The heart of meditation is the mind / Venerable Pramote Pamojjo

For You, The Newcomer: A Simple and Ordinary Subject Called Dhamma
An essay in Thai by “Santinan” (Luangpor Pramote Pamojjo nowadays), 31st August 1999

It is difficult for us to see that Dhamma (the Teachings of the Buddha) is simple and ordinary. This is because reflection of Buddhism and Dhamma are often less than ordinary. To begin with, the language used in Dhamma teachings is full of Pali words and contains many technical terms. Therefore, understanding the terminology alone is a challenge to everyone.

Once we are familiarized with the terms, there is another obstacle, in that there are many volumes of the Buddha’s Teachings and an overabundance of interpretations by his disciples. In addition, when one wants to begin practicing, he will be faced with yet another challenge: there are many meditation centers and most of them suggest that their teaching methods most accurately reflect the Buddha’s Teachings on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana). Some places even accuse others of deviating from the actual Teachings.

The truth is that Dhamma is extremely close to us. It is so close that we can say it is about ourselves. The Dhamma’s aim is simple – How to be free from suffering (dukkha). When we study Dhamma, we should look directly into “where suffering is, how suffering arises and how to end suffering.”

We have all faced these difficulties. And they are what led me to question myself as to whether it is possible to study Dhamma in a more simple way: without learning Pali, without reading books and without having to join a meditation center.

Actually Dhamma as taught by the Buddha is quite easy and simple, as his disciples exclaimed, “It is so explicitly clear my Lord! The Truth that You reveal is like turning an inverted object right side up.”

This should not come as a surprise because we are all born with Dhamma, live with Dhamma, and will all die with Dhamma. We just don’t realize where Dhamma is until it is revealed to us through the Teachings of the Buddha, which provide us with a simple path to follow.

Another point to note is just how wise the Buddha truly was. He could make the most complicated topic simple and easy to comprehend. He had the ability to convey the essence of the Dhamma in a way which was most suitable for his listeners. Language was no obstacle, for he was able to communicate clearly without relying on complicated terminology. On the contrary, many people who have studied and taught Dhamma in later generations have turned Dhamma into something complicated, out of reach, and not easily applicable as a tool to end suffering. Even the language used in their teachings is difficult for any ordinary person to understand.

The truth is that Dhamma is extremely close to us. It is so close that we can say it is about ourselves. The Dhamma’s aim is simple – How to be free from suffering (dukkha). When we study Dhamma, we should look directly into “where suffering is, how suffering arises and how to end suffering.”

To be successful in the study of Dhamma means to practice until reaching the end of suffering, not about the amount of knowledge acquired or the ability to explain Dhamma beautifully!

By simply observing the body, our clinging to the wrong view that the body is “ours” will eventually fade. Then, we will see that there is some other nature (that we call mind), which knows this body and which resides within it.

The truth is that the suffering we experience lies within our body and mind. The field of study for Dhamma is actually inside of us. Instead of looking to the outside world for learning, we may look inwardly at our own selves. The method is simple: just to observe our body and mind closely. We can start by simply observing our physical body.

The first step is to relax. There is no need to be tense or to think about practicing Dhamma. We just observe our own body. It does not matter how much we can notice, we just observe as much as we can. Once at ease, we can be aware of the whole body. We watch it as we might watch a robot… walking, moving, chewing, swallowing food (adding some material thing to the body), and excreting waste.

If we can watch this robot-body which we call “ours” performs its tasks, as neutral observers we will eventually see that the body is not really ours and moves of its own accord. It is only a material object, which never stands still and never stays fixed. Even the components of this robot change constantly, with substances moving in and out all the time, such as breathing in and breathing out, consuming food and drinks and excreting waste. Thus, the body is just a group of elements (earth, wind, fire, and water) which is not permanent.

By simply observing the body, our clinging to the wrong view that the body is “ours” will eventually fade. Then, we will see that there is some other nature (that we call mind), which knows this body and which resides within it.

Once we can see that this body is just a group of constantly changing elements and does not belong to us, why don’t we try to observe that which is hidden inside our physical body. In this way, we can learn about ourselves more deeply and in greater detail.

That thing which is hidden inside of us can easily be seen. It is the feelings of happiness, unhappiness, and neutrality. For example, as we observe this robot-body moving around, soon we will see aching, pain, thirst, hunger, and some other discomforts arising from time to time. However, once the unhappy feelings pass, we will again feel happy for a time (happiness arising). For example, when we are thirsty and feeling unhappy, we drink some water and the unhappiness caused by the thirst is gone. Or if we are sitting for a long time and begin to ache, we feel unhappy. Once we adjust the body position, the discomfort goes away and the unhappiness disappears with it (happiness arising).

Sometimes when we are ill, we can be aware of physical suffering continuously for a longer period of time. For example, when we have a toothache for several days, if we closely monitor the pain, we will discover that the discomfort arises from somewhere between the tooth and the gum.

However, these objects (tooth and gum) themselves don’t produce the pain. The body is like a robot which does not feel pain and suffering, yet the discomfort resides inside the body. We will see that these feelings of happiness, unhappiness and neutrality are not part of the body, but something that can be felt and observed within the body, just like the body itself.

