{"id":400,"date":"2017-03-30T10:57:04","date_gmt":"2017-03-30T10:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/?p=400"},"modified":"2020-10-21T16:04:02","modified_gmt":"2020-10-21T09:04:02","slug":"beyond-wisdom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/?p=400","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Wisdom"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Read<\/a> | Download<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”A MORAL HERO” el_id=”1490871547660-ea93c1e6-c308″]In our tumultuous world today in which wars, economic turmoil, family crisis, and the<\/span>
\nbreakdown in human values affect everyone, a new kind of hero is needed\u2014a \u2018moral<\/span>
\nhero\u2019. Like war, peace has to be won. Rather than conquering thousands and millions<\/span>
\nin battle, Luang Por1 Dhammajayo believes that world peace can be achieved<\/span>
\nmore effectively through inner peace and universal love. He spends his entire lifetime<\/span>
\nteaching people of the world how to achieve inner peace through the practice of<\/span>
\nmeditation and performance of good deeds.<\/span>
\nThrough his initiative and leadership, tens of thousands of people have taken the path<\/span>
\nof purity by ordaining as Buddhist monks and novices in Thailand; millions of women,<\/span>
\nchildren and teachers have participated in ethics training; and 100,000 Buddhist<\/span>
\nmonks have joined together in one place to perform meritorious activities, the first<\/span>
\nin modern history. His tireless efforts in propagating Buddhism have paid off. Today,<\/span>
\nThailand has become the world\u2019s center for Buddhism, and Wat Phra Dhammakaya,<\/span>
\nwhere he is the Abbot, has grown to become the largest Buddhist temple in the world<\/span>
\nwith millions of followers in thirty countries.<\/span>
\nLuang Por\u2019s vision is to foster world peace through inner peace and to change the<\/span>
\nworld one person at a time. He is indeed a moral hero of our time.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”LUANG POR\u2019S STORY” el_id=”1490871652955-3a40af1f-e626″]LUANG POR DHAMMAJAYO<\/strong><\/span>
\n Phrathepyanmahamuni<\/span>
\n Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya<\/span>
\n \u201cI seek to pursue Perfections by instilling goodness in the hearts and minds of the<\/span>
\n people of the world, for them to embrace morality and to practice mental cultivation<\/span>
\n until they see the Truth, and to have Dhammakaya as their refuge.\u201d<\/span>
\n With this pledge, Luang Por Dhammajayo gave his heart and soul to furthering Buddhism<\/span>
\n and bringing peace and happiness to mankind. Throughout his forty-four years<\/span>
\n of monkhood he never took a day off from his work. He set new standards for monkhood,<\/span>
\n rekindled the faith and confidence of the people, and took the Buddhist religion<\/span>
\n to a new height.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luang Por Dhammajayo was born Chaiyaboon Suddhipol on April 22, 1944, to the<\/span>
\n family of Janyong and Juree Suddhipol. He grew up in a small house on the bank of<\/span>
\n the Chao Praya River in Singhburi, Thailand. His father was an engineer working for<\/span>
\n the Ministry of Industry whose job required him to be relocated regularly. Chaiyaboon<\/span>
\n often had to be put in boarding schools away from home for his schooling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Young Chaiyaboon was eager when it came to acquiring knowledge. His interest in<\/span>
\n Buddhism began at a very young age. His favorite past time during his teens was to<\/span>
\n hang around bookstands that lined the streets surrounding Sanam Luang, a public<\/span>
\n park of Bangkok, where books of every kind could be found. The subjects that<\/span>
\n fascinated him were Buddhism, the Teachings of the Buddha, and biographies of<\/span>
\n important people.<\/span><\/p>\n

The more books he read, the more Dhamma sermons he listened to, the more he<\/span>
\n wondered: \u201cWhy are we born? What is the purpose of one\u2019s life? Where do we go<\/span>
\n after we die? Do heaven and hell really exist?\u201d<\/span>
\n These questions lingered in his mind and he could not find the answers.<\/span><\/p>\n

One day, he came upon a book titled Dhammakaya written in the format of a sermon<\/span>
\n by the Great Abbot of Wat Paknam1<\/sup>, who said: \u201cReading books alone is not enough<\/span>
\n to gain the perfect knowledge of Dhamma. One has to put Dhamma into practice<\/span>
\n until the Truth is revealed to him.\u201d He later found an article in Vipassana2<\/sup> Banterngsarn,<\/span>
\n a publication on meditation which was about a nun named Khun Yai3<\/sup> Chand, a<\/span>
\n disciple of Luang Por Wat Paknam, who possessed extraordinary meditative power.<\/span>
\n Fascinated by her story, Chaiyaboon determined to seek her out and learn meditation<\/span>
\n from her.<\/span>
\n Chaiyaboon finally met Khun Yai at Wat Paknam in 1963. He was then a freshman at<\/span>
\n Kasetsart University. Khun Yai agreed to accept him as her student. Through Khun<\/span>
\n Yai, Chaiyaboon finally found the answers to the questions that had lingered in his<\/span>
\n mind for a long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, heaven and hell do exist,\u201d Khun Yai told him. She explained, \u201cReaching high<\/span>
\n level meditative attainment allows one to possess special abilities to do wondrous<\/span>
\n things such as reading another person\u2019s thought, seeing into the past or the future,<\/span>
\n recalling one\u2019s past lives, or traversing to afterlife realms.\u201d Chaiyaboon also learned<\/span>
\n that the true purpose of one\u2019s life was to pursue Perfections (parami) and to attain<\/span>
\n Nibbana (Nirvana).<\/span>
\n This was a turning point in Chaiyaboon\u2019s life. He began to practice meditation dili-gently. Every morning he would leave his dorm at 6 a.m., spent two hours on three<\/span>
\ndifferent buses to reach Khun Yai\u2019s place in order to practice meditation with her. After<\/span>
\nschool he would do the same and would not return to his dorm until 10 p.m. Often<\/span>
\ntimes he would get up in the middle of the night to meditate. Some days he would<\/span>
\nmeditate as many as 12 hours. His meditation skills became so profound that Khun<\/span>
\nYai allowed him to teach others.<\/span>
\nChaiyaboon graduated from Kasetsart University in 1969 with a Bachelor\u2019s degree in<\/span>
\nEconomics. He took the yellow saffron to become a Buddhist monk at Wat Paknam<\/span>
\non August 27th, 1969. Whereupon, he was given a monastic name4 \u201cDhammajayo\u201d,<\/span>
\nwhich means \u201cVictory through the Dhamma\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon Chaiyaboon\u2019s ordination, Khun Yai felt it was time to build a temple so she\u00a0and her team could have their own place to teach and practice meditation and to<\/span>
\npropagate Buddhism. Unfortunately, all Khun Yai had in her possession was her own<\/span>
\nmeager savings of 3,200 Baht ($160 in 1970). The team thought the idea was an<\/span>
\nimpossible dream. But Khun Yai, with her faith and confidence in the power of merit5,<\/span>
\ntold the team that the power of their collective virtue and merit would lead them to<\/span>
\n\u201ccelestial wealth\u201d and would attract benevolent people to help them accomplish their<\/span>
\ngoals. Her optimism was so strong that it gave the team confidence to proceed.<\/span><\/p>\n

They imagined the ideal temple should be built on a large piece of land not far from<\/span>
\nBangkok with a river or creek flowing through it. After considerable scouting, they<\/span>
\nfound a tract of land that fit this specification. It was a barren paddy field owned by<\/span>
\nan aristocratic lady named Lady Prayad. The team wasn\u2019t sure whether the owner<\/span>
\nwas willing to part with her land but ventured to see her anyway. The day they met<\/span>
\nwith Lady Prayad happened to coincide with her birthday. It was the team\u2019s lucky day,<\/span>
\nfor not only was Lady Prayad willing to part with her land, but she in fact was willing<\/span>
\nto donate 78 acres as her birthday merit-making gift to the future temple. This was<\/span>
\nindeed a miracle of celestial proportion. There was no logical reason to explain their<\/span>
\nluck other than the collective force of merit that Khun Yai spoke about.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wat Phra Dhammakaya (the Dhammakaya Temple) was formally established on<\/span>
\nMagha Puja Day, February 20, 1970. The Main Chapel was completed in 1982. The<\/span>
\nproperty was later expanded to 1,000 acres in 1985. The Great Dhammakaya Cetiya6,<\/span>
\na dome-shaped pagoda built to last one thousand years, was completed in<\/span>
\n2000. It became the world\u2019s largest Buddhist monument ever built. One million personal<\/span>
\nBuddha images were enshrined at the Cetiya\u2014300,000 on the exterior dome<\/span>
\nand 700,000 on the inside.<\/span>
\nToday, Wat Phra Dhammakaya has grown to become the world\u2019s largest Buddhist<\/span>
\norganization with over one hundred centers in thirty countries covering six continents.<\/span>
\nOn Sundays an average of 30,000 Buddhists come to perform meritorious activities<\/span>
\nand practice meditation at the Temple. Every year, millions of people from around the<\/span>
\nworld come to celebrate major religious events.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the forty-four years under Luang Por\u2019s leadership, the world has witnessed<\/span>
\nsome of the most astounding accomplishments any one person can achieve in one<\/span>
\nlifetime. There are more than one hundred projects that Luang Por has initiated and<\/span>
\nled to completion. Here are a few examples:<\/span>
\n\u2022 Establishing Dhammakaya centers throughout the world. As of 2013, eighty<\/span>
\ninternational centers have been established in thirty countries.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Initiating mass-ordination programs for monks and novices. To date, hundreds<\/span>
\nof thousands of men have ordained in Thailand and overseas.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Instilling in the minds of people the importance of generosity, morality and<\/span>
\nmental cultivation. More people are now aware of the importance of virtue<\/span>
\nand merit than any time in modern history.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Launching DMC (Dhammakaya Media Channel), the world\u2019s first 24\/7 Buddhist<\/span>
\nsatellite TV channel, now seen in more than thirty countries. DMC was<\/span>
\nawarded sixteen Telly Awards in 2007, the most any organization ever won<\/span>
\nin one year.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Establishing Middle Way meditation retreats for foreign speakers. Thousands<\/span>
\nof people from around the world have participated.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Organizing annual Dhamma Quiz competitions aimed at elevating children\u2019s<\/span>
\nmoral standards. More than five million youths participate in this program<\/span>
\neach year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 Providing training programs for ethics and civic duties to teachers, students,<\/span>
\ngovernment employees, men and women throughout Thailand. Millions participate<\/span>
\nin these programs every year.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Launching \u201cInner Dream Kindergarten\u201d TV programs aimed at teaching morals<\/span>
\nand the Law of Kamma to the public. These programs have become<\/span>
\nsome of the most popular Dhamma programs in the world, watched by<\/span>
\nmillions each day.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Luang Por\u2019s campaigns for social reform have motivated thousands of people<\/span>
\nto give up smoking, drinking, gambling and other forms of vice. Some<\/span>
\nliquor-producing factories in Thailand voluntarily shut down their operations<\/span>
\nto show support for this cause. Several bars, night clubs, brothels and gambling<\/span>
\nhouses voluntarily closed down their operations. Many restaurants and<\/span>
\nretail stores agreed to stop selling liquor and cigarettes. The success of his<\/span>
\ncampaigns earned Luang Por a distinguished award from the UN World<\/span>
\nHealth Organization.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Initiating nationwide alms offering for two million monks throughout Thailand.<\/span>
\nProceeds are used to relieve the suffering of monks, teachers, students,<\/span>
\ncitizens and law enforcement personnel who suffer hardships caused<\/span>
\nby Islamist insurgencies in southern Thailand. As of 2013, more than 4,300<\/span>
\ntons of food and supplies have been donated for this cause as well as for<\/span>
\nvictims of floods and other natural disasters in Thailand, Myanmar, Japan and the United States.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Collaborating with, and giving support to, Buddhist organizations throughout<\/span>
\nthe world. Facilitated ordination and training programs for monks and novices<\/span>
\nin Nepal, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Australia. 222 Buddha<\/span>
\nstatutes were gifted to Sri Lanka in 2008 and 250 to Bangladesh in 2010.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Establishing research programs for scriptural studies and renovation of ancient<\/span>
\ntexts. This is done in collaboration with fifty institutions and scholars<\/span>
\naround the world. Projects include translating Tipitaka into English and Singhalese<\/span>
\nand digitizing Buddhist scriptures of all traditions.<\/span>
\nLuang Por\u2019s success in these programs has earned him numerous prestigious awards<\/span>
\nfrom organizations throughout the world. Wat Phra Dhammakaya is recognized by<\/span>
\nthe United Nations as a member of the NGO (Non-Government Organization), and<\/span>
\noccupies a seat in the UN.<\/span>
\nUnlike many leaders of the world who conquer thousands and millions through battles,<\/span>
\nLuang Por Dhammajayo conquers the hearts and minds of millions through<\/span>
\nDhamma and the practice of good deeds. We hope, one day, his vision of World<\/span>
\nPeace through Inner Peace is embraced by all.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

******************************************************************************************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Wat: Thai word for Buddhist temple. Wat Paknam is the name of a famous Buddhist temple in Thonburi, a<\/span>
\n sister city of Bangkok.<\/span><\/p>\n

2 Vipassana: insight meditation<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Khun Yai: a Thai word for grandmother<\/span><\/p>\n

