn Foundation was selected by the Division of Religion,
Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and Rajaburi Province, according to the ‘Thailand
Has Good People Project,’ to be an organization that benefits the local
community, sub-district, district, and the province of Rajaburi.
2008 –
The Suan Kaew Sunday Dhamma Study Center was selected by the Religious
Division, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and the Sangha of area 15, to be their
model Dhamma study center.
For
more information, please access http://www.suankaew.net
(The End)