dhamma preaching

Countering Stress and Depression

by Dalai Lama on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 at 5:25pm


At a fundamental level, as human beings, we are all the same; each one of us aspires to happiness and each one of us does not wish to suffer. This is why, whenever I have the opportunity, I try to draw people's attention to what as members of the human family we have in common and the deeply interconnected nature of our existence and welfare.

Today, there is increasing recognition, as well as a growing body of scientific evidence, that confirms the close connection between our own states of mind and our happiness. On the one hand, many of us live in societies that are very developed materially, yet among us are many people who are not very happy. Just underneath the beautiful surface of affluence there is a kind of mental unrest, leading to frustration, unnecessary quarrels, reliance on drugs or alcohol, and in the worst case, suicide. There is no guarantee that wealth alone can give you the joy or fulfilment that you seek. The same can be said of your friends too. When you are in an intense state of anger or hatred, even a very close friend appears to you as somehow frosty, or cold, distant, and annoying.

However, as human beings we are gifted with this wonderful human intelligence. Besides that, all human beings have the capacity to be very determined and to direct that strong sense of determination in whatever direction they like. So long as we remember that we have this marvellous gift of human intelligence and a capacity to develop determination and use it in positive ways, we will preserve our underlying mental health. Realizing we have this great human potential gives us a fundamental strength. This recognition can act as a mechanism that enables us to deal with any difficulty, no matter what situation we are facing, without losing hope or sinking into feelings of low self-esteem.

I write this as someone who lost his freedom at the age of 16, then lost his country at the age of 24. Consequently, I have lived in exile for more than 50 years during which we Tibetans have dedicated ourselves to keeping the Tibetan identity alive and preserving our culture and values. On most days the news from Tibet is heartbreaking, and yet none of these challenges gives grounds for giving up. One of the approaches that I personally find useful is to cultivate the thought: If the situation or problem is such that it can be remedied, then there is no need to worry about it. In other words, if there is a solution or a way out of the difficulty, you do not need to be overwhelmed by it. The appropriate action is to seek its solution. Then it is clearly more sensible to spend your energy focussing on the solution rather than worrying about the problem. Alternatively, if there is no solution, no possibility of resolution, then there is also no point in being worried about it, because you cannot do anything about it anyway. In that case, the sooner you accept this fact, the easier it will be for you. This formula, of course, implies directly confronting the problem and taking a realistic view. Otherwise you will be unable to find out whether or not there is a resolution to the problem

Taking a realistic view and cultivating a proper motivation can also shield you against feelings of fear and anxiety. If you develop a pure and sincere motivation, if you are motivated by a wish to help on the basis of kindness, compassion, and respect, then you can carry on any kind of work, in any field, and function more effectively with less fear or worry, not being afraid of what others think or whether you ultimately will be successful in reaching your goal. Even if you fail to achieve your goal, you can feel good about having made the effort. But with a bad motivation, people can praise you or you can achieve goals, but you still will not be happy.

Again, we may sometimes feel that our whole lives are unsatisfactory, we feel on the point of being overwhelmed by the difficulties that confront us. This happens to us all in varying degrees from time to time. When this occurs, it is vital that we make every effort to find a way of lifting our spirits. We can do this by recollecting our good fortune. We may, for example, be loved by someone; we may have certain talents; we may have received a good education; we may have our basic needs provided for - food to eat, clothes to wear, somewhere to live - we may have performed certain altruistic deeds in the past. We must take into consideration even the slightest positive aspect of our lives. For if we fail to find some way of uplifting ourselves, there is every danger of sinking further into our sense of powerlessness. This can lead us to believe that we have no capacity for doing good whatsoever. Thus we create the conditions of despair itself.

As a Buddhist monk I have learned that what principally upsets our inner peace is what we call disturbing emotions.  All those thoughts, emotions, and mental events which reflect a negative or uncompassionate state of mind inevitably undermine our experience of inner peace. All our negative thoughts and emotions - such as hatred, anger, pride, lust, greed, envy, and so on - are considered to be sources of difficulty, to be disturbing. Negative thoughts and emotions are what obstruct our most basic aspiration - to be happy and to avoid suffering. When we act under their influence, we become oblivious to the impact our actions have on others: they are thus the cause of our destructive behaviour both toward others and to ourselves. Murder, scandal, and deceit all have their origin in disturbing emotions.

This inevitably gives rise to the question - can we train the mind? There are many methods by which to do this. Among these, in the Buddhist tradition, is a special instruction called mind training, which focuses on cultivating concern for others and turning adversity to advantage. It is this pattern of thought, transforming problems into happiness that has enabled the Tibetan people to maintain their dignity and spirit in the face of great difficulties. Indeed I have found this advice of great practical benefit in my own life.

A great Tibetan teacher of mind training once remarked that one of the mind’s most marvellous qualities is that it can be transformed. I have no doubt that those who attempt to transform their minds, overcome their disturbing emotions and achieve a sense of inner peace, will, over a period of time, notice a change in their mental attitudes and responses to people and events. Their minds will become more disciplined and positive. And I am sure they will find their own sense of happiness grow as they contribute to the greater happiness of others. I offer my prayers that everyone who makes this their goal will be blessed with success.