From there, we can study ourselves in greater detail. We can closely observe that when physical suffering arises, it is our mind which reacts negatively. For example, when we are hungry we get upset more easily, when we are tired we get angry more easily, when we have fever we get agitated more easily, or when our desires are not met we get irritated more easily. We can be aware of the anger that arises when faced with physical suffering.

On the other hand, when we see beautiful sights, hear pleasing sounds, smell pleasant fragrances, taste delicious flavors, feel a soft touch or a comfortable temperature – not too hot and not too cold – or think pleasant thoughts, we will feel liking and satisfaction with such sights, sounds, fragrances, tastes, touches, and thoughts. Once we are aware of pleasant and unpleasant feelings as they arise, we can similarly become aware of other feelings such as doubtfulness, vengeance, depression, jealousy, disdain, cheerfulness, and tranquility of mind as well.

If we observe ourselves more and more, we will soon understand how suffering occurs, how to be free from suffering, and how it feels to be without suffering. Our mind will rectify itself without having to think about meditation, wisdom, or the path that leads to the end of suffering.

When we study these feelings further, we will begin to realize that they themselves are not stable. For example, when we are angry and become conscious of the anger, we can detect the constant change in the intensity of this anger. Eventually, it will fade and disappear. Whether or not the feeling of anger disappears, what is important is that the anger is seen as an object to be observed, not belonging to us. There is no “us” in the anger. We can observe other feelings with this same understanding.

At this point we can see that our body is like a robot. And the feelings of happiness, unhappiness, and all others are just objects to be observed and do not belong to us. The more we understand about the process of our minds, the more evident is the truth that suffering only arises when there is a cause. We will find that there is a natural impulse, or force within our mind. For example, when we see a beautiful woman, our mind will start to develop a liking toward her. This creates a compelling force toward that woman. Our mind will in turn wander toward that woman, seeing only that woman, and we forget about ourselves.

(Regarding the subject of mind wandering, a person who has only studied from textbooks may feel puzzled. However, if a person really gets into practice, he/she will see just how far the mind can wander, just as described word-for-word by the Buddha Himself.)

Or when we have doubtful thoughts about how to practice Dhamma, we will see that we have the urge to find an answer. Our mind will then wander into the world of thoughts. This is when we forget about ourselves. The robot-body is still here, but we forget about it, as if it has disappeared from this world. There may be other emotions inside as well; however, we might not be aware of them because our mind is busy searching for answers to the doubtful thoughts.

If we observe ourselves more and more, we will soon understand how suffering occurs, how to be free from suffering, and how it feels to be without suffering. Our mind will rectify itself without having to think about meditation, wisdom, or the path that leads to the end of suffering.

We may not be well-versed in Dhamma or Pali words, but our minds can still be free from suffering. And, even though we still experience suffering, it will be less intense and for a shorter period of time.

I wrote this essay as a small gift for all those who are interested in practicing Dhamma in order to convey that: Dhamma is ordinary, it is about ourselves, and can be learned by ourselves without much difficulty. So do not feel discouraged when you hear people who are well-versed in Dhamma talking about theory.

 

The Path to Enlightenment II (click to download dhamma)
http://www.dhamma.com/path-to-enlightment-ii/

 

A Brief Guideline for Practicing Dhamma
Many friends come to practice Dhamma with me. I have seen some common problems that incur when they set out to practice. Some are afraid that they will not be able to practice Dhamma correctly if they are not with me. The Bangkok folks are more at ease because they know where to find me; however, my friends living abroad and upcountry are more concerned because of the distance. They asked for a brief guideline with clear instructions on how to practice Dhamma correctly so that when I am not around, they can still practice with confidence.

Some friends listen to my talks, but get confused and do not understand correctly. Some would apply advice that I have given others to their own meditation. This is often an inappropriate thing to do as the person I’m advising may be at a different stage of practice. The result of applying the answer to another’s question to oneself is no different from taking another patient’s medication. A related problem is that some of my friends have argued amongst themselves about appropriate practices by quoting my suggestions taken from different occasions and at different times.

I have therefore been requested to systematically put together all of my teachings on Dhamma practice in order to clarify any misunderstandings. I feel that there is a need for a brief Dhamma guideline to summarize the practices that I have suggested to my colleagues and friends. This is to clearly show the whole picture of Dhamma practice from the beginning onward, in order to avoid the above-mentioned problems.

1. To Understand the Scope of Buddhism
Friends who have little background in Buddhism need to know that Buddhism is not a medicine that cures all illnesses in the universe. It is not the only tool necessary to survive in society. Therefore if you are a college student, you do not need to quit college just to study Buddhism, because worldly knowledge is essential for everyone to lead a normal life in this world. A student of Buddhism needs to be well rounded in other fields of study as well. Do not misunderstand that Buddhism is the study of something other than suffering and how to be free from (mental) suffering. Buddhism is not limited to providing answers relating to superstition, fate, past lives, future lives, ghosts, angels and other mystical phenomena.

2. Tools for Practicing Dhamma
Those who already know the Buddhist teachings on suffering and how to end suffering have already been introduced to the tools for practicing Dhamma, which are mindfulness and clear comprehension (sati and sampajañña).

Through this mindfulness exercise, the mind gains strength and clear comprehension. And when a mental object arises, the mind will automatically be aware.

