Buddho

[jcsuperstar]

I have been practicing samatha meditation on the sound of Buddho for 5 years. It is a system from my Birmese teacher in Thailand. In his system this is not an addition to anapanasati or anything, it is a meditation on its own. You can use it from beginning to end, no switching of meditation object is needed! Increasing concentration, surpressing hindrances and finally path and fruition. In this system wisdom comes automatically with the concentration. As far as I have understood there is a difference between the word Buddho and other words (I guess just as there is a difference between the different colored kasinas). In Birma and Thailand there are many monks practicing this system.

Metta,

Wouter

PS:
Practicing this system without a teacher who has firm personal experience with this method is very very difficult, if not impossible... There are many places you can get stuck!

is there anywhere i can get any information on this style of practice? or teachers names?

[jcsuperstar]

and you said sound, so you recite it out loud?

[PeterB]

Greetings Cooran,

I agree with what you say here - it's certainly a case of function over form. As someone said in a similar topic a few months ago, if someone could use the word 'Coca Cola' and achieve the same outcome, it would be equally as useful.

I suppose my query was regarding how/when the term "buddho" itself came to be used "as an initial object of concentration". I suppose it's not all that important in the scheme of things, since as you allude to, it's simply a means to concentration, but within the bounds of the Thai Forest tradition it seems to have become a reasonably mainstream object of meditation in its own right, and the history of the use of the word as a path to concentration interests me.

Metta,
Retro.

I think 'twas I Retro. In a slightly different context though if I remember correctly. Then it was a discussion about actual mantras as seen by various " Hindu " groups and by the Vajrayana. According to those groups the mantram has an actual objective effect because it contains a "seed sylable " which "not different from that which it represents "...cough.
There is no suggestion of anything analogous to that in the use of Buddho. It simply represents a audible alternative as an object. Some meditators respond well to the audible.

[wouter_doorn]

Greetings,

In this system wisdom comes automatically with the concentration.

How does 'buddho' then differ from something like the Hindu 'OM' which doesn't lead to "path and fruition"?

Metta,
Retro.

I cannot give any deep meaning or anything like that out of personal experience , I do find that repeating this word has a very nice cadance and also gives a lot of frequenties which aid concentration (I can ask my teacher here in the netherlands who has far more experience then me to comment). Off course I have heard that it has a special connection to wisdom (path and fruit)... And if your meditation teacher in whom (out of personal experience) you have total confidence tells you that it is this word and not the word "OM" and tat it definately makes a difference then who am I to question that?

So, I think the only way you can trust a meditation system is by doing it and experiencing the effect. I cannot say that I know why Buddho, but I definitly experience the effect .

[wouter_doorn]

Greetings Cooran,
It simply represents a audible alternative as an object.

as far as I understand this is not entirely true. There is a reason for the specific word Buddho and its effect. Then again, I cannot show you a single book as proof, only what my meditation teachers say. Apparently it makes a connection to a certain kind of wisdom, it has the goal of path and fruit (not jhana). If it was only sound then any word could be tought, but this is not the case.

When I asked my teacher in Thailand about different pronounciations of Buddho (he pronounces it differently from the written version) he said (in his very simple and to the point english):
"this one same, not same. Like computer. Some computer one. Some computer one hundred. Some computer one thousand. Some computer one million. All computer, but not same computer. Buddho same. This one (his system) very good." (it's more the way in which he says it, but this just to point out that at least in the system of meditation I practice the word is very specific).

[wouter_doorn]

and you said sound, so you recite it out loud?

Yes. I repeat it out loud. Then I concentrate on the sound.

[Hoo]

If you have "Food for the Heart the collected teachings of Ajahn Chah" (Foreword by Kornfield and intro by Ajahn Amaro), the index has a few entries for Buddho. One indicates another word can be used if desired. I won't try to interpret what else is said. My other books on Chah aren't indexed and it's been too long since I read them to remember if it's mentioned or not.

[PeterB]

Greetings Cooran,
It simply represents a audible alternative as an object.

as far as I understand this is not entirely true. There is a reason for the specific word Buddho and its effect. Then again, I cannot show you a single book as proof, only what my meditation teachers say. Apparently it makes a connection to a certain kind of wisdom, it has the goal of path and fruit (not jhana). If it was only sound then any word could be tought, but this is not the case.

When I asked my teacher in Thailand about different pronounciations of Buddho (he pronounces it differently from the written version) he said (in his very simple and to the point english):
"this one same, not same. Like computer. Some computer one. Some computer one hundred. Some computer one thousand. Some computer one million. All computer, but not same computer. Buddho same. This one (his system) very good." (it's more the way in which he says it, but this just to point out that at least in the system of meditation I practice the word is very specific).