The Dalai Lama

December 31, 2010

Published in the Hindustan Times, India, on January 3rd, 2011

E Dhamma

A Successful Woman
by Ven Balacitta
21-11-04, TIMS

According to Pathama-idhalokikasutta (AN 8:49), Visakha once approached our Lord Buddha in Pubbarama (the monastery she had donated to the Buddha and the Sangha) at Savatthi. After she had paid respects and sat to one side, our Lord Buddha then told her that there are 4 conditions that will bring success to a woman in this life.

 1.. She is able to perform her chores well (such as helping her husband in his business).
 2.. She takes good care of the people in her household.
 3.. She is faithful to her husband.
 4.. She learns how to manage her husband's wealth and does not spend money unnecessarily.

A woman is working towards success in this life if she has those qualities but that does not mean that she will be successful in her next life unless she further fulfills the following conditions:

 1.. She has faith in the Buddha.
 2.. She is virtuous.
 3.. She is generous and performs dana.
 4.. She has wisdom.

In order to have faith in the Buddha it is important that we investigate the Dhamma as taught by the Blessed One. There are two kinds of faith: blind faith and faith through understanding the Dhamma. But even if you ignorantly developed blind faith in our Lord Buddha, do not worry. Sooner or later when you get to hear the good Dhamma, you will develop the other kind of faith.

A person develops virtue when she keeps the basic Five Precepts. We should all strive to keep our precepts well. Many people say that it is not easy to observe the precepts. Well, if it is easy to observe them, then heaven will be overly populated and the woeful planes will be empty.

Those of us who are born in this country must have been generous and performed dana in our previous life because we are not deprived of clothing, food, shelter or medicine due to poverty. May all of us continue to do more dana whenever there is opportunity to do so.

There are 3 levels of wisdom:

 1.. That achieved through listening to/learning about Dhamma
 2.. That achieved through reflection on the Dhamma learnt
 3.. That achieved when one meditates.

The highest wisdom we can reach is by meditation and that is only after we have gone through the first and second stages of wisdom.

I hope you will reflect on the Dhamma you have just listened to today and seek to understand and experience it. If because of kammic reasons you are unable to achieve meditative wisdom now, at least try to listen to good Dhamma as much as possible as it will conduce to your own enlightenment in the future. Life on earth is extremely short when compared to that in heaven. Do not be like any Tom, Dick or Harry with an aimless life.

E Dhamma

Meeting Suffering Without Creating More Suffering

Whatever is happening to us now mirrors our past karma. If we know that, and know it truly, whenever suffering and difficulties befall us, we do not view them particularly as failures or catastrophes, or see suffering as a punishment in any way. Nor do we blame ourselves or indulge in self-hatred.

We see the pain we are going through as the completion of the effects, the fruition, of a past karma. Tibetans say that suffering is “a broom that sweeps away all our negative karma.” We can even be grateful that one karma is coming to an end. We know that “good fortune,” a fruit of good karma, may soon pass if we do not use it well, and that “misfortune,” the result of negative karma, may in fact be giving us a marvelous opportunity to evolve.

~ Sogyal Rinpoche (Rigpa Glimpse of the Day for Oct 15 2010)


When we view suffering as something bad, we naturally react with a defiled mind. That makes the things appear far worse than it is, and become far worse than it was. Moreover it conditions new negative karmas. In our delusion and ignorance, we may fail to see that much of the suffering we experience is not the result of the old karmas or any external conditions, but the new negative karmas that we're creating in reaction to them.

However, if we see the suffering as it is, wisely, we see that it is simply part of the natural phenomena of causes and effects. Just as when a storm happens, instead of cursing it, we just look for shelter if we can, and it passes naturally.

~ Ayasma Kumara

Three Things

Three Things

by Ven. Balacitta

Hokkien Cemetery Pavillion

17-10-2009

There are 3 things which are beneficial to be learned in detail either for the householder or for the renunciant. The importance of cultivating these 3 things are very much mentioned in the canon and it is highly beneficial for one to know about it. For one who has become a Buddhist for a long time but does not know about these three things, or if he or she had heard of it before but did not take note of it or is unable to recall it even briefly, I say, it's a pity. When one is learned in these three things and has accepted them, he or she is a wise person for he or she knows truly what is good and what is bad, which path leads to heaven and which path leads to hell. Wise people will not knowingly choose the path that leads to hell.

What are these three things? These are the three kinds of conduct- body, speech and thought; the wholesome and the unwholesome.

When we want to improve ourselves, we have to know what is good to be cultivated. To know thus, we have to learn from wise people. When we have learned it, we have to let the message stay in our memory, otherwise, how can we scrutinise and cultivate something which we cannot recall, you see? But if any of you have problems even in memorising these three things in brief, I suggest you copy it on a piece of paper and recite it daily. I believe, after some time, you will be able to remember it at any time and place, and thus, it will be for your long term benefit and happiness. ¹

There are many places in the canon which show the importance of these 3 things:

In a Sutta, it is mentioned that if one really knows what is wholesome and unwholesome, what is the root of the wholesome and unwholesome, then in that way, one would have arrived at the true Dhamma, have confirmed confidence in the true Dhamma, whose view is straight, who has right view; in brief , I say, he or she would have become a noble person. It is explained in that sutta that the wholesome are the three kinds of good conduct, the unwholesome are the three kinds of bad conduct; and the root of the wholesome are non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion and the root of the unwholesome are greed, hatred and delusion. (MN 9 Sammaditthi Sutta).