My advice for us is to be aware of the feelings that are happening in our mind. Some examples are feelings of doubt, greed, worry, happiness and sadness. This is the practice of being mindful, which is the tool to be aware of the objects of consciousness that arise.

We are all encouraged to be aware and not to get lost through the six sense doors, namely, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body (tactile sense) and mind, of which most common are through the eye and/or the mind doors, getting lost in the world of thoughts or intently focusing on an object. By consistently being aware, not getting lost in thoughts or over-focusing, we can achieve clear comprehension, clarity of consciousness.

3. Foundations of Mindfulness
Once we have the tools or weapons for practicing Dhamma, the next step I would like to invite us to do is mindfulness practice or satipaṭṭhanā, which is to have clear comprehension of the body, feelings, mind, and/or mind-objects, depending on each individual’s natural tendencies. Examples of this are mindfulness of bodily movement while doing walking meditation and of the breathe in and out while doing sitting meditation. In the beginning, we can do concentration practice or samatha, focusing at the body in a relaxed way. Once focused, bodily movement and movement of the air when breathing in and out become just objects of meditation. We can see that they change constantly, cannot stay in one state and are not under our control.

Through this mindfulness exercise, the mind gains strength and clear comprehension. And when a mental object arises, the mind will automatically be aware. For example, when happiness, sadness, wholesome or unwholesome state arises, the mind will know, the same way it knows any physical object.

once the mind becomes aware of the equanimity, all we have to do is continue to observe. Once mindfulness, concentration and wisdom (or sati, samādhi, and paññā) mature, the mind will advance by itself.

Once we are proficient at observing mental phenomena or cetasika, we should continue with the practice. But those who prefer to be mindful of just physical objects can continue to do so at will.

For those who are good at knowing mental objects, continue with the exercise. Otherwise just observing physical object is also acceptable.

When the mind is continually aware of mental and physical objects, it will gain strength and insight. The mind will naturally react to these objects with content, discontent or indifference. Be aware of these feelings. These feelings will arise and fall away just like all other mental and physical objects we have been observing. The mind will then let go of these feelings and become equanimous. At first it might only experience this evenness for a short time. Once more skillful however, the mind will become equanimous more often and for longer periods, and it will eventually be aware of the equanimity itself. It will be able to distinguish the five aggregates or khandha, which make up the body and mind, in greater detail, seeing them distinctly as form, feelings, memory, mental fabrication and consciousness.

At this stage in mindfulness development, many practitioners often have one of these two reactions: some become bored and stop the practice, while others are unsure of what to do next, and again stop the practice in search for answers by using analytical thinking.

Actually once the mind becomes aware of the equanimity, all we have to do is continue to observe. Once mindfulness, concentration and wisdom (or sati, samādhi, and paññā) mature, the mind will advance by itself.

This concludes the brief guideline for the Dhamma practice.

4. Incorrect Methods of Mindfulness Practice
Even using the above guideline, when we start to practice Dhamma, we are often faced with many different problems resulting primarily from incorrect mindfulness practice.

For many of us, the more we practice, the more we divert from the goal. The main mistake is, instead of being mindful of things as they are, we tend to create a new object of consciousness and then get stuck in it.

This can happen when we think that our mind is too distracted and therefore need to do concentration practice first. We then do it incorrectly, instead of developing right concentration or sammā-samādhi, we develop wrong concentration or micchā-samādhi. We focus in on one object, letting the mind get absorbed and attached to it instead of just being aware with ease and comfort, and not getting lost or over-focusing.

With wrong concentration, the mind becomes attached to the object that it has fabricated. And once we progress from concentration to mindfulness practice, because of it’s attachment this mind will no longer be able to see the actual truth.

Another common mistake is, instead of being aware of whatever arises in a simple and natural way, many people force the mind to be alert, especially in my presence, thinking that this is mindfulness. Thus their minds become too tense and on-guard. This feeling is no different from a runner at the starting line.
The third most common hindrance is to practice Dhamma with craving, such as a need to show off and to gain praise and acceptance from friends, or a desire to be enlightened quickly. The more we want to excel, the more we try to accelerate the effort instead of allowing mindfulness and clear comprehension to develop consistently and naturally. (In actuality for Dhamma practice, to develop mindfulness and clear comprehension consistently and naturally all the time is the true meaning of accelerated effort.) When we practice with craving, the practice is strained. Though it may look like there is progress, the mind is not at peace. These three mistakes are what cause many of us to get lost in or attached to a mind-object, and mistakenly believe that we are fully aware when we are actually not. Many of us are now able to detect these mistakes and get back on course to just be mindful of things that appear at the present moment.

There is a funny story of one of my pupils whose mind was fixed to a mind-object. My suggestion was to be aware of this and free the mind by being aware of external objects, hoping that the fixed mind would loosen up. This young man was very troubled by this suggestion as he thought I meant to stop being mindful and let the mind wander off. Fortunately, he came back to clear the misunderstanding with me. Otherwise, had he mentioned this to the elder monks, I would have been expelled from the temple!

Actually, when a person becomes attached to a mental object, the mind already wanders off from being mindful. I tried to help the young man see that by over-focusing he was letting the mind wander off, in this case to the object of meditation.

