4. แสงธรรม 1 Saeng Dhamma
The Buddha’s Words
พุทธสุภาษิต
อตฺตานญฺเจ ตถา กยิรา ยถญฺญมนุสาสติ
สุทนฺโต วต ทเมถ อตฺตา หิ กิร ทุทฺทโม ฯ (๑๕๙)
สอนคนอืนอย่างใด ควรทำาตนอย่างนัน ฝึกตนเองได้แล้ว จึงควรฝึกคนอืน
่ ้ ่
เพราะตัวเราเองฝึกยากยิงนัก
่
As he instructs others he should himself act. Himself fully controlled,
he should control others. Difficult indeed is to control oneself.
6. แสงธรรม 3 Saeng Dhamma
INSIGHT,
BY ORGANIZED TRAINING
by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
http://www.buddhanet.net/budasa10.htm
...Continued from last issue... develops the unobscured knowledge that these
things are in fact obstacles and succeeds in cut-
INSIGHT, BY ORGANIZED TRAINING ting out these finer defilements completely. This
Y et another kind of obstacle involves faith.
Faith or confidence never felt before be-
comes firmly established, for example confi-
knowledge of what is the right path and what is
not constitutes the third stage in vipassana and
the fifth Purification.
dence in the Threefold Gem, Buddha, Dhamma Until such time as the aspirant has devel-
and Sangha, or in theories the meditator thinks oped this knowledge of what really constitutes
out for himself. There may even come about a the right path, he has to be always steering
most intense satisfaction in Dhamma. The abil- himself away from the various side tracks. Once
ity to remain unmoved by anything becomes so this knowledge of the path to be followed has
strongly developed that it may even delude the become fully established, however, any further
meditator into believing he has already attained knowledge will automatically develop along the
the Fruit of the Path and Nirvana itself. These right line. It will progress step by step, bringing
things are a great difficulty for anyone encoun- perfectly clear understanding of the true na-
tering them for the first time. As you can see ture of things and ultimately perfect freedom
they constitute a barrier in the way of vipassa- from, and non-involvement in things. The mind,
na. The meditator, however, is likely to regard equipped with this right understanding, is all set
them as highly desirable until such time as he to attain insight into the Four Noble Truths, and
7. แสงธรรม 4 Saeng Dhamma
is said to have attained the Purity by Knowledge ing, and concentrates exclusively on the pass-
and Vision of the progress along the Path. This ing away. This permits him to see the process
is counted as the fourth stage in vipassana and of disintegration and decay in such depth and
the sixth Purification. The Tipitaka contains no intensity that he comes to realize that decay
detailed explanation of the stages in this Knowl- and perishing are universally evident no matter
edge and Vision of the progress along the Path, where in the world one looks. A mind dwelling
but later teachers recognized in it nine steps, as in this knowledge is said to be equipped with
follows: knowledge of decay and dissolution (Bhanganu-
a) Vipassana has progressed properly, and passana - nana). This is the second step in the
the birth, aging, pain and death of phenomena developing of knowledge.
have been thoroughly scrutinized. The arising c) Knowledge of decay and dissolution, when
and passing away of phenomena has been per- sufficiently well developed, gives rise next to
ceived in all clarity. All phenomenal existence the awareness that all things are to be feared.
is seen to consist of just an endless process of All phenomenal existence, whether in the sen-
arising and ceasing like the glittering dazzle on sual realm, in the form realm, or in the form-
the surface of the sea, or like the forming and less realm, is seen as inherently fearsome. All
bursting of the foamy crests of waves. This is spheres of existence are seen as thoroughly
known as knowledge of arising and passing away fearsome because the decay and dissolution of
(Udayabbayanupassana - nana). It is brought all phenomena is perceived in every conscious
about by concentrated introspection so clear, moment. Thus an intense apprehension arises
and sustained for so long a time that the knowl- in the mind of one possessing this awareness
edge becomes firmly established, like a dye ab- and becomes established as a genuine fear. This
sorbed by the mind, powerful enough to make awareness sees nothing but fearsomeness, like
the meditator become disenchanted with things poison, or deadly weapons, or vicious armed
and give up clinging to them. This is the first step bandits, completely filling the three spheres of
in the Knowledge and Vision of the Progress phenomenal existence-nothing but fearsome-
along the Path. ness. This awareness of the fearsomeness (Bhay-
b) Arising and passing away, if observed si- atupatthana-nana) of all phenomenal existence
multaneously, cannot be perceived with such is reckoned as the third step.
clarity as they can if either one is concentrat- d) When awareness of the completely fear-
ed on separately. At this stage, the meditator some nature of all phenomenal existence has
gives up watching one of the two, namely aris- been fully developed, there will arise in its turn
8. แสงธรรม 5 Saeng Dhamma
awareness that all things are inherently danger- for freedom a frog struggling to escape from a
ous. To become involved in things is not safe. snake’s jaws, or the desire for freedom of a deer
They are like a forest full of dangerous beasts, or bird struggling to break loose from a snare.
and anyone seeking diversion in the forest finds This real desire to escape (Muncitukamyata -
nothing pleasing there. This awareness of the nana) from unsatisfactoriness is the sixth step.