In another Sutta, it is shown that when these three kinds of good conduct are well practised and developed, it causes the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness to be perfected. When the four foundations of mindfulness are well practised and developed, it causes the practice of the seven factors of enlightenment to be perfected. When the seven factors of enlightenment are well practised and developed, it causes the right knowledge and liberation to be perfected. ( First, when the restraint of the sense faculties is well practised and developed, it causes the practice of the three kinds of good conduct to perfection). (SN. 46.6 Kundaliya Sutta).

Now, how do we practise and develop these three things? Shown in a Sutta, it is like this, there are three stages -

Stage one, before we do, speak or think of something, we should reflect and check whether these actions are wholesome or not, are going to be beneficial to ourselves or to others or to both or not. If we find that it will be unwholesome and harmful, then we should abandon it. But upon reflection, if we are sure that it is wholesome and beneficial, then we are free to perform it.

Stage two, even while doing, speaking or thinking of something , we should also reflect and check whether those things that we are doing, speaking or thinking are wholesome or not, is beneficial or not. If it is not so, we should give it up.

Stage three, after we have already done, spoken or thought of something, we should also reflect and check whether those things that we have done, spoken or thought of were wholesome or not, were beneficial or not. If it were not so, we ought to feel ashamed, disgusted and sincerely make an effort to refrain from doing it in the future²; but if it was so, then naturally,we can be happy. Thus, in this way, we are practising and developing these three kinds of good conduct. It is mentioned in the Sutta that whatever recluses and brahmins in the past or in the future or at present, who had or will do or are doing the purification of the conduct of the body, speech and thought, all did so, will do so or are doing so respectively by repeatedly reflecting thus. (MN 61: Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta)

And that's all for today. May all be happy. Thank you.

1There are many suttas which explain these three things in detail, one of them is in this sutta- AN 10.176: Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta. You may check it out here. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html

2For a monk who follow rightly the monk's rules, he would had to confess his wrong doing (but no confession for wrong thought) to another monk or if it is a serious case (any of the thirteen offences require probation and reinstatement) he would had to look for at least twenty monks to congregate in a Sima for two occasions, one time for confession and asking for probation and the second time for reinstatement. But if he had committed any of the four top offences, there is no necessity for confession because he is automatically no more a member of the Sangha, for life. The four top offences, briefly, are- sexual inter-course, stealing, killing human being, and falsely claiming superhuman state.

__._,_.___

e- dhamma

新春一些感想。

来到中国之后，直觉自己的宗教学习怠慢了下来。
一是因为没有学习的环境，一是因为功课以及其他玩乐事务也忙。
心里不是没有着急。

有一回在大学门前遇见了一位穿着慈济制服的师姐，连忙向前去打招呼。
原来从台湾过来的师姐与一群慈济同人在南京行施着 证严法师的慈济道路。
我虽然至今还没有在此参加过任何慈济活动，但心里却也觉得一阵温暖和安慰。

最近常常上慈济大爱网站聆听证严法师的《静思晨语》，与大家分享这份法喜。
http://www.newdaai.tv/?view=item&id=91

并祝大家新春愉快~

Dhamma Talk

Date : 29.3.2008
Title : Free from Depression
By : Ven Balacitta

Sometimes people feel good, uplifted or are happy and sometimes not. When people feel bad, down or are unhappy but if they know how to take care of themselves, are calm and peaceful, then there are no problems. Feelings are impermanent and are subject to change. If they do not know how to take care of themselves, are calm and peaceful, then there are problems. However it will not be a problem if one meets the right person who is able to help or advise one to solve it.

Nowadays, people are exposed to many kinds of advertisements which try to tell people that life would be more wonderful, uplifting or happier when they use their products. When one is looking for help, it is important that one finds someone who really is capable to help, otherwise, no help is better. If a person goes to see a doctor for help because of a feeling of emptiness or unhappiness or they are feeling bad or down, then it is highly possible that the doctor will prescribe some anti-depressant drugs for him. Taking anti-depressant drugs is of course the easiest and quickest way to make oneself feel good again but that is only temporary. In order for us to solve any problem, it is important for us to solve the cause of the problem. If we try to solve any problem without knowing and taking care of the cause, we may only solve the problem superficially. The root cause will still remain to generate the problem again and again. But anyhow, if any of you are taking these anti-depressant drugs already, please do not discontinue it before you find a better solution, otherwise, the sudden termination of the usage of the drugs is known to give many kinds of problematic reactions to the user.

