General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
Many forest bhikkhus in North-East of Thailand use the word 'Buddho' as their meditation object. They use it as a kind of koan, firstly they calm the mind by following the inhalations and exhalations using the syllables 'Bud-dho' and then begin to contemplate 'What is Buddho, the "one who knows"?' 'What is the knowing?' When I used to travel around the North-East of Thailand on 'tudong' I liked to go and stay at the monastery of Ajahn Fun. The main part of his teaching was to not just mechanically repeat 'Buddho' but to reflect and investigate, to awaken the mind to really look into the 'Buddho', the 'one who knows', really investigate its beginning, its end, above and below, so that one's whole attention was stuck onto it. When one did that, 'Buddho' became something that echoed through the mind. One would investigate it, look at it, examine it before it was said, after it was said and eventually one would start listening to it and hear beyond the sound until one heard the silence.
Sumedho
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
Now, one of the epithets for the Buddha is lokavidu-knower of the world. Don't leave that up to some kind of abstract Buddha up there-I mean, you're taking refuge in Buddha. Our refuge in Buddha, then, is the Buddho-knowing the world as the world....So the Buddho - or Buddha- is the knower, is the knowing. We call it Buddha, but I'm not saying, "Oh, I'ma Buddha!" because then it's getting back into me as a person again. We're not trying to convince ourselves that we've got a little Buddha inside us, or anything like that. We're not trying to conceive anything about Buddha; we're being that knowing, being that awareness.
Ajahn Sumedho
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
Practising the Dhamma is to learn concentration; practise "Buddho" regularly. If we cannot say "Buddho", just "Bud" when inhaling, and "Dho" on exhaling, what else can we do ? Where else can we seek happiness? Nowhere. If we cannot even say "Buddho ",what chance is there to hope for happiness ?"Bud" breathing in, "Dho" breathing out, for only five or ten minutes; if we still cannot do it, and we still cannot control our minds, how can we create happiness in our minds ? If we cannot concentrate, it shows that we cannot be calm. If we cannot be calm , we will never be happy. It is like plants which produce no fruit - where can we get fruit to eat? Similarly, it is like fruit which drops off the branch before it has grown and ripened - where can we get fruit to eat? Our minds are not trained to concentrate, cannot practise "Buddho" , cannot be calm at all.
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
When we cannot control our minds, we cannot seek happiness, for there will not be any to be found. If one cannot " Buddho ", and cannot be calm in the temple, one will not find any happiness in this world- or outside it - even though one is a multi-millionaire, can fly around the world or go to the Moon, because one cannot even control one's own breathing with "Bud" and "Dho" If we cannot even control the mind and stop thinking, where can we find happiness? There will be no hope for it, if everyone is like that, no one will find happiness in this world. This is because we do not know how to say "Buddho", do not know how to concentrate and be calm. It shows that we do not have enough wisdom to find the way to extinguish suffering. Disappointments will always occur: disappointments in family life, with children, or marital partner, in business, or way of life; why? Because our minds have never stopped wandering.
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
Practising the Dhamma only by saying "Buddho" will lead to happiness. Human beings who cannot meditate to calm themselves will not find any happiness.
Reciting "Buddho" helps us correct our minds, creating a new "life" for its, calms our minds, leading us to happiness. Whenever we are peaceful, we will find happiness and satisfaction; but vice versa, whenever we are not peaceful, we will find disappointment, sorrow and irritation. Therefore it is essential for us to calm our minds; we must train, study, practise, in order to know our own minds. Merit, sins, heaven or Nibbana happen in our own minds. How do these happen? We must study in order to find out for ourselves.
Venerable Sanong Katapunyo Mahathera
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
If we cannot do this, nothing will go right with us, nothing will make us happy. If we cannot make up our minds, cannot train them, there is no way for us to go, lacking mindfulness, concentration and wisdom to pacify our minds. But if our mindfulness and wisdom can control our emotions, while eating, walking, sitting or sleeping, we always know how our minds are. If your mind is disturbed, you should repeatedly say "Buddho" until you are calm; then you will experience real happiness. This is what we should consider when we come to the temple; we have to control the mind, bring it peace and take that peace back home to apply it in our daily lives.
Venerable Sanong Katapunyo Mahathera
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
We say "Bud" while inhaling and "Dho" when exhaling, so as to retain "Buddho" as the principle of meditation. The mind is unstable and always changes mood. If it changes mood, it will conceive thoughts of suffering. For example, when we say "Bud" on inhaling "Dho" on exhaling, we should feel relaxed; but when the mind does not follow the right view, there will be no "Buddho", we will think of the person who abused us, or the person we love but who rejected us, and we will feel angry, vengeful and agitated, as well as unhappy. If we pull our minds back to "Buddho" , it will erase all the anger and thoughts of revenge. Entering the Dhamma brings tranquillity to the mind.