danger (Adinavan- upassana - nana) inherent in g) Now with the full development of the de-
all phenomenal existence is the fourth step. sire to escape, there arises a feeling of an intense
e) When all things are seen to be in every struggling to find a way out, an ever- present
way full of danger this gives rise to disenchant- feeling that, phenomenal existence being as it
ment. Things are seen as resembling a burntout is, one has to escape from it. Introspecting, one
house of which nothing remains but ashes and perceives the clinging and one perceives the de-
a skeleton, utterly un- filements that are the
attractive. This disen- cause of the mind’s
chantment (Nibbidan- bondage, the fetters
upassanaa - nana) with binding it securely to
having to be associ- that condition. Con-
ated with conditioned sequently one seeks
things is the fifth step for ways of weakening
in the developing of the defilements. Then
knowledge. seeing the defilements
f) When genuine weakened, one sets
disenchantment has become established, there about destroying them completely.
arises a desire to become really free from those This weakening of the defilements is illustrat-
things. This is quite unlike our ordinary desire for ed by means of a simile. A man goes to his fish
freedom, which, lacking the power of concentra- trap and pulls out a snake thinking it to be a
tion or insight to boost it up, is not real desire fish. When told it is a snake, he doesn’t believe
for freedom. The disenchantment arising out of it, at least not until he meets a wise, benevo-
vipassana insight involves the entire mind; and lent and sympathetic teacher, who guides and
the desire for freedom is as great as the dis- instructs him so that he comes to realize that it
enchantment, so is very real and genuine. This is in fact a snake. He then becomes afraid and
desire to escape from the unsatisfactoriness of searches about for a means of killing it. He grabs
phenomenal existence is as great as the desire the snake by the neck and, lifting it above his
9. แสงธรรม 6 Saeng Dhamma
head, swings it in a circle until it is worn out and must use all sorts of devices and techniques to
falls down dead. This simile illustrates the aris- weaken those tigers day by day rather than try-
ing of the knowledge that the defilements are ing to kill them outright. This intense search for
the cause of people’s bondage to a condition a way of escape (Patisankhanupassana - nana)
much to be feared and dreaded. constitutes the seventh step in the Knowledge
If one has no technique for reducing the force and Vision of the Progress along the Path. h) This
of the defilements day by day, eradicating them weakening of the defilements serves to make
is bound to be impossible. The power of the us progressively more and more independent of
defilements far exceeds that of the still meag- and oblivious to things. So this next step in the
er knowledge to be used in destroying them; developing of right understanding, which results
hence knowledge must be developed and in- in imperturbability with respect to all things,
creased, and the suf- consists in seeing all
fering produced by Halloween Day phenomena as empty,
the defilements will as devoid of essence,
simultaneously dimin- as devoid of status
ish. Always maintain- such as “animal” or
ing and developing “person,” devoid of
the knowledge that substance or real per-
all things are transient, manence, devoid of
worthless and devoid worth because they
of selfhood, that they are thoroughly unsat-
are not worth getting or being, serves to cut off isfactory, and devoid of all attraction because
the food supply to the defilements, weakening they are thoroughly disenchanting. Ultimately
them day by day. It behooves us to build our- the mind becomes independent of and unper-
selves up, develop, become more skillful and turbed by anything in any realm of existence.
ingenious. By this means, we can conquer de- Things formerly likable, desirable and infatuat-
filements the size of mountains, small though ing, come to be seen as lumps of rock and earth.
we may be. Our situation can be compared to This too has been explained by means of a
that of a small mouse faced with the job of kill- simile. A man who has always loved a certain
ing several tigers. We have to be really steadfast woman may one day experience a change of
and always on the lookout for means appropri- heart and stop loving her. For instance, he will
ate to a small mouse. If we get nowhere, we stop loving his wife if she is unfaithful. Once di-
10. แสงธรรม 7 Saeng Dhamma
vorced, however, he is free to go ahead and do When this stepwise developing of knowledge,
as he pleases; his mind can be unperturbed. And from knowledge of arising and passing away up
at this level of knowledge, conditions hitherto to the state of readiness to perceive the Four
delightful, each in its own way, are recognized Noble Truths, has been carried through to com-
as devoid of substance, so that one can be in- pletion, one is said to have achieved the fourth
dependent of them and unperturbed by them state in vipassana, or the sixth Purification. The
in all circumstances, just like the man who be- pure and perfect knowledge it yields is an in-
comes independent on divorcing his wife. This strument that reveals to the meditator the path
indifference to all phenomena (Sankharupekkha by which he has come, and can lead on to the
- nana) is the eighth step. perfect intuitive insight that will destroy the
i) The mind thus independent of and un- defilements.
moved by all phenomenal existence is ready To be continued
to perfect the Path and know the Four Noble
Truths (Saccanulomika - nana). At this stage one อนุโมทนาขอบคุณเจ้าภาพโรงทานวันกฐิน
กลุ่มพลังศรัทธา /สมาคมไทยอีสาน
is all set to overcome the defilements, to break
สมาคมไทยชาวปักษ์ใต้
the fetters binding one to the world, and be- Ruan Thai Rest. / Nava Thai Rest.
come an Aryian of one degree or another. This is Thai Tanic Rest. / Talay Thai Rest.
the ninth step in the process of Knowledge and Siri’S Chef’s Secret Restaurant
Vision of the Progress along the Path. คณะพยาบาลบัลติมอร์ และเพื่อนๆ
คุณจีระภา หาญวัฒนานุกูล ทำาบุญอุทิศให้คุณแม่พร้อมจิตต์ แผ้วใจดี ที่จากไปครบ 50 วัน
จึงขอขอบพระคุณญาติสนิทมิตรสหายทุกท่านที่มาร่วมอุทิศบุญให้แม่ในครั้งนี้ด้วย
11. K
แสงธรรม 8 Saeng Dhamma
NOWING
THE WORLD
By Ajahn Chah
http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/It_Can_Be_Done.php
tually pretty stupid. These things aren’t neces-
...Continued from last issue... sary to know. Just knowing that there are roots
and leaves is sufficient. Do you want to count all
T his is something I’ve often talked about.