4 It is tradition for a newly ordained monk to be given a monastic name<\/span><\/p>\n

5 merit ( Pali, punna ) virtue, Possitive energy Resulting from acts of good deeds, production of good deeds.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 Cetiya: Pali word for pagoda<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”PHRAMONGKOLTHEPMUNI” el_id=”1490872204847-cc1df67e-1289″]PHRAMONGKOLTHEPMUNI<\/strong><\/span>
\n Discoverer of the Dhammakaya<\/span>
\n Meditation Method<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Famously known as Luang Por Wat Paknam, one of the most Venerated Buddhist<\/span>
\n monks in the history of Thailand, Phramongkolthepmuni was born as Sodh Mikaewnoi<\/span>
\n on October 10, 1884 to the family of Ngeun and Sutjai Mikaewnoi, a rice merchant<\/span>
\n in Songpinong District, Suphanburi, a province 60 miles west of Bangkok, Thailand.<\/span>
\n Sodh was the second born of five brothers and sisters with an older sister Dha, and<\/span>
\n three younger brothers, Sai, Phook and Samruam in order of birth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sodh was an intelligent child with a strong will power. In whatever he set out to do he<\/span>
\n would always persevere until it was done and done well. Sodh showed the signs of<\/span>
\n compassion even when he was very young. While helping his parents plough the rice<\/span>
\n fields each morning, as it neared midday, he would gaze up to check the position of<\/span>
\n the sun to note what time it was. His sister thought he was lazy, waiting for the time<\/span>
\n to take a break, but in fact he was watching for the appropriate time to relieve his ox.<\/span>
\n If he saw that the oxen had been overworked and had become tired, he would lead<\/span>
\n them off for a bath then let them loose to graze.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sodh helped his parents with their work until he was nine when he began his formal<\/span>
\n education with his uncle, a monk at Songpinong Temple. In those days, before the<\/span>
\n establishment of state schools, monks were the only teachers and Buddhist temples<\/span>
\n functioned as schools for people in the community. When his uncle left the monkhood<\/span>
\n he went on to continue his study at Bangpla Temple, Nakornpathom Province, where<\/span>
\n he studied Thai and Cambodian languages.<\/span>
\n Sodh was fourteen when his father passed away. As the eldest son, the burden of<\/span>
\n running the family business and supporting his mother and siblings fell on his young<\/span>
\n shoulders. He took over his father\u2019s rice trading business and worked hard to grow<\/span>
\n the business. Soon his business prospered and the family became well established.<\/span>
\n A turning point in his life came when, on one trading trip to Bangkok, he sold all the<\/span>
\n rice in his boat and headed home with the empty barge and a large sum of money.<\/span>
\n The main river routes that he traveled were extremely treacherous so he took a detour<\/span>
\n through a remote waterway known as Klong7<\/sup> Bang-Eetan. This was a narrow stretch<\/span>
\n of canal dreaded by boatmen because it was infested with pirates and bandits. Only<\/span>
\n a few lucky boats would manage to pass Bang-Eetan without being robbed or killed.<\/span>
\n Usually they would travel in a convoy for security. That day, Sodh\u2019s was the only boat<\/span>
\n in sight. Upon reaching this narrow stretch, the fear of death struck him. Sodh knew<\/span>
\n the strategy of the pirates: they would aim to attack the captain or the helmsman<\/span>
\n first to gain control of the boat. The person at the front of the boat would be in a safer\u00a0position,as he could fight or escape. Sodh\u2019s survival instinct told him that he should<\/span>
\n switch his position from the helm to the front of the boat to avoid danger. So he ordered<\/span>
\n his crewman at the front to take his place at the helm.<\/span>
\n Then a guilty conscience struck him. He thought: \u201cAll the crew gets from me for looking<\/span>
\n after this wretched barge is eleven or twelve Baht a month (equivalence of 50-60<\/span>
\n cents in those days). As for me, I am the owner of the boat and I have all the money.<\/span>
\n If I hand down death to my less-than-fortunate workers I would be taking advantage<\/span>
\n of a fellow man. This is the wrong thing to do. The money is mine; the boat is mine; if<\/span>
\n someone should die it should be me. Let the workers escape so they can live to take<\/span>
\n care of their families.\u201d<\/span>
\n He was ashamed for having made the selfish move. He called the crewmen back to<\/span>
\n the oars and sat himself at the tiller with the rifle in his lap. Although he finally managed<\/span>
\n to pass through the crisis in safety, the whole episode left him with a deep sorrow for<\/span>
\n his fellow men. He came to realize: \u201cMaking a living is such a hard thing indeed\u2014to<\/span>
\n go through such an ordeal just to avail oneself of a day\u2019s wage. Material wealth is so<\/span>
\n ingrained in man\u2019s values that he loses touch with the reality and true purpose of life.<\/span>
\n In the end everyone must die. My father has died. My relatives have died. And when<\/span>
\n they died they could take nothing with them. What is the point of having all these<\/span>
\n possessions when you can\u2019t enjoy them after your death? One day, I, too, must die.<\/span>
\n Haven\u2019t I learned from my deceased father and relatives?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He pondered about what he should do with his life, and came to the conclusion that<\/span>
\n there was nothing more worthwhile for him to do than pursuing a life of purity by<\/span>
\n becoming a monk. He made the resolution: \u201cPlease don\u2019t let me die before I have a<\/span>
\n chance to ordain. Once I take ordination it will be for life.\u201d<\/span>
\n Sodh entered the monkhood in July 1906 at Songpinong Temple when he was 22.<\/span>
\n He was given the monastic name of Candasaro Bhikkhu8<\/sup>. He began practicing meditation<\/span>
\n the next day and continued to do so until the last day of his life. For many years<\/span>
\n he journeyed through many forests and mountains throughout the country of Thailand<\/span>
\n searching for the best meditation teachers to apprentice with. After eleven years of<\/span>
\n practice with some of the best Thailand had to offer he still felt that he had not yet<\/span>
\n attained the ultimate knowledge realized by the Buddha. So he decided to set out on<\/span>
\n his own. He studied Visuddhimagga, the Path of Purity, a scriptural text on meditation<\/span>
\n practice, and practiced on his own.<\/span>
\n One morning, while taking residence at Bangkoowieng Temple, Nontaburi Province,<\/span>
\n he went to the chapel to meditate. He determined to stay unmoved until the midday<\/span>
\n drum sounded (time for the last meal of the day at 11:00 a.m.). He began meditation<\/span>
\n around 8 a.m. After a couple of hours, right before the sound of the midday drum, his<\/span>
\n mind began to settle to a completely standstill state. Whereupon, a bright sphere the<\/span>
\n size of an egg yolk appeared at the center of his body. He experienced a feeling of<\/span>
\n bliss, something he had never experienced before. He knew in his heart that this was<\/span><\/p>\n

the beginning of the path to spiritual attainment. He was overjoyed. Even the midday<\/span>
\n meal tasted extraordinary delicious that day. He looked forward to continuing a long<\/span>
\n meditation session that afternoon.<\/span>
\n Sitting in front of the main Buddha statute, he made the following resolution: \u201cUpon<\/span>
\n this sitting, if I cannot attain even a small part of the Truth realized by the Lord Buddha,<\/span>
\n then I shall remain here unmoved until I perish. If I die, I will become a worthy<\/span>
\n example for people after me.\u201d<\/span>
\n He sat in a half lotus position and began to meditate. The bright sphere that he saw<\/span>
\n earlier that morning emerged again and appeared even more radiant. It began to<\/span>
\n expand and remained with him from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. the next morning. A tiny bright<\/span>
\n spot appeared at the center of the sphere and gradually became bigger. Afterwards,<\/span>
\n several transcendental bodies appeared one after another, each successive sphere<\/span>
\n bigger and brighter than the previous one. Until, finally, a supremely bright and pure<\/span>
\n image of the Buddha appeared. This was the Dhammakaya\u2014Body of Enlightenment,<\/span>
\n an image brighter and clearer than any Buddha images in the world.<\/span>
\n Sodh Chandasaro knew this was the right path\u2014the path to enlightenment. He continued<\/span>
\n to further the depth of his knowledge and meditation practice until it reached<\/span>
\n the supramundane level. His meditation skills and mental powers became so powerful<\/span>
\n that he became Thailand\u2019s most revered meditation master. He devoted his time and attention in practicing and teaching his meditation method to the general public.<\/span>
\n The Dhammakaya Knowledge that he rediscovered9<\/sup> was so profound that he aimed<\/span>
\n to use it to help all beings reach an end of all defilements and free from the cycle of<\/span>
\n rebirth.<\/span>
\n In 1918, Sodh Chandasaro was appointed abbot of Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen. His<\/span>
\n reputation as a meditation master and the miracles associated with Buddha amulets<\/span>
\n created by him made him a sought after spiritual teacher. He organized a 24-hour<\/span>
\n meditation workshop to train gifted meditators. Many of his students reached the<\/span>
\n highest level of meditative attainment known as attaining the Dhammakaya. He was<\/span>
\n also the first Thai preceptor to ordain a westerner as a Buddhist monk. He later rose<\/span>
\n to higher monastic rank with a new monastic name of Phramongkolthepmuni.<\/span>
\n Phramongkolthepmuni passed away in 1959 at age seventy-five. He became one of<\/span>
\n the most revered Buddhist monks in Thailand\u2019s history. After his death, his top disciple,<\/span>
\n a nun by the name of Chand Khonnokyoong, continued to further the legacy of<\/span>
\n the Dhammakaya Knowledge on his behalf. Along with her two outstanding students,<\/span>
\n Chaiyaboon Suddhipol and Padej Pongsawat, who later became the Abbot and Vice<\/span>
\n Abbot of the Dhammakaya Temple, she went on to found the Dhammakaya Temple<\/span>
\n which later became the largest Buddhist temple in the world.<\/span>
\n The Dhammakaya Knowledge rediscovered by Phramongkolthepmuni has helped<\/span>
\n transformed the lives of millions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dhammakaya Tradition, the meditation method that he founded is practiced by millions of people throughout the world today. For most Buddhists in Thailand, Phramongkolthepmuni is best known by his miracles,<\/span>
\n prophecies and super-natural healing powers. Hundreds of thousands of Thai Buddhists<\/span>
\n pray to him daily asking for help and guidance in their lives.<\/span>
\n The legacy of Luang Pu Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen lives on.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*****************************************************************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

7 Klong: Thai word for canal<\/span><\/p>\n

8 Bhikkhu: Buddhist monk<\/span><\/p>\n

9 It was said that the Dhammakaya Knowledge had disappeared from this world for five hundred years after the<\/span>
\n death of the Buddha<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”KHUN YAI CHAND KHONNOKYOONG” el_id=”1490873161170-1542d931-255c”]KHUN YAI CHAND KHONNOKYOONG<\/strong><\/span>
\nFounder of Wat Phra Dhammakaya<\/span>
\n\u201cKhun Yai\u201d Chand Khonnokyoong was born on January 20, 1909, in Nakorn Chaisri,<\/span>
\na rural municipality of Thailand. She was the fifth of nine children in the family.<\/span>
\nHer father, Ploy, and mother, Pan, were rice farmers. The word \u201cKhun Yai\u201d means<\/span>
\n\u201cgrandmother\u201d in Thai. It is a respectful way to call a woman of advancing age. Khun<\/span>
\nYai\u2019s given name was Chand, which means \u201cmoon\u201d. Her last name was Khonnokyoon,<\/span>
\nwhich means \u201cpeacock-feather\u201d. In those times, Thai families seldom send their<\/span>
\ndaughters to school. Because of this, Chand never learned how to read or write.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chand\u2019s father was a good family man but he was addicted to alcohol. One day, he<\/span>
\nbecame so drunk that he fell asleep under the house while the family slept inside (a<\/span>
\nvillage house is usually built on stilts to protect from wild animals and flooding). He<\/span>
\nwas mumbling and snoring so loudly that it bothered the family. In disgust, her mother<\/span>
\ncalled him a \u201csparrow\u201d (a Thai expression for a worthless person) that leached off of<\/span>
\nher. This remark wounded his pride. He angrily asked all the children if they heard their<\/span>
\nmother insult him. The children stayed quiet. Innocently, Chand said that she did not\u00a0think her mother had insulted him. This infuriated her father, thinking she was taking<\/span>
\nher mother\u2019s side. In anger, he cursed Chand to deafness for 500 lifetimes.<\/span>
\nMany Thai folks believe that the parents\u2019 words are sacred and potent. Chand worried<\/span>
\nthat her father\u2019s curse would come true for her. She wished to ask for her father\u2019s<\/span>
\nforgiveness so the curse could be lifted. Unfortunately, she never had the opportunity<\/span>
\nto do so until he died.<\/span>
\nOn the day her father passed away, Chand was out working in the rice field. When<\/span>
\nshe came home after a long day, she saw everybody crying for her father. It is a Thai<\/span>
\ntradition to ask a dying person for forgiveness for any wrongs done to the person.<\/span>
\nEverybody had already asked for his forgiveness, except for Chand.<\/span>
\nHis death profoundly affected Chand\u2019s life. Most Thai people believe in rebirth. She<\/span>
\nworried that she would be reborn deaf as a result of her father\u2019s curse. Now that her<\/span>
\nfather had passed away, the only place to find him was in the afterlife realm.<\/span>
\nChand left home in 1935 when she was 26 years old to look for the Great Abbot at<\/span>
\nWat Paknam Bhasicharoen in Thonburi, a legendary monk known for supernormal<\/span>
\nmeditative powers. While working in the household of Mrs. Liab, a benefactor of Wat<\/span>
\nPaknam, Chand met a meditation master, Thongsuk Samdaengpan, a leading disciple<\/span>
\nof the Great Abbot. Chand practiced meditation with Thongsuk Samdaengpan<\/span>
\nfor two years. She eventually attained the Dhammakaya, a high state of absorption\u00a0in meditation.<\/span>
\nHaving achieved this high level of meditative attainment, Chand asked Thongsuk<\/span>
\nto show her how to traverse to the afterlife realms so that she could find her father.<\/span>
\nWith Thongsuk\u2019s help, Chand finally located her deceased father who, due to his<\/span>
\nbad drinking habits, had fallen into one of the hell realms. Through her Dhammakaya<\/span>
\nBody, Chand was able to communicate with her father and asked for his forgiveness,<\/span>
\nwhich he granted. And through the power of the Dhammakaya, Chand helped him to<\/span>
\nrecall the merits from his good deeds in earlier lifetimes so these merits could relieve<\/span>
\nhim from this retribution. Her father\u2019s retribution was indeed neutralized by the power<\/span>
\nof his past merit and he was freed from the hell realm.<\/span>
\nUpon attaining the Dhammakaya, Chand decided to renounce the worldly life to become<\/span>
\na nun. She finally met the Great Abbot in 1938 who ordained her as a nun and<\/span>
\naccepted her as his disciple. Chand devoted herself entirely to meditation without<\/span>
\nconcerns for anything else. She meditated twelve hours each day, six uninterrupted<\/span>
\nhours in the morning and six uninterrupted hours in the evening. Her meditation skills<\/span>
\nbecame so profound that she soon became the Great Abbot\u2019s most outstanding<\/span>
\ndisciples. The Great Abbot called her \u201cSecond to None\u201d.<\/span>
\nThe Great Abbot passed away on February 3, 1959. After his passing Chand continued<\/span>
\nto teach meditation at her residence at Wat Paknam. Among these students<\/span>
\nwere two promising young men, Chaiyaboon Suddhipol and Padej Pongsawat, who<\/span>
\nlater became two great Buddhist monks who led the Dhammakaya Temple to its<\/span><\/p>\n