We human beings have a body and mind. The mind of an uninstructed worldly person will surely be adversely affected when encountering a highly unwanted situation like the loss of someone very dear. When the mind is affected, the body will also be affected. If one is unable to accept the reality that all conditions in life are all impermanent and subject to change, then one will be easily disturbed whenever something good changes to bad. A person who is too engrossed with the vicissitudes of life will always be busy running after gain, praise, honour or pleasurable sensations. Similarly, he will also be busy trying to run away from loss, blame, discredit or unpleasurable sensations. When he encounters the former, he will feel elated, and when he encounters the latter, he will feel dejected. One who is easily elated or dejected is also a person who can easily lose his mental balance.

Living in the world, it is inescapable for people to experience the vicissitudes of life. Sometimes we will experience the results of our good kamma and sometimes we will also experience the results of our bad kamma. It is easy for people to be able to take care of themselves, be mindful, be peaceful and calm when life is smooth and easy but when the extreme downside of life happens suddenly, many will loose their mental balance. There will be sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief or despair and very sadly, most will also start to neglect their health.

The Buddha has shown us the four Noble Truths. In the four Noble Truths, he has shown to us what is suffering, what is the cause of suffering, what is the freedom from suffering and what is the path towards the freedom from suffering. The path towards the freedom of suffering is, of course, the Noble Eightfold Path which can be categorized under morality, meditation and wisdom.

Nowadays, there are many meditation retreat centres where one can learn to develop this Noble Eightfold Path. If any of you always feel bad, down, empty or unhappy, I encourage you to go for meditation retreat.i I wish others who are presently feeling good, strong and happy, to protect yourself by cultivating a meditative way of life, who knows when the “U Turn” will come. Correct meditation practice with the right kind of supports (morality and wisdom) can help one to understand the true nature of the world better, which in turn, will help one to be able to maintain mental balance even when facing the extremities in the vicissitudes of life.

As a matter of fact, in order for us to be always 100% free from mental suffering, we have to reach the state of Arahantship (full-enlightenment) . To reach that state, we have to develop the Noble Eightfold path in full perfection and this is not an easy job to do. But anyhow, if one starts correctly in the development of the Noble Eightfold Path, one can be said to have entered the stream of the Noble Eightfold path, a Sotapana (Stream-enterer)- SN. 55.5 A Sotapana, although is not a person 100% free from mental sufferings like an Arahant, is nevertheless, much more free from mental suffering than the most fortunate ordinary person in the world. A Sotapana already has right view with regard to the true nature of the world, the five aggregates or the so called “self”. He understands truly that whatever things that he has been identified with before as “mine”, “I”, or “myself” are actually impermanent, stressful and empty. He will never cling to it madly as before and it is impossible for him to fall into clinical depression like an uninstructed worldling again. A Sotapana might be depressed for a while when encountering the loss of someone dear but he knows the path to come out of it and he will come out of it. Just like venerable Ananda, when venerable Sariputta, venerable Mongallana and the Buddha were gone, he was depressed, down hearted and feeling empty. But it was only for a while because being a Sotapana, he knows the path to come out from suffering. If earlier, a person needs to depend on anti-depressant drugs for his superficial wellbeing, upon reaching the state of Sotapana, he can now throw away all of his anti-depressant drugs forever. Forever he is free.

Now, after talking about freedom from mental suffering, I would like to talk about our physical health. If one takes good care of his own physical health, he will enjoy at least 50%.of wellbeing, that is, bodily wellbeing. But If a person does not take good care of his bodily health and he is still an uninstructed worldling, he will suffer twice if he falls sick, that is, one part in body and the other part in the mind - for lamenting, complaining, worrying, ...

Earlier, I had said that when a person's mind is affected, his body will also be affected. But this does not mean that one who is totally free from mental suffering is also totally free from bodily sufferings. Although our mental wellbeing does influence our bodily wellbeing, this does not mean that all the causes of our bodily wellbeing is caused by our mind. I have found two places in the cannon that tell the causes that can affect our bodily wellbeing. One is from the Sutta and another from the Abhidhamma. They are as follows:

In the Sutta – SN. 36:21, it is mentioned that there are 8 causes that affect our feeling (bodily pain). They are:-

1)Disorders of the bile;
2)Disorders of the phlegm;
3)Disorders of the internal wind;
4)Imbalance of the combination of the bodily humors (bile, phlegm and wind);
5)Change of climate;
6)Uneven care of the body;
7)Harsh treatment (external forces); and
8)The result of kamma.

In the Abhidhamma, it is mentioned that there are only 4 causes but what I can see is that it is quite similar to the above except that it is presented in a different way and they are:-

1) The food that one consumes (the food one consumes could have effect on one or all of the bodily humors);
2) Change of climate (environmental changes like electrical radio magnetic wave pollution, air pollution and any other type of pollution should also be included);
3) The mind (the capability of the mind in facing the vicissitudes of life); and
4) The fruition of past karma.