Another problem that a few may face is to get lost in the side effects of meditation, such as getting lost in nimitta, or an inner vision of light, color, sound or even in bodily jerks and gyrations. When these conditions arise, some take pleasure in the experience while others the opposite. I have to guide them further to be mindful of these feelings. With repeated practice the mind will eventually become neutral, instead of unknowingly focus on these pleasant or unpleasant sensations.

The main mistake is, instead of being mindful of things as they are, we tend to create a new object of consciousness and then get stuck in it.

To avoid mistakes in practicing Dhamma, we must strictly adhere to the rule, which is to be aware of defilements when they arise, until eventually one day the mind gains wisdom and breaks free. If we practice Dhamma to satisfy our desire to know, to see, to become, to get, to stand out, to be famous or even to attain enlightenment, then the risk for getting off track is higher, all because the mind often times fabricates a new set of conditions instead of simply being aware of things just as they are.

We need to be observant of the mind. If for example it becomes weightier than the surrounding, then this means that the mind has unknowingly become attached to something. The natural state of the mind should not be heavy, but be the same as its surroundings. It feels heavy only because it is carrying the extra weight. Relax and look around. Everything we see around us, be it building, table, chair, tree, is not heavy because we are not carrying it. The mind, however, is sometimes heavy and other times light. This is because of clinging. The more we cling the heavier the mind becomes. It is this weightiness that causes the mind to appear separate from nature. This extra weight is created by the mind when it fails to notice the defilements.

Once the mind becomes proficient at being aware, observe further and see how it reacts to these external objects, whether with liking or disliking. Continue the practice until the mind becomes impartial to all objects of consciousness, until the inside and nature are of the same weight, until eventually there is no more weight to carry.

The Buddha taught that the five aggregates that we assume to be our body and our mind are heavy. Anyone carrying this weight will never find happiness. His Teaching is the absolute Truth. The five aggregates are truly heavy for those with the faculty to see.
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"Walk the Path of Wisdom" Venerable Pramote, Dhamma Talk

Dhamma.com
Published on Apr 28, 2018
“To walk the path of wisdom is to see the Three Characteristics of the body and mind. The true nature of the mind is to think and fabricate. Some say "keep the mind empty" Wisdom will never arise in that case. There will be no chance of liberation as that practice is in conflict with what the Buddha taught. The Buddha taught that we become dispassionate towards the body and mind when we see the truth of the body and mind, Once dispassionate, we can let go of the attachment. Once attachment is let go, we can then be liberated. Once liberated, we then know that we are liberated. Thus, if we do not know the truth of the body and mind, it is not possible to be liberated.” -- Venerable Luangpor Pramote Pamojjo, Wat Suan Santidham, Sriracha, 25 February 2017

 

"The Real Enemies are Within", Venerable Pramote

Dhamma.com
Published on May 3, 2018

 

"The Best Possible State of a Soul" Venerable Pramote, Dhamma Talk

"Mind-Body Segregation: The First Step of Wisdom Practice" Dhamma talk A. Pramote

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"Freedom From Suffering" Venerable Pramote, Dhamma talk

"Learn to Be Happy in Solitude", Venerable Pramote, Dhamma Talk

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"How to Develop the Mind to Be the Mature One" Venerable Pramote, Dhamma talk

Dhamma.com
Published on May 2, 2017
"If asked what the essence of Buddhism is, we can respond confidently that it is right knowledge, right understanding. This is wisdom. With right view and right understanding, we will no longer grasp onto body and mind. And once we eradicate attachments to body and mind, we will not grasp onto anything else in this world. Without grasping onto things, suffering can no longer enter our mind."
-- Venerable Pramote Pamojjo,
Ramathibodi Hospital, 3 May 2013

 

"Happiness is the Key to Meditation Practice" dhamma talk Luang Por Pramote

Dhamma.com
Published on Jul 13, 2017
“Defilements cause all sins. If the defilements don’t take over the mind, we won’t do anything wrong. We need mindfulness, to not let defilements take us over. Whatever defilement arises in our heart, just know it is so. Know often. We will not sin. Our mind will be wholesome. Be mindful whenever defilement arises. When there is craving and we have mindfulness, the craving disappears. We will not sin with no craving. In the moment of mindfulness, the mind is wholesome. When aversion arises in the mind and we have mindfulness, we will not sin out of the aversion. At that moment, the mind is wholesome. We can break moral codes and sin when there’s a deluded mind. When there is mindfulness, the mind is decent. Unwholesome states will disappear. The mind is then wholesome. When the mind is wholesome, morality, Samadhi and wisdom get stronger. Be mindful of any stranger that arises in the mind. Let's see them. When defilements cannot manipulate the mind, we will easily keep morality.”
-- Luang Por Pramote Pamojjo,
Wat Suansantidham 11 February 2017

 

2/8/2020 คำสอนหลวงปู่ - อย่าส่งจิตออกนอก (The Ways of The Great Masters)

Dhamma.com
Aug 2, 2020

 

The Buddhist Way to Peace of Mind by Ven. Pramote Pamojjo / PDF - 129 Pages / Free Download

 

(On Cartoon) For You The Newcomer - Pramote Pamojjo
https://dai.ly/x124wmo
(Sound Effect) Venerable Pramote Pamojjo (English Subtitle)

KlomKlomFB
Jun 4, 2013

 

The Mind Clings to the Mind
Last night it rained here for many hours. It wouldn’t stop. It wasn’t a strong rain. Some days are really hot. Some days are rainy. The weather changes every day. It is normal. When it doesn’t rain, we want it to rain. Wanting arises and our heart is upset. When it finally rains, we are pleased. We got what we wanted. Sometimes we don’t want it to rain. Like the monks going for alms walk don’t want it to rain. When it does, we are displeased. We get what we want and we are pleased. We get what we don’t want and we are displeased.

