நீங்கள் உயர்ந்த நிலைக்கு வர வேண்டுமா..? ஜோதிட ரீதியாக ஒரு சூத்திரம்

| Feb 1, 2011

உங்கள் வாழ்க்கையில் , நீங்கள் உயர்ந்த நிலைக்கு வர வேண்டுமா..? ஜோதிட ரீதியாக ஒரு எளிதான சூத்திரம் இருக்கிறது...

ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் பிறந்த லக்கினம் ,  ராசி ஒன்று இருக்கிறது... அந்த வீட்டிற்கு  நவ கிரகங்களில் ஒருவர் அதிபதி யாக இருப்பார்.  அது போக நடப்பு தசா , புத்தி என்று ஒன்று இருக்கிறது... 


அந்த அந்த கிரகங்களையும், அவற்றின் தேவதைகளையும் கெட்டியாக பிடித்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.  அவ்வளவுதான். அதன் பிறகு பாருங்கள்.. உங்கள் வாழ்க்கை எவ்வளவு அருமையாக இருக்கிறது என்று..


உதாரணத்திற்கு, உங்களுக்கு விருச்சிக லக்கினம் , மகம் நட்சத்திரம் , என்று வைத்துக் கொள்வோம்.. சுமார் 40 வயது வரும்போது  ராகு தசை  உங்களுக்கு நடக்கும்.

 விருச்சிக லக்கினத்திற்கு அதிபதி செவ்வாய் - அவருக்கு உரிய தேவதை முருக கடவுள்..... 
மகம் நட்சத்திரம் - அதிபதி - கேது  - தேவதை  : விநாயக பெருமான். ராசி : சிம்மம். ராசி நாதன் - சூரிய பகவான்.

நடக்கும் தசை - ராகு - அதி தேவதை - துர்க்கை அம்மன்.


 ( அதி தேவதைகள் பற்றிய - நமது முந்தைய கட்டுரைகளை refer செய்ய இங்கே கிளிக்கவும் )

நட்சத்திர திருத்தலங்கள் - கட்டுரையை வாசிக்க கிளிக் செய்யவும் 

உங்களுக்கு எவ்வளவு துன்பங்கள் வந்தாலும் .... உடனடி தீர்வு கிடைக்க , வாழ் நாள் முழுவதும் , செவ்வாய் கிழமைகளில்  நீங்கள் முருக கடவுளுக்கு பாலாபிசேகம் , பாத யாத்திரை சென்று வர மலை போல் வரும் பிரச்னை கூட தூள் தூளாகும்.....

தினமும் காலை - சூரிய உதயத்திற்கு முன் எழுங்கள். சூரிய பகவானை நீங்கள் வரவேற்க வேண்டும். அவர் உங்களை வரவேற்க கூடாது.. 
அன்றாடம் நீங்கள் விநாயகரை வணங்கி வேலையை தொடங்குவது நல்லது..
உங்களால் விநாயகர் கருணையை மனதார உணர முடியும்... 

(அஸ்வினி, மகம். மூலம் நட்சத்திரம் இவற்றில் பிறந்தவர்கள் உங்களை அறியாமல் நீங்கள் , விநாயகரை வணங்கினாலும் உங்களுக்கு விரைவில் பலன்கள் கிடைப்பதை உணர்ந்து இருப்பீர்கள்..  )


இப்போது நடக்கும் தசை ராகு தசை. .. ராகு என்ன செய்யும்? ராகுவைப் போல் கொடுப்பாரும் இல்லை . கெடுப்பாரும் இல்லை என்பார்கள்.

ராகு அப்படி என்னதான் செய்யும்..? புலன் ஆய்வுக்கு , கம்ப்யூட்டர் , ஆராய்ச்சி, வெகு ஜன தொடர்பு ( ஹோட்டல் reception , LIC Agent )  என்று அனைத்துக்கும் அதிபதி. ... உங்களுக்கு சம்பந்தமே இல்லாமல் பணவரவு இருக்கும்.. நோகாமே நோன்பு எடுக்கலாம். . நினைத்துப் பார்க்க முடியாத அளவுக்கு.. பணம் கொழிக்கும்..( நல்லது தானே..!)

அதே நேரத்தில் பெண்களால் சர்வ சாதாரணமாக பிரச்சினைகள் வரும்... நீங்களே ஒதுங்கி இருந்தாலும் .. உங்களையே தேடி வருவார்கள்... உங்களால் 'பலான' விசயங்களில் இருந்து ஒதுங்க முடியாது.. பெண்களிடம் செல்ல வேண்டி வரும்.. அல்லது குறைந்த பட்சம் .. வீடியோ , கம்ப்யூட்டர்  என்று படம் பார்ப்பதிலேயே பொழுதைக் கழிக்க வேண்டி வரும்...  இப்படி நீங்கள் இருக்கும் போது ... வரும் பெண்களும் உங்களுக்கு பேரழகியாக தெரிய வரும்.. விட முடியுமா...??  வரை முறை தெரியாத அளவுக்கு விளையாட்டு தொடரும்.. பிறகு என்ன... வீட்டில் தெரிய வர.. அதனால் தொல்லைகள் வர... கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாக பிரச்னை பூதாகரமாகி வழக்கு, கோர்ட், விவாக ரத்து.. ... ஈஸ்வரா...!!

கேட்ட நேரம் இருக்கும் வரை ... அந்த ஒண்ட வந்த பிடாரி  தான் உங்களுக்கு அவ்வளவு உசத்தியாக தெரியும்... அவளுக்காக நீங்கள் சகலத்தையும் துறக்க தயார் ஆகி விடுவீர்கள்..  உங்களுக்கு அது  ஒரு சொகுசான வாழ்வு என்று தோன்றும்.. ஆனால் மகா கேவலமான வாழ்வு என்று தோன்றாது..


இதில் கோட்சார ரீதியாக ராகு ஜென்மத்தில் வந்தாலோ ... இன்னும் நிலைமை அசிங்கமாகும்.. நீங்கள் இருக்கும் ஊரில், அல்லது தெருவில் அல்லது , உங்கள் குடும்ப வட்டாரத்தில் ... நீங்கள் ஏதாவது ஒரு பெண் விஷயத்தில் அசிங்கப்பட்டு , தலை குனிய வேண்டி வரும்... 


இல்லையா... கோடிகளில் புரள வைத்து விட்டு , திடீர் என்று அதல பாதாளத்தில் தள்ளி விட்டு வேடிக்கை பார்க்கும்..

 
இது பொதுவான பலன். ஆனால் 10 க்கு  9 பேருக்கு இது பொருந்தும். 


இதைப் போல் ஒவ்வொரு கிரகத்திற்கும் ஒவ்வொரு காரகத் துவம் இருக்கிறது..  அவர்கள் அமர்ந்த வீடு, (நட்பு , பகை) நட்சத்திர சாரம், இணைந்து இருக்கும்  கிரகங்கள், பார்வை பெறும் கிரகங்கள் ,  என பல வகைகளில் பலன்கள் கிடைக்கும்......

எந்த ஒரு மனிதனுக்கும், ராகு, கேது தசை நடக்கும் போது , அவரவர் பூர்வ ஜென்ம புண்ணிய பலன்கள் ... அட்சர சுத்தமாக கிடைக்கும்.. 
 சில குழந்தைகளுக்கு ராகு தசை நடந்தால், அதன் பலன் மொத்தமும் பெற்றோர்களுக்கு நடக்கும்... 
 

 நல்லதும் உண்டு.. கெட்டதும் உண்டு...   ஐயா.. போன ஜென்மத்திலே எப்படி இருந்தேன் னு தெரியலை.. இந்த ஜென்மத்திலே என்ன பண்றது...? நான் தப்பு பண்ணக் கூடாது.. என்ன வழி..?


இந்த கேள்வி உங்களுக்கு தோணுவதற்கே   நீங்க பண்ணின ஒரு புண்ணியம் தான் காரணமாக இருக்கும்..



ராகுவுக்கு  அதி தேவதை துர்க்கை.  ராகுவுக்கு தனியாக கிழமை கிடையாது..  தினமும் ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட நேரம் இருக்கிறது.. ராகு காலம் என்று காலண்டரில் போட்டு இருப்பார்கள்...  இந்த ஒன்றரை மணி நேரத்தில் , நீங்கள் உங்கள் வீட்டிற்கு அருகில் இருக்கும் துர்க்கை அம்மன் ஆலயம் சென்று விடுங்கள்.  காளியம்மன், மாரியம்மன் என்றும் இருக்கலாம். தினமும் நாள் தவறாமல் செல்ல வேண்டும். அதனால் தான் அருகில் இருக்கும் ஆலயம் என்று சொன்னேன். ஒரு நூறு வருடமாவது பழைய ஆலயமாக இருந்தால் நல்லது. குறைந்த பட்சம் ராகுகாலம் முடியும் கடைசி அரை மணி நேரத்தில் இருங்கள்.

