พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์สอนว่าความอดทนหรือขันติเป็นความสามารถที่ฝึกฝนได้ เปรียบเหมือนนักกีฬาคนพิการที่ฝึกซ้อมร่างกายจนทนทานได้นาน ผู้ปฏิบัติธรรมก็ต้องฝึกความอดทนต่อความทุกข์ใจเช่นเดียวกัน จากนั้นนำเข้าสู่การบริกรรมภาวนา การเห็นองค์พระใสสว่าง การแผ่เมตตา และอธิษฐานจิตPhra Ajarn Suraphong teaches that endurance (khanti) is a trainable capacity — just as a para-athlete builds up the body's stamina through practice, a meditator builds up the capacity to endure difficult mental states. He then guides the recitation, the visualization of a bright crystal Buddha-image, mettā radiation, and merit dedication.
Once the eyelids close, visual perception disappears, and we enter the inner dimension of the heart, allowing us to perceive it more clearly. We can ask ourselves: right now, do I feel at ease, do I feel happy? — without relying on anything outside at all. If our inner world feels at ease and happy, side is currently governing the heart.
When Ease Is in Charge, Keep Knowing It
Once we feel at ease and happy, stay with that state of ease continuously. The sphere of knowing will establish itself. When this wholesome sphere of knowing arises, it draws in the stream of merit through its own brightness — every kind of virtuous quality, all 84,000 categories of , are themselves nothing but light.
When Suffering Is in Charge: Suffering Exists to Be Known
But if we are in a state that is hard to bear, side has managed to intrude. That's fine — even when it intrudes, we can clear it simply by knowing it. The Buddha taught that suffering exists simply to be known, because suffering carries a strong signal, which actually makes it easier to establish and sustain the meditation object.
Endurance Can Be Trained, Like an Athlete Trains the Body
Once we know clearly, endurance comes to our aid, along with the inner resilience (tapa) that keeps suffering from becoming overwhelming torment. At first, bear with it just a little, and it becomes bearable. The amount of endurance a person has depends entirely on training — someone who never trains their endurance will have little of it, but the more one trains, like an athlete, the more one can bear.
Take, for example, a para-athlete in training — through practice, they build the capacity to train for long stretches. A meditator is exactly the same: we must train our endurance against the suffering that arises from the heart. Every time we sit and feel discomfort, the difficulties we've already pushed through in the past build our capacity to endure at that level. After training for many hours, even before arises, our capacity to endure grows step by step.
When Neither Pleasant Nor Painful, Use the Recitation
If there is neither pleasure nor pain — just neutrality — this state is rather difficult to use as a meditation object, so we turn instead to the recitation: Sammā Arahaṃ. Know every single word, whether clearly one at a time or as a whole. Even during the pauses, stay aware only of what we've fixed our attention on, because we must be anchored to one single state in order to penetrate into the inner dimension.
The Bubble Simile: A Stream of Merit
It's like dipping a coffee straw into water and blowing — bubbles rise continuously. The stream of merit works the same way, only its energy is far faster than any bubble, forming an unbroken stream of merit at the center. When merit flows through us, it means subtle treasures flow through us as well — form, wealth, , and retinue, all complete within the sphere of merit.
Form and Name Are Paired: Seeing the Bright Crystal Image
Form and name go together. As we utter the name Sammā Arahaṃ, the Buddha-image arises in the heart. Repeated recitation layers image upon image. Let the head become the crown of the crystal ; the forehead, face, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, abdomen, and back all become clear, pure crystal, radiant and cool. We are the Buddha-image; the Buddha-image is us. Let the whole body be the crystal Dhammakāya.
Radiating Loving-Kindness to the Universe
Next, turn to , forming the wish for the wellbeing of all beings who share this suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Expand this mettā to cover our home, then the whole village, the province, the country, neighboring nations, until it covers the entire world — may this world be a world of clear crystal. May all beings and all people be free from suffering and find happiness. Extend it further still, covering the whole universe, every star, countless and beyond number.
Whatever faith a person holds, or none at all, so long as they abide in goodness, they too shine with the light of Nibbāna's stream.
Dedication of Merit
In this auspicious time, Phra Ajarn leads the dedication, setting the aspiration for success in this life and in lives to come. May the blessings of every Buddha, every Pacceka Buddha, every Arahant, together with the blessing of the revered teachers, gather into sacred and powerful merit, freeing us from misfortune, bad karma, and obstacles, granting the eye of Dhamma that reaches the Dhammakāya. May we have good health, long life, and unceasing resolve to build merit, heading straight toward Nibbāna. May every good wish come to fruition for us all, from this moment forward.