*Note: the automatic transcript of this talk is heavily distorted in many passages; some sentences have been omitted where the meaning could not be reliably recovered.*

Three States We Can Notice with Eyes Closed

When we close our eyes and look within the heart, there are three things we may notice. The first: is there ease, is there happiness? If so, it means the wholesome system is currently active in our mind, and we simply feel that state of happiness and ease. If happiness and ease are absent, look for the second state: is there something hard to bear — suffering? If so, we recollect it directly; the Buddha taught that suffering exists only to be known, and that is enough.

As we recollect that suffering, the faculty of knowing establishes itself, and this draws in the pure energy called merit, which the inner automatic system uses to begin purifying defilement. The first thing the system does is help us endure; after that, it goes on to dissolve the underlying defilement, moving it from heavy to light.

Suffering is the clearest of all states — while suffering holds our attention, it is difficult to establish any other Dhamma state or meditation object, precisely because it is so clear. As we recollect it, the state itself naturally transforms. But if neither happiness and ease nor suffering are present — if it is simply a neutral state, neither pleasant nor unpleasant — this is the third state. In this case, we use the mantra "Samma Arahang" to anchor our awareness instead.

Speak His Name, and He Appears at Our Center

Speaking his name is like calling someone familiar to us — he appears at once at our center, and we appear at his. Both of us then appear at the center of Nirvana. This is the wonder of the wholesome system. We are never truly alone, because the Triple Gem within is with us always. Whoever abides in virtue draws the stream of merit from deep within, flowing out and granting that person brightness at the center of the Triple Gem.

Each time we speak his name once, he appears once; call again, and he appears again; call twice, and his presence expands further within us. He always comes together with pure power, whether or not we can see him — this arises for us, for our own mind, every time.

The Great Foundations of Mindfulness: Clear Knowing of Body, Feeling, Mind, and Mental Objects

In the Mahasatipatthana, the Buddha taught clearly: recollect and know clearly the body, feelings, mind, and mental objects, so that covetousness and displeasure toward the world may cease. Knowing just one of these is enough. This is the entire role of a human being — simply to know. Nothing more is required.

Mantra and Visualized Image Always Come as a Pair

When we set a mantra in mind, its corresponding visualized image arises together with it, always as a pair — named state and formed state appear together. Recollect each syllable of the mantra clearly; each time we do, consciousness arises exactly there. Raising a Dhamma state or a word of the mantra into awareness is called applied thought (vitakka); sustaining continuous attention on that state is called sustained thought (vicara). Bring fondness and satisfaction to the recitation, with diligence sustained in every present moment.

The essence of meditation lies right here: simply applied and sustained thought within the mantra "Samma Arahang." Everything else arises on its own. The meditation object is merely something to lean on, not the destination itself — awareness itself is what mindfulness truly rests upon: knowing what we know, knowing which object we are currently resting on.

Knowing Always, Without Lapsing

The moment knowing is established, that's complete in itself. But whenever knowing is absent, it means ignorance has slipped in, and that state of awareness disappears — leaving us hazy, confused, drowsy, drifting, and slipping backward. This is not correct; we must keep re-establishing awareness continuously, without lapsing.

What we need is simply to know — not to demand a vivid image or perfect clarity of the object we're recollecting. Whether it appears clearly or not is beside the point; all that matters is knowing what we know. Even if the Buddha image appears faintly at times, simply know that it is there — or if he expands to fill our whole body, know that too.

The Crystal Buddha Image Filling the Whole Body

Let your head become the crystal crown of the Dhamma body, sparkling and radiant. Let your face become his gentle, tender countenance. Chest, abdomen, lower abdomen, and back all become the clear crystal of the Dhamma body, sparkling, radiant, soft, and gentle. Thighs, knees, shins, and feet all become clear crystal, pure and radiant. We are the Buddha image, the Buddha image is us. Every time we speak his name, this form arises just so.

The Inner Automatic System Purifies Defilement on Its Own

When the Buddha image appears overlaid within us, our defilement peels away; mistakes of body, speech, and mind are dissolved and lightened until they vanish. We cannot remove this defilement by ourselves — only the inner automatic system can. Our task is simply to keep recollecting, because the moment knowing is established, it draws in the energy of merit that powers the system. All we need is a continuous state of awareness, unbroken by lapses, and the stream of merit will flow through without interruption.

The Simile of the Liver, Kidneys, and Intestines: A System That Works Without Being Told

Phra Ajarn offers this simile: our body has two parts — what we can do, and what we cannot. What we can do is eat good food. What we cannot do is digest it and deliver its nutrients to nourish the body — that belongs to the inner automatic system, the liver, kidneys, and intestines, which perform their own function according to their own workings, without any command from us.

Our mind works exactly the same way. Our role is only to keep recollecting, continuously and without lapsing; purifying the defilement within the mind belongs to the automatic system of wholesome Dhamma, which does its own work. All we need is to know — that alone is what draws in the energy of merit to flow through. But the moment we fail to know, ignorance slips in to take its place.

The Sphere of Merit, Complete with Every Treasure

As we recollect continuously, the stream of merit flows into the sphere of merit, which contains wealth of form, riches, virtue, retinue, honor, praise, happiness, the path and fruit of Nirvana, and knowledge of the Dhamma body — all complete within it. Continue recollecting for ten minutes, twenty, thirty, or fifty, however long we've set aside, sitting to receive the stream of merit and treasure flowing through, so the automatic system can do its work of benefiting us.

Radiating Loving-Kindness to All Beings

Turning to love and goodwill, Phra Ajarn invites us to recall the celestial beings who watch over and help us, and all our guardians — may they all receive a share of this merit equally. Then set the wish: may all beings who share with us the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death be free from suffering and find happiness. May those who suffer greatly suffer less; may those who suffer little be entirely free of it and find happiness; may those with little happiness have more; and may those with much happiness have ever more.

Expanding Loving-Kindness Across the World and the Universe

Having set this good wish, let the heart filled with loving-kindness expand outward — covering the sub-district, district, province, every nation, until it covers the whole world, then continuing into the atmosphere of the universe, covering countless galaxies, large and small, without limit. Our hearts grow light, spacious, and at ease.

Setting Resolve and Dedicating Merit

Phra Ajarn leads the bow of homage and the invocation, asking for the blessing, power, radiance, and authority of every Buddha, every Silent Buddha, every Arahant, together with the merit of the great teachers, to combine fully with the merit we have sincerely accumulated — becoming sacred, potent merit that purifies the elements of our consciousness evenly, freeing us from misfortune and karmic obstruction; granting the Dhamma Eye and penetration into the Dhamma body; good health and long life; unwavering resolve to build perfections toward Nirvana; good fortune, safety, and the affection of humans and celestial beings; shining wisdom and prosperity in our work; and, when we eventually pass from this world, birth in the Tusita heaven's special sphere of merit — and when we return to the human world, birth into a warm family of right view, studying the true Dhamma correctly alongside the great teachers. May all past wrongdoing be forgiven forever, and may this good wish be fulfilled for all of us, until we reach the ultimate goal of the Dhamma.