Dwelling Within the Wholesome System All Day Long

Phra Ajarn Suraphong opens by explaining that practice is essential for every life, because we live under the control of three natures competing to become the ruling force and direct our thoughts, speech, and actions toward their own aims. Except for the wholesome, none of the other systems bring any real benefit — worse, the unwholesome, when it takes the lead, brings suffering, danger, and harm. Given this, we must dwell within the wholesome system. Doing so requires training ourselves to sustain it throughout the entire day, from waking to just before sleep. While carrying out our duties, we need to dwell within the wholesome system, because it guides and helps us succeed in every activity — work, education, social life, raising children — all of it depends on the guidance and help of the wholesome system. If we fail to dwell within it, trouble and mistakes inevitably arise.

Right Mindfulness Is the Foundation for Connecting to the Wholesome System

Within dwelling in the wholesome system, one part is interacting with people and family while carrying out our duties; the other part is, once our tasks are done, resting inwardly to enter ever more refined dimensions — cultivating meditation and concentration. But whether it's eyes-closed meditation or carrying out our activities, both require right mindfulness as the foundation for connecting to the wholesome system. What is right mindfulness? It is the recollective knowing that arises as a wholesome quality, which can only arise when the wholesome system manages to seize and occupy our mind — that is when right mindfulness arises. But if the wholesome system cannot seize that moment, some other system — the neutral or the unwholesome — becomes the ruling force instead, and we cannot have mindfulness at all, because mindfulness only arises when the wholesome system takes the lead.

Cultivating Right Mindfulness Is the Only Way to Keep the Wholesome System Continuously in Charge

Being receptive to the wholesome mind is critically necessary. We cannot let life drift as fate dictates, waiting for the wholesome side to happen to seize the moment. People of the world who don't understand this live erratically, unable to control themselves or hold sovereignty over their own lives. Holding that sovereignty requires the wholesome system. Cultivating right mindfulness is the only way to keep the wholesome system continuously in charge; otherwise our life proceeds however fate dictates, and what could we possibly rely on then?

The Buddha's Words and the Noble Eightfold Path: The Heart Lies in Right Mindfulness

The Buddha taught: "Bhikkhus, you should clearly determine body, feeling, mind, and dhamma, in order to eliminate the world's covetousness and grief." This is a vital teaching for transforming our life, for purifying us and freeing us from defilement into an astonishingly wondrous life. The Buddha said that as long as the Noble Eightfold Path exists, the path and fruit of nibbana remain accessible — meaning the Noble Path is essential for anyone who reaches and practices it to attain that astonishing life, becoming a noble one who reaches the path, fruit, and nibbana. Let us consider the eight factors of the Noble Path, whose essential content lies within right mindfulness.

Knowing Is Mindfulness, Knowing Is Clear Comprehension: Determining Within Our Meditation Object

He teaches that monks must determine; without determining, we cannot let life proceed on its own — we must determine it ourselves, and we must be the one who determines what we desire. If we want our life to dwell within the wholesome system, we must determine it; the moment we determine, the wholesome system establishes itself. What do we determine? We determine to know — knowing is mindfulness, knowing is clear comprehension. Mindfulness begins at the basic level with recollection, bringing the mind to settle with the body. This recollection arises once the mind settles with the body; once the wholesome system is established, we then want to know further — knowing within our chosen meditation object. Our teachers teach us to determine and know through "Samma Arahang," or we may rely on determining and knowing the body or the mind. As we know within any given meditation object, mindfulness attaches itself to that object to know. We want the sphere of knowing to be established — the sphere of knowing is the sphere of mindfulness; once established, the sphere of not-knowing, ignorance, falls away.

The Sphere of Knowing Is Established in the Heart: Our Role Is to Keep It Continuously Aware

This established sphere of mindfulness is a wholesome sphere — a wholesome dhamma with the character of a clear, bright sphere, arising only in the heart, nowhere else. Once it arises there, it continuously draws in the pure energy called merit, flowing into the center of the brightness of this sphere of knowing. So our role is to determine and know, maintaining this sphere of knowing continuously aware without lapsing. This is what the Great Teacher always said: stay continuously aware, never lapse. Because as long as this sphere of knowing is established in our heart, the drawing-in of pure energy continues without pause. But if we lapse, the sphere of knowing — mindfulness — disappears, and the sphere of not-knowing, ignorance, takes its place instead, and the drawing-in of energy stops.