மனதார வழிபடுங்கள்.
 
நீங்கள் அன்றாடம் வேலைக்கு போக வேண்டி இருந்தால், செல்ல முடியாதே.. என்ன செய்வது? 

திருமணம் ஆகி இருந்தால் உங்கள் மனைவியோ,  மணம் ஆகா விட்டால் உங்கள் சார்பாக உங்கள் தாயோ செல்லலாம். நீங்கள் வேலைக்கு செல்லாத நாட்களில் கண்டிப்பாக நீங்களே சென்று வர வேண்டும். ஞாயிற்று கிழமை சாயங்காலம் 4 .30 இலிருந்து 6 மணி வரை வரும். Miss பண்ணாதீங்க !! 


உங்களால் முடிந்த வரை அபிசேகத்திற்கோ, தினமும் தீபத்திற்கோ , மாலையோ,... இல்லை ...  ஒன்றும் முடியவில்லை என்றாலும் .. வெறுமனே சென்றாவது வாருங்கள்.. அம்மன் பார்வை உங்கள் மேல் தெளிவாகப் படும்படி அமருங்கள்..  அதன் பிறகு உங்களுக்கு அந்த அம்மனே எப்படி வழி காட்டுகிறாள்  என்று பாருங்கள்... சமயத்தில் ராகு தசை நடப்பவர்களிடம் அம்மன் பேசுவதைக் கூட அவர்களால் உணர முடியும்.. இது எப்பேர்ப்பட்ட  அனுபவம்!!.. உங்கள் அத்தனை கோரிக்கைகளும் அற்புதமாக ஈடேறும்.


இதெல்லாம் பண்ணினா என்ன ஆகும்?  இப்போ, நம்ம சத்யம் க்ரூப் சேர்மன் - ராமலிங்க ராஜு இருந்தாரே... அவர் இந்த fraud லெ மாட்டாமே இருந்தா எப்படி இருந்து இருப்பார்?  எத்தனையோ பேருக்கு வழிகாட்டி... ஆதர்ஷ நாயகன்... லட்சக் கணக்கான ஷேர் ஹோல்டர் க்கு கடவுள்.. இப்படி ஆகிடலாம்.. நீங்களும்.. ஆனா நல்லா விதமா... 
   
வித்தை தெரிஞ்சவருக்கு ராகு தசை ... சந்தனம் ... தெரியாதவங்களுக்கு  சாக்கடை தான்.

என்னுடைய  அனுபவத்தில் - அம்மனின் அருள் அலைகள் அபரிமிதமாக வெளிப்படும் ஆலயங்களை, இடங்களைப் பற்றி இன்னொரு சமயம் (விரைவில்) எழுதுகிறேன். 

 

இதைப் போல் ஒவ்வொரு கிரகத்திற்கும் ஒவ்வொரு காரகத் துவம் இருக்கிறது..  அவர்கள் அமர்ந்த வீடு, நட்சத்திர சாரம், இணைந்து இருக்கும்  கிரகங்கள், பார்வை பெறும் கிரகங்கள் ,  என பல வகைகளில் பலன்கள் கிடைக்கும்......


இன்னைக்கு நம்ம நாட்டுலே இருக்கிற அத்தனை அரசியல் வாதிக்கும்,  இந்த வித்தை தெரிஞ்ச ஆஸ்தான ஜோதிடர்கள் உண்டு..  அவங்க சொல்ற படி தெளிவா , எல்லா வேலையும் செஞ்சு கிட்டு .. வெளிலே வேஷம் போட்டுக்கிட்டு போய் கிட்டே இருப்பாங்க .... நம்மள மாதிரி ஆளுங்க ... நாத்திகம் பேசிக்கிட்டு , நமக்கு தோணுற மாதிரி ஒரு வாழ்க்கை வாழ்ந்துக் கிட்டு...  நமக்கு முன்னே வாழ்ந்த அத்தனை பேரும், முனிவர்களும் , முட்டாள்னு நெனைச்சுக் கிட்டே ... இருந்திட வேண்டியது தான்..



நம்ம நண்பர் ஒருவர் அனுப்பி வைச்சு இருக்கிற மந்திரங்கள் இது. வேலை இன்றி கஷ்டப்படும் அனைவருக்கும் இது ரொம்ப உபயோகமாக இருக்கும். 

 இன்னொரு மந்திரம், உங்கள் பண வரவுக்கு ...



வேலை  கிடைக்க  உதவும்  மந்திரம்  : 

ஸ்ரீஇலட்சுமி கடாட்சம் பெற்று செல்வம் வளரவும்,வேலை கிடைக்கவும் கீழ்க்கண்ட சுலோகத்தை தினமும் காலை 10 முறை ஜபிக்கவும்.
வெள்ளிக்கிழமை மாலைவேளைகளில் வீட்டில் நெய்தீபம் ஏற்றி ஸ்ரீஇலட்சுமி பூஜை செய்து 108 முறை ஜபித்துவர விரைவில் வேலைகிடைக்கும்.

ஸ்ரீதேவீஹி அம்ருதோத் பூதாகமலா சந்த்ர சோபனா/
விஷ்ணுபத்நீ வைஷ்ணவீச வராரோஹாச்ச சார்ங்கிணீ/
ஹரிப்ரியா தேவதேவீ மஹாலக்ஷ்மீச சுந்தரீ//



லட்சுமி கணபதி மந்திரம்

ஓம் ஸ்ரீம் கம் ஸெளம்யாய கணபதியே வரவரத ஸர்வ
ஜனம்மே வசமானய் ஸ்வாஹா!
ஹிருதயாதி ந்யாஸ! நிக்விமோக!


 இந்த மந்திரத்தை சிரத்தையுடன் ஜெபித்து வந்தால் , நல்ல தன விருத்தி உண்டாகும்... கடன் தொல்லைகளில் இருந்து முழு விடுதலை கிடைக்கும். 
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நமக்கு வரும் ஜோதிட ஆலோசனை கேள்விகளில், நிறைய அன்பர்களுக்கு ராகு தசை நடப்பதால் ,  அவர்களுக்கு உபயோகமாக இருக்கும் என்பதால் ராகு தசையை உதாரணமாகக் கொண்டு இந்த கட்டுரையை எழுதி இருக்கிறேன்... 


அதைப் போல  - ஜோதிட பாடங்களை , அரிச்சுவடியில் இருந்து ... அனைவருக்கும் பயன்படும் வகையில் தொடர் கட்டுரைகள் எழுதலாமா என்று எண்ணமும் இருக்கிறது. சில கலைகளை , குருவின் உபதேசம் இருந்தால் தான் கற்றுக் கொள்ள முடியும். ஜோதிடமும் அந்த வகையில் ஒன்று தான். நீங்கள் என்ன தான் புத்தகங்களைப் படித்தாலும், பெரிய ஆராச்சி செய்தாலும், பலன் சொல்ல வராது. தவறுதலாய் சொல்வதற்குப் பதில் சொல்லாமலே இருந்து விடுதல் நல்லது.. 


நான் ஒன்றும் மேதை இல்லை. ஆனால், அருணாசலமும், என் குருவின் அருளும்  எனக்கு நலல வகையில் வழி காட்டும் என்று நம்புகிறேன்...  கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாக உங்கள் கையைப்  பிடித்து பயணிக்க இயலும்.. நமக்கு இருக்கும் வேலைப் பளுவினால் , பாடங்கள் கொஞ்சம் தாமதம் ஆகலாம்.... ஆனால் நிறைய அன்பர்களுக்கு உதவியாக இருக்கும் என்று நம்புகிறேன்...