I will also like to bring to your knowledge some tips for health which I found mentioned by the Buddha in the Suttas:-

“When a man is always mindful, knowing moderation in the food he eats, his ailments then diminish; he ages slowly, guarding his life.” - ( extracted from SN. 3:13)
“...Come, bhikkhus,eat a single session (before noon) by so doing, you too will be free from illness and affliction, and you will enjoy health, strength, and a comfortable abiding.”- (extracted from MN 65)
... your medicine of strong-smelling urine (puttimutta) will seem to you to be just like the various tonics of a householder or householder's son... As you live contented, it will serve for your delight, for a comfortable abiding, for non-agitation, & for alighting on Unbinding. (extracted from AN. VIII, 30)
... 'Good man, this repulsive urine (putimutta )is mixed with various medicines. Drink from it if you want; as you drink from it, its colour, smell and taste will not agree with you, but after drinking from it, you will be well...after drinking it, he became well.ii– ( extracted from MN.46)
Monks, there are these five advantages of walking meditation (cankama) it hardens one for traveling; it is good for striving; it is healthy; tends to good digestion after one has eaten and drunk, munched and crunched; the concentration won from it, last long... (extracted from AN. III, 29)

With the above information, I hope that by now you will know, at least, what needs to be balanced, what needs to be avoided, what needs to be done for your own well being, for your own happiness.

That's all for today. By the power of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, may all of you be successful in finding real peace, real harmony, real happiness and be happy always.

i They are many meditation centers around in Malaysia and all of them are doing great job in strengthening the faith of the people in the teaching of the Buddha. But if a depressive person were to come to see me for advise, I will recommend him or her to attend at least a 10 days meditation course conducted by S.N. Goenka or his assistant teachers. Depressive people are weak in energy and self-discipline, they need constant encouragement. The simple meditation instruction coupled with the healthy atmospheric condition in the Goenka meditation centre, could help. These are there contact numbers: 012 339 0089 (Chinese speaking) and 016 341 4776 (English speaking)
ii If one is in poor health and all conventional treatment had failed, why not give urine therapy a try. Whose knows this simple therapy will work miracle. The book titled “ The Water Of Life” by John W. Armstrong, is a very powerful book, it can change people perception in regard to urine. But if one do not have the gut to try urine even after reading so many cases of successful stories, then why not try Water Therapy. It can also work like miracle for curing many kinds illnesses. Very often, I will drink about 1.5 littles water first thing in the morning. After that, I could feel that my whole bodily cells become very happy. I felt refreshed, energized and good.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Just Let Go

Do everything with a mind that lets go. Do not expect any praise or reward. If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you will know complete peace and freedom. Your struggles with the world will have come to an end.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Oppose Your Mind

Consider the Buddha's compassion and skill. He taught us after his own enlightenment. Finished with his own business, he got involved in ours, teaching us all these wonderful means. Concerning practice I have followed him, I have made all efforts in seeking, giving up my life to it because I believe in what the Buddha taught - that Path, fruition, and Nirvana exist. But these things are not accidental. They arise from right practice, from right effort, from being bold, daring to train, to think, to adapt, to do. This effort involves opposing your own mind.

The Buddha says not to trust the mind because it is defiled, impure, does not yet embody virtue or Dharma. In all different practices we do, we must therefore oppose this mind. When the mind is opposed, it becomes hot and distressed, and we begin to wonder whether we are on the right path. Because practice interferes with defilement, with desire, we suffer and may even decide to stop practicing. The Buddha, however, taught that this is the correct practice and that defilement, not you, is the one that is inflamed. Naturally, such practice is difficult.

Some meditation monks only seek the Dharma according to words and books. Of course, when it is time for study, study according to the text. But when you are "fighting" with defilement, fight outside the text. If you fight according to a model, you will not be able to stand up to the enemy. The texts only provide an example and can cause you to lose yourself because they are based on memories and concepts. Conceptual thinking creates illusion and embellishment and can take you to the heavens and hells, to the far reaches of imagination, beyond the simple truth here in front of you.

If you undertake the training, you will find that at first, physical solitude is important. When you come to live in seclusion, you can think of Sariputta's advice to monks concerning physical seclusion, mental seclusion, and seclusion from defilement and temptation. He taught that physical seclusion is the cause for the arising of mental seclusion. and mental seclusion is the cause for the arising of seclusion from defilement. Of course, if you heart is calm, you can live anywhere, but in first beginning to know Dharma, physical seclusion is invaluable. Today, or any day, go and sit far away from the village. Try it, staying alone. Or go to some fearful hilltop by yourself. Then you can begin to know what it is really like to look at yourself.

Whether or not there is tranquility, do not be concerned. As long as you are practicing, you are creating right causes and will be able to make use of whatever arises. Do not be afraid that you will not succeed, will not become tranquil. If you practice sincerely, you must grow in Dharma. Those who seek will see, just as those who eat will be satisfied.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Learning Through Life

Boredom is not a real problem; if we look closely we can see that the mind is always active. Thus, we always have work to do.

Relying on yourself to do little things - like cleaning up carefully after the meal, doing chores gracefully and mindfully, not banging on kettles - helps develop concentration and makes practice easier. It can also indicate to you whether or not you have really established mindfulness or are still getting lost in defilement.