All things exist, not from our wanting them to, but they exist as a result of causes. Rain will fall because of the causes for rain. Rain will not fall because of causes as well. If we understand, dhamma will show itself in all times and all places. Even rainy and sunny days, all things are dhamma poised to teach us. If our eyes are open, if we continue to observe, we will discover: when our heart has wanting arise in it, it will suffer.

If our heart understands the truth that all things arise out of causes, if the cause is there, it arises. When the cause is gone, it disappears. It is not under our control. We are naive in regards to wanting. Wanting is insubstantial. It just makes our heart suffer. And that is all. We learn dhamma so that our heart arrives at a normal natural state. We will see that all things are ordinary. Ordinary in the sense that they follow causes, not ordinary in the sense that they are random or without reason.

Why do we get old? Because we’re born. If we aren’t born, then we don’t age. We don’t get sick and we don’t die. Birth is a natural and ordinary thing. Once born, we must die. We will have those we love that we admire. We want them to be with us forever but that’s impossible. No one can live forever. Wanting arises and we suffer. Have a good look and see. That all our desires are uniformly for things that we are not, or have not. We have no desire for things that we already are or already have.

Like, if we don’t have a partner, we want a partner. Once we have a partner, we are yearning for a partner. If we are yearning, it’s for a new partner. We move to wanting something new. What is old we don’t want it anymore.

Desire is what makes us suffer. The Buddha taught that tanha, which is desire, is samudaya or the cause of suffering. The Buddha taught this over 2600 years ago. Since this declaration, no one has been able to refute it. It is absolute truth. No one can refute it. Desire or a craving is the cause of suffering. Therefore, let’s take a close look inside this heart and mind of ours. We will see the truth. Whenever there is wanting, there is suffering. Because whatever we want, we are not or have not.

If we want to be a Congress person, but then we already are a Congress person, then we no longer want it. We want something else. We want to keep the job forever. Become more renowned. The mind will want things it doesn’t have. Therefore, we continue to suffer. Wanting arises, and then we are nervous if we will get what we want or not. The nerves is suffering already. So we can see that it is the wanting that is making us suffer.

 

(cont.)
Now, when wanting arises in the heart, we can’t stop that. Wanting has its causes. We can’t just tell our heart to stop wanting. That’s just wanting to not want! That doesn’t work. That won’t free us. We have to look deeper and see what the wanting comes from. The Buddha taught Conditioned Arising.

Craving comes from feelings. When our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind come into contact with sense objects and if happiness arises, we want that happiness to stay forever. The mind remembers that flavor of happiness. When the happiness falls away, we are saddened. We want happiness to return. Because we want happiness to return, we will want more sense contact that we are pleased with. We can’t force sense contact. The things we made contact with are sometimes pleasing, sometimes unpleasant. No matter what the reasoning, all these phenomena are non self. They cannot be controlled.

When we come into contact with a pleasing sense object, happiness arises. When the happiness exists, we want the happiness to stay long. The happiness disappears and we want it to come back. Wherever happiness slacks, we want it there. We want pleasant sense objects. It is called sense desire and wanting the object to persist is called craving for existence. Some objects that persist a long time, at first we like them, but after a while, we get bored of them and want them to end. And some objects arise. And we don’t like them right from the beginning. We want it to end quickly.

The mind is foolish. It doesn’t know that all things arise out of causes. Of course, there will be objects that aren’t pleasing to us. In feeling displeased, desire for the objects passing still lurks. Let’s gradually study the causes and effects in our hearts. Learn from reality not from our thoughts.



Conditioned Arising
Like Conditioned Arising, people can find in Dhamma books. They read about Conditioned Arising. There are many such books. But reading is not seeing the phenomena. Reading can’t free us from suffering.

When I was still a student, I ordained once at Chonprathan Temple. I wanted to ordain with Buddhadasa, but he was too far. I was in Nonthaburi near Bangkok. The temple there that taught in the same way as Buddhadasa was Chonprathan, Luangpor Panya. He was a master that I respected since I was young. I ordained with him. He was my preceptor.

After the ordination ceremony with him, he gave me a book by Buddhadassa. It was a thick book, and he told me to read it. He made me study on my own. Read on my own. So I did. I would meditate at the scheduled times. And when I was free, I would read the book, as my preceptor instructed. I read the whole book. And there was one teaching that resonated with me.

Buddhadasa wrote. He or she who sees conditioned arising, sees the dhamma. He or she, who sees the dhamma, sees conditioned arising. Actually, this was a quote from the Buddha himself that Buddhadasa inserted in his book. At that time, I had never heard the words conditioned arising. It excited me, but I didn’t know what it was. I asked my senior monks at the temple what conditioned arising was. They seemed to not really know either. They would just say, oh, it’s about causes and effects. And then they would take off. No availability for follow up questions.