நடைமுறையில் நமக்கு வரும் ஆலோசனை கேள்விகளுக்கு , பதில் அளிக்க தாமதமாகி வருவதால் , உங்களுக்கே கற்று தருவதில் சௌகரியம்  என்று தோன்றுகிறது. அதே நேரம், தனிப்பட்ட முறையில் E -மெயில்  மூலமும் , சேவை தொடரும். மிக அதிக அளவில் கேள்விகள் வருவதால், சற்று தாமதமாகி வருகிறது. அவ்வளவே. வாசகர்கள் சற்று பொறுத்துக் கொள்ளவும். 
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மேலும் நமது நண்பர் ஒருவர் நமது இந்த இணைய தளத்தில் வரும் கட்டுரைகளைப் படித்து விட்டு, " இணைய தளம் மூலம் - பணம் சம்பாதிப்பது எப்படி ? ஓய்வு நேரங்களில் வருமானம் பார்க்க என்ன வழிகள் ? என்று எழுத சம்மதித்திருக்கிறார். " இது நமது இணைய தளத்தைப் பார்வையிடும் வாசக / வாசகிகளுக்கு மிகவும் பயனுள்ளதாக இருக்கும் என்று நம்புகிறோம். 
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இன்னொரு நண்பர் - இங்கிலீஷ் ஈஸியா எப்படி பேசுறது?  ஆங்கில இலக்கணம்   எல்லாம் கத்துக் கொடுக்க ரெடி னு சொல்லி இருக்கிறார். அவருக்கும் மனமார வாழ்த்துக்கள்.... மக்களுக்கு பயனுள்ள வகையில் நமது தளம் இன்னும் பீடு நடை போடும் என்பதில் மகிழ்ச்சி...
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இது போக நமது வழக்கமான பல்சுவை தொடர்களும் அடிக்கடி இடம் பெறும். 
இதெல்லாம் பண்றதுனாலே எங்களுக்கு என்ன பிரயோஜனம் னு கேட்குறீங்களா..?  

நமக்கு தெரிஞ்சதை நாலு பேருக்கு ஷேர் பண்ணிக்கலாம் தான்.... வேற ஒன்னும் உள்நோக்கம் இல்லை. எனக்கு ஜோதிடம் கத்துக் கொடுத்த குரு என்கிட்டே சொல்றப்போ, "பரிகாரம் னு எதிலேயும் காசு வாங்கிடாதே , அது உனக்கு மகா பாவம்" னு சொல்லி இருக்கிறார்.... இன்னும் கொஞ்சம் மேலே போய், ஜோதிடம் கத்துக் கொடுக்கிறதுக்கே வாங்க வேண்டாம் னு நெனைக்கிறேன்...... 


காசே இல்லாமே ஏன் இப்படி பண்றோம்..? (உங்க கிட்டே காசு வாங்கி நாங்க என்ன பண்றது.. கடவுள் புண்ணியத்துலே ஏதோ, காசு ... சாப்பாட்டுக்கு  குறை இல்லை..) கொஞ்சம் புகழ் கிடைக்கும்.... ஒரு நாலு பேருக்கு புதுசா அறிமுகம் ஆகிக் கிடலாம்... எல்லா ஊர் லேயும் யாரவது ஒருத்தராவது நம்ம வாசகர் இருப்பாங்க..

. ஹா ஹா.. அப்படி எல்லாம் இல்லை. கொஞ்சம் பெரிய அளவிலே பின்னாலே உபயோகமா இருக்கும் னு நினைக்கிறோம்,  SITE நல்லா பிரபலம் ஆயிட்டா. எல்லா வழிகளும் பின்னாலே சொல்றோம்....  (ofcourse , ஆரம்பிச்ச குறுகிய காலத்தில் , இப்போவே நல்லா பிரபலம் ஆயிடுச்சு.. உலகம் முழுவதிலும் இருந்து மின்னஞ்சலில் வாழ்த்தி வரும் அத்துணை அன்பு உள்ளங்களுக்கும் ... நன்றி.. நன்றி... )

Read more: http://www.livingextra.com/2011/02/blog-post.html#ixzz1LbK3nfM1

Shree 420 - Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua Hai Pyar Se - Manna Dey - Lata Mangeshkar

Sangam - O Mere Sanam O Mere Sanam - Mukesh - Lata Mangeshkar

WEDDING HINDI SONG - mubarak mubarak

VERY POPULAR NEW INDIAN BOLLYWOOD SONGS -TUJHE DEKHA TO YEH JANA

The Best of Indian Songs

Tunak Tunak Tun (Best Copy)

Made In India 1995, Alisha Made In India Songs, Made In India 1995 Ind...

விவேகானந்தர் ஏன் ஆன்மீகவாதியாகி இளமையில் இறந்தார்? இவர் ஏன் இளமையில் இறந்தார் ?

by Keyem Dharmalingam 

விவேகானந்தர் ஏன் ஆன்மீகவாதியாகி இளமையில் இறந்தார்?

விவேகானந்தர் காவி உடை அணியாமல் இருந்திருந்தால் அவரை இந்து மத துறவி என்று யாரும் கூற இயலாது. அவரது பெரும்பாலான கருத்துக்கள் அனைத்து மதத்தினராலும் ஏற்றுக்கொளும்படியாக உள்ளது. மதத்தை தாண்டி சீர்திருத்தவாதிகளின் நன் மதிப்பையும் பெற்றவர் அவர். ஒரு  விதைவையின்   கண்ணீரைத்  துடைக்க  முடியாத , ஓர்  அனாதையின்  வயிற்றில்  ஒரு  கவளம்  சோற்றை  இட  முடியாத  கடவுளடித்திலோ,சமயத்திலோ  எனக்குக்  கொஞ்சம்  கூட  நம்பிக்கை  கிடையாது"  என்று  அவர்  கூறியுள்ளார். இதை வைத்து அவர் நாத்திகவாதி என்று கூட சொல்லலாம்.ஆனால்  உண்மையில்  அவர் ஒரு ஆன்மீகவாதியே.

அவரின் ஜாதகம்:  தனுசு லக்னம், லக்னத்தில் சூரியன், இரண்டில் சுக்கிரன் மற்றும் புதன், ஐந்தில் செவ்வாய் ஆட்சி,  ஆறில் கேது, பத்தில் சந்திரன் மற்றும் சனி, பதினொன்றில் குரு. இவருக்கு ஆன்மீக ஈடுபாடு ஏற்ப்பட, தியானத்தில் மூழ்க காரணம்  பதினொன்றில் இருக்கும் குருபகவான் ஐந்தில் ஆட்சி பெற்று இருக்கும் தியான அதிபதியை பார்ப்பதுதான். அதுமட்டுமல்லாமல் லக்னாதிபதியான குரு ஐந்தாம் அதிபதியான செவ்வாயின் நட்சத்திரத்தில் அமர்ந்துள்ளார்.(இதுவே என் கருத்து). முன்வினைப் பயனாக அவருடைய ஆன்மா பஞ்சபூதங்களினால் ஆக்கப்பட்டு, கோள்களின் ஆதிக்கத்தில் இப்பூமியில் பிறந்து, பிறவியின் நோக்கத்தினை அறிந்துகொண்டு, ஆற்றவேண்டிய கடமைகளை ஆற்றி முடித்த பின் வாழவேண்டிய அவசியம் இல்லாது போனது.

இவர் ஏன் இளமையில் இறந்தார் ?

இவர் இறக்கவில்லை. இவரே விரும்பித்தான் உடலை விட்டார். அதாவது மகா சமாதி அடைந்தார். இவரே நெருங்கியவர்களிடம் நான் நாற்பது வயது வரை வாழ மாட்டேன் என்று கூறியுள்ளதாக சில குறிப்புகள் உள்ளது. (இது அவரின்  தீர்க்க தரிசனத்தை காட்டுகின்றது) அதுபடியே அவர் நாற்ப்பது வயது பூர்த்தியாவதற்கு முன் பூத உடலை நீத்தார். அதாவது மகா சமாதி அடைந்தார் . ஏன் அவர் நீண்ட காலம் வாழ்ந்திருக்க கூடாது என்ற கேள்வி எழலாம். எனக்கு தெரிந்து பிறவியின் உண்மையை, நோக்கத்தை உணர்ந்த எவரும் இந்த பூமியில் பூத உடலுடன் வாழ விரும்ப மாட்டார்

நன்றி:-http://kelviyumnaaneypathilumnaaney.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_02.html

What Is Contemplation?

 

A question and answer session with Ajahn Chah

Ajahn Amaro

December 21, 2004

Question: When you teach about the value of contemplation, are you speaking of sitting and thinking over particular themes - the thirty-two parts of the body, for instance?

Answer: That is not necessary when the mind is truly still. When tranquillity is properly established the right object of investigation becomes obvious. When contemplation is 'True', there is no discrimination into 'right' and 'wrong'. 'good' and 'bad'; there is nothing even like that. You don't sit there thinking, 'Oh, this is like that and that is like this' etc. That is a coarse form of contemplation. Meditative contemplation is not merely a matter of thinking - rather it's what we call 'contemplation in silence'. Whilst going about our daily routine we mindfully consider the real nature of existence through comparisons. This is a coarse kind of investigation but it leads to the real thing.

