วันที่26 เป็นวันธรรมสวณะ..วันนี้เวรcall ดึก  ตั้งใจไปทำบุญที่วัดฟังธรรม  แต่ในขณะที่กำลังเตรียมอาหารใส่จานเพื่อถวายพระ......ก็มีโทรศัพท์ตามไปขึ้นเวร....ก็ไม่ได้ปฏิเสธ   ใส่บาตรแล้วก็รีบแต่งกายไปทำงาน    วันนี้ยุ่งพอสมควร สติตามรู้ทันมั่งไม่ทันมั่ง....พอลงเวรเช้าก็ไปแอโรบิคที่สนามหน้าโรงพยาบาล...ได้ประมาณ   1 ช.มได้ก็เห็นเพื่อนร่วมงานมากวักมือเรียกที่ลานแอโรบิค...บอกว่าเวร  EMS   ที่หน่วยงานอุบัตเหตุ .....ตกใจ  มากคิดว่าลืมเวรหรือไรกันนี่..  แต่ก็รีบกลับบ้านอาบน้ำแต่งตัวไปอีกรอบ....คนไข้อาการหนักทั้งเวรทั้งผู้ใหญ่และเด็กเล็ก...ก็ส่งผู้ป่วยเข้าหน่วยงานต่างต่างจนหมด ตามหน้าที่.แถมท้ายก่อนลงเวรก็มีผู้ป่วยตกเลือดอาการน่าเป็นห่วง..แต่ก็ดูแลจนส่งเข้าหน่วยงาน....รู้สึกตัวว่าเหนื่อยมาก..แต่ก็คิดว่าวันนี้วันพระ..ทำกุศลไป..แตอีกใจก็คิดว่าทำไมเราต้องเบียดเบียนสังขารตนเองเช่นนี้...<.จิตอกุศลเริ่มเกิด.>..เดินไปก็เพียรดูกายในกาย..กายเรา-กายคนอื่นสลับกันไป...ใช้สังขารทำประโยชน์ให้สังคมก็ดีเหมือนกันไม่เสียชาติเกิด.....เห็นคนไข้ก็ มองเห็นสัจจธรรมของชีวิต...ดูหน้งดูละครก็ให้ย้อนดูตัว..เรา-เขาก็ไม่มีความต่าง เกิด แก่ เจ็บ  แล้วก็ตาย..ใดใดในโลกล้วนอนิจจัง

• เมื่อวานได้ข่าว แจ้งจากท่านหัวหน้างานตึกอุบัติเหตุซ่งเป็นรุ่นพี่ที่สถาบันการศึกษา........ว่าเราได้อาสาไปปฏิบัติราชการที่ร.พ.จังหวัดนราธิวาสเม่อเดือนเมษายนที่ผ่านมา   ท่านผู้อำนวยการแจ้งในที่ประชุมว่า     พิจารณาให้  2  ขั้นทั้งปีผู้ไปช่วยราชการ  ได้ยินหนอ     ก็หยุดคุยกับพี่เขาได้สักครู่.....เพราะกำลังจะกลับไปบ้านเพราะพักเที่ยง...........ก็ยังไม่ได้คิดอะไรเท่าไร.....เพราะหัวหน้าของเราเองท่านรู้แล้วแต่ท่านไม่บอก...........เคยขัดคำสั่งท่านมาก่อน    ชีวิตราชการเลยไม่รุ่งเรืองเหมือนชื่อ.......แต่ปวารณาตัวเองว่าทำงานเพื่อผู่ป่วย...เพื่อชาติ..เพื่อแผ่นดิน......ไม่สนใจอะไร    ทำวันนี้ให้ดีที่สุดตามบทบาทถ้าถูกต้องตามศิลธรรม.............พอไปถึงบ้านตอนพักเที่ยง.....ความลิงโลดใจ.....ดีใจ   ก็กำหนดรู้เพระมีใบตอบรับมาจากยุวพุทธิกสมาคมแห่งประเทศไทย.....รับเข้าร่วมปฏิบัติธรรมหลักสูตร 16 วัน   1-16ธ.ค 50         รู้ตัวเองว่ารอมานานหลายเดือน  เพราะวางแผนชีวิตไว้ตั้งแต่ต้นปี      หลักสูตร7  วัน......แล้วก็หลักสูตร  9 วันตอนเดือนพฤศจิกายน  50  ก็ตอบมาแล้ว      ในที่สุดหลักสูตรนี้ก็ได้เข้าปฏิบัติดังจิตที่อฐิษฐานไว้...15-16   วัน   คิดว่าตายเป็นตายได้มีอกาสได้ปฏิบัติบูชาถวายองค์พระศาสดา.....................แม้ทางพ้นทุกข์ของเราจะอีกนานแสนนาน-ไกลแสนไกล    จะไม่ขอก้าวหลุดออกจากถนนสายนี้เด็ดขาด..........ขออธิษฐานอย่าได้เจอชนที่มีมิจฉาทิฏฐิ..........ขอให้เจอกัลยาณชน.....กัลยาณมิตร...ทุกภพ-ทุกชาติไปจนกว่าจะพ้นทุกข์