I couldn’t ask Luang Por Panya. He was never at the temple. He would accept invitations. Many people had strong faith in him. He was kind and would accept all invitations to teach or receive meal in other venues. I was moved by the term conditioned arising. I thought it was a dhamma that we really had to learn.

At the end of my monkhood period, I went to bookstores in search of a book focusing on conditioned arising. All I could find was a short book again by Buddhadasa on the topic. I sat and read it. It was full of new terms, like avija, not knowing the four noble truths. That’s called “Avija”, not knowing causes, not knowing results, not knowing causes and their results. That’s called “Avija”. Then it said that avija is the condition that causes sankhara to arise. Sankhara, there are 3 types: Punyaphi Sankhara, formations that are meritorious. Apunyaphi Sankhara, formations that are sinful. Anenchaphi Sankhara, steady or neutral formations.

Then the book described the formless jhanas and such things. I read and didn’t understand. I didn’t know how to use this in practice. I knew that avija or ignorance was not knowing the four noble truths. But I had no idea how to know the four noble truths. The three types of sankhara or formations. Actually, it’s something I didn’t know. I only knew the words in the book. Formations are the condition that caused vinyana or consciousness to arise. But now what was consciousness like, all I knew is that it was the awareness of objects, but the consciousness in this context is rebirth consciousness, the cause of matter and mind. And I didn’t know what matter and mind were like either. Because of mind and matter, then the six senses arise, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Because of the senses, there is sense contact. From contact, arises feelings. Each of these conditions can be elaborated on. There are six sense contacts by way of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Once there is contact, there is feeling. There are three types of feelings. There can arise, pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feelings.

 

(cont.)
I kept reading the conditions until I hit becoming. There are sensual becoming, form becoming, and formless becoming. Next, there is birth. Birth is acquiring the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. And birth necessitates suffering. Having eyes, ears, a nose, a tongue and a body and a mind, we suffer.

After reading this many times, I still didn’t know how to start practicing. The Buddhist teachings on conditioned arising still exists and haven’t gone anywhere. However, after reading it, I didn’t know how to use it for practice, how to destroy ignorance, how to destroy craving. It is taught we are to get rid of the cause of suffering. Get rid of craving. And the root of craving is ignorance. So ignorance must be destroyed.

In the book, it said we need wisdom whenever ignorance arises destroy it right then and there. But how to achieve wisdom, again, I had no idea. That experience was the start of my relentless research through the Buddhist scriptures. But whatever I read, I couldn’t find the solution. How do I practice to rid of craving as to rid of ignorance?

..............................
It wasn’t until I met Luangpu Dune. He taught to come back to my own mind. And once I practiced, I achieved the mind that is the knower, the observer. And I started to see phenomena. And I saw how suffering arises. Suffering is in the mind. Suffering is in the body. Having a body, it must age, it must fall ill, it must die, it must get hungry, it must get thirsty, it must defecate and urinate, it must catch infections. The body suffers. After observing, I saw there was no solution to this because there already exists a body. It is a karmic result. We must accept this. There is no solution.

All we can do is alleviate the suffering. For example, if we are hungry, we can eat. But In the hall here, we are monks and cannot eat whenever we like. If we are hot, we can find the shade of a tree. If we are cold, we can take a hot shower. These types of things, perpetual relief. Feeling sleepy, we take a rest. Relief again. All we can do about the suffering of the body is maintenance and temporary relief. Feeling hot or cold, we have clothing to wear. The Buddha taught about the purpose of clothing for monks. We wear a robe and remind ourselves that we don’t wear it to look good. We wear it to prevent insect bites and to protect against the heat and the cold. We are to know the reason for our consumption. The Buddha taught that we eat to quell the unpleasant feeling of hunger and not for tasty flavors, not for enjoyment and intoxication. This is what he taught.

 

(cont.)
So we cannot completely eliminate suffering of the body. Having a body, suffering is unavoidable. However, we can seek relief, such as going to the doctor when we are sick. Getting medicine, if we can heal an illness, then let’s do so. If it can’t be healed, then let the body die. This is the nature of the body.

The burden in the mind
Suffering of the mind, however, is a different case. Keep practicing and we will see that mental suffering as it occurs for short periods. At first we don’t see how suffering comes to be. Keep observing. Keep noticing. And eventually we will see each time that wanting arises, the heart will begin to struggle. When it struggles, it will then grasp at the eyes, ears, nose, tongue or body or mind. Not all at once. It will choose one. For example, the mind struggles as it wants to see a form. It then prioritizes the eyes. Or its struggles and wants to hear a sound, then the priority is to go to the ears. It will attend to the eyes or the ears when it makes contact with an object. If a mosquito bites us and it gets itchy, its interest will move to the body.

We cannot choose whether the mind will prioritize the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue or the body or the mind. The mind will grasp and cling on its own. It grabs onto a sight or grabs onto a sound. First it grabs the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind. And then it goes to make contact with a form, a sound, a scent, a taste or physical contact with things outside ourselves. Once something has been latched onto, we can then see the burden that occurs in the mind.