Q: When you talk about contemplating the body and mind, though, do we actually use thinking? Can thinking produce true insight? Is this vipassana?

A: In the beginning we need to work using thinking, even though later on we go beyond it. When we are doing true contemplation all dualistic thinking has ceased; although we need to consider dualistically to get started. Eventually all thinking and pondering comes to an end.

Q: You say that there must be sufficient tranquillity (samadhi) to contemplate. Just how tranquil do you mean?

A: Tranquil enough for there to be presence of mind.

Q: Do you mean staying with the here-and-now, not thinking about the past and future?

A: Thinking about the past and future is all right if you understand what these things really are, but you must not get caught up in them. Treat them the same as you would anything else - don't get caught up. When you see thinking as just thinking, then that's wisdom. Don't believe in any of it! Recognize that all of it is just something that has arisen and will cease. Simply see everything just as it is - it is what it is - the mind is the mind - it's not anything or anybody in itself. Happiness is just happiness, suffering is just suffering - it is just what it is. When you see this you will be beyond doubt.

Q: I still don't understand. Is true contemplating the same as thinking?

A: We use thinking as a tool, but the knowing that arises because of its use is above and beyond the process of thinking; it leads to our not being fooled by our thinking any more. You recognize that all thinking is merely the movement of the mind, and also that knowing is not born and doesn't die. What do you think all this movement called 'mind' comes out of? What we talk about as the mind - all the activity - is just the conventional mind. It's not the real mind at all. What is real just IS, it's not arising and it's not passing away.

Trying to understand these things just by talking about them, though, won't work. We need to really consider impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and impersonality ( anicca, dukkha, anatta); that is, we need to use thinking to contemplate the nature of conventional reality. What comes out of this work is wisdom - and emptiness. Even though there may still be thinking, it's empty - you are not affected by it.

Q: How can we arrive at this stage of the real mind?

A: Your work with the mind you already have, of course! See that all that arises is uncertain, that there is nothing stable or substantial. See it clearly and see that there is really nowhere to take a hold of anything - it's all empty.

When you see the things that arise in the mind for what they are, you won't have to work with thinking any more. You will have no doubt whatsoever in these matters.

To talk about the 'real mind' and so on, may have a relative use in helping us understand. We invent names for the sake of study, but actually nature just is how it is. For example, sitting here downstairs on the stone floor. The floor is the base - it's not moving or going anywhere. Upstairs, above us is what has arisen out of this. Upstairs is like everything that we see in our minds: form, feeling, memory, thinking. Really, they don't exist in the way we presume they do. They are merely the conventional mind. As soon as they arise, they pass away again; they don't really exist in themselves.

There is a story in the scriptures about Venerable Sariputta examining a bhikkhu before allowing him to go off wandering (dhutanga vatta). He asked him how he would reply if he was questioned, 'What happens to the Buddha after he dies?' The bhikkhu replied, 'When form, feeling, perception, thinking and consciousness arise, they pass away.' Venerable Sariputta passed him on that.

Practice is not just a matter of talking about arising and passing away, though. You must see it for yourself. When you are sitting, simply see what is actually happening. Don't follow anything. Contemplation doesn't mean being caught up in thinking. The contemplative thinking of one on the Way is not the same as the thinking of the world. Unless you understand properly what is meant by contemplation, the more you think the more confused you will become.

The reason we make such a point of the cultivation of mindfulness is because we need to see clearly what is going on. We must understand the processes of our hearts. When such mindfulness and understanding are present, then everything is taken care of. Why do you think one who knows the Way never acts out of anger or delusion? The causes for these things to arise are simply not there. Where would they come from? Mindfulness has got everything covered.

Q: Is this mind you are talking about called the 'Original Mind'?

A: What do you mean?

Q: It seems as if you are saying there is something else outside of the conventional body-mind (the five khandhas). Is there something else? What do you call it?

A: There isn't anything and we don't call it anything - that's all there is to it! Be finished with all of it. Even the knowing doesn't belong to anybody, so be finished with that, too! Consciousness is not an individual, not a being, not a self, not an other, so finish with that - finish with everything! There is nothing worth wanting! It's all just a load of trouble. When you see clearly like this then everything is finished.

Q: Could we not call it the 'Original Mind'?

A: You can call it that if you insist. You can call it whatever you like, for the sake of conventional reality. But you must understand this point properly. This is very important. If we didn't make use of conventional reality we wouldn't have any words or concepts with which to consider actual reality - Dhamma. This is very important to understand.

Q: What degree of tranquillity are you talking about at this stage? And what quality of mindfulness is needed?

A: You don't need to go thinking like that. If you didn't have the right amount of tranquillity you wouldn't be able to deal with these questions at all. You need enough stability and concentration to know what is going on - enough for clarity and understanding to arise.

Asking questions like this shows that you are still doubting. You need enough tranquillity of mind to no longer get caught in doubting what you are doing. If you had done the practice you would understand these things. The more you carry on with this sort of questioning, the more confusing you make it. It's all right to talk if the talking helps contemplation, but it won't show you the way things actually are. This Dhamma is not understood because somebody else tells you about it, you must see it for yourself - paccattam.

If you have the quality of understanding that we have been talking about, then we say that your duty to do anything is over; which means that you don't do anything. If there is still something to do, then it's your duty to do it.

Simply keep putting everything down, and know that that is what you are doing. You don't need to be always checking up on yourself, worrying about things like 'How much samadhi' - it will always be the right amount. Whatever arises in your practice, let it go; know it all as uncertain, impermanent. Remember that! It's all uncertain. Be finished with all of it. This is the Way that will take you to the source - to your Original Mind.