ข้อความ

Dhamma

“A Brief Guideline for Practicing Dhamma”
 

by Santinan, Friday January 7, 2000/ 15:41:32

 

 

        Lots of my comrades in arms come to study Dhamma with me, and I have seen many problems that arise.

 

        Some are afraid that they will not be able to practice Dhamma correctly if they are not near me.  Bangkokians are a bit relieved as they know they can find me easily, but friends from abroad or upcountry are more worried, and request a brief guideline on how to practice Dhamma with ease and with some structure so that when I am not around they will still feel somewhat secured.

 

        Some listen to my talks and still get confused.  Some take my answer to other people’s problems and ignorantly apply it to themselves.  This method does not work because it’s like taking other patient’s prescribed medicine without realizing that the illness is not the same.  I have therefore been requested to put together all my talks on practicing Dhamma to clarify any misunderstandings.

 

        Yet another problem I have heard is some people arguing against each other, both quoting my speeches for different people at different times, resulting in disagreements.

 

        Therefore I feel a need to summarize by writing a brief guideline for practicing Dhamma, just as I have told my colleagues and friends, so that the whole process is clear and in order from the beginning onwards to avoid all the problems I have stated above.

 

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1. Understanding The Framework Of Buddhism

 

        Friends who have had little background in Buddhism need to know that Buddhism is not a medicine that cures all ills of the universe.  Neither is it the only tool in aiding someone through life.  Therefore if you are a college student you do not just quit college to come and study Buddhism because general knowledge is essential for one 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 anything else other than of suffering and how to be rid of suffering.  Buddhism does not give answers to questions relating to the supernatural, fate, past lives, future lives, ghosts, angels, etc.

 

2. Tools For Practicing Dhamma

 

        For those who already know the Buddhist principle of suffering and the cessation of suffering, my advice is for you to get to know the tools for practicing Dhamma, which are mindfulness and clear comprehension.

 

        My most common advice is for us to be fully aware of things that are happening to our mind.  Some examples are feelings such as doubt, greed, worry, happiness, and sadness.  This is the lesson on being mindful, which is the tool to understanding emotions that arise.

 

        It is this tool that reminds us to be aware, and not lose ourselves to the six sensual doors, namely the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind.  The most common doors are the eye and the mind, which means losing ourselves in our thoughts, or concentrating on the emotions that are happening.  To encourage mindfulness (not lost or be transfixed in thoughts) is the way for us to achieve clear comprehension, or clear consciousness.

 

3. Foundations of Mindfulness

 

        Once we have the necessary tools for practicing Dhamma, the next step I would like to encourage is for us to develop the four Foundations of Mindfulness.  This means to be mindful and have clear comprehension of the body, feelings, mental conditions, and/or mind-objects, depending on each individual’s ability.  Some examples are mindfulness of bodily movements, when doing the circular walk meditation, and when breathing in and out.  In the beginning, if the mind is still weak, just do the concentration development, which is to concentrate at the body.  As the mind gets stronger it becomes clear that movements of the body or movement of the air when breathing in and out is just something that the mind detects and sees.  It is not cognizance, and is impermanent, causes bodily pain, and is void of self, right in front of our eyes.

 

        Once conditioned, the mind gains strength in being mindful and comprehending, and whatever mental factor appears the mind will automatically detect it.  Some examples are happiness, sadness, virtue, and unwholesomeness.  All these mental objects are detected by the mind, just like any visible object.

 

        Note that if you are conditioned to be mindful of mental factors, then you can go right ahead with this exercise.  But for some people who are not accustomed to this, the suggestion is to be mindful of visible factors.

 

        Once the mind observes mental and visible factors continually it gains a deeper understanding, and either reacts with satisfaction, dissatisfaction or neutrality.  I often suggest to this group of friends to directly observe these feelings and see that they too are impermanent just like everything else.  At this point the mind will achieve a state of equanimity.  This occurs momentarily at first, and feelings will quickly set in again.  Once proficient this evenness of mind happens more often and for longer periods.  Try to be observant without bias, and the mind, once strengthened, will be able to distinguish with refinement the different Aggregates.