Venerable Sanong Katapunyo Mahathera
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
The Dhamma is as has been said; we have to understand our minds. We are only told to contemplate; why do we learn a lot? Only say "Buddho"; why do we know of 84,000 Dhammakkhandha, sin and merit, heaven, hell and Nibbana? Only "Buddho"; how do we know? The answer is because we have concentration. Concentration generates wisdom, to know inner defilements, how they develop, what suffering and happiness are. If we practise alms-giving, the precepts, and concentration, we shall be led to heaven's gate. A constant calm heart will produce constant tranquillity. We will be able to do it. This is called entering the cessation of suffering. The entrance to Nibbana opens when the mind is calm, there is no turmoil nor attachment. We have to correct ourselves so that we will attain true and peaceful happiness.
Venerable Sanong Katapunyo Mahathera
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
The scheme leading to peaceful happiness in life is planning to tackle our minds problems. We should not ask anybody to solve them for us. Those who ask others to solve their difficulties have usually created their own problems. They are emotional, so they suffer. Too much gratification leads to mental instability. If we love someone and our love is not returned, we weep and are disappointed. When someone does not act to please us, we feel angry and vengeful. This is because we are in the habit of letting our emotions and desires control us. We should start to correct this attitude by saying "Buddho" when we are pleased, as well as "Buddho" when we are not, since we know that being sad or angry is bad, and contrariwise, being infatuated will lead to obsession. If things are not done as we wish, we will be resentful and suffer. Thus it is better to control our minds, becoming impassive and mindful that nobody can make us suffer.
Venerable Sanong Katapunyo Mahathera
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
When we know the Dhamma, we have to practise it until it becomes habitual. We have to train to be patient and to have concentration in our minds. When we have "Buddho", we will not hate nor dote, neither be agitated nor angry. Our minds will not be erratic, for we have something to hold onto keep us secure. We will have both the shade of a tree and a cool breeze, for we have "Buddho."
Venerable Sanong Katapunyo Mahathera
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
Breathe in “BUD”, breathe out “DHO” until your Heart gives in and becomes empty of all thoughts. Meanwhile, direct your inner eyes to see your nose, see your face, and see your whole body in the sitting posture. See how it is dressed and remember that now your living body sits in the same shape as a crossed-legged Buddha image.Your body feels heavy or your Heart feels heavy, you know, you distinguish this. You apply your awareness towards your body and towards your Heart. Note “BUD” as you breathe in, note “DHO” as you breathe out until your Heart gets free from thought formations and surrenders to the pure observation of phenomena.
“BUDDHO” is the one, who knows;
“BUDDHO” is the one who observes alertness, wakefulness, and awareness;
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
You will find the Dhamma in your body, in your Heart; it is not with others outside. To inspect the body, feelings, and Heart; this is most important. The Heart knows the Heart, sees the Heart, it focuses on itself again and again. The Heart is satisfied or unsatisfied, liking or disliking. The same instant you think your awareness is with it, hold your awareness, hold your Heart with BUD-DHO. Whenever it goes out to take birth in thought, bring it back to its empty nature with BUD-DHO. At the time BUD-DHO stops by itself, the Heart also stops to take birth outside. BUD-DHO when you’re Heart takes birth. What is a Heart that takes birth? Well, it is a Heart that thinks about this and that. It thinks nonsense. If you are abreast with it, the nonsense stops. Stop and be still. You walk quietly, you stand quietly, or you do any action; you see the body and introspect into the Heart: nothing has arisen. The Heart is still, it knows itself to be alert.
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
The Heart generates birth in the realm of thought. If it has greed or strong desires, the Heart generates itself to be in a state like a hungry ghost. If you get angry and let your thoughts get hotly involved into that story, then the Heart generates a birth like in hell. It burns itself like a red-hot iron. Your face is not joyful. The Heart that indulges into outside stories is absent from itself, unaware and deluded. In this state it becomes completely forgetful about pains, aches, aging and dying. It is absorbed in finding happiness for itself and neglecting the wisdom to know itself. So if we have Sati-Sampajanya arising from our awareness with BUD-DHO, then we will have the mindfulness to recall to ourselves: “what am I thinking at this present moment?”
Last edited by bodom on Sun Jun 27, 2010 11:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
that's an interesting site...rather poorly put together though. reminds me of the Internet a decade ago. but it's always good to find out about new teachers teaching buddho!
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