This burden in the mind is suffering. It is suffering. The burden happens immediately. This is clinging to the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Speaking about it, you won’t understand. You have to practice on your own. We have to see it for ourselves. The mind clings to the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body, the mind.

We can talk about it like it says in the text. But we won’t see the truth of how the mind comes to grasp at the census. And there will be no end to our suffering. We can read to our death, but not practicing. We get nowhere. But reading is better than nothing at all. At least it keeps us from completely falling out of line, such as praying to higher beings to free us from suffering. That is off track. Or appeasing angels or gods, that doesn’t help. Doing chanting to appease gods because we don’t want to get Covid. that won’t help. We have to help ourselves. Be vigilant. Mindfulness and dhamma will guard us.

If we aren’t lured by sinful things, then it is unlikely we will catch Covid. Those infected early we saw in Thai news. They caught it at a boxing arena. They caught it at clubs and bars where they serve alcohol. People at the boxing arena, are they really there for the sport? That isn’t so. They watch it and they gamble. They watch horses and gamble. These are sinful allurements. If we watch Thai boxing and don’t gamble, stay at home. Watching from home we’re not going to be infected.

The mind struggles and wavers according to defilement. It is burdened. Suffering arises. Like if we want to entice a female, our heart struggles. The heart is now burdened. If we keep knowing and keep observing, we will see. Whenever desire arises, struggle follows.

In the Palli language, that struggle is called Bhava. Once there is this struggle, then there will be birth. Birth is the clinging to the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. It really does grab them. We have to keep practicing. Keep watching and seeing. Eliminating defilements. And in the end we will see the mind grasp and cling to the mind.

The minds of us watching here have been grabbed to fabricate thoughts. Thinking good things, bad things, happy and sad things. The mind is what grabbed this stuff. How do we release it? We tell it to release. And it doesn’t. It doesn’t follow our orders. Occasionally, knower practitioners will see the mind release thoughts. It lets go of them. The mind releasing the mind itself is similar. Sometimes the mind releases the mind. Sometimes it picks it back up. How about a non-practitioner? Do they release their minds and then pick them back up? Yes, we all do. When we use the mind to work, like to make contact with a sense object, we grab the mind. When we use the eye, we grab the eye. We don’t grab the mind.

It is natural and normal, dogs, cats, unenlightened people. I’m not saying that unenlightened people are dogs or cats! What I mean is all dogs, all cats, all animals and all humans, the mind grabs the mind sometimes and releases it sometimes. But it isn’t with wisdom that it is released. It releases the mind because in that moment it isn’t using the mind.

Like if we are going to plough the fields or do gardening, we need to use a shovel for digging. But when we are digging a small hole, we use a scoop. Chopping away with a big shovel won’t work. To cut tall grasses, we need a blade. So we use a knife. We grab each tool one at a time. Similarly, the mind grabs the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body or the mind one at a time. When it is going to make use of it, it will pick it up.

 

(cont.)
Releasing the mind
Before I was a monk, I saw the mind that picked up the mind. I was able to see this because my mindfulness was fast. It would see the mind, release the mind, let it go and then pick it up again a moment later. I would know it picked up the mind, but I didn’t know how to release it. I would try so hard. In my practice to see how to make the mind release the mind. The one thing I knew is that if the mind could release the mind permanently, then there wouldn’t be suffering ever again.

At that time, I forgot about conditioned arising. The truth is, if there isn’t any birth, then there isn’t any suffering. And birth is the picking up of the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body or the mind. I’d see the mind grab and then let go over and over again. At first, when there was release, it would pick it back up immediately. After a while, it would release for longer.

I couldn’t find a master that could answer for me what to do to release the mind permanently. I didn’t know what to do in order to release the mind. Then I heard that Luangpu Suwat Suwajo had returned from America and was staying at Suanthip in Pakkret area. It was close to my house. I lived in Nonthaburi. I intended to ask him about the mind releasing the mind, and I wanted to present that mind to him. The mind was released at that time. It would do so for long periods.

When we got in the car…. At the time, I was with the nun. We weren’t ordained at the time. It wasn’t a monk with a nun in the car driving. We were just people. As soon as I drove out of my driveway, the mind picked up the mind again. I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to present the released mind to ask Luangpu, but it picked it up. I tried to fix it. What should I do? How can I release it again? I struggled furiously, but the mind would not release.

As we turned into the street the temple was on, I sighed. I can’t do it. I can’t release the mind. The mind is not me. It won’t follow my orders to release. When the mine considered the truth of non self, it released again immediately. I was pleased and hurried to see Luangpu. I arrived at the small hall. Luangpu was still in the inside room and I was in the outside room. There were many people. I arrived before dawn so I could sit at the front.

Finally, a monk pushed Luangpu out in his wheelchair. He was paralyzed years back in a car accident when the car flipped. He couldn’t walk and he couldn’t do much for himself. There was even a monk draining his saliva for him. His aggregates endured many difficulties. The monk pushed him to the center and everybody prostrated their respects.

He smiled a few times and contemplated some dhamma. There were many people and he smiled at them for a while. Then he looked at me and he said, “Sometimes the mind releases the mind and sometimes it picks it back up. And whatever we do, it won’t release it again. Until the mind sees the three characteristics of the mind, and then it releases.”