pinnacle of success as we know today. Chaiyaboon and Padej were the driving force<\/span>
\nbehind many of Khun Yai\u2019s success.<\/span>
\nAfter the ordination of Luang Por Dhammajayo, Khun Yai felt the time was right for<\/span>
\nthem to build a Buddhist temple where true monks could be developed and the<\/span>
\nDhammakaya Knowledge could be propagated to benefit mankind. To fulfill this vision,<\/span>
\na great deal of financial resources would be needed. Unfortunately, all that Khun<\/span>
\nYai had was her own savings of a mere 3,200 Baht (US$160 in 1970).<\/span>
\nBut Khun Yai was a perpetual optimist who believed in the power of merit. The day<\/span>
\nthat Khun Yai\u2019s team met with Lady Prayad, owner of the vast piece of land that the<\/span>
\nteam aimed at acquiring, happened to coincide with Lady Prayad\u2019s birthday. It was<\/span>
\na lucky day for Khun Yai and the team. Not only was Lady Prayad willing to part with<\/span>
\nthe land, but she was in fact willing to donate the entire 78.4 acres of her land to the<\/span>
\nfuture temple as her birthday merit-making. This was nothing less than a miracle\u2014or,<\/span>
\nmore appropriately, a \u2018merit power\u2019.<\/span>
\nThe Dhammakaya Temple was formally established on Magha Puja Day, February 20,<\/span>
\n1970. The Main Chapel was completed in 1982. The property was later expanded<\/span>
\nto 1,000 acres in 1985. The Great Dhammakaya Cetiya, the world\u2019s largest Buddhist<\/span>
\nmonument where 300,000 Buddha images are enshrined on the exterior dome, was<\/span>
\ncompleted in the year 2000. The Grand Opening Ceremony of the Cetiya took place\u00a0on Saturday, April 22, 2000. Khun Yai was 91 years old when the great Cetiya was<\/span>
\ncompleted. She lived to see that big day. The Great Dhammakaya Cetiya is indeed<\/span>
\na gift to mankind. The compounds surrounding the Ceitya are now the gathering<\/span>
\nground for Buddhists around the world. Over one million Buddhists gather at the Cetiya<\/span>
\nduring important Buddhist events. The Dhammakaya Temple, Khun Yai\u2019s brainchild,<\/span>
\nis now the center of Buddhism for all Buddhists around the world.<\/span>
\nKhun Yai passed away on the morning of Sunday, September 10, 2000. At her Cremation<\/span>
\nCeremony in 2002, 100,000 Buddhist monks from 30,000 temples all over<\/span>
\nThailand, many senior monks from twenty different countries, and hundreds of thousands<\/span>
\nof others from around the world came to pay their final respect to Khun Yai.<\/span>
\nThis is the biggest gathering of Buddhists in history.<\/span>
\nLike the story in a fairy tale:<\/span>
\nA tiny little farmer girl, completely illiterate, took a journey on a spiritual quest, found a<\/span>
\nGreat Master, learned the great Knowledge from the Master, went on to build a great temple,<\/span>
\nproduced many true monks and virtuous people, and brought goodness to mankind.<\/span>
\nKhun Yai\u2019s legacy lives on.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”THE DHAMMAKAYA KNOWLEDGE” el_id=”1490873344180-edfcb128-7be2″]The Dhammakaya Knowledge (Vijja10<\/sup> Dhammakaya) is a profound knowledge that<\/span>
\n deals with the \u2018Five Aspects of Natural Law\u2019, the Law that governs all things. They<\/span>
\n include Biological Law, which governs all living things; Chemical and Physical Law,<\/span>
\n which governs all chemical and physical matters; Psychic Law, which governs the<\/span>
\n functions of the mind; Karmic Law, which governs the law of action; and Law of<\/span>
\n Cause and Effect, which governs the functions of cause and consequence. Knowing<\/span>
\n how the Five Aspects of Natural Law came into existence reveals the knowledge of<\/span>
\n how to abolish samsara, the system that controls the cycle of rebirths. This knowledge<\/span>
\n leads us to the right practice and eventually helps us overcome defilements and<\/span>
\n attain Nibbana, thus freeing ourselves from the cycle of rebirths.<\/span>
\n Phramongkolthepmuni dedicated his entire life to the study of this knowledge. He<\/span>
\n assigned a team of highly accomplished meditators to research the subject. The<\/span>
\n outcome of their collective research revealed the facts that samsara had originated<\/span>
\n from the following three elements: wholesome states, unwholesome states, and<\/span>
\n neither-wholesome-nor-unwholesome states.<\/span>
\n Wholesome states represent the faction of virtue (the \u201cwhite force\u201d) responsible for<\/span>
\n giving rise to the creation of the \u201cphysical form\u201d of humans. Unwholesome states<\/span>
\n represent the negative element, or the faction of Evil (the \u201cblack force\u201d), responsible<\/span>
\n for contaminating humans with defilements, illnesses, and negative kamma, causing<\/span>
\n them to end up in unhappy realms. Neither-wholesome-nor-unwholesome states<\/span>
\n sometimes characterize as the \u201cgrey force\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dhammakaya Knowledge is taught by the Buddha to constitute the transcendental,<\/span>
\n blissful, eternal, and pure Self of the Buddha. Dhammakaya doctrines can be<\/span>
\n found in the scriptures of all major Buddhist schools including Theravada, Mahayana<\/span>
\n and Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism).<\/span>
\n The word Dhammakaya means \u201cTruth Body\u201d or \u201cBody of Enlightenment\u201d. Dhammakaya<\/span>
\n Knowledge teaches that all sentient beings possess the Buddha-Nature,<\/span>
\n the inner potential for attaining Buddhahood, common to all people. It also teaches<\/span>
\n that the nature of mind is luminous, blissful, perfect, complete and full of wonderful<\/span>
\n qualities, but due to temporarily being obscured by defilements we do not recognize<\/span>
\n it. It is only through meditation practice and spiritual attainment that this true nature is<\/span>
\n revealed. This is known as \u201cattainment of Dhammakaya.\u201d<\/span>
\n Once we attain Dhammakaya, we will have the clear-seeing ability to perceive the ultimate<\/span>
\n Truth\u2014the knowledge of who we are, why we were born, what our true purpose<\/span>
\n in life is, and how we can free ourselves from the realm of suffering. Thus, attainment<\/span>
\n of Dhammakaya is something that everyone should aspire to achieve.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

********************************************************************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

10 Vijja: Knowledge gained from the \u201cEye of Dhamma\u201d; it is the Knowledge that enables one to rid oneself of<\/span>
\n ignorance.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”MEDITATION” el_id=”1490873516105-7b1b1bf4-6b21″]THE MIND<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u201cWhen I\u2019m in peace the world is in peace. World peace begins with inner peace.\u201d<\/span>
\nHuman beings consist of body and mind. The mind is a form of energy which controls<\/span>
\nand sends signals to the brain, enabling us to think, speak and act in either good or<\/span>
\nbad fashion. The function of the mind is \u201cto see, to remember, to think and to know\u201d.<\/span>
\nWe must not confuse the \u201cmind\u201d with the \u201cbrain\u201d. They are two different entities. The<\/span>
\nbrain has a solid physical form of flesh and blood and is located inside the skull. Although<\/span>
\nnot visible to the human eye, the mind also has a form, but an intangible one,<\/span>
\nmuch like electricity or magnetic energy.<\/span>
\nThe mind is the origin of all actions, good or bad. It is the quality of the mind, or the<\/span>
\nlack thereof, that makes us good or bad. We need to nurture and control the mind<\/span>
\nso it can\u2019t control us. In its natural state, when the mind is completely still, the mind is<\/span>
\npure and perfect, free of any mental contaminants known as defilements. It is in this<\/span>
\nstate that the mind functions at its maximum potential.<\/span>
\nBut the mind is always restless and never still. It jumps quickly from one thought to<\/span>
\nanother. A mind that is restless is like stirred water sullied by impurities, losing its<\/span>
\nclear-seeing quality. Mental impurities cloud our mind like dirt clouds water. It is hard<\/span>
\nto see with a clouded mind. Meditation is a process that stabilizes and purifies the<\/span>
\nmind, restoring it to its natural state of clarity<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

WHAT IS MEDITATION?<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe mind can be compared to an ocean, and momentary mental events such as<\/span>
\nhappiness, irritation, fantasies, and boredom can be compared to the waves that rise<\/span>
\nand fall on the ocean\u2019s surface. Just as the waves can subside to reveal the stillness<\/span>
\nof the ocean\u2019s depths, so too is it possible to calm the turbulence of our mind to<\/span>
\nreveal its natural clarity. The ability to do this lies within the mind itself and the key to<\/span>
\nthe mind is meditation.<\/span>
\nMeditation is a means of mental development and cultivation. It is through meditation<\/span>
\nthat our mind is trained, refined, and perfected. Meditation can be practiced by a lay<\/span>
\nperson for the benefit of a happy life, as well as by a monastic for the attainment of liberation.<\/span>
\nMeditation is universal. It is not only for Buddhists, but for people of all faiths.<\/span>
\nAt its core, meditation is about touching the spiritual essence, or the seed of enlightenment,<\/span>
\nthat exists within us all. This spiritual essence is not something that we<\/span>
\ncreate through meditation; it is already there, deep within, behind all the barriers,<\/span>
\npatiently waiting for us to recognize it. One does not have to be religious or even interested<\/span>
\nin religion to find value in it. Becoming more aware of your \u201cself\u201d and realizing<\/span>
\nyour spiritual nature is something that transcends religion. Anyone who has explored<\/span>
\nmeditation knows that it is simply a path that leads to a new, more expansive way of<\/span>
\nseeing the world around us.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TYPES OF MEDITATION<\/strong><\/span>
\nBuddhist texts, such as the Visuddhimagga11<\/sup>, describe forty different methods of practice.<\/span>
\nAll of them have the same goal: to train the mind to be still and to attain Buddhahood.<\/span>
\nThe practice of meditation can be divided into three types based on how<\/span>
\nthe mind is positioned and the locations of its bases: positioning the mind outside the<\/span>
\nbody; positioning the mind somewhere in the body; positioning the mind at the center<\/span>
\nof the body.<\/span>
\nPositioning the mind outside the body – Most people practice with this method because<\/span>
\nthey are accustomed to the habit of looking outward. The downside is that the<\/span>
\nimages seen tend to be illusionary, not real. This is not the right practice if you wish to<\/span>
\nachieve the highest level of attainment.<\/span>
\nPositioning the mind somewhere in the body – This is keeping your consciousness,<\/span>
\nyour feelings or emotions inside your body. This method is practiced by very few people.<\/span>
\nFalse images seldom appear and a wide range of knowledge can unfold, but you<\/span>
\nwon\u2019t arrive at the path that leads to the ultimate attainment.<\/span>
\nPositioning the mind at the center of the body – This is the method of settling your<\/span>
\nmind at a point in the center of your body. You train your mind to be perfectly still until<\/span>
\nit reaches the right balance, at which stage you\u2019ll experience inner mental phenomena<\/span>
\nleading to higher knowledge and bliss. This is the direct practice that leads to the<\/span>
\npath of liberation.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CENTER OF THE BODY<\/strong><\/span>
\nEvery object in nature has its center of gravity, the point where it keeps its balance.<\/span>
\nFor example, the center of gravity for a cup is at the center point of the cup; the center<\/span>
\nof gravity for a stick is at the middle point of the stick, etc. If you place a cup or a stick<\/span>
\nsideways or off the center of gravity, it will fall because it is out of balance. The center<\/span>
\nof gravity of all material objects is always located at the center location.<\/span>
\nThe center of the body is the central point of our stream of consciousness, and also<\/span>
\nthe inner source of happiness and wisdom. It is the natural home of the mind. Its<\/span>
\nlocation is two finger-widths above the navel in the middle of the abdomen. This is<\/span>
\nknown as the \u201cSeventh Base\u201d of the mind.<\/span>
\nThe goal of a meditator is to \u201ctune\u201d or adjust the mind through a single point of<\/span>
\nconcentration and to arrive at the point of balance at the center of the body. When<\/span>
\nthe mind reaches its perfect point of balance, it will have a clear-seeing quality that<\/span>
\nenables it to penetrate into a higher form of knowledge, insight, and wisdom. Think<\/span>
\nof the mind as the lens of a camera or the dial of a radio receiver. You can adjust the<\/span>
\nfocus of the lens of the camera to capture the clearest picture; you can tune the dial<\/span>
\nof the radio to find the right wave-length in order to reach a desired station. The same<\/span>
\nprinciple applies to the mind\u2014when the \u201cfocus\u201d or \u201cwave-length\u201d of the mind is adjusted<\/span>
\nto the right point, it becomes the most powerful.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SEVENTH BASE OF THE MIND<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe Seventh Base, located at the center of the body, two finger-breadths above the<\/span>
\nnavel, is the natural home of the mind and also the gateway to spiritual attainment.<\/span>
\nWhen the mind is settled at the Seventh Base, it is in a safe sanctuary sheltered from<\/span>
\nmental impurities and outside influences which contaminate its purity. This is where<\/span>
\nthe mind becomes most peaceful and pure, functioning at its best. The Seventh Base<\/span>
\nof the mind is the beginning point of all goodness. It is the path of purity, the gateway<\/span>
\nto Nirvana. All Buddhas attained enlightenment through the Seventh Base, at the<\/span>
\ncenter of the body.<\/span>
\nYou should acquaint yourself with the center of the body and develop a habit of keeping<\/span>
\nyour mind there at all times.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE DHAMMAKAYA TRADITION<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe Dhammakaya Tradition is a Buddhist meditation method taught by Phramongkolthepmuni<\/span>
\nin the early 20th century. Dhammakaya meditation encompasses both the<\/span>
\nsamatha (tranquility) and vipassana (insight) levels. The goal at the samatha level is to<\/span>
\novercome the Five Hindrances12<\/sup> and reach a state of one-pointedness known as the<\/span>
\n\u2018standstill of the mind\u2019. Although the meditator may start out with as many as forty<\/span>
\ndifferent paths of practice, once the Hindrances are overcome, all methods converge<\/span>
\ninto a single path of mental progress which leads into meditation at the vipassana<\/span>
\nlevel. Dhammakaya meditation embarks on the vipassana level at a higher stage than<\/span>
\nsome other meditation schools.<\/span>
\nIn the Dhammakaya Tradition the level of attainment is usually explained in terms of<\/span>
\nequivalent inner transcendental bodies\u2014numbering eighteen\u2014which start with the<\/span>
\nphysical human body and the subtle human body and going in successively deeper<\/span>
\nlayers until reaching the Body of Enlightenment known as the Dhammakaya. The<\/span>
\nprocess of purification in the Dhammakaya Tradition corresponds with that described<\/span>
\nin the Dhammacakkappavattana13<\/sup> Sutta where the arising of brightness is accompanied<\/span>
\nby the divine eye, the knowing, the wisdom and the Knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the Dhammakaya Tradition, the Buddha\u2019s words \u201cHe who sees the Dhamma sees the<\/span>
\nBuddha\u201d are taken literally as seeing one\u2019s inner body of enlightenment which is in the<\/span>
\nform of a Buddha sitting in meditation.<\/span>
\nIt is believed that the Buddha became enlightened by attaining the Dhammakaya.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