Let Your Aim be Nibbana

Let Your Aim be Nibbana

by Ajahn Chah

A talk Ajahn Chah gave while visiting the U.S. in 1979 August 7, 2005 At this time please determine your minds to listen to the dhamma. Today is the traditional day of dhammasavana. It is the appropriate time for us, the host of Buddhists, to study the dhamma in order to increase our mindfulness and wisdom. Giving and receiving the teachings is something we have been doing for a long time. The activities we usually perform on this day, chanting homage to the Buddha, taking moral precepts, meditating and listening to teachings, should be understood as methods and principles for spiritual development. They are not anything more than this. When it comes to taking precepts, for example, a monk will proclaim the precepts and the laypeople will vow to undertake them. Don't misunderstand what is going on. The truth is that morality is not something that can be given. It can't really be requested or received from someone. We can't give it to someone else. In our vernacular, we hear people say 'The venerable monk gave the precepts" and "We received the precepts." We talk like this here in the countryside, and it has become our habitual way of understanding. If we think like that, that we come to receive precepts from the monks on the lunar observance days, and that if the monks won't give precepts then we don't have morality, that is only a tradition of delusion that we have inherited from our ancestors. Thinking in this way means that we give up our own responsibility, not having firm trust and conviction in ourselves. Then it gets passed down to the next generation, and they too come to 'receive' precepts from the monks. And the monks come to believe that they are the ones who 'give' the precepts to the laity. In fact, morality and precepts are not like that. They are not something to be 'given' or 'received'; but on ceremonial occasions of making merit and the like, we use this as a ritual form according to tradition and employ the terminology. In truth, morality resides with the intentions of people. If you have the conscious determination to refrain from harmful activities and wrongdoing by way of body and speech, then morality is coming about within you. You should know it within yourself. It is OK to take the vows with another person. You can recollect the precepts by yourself. If you don't know what they are, then you can request them from someone else. It is not something very complicated or distant. So really, whenever we wish to 'receive' morality and dhamma, we have them right then. It is just like the air that surrounds us everywhere. Whenever we breathe, we take it in. All manner of good and evil are like that. If we wish to do good, we can do it anywhere, at any time. We can do it alone, or together with others. Evil is the same. We can do it with a large or small group, in a hidden or open place. It is like that. These are things that are already in existence. But as to morality, it is something that we should consider normal for all humans to practice. A person who has no morality is no different from an animal. If you decide to live like an animal, then of course there is no good or evil for you, because an animal doesn't have any knowledge of such things. A cat catches mice, but we don't say it is doing evil, because it has no concepts or knowledge of good or bad, right or wrong. These beings are outside the circle of human beings. It is the animal realm. The Buddha pointed out that this group is just living according to the animal kind of kamma. Those who understand right and wrong, good and evil, are humans. The Buddha taught his Dhamma for humans. If we people don't have morality and knowledge of these things, then we are not much different from animals, so it is appropriate that we study and learn about them and make ourselves able. This is taking advantage of the precious accomplishment of human existence and bringing it to fulfillment. The profound dhamma is the teaching that morality is necessary. Then when there is morality, one should pursue dhamma. Morality means the precepts as to what is forbidden and what is permissible. Dhamma refers to nature and to humans knowing about nature, how things exist according to nature. Nature is something we do not compose. It exists as it is, according to its conditions. A simple example is animals. A certain species, such as peacocks, is born with its various patterns and colors. They were not created like that by humans or modified by humans; they are just born that way, according to nature. This is a little example of how it is in nature. All things of nature are existing in the world - this is still talking about understanding from a worldly viewpoint. The Buddha taught Dhamma for us to know nature, to let go of it and let it exist according to its conditions. This is talking about the external material world. As to namadhamma, meaning the mind, it can not be left to follow its own conditions. It has to be trained. In the end, we can say that mind is the teacher of body and speech, so it needs to be well trained. Letting it go according to its natural urges just makes one an animal. It has to be instructed and trained. It should come to know nature, but should not merely be left to follow nature. We are born into this world, and all of us will naturally have the afflictions of desire, anger and delusion. Desire makes us crave after various things and causes the mind to be in a state of imbalance and turmoil. Nature is like that. It will just not do to let the mind go after these impulses of craving. It only leads to heat and distress. It is better to train in dhamma, in truth. When aversion occurs in us, we want to express anger towards people, and it may get to the point of physically attacking or even killing people. But we don't just 'let it go' according to its nature. We know the nature of what is occurring there. We see it for what it is, and teach the mind about it. This is studying dhamma. Delusion is the same. When it happens, we are confused about things. If we just leave it as it is, then we remain in ignorance. So the Buddha told us to know nature, to teach nature, to train and adjust nature, to know exactly what nature is. For example, people are born with physical form and mind. In the beginning these things are born, in the middle they change, and in the end they are extinguished. This is ordinary; this is their nature. We cannot do much to alter these facts. We train our minds as we can, and when the time comes we have to let go of it all. It is beyond the ability of humans to change this or get beyond it. The dhamma that the Buddha taught is something to be applied while we are here, for making actions, words and thoughts correct and proper. It means he was teaching the minds of people so that they would not be deluded in regard to nature, to conventional reality and supposition. The Teacher instructed us to see the world. His dhamma was a teaching that is above and beyond the world. We are in the world. We were born into this world; he taught us to transcend the world, not being prisoner to worldy ways and habits. It is like a diamond that falls into a muddy pit. No matter how much dirt and filth covers it, that does not destroy the radiance, the hues, and the worth of it. Even though the mud is stuck to it, the diamond does not lose anything, but is just as it originally was. There are two separate things. So the Buddha taught to be above the world, which means knowing the world clearly. By 'the world' he did not mean so much the earth and sky and elements, but rather to the mind, the wheel of samsara within the hearts of people. He meant this wheel, this world. This is the world that the Buddha knew clearly; when we talk about knowing the world clearly, we are talking about these things. If it were otherwise, then the Buddha would have had to be flying everywhere to 'know the world clearly.' It is not like that. It is a single point. All dhammas come down to one single point. Like people, which means men and women. If we observe one man and one woman, we know the nature of all people in the universe. They are not that different. Or learning about heat. If we just know this one point, the quality of being hot, then it does not matter what the source or cause of the heat is, the condition of 'hot' is such. Knowing this one point, then wherever there may be hotness in the universe, it is like this. So the Buddha knew a single point, and his knowledge encompassed the world. Knowing coldness to be a certain way, when he encountered coldness anywhere in the world, he already knew it. He taught a single point, for beings living in the world to know the world, to know the nature of the world…. Just like knowing people…. Knowing men and women, knowing the manner of existence of beings in the world. His knowledge was such. Knowing one point, he knew all things. The dhamma which the Teacher expounded was for going beyond suffering. What is this 'going beyond suffering' all about? What should we do to 'escape from suffering'? It is necessary for us to do some study; we need to come and study the thinking and feeling in our hearts. Just that. It is something we are presently unable to change. If we can change it, we can be free of all suffering and unsatisfactoriness in life, just by changing this one point, our habitual world view, our way of thinking and feeling. If we come to have a new sense of things, a new understanding, then we transcend the old perceptions and understanding. The authentic dhamma of the Buddha is not something pointing far away. It teaches self. It teaches about atta, self, and that things are not really self. That is all. All the teachings that the Buddha gave were pointing out that 'this is not a self, this does not belong to a self, there is no such thing as ourselves or others.' Here, when we contact this, we can't really read it, we don't 'translate' the Dhamma correctly. We still think 'this is me, this is mine.' We attach to things and invest them with meaning. When we do this, we can't yet disentangle from them; the involvement deepens and the mess gets worse and worse. If we know that there is no self, that body and mind are really anatta, as the Buddha taught, then when we keep on investigating, eventually we will come to realization of the actual condition of selflessness. We will genuinely realize that there is no self or other. Pleasure is merely pleasure. Feeling is merely feeling. Memory is merely memory. Thinking is merely thinking. They are all things which are 'merely' that. Happiness is merely happiness; suffering is merely suffering. Good is merely good, evil is merely evil. Everything exists 'merely' thus. There is no real happiness or real suffering. There are just the merely existing conditions. Merely happy, merely suffering, merely hot, merely cold, merely a being or a person. You should keep looking to see that things are only so much. Only earth, only water, only fire, only air. We should keep on 'reading' these things and investigating this point. Eventually our perception will change; we will have a different feeling about things. The tight conviction that there is self and things belonging to self will gradually come undone. When this sense of things is removed, then the opposite perception will keep increasing steadily. When the realization of anatta comes to full measure, then we will be able to relate to the things of this world, to our most cherished possessions and involvements, to friends and relations, to