You are generally in a hurry; therefore, you will have greater extremes of happiness, suffering, and defilement. If you practice correctly, the fact that you have to deal with many problems can be a source of deep wisdom later on.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Real Love

Real love is wisdom. What most people think of as love is just an impermanent feeling If you have a nice taste every day, you will soon get tired of it. In the same way, such love eventually turns into hatred and sorrow. Such worldly happiness involves clinging and is always tied up with suffering, which comes like the policeman following the thief.

Nevertheless, we cannot suppress nor forbid such feelings. We just should not cling to or identify with them but should know them for what they are. Then Dharma is present. One loves another, yet eventually the beloved leaves or dies. To lament and think longingly, grasping after that which has changed, is suffering, not love. When we are at one with this truth and no longer need or desire, wisdom and the real love that transcends desire fill our world.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Let Others Be

Do not find fault with others. If they behave wrongly, there is no need to make yourself suffer. If you point out to them what is correct and they do not practice accordingly, leave it at that.

When the Buddha studied with various teachers, he realized that their way were lacking, but he did not disparage them. Studying with humility and respect, he benefited from his relationship with them, yet he realized that their systems were not complete. Still, as he had not yet become enlightened, he did not criticize or attempt to teach them. After he found enlightenment, he respectfully remembered those he has studied with and wanted to share his newfound knowledge with them.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Don’t Imitate

We have to be aware of how people tend to imitate their teachers. They become copies, prints, castings. It is like the story of the king’s horse trainer. The old trainer died, so the king hired a new trainer. Unfortunately, this man limped when he walked. New and beautiful horses were brought to him, and he trained them exquisitely – to run, to canter, to pull carriages. But each of the new stallions developed a limp. Finally, the king summoned the trainer, and seeing him limp as he entered the court, he understood everything and immediately hired a new trainer.

As teachers, you must be aware of the force of the examples you set. And, even more important, as students, you must not follow the image, the outer form, of your teacher. He is pointing you back to your own inner perfection. Take the inner wisdom as your model, and do not imitate his limp.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Rely on Yourself

The Buddha taught that those who wish to know must realize the truth for themselves. Then it makes no difference whether others criticize or praise you - whatever they say, you will be undisturbed. If a person has no trust in himself, when someone calls him bad, he will feel he is bad accordingly. What a waste of time! If people call you bad, just examine yourself. If they are not correct, just ignore them; if they are correct, learn from them. In either case, why get angry? If you can see things this way, you will really be at peace. There will be nothing wrong, there will be only Dharma. If you really use the tools the Buddha gave us, you need never envy others. Whereas lazy people want to just listen and believe, you will be self-sufficient, able to earn your living by your own efforts.

To practice using only your own resources is troublesome because they are your own. You once thought practice was difficult because you were contending, grabbing at others' goods. Then the Buddha taught you to work with your own, and you thought everything would be fine. Now you find that too is difficult, so the Buddha teaches you further. If you cling and grasp at something, it does not matter whose it is. If you reach out and grab a fire in your neighbor's house, the fire will be hot; if you grab a fire in your own house, that, too, will be hot. So don't grab at anything.

This is how I practice - what is called the direct way. I do not contend with anyone. If you bring scriptures or psychology to argue with me, I will not argue. I will just show you cause and effect, to let you understand the truth of practice. We must all learn to rely on ourselves.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Moderation

Three basic points of practice to work with are sense restraint, which means taking care not to indulge and attach to sensations; moderation in eating; and wakefulness.

Sense restraint. We can easily recognize physical irregularities, such as blindness, deafness, deformed limbs, but irregularities of mind are another matter. When you begin to meditate, you see things differently. You can see the mental distortions that formerly seemed normal, and you can see danger where you did not see it before. This brings sense restraint. You become sensitive, like one who enters a forest or jungle and becomes aware of danger from poisonous creatures, thorns, and so forth. One with a raw wound is likewise more aware of danger from flies and gnats. For one who meditates, the danger is from sense objects. Sense restraint is thus necessary; in fact, it is the highest kind of virtue.

Moderation in eating. It is easy to fast, more difficult to eat little or in moderation as a meditation. Instead of frequent fasting, learn to eat with mindfulness and sensitivity to your needs, learn to distinguish needs from desires.

Pushing the body is not in itself self-torment. Going without sleep or without food may seem extreme at times, but it can have value. We must be willing to resist laziness and defilement, to stir them up and watch them. Once these are understood, such practices are no longer necessary. This is why we should eat, sleep, and talk little - for the purpose of opposing our desires and making them reveal themselves.

Wakefulness. To establish awareness, effort is required constantly, not just when you feel diligent. Even if you meditate all night at times, it is not correct practice if at other times you still follow your laziness. Constantly watch over the mind as a parent watches over a child. Protect it from its own foolishness, teach it what is right.

It is incorrect to think that at certain times you do not have the opportunity to meditate. You must constantly make the effort to know yourself; it is as necessary as your breathing, which continues in all situations. If you do not like certain activities, such as chanting or working, and give up on them as meditation, you will never learn wakefulness.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

What is Natural?

Claiming they want their practice to be “ natural,” some people complain that this way of life does not fit their nature.