I would suggest that its significance is by association. Not with anything intrinsic.

[wouter_doorn]

I would suggest that its significance is by association. Not with anything intrinsic.

I guess for people like me these things stay suggestions or ideas or opinions . Personally I will trust in the teachers who have spend their lifetime meditating and who know due to personal experience. Hopefully I will know one day as well, if it happens this lifetime I'll let you know (if I remember) .

[Cittasanto]

Hi All,
Time at the monastery is going well, having a day off so thought I would go to hemel and then walk over to birk for some me time (fwiw)

this is just my own personal reflection on the use of Buddho and may or may not agree with your own or books interpretation on its use.

I find it very helpful to use Bud-dho just in the same way as I find using any other two syllable word with a specific message, or contemplative notion that can be reflected upon as a supplementary practice (such as sim-ple.)
I use it more often while practising walking meditation than at any other time, although for centring on an object of samatha it is very useful if the mind is distracted or raising doubts about practice.
I have been told that it means 'the one who knows' although I have come to prefer 'the one who understands' because knowledge and understanding aren't necessarily equal partners and as a reflection it can be used as a reflection of the Buddha, and those who 'practised well' on how they see things in this knowing or understanding.

just a couple of quick thoughts

[jcsuperstar]

An Amazing Hunter Hound Named “Buddho” by Phramick Ratanapanyo Bhikkhu

I once heard a Dhamma talk in Thai, a losely translated and summarised portion of the Tripitaka (Buddhist Canonical) by Venerable Phra Kasem Ajinasilo of Wat Sam Yaak, Thailand. Ven. Phra Ajahn Kasem is one of the disciples of Luongta Maha Bowa and he delivered some of the highest teachings in simplified formats, showing the great capacities of the Forest Theravadan Traditions in South East Asia…

On one cold winters day of 479BC in the town of Vanarasi, India. The lord Buddha sat in a serene lunch setting offered by the generosity of the town’s people. Beside him were Venerable Sariputta and Venerable. Moggalana.

Suddenly, The Lord or sages turned to Ven. Sariputta on his right “Sariputta… Do you recall a deer hunter who lives in the southern end of this forest?”

“Yes I do my Lord” Ven. Sariputta replied. “The one who hates Bhikkhus” (monks).

“He’s in trouble and may need your help.” The Buddha continued… “approximately a quarter yode (4 kilometers) north of his place, you should find him.”

“Yes Lord”. Replied the right hand Bhikkhu of great wisdom. “I shall leave at once”.

————————–
“Milindha! Milindha! Milinnnnndhaaaa!!!!!” Crying and sobbing in tears…
“Where are you my good Milindha?!!! Ho… ho…. Come baaaaaaaack my friend….” The hunter shouted out loud and continuously at his beloved hunter hound named Milindha, all the while his own body laid on the ground, with his stomache ripped open, fatally wounded from bear attack.

“Milindha! Milindha! Milinnn…”

“Who are you calling layman?” Ven. Sariputta approached the dying man…

“Piss off you bald-headed samana from hell! I don’t wanna see your face!” the hunter shouted in hatred as he saw a Buddhist practitioner approaching.

“Layman… it appears that you have been seriously wounded… let me help you”

“Get lost! You disgust me you robed up bald-head! Milindha! Milindha! Milinnn…”

“Layman! Who is Milindha?” Sariputta pushed the dying man.

“My dog! Now go back to where you came from!”

“I see… you lost your dog.” Sariputta said calmly.

“He followed the bear after it hit me… ohhhhh God! My Milindha… I hope he’s not hurt or dead…” the hunter sobs as the speaks of his beloved friend.

“Layman, I can help you… you see I know of three special Dogs. Huge and amazing hunter hounds that can track down anybody you want.”

“Really? Three great hunter hounds? You mean it?”

“Of course… I’m samana… I don’t lie” Sariputta replied.

“Well what’s their name?!!” the hunter barked the question at the monk.

“Buddho.. . the pack leader, then Dhammo the second, this one can take you anywhere just as good as Buddho, and finally the third… Sangho this one can easily take you to heaven.” The monk of great wisdom shortly explained.

“I can’t remember all of them three names!”

“Just call the leader of the pack!”

“Which one?!!!!”

“BUDDHO!” Sariputta shoved it in.