Some people have to analyze like that,
even if they are looking at a tree. Students in
the leaves on a tree? If you look at one leaf, you
should be able to get the picture.
It’s the same with people. If we know our-
particular want to know what merit and demerit selves, then we understand all people in the
are, what form they have, what they look like. I universe without having to go and observe
explain to them that these things have no form. them. The Buddha wanted us to look at our-
Merit is in our having correct understanding, cor- selves. As we are, so are others. We are all
rect attitude. But they want to know everything sāmaññalakkhana, all being of the same charac-
so clearly in such great detail. teristics. All sankhāras are like this.
So I’ve used the example of a tree. The stu- So we practice samādhi to be able to give
dents will look at a tree, and they want to know up the defilements, to give birth to knowledge
all about the parts of the tree. Well, a tree has and vision and let go of the five khandhas.
roots, it has leaves. It lives because of the roots. Sometimes people talk about samatha. Some-
The students have to know, how many roots times they talk about vipassanā. I feel this can
does it have? Major roots, minor roots, branch- become confusing. Those who practice samādhi
es, leaves, they want to know all the details and will praise samādhi. But it is just for making the
numbers. Then they will feel they have clear mind tranquil so it can know those things we
knowledge about the tree. But the Buddha said have been talking about.
that a person who wants such knowledge is ac- Then there are those who will say, ‘’I don’t
12. แสงธรรม 9 Saeng Dhamma
need to practice samādhi so much. This plate there? This is what supports and sustains our
will break one day in the future. Isn’t that good practice. If we practise and get to this point, I
enough? That will work, won’t it? I’m not very think every one of us will realize genuine peace.
skilled in samādhi, but I already know that the Whether we are undertaking vipassanā medita-
plate must break someday. Yes, I take good care tion or samatha meditation, just this is what it’s
of it, because I’m afraid it will break, but I know really about. But these days, it seems to me that
that such is its future, and when it does break, I when Buddhists talk about these things accord-
won’t be suffering over that. Isn’t my view cor- ing to the traditional explanations, it becomes
rect? I don’t need to practice a lot of samādhi, vague and mixed up. But the truth (saccadham-
because I already have this understanding. You ma) isn’t vague or mixed up. It remains as it is.
practice samādhi only for developing this un- So I feel it’s better to seek out the source,
derstanding. After training your mind through sit- looking at the way things originate in the mind.
ting, you came to this view. I don’t sit much, but There’s not a lot to this.
I am already confident that this is the way of Birth, aging, illness, and death: it’s brief, but
phenomena.’’ it’s a universal truth. So see it clearly and ac-
This is a question for us practitioners. There knowledge these facts. If you acknowledge
are many factions of teachers promoting their them, you will be able to let go. Gain, rank,
different methods of meditation. It can get con- praise, happiness, and their opposites - you can
fusing. But the real point of it all is to be able to let them go, because you recognize them for
recognize the truth, seeing things as they really what they are.
are and being free of doubt. If we reach this place of ‘recognizing truth’,
As I see it, once we have correct knowledge, we will be uncomplicated, undemanding peo-
the mind comes under our command. What is ple, content with simple food, dwelling, and
this command about? The command is in ani- other requisites for life, easy to speak to and
cca, knowing that everything is impermanent. unassuming in our actions. Without difficulty or
Everything stops here when we see clearly, and trouble, we will live at ease. One who meditates
it becomes the cause for us letting go. Then we and realizes a tranquil mind will be like this.
let things be, according to their nature. If noth- At present we are trying to practise in the
ing is occurring, we abide in equanimity, and if way of the Buddha and his disciples. Those
something comes up, we contemplate: does it beings had achieved awakening, yet they still
cause us to have suffering? Do we hold onto maintained their practice as long as they were
it with grasping attachment? Is there anything living. They acted for the benefit of themselves
13. แสงธรรม 10 Saeng Dhamma
and for the benefit of others, yet even after they a clear state of mind now, so I can’t practise’’
had accomplished all that they could, they still will not be heard. We won’t have such ideas;
kept up their practice, seeking their own and we will never feel that way. Our practice is well
others’ well-being in various ways. I think we developed and complete - this is how it should
should take them as the model for our practice. be. Free of doubt and perplexity, we stop at this
It means not becoming complacent - that was point and contemplate.
their deeply ingrained nature. They never slack- You can look into this: self-view, skeptical
ened their efforts. Effort was their way, their nat- doubt, superstitious attachment to rites and rit-
ural habit. Such is the character of the sages, of uals. The first step is to get free of these. What-
genuine practitioners. ever sort of knowledge you gain, these are the
We can compare it to rich people and poor things the mind needs to get free of. What are
people. The rich are especially hard-working, they like now? To what extent do we still have
much more so than the poor. And the less effort them? We are the only ones who can know this;
poor people make, the less chance they have we have to know for ourselves. Who else can
of becoming rich. The rich have knowledge and know better than we? Self-view, doubt, super-
experience of a lot of things, so they maintain stition: if we are stuck in attachment here, have
the habit of diligence in all they do. doubt here, are still groping here, then there is
Talking about taking a break or getting some the conception of self here. But now we can
rest, we find rest in the practice itself. Once only think, if there is no self, then who is it that
we’ve practiced to get to the goal, know the takes interest and practises?