Merit Purifies Defilement: From Hard to Easy, From Difficult to Comfortable

Once the sphere of knowing is established, this continuous flow of pure energy purifies defilement. Purity, which is merit, purifies the defilement that causes problems and obstacles in the many forms of hindrance, bringing hardship into our life, including our practice itself. Defilement is continuously thinned by the merit we draw in, until the obscuring elements of ignorance are thinned enough for the subtle dhamma state — which already exists — to appear. This subtle state arises together with the wholesome system already, but ignorance covers it, preventing us from perceiving it. As defilement thins, we begin to feel openness, ease, softness, gentleness, and refinement — all arising on their own, turning practice from hard to easy, from difficult to comfortable. Good experiences gradually arise by themselves.

The Harder and More Difficult It Feels, the More Defilement Is Present: This Requires Patient Endurance

A poor experience simply means defilement is present; goodness cannot manifest while it remains. We need to determine and know, drawing in pure energy to thin the defilement. The harder and more difficult it feels, the more defilement is present — we can recognize this from having gone a long time without practicing, or from dwelling in agitated moods connected to things that accumulate defilement. Cleansing ourselves through meditation in such cases will be hard and difficult, but we must endure — patient endurance (khanti) is the one thing that lets us withstand the burning of defilement. We must endure, we must hold out — if we can endure, we win. In the hardship that arises from this clash, both sides suffer equally, but whoever can endure longer wins.

No Real Clash — Only Doing Our Job: Purifying Defilement on a Foundation of Equanimity

If we endure, we will certainly win, and we gain ascetic fortitude (tapa) from it — with that fortitude, we can contend and hold our ground. But from our own perspective, there is no real clash at all — we are simply carrying out our role. Our role is to purify defilement; if there is suffering and hardship, it simply means defilement is present, and we purify it as a matter of course. But purifying it may require some patient endurance, grounded in equanimity — a mind that is neutral and balanced, neither glad nor sorrowful.

Seasoning the Mind Just Right, Like Cooking: Fish Sauce and Sugar in Proper Proportion

Under a pleasant, easeful mood, the wholesome quality requires openness and relaxation as its underlying character. Relaxed, at ease — we should not dwell in gloom, only in ease, keeping the mind light and joyful, but never scattered — balanced, tranquil, going along enjoyably and lightly. The Great Teacher used to say we must get it "just right" (thuuk suan) — he said the right proportion already exists on its own, and we too can achieve it, just like cooking: we must add fish sauce, sugar, and various seasonings in the right amount to get a well-rounded flavor. Seasoning the mind is the same — an easeful, pleasant, enjoyable mood needs the right "flavor." Don't make it flavorless; make it flavorful, gently, comfortably, plainly.

Even a well-cooked dish, if eaten in a way that makes it inedible, fails; seasoning the mind is the same — if we season it in a way we don't even want to dwell with, that fails too. Let it be enjoyable, going along steadily. But in some cases where defilement is present, it may require a bit of patience — yet if we proceed gradually, we can manage, determining and knowing while enjoying that state. What matters most is that the signal of knowing must be clear; if it isn't clear, we cannot rely on it, and mindfulness cannot rely on it either. We therefore need to choose a meditation object whose signal we can perceive reasonably clearly, so we can reflect and determine within it continuously, on a foundation of relaxed ease, enjoying it steadily — like a well-cooked dish that can be eaten with pleasure, again and again.

Seeing, Remembering, Thinking, Knowing, United in One Point: Reciting "Samma Arahang" So the Sphere of Knowing Can Attach

"Samma Arahang" — determining and knowing within our meditation object, word by word. We rely on this object so the sphere of knowing can attach, rely on, and perceive through it. Once it does, the sphere of knowing draws in pure energy to thin defilement, until the obscuring elements are purified away, and the doorway to dimension — arising from the state of the meditation object we focus on — opens, letting us enter the inner dimension layer by layer. The Great Teacher said: let seeing, remembering, thinking, and knowing unite and stop at one point — meaning we give our attention to the meditation object, remember it, keep our thoughts on it, know it, staying fixed on it so that mindfulness continuously relies on it. Simply stay continuously aware of the meditation object without lapsing; merit will flow in to thin the defilement, until the obscuring elements are purified away and the subtle dhamma state appears. Mindfulness then shifts into clear comprehension, carrying us into the inner dimension.

The Sound of Recitation Wards Off Other Natures: Relying on Sound, Image, and a Relaxed Feeling

We need not rush or push — it is the unwholesome side that pressures and pushes us to hurry, trying to harden the mind. All we need is for the sphere of knowing to be established — just knowing, staying continuously aware without lapsing, that's all. We are not the ones purifying defilement; we don't even know where it is or what it looks like. Our role is only to determine, know, and maintain continuous awareness. Defilement, for its part, tries to fling us away, causing suffering, trying to knock us out of our own heart. So we must attach to and rely on the meditation object, focusing, attending, and reflecting on it continuously. We use the inner sound of the recitation to help — this sound wards off the intrusion of other natures' sounds, though a little may slip through.