************************************************************************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

11 Visuddhimagga: Path of Purification<\/span><\/p>\n

12 Five Hindrances (panca nivaranani): negative mental states that impede success with meditation and lead<\/span>
\naway from enlightenment. They consist of sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness, and doubt<\/span><\/p>\n

13 Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta: The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma, a Buddhist text<\/span>
\nconsidered to be a record of the first teaching given by the Buddha after he attained enlightenment.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”MEDITATION BENEFITS” el_id=”1490875090203-e6a83cf2-790e”]Meditation has been linked to a variety of health benefits. A review of scientific studies
\nidentified favorable outcomes of meditation which include: relaxation, concentration,
\nan elevated state of awareness, self-observing attitudes, perceptual sensitivity, good
\nmemory, self control, empathy, and good self esteem. Meditation has been linked to
\na host of biochemical and physical changes in the body that alter metabolism, heart
\nrate, respiration, elevated blood pressure and brain activity. Studies also show that
\nmeditation can improve academic and work performance.
\nMeditation has now entered the health care domain because of evidence suggesting
\na positive correlation between the practice of meditation and emotional and physical
\nhealth. Examples of such benefits include: reduction in stress, anxiety, depression,
\nheadaches, pain, and blood pressure.
\nIn a Buddhist Discourse on Concentration, Samadhi Sutta14<\/sup>, meditation benefits are
\nindicated and described as follows:
\nHappy living \u2013 We gain immediate happiness by the mere act of letting go from worries
\nand burdens of life. It is akin to unloading a heavy load that one has carried in a
\nlong journey. The body feels lighter and the mind is relieved. By training the mind to
\nbe free of worries, we find happiness in everything we do and everywhere we go. We\u00a0sleep with happiness, wake with happiness, and go about our daily duties with happiness.
\nThis aspect alone is enough of a reason for someone to meditate.
\nHappiness derived from a mind that is peaceful is durable and lasting. It is a true kind
\nof happiness. Nothing can adversely affect a person whose mind is peaceful even
\nwhen facing difficult life conditions. The more we meditate, the higher the degree of
\nhappiness we gain. This is the kind of happiness that no one can take away from us.
\nSuper knowledge and insight \u2013 It is said that less than 10% of the human brain is
\nutilized, while the other 90% is left unused. Although the human brain is far better
\ndeveloped than other species in the animal kingdom, some of our faculties are underdeveloped
\nand imperfect. Unlike some animals, we can\u2019t see in the dark, smell
\nor hear from a far distance, nor can we remember things that happened to us a long
\ntime ago.
\nOur minds are clouded by mental impurities like dirt clouds water. Meditation can help
\npurify the mind, perfect our faculties, and bring us transcendental knowledge that has
\nbeen concealed from us. When we reach a higher point of meditative attainment and
\nour faculties are perfected, we will have clarity that brings forth a higher form of insight
\nand knowledge including the ability to read other people\u2019s thoughts, to see the past
\nor the future, or to recall our past lives. Cases of such supra-mundane abilities have
\nbeen documented throughout time.<\/p>\n

Mindfulness and comprehension \u2013<\/strong> Meditation can help us develop a keen sense
\nof perception and awareness. We will become more alert and mindful of everything
\naround. Our body and our mind will become more in sync with one another. We
\nwill become more focused and less distracted. Our concentration and memory will
\nimprove resulting in better performance in school and at work. We will have better
\ncapability to understand and comprehend matters that are complicated. Our success
\nwill become easier to attain.<\/p>\n

Abandonment of defilements \u2013<\/strong> Defilements are mental impurities caused by greed,
\nanger and delusion.They are the causes of all evil and man\u2019s biggest flaw. Greed
\ncauses discontent and misguided ambition. It drives people to cheat, steal, lie and to
\ncommit crimes. Anger gives rise to hatred and ill will. Delusion gives rise to ignorance,
\nthe worse of the three. One who is ignorant lacks the insight and understanding of
\nwhat is right or wrong and what is good or bad. Many people commit crimes because
\nthey don\u2019t know that their actions are wrong.
\nDefilements come from a mind that is impure. Meditation helps to purify the mind and
\nimprove its moral quality leading to wisdom and good conduct and behavior. One
\nwho has wisdom is aware of the harmful effects of defilements and strives to free
\noneself of them. The wise practice generosity in order to combat greed; they observe
\nmoral precepts to combat ill will, and exercise wisdom to overcome ignorance.<\/p>\n

From a spiritual point of view, wisdom gained from meditation will help us become
\nmore ethical in our decision-making and also our choice of action. We will become
\nmore at ease with ourselves and our surroundings, knowing that our actions are
\nmorally sound. Our family life will become more harmonious and we will be a better
\nparent to our children.<\/p>\n

All actions, good or bad, originate from the mind. Most social problems originate from
\na low moral quality of mind. If the people of society practice meditation regularly, the
\nquality of their mind will elevate to its original quality of goodness. Mutual respect and
\ncooperation will increase, crime and civil unrest will be reduced, and the willingness
\nto participate in social good will become more widespread. A society whose people
\npractice meditation regularly will be a peaceful society. World peace begins with inner
\npeace.<\/p>\n

The understanding of the truth of nature and the true purpose of one\u2019s life will lead
\none to fulfill one\u2019s life along the path of righteousness and purity. A person with a
\npurified mind will not commit any wrongful action. Such a person will be assured of a
\nhappy afterlife destination.<\/p>\n

Wisdom from Meditation<\/em> \u2013 There are three ways that wisdom is acquired: through
\nlearning, thinking, and meditating. Often, what we consider to be the truth today may
\nno longer be true tomorrow. A real \u201ctruth\u201d must be timeless; something that was be\u00a0lieved to be true ten thousand years ago should still be true today and should remain
\ntrue ten thousand years from now.<\/p>\n

Knowledge gained from meditative insight is based on real truth. There is much more
\nto the secrets of life than can be found in books or lectures, or through one\u2019s thinking
\nabilities. Meditative attainment allows us to tap into the \u201cinner knowledge\u201d that reveals
\nour true nature and the spiritual essence that exists within each one of us.<\/p>\n

Merit Gained From Meditation Practice \u2013<\/strong> One of the byproducts of meditation is
\n\u201cmerit\u201d, a form of positive energy that is created whenever a good deed is performed,
\nmentally, physically or verbally. Merit is the basis for all wealth, health and happiness,
\nand the force that causes one to be beautiful, smart, rich, famous, or fortunate. Merit
\nacts like a wish-fulfilling instrument that turns our wishes into reality. It behaves like
\na magnet that attracts good things to us. Merit also has the ability to purify the mind
\nand improve its moral quality.<\/p>\n

Merit is generated through the practice of good deeds, the most significant of which
\ninclude charitable giving, keeping moral precepts, and mental cultivation through the
\npractice of meditation. Whenever you practice meditation, you generate merit.<\/p>\n

***************************************************************************************************************************<\/p>\n

14 Samadhi Sutta: Samadhi, a Pali word which means concentration. Sutta means Discourse.[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”LUANG POR\u2019S GUIDED MEDITATION” el_id=”1490926940444-5ba6b8ae-a0de”]<\/p>\n

ACHIEVING INNER EXPERIENCE<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

(Now that we have paid respect to the Triple Gem, let us close our eyes and begin<\/span>
\n our meditation.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Sit cross-legged with your back upright. Put your right leg on your left leg, your right<\/span>
\n hand on your left hand, with the index finger of your right hand touching against the<\/span>
\n thumb of your left hand, palms facing up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gently close your eyes as if you\u2019re about to fall asleep. Close your eyes softly and<\/span>
\n gently but not completely. Don\u2019t strain your eyes or squeeze your eyes shut. Make<\/span>
\n sure that you close your eyes in a manner that makes you feel relaxed and comfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Relax every muscle of your body. Relax the muscles of your head, your forehead, your<\/span>
\n face, your neck, your shoulders, your arms, all the way to the tips of your fingers. Relax<\/span>
\n the muscles of your chest, your torso, your abdomen, your hips, your legs, down<\/span>
\n to the tips of your toes. Adjust your body so that your breathing and your circulation<\/span>
\n are completely natural. Adjust your position to minimize any possible aches or pains.<\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure there are no signs of tension anywhere and that you\u2019re closing your eyes<\/span>
\n the right way. Create a feeling of ease, happiness and purity. Feel that you\u2019re entering<\/span>
\n upon a perfect state of calm with both body and mind. Don\u2019t be concerned about<\/span>
\n anything or anyone. Detach yourself from your job, your business, your responsibilities,<\/span>
\n your family, everything and anything at all.<\/span>
\n Let go of everything. Realize that everything around you exists only for a short time.<\/span>
\n All things will come to an end. Even the world we live in will eventually expire. Our<\/span>
\n world has to undergo the cycles of creation, existence, and destruction. We, the mere<\/span>
\n creatures that live in this world, are no exception. All of us will eventually perish. From<\/span>
\n the time we left the wombs of our mothers until this present moment, our bodies are<\/span>
\n constantly going through the process of decay and deterioration, and eventually everything<\/span>
\n will come to an end. This is the way of the world, whether we realize it or not.<\/span>
\n Our bodies are but temporary shelters that function as vehicles for our streams of<\/span>
\n consciousness to pass through. Eventually we\u2019ll find the original source of our consciousness<\/span>
\n and wellbeing, which is located within our very own body. This is known<\/span>
\n as the Seventh Base of the Mind. It is located at the center of our body, two finger-<\/span>
\n breadths above our navel. It was through the Seventh Base of the mind that the<\/span>
\n Lord Buddha found his divine knowledge and supreme wisdom<\/span><\/p>\n

Now,I\u2019d like to invite all of you to settle your mind at the center of your body. Do it with<\/span>
\n a soft and gentle attention, an attention so soft and gentle that it is like a bird\u2019s feather<\/span>
\n floating down delicately to settle upon the surface of a body of water, floating down<\/span>
\n so lightly that it doesn\u2019t even break the surface of the water. Such is the gentleness of<\/span>
\n the attention we need. Maintain a state of mind that is bright and clear, lightly, gently,<\/span>
\n tenderly, continuously, for as long as you can.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How Do You Know Whether You\u2019re Doing It the Right Way?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re doing it the right way according to the right Knowledge (Vijja), your body will<\/span>
\n feel relaxed and at ease. Your mind will also feel relaxed and at ease. Even if you may<\/span>
\n not see anything at this stage, you\u2019ll feel content with the feeling that you have. You\u2019ll<\/span>
\n feel open, spacious, free and relaxed. This is the first reward that you\u2019ll receive when<\/span>
\n you do this the right way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maintain this relaxed state of body and mind calmly, easily, relaxingly and continuously.<\/span>
\n Soon there\u2019ll be more rewards, that is, your body and your mind will feel furthermore<\/span>
\n relaxed, so relaxed that your body will feel light, spacious and expansive. You\u2019ll<\/span>
\n feel as if your body has dissipated and disappeared into the environment, as if you no<\/span>
\n longer have your physical body, as if your body has become the air that is subtle and<\/span>
\n purified, and the stream of happiness and purity has come to take its place. And your<\/span>
\n body and your mind will become furthermore relaxed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your mind will become still, free of all thoughts. This is the kind of feeling that you\u2019ve<\/span>
\n never experienced before. The mind that is free of all thoughts is much more pleasing<\/span>
\n than one that is busy with thoughts. Maintain this state of mind continuously. Soon<\/span>
\n more of this reward will come your way. Your body will feel even lighter and more<\/span>
\n spacious. Here, you\u2019ll begin to understand the words \u201clight body-light mind\u201d in a more<\/span>
\n meaningful way. You\u2019ll want to hold on to this pleasant state of mind for as long as<\/span>
\n you can.<\/span><\/p>\n