goal, and be the goal, then when we are ac- All these things go together. If we come to
tive, there’s no way to incur loss or be harmed. know them through practice and make an end of
When we are sitting still, there is no way we can them, then we live in an ordinary way. Just like
be harmed. In all situations, nothing can affect the Buddha and the ariyas. They lived just like
us. Practice has matured to fulfillment and we worldly beings (puthujjana). They used the same
have reached the destination. Maybe today we language as worldly beings. Their everyday exist-
don’t have a chance to sit and practise samādhi, ence wasn’t really different. They used many of
but we are OK. samādhi doesn’t mean only sit- the same conventions. Where they differed was
ting. There can be samādhi in all postures. If that they didn’t create suffering for themselves
we are really practising in all postures, we will with their minds. They had no suffering. This is
enjoy samādhi thus. There won’t be anything the crucial point, going beyond suffering, extin-
that can interfere. Such words as ‘’I’m not in guishing suffering. Nibbāna means ‘’extinguish-
14. แสงธรรม 11 Saeng Dhamma
ing.’’ Extinguishing suffering, extinguishing heat life and taking rebirth in the next life. That’s so
and torment, extinguishing doubt and anxiety. far away. The suffering of birth happens right
There’s no need to be in doubt about the now. It’s said that becoming is the cause of
practice. Whenever there is doubt about some- birth. What is this ‘’becoming’’? Anything that
thing, don’t have doubt about the doubt - look we attach to and put meaning on is becoming.
directly at it and crush it like that. Whenever we see anything as self or other or
In the beginning, we train to pacify the mind. belonging to ourselves, without wise discern-
This can be difficult to do. You have to find a ment to know that such is only a convention,
meditation that suits your own temperament. that is all becoming. Whenever we hold on to
That will make it easier to gain tranquility. But in something as us or ours and it then undergoes
truth, the Buddha wanted us to return to our- change, the mind is shaken by that. It is shaken
selves, to take responsibility and look at our- with a positive or negative reaction. That sense
selves. of self experiencing happiness or unhappiness
Hot is anger. Too cool is pleasure, the ex- is birth. When there is birth, it brings suffering
treme of indulgence. If it’s hot it’s the extreme along with it. Aging is suffering, illness is suffer-
of self-torment. We want neither hot nor cold. ing, death is suffering.
Know hot and cold. Know all things that appear. Right now, do we have becoming? Are we
Do they cause us to suffer? Do we form attach- aware of this becoming? For example, take the
ment to them? Such as the teaching that birth trees in the monastery. The abbot of the mon-
is suffering: it doesn’t only mean dying from this astery can take birth as a worm in every tree in
ครอบครัวเจตบุตร ครอบครัวศรีภญโญ และครอบครัวปานานนท์ ทำาบุญถวายเพลในวัน Thanksgiving /
ิ
คุณยายเสริมศรี เชื้อวงศ์ ทำาบุญถวายสังฆทานเนื่องในวันเกิดลูกสะใภ้ จึงขออนุโมทนาบุญมา ณ โอกาสนี้
15. แสงธรรม 12 Saeng Dhamma
the monastery if he isn’t aware of himself, if he take birth, with all the resultant sufferings. This
feels that it is really his monastery. This grasp- rebirth happens right now, in the present. This
ing at ‘’my’’ monastery with ‘’my’’ orchard and glass breaks right now, and we are upset right
‘’my’’ trees is the worm that latches on there. now. This glass isn’t broken now, and we are
If there are thousands of trees, he will become happy about it now. This is how it happens, be-
a worm thousands of times. This is becoming. ing upset or being happy without any wisdom
When the trees are cut or meet with any harm, in control. One only meets with ruination. You
the worms are affected; the mind is shaken and don’t need to look far away to understand this.
takes birth with all this anxiety. Then there is the When you focus your attention here, you can
suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, and so know whether or not there is becoming. Then,
forth. Are you aware of the way this happens? when it is happening, are you aware of it? Are
Well, those objects in our homes or our or- you aware of convention and supposition? Do
chards are still a little far away. Let’s look right you understand them? It’s the grasping attach-
at ourselves sitting here. We are composed ment that is the vital point, whether or not we
of the five aggregates and the four elements. are really believing in the designations of me
These sankhāras are designated as a self. Do and mine. This grasping is the worm, and it is
you see these sankhāras and these suppositions what causes birth.
as they really are? If you don’t see the truth Where is this attachment? Grasping onto
of them, there is becoming, being gladdened form, feeling, perception, thoughts, and con-
or depressed over the five khandhas, and we sciousness, we attach to happiness and un-
น.อ. ไกรศรี เกษร รน. ผู้ช่วยทูตฝ่ายทหารเรือ พร้อมภริยา ทำาบุญวันกองทัพเรือ
ทำาบุญขึนบ้านใหม่ เพืออุทศส่วนบุญให้บรรพบุรษและเพือเป็นสิรมงคลแก่ชวต 19 พ.ย. 53
้ ่ ิ ุ ่ ิ ีิ
16. แสงธรรม 13 Saeng Dhamma
happiness, and we become obscured and take I have a Dhamma friend in central Thailand.