wealth, accomplishments and status, just the same as we do to our clothes. When shirts and pants are new, we wear them; they get dirty and we wash them; after some time they are worn out and we discard them. There is nothing out of the ordinary there; we are constantly getting rid of the old things and starting to use new garments. So we will have the exact same feeling about our existence in this world. We will not cry or moan over things. We will not be tormented or burdened by them. They remain the same things as they were before, but our feeling and understanding of them has changed. Now our knowledge will be exalted and we will see truth. We will have attained supreme vision and authentic knowledge of that Dhamma which we ought to know. The Buddha taught the Dhamma that we ought to know and to see. Where is the dhamma that we ought to know and see? It is right here within us, this body and mind. We have it already; we should come to know and see it. For example, all of us have been born into this human realm. Whatever we gained by that we are going to lose. We have seen people born and seen them die. We just see this happening, but don't really see clearly. When there is a birth, we rejoice over it; when someone dies, we cry for them. There is no end. It goes on in this way, and there is no end to our foolishness. Seeing birth, we are foolhardy; seeing death, we are foolhardy. There is only this unending foolishness. Let's take a look at all this. These things are natural occurrences. Contemplate the dhamma here, the dhamma we should know and see. This dhamma is existing right now. Make up your minds about this. Exert restraint and self-control. Now we are amidst the things of this life. We shouldn't have fears of death. We should fear the lower realms. Don't fear dying; rather, be afraid of falling into hell. You should be afraid of doing wrong while you still have life. These are old things we are dealing with, not new things. Some people are alive but don't know themselves at all. They think, what's the big deal about what I do now, I can't know what is going to happen when I die. They don't think about the new seeds they are creating for the future. They only see the old fruit. They fixate on present experience, not realizing that if there is fruit, it must have come from a seed, and that within the fruit we have now are the seeds of future fruit. These seeds are just waiting to be planted. Actions born of ignorance continue the chain in this way, but when you are eating the fruit, you don't think about all the implications. Wherever the mind has a lot of attachment, just there will we experience intense suffering, intense grief, intense difficulty. The place we experience the most problems is the place we have the most attraction, longing and concern. Please try to resolve this. Now, while you still have life and breath, keep on looking at it and reading it, until you are able to 'translate' it and solve the problem. Whatever we are experiencing as part of our lives now, one day we will be parted from it. So don't just pass the time. Practice spiritual cultivation. Take this parting, this separation and loss, as your object of contemplation right now, in the present, until you are clever and skilled in it, until you can see that it is ordinary and natural. When there is anxiety and regret over it, have the wisdom to recognize the limits of this anxiety and regret, knowing what they are according to the truth. If you can consider things in this way, then wisdom will arise. But people generally do not want to investigate. Whenever suffering occurs, wisdom can arise there, if we investigate. Wherever pleasant or unpleasant experience happens, wisdom can arise there. If we know happiness and suffering for what they really are, then we know the Dhamma. If we know the Dhamma, we know the world clearly; if we know the world clearly, we know the Dhamma. Actually, for most of us, if something is displeasing, we don't really want to know about it. We get caught up in the aversion to it. If we dislike someone, we don't want to look at their face or get anywhere near them. This is the mark of a foolish, unskillful person; this is not the way of a good person. If we like someone, then of course we want to be close to them, we make every effort to be with them, taking delight in their company. This is foolishness, also. They are actually the same, like the palm and back of the hand. When we turn the hand up and see the palm, the back of the hand is hidden from sight. When we turn it over, then the palm is not seen. Pleasure hides pain, and pain hides pleasure from our sight. Wrong covers up right, right covers wrong. Just looking at one side, our knowledge is not complete. Let's do things completely, while we still have life. Keep on looking at things, separating truth from falsehood, noting how things really are, getting to the end of it, reaching peace. When the time comes, we will be able to cut through and let go completely. Now we have to firmly attempt to separate things, keep trying to cut through. The Buddha taught about hair, nails, skin and teeth. He taught us to separate here. A person who does not know about separating only knows about holding them to himself. Now while we have not yet parted from these things, we should be skillful in meditating on them. We have not yet left this world, so we should be careful. We should contemplate a lot, make copious charitable offerings, recite the scriptures a lot, cultivate a lot: cultivate impermanence, cultivate unsatisfactoriness, cultivate selflessness. Even if the mind does not want to listen, we should keep on breaking things up like this and come to know in the present. This can most definitely be done, people. One can realize knowledge that transcends the world. We are stuck in the world. This is a way to 'destroy' the world, through contemplating and seeing beyond the world so that we can transcend the world in our being. Even while we are living in this world, our view can be above the world. In a worldly existence, one creates both good and evil. Now we try to practice virtue and give up evil. When good results come, then you should not be 'under' that good, but be able to transcend it. If you do not transcend it, then you become a slave to virtue and to your concepts of what is good. It puts you in difficulty, and there will not be an end to your tears. It does not matter how much good you have practiced, if you are attached to it, then you are still not free, and there will be no end to tears. But one who transcends good as well as evil has no more tears to shed. They have dried up. There can be an end. We should learn to use virtue, not to be used by virtue. To put the teaching of the Buddha in a nutshell, the point is to transform one's view. It is possible to change it. It only requires looking at things, and then it happens. Having been born, we will experience aging, illness, death and separation. These things are right here. We don't need to look up at the sky or down at the earth. The dhamma that we need to see and to know can be seen right here within us, every moment of every day. When there is a birth, we are filled with joy. When there is a death, we grieve. That's how we spend our lives. These are the things we need to know about, but we still have not really looked into them and seen the truth. We are stuck deep in this ignorance. We ask, when will we get the chance to see the Dhamma; but it is right here to be seen in the present.. This is the Dhamma we should learn about and see. This is what the Buddha taught about. He did not teach about gods and demons and nagas, protective deities, jealous demigods, nature spirits and the like. He taught the things that one should know and see. These are truths that we really should be able to realize. External phenomena are like this, exhibiting the three characteristics. Internal phenomena, i.e., this body, are like this, too. The truth can be seen in the hair, nails, skin and teeth. Previously they flourished. Now they are diminished. The hair thins and becomes gray. It is like this. Do you see? Or will you say it is something you can't see? You certainly should be able to see with a little investigation. If we really take an interest in all of this and contemplate seriously, we can gain genuine knowledge. If this were something that could not be done, the Buddha would not have bothered to talk about it. How many tens and hundreds of thousands of his followers have come to realization? If one is really keen on looking at things, one can come to know. The Dhamma is like that. We are living in this world. The Buddha wanted us to know the world. Living in the world, we gain our knowledge from the world. The Buddha is said to be Lokavidu, one who knows the world clearly. It means living in the world but not being stuck in the ways of the world; living among attraction and aversion, but not stuck in attraction and aversion. This can be spoken about and explained in ordinary language. This is how the Buddha taught. Normally we speak in terms of atta, self, talking about me and mine, you and yours, but the mind can remain uninterruptedly in the realization of anatta, selflessness. Think about it. When we talk to children, we speak in one way; when dealing with adults, we speak in another way. If we use words appropriate to children to speak with adults, or use adults' words to speak with children, it won't work out. In the proper use of conventions, we have to know when we are talking to children. It can be appropriate to talk about me and mine, you and yours, and so forth, but inwardly the mind is Dhamma, dwelling in realization of anatta. You should have this kind of foundation. So the Buddha said that you should take the Dhamma as your foundation, your basis. Living and practicing in the world, will you take yourself, your ideas, desires and opinions, as a basis? That is not right. The Dhamma should be your standard. If you take yourself as the standard, you become self-absorbed. If you take someone else as your standard, you are merely infatuated with that person. Being enthralled with ourselves or with another person is not the way of Dhamma. The Dhamma does not incline to any person or follow personalities. It follows the truth. It does not simply accord with the likes and dislikes of people; such habitual reactions have nothing to do with the truth of things. If we really consider all of this and investigate thoroughly to know the truth, then we will enter the correct path. Our way of living will become correct. Thinking will be correct. Our actions and speech will be correct. So we really should look into all of this. Why is it that we have suffering? Because of lack of knowledge, not knowing where things begin and end, not understanding the causes; this is ignorance. When there is this ignorance, then various desires arise, and, driven by them, we create the causes of suffering. Then the result must be suffering. When you gather firewood and light a match to it, and then you expect not to have any heat, what are your chances? You are creating a fire, aren't you? This is origination itself. If you understand these things, then morality will be born here. Dhamma will be born here. So prepare yourselves. The Buddha advised us to prepare ourselves. You needn't have too many concerns or anxieties about things. Just look here. Look at the place without desires, the place without danger. Nibbana paccayo hotu - the Buddha taught, let it be a cause for Nibbana. If it will be a cause for