After having reached this increased state of stillness, your mind will become even<\/span>
\n more still and consistent (unlike the stillness that comes and goes), so still that the<\/span>
\n stillness seems \u201cfirm and solid\u201d. But it is the feeling of \u201csolid\u201d stillness that is open and<\/span>
\n spacious, not confined. And your mind will become even more gentle and delicate.<\/span>
\n You\u2019ll now understand the word \u201cgentle\u201d in a more meaningful way. This is the inner<\/span>
\n experience that exemplifies the meaning of the words \u201csolidly still and gentle\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Continue to maintain this state of mind. Soon brightness will emerge to shine upon<\/span>
\n your new life, removing you from the old life that is half-awake and under the spell of<\/span>
\n illusion. Now is the life of one who knows, one who is awake, one who is joyful. This<\/span>
\n inner light is far more satisfying than any other kind of light.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is remarkable that we don\u2019t see darkness when we close our eyes. As our mind<\/span>
\n continues to stay calm and still the inner brightness will gradually turn brighter and<\/span>
\n brighter, from a kind of faint, predawn light to the golden brightness of a morning sun<\/span>
\n that shines radiantly upon a new day<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a cool, refreshing inner light that comes from the Dhamma within. All of us have<\/span>
\n this inner light within us, but it has been obscured by the Five Hindrances15<\/sup> (sensual<\/span>
\n desires, ill will, etc.) that we engage ourselves in.<\/span><\/p>\n

The images you see will evolve progressively. Observe them with a calm and stable<\/span>
\n state of mind without getting excited, the same way you\u2019d passively observe the sun<\/span>
\n rising at dawn. The presence of inner light, the light of Dhamma, is an ordinary occurrence<\/span>
\n that happens when one\u2019s mind is still. It is a reward for one who practices<\/span>
\n meditation regularly and in the right way.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, at this beginning stage, learn how to settle your mind in the right way. Maintain<\/span>
\n your mind softly, gently, lightly \u2026. relax. Keep your mind radiant and refreshed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Please continue your meditation in silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RELAXED AND ALERT<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Sit cross-legged, with your right leg over your left leg, your right hand over your left<\/span>
\n hand, palms facing up. Place both hands gently on your lap. Let the tip of your right<\/span>
\n index finger touch the tip of your left thumb. Close your eyes gently, as if you\u2019re about<\/span>
\n to fall asleep. Don\u2019t strain your eyes or squeeze your eyes shut. Relax every muscle<\/span>
\n in your body. Adjust your position. Make sure that your breathing and your circulation<\/span>
\n flow naturally.<\/span><\/p>\n

Relaxation is the heart of meditation. Maintain your mindfulness along with your relaxed<\/span>
\n mood when you meditate. Mindfulness and relaxation must go hand in hand.<\/span>
\n Regardless of whatever method of meditation you choose to practice, you want to<\/span>
\n make sure that you\u2019re both relaxed and alert at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflect on what our great teacher has taught us. Our Great Master Luang Pu16<\/sup> Wat<\/span>
\n Paknam17<\/sup> advised us to visualize a crystal sphere and recite the mantra \u201csamma arahang18<\/sup>\u201d<\/span>
\n at the same time. Visualizing and reciting the mantra at the same time is a<\/span>
\n way to maintain your mindfulness. But mindfulness has to be observed in a way that<\/span>
\n is relaxing while also feeling alert at the same time. Please don\u2019t overlook this.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mindfulness and relaxation must go hand in hand, from the beginning to the end. This<\/span>
\n is the way to help your mind become still more easily. Once your mind is at a standstill<\/span>
\n state you\u2019ll be able to see the inner Dhamma Sphere19<\/sup>. It is this simple. Don\u2019t meditate<\/span>
\n with a mind that is gloomy or restless, or you\u2019ll get nowhere. Make your mind<\/span>
\n spacious, radiant, light and refreshed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sitting position mentioned herein is the standard meditation posture which our<\/span>
\n Great Master has replicated from the all-knowing, the Dhammakaya within. In his<\/span>
\n natural position the Dhammakaya sits cross-legged in a meditation posture, with his<\/span>
\n right leg over his left leg, his right hand over his left hand, with the tip of his right index<\/span>
\n finger touching the tip of his left thumb. If you place both of your hands close to your<\/span>
\n body your back will be upright. This is the standard meditation posture, a perfect<\/span>
\n position that you should adopt.<\/span><\/p>\n

But in your practice at home you can choose any position you wish, as long as it<\/span>
\n is comfortable. You can sit with your back against the wall, with your legs hanging<\/span>
\n down, or with your legs sideways, whichever is right for you. Maintain your mindfulness<\/span>
\n along with your relaxed mood. Make sure that there is no tension in any part of<\/span>
\n your body.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Relaxing Your Mind<\/strong><\/span>
\n After you have properly adjusted your sitting position, now gently turn your attention<\/span>
\n to relaxing your mind. There are many techniques to help relax the mind. The Lord<\/span>
\n Buddha has taught us ten different ways of relaxing our minds known as the \u201cTen<\/span>
\n Recollections20<\/sup>\u201d methods, i.e., Recollection of the Buddha, Recollection of the Dhamma,<\/span>
\n Recollection of the Sangha, etc. Following one or more of these methods can<\/span>
\n also help calm your mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of you may prefer to use something nice and serene from nature to help you<\/span>
\n relax your mind or to inspire you to meditate. This is also acceptable.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the most efficient way is to empty your mind and keep it still. Act as if you\u2019re the<\/span>
\n only one in the world with no attachments to anything or anyone, with no concerns<\/span>
\n about your family, your work, your study, and your everyday life, as if you\u2019re in an outer<\/span>
\n space with no living beings or anything around. Look at the world as an empty space,<\/span>
\n void of people, animals, or any objects. This is the shortcut to help relax your mind.<\/span>
\n The state of relaxation you achieve here is a preliminary state of relaxation in which<\/span>
\n you feel neutral\u2014not feeling happy or feeling unhappy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maintain a neutral state of mind. Keep your mind empty, spacious, calm and still, in a<\/span>
\n way that makes you feel happy and relaxed, consistently, without rushing. Soon you\u2019ll<\/span>
\n arrive at a deeper and more relaxed state. Your goal at this stage is to simply relax<\/span>
\n your mind. You can achieve this by keeping your mind light, spacious and still, feeling<\/span>
\n like you\u2019re floating in space. Keep being relaxed and alert. Soon what you used to<\/span>
\n think was difficult will indeed become easy to attain.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Inner Dhamma<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We used to perceive that the inner Dhamma was something profound and difficult<\/span>
\nto attain, that one had to put in an immense amount of effort and had to do it in a<\/span>
\nremote place in order to achieve it. But now, we have found the way. Now, we know<\/span>
\nthat attainment of inner Dhamma, though profound, is not something too difficult to<\/span>
\naccomplish after all\u2014simply maintain the state of mind that is alert, relaxed and still.<\/span>
\nThe word \u201cDhamma\u201d has many meanings. More than fifty meanings have been mentioned<\/span>
\nin the Buddhist Scripture, but in general it means \u201ccleanliness, purity and<\/span>
\ngoodness\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some places mention that Dhamma has a physical form in the shape of a crystal clear<\/span>
\nsphere. Some mention that Dhamma is the Body of Truth, the Dhammakaya\u2014a crystal<\/span>
\nclear, transcendental body that is as clear as a crafted diamond, situating in the<\/span>
\ncenter of our body. When our mind is happy and relaxed and is in a standstill state,it<\/span>
\nis possible to see our inner Dhamma.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Great Master Luang Pu Wat Paknam has discovered the inner Dhamma, whichcoincides with the teaching of the Buddha. The inner Dhamma indeed has the shape<\/span>
\nof a crystal clear sphere and is perfectly round. Its size ranges from that of a star, a full<\/span>
\nmoon, to the size as big as the midday sun.<\/span>
\nGuided MEDITATION 109<\/span><\/p>\n

He further discovered that when the mind is relaxed in a standstill state, while resting<\/span>
\nat the center of the Dhamma Sphere, inner transcendental bodies will emerge,<\/span>
\none after another: from coarse human body to subtle human body, from subtle<\/span>
\nhuman body to divine human body, from divine human body to Form Brahma body,<\/span>
\nfrom Form Brahma body to Non-form Brahma body, from Non-form Brahma body to<\/span>
\nDhamma body, layer after layer, successively.<\/span><\/p>\n

These transcendental bodies already exist within each and every person. It is not<\/span>
\nsomething that man has created or made up. When our mind is fully relaxed and<\/span>
\nrefined and is at a standstill state, we\u2019ll be able to see these images.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each and every one of us has our inner Dhamma regardless of who we are, what<\/span>
\nnationality we belong to, what language we speak, what faith we believe in. Our task<\/span>
\nis simple: to keep our mind still, in a relaxing manner, calmly and continually. Soon<\/span>
\nwe\u2019ll be able to attain our inner Dhamma.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

SEVEN BASES OF THE MIND<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Now let us refresh the Knowledge that the Great Master Luang Pu Wat Paknam has<\/span>
\ntaught us about the Seven Bases of the mind.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The first base is at the rim of the nostril, on the right side for men and on the<\/span>
\nleft side for women.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The second base is at the inner corner of the eye, on the right side for men<\/span>
\nand on the left side for women.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The third base is at the center of the head.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The fourth base is at the roof of the mouth.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The fifth base is at the upper center of the throat (above the Adam\u2019s apple).<\/span>
\n\u2022 The sixth base is at a point in the middle of the abdomen, the meeting point<\/span>
\nof an imaginary line between the navel through the back and the line between<\/span>
\nthe two sides.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The seventh base of the mind is two fingers\u2019 breadth above the navel. This<\/span>
\nbase is the most important point in the body. It is the very center of the body<\/span>
\nand the point where the mind can come to a standstill.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first to the sixth bases are the paths, or the resting points, of the mind. The Seventh<\/span>
\nBase is the home of the mind. This is where the mind should be maintained at<\/span>
\nall times.<\/span>
\nYou\u2019ll be able to see the Seventh Base when your mind is perfectly still. However, as a<\/span>
\nbeginner whose mind may not be still yet, just be aware that it is located in the middle<\/span>
\nof your stomach, two finger-breadths above your navel. Or simply imagine that it is<\/span>
\nsomewhere in the middle of your abdomen, somewhere that is easy and comfortable<\/span>
\nfor you to imagine.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Visualizing a Meditation Object<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Great Master gave us a good technique for visualization: to imagine a crystal<\/span>
\nclear sphere that is totally flawless, as clear as a polished diamond, the size of your<\/span>
\niris, as your object of meditation. Bring your mind to settle at the center of this crystal<\/span>
\nclear sphere at the Seventh Base of the mind. Recite the mantra \u201csamma arahang,<\/span>
\nsamma arahang, samma arahang\u201d as you visualize. Make sure that the mantra and<\/span>
\nyour visualization go hand in hand. Maintain this state of mind continuously. This is the<\/span>
\nmethod that our Great Master has taught us.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of you may find it difficult to visualize the crystal sphere. If this is the case, you<\/span>
\nmay choose an object that is easiest for you to imagine, something that you\u2019re more<\/span>
\nfamiliar with, such as an apple, an orange, a dumpling, a bread bun, or whatever you<\/span>
\nmay feel most comfortable imagining.<\/span><\/p>\n

A gentleman imagined a bread bun as his object of meditation because he sold buns<\/span>
\nfor a living. Before long that bread bun turned into a crystal and appeared at his Seventh<\/span>
\nBase. From that day on, his bread buns were selling like crazy. Keep visualizing,<\/span>
\nand soon, whatever object you visualize will progress to become the Sphere of Primary<\/span>
\nPath21. Use whatever object you wish as your object of meditation: a diamond,<\/span>
\na pearl, a precious stone, or anything at all. But make sure you visualize in a nice and<\/span>
\neasy way, continuously. You may choose to recite the mantra along with your visualization<\/span>
\nor choose not to. This is up to you.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If Visualization is Not for You, Then You Don\u2019t Have to Visualize<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Visualization may not be for everyone. Some of you may feel tense or uncomfortable<\/span>
\nusing this method. Or you may put too much effort into making it happen, to rush it,<\/span>
\nor try to squeeze out the image. If this happens, then this method may not be suitable<\/span>
\nfor you. In this case, you can forego the method of visualization. Instead, simply relax<\/span>
\nyour mind at the Seventh Base, or its whereabouts. Relax your mind quietly with a<\/span>
\nhappy mood. You may feel like reciting the mantra \u201csamma arahang\u201d to appease your<\/span>
\nmind, or you may just want to keep your mind still without reciting the mantra. Either<\/span>
\nway is fine. Still your mind quietly, calmly and comfortably. Relax all your muscles and<\/span>
\nyour senses. Your mind will gradually become spacious, light and radiant.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Darkness Is Your Friend<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Darkness is not an enemy that stops you from attaining the Dhamma. Darkness is<\/span>
\nyour friend if you know how to take pleasure in it. Don\u2019t be discouraged if you don\u2019t<\/span>
\nsee any images. Stay with the darkness in a relaxed manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

