พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์สอนว่าใจที่ใสอย่างแท้จริงต้องประกอบด้วยสององค์ประกอบคือความใสและความปลื้มอกปลื้มใจควบคู่กัน ต่างจากความใสของน้ำแข็งหรือเพชรที่มองเห็นใสแต่ไม่จำเป็นต้องรู้สึกปลื้มไปกับมัน ท่านสอนให้นึกถึงความสบายใจเป็นจุดเริ่มต้น ก่อนนำเข้าสู่การหลอมรวมกับองค์พระธรรมกายด้วยความสบายใจ อุทิศส่วนบุญ และแผ่เมตตาไปทั่วโลกและจักรวาลPhra Ajarn Suraphong teaches that a truly clear mind requires two elements together — clarity and an inner sense of gladness — unlike the clarity of ice or a diamond, which one can see through without necessarily feeling glad about it. He teaches beginning with comfort as the entry point, before leading into merging with the crystal Dhamma body through comfort, merit dedication, and loving-kindness radiated across the world and cosmos.
Phra Ajarn Suraphong opens this sit by leading straight into meditation practice — close the eyes gently and comfortably, relax the body, and settle into comfort. When we determine comfort and recognize that comfort, the mind becomes clear. The Great Teacher once said we must make the mind clear, but many wonder how. The answer is simple: just think of comfort — think of a person who brings us comfort when we recall them, think of something that brings us comfort when we recall it.
A Clear Mind Must Come With Gladness: Unlike the Clarity of Ice or a Diamond
He points to the most important of this teaching: the clarity of the mind differs from seeing something transparent. A truly clear mind requires two elements together — clarity and an inner sense of gladness. Even looking at clear ice or a clear diamond, we may not feel glad about it. But when we think of comfort, we feel a deep, quiet gladness — gladness that arises together with, and is recognized alongside, that comfort. Comfort is something important we must learn and train; it is the opposite of anxiety, which clouds the mind — comfort, by contrast, brings both clarity and gladness together.
Inner Conflict: When Hidden Worry Lurks Beneath
He explains that when we determine comfort while actually troubled or worried, we can feel the conflict that surfaces — the sense of conflict lying beneath our worry keeps us from feeling fully at ease; there is a conflict hidden within that attempt at comfort. We may instead recall precepts we have kept well, and feel comfort and a deep inner gladness; or recall we have studied and understood, and feel comfort in knowing we have understood something — clarity and gladness both arise.
What Brings Us Comfort: Accumulated Goodness, Completed Work, Resolved Problems
He points us to recall the goodness we have accumulated, along with the daily routines and activities we have learned and trained in — recognizing that we have continuously learned, understood, and practiced, that we have not let our time pass in vain, that our time has value, and that we have laid down good causes well. Recalling this brings comfort, clarity, and gladness. Or we may recall work we have successfully completed, duties we have carried out responsibly and well — recalling this brings comfort. Or a heavy, burdensome problem we came to understand and found a way through, as if lifting a mountain off our chest — we feel free of anxiety, comfortable, clear, and glad.
He teaches us to consider what specifically brings us comfort, and to hold onto and recall that thing — doing so establishes the state of comfort. Once that state of comfort is established, we enter into continuously knowing its flavor and character, staying aware without lapsing.
Determining Suffering When Comfort Does Not Appear
He teaches that what we want is for the sphere of knowing to be established — knowing what we know, staying with comfort, and knowing its flavor, its character, the gladness and clarity that appear. Recognizing it, we feel comfortable — stay aware of this without lapsing. But if, in determining comfort, we cannot recognize it because a state of murkiness or oppression has appeared instead, unable to establish or recognize comfort, then we determine that clear state instead: suffering. Suffering is the state that must be endured or is hard to endure. If this state is present, we determine that this is suffering — that something is pressing and oppressing us.
Stay aware without lapsing, knowing what we are dwelling with right now — this is called applied thought (vitakka), holding the matter in mind, and sustained thought (vicāra), reflecting upon that we have raised. If, upon determining, comfort can appear, that is good; but if it cannot, it shows that suffering — the state that must be endured — is present. The Buddha taught that suffering is simply to be noted; when it arises in the heart, we need only note it, that is enough — no need to struggle against it or conflict with it.
Merging With the Noble Image Through Comfort: The Crucial Secret
Once we are genuinely comfortable, we dwell with our true identity, reciting "," staying with him in comfort. We attend as if threading a needle, focused — staying focused with comfort, dwelling with him, because comfort is what keeps the mind clear, comfortable, filled with nothing but comfort, relaxed and at ease. As we continue the recitation, the noble image arises at the center of our heart and body, image upon image, radiant, together with a feeling of comfort — being with him feels comfortable, practicing feels comfortable.