 

At this stage of mental development, many intellects are faced with 2 complications:

        1. They become bored and stop the exercise.

        2. They become hesitant, don’t know how to proceed, and again stop the exercise.  Instead of being observant and gain a deeper understanding, they try to answer their own doubts by going through with the thinking process.

 

        Actually once the mind reaches the state of impartiality, all one has to do is maintain at this state.  The mind will then improve by itself when the strength of the three components (mind, mental discipline and wisdom) is fully matured.

 

        Thus this concludes a brief guideline for practicing Dhamma, which I would like to present to my friends and colleagues for future discussions.

 

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Opinion no. 16 by Khun Santinan, Monday 10 January 2543 09:24:14 (cont’d)

 

        From the above guideline, once people start to actually practice Dhamma, they are faced with many different obstacles, mainly from incorrect methods.

 

        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 happen, we tend to create a new object of consciousness and are bound by it as a consequence.

 

        This mistake occurs because some think their minds are too distracted, and they need to do concentration meditation first.  Then they practice meditation the wrong way by focusing on just one sense-object to the point that the mind takes hold of this object, being bound and carried away by it, instead of just being mindful and alert, and not lost in or being too focused on such object.  The mind is just peacefully and detachedly being mindful of only one object.

 

        With wrong concentration meditation the mind attaches to a particular sense-object.  Then after coming out of meditation these people try to be mindful, but without success because the mind is still bound and biased, and this impartiality obscures the actual truth.

 

        The mistake often cited is, instead of developing the mind with ease and relaxation, many people are afraid to be lost in the thought process, especially when they are about to see me or are around me.  The mind becomes too alert and nervous, no different than a runner at the starting line.

 

        Yet another hindrance is to want to practice Dhamma too strongly. Examples of this are to want to be enlightened quickly, to want to be smart and outstanding, to want praise and acceptance from friends.  The more one wants to excel the “faster” one has to go through the mental exercise.  This accelerated conditioning, instead of the normal mindful development process, makes one stressful.  This may seem good from the outside, but the inner self is neither happy nor peaceful.  To conclude, the three mistakes above are what many of us fall into.  We cling on to a certain sense-object and think that we can clearly be mindful of our feelings.  Now some of us are able to learn from these mistakes and begin to realize that by wanting to practice Dhamma we are actually building another state of existence instead of being truly mindful of what is happening.

 

        There is a funny story of a young man whose mind is locked inside his thoughts.  I advised him to just to know this with impartiality so his mind can then be receptive to the outside surrounding.  This boy was very troubled as he thought I was teaching him to not be mindful.  Fortunately he came back to discuss the misunderstanding with me, otherwise if he had mentioned this to the elder monks, I would have been condemned and kicked out of the temple.

 

        Actually when one unknowingly builds a sense-object and is trapped in it, he is in fact not being mindful.  I tried to correct this point for the young man, never intending for him to not be mindful.

 

        One problem that arises in a few of us is to be lost in our own consciousness.  Examples are getting lost in “nimitr” (sign of absorption) of light, color, sound, even bodily jerks.  When this happens some people are overjoyed, and some are angered.  I have to guide them through knowing these emotions until the mind becomes unbiased, and not concentrate into these emotions and have greed, anger and ignorance take control of the mind.

 

        To avoid mistakes in practicing Dhamma, we must adhere strictly to the goal, which is “to practice Dhamma to better understand defilements which always impairs our mind, to wise up, away from craving and selfish desires”.  We do not practice Dhamma to satisfy our thirst of knowledge, our desire to be famous, or even our desire to reach nirvana.  This is because by desiring these things we risk making mistakes as our mind makes a new set of conditions, instead of just understanding everything the way it is.

 

        We need to be observant of ourselves.  If we start to feel that our mind is weightier than everything else around, then this means it has already grabbed hold of something.  The natural state of the mind should not have any weight at all, and should be neutral to its surrounding.  Try to see at this moment, be at peace and observe all around us.  Buildings, tables, chairs, trees, all these elements have no weight because we do not carry them with us.  But our mind is sometimes heavy and sometimes light because we think it’s ours.  The more possessive we are the heavier we feel.  We differentiate it from nature.  This differentiation is what we create for ourselves ignorantly because we are fooled by our own illusions and desires.

 

        Once we understand this point, let us observe further.  Does the mind judge everything that it comes into contact with?  Observe until the mind is impartial to all feelings, until inner thoughts and things of the outside world are one and the same, until there is no more weight to carry around.

 

        Our Lord Buddha taught that the Five Aggregates (Khandha 5) are heavy.  Anyone carrying these with them will never find happiness.  His Teaching is so absolutely true, word for word.  The Five Aggregates are so very heavy for those who have the faculty to see.