realization of Nibbana, then it means looking at the place where things are empty, where things are done with, where they reach their end, where they are exhausted. Look at the place where there are no more causes, where there is no more self or other, me or mine. This looking becomes a cause or condition, a condition for attaining Nibbana. Then practicing generosity becomes a cause for realizing Nibbana. Practicing morality becomes a cause for realizing Nibbana. Listening to the teachings becomes a cause for realizing Nibbana. Thus we can dedicate all our Dhamma activities to become causes for Nibbana. But we are not looking towards Nibbana. We are looking at self and other and attachment and grasping without end. This does not become a cause for Nibbana. When we deal with others and they talk about self, about me and mine, about what is ours, then we immediately agree with this viewpoint. We immediately think, "Yeah, that's right!" But it's not right. Even if the mind is saying, right, right, we have to exert control over it. It's the same as a child who is afraid of ghosts. Maybe the parents are afraid, too. But it won't do for the parents to talk about it; if they do, then the child will feel he has no protection or security. "No, of course Daddy is not afraid. Don't worry, Daddy is here. There are no ghosts. There's nothing to worry about." Well, the father might really be afraid, too. If he starts talking about it, then they will all get so worked up about ghosts that they'll jump up and run away, father, mother and child, and end up homeless. This is not being clever. You have to look at things clearly and learn how to deal with them. Even when you feel that deluded appearances are real, you have to tell yourself that they are not. Go against it like this. Teach yourself inwardly. When the mind is experiencing the world in terms of self, saying, 'it's true', you have to be able to tell it, 'it's not true'. You should be floating above the water, not be submerged by the floodwaters of worldy habit…. The water is flooding our hearts… if we run after things, do we ever look at what is going on? Will there be anyone 'watching the house'? Nibbana paccayam hotu - one need not aim at anything or wish for anything at all. Just aim for Nibbana. All manner of becoming and birth, merit and virtue in the worldly way do not reach there. Making merits and skillful kamma, hoping it will cause us to attain to some better state, we don't need to be wishing for a lot of things; just aim directly for Nibbana. Wanting sila, wanting tranquility - we just end up in the same old place- it's not necessary to desire these things - we should just wish for the place of cessation. It is like this. Throughout all our becoming and birth, all of us are so terribly anxious about so many things. When there is separation, when there is death, we cry and lament. To me, oyyy, I can only think, how utterly foolish this is. What are we crying about? Where do you think people are going anyhow? If they are still bound up in becoming and birth, they are not really going away. When children grow up and move to the big city of Bangkok, they still think of their parents. They won't be missing someone else's parents, just their own. When they return, they will go to their parents' home, not someone else's. And when they go away again, they will still think about their home here in Ubon. Will they be homesick for some other place? What do you think? So when the breath ends and we die, no matter through how many lifetimes, if the causes for becoming and birth still exist, the consciousness is likely to try and take birth in a place it is familiar with. I think we are just too fearful about all of this. So please don't go crying about it too much. Think about this. Satte kammam vipassati - kamma drives beings into their various births - they don't go very far. Cycling back and forth through the round of births, that is all, just changing appearances, appearing with a different face next time, but we don't know it. Just coming and going, going and returning in the round of samsara, not really going anywhere. Just staying there. Like a mango that is shaken off the tree/ like the snare that does not get the wasps' nest and falls to the ground: it is not going anywhere. It is just staying there. So the Buddha said, Nibbana paccayam hotu; let your only aim be Nibbana. Strive hard to accomplish this; don't end up like the mango falling to the ground and going nowhere. Transform your sense of things like this. If you can change it, you will know great peace. Change, please; come to see and know. These are things one should indeed see and know. If you do see and know, then where else do you need to go? Morality will come to be. Dhamma will come to be. It is nothing far away; please investigate this. When you transform your view, then you will realize that it is like watching leaves fall from the trees. When they get old and dry, they fall from the tree. And when the season comes, they begin to appear again. Would anyone cry when leaves fall or laugh when they grow? If you did, you would be insane, wouldn't you? It is just this much. If we can see things in this way, we will be OK. We will know that is just the natural order of things. It doesn't matter how many births we undergo, it will always be like this. When one studies dhamma, gains clear knowledge, and undergoes a change of world-view like this, one will realize peace and be free of bewilderment about the phenomena of this life. But the important point, really, is that we have life now, in the present. We are experiencing the results of past deeds right now. When beings are born into the world, that is the results of past actions appearing. Whatever happiness or suffering beings have in the present are the fruits of what they have done previously. It is born of the past and experienced in the present. Then this present experience becomes the basis for the future, as we create further causes under its influence, and the future experience becomes the result. The movement from one birth to the next also happens in this way. You should understand this. Listening to the dhamma should resolve your doubts. It should clarify your view of things and alter your way of living. When doubts are resolved, suffering can end. You stop creating desires and mental afflictions. Then, whatever you experience, if something is displeasing to you, you will not suffer over it, because you understand its changeability. If something is pleasing to you, you will not get carried away and become intoxicated by it, because you know the way to let go of things appropriately. You maintain a balanced perspective, because you understand impermanence and know how to resolve things according to Dhamma. You know that good and bad conditions are always changing. Knowing internal phenomena, you understand external phenomena. Not attached to the external, you are not attached to the internal. Observing things within yourself or outside of yourself, it is all completely the same. In this way, we can dwell in a natural state, which is peace and tranquility. If we are criticized, we remain undisturbed. If we are praised, we are undisturbed. Let things be in this way, not being influenced by others. This is freedom. Knowing the two extremes for what they are, one can experience well-being. One does not stop at either side. This is genuine happiness and peace, transcending all things of the world. One transcends all good and evil. Above cause and effect, beyond birth and death. Born into this world, one can transcend the world. Beyond the world, knowing the world - this is the aim of the Buddha's teaching. He did not aim for people to suffer. He desired people to attain to peace, to know the truth of things and realize wisdom. This is dhamma, knowing the nature of things. Whatever exists in the world is nature. There is no need to be in confusion about it. Wherever you are, the same laws apply. The most important point is that while we have life, we should train the mind to be even in regard to things. We should be able to share wealth and possessions. When the time comes, we should give a portion to those in need, just as if we were giving things to our own children. Sharing things like this, we will feel happy; and if we can give away all our wealth, then whenever our breath may stop, there will be no attachment or anxiety because everything is gone. The Buddha taught to 'die before you die', to be finished with things before they are finished. Then you can be at ease. Let things break before they are broken, let them finish before they are finished. This is the Buddha's intention in teaching the Dhamma. Even if you listen to teachings for a hundred or a thousand eons, if you do not understand these points, you won't be able to undo your suffering and you will not find peace. You will not see the Dhamma. But understanding these things according to the Buddha's intention and being able to resolve things is called seeing the Dhamma. This view of things can make an end of suffering. It can relieve all heat and distress. Whoever strives sincerely and is diligent in practice, who can endure, who trains and develops themselves to the full measure, those persons will attain to peace and cessation. Wherever they stay, they will have no suffering. Whether they are young or old, they will be free of suffering. Whatever their situation, whatever work they have to perform, they will have no suffering, because their minds have reached the place where suffering is exhausted, where there is peace. It is like this. It is a matter of nature. The Buddha thus said to change one's perceptions, and there will be the Dhamma. When the mind is in harmony with Dhamma, then Dhamma enters the heart. The mind and the Dhamma become the indistinguishable. This is something to be realized by those who practice, the changing of one's view and experience of things. The entire Dhamma is paccatam. It can not be given by anyone; that is an impossibility. If we hold it to be difficult, then it will be something difficult. If we take it to be easy, then it is easy. Whoever contemplates it and sees the one point does not have to know a lot of things. Seeing the one point, seeing birth and death, the arising and passing away of phenomena according to nature, one will know all things. This is a matter of the truth. This is the way of the Buddha. The Buddha gave his teachings out of the wish to benefit all beings. He wished for us to go beyond suffering and to attain peace. It is not that we have to die first in order to transcend suffering… We shouldn't think that we will attain this after death… we can go beyond suffering here and now, in the present. We transcend within our perception of things, in this very life, through the view that arises in our minds. Then, sitting, we are happy; lying down, we are happy; wherever we are, we are have happiness. We become without fault, experiencing no ill results, living in a state of freedom. The mind is clear, bright, and tranquil. There is no more darkness or defilement. That is someone who has reached the supreme happiness of the Buddha's way. Please investigate this for yourselves. All of you lay followers, please contemplate this to gain understanding and ability. If you have suffering, then practice to alleviate your suffering. If it is great, make it little, and if it is little, make an end of it. Everyone has to do this for themselves, so please make an effort to consider these words. May you prosper and develop. Evam.