As the noble image arises within our heart, he expands, overlaying and becoming one with us, until our entire body becomes the crystal Dhamma body — radiant, gentle, soft and tender, clear, cool, clean, and pure. He teaches that this very comfort is the crucial secret that helps deepen the merging between us and him another level further. Fullness, joy, and are all results of this comfort.
Perceiving Part by Part With Comfort: From Head to Feet
Phra Ajarn guides us to perceive part by part — starting with the head, the crown of the noble image bearing a radiant bud-like lotus finial; recognizing that finial brings comfort. The forehead becomes crystal-clear like , with a gentle, smiling countenance. The neck, shoulders, both arms, chest, abdomen, and back all become the crystal Dhamma body, radiant and clear — recognizing the clarity of the noble image overlaying us brings comfort. The hips, thighs, knees, shins, calves, and feet all become the crystal Dhamma body, gentle, soft, and tender — recognizing the noble image brings comfort, fullness of heart, and a sense of vitality arises.
Merging the Mind, Stopping and Stilling at the Center of the Center: The Same Center Shared by Every Dhamma Body
Once we merge our body with his body into one unity, we merge our mind with his mind into one through gathering the mind — stopping and stilling it at the center of the noble image, at the center of our body. This seventh base at is the same position as the center of the body shared across all eighteen kayas — the same position shared by every Dhamma body within the realm of nibbana, countless beyond measure, belonging to every Buddha, every Solitary Buddha, and every Arahant. We simply determine — the mind is an element that accomplishes whatever is determined. We gather, stop, and still the mind at the center of the center, at the subtlest Dhamma body, all the way to nibbana, merging with every Buddha, every Solitary Buddha, and every Arahant.
The Stream of Merit Bubbles Forth Through Comfort
As the stream of merit bubbles continuously through the center of our body and heart, because of our comfort, we recognize that stream of merit bubbling forth through that very comfort. The sphere of merit becomes ever clearer, cleaner, purer — the stream of merit becomes ever clearer and brighter.
Dedicating Merit to Ancestors and Karmic Counterparties
We then dedicate this merit to our ancestors — recalling our relatives, parents, siblings, grandparents, our 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 mutual forgiveness and sharing this merit equally with all.
Radiating Loving-Kindness Across the World and the Cosmos
Once merit is dedicated, we set a wholesome intention for the benefit of people and all beings. Following the Great Teacher's guidance, we draw on the heart of a mother's love for her beloved child in cultivating . May all beings, our fellow travelers in birth, aging, sickness, and death, be free from suffering and find everywhere — 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. Loving-kindness then appears bright at the center of our heart, and the stream of merit bubbles continuously through the center of that brightness — the light of merit and the light of loving-kindness shine throughout our whole body, every particle, every pore, every dhamma element.
We expand this loving-kindness-filled heart to cover our home, spreading across village, subdistrict, district, several provinces, covering the whole country, extending to neighboring countries and nations, until it covers the entire world, making this world a radiant, clean, pure crystal sphere through love, loving-kindness, and goodwill — reaching the earth-bound devas, tree devas, sky devas, all the heavens, the Brahma and form-Brahma realms, and even beings in hell, as hungry ghosts, and as animals. May all beings be free from suffering and find happiness. It then expands further into the atmosphere of the cosmos, covering the countless stars and galaxies across the boundless ten-thousand world-systems.
Phra Ajarn teaches that whoever benefits the world and the cosmos may make use of its treasures — as the Bodhisatta of old did, practicing loving-kindness until attaining the absorptions, and upon death being reborn in the Brahma realm, enjoying long-lasting bliss. Upon returning to the human world, he attained the status of a universal monarch, able to use the treasures of the world and cosmos to govern the four continents in physical and mental happiness, dwelling in , free from mutual violence — all because of the merit accumulated well in the past.
Closing Aspiration
Phra Ajarn leads an aspiration for success to be established in us, now and in the future. 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 every obstacle; may greed, hatred, delusion, lust, , wrong view, craving, and clinging come to an end; may we gain the eye that sees the Dhamma and penetrate the of the Dhamma body; may we be strong in health and steadfast in spirit as we build perfections toward nibbana. He closes by asking that old wrongdoing be forgiven, and that new merit bear fruit successfully for us all.