birth. It happens when we have contact through In the old days we practiced together, but we
the senses. The eyes see forms, and it happens went our separate ways long ago. Recently I saw
in the present. This is what the Buddha wanted him. He practises the foundations of mindful-
us to look at, to recognize becoming and birth ness, reciting the sutta and giving discourses on
as they occur through our senses. If we know it. But he hadn’t resolved his doubts yet. He
them, we can let go, internally and externally, prostrated to me and said, ‘’Oh, Ajahn, I’m so
the inner senses and the external objects. This happy to see you!’’ I asked him why. He told
can be seen in the present. It’s not something me he had gone to some shrine where people
that happens when we die from this life. It’s go for divinations. He held the Buddha statue
the eye seeing forms right now, the ear hear- and said, ‘’If I have already attained the state
ing sounds right now, the nose smelling aromas of purity, may I be able to raise up this statue. If
right now, the tongue tasting flavours right now. I have not yet attained the state of purity, may
Are you taking birth with them? Be aware and I not be able to raise it up.’’ And then he was
recognize birth right as it happens. This way is able to raise it up, which made him very delight-
better. ed. Just this little act, which has no real basis in
To do this requires having wisdom to stead- anything, meant so much to him and made him
ily apply mindfulness and clear comprehension. think he was pure. So he had it engraved on a
Then you can be aware of yourself and know stone to say ‘’I raised up the Buddha statue and
when you are undergoing becoming and birth. have thus attained the state of purity.’’
You won’t need to ask a fortune-teller. To be continued
คุณวิสุทธิ์-คุณสรินทิพย์ โค้ว พร้อมครอบครัว ญาติสนิทมิตรสหาย
ทำาบุญอุทศให้คณแม่ทพย์เรียน บุปผาพันธุ์ ทีจากไปครบ 100 วัน 28 พ.ย. 53
ิ ุ ิ ่
17. แสงธรรม 14 Saeng Dhamma
MY (VERY BRIEF) LIFE
AS A BUDDHIST MONK
Part IlI: Retreat
By Matthew R.G. Regan
B arely three days after my ordination as a monk,
I was sitting in the backseat of a rental van,
pulling up the dark driveway of Wat Pa Santidhamma,
room when I woke up the next morning. Quietly, so not
to disturb him, I gathered my things, and tiptoed out of
the room into the kitchen area of the kuti (monks’ living
200 miles away from the familiar confines of Wat Thai quarters), where I tried, without success, to put on my
DC. Four hours earlier, I had departed Wat Thai with outer robe by myself. Luckily, my good friend Luang Pi
Ajahn Thanat, Ajahn Ampol, and Steve Brown, a good Joe, who was also a temporary monk like me, was there
dhamma friend I had just met a few days before at to help me. Even though I was on retreat, miles away
my ordination ceremony, to undertake the week-long from Wat Thai, some things hadn’t changed.
retreat that would occupy the majority of my time as a As Luang Pi Joe and I walked to the chanting hall,
monk. But now, on the dark and quiet grounds of Wat I was struck by the calm surrounding of Wat Pa. I had
Pa, all of that seemed like a distant memory. As we never visited before, and in the darkness of our arrival
unloaded the van and prepared our sleeping places, I the last evening, I had barely been able to see the
reflected on what a long journey my temporary ordi- ground below me, let alone the calm forest that sur-
nation had already been, and how, in many ways, the rounded the temple grounds. After morning chanting,
hard work was just beginning. Ajahn Ampol lead Steve and I on walking meditation
I slept well that night, really out of exhaustion tour of the grounds, where we became more familiar
more than anything else, and also because I knew with the paths and clearings where we would spend
that a good night’s sleep would be essential to get a great deal of time over the next few days. In the
the most out of the intensive meditation practice I quiet morning air, I could feel myself relaxing and my
had planned to do the next day. I slept so sound- resolve to practice hard that day growing strong.
ly, in fact, that I didn’t even notice when the monk My resolve continued through breakfast and
whose room I was sharing came in, although I was the morning session. When it came time for lunch,
surprised to see him sleeping on the other side of the I was surprised to discover that, even though it was
18. แสงธรรม 15 Saeng Dhamma
a weekday, the people of Wat Pa had brought us solved, I spent my next days at Wat Pa with renewed
a feast of wonderful food. And as an even greater vigor. I tried to take every opportunity to enjoy the
surprise, I learned that we would eat this lunch out quiet grounds for walking and sitting meditation,
of our begging bowls, in the style of forest monks. and having good dhamma discussion with the other
This even further strengthened my resolve to spend monks and the laypeople that had come to partici-
the rest of the day practicing as hard as I could. But pate in the retreat. I tried my best to take advantage
when the afternoon meditation session began, I no- of the simplicity of my surroundings, and shed the
ticed something odd. My concentration was not as attachments that had such a firm grip on me—from
good as it had been in the morning, and a dull pain drinking caffeine to the urge to check the news. But
was throbbing in the back of my head. I tried my best sadly, our time at Wat Pa was already drawing to an end.
to use all the techniques I had learned to deal with Just three days after our arrival in the dark, I
pain, but to my horror, none of them seemed to found myself once again in the back seat of Steve’s
work. Despite all my efforts and all my enthusiasm, van, along with Ajahn Thanat, Ajahn Ampol, my new
the headache only grew, and by the time the medi- friend Luang P Joe, and two other monks from Wat
tation session ended, I was frustrated and demoral- Pa, the Abbot and Luang P Piya. The seven of us
ized. Why did I feel so bad? Was I getting sick? were going to Charlottesville, VA to visit a devoted
My headache continued for several hours more, Buddhist family there that owned a restaurant and
and whatever task I seemed to do, it followed me. It had invited us to eat lunch there. Afterward, Ajahn
was only after a lay person offered me a Pepsi after Ampol told us, we were going to practice tudong,
a dhamma discussion later that afternoon that I real- the method of forest monks: sleeping under the
ized what was going on—I was experiencing caffeine stars, walking in the midst of nature, and living very,
withdrawal! In my lay life, I had a steady coffee habit, very simply. Already, in my short life as a monk, I had
and as I reflected on my first few days as I monk, seen the life of a busy temple like Wat Thai and the
I realized that I had inadvertently been feeding it quiet sandy paths of Wat Pa. Now, we were heading
while I was a monk as well. This had been the first for the mountains.
morning that I had not had coffee with my break- To be Continued next month.
fast, and I was beginning to realize what a powerful
grip a simple chemical had over my life. It amazed
me to realize how much power it had over me. Al-
though I cannot say that I have been fully successful
in eliminating caffeine’s grip on me, either during my
temporary ordination or later on, I have made a con-
certed effort to work with the insight I had that day,
and loosen the grasp it has on my daily routine.