Nature is the tree in the forest. But if you build a house, it is no longer natural, is it? Yet if you learn to use the tree, making wood and building a house, it has more value to you. Or perhaps the dog id natural, running here and there, following its nose. Throw food to dogs and they rush to it, fighting each other. Is that what you want to be like?

The true meaning of natural can be discovered with our discipline and practice. This natural is beyond our habits, our conditioning, our fears. If the human mind is left to so-called natural impulses, untrained, it is full pf greed, hatred, and delusion and suffers accordingly. Yet through practice we can allow our wisdom and love to grow naturally until it blossoms in any surroundings.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

The Spiral of Virtue, Concentration and Wisdom

The Buddha taught a way out of suffering – the causes of suffering and a practical path. In my practice, I just know this simple path – good in the beginning as virtue, good in the middle as concentration, good in the end as wisdom. If you carefully consider these three, you will see that they actually merge into one.

Let us then consider these three related factors. How does one practice virtue? Actually, in developing virtue, one must begin with wisdom. Traditionally, we speak of keeping precepts, establishing virtue, first. Yet for virtue to be completed, there must be wisdom to understand the full implications of virtue. To start, you must examine your body and speech, investigating the process of cause and effect. If you contemplate body and speech to see in what ways they can cause harm, you will begin to understand, control and purify both cause and effect.

If you know the characteristics of what is skillful and unskillful in physical and verbal behavior, you already see where to practice in order to give up what is unskillful and do what is good. When you give up wrong and set yourself right, the mind becomes firm, unswerving, concentrated. This concentration limits wavering and doubt as to body and speech. With the mind collected, when forms or sounds come, you can contemplate and see them clearly. By not letting your mind wander, you will see the nature of all experiences according to the truth. When this knowledge is continuous, wisdom arises.

Virtue, concentration, and wisdom, then, can be taken together as one. When they mature, they become synonymous- that is the Noble Path. When greed, hatred, and delusion arise, only this Noble Path is capable of destroying them.

Virtue, concentration, and wisdom, then, can be developed in support of each other, then, like a spiral ever revolving, relying on sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mind objects. Then whatever arises, Path is always in control. If Path is strong, it destroys the defilements - greed, hatred, and ignorance. If it is weak, mental defilements can gain control, killing this mind of ours. Sights, sounds, and so on arise, and not knowing the truth of them, we allow them to destroy us.

Path and defilement walk side by side in this way. The student of Dharma must always contend with both of them, as if there were two persons fighting. When the Path takes control, it strengthens awareness and contemplation.If you are able to remain aware, defilement will admit defeat when it enters the contest again. If your effort is straight on the Path, it keeps destroying defilement. But it you are weak, when Path is weak, defilement takes over, bringing grasping, illusion, and sorrow. Suffering arises when virtues, concentration, and wisdom are weak.

Once suffering has arisen, that which could have extinguished these sorrows ha vanished. Only virtue, concentration, and wisdom can cause Path to arise again. When these are developed, the Path starts functioning continuously, destroying the cause for the arising of suffering in each moment and each situation.This struggle continue one side conquers, and the matter can be brought to an end. Thus, I advice practicing unceasingly.

Practice begins here and now. Suffering and liberation, the entire Path, are here and now. The teachings, words like virtue and wisdom, only point to the mind. But these two elements, Path and defilement, compete in the mind all the way to the end of the Path. Therefore, applying the tools of practice is burdensome, difficult - you must rely on endurance, patience, and proper effort. Then true understanding will come about on its own.

Virtue, concentration, and wisdom together constitute the Path. But this Path is not yet the true teaching, not what the teacher actually wanted, but merely the Path that will take one there. For example, say you traveled the road from Bangkok to Wat Ba Pong; the road was necessary for your journey, but you were seeking the monastery, not the road. In the same way, we can say that virtue, concentration, and wisdom are outside the truth of the Buddha but are the road that leads to this truth. When you have developed these three factors, the result is the most wonderful peace. In this peace, sights or sounds have no power to disturb the mind. There is nothing at all left to be done. Therefore, the Buddha says to give up whatever you are holding on to, without anxiety. Then you can know this peace for yourself and will no longer need to believe anyone else. Ultimately, you will come to experience the Dharma of the Noble Ones.

However, do not try to measure your development quickly. Just practice. Otherwise, whenever the mind becomes calm, you will ask, ”Is this is?” As soon as you think like this, the whole effort is lost. There are no signs to attest to your progress, like the one that says, “This is the path to Wat Ba Pong.” Just throw away all desires and expectations and look directly at the ways of the mind.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Virtue

There are two levels of practice. The first is the foundation, a development of precepts, virtue, or morality* in order to bring happiness , comfort and harmony among people. The second, more intensive and unconcerned with comfort is the practice of Buddha Dharma directed solely toward awakening, toward the liberation of the heart. This liberation is the source of wisdom and compassion and the true reason for the Buddha's teaching. Understanding these two levels is the basic for true practice.

Virtue and morality are the mother and father of the Dharma growing within us, providing it with the proper nourishment and direction.