We rely on the sound of the recitation to guard the mind, and the noble image also helps ward off the sounds and images of other natures trying to intrude. We need a suitable sound and image — the recitation and the visualized image help us — together with a foundation of ease and relaxation. With these three things in place, intrusion becomes very difficult, because other natures can only intrude through sound, image, and feeling. But by relying on the sound of the recitation, the image of the noble one, and a relaxed, easeful feeling, we fill our mental space with these images, sounds, and feelings, leaving little room for any other nature to intrude, or only a small amount. As we train more and more, our control over that mental space grows.

"Samma Arahang": The Name of the Subtle Dhamma Body, and Each Fleeting Moment That Arises and Passes

"Samma Arahang" is the designated name of the subtle arahant Dhamma body. When we speak his name, he appears in both form and essence, because he is always present with us. The form that appears is an inner sphere of dhamma — the noble image of the arahant Dhamma body, seated upon a plane of absorption, with a sphere of dhamma filling his lap. Within that sphere lies the quality of being one who practices well and rightly, far from all defilements. When we speak the name "Samma Arahang," he does not appear in vain — he expands, overlaying and becoming one with us, whether we perceive it or not. Every time he appears, he corrects and refines our elemental nature, drawing pure energy continuously into us.

The contest to become the ruling force is itself what draws energy into being for a flickering moment, as each nature seizes a brief instant in our mind — each flicker like a spark, appearing and vanishing in an instant, arising and passing continuously. Whoever has fuller power first can set the course of our activities according to their aims. Our ability to perform wholesome deeds arises from each of his flickering moments accumulating energy to set our activities toward goodness. If we help him, he can draw in energy continuously, without needing to accumulate it bit by bit, flicker by flicker. Cultivating meditation is thus like plugging into a continuous connection of pure energy, every fraction of a second.

The Stream of Merit Eliminates Every Defilement and Danger: Reaffirming Our True Self

This flow of pure energy called merit flows together with the subtle treasures within the sphere of merit — sacred, pure dhamma-elements, potent and powerful, capable of eliminating every defiling stain. Nothing else can eliminate it — only this pure energy can remove the defilement that causes suffering, danger, and hardship in our lives: accidents, illness, financial trouble, family problems, greed, anger, delusion, jealousy — all arise from defilement. Only merit can thin these defilements. All we need to do is establish the sphere of knowing, staying continuously aware without lapsing, relying on the recitation and visualization to help, with a relaxed, easeful mind.

We are the noble image, the noble image is us. We need to keep reaffirming our true self, which deepens our closeness with him; otherwise a distance between us grows. This close connection is what allows him to work at cleansing, correcting, and helping us.

Wearing the Feeling of the Noble Image: The Actor's Principle

Even while things remain dim, murky, and dark, that is not a real problem. Even without seeing it, think of an actor about to play a role — he recalls that type of character, and its mental factors appear, because we all carry every kind of mental factor within us. By determining and recalling any type of person, their mental factors appear in our heart; once they appear, they display their qualities there, and whatever the heart perceives, we perceive, because the heart is our instrument of knowing.

The same principle applies: if we want to build closeness with any type of being, we simply recall that being, and their mental factors appear in our heart. "Samma Arahang" is one who practices well and rightly, practicing to stay far from all defilements. When we recall him, he appears together with his qualities, in both form and essence. As we wear the feeling of being him, his wisdom, purity, and great compassion flow into us; his clarity and radiance appear, and both our body and mind become clear and radiant with his pure dhamma-elements. He guides perception through the whole body — head, face, cheeks, shoulders, both arms, chest, abdomen, back, hips, thighs, knees, shins, calves, feet — all becoming the crystal Dhamma body, radiant, cool, clean, pure, and warm.

Perceive as Much as You Can: From 1% to 100%

The Great Teacher said that reaching the noble image can be easy or hard — easy because we know and understand, hard because we don't, even though the noble image already exists within us and is our true self. Our mind is an element that accomplishes whatever is determined; all that remains is perceiving the presence of our noble image. Whatever we can perceive, take that for now, and gradually care for it, growing familiar and close with it — from the 1% we perceive, developing gradually to 2%, 3%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, all the way to 100%. Everything develops gradually on its own. Refusing to perceive even 1% is something we should never do; whatever we have, take that for now, and let it develop gradually.