With the case of my mysterious headaches now นักเรียนจาก River Hill High Shool นั่งสมาธิที่วัดไทยฯ ดี.ซี.
19. แสงธรรม 16 Saeng Dhamma
The Hot News of World Buddhism
�‹Disgraced‹Ex-Congressman‹Bob‹Ney‹Study- “You pick a quiet spot, as quiet as you can
ing‹Buddhism‹at‹Indian‹Temple. get,” Ney told the National Journal. “You can do
by Christopher Weber, Politics Daily, Nov 22, 2010 it any length of time you want. I usually do it
D haramsala, India -- He’s traveled quite
a path. Former Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio)
served six terms in Congress, then spent 17
about 10 or 15 minutes. And you focus on your
breathing. ... Breath in, breath out. If you hear a
sound, you acknowledge it and you just move on
months in federal prison for his role in the Jack back to your breathing.”
Abramoff scandal. Now he is studying meditation He said he plans to bring a Tibetan monk back
at a Buddhist Temple in India. to Ohio with him to train others in meditation.
Ney, 56, told the National Journal in a phone He wants to help the homeless, battered women
interview that since September he has lived in a and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress
$10-a-day rented room in Dharamsala, the Dalai syndrome.
Lama’s headquarters-in-exile for more than 50 “My life is good,” he said. “I’m a very lucky
years. The ex-congressman quit drinking, dropped person, and I’m just very happy -- very, very hap-
60 pounds and spends his days meditating with py. I’m doing what I want to do.”
monks and learning the Tibetan language.
Ney, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to de- �‹Positive‹Well-Being‹to‹Higher‹Telomerase:‹Psy-
fraud the government and making false statements, chological‹Changes‹from‹Meditation‹Training‹
said he started to try to meditate while in prison to Linked‹to‹Cellular‹Health.
help him cope with the stress of being locked up. ScienceDaily, Nov. 4, 2010
Something about it clicked with him, he said, and
now he practices meditation daily. S an Francisco, CA (USA) -- Positive psycho-
logical changes that occur during medita-
20. แสงธรรม 17 Saeng Dhamma
tion training are associated with greater telomerase crinology and will soon appear in print. It is a
activity, according to researchers at the University product of the UC Davis-based Shamatha Project,
of California, Davis, and the University of California, led by Saron, one of the first long-term, detailed,
San Francisco. The study is the first to link positive matched control-group studies of the effects of
well-being to higher telomerase, an enzyme impor- intensive meditation training on mind and body.
tant for the long-term health of cells in the body. “This work is among the first to show a rela-
The effect appears to be attributable to psy- tion between positive psychological change and
chological changes that telomerase activity.
increase a person’s Because the finding is
ability to cope with new, it should serve
stress and maintain to inspire future stud-
feelings of well-being. ies to replicate and ex-
“We have found tend what we found,”
that meditation pro- Jacobs said.
motes positive psy- Elizabeth Black-
chological changes, burn, professor of biol-
and that meditators ogy and physiology at
showing the greatest UCSF, is a co-author of
improvement on vari- the paper. Blackburn
ous psychological measures had the highest lev- shared the 2009 Nobel Prize for physiology or
els of telomerase,” said Clifford Saron, associate medicine for discovering telomeres and telom-
research scientist at the UC Davis Center for Mind erase. Other co-authors include UCSF colleagues
and Brain. Elissa Epel, associate professor of psychiatry; as-
The take-home message from this work is not sistant research biochemist Jue Lin; and Owen
that meditation directly increases telomerase ac- Wolkowitz, professor of psychiatry.
tivity and therefore a person’s health and longev- Telomeres are sequences of DNA at the end
ity,” Saron said. “Rather, meditation may improve of chromosomes that tend to get shorter every
a person’s psychological well-being and in turn time a cell divides. When telomeres drop below a
these changes are related to telomerase activ- critical length, the cell can no longer divide prop-
ity in immune cells, which has the potential to erly and eventually dies.
promote longevity in those cells. Activities that Telomerase is an enzyme that can rebuild and
increase a person’s sense of well-being may have lengthen telomeres. Other studies suggest that
a profound effect on the most fundamental as- telomerase activity may be a link between psy-
pects of their physiology.” chological stress and physical health.
The study, with UC Davis postdoctoral schol- The research team measured telomerase activ-
ar Tonya Jacobs as lead author, was published ity in participants in the Shamatha Project at the
online Oct. 29 in the journal Psychoneuroendo- end of a three-month intensive meditation retreat.
21. แสงธรรม 18 Saeng Dhamma
Telomerase activity was about one-third high- The Shamatha Project has drawn the atten-
er in the white blood cells of participants who tion of scientists and Buddhist scholars alike, in-
had completed the retreat than in a matched cluding the Dalai Lama, who has endorsed the
group of controls. project.