Virtue is the basic for a harmonious world in which people can live truly as humans, not animals. Developing virtue is at the heart of our practice. It is very simple. Keep the training precepts. Do not kill, steal , lie, commit sexual misdeeds, or take intoxicants that make you heedless. Cultivate compassion and a reverence for all life. Take care with your goods, your possesions, your actions, your speech. Use virtue to make your life simple and pure. With virtue as a basis for everything you do, your mind will become kind, clear and quiet. Meditation will grow easily in this soil.

The Buddha said," Refrain from what is bad, do good, and purify the heart," Our practice, then, is to get rid of what is worthless and keep what is valuable. Do you still have anything bad or unskillful in your heart? Of course! So why not clean house?

As true practice, this getting rid of bad and cultivating good is fine, but limited. Finally, we must step over and beyond both good and bad. In the end, there is a freedom that includes all and a desirelessness from which love and wisdom naturally flow.

Right effort and virtue are not a question of what you do outwardly but of constant inner awareness and restraint. Thus, charity, if given with good intention, can bring happiness to oneself and others. But virtue must be the root of this charity for it to be pure.

When those who do not understand the Dharma act improperly, they look left and right to make sure no one is looking. How foolish! The Buddha, the Dharma, our karma, are always watching. Do you think the Buddha cannot see that far? We never really get away with anything.

Take care of your virtue as a gardener takes care of trees. Do not be attached to big and small, important and unimportant. Some people wants shortcuts -- they say,"Forget concentration, we'll go straight to insight; forget virtue, we'll start with concentration. "We have so many excuses for our attachment.

We must start right here where we are, directly and simply. When the first two steps, virtue and right views, have been completed, then the third step, uprooting defilement, will naturally occur without deliberation. When light is produced, we no longer worry about getting rid of darkness, nor do we wonder where the darkness has gone. We just know that there is light.

Following the precepts has three levels. The first is to undertake them as training rules given to us by our teachers. The second arises when we undertake and abide in them ourselves. But for those at the highest level, the Noble Ones, it is not even necessary to think of precepts, of right or wrong. This true virtue comes from the wisdom that knows the Four Noble Truths in the heart and acts from this understanding.


*5 precepts:
1. Abstain from killing.
2. Abstain from stealing.
3. Abstain from sexual misconduct.
4. Abstain from lying.
5. Abstain from taking intoxicants.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

To Grasp a Snake

“Our practice here is not to grasp anything,” Achaan Chah told a new monk.

“But isn’t it necessary to hold onto things sometimes?” the monk protested.

“With the hands, yes, but not with the heart,” the teacher replied. “When the heart grasps what is painful, it is like being bitten by a snake. And when, through desire, it grasps what is pleasant, it is just grasping the tail of the snake. It only takes a little while longer for the head of the snake to come around and bite you.

“Make this non-grasping and mindfulness the guardian of your heart, like a parent. Then your likes and dislikes will come calling like children. ‘ I don’t like that. Mommy. I want more of that, Daddy,’ Just smile and say, ‘Sure, kid.’ ‘But Mommy, I really want an elephant,’ ‘Sure, kid.’ ‘I want candy. Can we go for an airplane ride?’ There is no problem if you can let them come and go without grasping.”

Something contacts the senses; like or dislike arises; and right there is delusion. Yet with mindfulness, wisdom can arise in the same experience.

Do not fear places where many things contact the senses, if you must be there. Enlightened does not mean being deaf and blind. Saying a mantra every second to block things out , you may get hit by a car. Just be mindful and do not be fooled. When others say something is pretty, say to yourself, “It’s not,” When others say something is delicious, say to yourself, “No, it’s not,” Do not get caught in the attachments of the world or in relative judgments. Just let it all go by.

Some people are afraid of generosity. They feel that they will be exploited or oppressed, that they will not be properly caring for themselves. In cultivating generosity, we are only oppressing our greed and attachment. This allows our true nature to express itself and become lighter and freer.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Meditation in Action

Proper effort is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake in each moment, the effort to overcome laziness and defilement, the effort to make each activity of our day meditation.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice
（repost 09/02/2008)

Meditation is not seperate from the rest of life. All situations provide opportunity to practice, to grow in wisdom and compassion. Achaan Chah teaches that the right effort for us is to be mindful in all circumstances without running away from the world but to learn to act without grasping or attachment.

Furthermore, he insists that the foundation of a spiritual life is virtue. Although virtue is neglected in our modern society, it must be understood and honored as a fundamental part of meditation. Virtue means taking care so that we do not harm other beings by thought, word, or deed. This respect and caring puts us into a harmonious relationship with all life around us. Only when our words and deeds come from kindness can we quiet the mind and open the heart. The practice of non-harming is the way to begin turning all life situations into practice.

To further establish our lives on the Middle Way, Achaan Chah recommends moderation and self-reliance. A life of excess is difficult soil for the growth of wisdom. To take care with the basics - such as moderation in eating, sleeping, and in speech - helps bring the inner life into balance. It also develops the power of self-reliance. Don't imitate the way others practice or compare yourself to them. Achaan Chah cautions; just let them be. It is hard enough to watch your own mind, so why add the burden of judging others. Learn to use your own breath and everyday life as the place of meditation and you will surely grow in wisdom.