The darker it is the closer it is to brightness. Sooner or later the brightness will appear.<\/span>
\nStay with the darkness in a happy and joyous mood without questioning whether<\/span>
\nor when brightness will appear. Get acquainted with the darkness using a calm and<\/span>
\npeaceful mind. Don\u2019t become anxious or disappointed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feel that you\u2019re sitting quietly in a night that is pitch black. If it appears like 1 a.m.,<\/span>
\nthen accept it as 1 a.m. No matter how badly you want to rush, the sun is still not<\/span>
\nready to come out at this hour. Even if it is 2 a.m., 3 a.m., 4 a.m., or 5 a.m., still it is<\/span>
\nnot yet the right time for the sun to show up. It is only when the dawn is breaking that<\/span>
\nthe sun will come out to give its bright, shining, golden rays to the world. If you just<\/span>
\nsit quietly and calmly without worrying about anything, soon your mind will become<\/span>
\npeaceful, your wishes will be fulfilled, and the brightness will appear on its own.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Light of Purity<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get excited when you see the bright light, or wonder where the light is coming<\/span>
\nfrom, or whether you have left the lights on. Be unaffected by it. Feel happy that there<\/span>
\nis brightness. It is natural for the inner light to appear when the mind is stilled and<\/span>
\npurified, the same way it is natural for the golden rays of sunlight to appear with every<\/span>
\nbreaking dawn. This is the light of purity. It is your reward when you embrace the<\/span>
\nDhamma and train your mind to be still.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you realize that the appearance of the bright light is a natural occurrence, you<\/span>
\nwon\u2019t feel excited, the same way you don\u2019t feel excited seeing the sun rising in the<\/span>
\nmorning. By being calm your mind will become even more still. Soon you\u2019ll see the<\/span>
\nsource of the inner light, and one after another, the transcendental bodies will emerge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Continue to maintain a calm and radiant mind until you attain the inner Dhamma.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2018STOP\u2019 IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS<\/span><\/h3>\n

Stopping the mind (from wandering) is more important than anything else. Whatever<\/span>
\nimages that appear in your meditation, observe them impassively without engaging<\/span>
\nyour mind with them. This will help your mind to remain still. The purpose of your<\/span>
\npractice is aimed at stilling your mind, not at seeing images or seeing bright light.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni emphasized these words persistently:<\/span>
\n\u201c\u2019Stop\u2019 is the key to success\u201d. He hardly spoke of anything else but this. This is what<\/span>
\nhe said: \u201cWe must be able to stop our mind (from wandering), whether it is in darkness,<\/span>
\nin brightness, at the center of the sphere, at the center of the inner body, or at<\/span>
\nthe center of the Buddha image.\u201d His aim is only for one thing: stopping the mind.<\/span>
\nAdopt this maxim in your practice: \u201c\u2019Stop\u2019 is the key to success\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Luang Por Dhammajayo\u2019s Aspiration<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After Luang Por Dhammajayo took the yellow robe to become a Buddhist monk he<\/span>
\nresolved that he would preach only the subject of stopping the mind. Over the past<\/span>
\nforty plus years, his teachings consisted primarily of stopping of the mind. Everything<\/span>
\nelse was secondary. He put his heart into making people understand the importance<\/span>
\nof stopping of the mind, because he knew \u2018stop\u2019 is the key to success.<\/span><\/p>\n

Between the age of sixteen and nineteen, Luang Por managed to read every volume<\/span>
\nof the Tipitaka as well as any important books on Buddhism he could lay his<\/span>
\nhands on. After reading all these books, he came to the conclusion that reading alone<\/span>
\nwasn\u2019t enough. It is like reading a map without actually making the trip\u2014you miss the<\/span>
\nexcitement of the journey and the experience of getting to the place. Reading Dhamma<\/span>
\nbooks without actually practicing Dhamma and meditation is the same way. You<\/span>
\nknow only the theory, but you lack the actual experience, the sensation, the touch,<\/span>
\nthe feel, the taste and the flavor of the practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

So he decided to seek out well-known meditation teachers available at that time and<\/span>
\napprenticed with them. He practiced every kind of meditation technique known to<\/span>
\nhim. Finally, he met the famed meditation master, Khun Yai Chand Khonnokyoong.<\/span>
\nIt was through Khun Yai that he learned the importance of stopping the mind, that<\/span>
\n\u2018stop\u2019 is the key to success. He realized then that stopping the mind was the only way<\/span>
\nto achieve inner experience. \u2018Stop\u2019 is indeed the key to success. Learning from text<\/span>
\nbooks and listening to lectures won\u2019t get you there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cultivate your mind by training it to be still. This was the essence of the method taught<\/span>
\nby Khun Yai. The more still the mind is the more expansive and penetrative it will become,<\/span>
\npenetrating deep into the source of inner knowledge that only a still mind can<\/span>
\nreach. This is a different kind of knowledge, more profound than any knowledge one<\/span>
\ncan learn from reading and listening. You can read all the textbooks you want, but until<\/span>
\nyou\u2019re able to achieve a standstill state of mind, you\u2019ll never understand Dhamma<\/span>
\nin such a profound manner that you want to embrace it as your refuge. This is why<\/span>
\n\u2018stopping\u2019 the mind is so essential.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is Important to Start the Right Way<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I wish all of you, both here and overseas, give importance to training your mind to be<\/span>
\nstill. Begin your practice the right way. Even if you may not see the result as quickly as<\/span>
\nyou wish, in the long run you will find greater satisfaction. You may not see images, or<\/span>
\nsee only images that are blurry, but if you\u2019re able to feel light, relaxed and expansive, it<\/span>
\nis the sign that you\u2019re heading toward the right direction. Seeing bright light or images<\/span>
\nis a by-product of a still mind. It will happen naturally when the mind comes to the<\/span>
\nright point of balance and become still. This is the result of practicing the right way. It<\/span>
\nmay sound like a slow progression, but in fact it is quite fast.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of you may be quick in seeing a Buddha image or a sphere right away, but the<\/span>
\nimage appears stiff and lifeless, and it gives you discomfort. This may have gone on<\/span>
\nfor as long as ten or twenty years without you making any further progress or witnessing<\/span>
\nany inner experience. So you get tired of meditation and even have a misgiving<\/span>
\nabout anyone who says he or she is able to reach high attainment. In this case, it<\/span>
\nlooks like a speedy achievement, but in fact it is slow.<\/span><\/p>\n

But if you begin your practice in the right way, even if the result may appear slow but<\/span>
\nin fact it is not slow at all. Although there\u2019s no shortcut in the way of practice, in due<\/span>
\ntime the shortcut will present itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, train your mind to be still. Find happiness and joy every time you practice, or<\/span>
\nat least get to the point where you no longer feel tense, uncomfortable, or bored. If<\/span>
\nyou\u2019re able to experience even a brief moment of happiness each time you practice,<\/span>
\nit is the sign that you are doing it the right way. Your inner experience will improve<\/span>
\nwith time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meditate today like a kindergarten student. Take it easy and follow the instruction<\/span>
\nwithout reluctance, and you\u2019ll see good results. When you reach a certain level of<\/span>
\nattainment, you\u2019ll feel open, spacious, serene and peaceful, and be able to access<\/span>
\nthe source of happiness. You\u2019ll feel refreshed like walking near a waterfall, hearing the<\/span>
\nsound of the water and feeling the cool mist touching your body; or like walking on a<\/span>
\ncool, shallow stream on a hot sunny day. Experiencing even a tiny dose of happiness<\/span>
\nthat rejuvenates your spirit is an indication that you\u2019re on the right path.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep practicing with the right method. If it takes you half an hour to get to the point<\/span>
\nof contentment, try to reach that same point each time. Your speed of getting there<\/span>
\nwill improve as you go\u2014from half an hour to 15 minutes, to 5 minutes, to 1 minute,<\/span>
\nto the very moment you close your eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you arrive at that point your progress will step up. Your mind will become more<\/span>
\nrefined, the time to get there will be shorter, and the images will emerge more frequently<\/span>
\nand more clearly. You\u2019ll feel increasingly blissful each time a new inner image<\/span>
\nemerges (bright light, Dhamma spheres, inner bodies, inner Buddhas). Maintain this<\/span>
\nstate of contentment as best as you can.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you get to this state of achievement, you\u2019ll no longer feel bored, annoyed or<\/span>
\nagitated. Instead, you\u2019ll find great joy every time you meditate. But if you feel unnatural,<\/span>
\nor have to use too much effort, it means you\u2019re not doing it the right way. In which<\/span>
\ncase, get up to wash your face, then come back again to restart. Remember the<\/span>
\ninstruction given you. Follow the instruction full heartedly like a kindergarten student.<\/span><\/p>\n

I often mentioned that, as soon as you finish kindergarten you become a Ph.D., that<\/span>
\nis, when you practice the right way. And the right way of practice is to \u2018stop\u2019 the mind<\/span>
\ncontinually without letting it be interrupted by anything. Even when images appear,<\/span>
\ndon\u2019t let them interrupt the continuity of your still mind. Doing this will further improve<\/span>
\nthe stability and subtlety of your mind. At which state, more new phenomena will<\/span>
\nappear and more Buddha images will emerge, giving you a supreme state of blissfulness.<\/span>
\nKeeping the mind still is your primary goal. Seeing images is secondary.<\/span><\/p>\n

Practice comfortably and easily. Don\u2019t worry about the days and time that have<\/span>
\npassed, or will pass. Focus you attention on the present, and your progress will<\/span>
\nspeed. Meditate with happiness and joy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FIVE HINDRANCES<\/span><\/h3>\n

Close your eyes softly and gently. Relax every part of your body. Don\u2019t let any part of<\/span>
\nyour body be tense.<\/span><\/p>\n

Leave the habit of using your eyes to look into your tummy to see images. Close your<\/span>
\neyes gently and role your eyes upward. This will help correct the habit of using your<\/span>
\neyes to look inside.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is no need to use your eyes at all. The appearance of bright light or images have<\/span>
\nnothing to do with your eyes at all, and it is impossible for your eyes to see images<\/span>
\ninside your body. Everything happens because of your mind, not your eyes. Your eyes<\/span>
\nare used to see at objects outside, not objects inside.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your body will tell you whether you\u2019re doing the right thing or not. If your eyebrows<\/span>
\ntwist, or your eyes, your forehead and your body become tense, or you feel tedious,<\/span>
\ndiscouraged, and the time seems to pass very slowly, this means something is not<\/span>
\nright. Don\u2019t force yourself to continue. Adjust your way and restart from the beginning.<\/span>
\nBe willing to restart several times until you know how to adjust your body and your<\/span>
\nmind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you know how to do it, everything will become easy, or at least not difficult.<\/span>
\nWork to overcome this problem. If you know the right method you can overcome the<\/span>
\nproblem.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dhammakaya, the inner bodies, the spheres, the bright light, all exist within us.<\/span>
\nBut they are obscured by darkness, by what we call hindrances. These couple with<\/span>
\nthe wrong way of practice makes matter worse.<\/span><\/p>\n

Five Hindrances<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Hindrances are negative mental states that impede success in meditation. They consist of:<\/span><\/p>\n

Sensual Desire \u2013<\/strong> craving for pleasure of the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste<\/span>
\nand touch. When you\u2019re involved with any of these things your mind is attached to<\/span>
\nthem instead of to yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ill will \u2013<\/strong> feelings of malice toward others. These come in the forms of moodiness,<\/span>
\nirritation, dissatisfaction, anger, hatred, vengefulness, reprisal, a negative outlook, and<\/span>
\nbad intentions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doubt \u2013<\/strong> lack of conviction or trust; having misgiving or hesitation. Examples: questioning<\/span>
\nwhether you or others can really achieve a meditative attainment, whether<\/span>
\ninner Triple Gem really exists, whether mental objects are real, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apathy and inertia \u2013<\/strong> discouragement and lethargy. Feeling discouraged, depressed,<\/span>
\ndejected, having a lack of spirit. Feeling drowsy, sluggish, weary and lack of energy,etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Restlessness and agitation \u2013<\/strong> disturbance, troubling thoughts, worrying, inability to\u00a0calm the mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Five Hindrances are major obstacles that impede meditation. It is the darkness<\/span>
\nthat obscures our mind like dark clouds obscuring the shining sun causing the sun<\/span>
\nnot to be seen. Our mind is obscured by these Five Hindrances causing us not to be<\/span>
\nable to see our inner brightness, inner spheres, inner bodies, and the Dhammakaya.<\/span><\/p>\n

But this darkness cannot obscure a mind that is stable and still. If we\u2019re able to remove<\/span>
\nour mind from the commotions, from involvement with all the things around us<\/span>
\nincluding our family, our job, our study, our responsibilities, then we can defeat the<\/span>
\nhindrances.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, bring your mind back to the center of your body. If you know that you won\u2019t be<\/span>
\nrestless you can just let your mind rest there without visualizing a meditation object.<\/span>
\nBut if you\u2019re the restless type, then you want to visualize an object as a way to indicate<\/span>
\nthe whereabouts of the Seventh Base. You can visualize a crystal sphere, a crystal<\/span>
\nBuddha, or the image of Luang Pu. They represent the Triple Gem: the Buddha,<\/span>
\nthe Dhamma, the Sangha. They are the objects of purity that serve as an anchor for<\/span>
\nour mind to hold on to.<\/span><\/p>\n

Contemplate on the Center of Your Body \u201cTwice\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Keep your awareness at the center of your body constantly, with or without visualizing<\/span>
\nthe image. Do this frequently, and your mind will grow accustomed to it. Follow the<\/span>
\nhomework given to you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Muslims pray to their God five times a day. They contemplate their mind toward their<\/span>
\nGod five times a day, every day. As for us, we need to contemplate our mind only<\/span>
\n\u201ctwice\u201d: once when we open our eyes, once when we close our eyes; or once when<\/span>
\nwe breathe in, and once when we breathe out. That is, to contemplate our mind<\/span>
\nto settle at the center of our body, to bond with the Triple Gem. You can start with<\/span>
\nimagining any of these three objects first: the Buddha, the sphere, Luang Pu\u2019s image.<\/span>
\nWhen your mind settles, all three will come together in the same place, like putting<\/span>
\nthree different objects in the same pocket. For example, you may choose to visualize<\/span>
\na crystal sphere (representing the Dhamma), when your mind settles and becomes<\/span>
\nstill, you\u2019ll still arrive at the Triple Gem. All you need is to begin the right way.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you do it right from the beginning to the end, your journey will be smooth and easy.<\/span>
\nAll you have to do next is to keep doing it repeatedly. Do it regularly, repeatedly, constantly,<\/span>
\nand you\u2019ll get better and better.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first step is to bring your mind back inside. You have to practice diligently and<\/span>
\ncorrectly in order to succeed. Don\u2019t think you\u2019re so special that you can do it any time<\/span>
\nyou want and still succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Realize that you\u2019re still an ordinary person, one who\u2019s still immersed in defilements,<\/span>
\none who\u2019s subject to the grip of Mara. The only difference is that you now know the<\/span>
\npath to liberation. So, you must keep on practicing every day, diligently, without getting<\/span>
\ndiscouraged. One day soon you\u2019ll be able to reach your goal of attainment.<\/span><\/p>\n