The retreat participants also showed increases Saron and his colleagues are now analyzing
in such beneficial psychological qualities as per- and publishing other findings from the project. In
ceived control (over one’s life and surroundings), a paper published this summer in Psychological
mindfulness (being able to observe one’s experi- Science, Katherine MacLean, a recent UC Davis
ence in a nonreactive manner) and purpose in life Ph.D. graduate now at Johns Hopkins University,
(viewing one’s life as meaningful, worthwhile and reported that meditators were better at making
aligned with long-term goals and values). In addi- fine visual distinctions and sustaining attention
tion, they experienced decreased neuroticism, or over a long period.
negative emotionality. The group’s next research article, currently
Using statistical modeling techniques, the re- in press in the journal Emotion, will describe a
searchers concluded that high telomerase activity meditation-related reduction in impulsive reac-
was due to the beneficial effects of meditation on tions, which was linked in turn to enhancement in
perceived control and neuroticism, which in turn positive psychological functioning. UC Davis post-
were due to changes in mindfulness and sense of doctoral researcher Baljinder Sahdra is the lead
purpose. author on that paper.
The Shamatha Project is the most compre- Additional co-authors on the current paper
hensive longitudinal study of intensive meditation are: UC Davis graduate students Stephen Aichele,
yet undertaken. Anthony Zanesco and Brandon King; Sahdra, As-
The intensive meditation retreat took place at sociate Professor Emilio Ferrer and Distinguished
the Shambhala Mountain Center in Red Feather Professor Phillip Shaver from the UC Davis De-
Lakes, Colo. The study included 30 participants partment of Psychology; consulting scientist Erika
each in the retreat and control groups. Participants Rosenberg from the UC Davis Center for Mind and
received ongoing instruction in meditation tech- Brain; and from UC Irvine, graduate student David
niques from Buddhist scholar, author and teacher Bridwell of the Department of Cognitive Science.
B. Alan Wallace of the Santa Barbara Institute for Major support for the Shamatha Project comes
Consciousness Studies. They attended group medi- from the Fetzer Institute and the Hershey Fam-
tation sessions twice a day and engaged in indi- ily Foundation. Additional support comes from
vidual practice for about six hours a day. numerous private foundations including the Bau-
A control group of 30 people matched for age, mann Foundation; the Tan Teo Charitable Foun-
sex, education, ethnicity and meditation experi- dation; the Yoga Research and Education Founda-
ence was assessed at the same time and in the tion; and individual donors. Individual researchers
same place, but did not otherwise attend medita- also received fellowship and other support from
tion training at that time. the National Science Foundation; the Social Sci-
22. แสงธรรม 19 Saeng Dhamma
ences, Humanities Research Council of Canada; two ways followers try to achieve nirvana.
and the Barney and Barbro Fund. Saturday’s ceremony involves venerating 28
Science Daily Editor’s Note: This article is not past Buddhas with flowers, lighted oil lamps, in-
intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or cense and other offerings and acknowledging
treatment. The above story is reprinted (with edito- their exceptional qualities and contributions.
rial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materi- The ceremony is rarely done outside Sri Lanka.
als provided by University of California - Davis. Ten Buddhist monks, most from temples in
California, Las Vegas and Oregon, will preside. The
�‹Mesa‹ Buddhist‹ center‹ to‹ hold‹ ceremony‹ service is open to the public.
rarely‹done‹in‹West. “I consider it a great opportunity to be able
by Srianthi Perera, The Arizona Republic, Nov. to participate in this,” said Chamath Abhayaguna-
12, 2010 wardhana of Chandler. “In North America, there
M esa, Arizona (USA) -- A Buddhist cere-
mony rarely performed in the Western
world is scheduled to take place in Mesa on Sat-
aren’t many Buddhist temples.”
Abhayagunawardhana said that even though
the ceremony is held occasionally in Sri Lanka,
urday. his native land, he never had an opportunity to
The Arizona International Buddhist Meditation attend one there.
Center will hold the Atavisi Buddha Puja, a devo- According to teachings, Buddhas in the past
tional ceremony to pay homage to the 28 Bud- have spent countless numbers of lives striving
dhas in this eon. An eon in Buddhism is a count- to develop the qualities that helped them attain
less, but not infinite, period of time. ultimate realization or Buddhahood. Having at-
“The goal of the ceremony is to generate as tained it, the Buddhas discover the true nature of
much merit as possible to free ourselves from existence and explain it to the world.
suffering,” said the Venerable Ananda, principle “We pay respect to all the great qualities that
monk. Buddhas have perfected over such a long time
The Ven. Ananda said the ceremony creates and use them to guide our lives,” said Abhaya-
an atmos- phere of tranquility, which leads to a gunawardhana, an engineer.
calm mind that in turn generates positive thoughts “It’s extremely difficult to develop a full un-
that could continue in their daily lives. derstanding of existence as it really is without the
Buddhists believe all living beings are subject teaching of a Buddha, due to defilements in our
to an endless cycle of births and deaths, as well minds. Hence, we express our gratitude for show-
as suffering in various forms. ing us the way to train our minds towards this
The ultimate goal is to purify the mind. That goal.”
leads to liberation from this cycle by attaining nir- The concept of acknowledging the 28 Bud-
vana, a freeing of the spiritual self from attachment dhas is prevalent in countries that practice Thera-
to worldly things. Venerating, and observing the vada Buddhism such as Myanmar, Thailand and
teachings of Buddhas, as well as meditation are Cambodia.
