Why the Repeated Reminder That Practice Matters

Phra Ajarn Suraphong opens by stressing that Dhamma practice is essential and vital for every life, and that he must keep reminding us of this — because it truly is that important, that necessary.

Why Does Everyone Else Look Happy Without Practicing?

He raises the question many people quietly ask: if it's so important, why do other people who never practice seem perfectly fine — some even appear cheerful and joyful, whole countries, the whole world seemingly having a good time? He answers that, in truth, everyone suffers all the same. It may look as if others are living well and happily, but everyone suffers — only the degree differs, some more, some less. But if we truly practice Dhamma, we will not suffer at all, because the chance for the unwholesome nature to dominate us becomes small, and the chance for the neutral nature to waste our time on meaningless things becomes small as well.

Most of Our Time Spent Absorbed in Encouragement and Understanding of the Dharma

When we practice, most of our time becomes absorbed in perceiving the state that strengthens our resolve; we come to recognize clearly that we are on the right path, and want to study the Dharma more, understanding what it truly is. Blind, unreasoning austerity — governed only by mood — will never arise in us, because focused attention on tasting what the flavor of Dharma is actually like brings enjoyment: delight in knowledge, in understanding, and in the state that brings clarity, ease, and inner fullness.

The Flavor of Dharma: Sustained, Enjoyable Attention

He teaches us to begin by simply paying focused attention to whatever we are aware of, continuing lightly and pleasantly, staying aware without lapsing. At first it may feel like nothing at all — dull, mechanical. But with continued practice, defilement gradually lightens, because sustained awareness draws pure energy into the center of the sphere of knowing's brightness, and that energy purifies the defilement that acts as an obscuring, covering element.

When Defilement Lightens, the State of Dharma Appears on Its Own

As the obscuring defilement lightens, a genuine state of dharma appears on its own. Before, practice felt dull and mechanical; but once that state appears, we can perceive that it has an actual flavor — something worth attending to, worth focusing on — and it affects the behavior of the mind. The heart can perceive it; once the heart perceives it, the mind is no longer the same mind as before — it becomes a new mind, finer and more refined, as a direct result of the heart perceiving this taste of dharma. This change happens instantly, because the pure energy has purified the obscuring defilement, allowing that state to be perceived. The pure energy called merit that flows in becomes finer than before, more refined, clearer, brighter, more sacred than before — and upon entering, it automatically transforms the mind within the body into a wholesome mind, refined immediately.

"I Don't Feel Anything at All": Endure First, Then It Gradually Improves

He teaches that as long as the obscuring, covering defilement remains, we will feel as if nothing is happening at all — but it will gradually improve, because the sphere of knowing that has arisen draws in pure energy that continues purifying whatever defilement remains, lightening it more and more. Practice becomes easier and more comfortable over time. All that is required is sustained, focused contemplation of the Dharma — staying attentively focused on our meditation object continuously, or on the recitation "Samma Arahang." Each time we utter this name, that state arises continuously.

Reciting "Samma Arahang": Know What We Know, Stay With Our Meditation Object

He teaches us to remain aware without lapsing — aware of what we are aware of, whether our chosen meditation object or the recitation "Samma Arahang" — staying focused on the recitation, maintaining awareness syllable by syllable, continuously. The sphere of knowing is the sphere of mindfulness; once we know what we know — for instance, resting with the recitation or with the breath — we simply remain aware without lapsing, continuing lightly and pleasantly, aware of the sound of the recitation arising within the heart, while also holding the mental image, letting image and sound arise together wherever feels natural — within the Buddha image, around it, or simply within our heart.

The Buddha Image Gradually Clarifies: From 1% to 20%, No Need to Rush

If the Buddha image is not yet clear, that is fine — it is enough simply to sense that it is there, even faintly; that alone is workable. We simply continue to set the intention and perceive whatever we can; it will gradually become clearer over time. All that is needed is sustained attention — raising the thought (vitakka) and holding it in mind, then repeatedly contemplating "Samma Arahang" — simply focused, sustained contemplation of the recitation and the mental image. Repeating this, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't; sometimes clear, sometimes not — that is fine, as long as we keep doing it. At first it may be only 1% or 2% clear; with continued practice, it gradually develops to 5%, 10%, 20%, and beyond, on its own. What was once pitch dark gradually grows dim, then clearer, because we are maintaining awareness in the midst of darkness — and whatever we direct our awareness toward receives purification.

The Stream of Merit Bubbles Through: Purifying the Obscuring Elements

As we maintain awareness, the stream of merit bubbles continuously up through the center of the sphere of knowing's brightness, purifying the obscuring, covering defilements, lightening them. Our knowing and seeing gradually become clearer on their own. As we focus on the image, merit is drawn in to purify the darkness that obscures it, lightening that darkness. The Buddha image arising at the center of our body merges into a single unity with us — clear, bright, clean, and pure. Our entire being becomes the radiant, crystal-clear, pure Dhamma body. The Buddha image continues arising at the center of our body without pause, one image after another.

Our Role: Only to Maintain Awareness — Whether the Buddha Image Is Clear Is Not the Point

He teaches that the single most important role for a human being is to maintain awareness. If we do not direct our own awareness, some other nature will direct and force our awareness according to its own agenda. We must therefore direct our awareness toward what is genuinely beneficial, supporting the wholesome system so it may take the seat as ruler of the heart. As long as the sphere of knowing remains resting with the recitation and the mental image — image, sound, and feeling together, enjoyed lightly with a relaxed, easy mind — whether the Buddha image appears clear or not is simply not the point. As the obscuring defilement lightens, clarity comes on its own; there is no need to force it. All that is needed is for the sphere of knowing to arise and remain steady, aware without lapsing.

Dedicating Merit to Ancestors and Karmic Counterparties

As this pure energy continues bubbling through the center of our body and heart, we dedicate this merit to our ancestors and relatives — recalling our parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers, and benefactors, the devas who help and support us, our caretakers and guardians, and all beings we may have wronged, our karmic counterparties — asking that we forgive one another and share equally in this merit.

Radiating Loving-Kindness Across the World and the Cosmos

Once the merit is dedicated, we cultivate loving-kindness for the benefit of the world and all beings: may those with much suffering have less, those with little have none, those with little happiness have more, and those with much have ever more. We expand this loving-kindness-filled heart to cover our home, village, district, province, Thailand, neighboring countries, and the whole world, until it becomes a radiant crystal sphere, clean, cool, and pure — reaching the heavenly beings, the Brahma realms, and even beings in hell, as hungry ghosts, and as animals — and further still, across the countless stars and galaxies of the boundless cosmos, resting the mind at the center of the continuously bubbling stream of merit, at the center of the Triple Gem, at the center of our great teachers — Luang Phu, Luang Phor, and Khun Yai — and 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, craving, and clinging come to an end; may we gain the eye that sees the Dhamma and penetrate the knowledge of the Dhamma body; 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.