A Gift of Dhamma

A Gift of Dhamma

by Ven Ajahn Chah

(A Discourse delivered to the assembly of Western Monks, Novices and Lay-disciples at Bung Wai Forest Monastery, Ubon, on 10th October, 1977. This Discourse was offered to the parents of one of the monks on the occasion of their visit from France.) I am happy that you have taken this opportunity to come and visit Wat Pah Pong, and to see your son who is a monk here, however I'm sorry I have no gift to offer you. France already has so many material things, but of Dhamma there's very little. Having been there and seen for myself, there isn't really any Dhamma there which could lead to peace and tranquillity. There are only things which continually make one's mind confused and troubled. France is already materially prosperous, it has so many things to offer which are sensually enticing -- sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures. However, people ignorant of Dhamma only become confused by them. So today I will offer you some Dhamma to take back to France as a gift from Wat Pah Pong and Wat Pah Nanachat. What is Dhamma? Dhamma is that which can cut through the problems and difficulties of mankind, gradually reducing them to nothing. That's what is called Dhamma and that's what should be studied throughout our daily lives so that when some mental impression arises in us, we'll be able to deal with it and go beyond it. Problems are common to us all whether living here in Thailand or in other countries. If we don't know how to solve them, we'll always be subject to suffering and distress. That which solves problems is wisdom and to have wisdom we must develop and train the mind. The subject of practice isn't far away at all, it's right here in our body and mind. Westerners and Thais are the same, they both have a body and mind. A confused body and mind means a confused person and a peaceful body and mind, a peaceful person. Actually, the mind, like rain water, is pure in its natural state. If we were to drop green coloring into clear rain water, however, it would turn green. If yellow coloring it would turn yellow. The mind reacts similarly. When a comfortable mental impression "drops" into the mind, the mind is comfortable. When the mental impression is uncomfortable, the mind is uncomfortable. The mind becomes "cloudy" just like the colored water. When clear water contacts yellow, it turns yellow. When it contacts green, it turns green. It will change color every time. Actually, that water which is green or yellow is naturally clean and clear. This is also the natural state of the mind, clean and pure and unconfused. It becomes confused only because it pursues mental impressions; it gets lost in its moods! Let me explain more clearly. Right now we are sitting in a peaceful forest. Here, if there's no wind, a leaf remains still. When a wind blows it flaps and flutters. The mind is similar to that leaf. When it contacts a mental impression, it, too, "flaps and flutters" according to the nature of that mental impression. And the less we know of Dhamma, the more the mind will continually pursue mental impressions. Feeling happy, it succumbs to happiness. Feeling suffering, it succumbs to suffering. It's constant confusion! In the end people become neurotic. Why? Because they don't know! They just follow their moods and don't know how to look after their own minds. When the mind has no one to look after it, it's like a child without a mother or father to take care of him. An orphan has no refuge and, without a refuge, he's very insecure. Likewise, if the mind is not looked after, if there is no training or maturation of character with right understanding, it's really troublesome. The method of training the mind which I will give you today is Kammatthana. "Kamma" means "action" and "thana" means "base." In Buddhism it is the method of making the mind peaceful and tranquil. It's for you to use in training the mind and with the trained mind investigate the body. Our being is composed of two parts: one is the body, the other, the mind. There are only these two parts. What is called "the body," is that which can be seen with our physical eyes. "The mind," on the other hand, has no physical aspect. The mind can only be seen with the "internal eye" or the "eye of the mind." These two things, body and mind, are in a constant state of turmoil. What is the mind? The mind isn't really and "thing." Conventionally speaking, it's that which feels or senses. That which senses, receives and experiences all mental impressions is called "mind." Right at this moment there is mind. As I am speaking to you, the mind acknowledges what I am saying. Sounds enter through the ear and you know what is being said. That which experiences this is called "mind." This mind doesn't have any self or substance. It doesn't have any form. It just experiences mental activities, that's all! If we teach this mind to have right view, this mind won't have any problems. It will be at ease. The mind is mind. Mental objects are mental objects. Mental objects are not the mind, the mind is not mental objects. In order to clearly understand our minds and the mental objects in our minds, we say that the mind is that which receives the mental objects which pop into it. When these two things, mind and its object, come into contact with each other, they give rise to feelings. Some are good, some bad, some cold, some hot, all kinds! Without wisdom to deal with these feelings, however, the mind will be troubled. Meditation is the way of developing the mind so that it may be a base for the arising of wisdom. Here the breath is a physical foundation. We call it Anapanasati or "mindfulness of breathing." Here we make breathing our mental object. We take this object of meditation because it's the simplest and because it has been the heart of meditation since ancient times. When a good occasion arises to do sitting meditation, sit cross-legged: right leg on top of the left leg, right hand on top of the left hand. Keep your back straight and erect. Say to yourself, "Now I will let go of all my burdens and concerns." You don't want anything that will cause you worry. Let go of all concerns for the time being. Now fix your attention on the breath. Then breathe in and breathe out. In developing awareness of breathing, don't intentionally make the breath long or short. Neither make it strong or weak. Just let it flow normally and naturally. Mindfulness and self-awareness, arising from the mind, will know the in-breath and the out-breath. Be at ease. Don't think about anything. No need to think of this or that. The only thing you have to do is fix your attention on the breathing in and breathing out. You have nothing else to do but that! Keep your mindfulness fixed on the in-and out-breaths as they occur. Be aware of the beginning, middle and end of each breath. On inhalation, the beginning of the breath is at the nose tip, the middle at the heart, and the end in the abdomen. On exhalation, it's just the reverse: the beginning of the breath is in the abdomen, the middle at the heart, and the end at the nose tip. Develop the awareness of the breath: 1, at the nose tip; 2, at the heart; 3, in the abdomen. Then in reverse: 1, in the abdomen; 2, at the heart; and 3, at the nose tip. Focusing the attention on these three points will relieve all worries. Just don't think of anything else! Keep your attention on the breath. Perhaps other thoughts will enter the mind. It will take up other themes and distract you. Don't be concerned. Just take up the breathing again as your object of attention. The mind may get caught up in judging and investigating your moods, but continue to practice, being constantly aware of the beginning, middle and the end of each breath. Eventually, the mind will be aware of the breath at these three points all the time. When you do this practice for some time, the mind and body will get accustomed to the work. Fatigue will disappear. The body will feel lighter and the breath will become more and more refined. Mindfulness and self-awareness will protect the mind and watch over it. We practice like this until the mind is peaceful and calm, until it is one. One means that the mind will be completely absorbed in the breathing, that it doesn't separate from the breath. The mind will be unconfused and at ease. It will know the beginning, middle and end of the breath and remain steadily fixed on it. Then when the mind is peaceful, we fix our attention on the in-breath and out-breath at the nose tip only. We don't have to follow it up and down to the abdomen and back. Just concentrate on the tip of the nose where the breath comes in and goes out. This is called "calming the mind," making it relaxed and peaceful. When tranquillity arises, the mind stops; it stops with its single object, the breath. This is what's known as making the mind peaceful so that wisdom may arise. This is the beginning, the foundation of our practice. You should try to practice this every single day, wherever you may be. Whether at home, in a car, lying or sitting down, you should be mindfully aware and watch over the mind constantly. This is called mental training which should be practiced in all the four postures. Not just sitting, but standing, walking and lying as well. The point is that we should know what the state of the mind is at each moment, and, to be able to do this, we must be constantly mindful and aware. Is the mind happy or suffering? Is it confused? Is it peaceful? Getting to know the mind in this manner allows it to become tranquil, and when it does become tranquil, wisdom will arise. With the tranquil mind investigate the meditation subject which is the body, from the top of the head to the soles of the feet, then back to the head. Do this over and over again. Look at and see the hair of the head, hair of the body, the nails, teeth and skin. In this meditation we will see that this whole body is composed of four "elements': earth, water, fire and wind. The hard and solid parts of our body make up the earth element; the liquid and flowing parts, the water element. Winds that pass up and down our body make up the wind element, and the heat in our body, the fire element. Taken together, they compose what we call a "human being." However, when the body is broken down into its component parts, only these four elements remain. The Buddha taught that there is no "being" per se, no human, no Thai, no Westerner, no person, but that ultimately, there are only these four elements -- that's all! We assume that there is a person or a "being" but, in reality, there isn't anything of the sort. Whether taken separately as earth, water, fire and wind, or taken together labelling what they form a "human being," they're all impermanent, subject to suffering and not-self. They are all unstable, uncertain and in a state of constant change -- not stable for a single moment! Our body is unstable, altering and changing constantly. Hair changes, nails change, teeth change, skin changes -- everything changes, completely! Our mind, too, is always changing. It isn't a self or substance. It isn't really "us," not really "them," although it may think so. Maybe it will think about killing itself. Maybe it will think of happiness or of suffering -- all sorts of things! It's unstable. If we don't have wisdom and we believe this mind of ours, it'll lie to us continually. And we alternately suffer and be happy. This mind is an uncertain thing. This body is uncertain. Together they are impermanent. Together they are a source of suffering. Together they are devoid of self. These, the Buddha pointed out, are neither a being, nor a person, nor a self, nor a soul, nor us, nor they. They are merely elements: earth, water, fire and wind. Elements only! When the mind sees this, it will rid itself of attachment which holds that "I" am beautiful, "I" am good, "I" am evil, "I" am suffering, "I" have, "I" this or "I" that. You will experience a state of unity, for you'll have seen that all of mankind is basically the same. There is no "I." There are only elements. When you contemplate and see impermanence, suffering and not-self, there will no longer be clinging to a self, a being, I or he or she. The mind which sees this will give rise to Nibbida, world-weariness and dispassion. It will see all things as only impermanent, suffering and not-self. The mind then stops. The mind is Dhamma. Greed, hatred and delusion will then diminish and recede little by little until finally there is only mind -- just the pure mind. This is called "practicing meditation." Thus, I ask you to receive this gift of Dhamma which I offer you to study and contemplate in your daily lives. Please accept this Dhamma Teaching from Wat Pah Pong and Wat Pah Nanachat as an inheritance handed down to you. All of the monks here, including your son, and all the Teachers, make you an offering of this Dhamma to take back to France with you. It will show you the way to peace of mind, it will render your mind calm and unconfused. Your body may be in turmoil, but your mind will not. Those in the world may be confused, but you will not. Even though there is confusion in your country, you will not be confused because the mind will have seen, the mind is Dhamma. This is the right path, the proper way. May you remember this Teaching in the future. May you be well and happy. Ajahn Chah (From "Bodhinyana")