He just said it. I didn’t even turn in my homework. I guess my thoughts were too loud. After his teaching, I prostrated in my mind. It wasn’t the time to do so formally. The people were asking him to speak about this and that, how was America, and so forth. He would answer sometimes and at times the assisting monk would do so for him He was tired. It was hard for him to speak, but I got my answer.

Going to see him, the first sentence he uttered was, “Sometimes the mind releases the mind, sometimes the mind picks it back up. We can’t force the mind. When we see the three characteristics, see non self, it will release.” And that is exactly what I saw when I was driving into the temple. I knew that the mind cannot be controlled. The mind is non-self.

Seeing so, the mind released immediately. I knew I had to see the three characteristics of the mind repeatedly. Well, that is vipassana, only using the mind itself as the object — using the knower mined as the object. After that, I would improve step by step and the mind would gradually make its way out of suffering. I knew that whenever wanting would arise, struggle would follow. The struggling mind would have burden. The burdened mind was the suffering mind. At that time, there was no permanent release of the mind, the mind was still suffering.

At this point I considered Luangpu Dune’s teaching. He wrote, “The mind that sees the mind with crystal clarity is the Path. The result of the mind seeing the mind with said clarity is Cessation.” After much practice, I understood: the mind that sees the mind with crystal clarity is the mind that sees that the mind exhibits the 3 characteristics. Luangpu was speaking vaguely.

To be more precise, he would say the mind that sees the mind with crystal clarity is the Arahant Path. Because the last aggregate to be released is the mind. The wisdom the old masters shared along the lineage was amazingly consistent with scripture.

 

(cont.)


The barometer for our practice
I respect the monks that study scriptures. They’ve preserved the commentarial works and texts for the last 2000 years until now. This isn’t easy work. It faces many challenges. They have preserved it as a barometer for our practice. If our practice fosters results inconsistent with the Tipitaka, we’ll need to reassess. Something is certainly wrong. If we practice and find nirvana to be a realm of being, we are mistaken.

Or we see The 4 Noble Truths as four different coloured spheres. This contradicts the Tipitaka and is incorrect. Suffering, Its Cause, Its End and The Path to Its End are regarding actual physical and mental phenomena, not visions. We aren’t studying visions and apparitions. So the text are useful in evaluating our practice. As practitioners, we don’t disparage them. Luangpu Mun is the famed father of the Thai Forest Tradition and he studied them! I learned from his disciples. None of them looked down upon the texts. They were kept high.

Another teacher of mine was Luangpor Kasem Khemako. He wasn’t part of the Forest Tradition. I learned from many lineages. Luangpor Kasem respected the texts. He taught his students to hold them in high regard. If a volume fell to the floor, he’d place it back himself. He held that the texts were Dhamma dissemination tools, to be kept in high regard.

Those genuinely of the meditative traditions don’t shun the text traditions. That’s why we are encouraged to study the text. When I say we, the folks at home may be curious. I mean my monks who are here listening in your place. If I was speaking to an empty room, no words would be uttered. I’ve never taught Dhamma to just spirits. I need people.

It is mandatory my monks study the texts. They write their Dhamma Theory exams in the rains retreats. Over 10 of my monks have completed all three exams. I am the least studious of the monks in my temple. I only have written the first exam. My monks are more learned than me. All have passed at least the first are will continue on. They are studying to learn the theory of the practice. All the details are in the third exam about samatha and vipassana.

This year I won’t be sending the monks to write. With the virus still out there, I am afraid they will bring Covid back to the temple. The monks’ parents will say our temple doesn’t take proper care of their kids.

. . .......................

For our Dhamma practice, we observe reality. Once we see what’s real, then we read. Later I returned to Dependent Arising by Buddhadasa and saw he was correct. On my first read, I didn’t know how to practice yet. The way it is done: once we achieve the knower mind, observe physical and mental phenomena at work until physical and mental phenomena are released.

In the end, the knower mind will be released. This is the path that Luangpu Dune taught me. Now I am teaching it to you. Doing so, I am not indebted to my teacher. I have now passed this light on to you. How far you take it is up to you and your practice. The Dhamma has never faded away. Both the theory and practice are still available. Whether you are dedicated and determined enough to arrive… to arrive at the truth, is in your hands.

That’s all for today. All of us at home, take good care of your health. Then we may get a chance to come and learn in person.

Venerable Luangpor Pramote Pamojjo
Wat Suansantidham
30 May 2020
:- https://www.dhamma.com/mind-clings-to-mind/

 

Dhamma Talk: The Mindfulness for True Vipassana (English Subtitle)

Dhamma.com
Jul 13, 2015
A Dhamma talk given by Venerable Pramote Pamojjo at Khon Kaen University, September 1, 2013
Translated by chunhapak
Edited by Bhikkhu Korakot Kittisobhan and Jess Peter Koffman
More contents, A guide to mindfulness and Vipassana meditation as taught by Luangpor Pramote Pamojjo, please visit http://www.dhamma.com/

 

20/10/2019 เหตุกับผลในศาสนาพุทธ (The law of cause and effect).. 21 January 2018

Dhamma.com
Aug 22, 2019