“Aha! BUDDHO! Buddho! Buddddddhhhhooooo!”

Venerable Sariputta watched as the man repeatedly called the name of the great hunter hound named Buddho, his voice reaching the far end of the forest, the calling went on and on until his body malfunctioned beyond repairs… death.
————————–

“BUDDHO! Buddho! Buddddddhhhhooooo!” the mind of the hunter continued on… as he lef his body, similar to a driver getting out of a dead car, still carying the same memory residue of himself… a male hunter… only without the fatal wounding and the new capacity to frequency shift in between different bandwidths of the quantum universe.

“BUDDHO! Buddho!”

The sound was heard by the low heaven frequency…
“BUDDHO! Buddddddhhhhooooo! Hell I’m so tired calling this name… “
Several men of the low heaven frequency surprised after hearing someone calling out this name or using this term…

“Are you lost?” The angels of the Jatumaharachikka – first heaven frequency asked.

“No! Looking for Buddho!!” the hunter shouted.

“Well come this way, let me take you…” said the angels.

“Buddho! Buddho!” looking left and right as he calls the head leader of the hound pack.

“Who is that?!!” asked the angel of the Tavatimsa – 2nd quantum frequency of heaven. “Are you looking for Buddho?”

“Yes! I am!!! I need him to find my…”

“This way please…” the angels guided the man still looking for a lost dog.

“Buddho!”

“Seems somebody looking for a samana named Buddho…” said the angel of the Yama – 3rd quantum frequency of heaven. “This way Mr.”

“Will I ever find this damn dog? Hell! Buddddddhhhhooooo!”

“Up here!” shouted the Tusita angels of th 4th quantum frequency of heaven.

“Oh God I’m so tired… will I ever find… OWWWWWWWWW!!!!!” so busy the hunter was, he did not care to mind his surroundings… until now. “Soooooo many beautiful women here! I can’t believe this place! What do you call it?”

“It’s called Tusita” The well dressed man replied… “Do you like it?”

“Oh yes I do….. think I’ll stay here for a while.”

[bodom]

"All you have to study is the meditation-word, buddho. As for any other fields you might study, they never come to an end, and can't take you beyond suffering. But once you're come to the end of buddho, that's when you'll come to true happiness."

- Ajahn Fuang Jotiko

[bodom]

From Ajahn Akincano:

Whatever our activity, be it drinking, thinking or talking, we have mindfulness, that is, clear recollection. Alternatively, we can establish the recitation of a mantra - 'Buddho', 'Dhammo' or 'Sangho' - to govern and guide our mind. Whether standing, walking, seated or reclining, we establish this internal recitation of 'Buddho' to govern the minds tendency towards distraction and diversity as it wanders about in the past and the future, continually proliferating.

Laypeople should firmly establish their lives in virtue and goodness, and try to cultivate mindfulness, samadhi, wisdom and samma-ajiva - ­Right Livelihood. Whatever our work or duties, we should endeavour to perform them with mindfulness using a mantra, Buddho - Dhammo - Sangho, to hold our attention. We have come together to practise Dhamma and so whatever bodily movement or wholesome activity we engage in, we can meditate at the same time by focusing upon the mantra 'Buddho' continuously.

[bodom]

Ajahn Akincano:

We must focus on the mantra 'Buddho', establishing continuous awareness, whether standing, walking, sitting, reclining, working, talking, drinking or thinking. Right now, while listening to the Dhamma, we can direct our minds to peace and not allow our attention to wander to other things.

We can recite 'Buddho' continuously whatever our posture or activity, be it eating, coming or going, chanting or meditating. If we can keep this up, then our mindfulness will be firm and focused. Buddho and peace will become firmly and inseparably rooted in the heart.

[bodom]

When you meditate, don't send your mind outside. Don't fasten onto any knowledge at all. Whatever knowledge you've gained from books or teachers, don't bring it in to complicate things. Cut away all preoccupations, and then as you meditate let all your knowledge come from what's going on in the mind. When the mind is quiet, you'll know it for yourself. But you have to keep meditating a lot. When the time comes for things to develop, they'll develop on their own. Whatever you know, have it come from your own mind."The knowledge that comes from a mind that's quiet is extremely subtle and profound. So let your knowledge come out of a mind quiet and still."Have the mind give rise to a single preoccupation. Don't send it outside. Let the mind stay right in the mind. Let the mind meditate on its own. Let it be the one that keeps repeating buddho, buddho. And then genuine buddho will appear in the mind. You'll know for yourself what buddho is like. That's all there is to it. There's not a whole lot."