23. แสงธรรม 20 Saeng Dhamma
Shane Wilson, who conducts meditation class- side the Dalai Lama, he is one of the most rec-
es at the Mesa center, said that Westerners who ognized contemporary Buddhists, and has tens of
practice Buddhism in America don’t embrace cer- thousands of followers.
emonies or rituals. Instead, they practice medita-
tion and read the dhamma, or Buddhist teachings. �‹The‹ World’s‹ Oldest‹ Buddhist‹ Scriptures‹
“A lot of times, they don’t quite understand the Displays‹in‹Thailand
rituals,” he said. “People are interested, but they by Pimjai Chaimongkol, ScandAsia, Nov 11,
think it’s more of a cultural thing rather than religion. 2010
I don’t think that’s a reason to stay away from it.”
Wilson - a Buddhist for 15 years, who has lived
in Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country -
noted that Americans often crave the cultural ex-
periences they find in foreign travel.
“There are cultural experiences right in their
backyard. If more people can understand and
take part in that, it would be good,” he said.
�‹Europe’s‹ largest‹ Buddhist‹ centre‹ to‹ be‹
built‹in‹Germany.
DPA, Nov 19, 2010
B erlin, Germany -- Europe’s largest Bud-
dhist centre has got the go-ahead for a
site at a former military complex outside Cologne,
it was confirmed Friday.
The complex will house 60-80 monks plus up
to 200 guests.
There are already 20 Buddhist monks and
B
nuns living on the site in Waldbroel, 50 km east
of Cologne. angkok, Thailand -- The World’s oldest
The 10-million euro ($14-million) project, by Buddhist Scriptures are exhibited for
the European Institute of Applied Buddhism, is to the first time in Thailand at the Phutthamonthon
provide seminars and courses, teaching strategies Buddhist Park in Nakhon Pathom province from 8
to deal with issues such as conflict, anger or grief. November 2010 to 5 February 2011.
The centre is expected to open in 2015. Norway played an important role in recently
The European Institute of Applied Buddhism moving the scriptures to safety from Taleban at-
was set up by a Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, tacks ten years ago. The pubic display in Thailand
who was banished from Vietnam in 1966. Along- takes place in honour of the seventh cycle birth-
24. แสงธรรม 21 Saeng Dhamma
day of His Majesty the King on the 5th of Decem- Taliban attacks and took refuge in caves from 1993 to
ber next year. 1995. The Bamiyan people then took the scriptures
The scriptures are the world’s most ancient to Pakistan to save them from destruction by the
Tripitaka scriptures more than 2,000 years old. extremist Muslim Taliban government.
Some parts of the ancient scriptures have disin- Norway and Britain then secretly moved
tegrated. More than 10,000 pieces will be on dis- the scriptures out of Pakistan from 1997 to 2000.
play at the exhibition. They brought out 5,000 complete scriptures and
Buddha’s teachings were first recorded on 8,000 pieces of broken scriptures inscribed on
palm leaves, bark, leather and brass plates.
Phra Thammasitthinayok, Deputy Prime
Minister Sanan Kachornprasart and more than
30 Buddhist monks and Thai representatives
had brought the scriptures from Norway back
for display in Thailand for the first time. Al-
though the deputy abbot spent more than a
year seeking the scriptures for an exhibition in
Thailand, he finally succeeded as a result of
palm leaves during the first century BC. The scrip- a government-to-government deal. “More than
tures were written with “Prommi” characters that 10,000 pieces of broken scriptures displays at at
were used during Buddha’s time and serve as evi- the Phutthamonthon Buddhist Park in Nakhon
dence that the scriptures are the world’s oldest. Pathom province”
The scriptures were discovered in caves in Af-
ghanistan by Bamiyan people who escaped from
อนุโมทนาพิเศษแด่เจ้าภาพพานทอง
คุณกาญจนา เกาฏีระ และลูกหลาน
ถวายพานทอง 5 คู่ ขนาดสูง 7 นิ้ว กว้าง 8 นิ้ว
ครอบครัวเจตบุตร
ถวายพานทอง 5 คู่ ขนาด สูง 6 นิ้ว กว้าง 6 นิ้วครึ่ง
ททโต ปุญฺญํ ปวฑฺฒติ.
คุณลองรัก-คุณวราลี ภูศรี ทำาบุญเลียงพระเพือเป็นสิรมงคลแก่ชวต ทีบาน
้ ่ ิ ีิ ่ ้
บุญย่อมเจริญแก่ผู้ให้
25. แสงธรรม 22 Saeng Dhamma
ขอเชิญทุกท่านร่วมนมัสการพระสารีรกธาตุ ณ อุโบสถ วัดไทยฯ ดี.ซี.
ิ
Those who are interested in Thai Theravada Buddhism and mem-
bers of the general public are cordially invited to Wat Thai, D.C.,
Temple to pay their respect to or simply view the Buddha relics on
display in the chanting hall.
ปฏิบัติธรรมประจ�ำเดือนธันวำคม
18 ธันวาคม 2553
ณ วัดไทยกรุงวอชิงตัน, ดี.ซี.
ศึกษาและปฏิบัติธรรมตามแนวพระไตรปิฎก
� สาธยายพระไตรปิฎก ภาษาบาลี
� ฟังบรรยายธรรม - ธรรมสากัจฉา
� เจริญจิตตภาวนา - แผ่เมตตา
ขอเชิญพุทธศาสนิกชนร่วมดับร้อนผ่อนคลายทุกข์ด้วยธรรมโอสถ
ขององค์สมเด็จพระสัมมาสัมพุทธเจ้าโดยพร้อมกัน เวลา 9.00 น.