You have to put in the necessary effort for whatever you do. Even in simple things like<\/span>
\neating a meal, you have to find food, to cook, to put it in your mouth, to chew, to swallow.<\/span>
\nIf you get tired of doing this and stop eating, then you know what will happen. It<\/span>
\ntakes so much effort to feed your body; it takes no less effort to feed your mind. Be<\/span>
\nmindful of this fact and please give enough effort for your practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Every time you close your eyes to meditate, even if you see only darkness and feel<\/span>
\ntense and restless, you still gain merit. Your merit will accumulate each time you sit<\/span>
\ndown to meditate. One day your merit will become full and you\u2019ll find success. The<\/span><\/p>\n

only way you won\u2019t succeed is when you don\u2019t practice. If you do practice, you\u2019ll<\/span>
\neventually succeed. It doesn\u2019t matter how fast or how slow you see the bright light. It<\/span>
\nmatters how often and how consistent you practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can train your mind to be still the way you want it if you practice with the right<\/span>
\nmethod and do it in a nice and easy way, calmly, gently and tenderly. Sometimes you<\/span>
\nmay have to allow yourself to be sleepy, or your mind to wander. Don\u2019t be annoyed by<\/span>
\nit. If your mind wanders, open your eyes. If you\u2019re sleepy, sleep. If your body aches,<\/span>
\nadjust your body. Keep on adjusting until you prevail. There will be a time when all<\/span>
\nyour hindrances are subdued and the darkness disappears.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CALLING UPON YOUR MERIT<\/span><\/h3>\n

Keep your mind still. Reflect on all the merits that you have accumulated throughout<\/span>
\nyour countless past lifetimes all the way to the present lifetime. You may not remember<\/span>
\nall the merits you have performed in your past lifetimes, but if you channel your<\/span>
\nmind to think about these merits, your mind will connect to your pool of accumulated<\/span>
\nmerits and converge to become a merit sphere located at the Seventh Base of your<\/span>
\nmind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your mind is a form of energy that has its own intrinsic quality to make things happen.<\/span>
\nTo give an example, if you think of someone whose words or actions have upset you<\/span>
\nin the past, even though the incident has been long gone and the person is not even<\/span>
\naware of your thought, your mind will pull in these negative things that happened in<\/span>
\nthe past to upset you in the present. Same is true with merits. If you reflect on your<\/span>
\nmerits frequently and repeatedly, even though they may have taken place in your past<\/span>
\nlifetimes, the intrinsic quality of your mind will have the ability to connect to all these<\/span>
\nmerits, from past to present, and transform them into a crystal clear sphere to appear<\/span>
\nat the Seventh Base of your mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Merit Sphere<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A merit sphere is a perfectly round and flawless sphere that is utterly bright and clear.<\/span>
\nIt is as clear as, or even clearer than, a polished diamond. It is as bright as, or brighter<\/span>
\nthan, a midday sun. Its brightness is soothing and pleasant to look at, more soothing<\/span>
\nand pleasing than the light of a full moon.<\/span><\/p>\n

The merit sphere is the source of all success and happiness. From the time an ordinary<\/span>
\nperson performs his virtue until the time he becomes an enlightened one, it is the<\/span>
\nforce of merit that sustains him. Merit is the cause of all positivity and prosperity. It is<\/span>
\nthe positive energy that enables one to have pleasant appearance, physical strength,<\/span>
\ngood health, good wealth, freedom from illness, long life, good personal quality, intelligence<\/span>
\nand abilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Merit is the force behind every success. It is the power of merit that helps one achieve<\/span>
\nsuccess in a field that he or she is not even educated in. It is also the force of merit<\/span>
\nthat helps one succeed easily in life without facing obstacles. Merit is the driving force<\/span>
\nthat propels one to be reborn in the happy realm, to possess heavenly wealth, and to<\/span>
\nachieve spiritual attainment that leads to Nibbana.<\/span><\/p>\n

Merits are the fruits of good deeds. Good deeds performed through generosity, morality<\/span>
\nand mental cultivation all bring about merit. The fruits of good deeds converge to<\/span>
\nbecome a bright merit sphere affixed to the center of a person\u2019s body. It is beneficial<\/span>
\nto reflect on your merits frequently. They will come to your assistance at the times of<\/span>
\nneed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The opposite of merit is demerit. Demerit is the negative force that causes you problems,<\/span>
\nhardships and obstacles in life. By reflecting regularly on your merit, the positive<\/span>
\nforce of your merit can neutralize or lighten the negative effect of your demerit. So,<\/span>
\ndevelop a habit of recalling your merit sphere at the center of your body regularly.<\/span>
\nUse it as the starting point in training your mind to become still and to connect to the<\/span>
\nSeventh Base.<\/span><\/p>\n

By regularly reflecting on merit, you\u2019re blocking out the opportunity for demerit to enter.<\/span>
\nThis will allow your mind to become radiant, happy and joyful, and be pleased that<\/span>
\nyou have utilized your time productively in pursuit of virtues the same way the wise,<\/span>
\nthe Noble Ones, the Arahants and the Buddhas have done in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflect on your merit sphere, easily and comfortably. Develop a feeling that you have<\/span>
\na bright merit sphere residing at the center of your body. It doesn\u2019t matter whether the<\/span>
\nsphere may appear clearly to you or not. Don\u2019t try too hard to make the image appear<\/span>
\nclearly to you. This will stress you out and will inhibit your progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your objective is to still your mind at the Seventh Base by reflecting on your merits in<\/span>
\na nice and easy way. Whether the sphere will appear clearly to you or not depends on<\/span>
\nhow refined and how still your mind is. The more refined your mind is the more clearly<\/span>
\nthe image will appear; the less refined, the less clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflect on your merit at all times, during all activities. Soon your mind will become<\/span>
\nmore and more refined and the merit sphere will appear more clearly to you until it<\/span>
\nbecomes utterly clear at the center of your body. At which time you will feel like your<\/span>
\nphysical body has disappeared and only the center of your body remains.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your progress has a lot to do with your practice. The more you practice the better you<\/span>
\nget. Treat this as an important mission in your life. Constantly reflect on your merit and<\/span>
\nthe Seventh Base of the mind. Let your mind get acquainted with the Seventh Base<\/span>
\nuntil it becomes second nature.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflect easily and comfortably. Relax your eyelids, adjust your sitting position, relax<\/span>
\nyour body, and create a feeling of stillness, tenderness and comfort. This is all you<\/span>
\nhave to do. It is the only method that will allow you to see the merit sphere clearly.<\/span>
\nAnd your mind will be drawn inward to reach the inner Triple Gem. There is nothing<\/span>
\nsimpler than this that will allow you to fulfill your goal in life for being born a human.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many of us have dedicated our lives in pursuit of things that are not worthwhile. We<\/span>
\ngive importance to things that are difficult and problematic, things that give us pressure,<\/span>
\nyet we fail to recognize the importance of stopping our mind to achieve inner<\/span>
\npeace. There is nothing more simple and worthwhile in fulfilling our happiness than<\/span>
\nkeeping our mind stable and still. \u2018Stop\u2019 is the key to success. It is the key to supreme<\/span>
\nsatisfaction, to true happiness, purity, mind power, wisdom, kindness, love and compassion<\/span>
\nfor all beings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Please continue to settle your mind. Keep your mind still, softly, gently, comfortably<\/span>
\nand relaxingly. Reflect on your merit sphere. Repeat the mantra \u201csamma arahang\u201d<\/span>
\ncontinuously until the appropriate time. Please meditate in silence.<\/span><\/p>\n

********************************************************************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

15 Five Hindrances: Sensual desires, ill will, apathy and inertia, restlessness and agitation, doubt and<\/span>
\n uncertainty<\/span><\/p>\n

16 Luang Pu: Thai word for Reverence Grandfather.<\/span><\/p>\n

17 Luang Pu Wat Paknam: Phramongkolthepmuni<\/span><\/p>\n

18 Samma Arahang: Pali word which means \u201cThe Noble One who has properly attained enlightenment\u201d, or<\/span>
\n \u201cPure state of mind achieved in a proper way\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

19 Dhamma Sphere: A crystal clear sphere that appears at the center of one\u2019s body during meditation<\/span><\/p>\n

20 Ten Recollections: Recollection of the Buddha, Recollection of the Dhamma, Recollection of the Sangha,<\/span>
\n Recollection of Morality, Recollection of Liberality, Recollection of Deities, Contemplation on Death,<\/span>
\n Contemplation on Body, Contemplation on Breathing, Contemplation on the Virtue of Nibbana<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”HOW TO MEDITATE” el_id=”1490929643529-c12d5b32-dec9″]<\/p>\n

DHAMMAKAYA MEDITATION<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Dhammakaya meditation method was initiated in Thailand 96 years ago by the<\/span>
\nGreat Master Phramongkolthepmuni, famously known as Luang Pu Wat Paknam.<\/span>
\nIt is one of the most popular meditation techniques practiced by Buddhists and<\/span>
\nnon-Buddhists around the world. The method is simple, easy, and effective. Everyone<\/span>
\ncan learn how to do it and can achieve inner peace and happiness that you<\/span>
\nmay never know existed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDhammakaya\u201d<\/em> is a Pali word which means \u201cBody of Enlightenment\u201d. The term<\/span>
\nappears in many places in the Buddhist scriptures of Theravada, Mahayana and<\/span>
\nVajrayana (Tibetan) schools. The uniqueness of the Dhammakaya meditation is that<\/span>
\nit teaches about the center of the body as the natural home of the human mind<\/span>
\nas well as the inner gateway to enlightenment. The stiller the mind is at its natural<\/span>
\nhome, the deeper the happiness one experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dhammakaya meditation also has a moral impact on the mind. A person who meditates<\/span>
\nregularly will become gentler, kinder, and more peaceful.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Step-by-step instruction:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1. The sitting posture, which has been found to be the most conducive for<\/span>
\nmeditation, is the half-lotus position. Sit upright with your back straight, crosslegged<\/span>
\nwith your right leg over the left one. You can sit on a cushion or pillow to<\/span>
\nmake your position more comfortable. Nothing should impede your breathing or<\/span>
\ncirculation. Your hands should rest palms-up on your lap, and the tip of your right<\/span>
\nindex finger should touch your left thumb. Feel as if you were one with the ground<\/span>
\non which you sit. Feel that you could sit happily for as long as you like.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Softly close your eyes as if you were falling asleep. Relax every part of your<\/span>
\nbody, beginning with the muscles in your face, then relax your face, neck, shoulders,<\/span>
\narms, chest, trunk and legs. Make sure there are no signs of tension on your<\/span>
\nforehead or across your shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Close your eyes gently but not completely. Stop thinking about any worldly<\/span>
\nthings. Feel as if you were sitting alone; around you is nothing and no one. Create a<\/span>
\nfeeling of happiness and spaciousness in your mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before starting, it is necessary to acquaint yourself with the various resting points or<\/span>
\nbases of the mind inside the body.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The first base is at the rim of the nostril, on the right side for men and on the<\/span>
\nleft side for women.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The second base is at the inner corner of the eye, on the right side for men<\/span>
\nand on the left side for women.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The third base is at the center of the head.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The fourth base is at the roof of the mouth.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The fifth base is at the upper center of the throat.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The sixth base is at a point in the middle of your abdomen, the meeting<\/span>
\npoint of an imaginary line between the navel through the back and the line<\/span>
\nbetween the two sides.<\/span>
\n\u2022 The seventh base of the mind is two fingers\u2019 breadth above the navel. This<\/span>
\nbase is the most important point in the body. It is the very center of the body<\/span>
\nand the point where the mind can come to a standstill.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Feel that your body is an empty space, without organs, muscles or tissues.<\/span>
\nGently and contentedly rest your attention at a point near the seventh base of the<\/span>
\nmind at the center of the body. Whatever experience arises in the mind, simply<\/span>
\nobserve without attempting to interfere with it. This way, your mind will become<\/span>
\ngradually purer and inner experience will unfold.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. If you find that you cannot dissuade the mind from wandering, then your<\/span>
\nmind needs an inner object as a focus for attention. Gently imagine that a bright,<\/span>
\nclear, crystal sphere, about the size of the tip of your little finger, is located inside at<\/span>
\nthe center of the body. Maybe, you cannot imagine anything, but later, you\u2019ll be able<\/span>
\nto see a crystal ball with increasing clarity. Allow your mind to come to rest at the<\/span>
\ncenter of the crystal ball. Use the subtlest of effort and you\u2019ll find that the crystal ball<\/span>
\nbecomes brighter and clearer.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. If you find that your mind still wanders from the crystal ball, you can bring<\/span>
\nthe mind back to a standstill by repeating the mantra, \u201cSamma-arahang\u201d silently, as<\/span>
\nif the sound of the mantra is coming from the center of the crystal ball. Repeat the<\/span>
\nmantra over and over again without counting.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Don\u2019t entertain thoughts in your mind. Don\u2019t analyze what\u2019s going on in the<\/span>
\nmeditation. Allow the mind to come to the standstill. That is all that you need to do.<\/span>
\nIf you find that you cannot imagine anything, repeat the mantra \u201cSamma-arahang\u201d, silently and continuously in the mind. If you are not sure about the location of the center of the body, just know that anywhere in the area of your abdomen will do.<\/span>
\nDon\u2019t be disappointed if you find your mind wandering. It is only natural for beginners.<\/span>
\nMake effort continuously, keep your mind bright, clear and pure, and in the<\/span>
\nend, you will achieve success.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Keep repeating the mantra. Eventually the sound of the mantra will fade<\/span>
\naway. At that point a new bright, clear, crystal sphere will arise of its own accord.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TEN DAILY HOMEWORKS<\/span><\/h3>\n

