พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์สอนเทคนิคง่ายๆ สำหรับผู้เริ่มต้น คือการสัมผัสรับรู้ลมหายใจที่ปลายจมูกอย่างละเอียด เป็นประตูสู่ความละเอียดของใจ พร้อมอธิบายเรื่องวิญญาณธาตุที่เป็นของกลาง และการวางอุเบกขาไม่ยินดียินร้าย ก่อนนำเข้าสู่การนั่งสมาธิเต็มรูปแบบPhra Ajarn Suraphong teaches a simple technique for beginners: sensing the breath at the very edge of the nostril in fine detail as a doorway into a subtler mind. He explains consciousness as a neutral resource and the practice of equanimity, before leading a full guided sit.
Phra Ajarn Suraphong opens by reassuring practitioners that meditation should begin simply and comfortably. If the words "practicing " make someone feel burdened, that feeling is mistaken — in truth, nothing about it is difficult. The simplest thing of all is just "knowing." Knowing brings ease; we know in order to be at ease. Once we keep knowing something continuously, the mind naturally grows finer on its own.
Feeling the Breath at the Nostril's Edge: Where Refinement Begins
He gives a concrete example: the breath. Bring the mind to rest on awareness of the in-and-out breath, and notice the fine vibration that arises where the breath touches the nostril passage. This vibration is what lets the nerve-cell system register the breath moving in and out. Breathing hard makes it obvious; but as the breath softens, the senon becomes a subtle tingling, a faint tension at the tip of the nose — something that requires refinement and focus to perceive. The more we focus, the more steadiness arises, and the clearer the perception becomes. Even if we can only sense a tiny spot, let the sphere of knowing settle right there. Once the in-breath and out-breath are clearly felt, let it proceed naturally, without forcing.
The Sphere of Knowing Arises, and the Consciousness Element Is Purified
Once the sphere of knowing — the sphere of — arises as a bright sphere, he teaches us to sustain it continuously, without lapsing. Mindfulness settles onto the point of the consciousness element connected to the nerve-cell system where it meets the breath. When mindfulness settles there, it draws in pure energy that cleanses that awareness, making it clear and pure. The center of the consciousness element normally resides at , the seat of the earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements. When merit is drawn in, it arises at the center of that sphere of Dhamma, and is stored within the sphere of merit. We don't need to concern ourselves with any of this in detail — simply keeping awareness on the breath touching the nostril is enough.
Consciousness: A Neutral Resource Any Force Can Use
He explains that the mental aggregates have four parts: feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness — consciousness being the function of "seeing, remembering, thinking, knowing," arising when the external sense objects meet the internal sense bases: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body contacting form, taste, smell, sound, and touch. The moment contact occurs, consciousness arises right there. This consciousness is merely a "neutral resource" — side can use it, side can use it, and side can use it, depending on whichever seizes the seat of the mind first. When the unwholesome side takes charge, the result is a swing between liking and disliking: pleased, we cling and want more and more; displeased, we feel dissatisfied.
Equanimity: Neither Pleased Nor Displeased by the Result
For this reason, he teaches us to hold the mind in equanimity. When we get a pleasing result, we shouldn't become overly delighted — simply know that the result is good, without letting the mind swing into attachment. When the result isn't what we wanted, we shouldn't be upset or let the heart sink — simply know that this is what we got, and rest in perfect neutrality, neither pleased nor displeased. When the mind doesn't swing to either extreme, sin and demerit find it harder to seize control.
What We Can Direct, and What We Cannot
He points to a further truth: the results that unfold in life have two parts. One part we can direct to some degree, through diligence, mindfulness, wisdom, and concentration — through effort we can bring about some of the results we hope for. But another part arises from misfortune and from the competing forces of the three natures as they take turns as house-lord of the mind — a part we cannot control directly. Yet even though we cannot control it, we can still make it turn out better, by keeping ourselves on the right path — cooperating with the wholesome side, whose goal is for our lives to be correct, good, and to keep developing well.
"Observe Your Own Results — That Is Excellent": A Teaching from Luang Pu
He recalls a teaching passed down by Luang Pu for practitioners to hold onto: observe the cause, build up the cause; observe the result, build up the result; observe your own results — that is what is excellent. This means we simply keep knowing, and observe the results unfolding within ourselves, without rushing. We can rely on whatever we're already familiar with — resting the mind at the lips or the cheek together with silent recitation works just as well. Simply keep knowing, unhurried and light, at ease.
The Sphere of Knowing Draws In Merit, Cleansing the Stains
When the sphere of knowing arises, the sphere of not-knowing — — falls away. This sphere of knowing, being a wholesome sphere, draws in the pure energy called merit, letting it flow through the center of its own brightness. This pure energy cleanses all the stains and defilements that create obstacles and give rise to hardship and suffering. As the stains lighten, the hardship lightens along with them — difficulty gradually decreases, and ease gradually grows. From there, carries us further into ever finer inner dimensions.
Dedicating Merit to Ancestors and Karmic Counterparties
As the sphere of knowing draws in pure energy together with subtle treasures, flowing in continuously, he has us dedicate this merit to our ancestors — recalling our parents, relatives, grandparents, and the teachers who have shown us kindness, together with the guardian spirits who protect and support us, and all beings we may have wronged, our karmic counterparties, asking for mutual forgiveness so that all may share equally in this merit.
Radiating Loving-Kindness Across the World and the Cosmos
He then leads an aspiration of goodwill for the world and all beings, including the human body we ourselves depend on: may those with much suffering have less, those with little suffering have none, those with little have more, and those with much happiness have ever more. He has us expand this -filled heart outward, covering our home, spreading across village, district, province, Thailand, neighboring countries, and finally the whole world, until it becomes a radiant crystal sphere, clean and pure — through the special quality of loving-kindness that dissolves resentment and irritation from the heart. From there it expands further still, across the countless stars and galaxies of the boundless cosmos, resting the mind at the center of the Triple Gem, at the center of nibbāna, the boundless knowing and empowered ones.
Closing Aspiration
In closing, Phra Ajarn leads an aspiration for success to be established in us, now and in all lives to come. May the merit and blessings of our teachers and our own accumulated goodness since beginningless time combine into sacred, potent merit. May we be freed from misfortune, karmic results, demonic obstruction, and obstacles of every kind; may greed, hatred, delusion, lust, ignorance, wrong view, and clinging come to an end; may we gain the eye that sees the Dhamma and penetrate the of ; may we be strong in health and steadfast in spirit as we build perfections toward nibbāna. He closes by asking that old wrongdoing be forgiven, and that new merit bear fruit successfully for us all.