Stopping Within Stopping, Stillness Within Stillness: The Seventh Base and the Path to Nibbana

Once we merge into oneness with him, body and mind alike, in the mind's part, whatever he does, we do the same: he stops the mind, stills the mind, gathering it to stop and still, and so do we, into the center of our body and heart, the center of the noble image, at the seventh base, two finger-widths above the navel. The mind already knows this location, since it naturally arises and passes there. We simply need to feel that it's at the center of the abdomen — that's enough — then determine it, trusting and having faith that it is so, because the mind is an element that accomplishes whatever is determined.

Gather the mind to stop, gather the mind to still, at the center of our body, the center of the noble image, at the seventh-base center — the imperial center, the center of every body, from the coarse and refined human bodies, celestial bodies, Brahma and formless-Brahma bodies, to the Dhamma bodies of the lineage, of the stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arahant, coarse and refined alike — all sharing this one center. As we determine and stop and still at the seventh base, the sphere of merit appears radiant throughout every body, and the stream of merit flows in continuously.

The sphere of stopping is established — once this wholesome, round, bright sphere arises at the center of our heart, it displays the quality of stopping in every system, even the breath pausing briefly. The sphere of stillness likewise arises, round and bright; once established in the heart, it draws in the pure energy called merit into the center of its brightness. Every vibration and tremor gradually eases until stillness prevails. Determining the sphere of stopping and stillness has real effect, because whatever we determine, that is what becomes; the dhamma appears, even if we do not perceive it.

The Stream of Merit Flows Toward the Sphere of Nibbana

Stop within stopping, still within stillness, into the center of the center, on and on. At the very end of that refined center lies nibbana. Gathering the mind to stop and still into the center of the center, all the way to its most refined point, is itself the practice aimed straight at the path to nibbana. We appear radiant within nibbana — every Buddha, every silent Buddha, and every arahant appears radiant within their own center, and they appear radiant within ours. Once he appears radiant within us, he refines our seeing, remembering, thinking, and knowing — our earth, water, wind, fire, space, and consciousness elements — into clarity, cleanliness, and purity, eliminating every defiling stain, every karmic result, suffering, and danger. Beyond that, he connects our stream of merit and treasure, clearing the way ahead so we can pursue right livelihood and harvest success easily, without difficulty.

Dedicating Merit to Ancestors and Karmic Counterparties

As this stream of merit flows continuously, we dedicate this merit to our ancestors — recalling our parents, siblings, grandparents, our benefactor teachers, the devas who help and support us, our caretakers and guardians, and all beings we may have wronged, our karmic counterparties, our ancestors together with our relatives — sharing this merit with all equally.

Radiating Loving-Kindness Across the World and the Cosmos

Once the merit is dedicated, we make an aspiration for the benefit of the world and all beings. The Great Teacher advised us to draw on a mother's heart of love and goodwill toward her beloved child, establishing that heart within us, then aspiring: may all beings, our fellow travelers in birth, aging, sickness, and death, be free from suffering and find happiness — 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.

Once we've made this aspiration, we expand this loving-kindness-filled heart to cover our home — a bright, wholesome sphere radiating outward to fill every corner of the surrounding air, reaching all people, beings, and things — then expanding to our neighbors, covering the whole village, subdistrict, district, province, the whole country, and onward to neighboring countries, until it covers the whole world, making it a radiant, clean, pure crystal sphere, reaching earth-bound devas, tree devas, sky devas, all the heavens, the Brahma and formless-Brahma realms, and even hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals — may all beings be free from suffering and find happiness everywhere.

We then expand this loving-kindness-filled heart into the vastness of the cosmos, covering the countless stars and galaxies of the boundless universe, letting our loving-kindness shine and benefit all beings and every element without limit. Our heart expands, opens, and grows light, clear, cool, clean, pure, and radiant — wherever the heart reaches, loving-kindness shines just as far. The Triple Gem and nibbana watch over and correct us so we can benefit the world and cosmos without limit. Whoever benefits the world and the cosmos may make use of its treasures. So let us cultivate loving-kindness often, regularly, until it becomes second nature.

Closing Aspiration

Phra Ajarn leads an aspiration for radiant merit, power, and might from nibbana throughout all elements and dhamma, together with the blessings of our teachers, to combine with the merit we have sincerely accumulated since beginningless time into sacred, potent merit. May we be freed from misfortune, karmic results, demonic obstruction, and every obstacle in life; may greed, hatred, delusion, lust, ignorance, wrong view, craving, and clinging come to a complete end; may we gain the eye that sees the Dhamma, penetrate the knowledge of the Dhamma body, and be strong and healthy, with boundless spirit to build perfections toward nibbana. He closes by asking that old wrongdoing be forgiven, and that new merit bear fruit successfully for us all.