These Ten Daily Homeworks are designed to help improve your meditation results.<\/span>
\nPractice it daily and you\u2019ll find that not only would your meditation results become<\/span>
\nbetter, but also your overall wellbeing and happiness.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Upon waking, immediately reconnect your attention with the center of the<\/span>
\nbody.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Before getting up, take a moment to reflect on the fact that you\u2019re fortunate<\/span>
\nto have survived another day, that death is inevitable and will come upon you<\/span>
\none day. Spread loving-kindness to all living beings in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Throughout the day create the feeling that you\u2019re united with the mental<\/span>
\nobject at the center of the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Take one minute of every hour to still your mind and think of the mental object<\/span>
\nat the center of the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Keep your awareness at the center of the body while conducting other activities<\/span>
\nthroughout the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Build a happy environment around you with a smile and speaking in an endearing<\/span>
\nway.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Make the effort to see the virtues in yourself and others. Rejoice in others\u2019<\/span>
\nmerits.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Keep daily notes of your meditation experience in a diary.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Before going to sleep, reflect on the good deeds you have done throughout<\/span>
\nthe day.<\/span><\/p>\n

10. Maintain your consciousness at the center of your body before falling asleep.<\/span>
\nThis stage is called \u201cpathama magga\u201d (primary path). At this stage the shining<\/span>
\ncrystal sphere is connected firmly to the mind, and is seated at the center of the<\/span>
\nbody. You will experience a great happiness that you have never known before. With<\/span>
\na perfectly still mind focused at the center of the crystal sphere, it will give way to<\/span>
\na succession of increasingly purer transcendental inner bodies, until it reaches the<\/span>
\n\u201cBody of Enlightenment\u201d known as \u201cDhammakaya\u201d. This is the highest meditative<\/span>
\nattainment which enables the practitioner to achieve super knowledge and supreme<\/span>
\nhappiness.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”GLOSSARY” el_id=”1490930143305-e5faf6b4-4934″]Attaining Dhamma:<\/strong> meditative attainment; a state of absorption in meditation
\nwhere the mind achieves super insight and knowledge; knowing and seeing according
\nto the truths.<\/p>\n

Attainment of Dhammakaya:<\/strong> a state of absorption in meditation where the mind
\nachieves super insight and knowledge, having penetrative insight into the reality of
\nlife and the world; seeing and becoming one with one\u2019s own inner Body of Enlightenment.<\/p>\n

Bhikkhu:<\/strong> Buddhist monk<\/p>\n

Buddha:<\/strong> \u2018Awakened One\u2019, one who is fully enlightened and who has r ealized Nibbana
\nwithout the benefit of a Buddha\u2019s teaching in the lifetime in which he attains it.
\nThose who attained enlightenment by following the Buddha\u2019s teachings are called
\nArahants or Arahats. The name Buddha is a title, not a proper name, meaning
\n\u2018awakened\u2019, thus \u2018enlightened\u2019. Buddhas appear at vast intervals of time. There are
\ncountless numbers of past, present and future Buddhas.<\/p>\n

Cetiya:<\/strong> Pali word for pagoda<\/p>\n

Defilements (Pali, kilesa):<\/strong> mental impurities consisting of greed, anger, and delusion;
\nhindrances or contaminants that cause beings to perform undesirable deeds.<\/p>\n

Dhamma (Skt. Dharma):<\/strong> the truth; the natural condition of things or beings; the
\nlaw of their existence; the ethical code of righteousness; the whole body of religious
\ndoctrines as a system; the Teachings of the Buddha; the eternal truth that the Buddha
\nrealized, his verbal expression of that truth, and the phenomena or elements
\nthat comprise reality.<\/p>\n

Dhamma Sphere:<\/strong> A crystal clear sphere that appears at the center of one\u2019s body
\nduring an advanced stage of meditative absorption.<\/p>\n

Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta:<\/strong> The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma,
\na Buddhist text considered to be a record of the first teaching given by the Buddha
\nafter he attained enlightenment.
\nDhammakaya:<\/strong> Body of Enlightenment; Body of Truth.<\/p>\n

Dhammakaya meditation:<\/strong> a profound meditation technique initiated by the Great
\nMaster, Luang Pu Wat Paknam.<\/p>\n

Dhammakaya Tradition (vijja Dhammakaya):<\/strong> also referred to as Dhammakaya
\nKnowledge, is a method of meditation founded by the Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni,
\nformer Abbot of Wat Paknam, one of the most famous Buddhist temples
\nin Thailand. According to Dhammakaya Tradition, it has been established that eachindividual person possesses 18 transcendental inner bodies, which can be reached
\nthrough advanced stages of meditative absorption. Once a person reaches the
\nDhammakaya, the purest of all transcendental bodies, the person achieves a higher
\nform of insight and knowledge not available through ordinary means.<\/p>\n

Five Hindrances (panca nivaranani):<\/strong> negative mental states that impede success
\nwith meditation and lead away from enlightenment. They consist of sensual desire,
\nill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness, and doubt<\/p>\n

Four Noble Truths (Noble Truths of Suffering):<\/strong> the Buddha\u2019s first and most important
\nteaching. It explains the reality and nature of suffering, the origin of suffering,
\nthe cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to freedom from
\nsuffering.<\/p>\n

Kamma (Skt, Karma):<\/strong> action or deed of body, speech and mind. Every willed action
\nbrings future consequences, including future rebirths; the consequences of past
\ndeeds largely determine one\u2019s general life situation. Under the Law of Kamma, by
\nwhich all creatures must live, a person bears the consequences of his own actions.
\nBad actions cause bad consequences and good actions bear good consequences.<\/p>\n

Khun Yai:<\/strong> a Thai word for grandmother<\/p>\n

Klong:<\/strong> a Thai word for canal
\nLuang Por: a Thai word which means Venerable Father, an informal way of addressing
\na senior monk.<\/p>\n

Luang Pu:<\/strong> a Thai word which means Venerable Grandfather, an informal way of
\naddressing an elderly senior monk; referring to the Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni,
\nfounder of the Dhammakaya Tradition.
\nLuang Pu Wat Paknam: Phramongkolthepmuni, founder of the Dhammakaya
\nTradition<\/p>\n

Mara:<\/strong> evil, both as a concept and as a personification. In Buddhist cosmology,
\nMara is a supra-natural being responsible for hindering people from performing meritorious
\ndeeds. Mara can also mean obstacles for doing good deeds.<\/p>\n

Merit:<\/strong> result of good deeds; a positive energy, or good kamma that is created
\nwhenever a good deed is performed. Merit is generated in three major ways: charitable
\ngiving, observance of moral precepts, and meditation.<\/p>\n

Merit Sphere:<\/strong> a transcendental sphere representing merit, that lies within each
\nperson; the more merit accumulated, the larger the merit sphere.<\/p>\n

Mundane merit:<\/strong> merit gained through performance of good deeds, such as sweeping
\nthe temple, helping the poor, making charitable contributions.<\/p>\n

Nibbana (Skt, Nirvana):<\/strong> the state of ultimate happiness, the happy condition of
\nenlightenment, the highest spiritual attainment. This is not the sense-based happiness
\nof everyday life; nor is it the concept of happiness as interpreted by Western
\nculture. It is an enduring, transcendental happiness integral to the calmness attained
\nthrough enlightenment. Once a person has attained Nibbana, he has reached the
\nend of the cycle of rebirths\u2014the final and total release from cyclic existence\u2014never
\nagain to be subject to rebirth. Nibbana is a supramundane state that cannot
\nbe expressed by words and is beyond space and time. This is the state of perfect
\nenlightenment realized by Buddhas and Arhants. Those who have gained this realization
\nno longer accumulate karmic consequences and will no longer be reborn into
\nsamsara, the cycle of existence, when they die.<\/p>\n

Noble Eightfold Path:<\/strong> the Path to end suffering, consisting of Right View, Right
\nSpeech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right
\nConcentration.
\nPacceka Buddha: a Buddha who has attained Enlightenment by himself but does
\nnot teach others or lead others to Enlightenment; a private Buddha.<\/p>\n

Pali:<\/strong> an ancient language used in India, now no longer an active language. The
\noriginal Buddhist scriptures were written in Pali. Pali texts are used by the Theravada
\nschool of Buddhism.<\/p>\n

Parami:<\/strong> a Pali word meaning transcendental virtues, perfected virtues, or Perfections.
\nParami is a spiritual perfection achieved by a Bodhisatta (Buddha-to-be) on
\nhis path to Buddhahood, or by those who are determined to attain enlightenment.
\nVirtues are practices which must be fulfilled by all aspirants who wish to free themselves
\nfrom suffering. What distinguishes the Bodhisatta from other aspirants are
\nthe degree to which virtues must be cultivated and the length of time they must be
\npursued.<\/p>\n

Perfections (Parami):<\/strong> perfected virtues; transcendental virtues; spiritual perfection.
\nTranscendental virtues cultivated as a way of purification, purifying kamma and
\nhelping the aspirant to live an unobstructed life, while reaching the goal of enlightenment.<\/p>\n

Precepts (sila):<\/strong> moral principles that form the framework of Buddhist ethical conduct
\nand the baseline of one\u2019s virtue.<\/p>\n

Primary Path:<\/strong> beginning stage of meditative attainment leading to more advanced
\nstages of absorption.<\/p>\n

Right View:<\/strong> view and wisdom in accordance with the Truths, consisting of the following<\/p>\n

beliefs:<\/strong> generosity is virtuous; it is necessary to honor those worthy of honor;
\nit is good to be hospitable; actions produce consequences (Law of Kamma); a
\nchild has debt of gratitude to his parents; this world and the next exist; there will be
\nafterlife and rebirths; there are heavenly and hell beings; monastics are able to purify
\nthemselves of all defilements (to become enlightened).<\/p>\n

Samadhi:<\/strong> a Pali word for concentration, one-pointedness of mind, mental discipline;
\na state of stillness of mind.
\nSamatha: tranquility<\/p>\n

Samma arahang:<\/strong> Pali words which mean \u201cThe Noble One who has properly attained
\nenlightenment\u201d, or \u201cPure state of mind achieved in a proper way\u201d
\nSamsara: the cycle of constant rebirth in which all beings are trapped as a result
\nof their intentional deeds (kamma); ocean of birth and death; eternal wandering; the
\nwheel of cyclic existence.<\/p>\n

Sanskrit:<\/strong> another ancient language used in India; Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit
\nare translated from the Pali language; Sanskrit texts are used by the Mahayana
\nschool of Buddhism.<\/p>\n

Seventh Base of the mind:<\/strong> natural home of the mind, located two finger-widths
\nabove the navel in the middle of the abdomen. l
\nSphere of Primary Path: the beginning path to liberation which emerged in the
\nform of a sphere as experienced during meditation
\n\u2018Stop\u2019: stop in this sense means stopping the mind from wandering, or stop doing
\nbad deeds. The key to success in meditation is to still the mind and stop it from
\nwandering.<\/p>\n

Sutta:<\/strong> Buddhist Discourse<\/p>\n

Ten Recollections:<\/strong> ten different ways of relaxing one\u2019s minds using the recollection
\nmethod, namely, the Recollection of the Buddha, Recollection of the Dhamma, Recollection
\nof the Sangha, Recollection of Morality, Recollection of Liberality, Recollection
\nof Deities, Contemplation on Death, Contemplation on Body, Contemplation on
\nBreathing, Contemplation on the Virtue of Nibbana<\/p>\n

Tipitaka (Skt, Tripitaka):<\/strong> Buddhist scripture. Tipitaka means the Three Baskets.
\nThey consist of the Basket of Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka) \u2013 rules and regulations of
\nthe Order of monks and nuns; the Basket of Discourses (Sutta Pitaka) \u2013 discourses
\nconcerning social, moral, philosophical and spiritual significance; and the Basket of
\nUltimate Things (Abhidhamma Pitaka) \u2013 dealing with psychological and philosophical
\naspects of the Doctrine, the four ultimate things, i.e., mind (citta), mental properties
\n(cetasika), matter (rupa) and Nirvana.<\/p>\n

Transcendental merit:<\/strong> merit acquired through mental cultivation and the practice
\nof meditation, considered to be more potent than mundane merit.<\/p>\n

Vijja:<\/strong> Knowledge gained from the \u201cEye of Dhamma\u201d; it is the Knowledge that enables
\none to rid oneself of ignorance.
\nVipassana: insight meditation
\nVisuddhimagga: Path of Purification<\/p>\n

Wat:<\/strong> a Thai word for Buddhist temple.<\/p>\n

Wat Paknam:<\/strong> one of the most famous Buddhist temples in Thailand where the
\nGreat Master Phramongkolthepmuni used to be the Abbot.<\/p>\n

Wise (pundita):<\/strong> A wise is someone who has wisdom. Being wise is not the same
\nas being educated. A wise can be a person who is highly educated or one with no
\nformal education at all. He is righteous and ethical by nature. A wise is someone
\nwho possesses the Right View and the ability to separate right from wrong, good
\nfrom bad. A wise is the complete opposite of a fool.<\/p>\n

Wrong View:<\/strong> view that is in contrast with the Truths, for example, having the notion
\nthat generosity is not good, parents are not worthy of gratitude, the Law of Kamma
\ndoes not exist, there is no afterlife and rebirth, heavens and hells do not exist, etc[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Read | Download [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”A MORAL HERO” el_id=”1490871547660-ea93c1e6-c308″]In our tumultuous world today in which wars, economic turmoil, family crisis, and the breakdown in human values affect everyone, a new kind of hero is needed\u2014a \u2018moral hero\u2019. Like war, peace has to be won. Rather than conquering thousands and millions in battle, Luang Por1 Dhammajayo…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-books","category-english","category-2","category-6","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=400"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4562,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400\/revisions\/4562"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}