พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์แยกความหมายของ "บุญ" และ "กุศล" อย่างชัดเจน บุญเป็นชื่อแห่งความสุขและความบริสุทธิ์ ส่วนกุศลคือความฉลาด ความรอบรู้ ความมีปัญญา และเปรียบระบบทั้งสองเหมือนเครื่องยนต์ดีเซลกับเครื่องยนต์เบนซินที่ต้องใช้เชื้อเพลิงคนละชนิด ท่านสอนหลักการกำหนดรู้แม้ในยามพักผ่อน และอธิบายกลไกที่ดวงรู้เหนี่ยวนำพลังงานบริสุทธิ์เข้ามาขับเคลื่อนระบบกุศลธรรมPhra Ajarn Suraphong draws a sharp distinction between "boon" (merit) and "kusala" (skillfulness): merit is the name of happiness and purity, while skillfulness is wisdom, thorough knowledge, and clear understanding. He compares the two systems to a diesel engine and a gasoline engine, each needing its own distinct fuel. He teaches how to determine awareness even during rest, and explains how the sphere of knowing draws in pure energy to power the wholesome system.
Rest That Brings Benefit: Determining Awareness Even While Resting
Phra Ajarn Suraphong opens by explaining that rest which brings genuine benefit is rest in which we still determine our awareness — knowing anything at all, as long as it isn't unwholesome. This might be self-awareness, awareness of the breath, awareness at or the crystal Buddha image, staying with the recitation "," or simply resting still in a comfortable feeling. Phra Dej Phra Khun Luang Phor emphasized again and again that we should stay with a comfortable feeling, because comfort allows us to sustain the practice continuously.
Two Components of Dharma: State and Knowing
He explains that dharma has two components: the state itself, and the knowing of it. The state has three forms — feeling, inner voice, and inner image. The inner voice resembles thoughts arising on their own; the inner image simply appears without our willing it. Feeling is made up partly of what we determine and partly of what is naturally present. When a certain nature possesses the heart, thoughts that arise sometimes aren't truly our own — yet because we all share the same single heart, whatever arises there is perceived the same way, with no one to tell us which thoughts are genuinely ours.
Master of Oneself: The Right to Determine
He explains that determining is the role of the one who is master — the owner of this house of body and heart. Only we hold the right to command it. Other natures can guide and possess the heart, but they cannot command it directly; they must coax, pressure, and guide us into accepting their thoughts, so that we command according to what they want. We must therefore determine our own awareness — but determining requires . Once we learn and understand, we realize nothing about it is difficult; we simply determine what favors system taking residence as ruler of our heart, because the wholesome system is good, right, and leads to and prosperity.
The Wholesome System Is Overseen by the Triple Gem and Nibbana
The wholesome system is overseen by the Triple Gem, with Nibbana watching over it from behind — Nibbana being every Buddha, every Silent Buddha, and every Arahant, not just one or two, but countless as the sands, beyond number. When we remain within the wholesome system, that means we have, standing behind us, the support of Nibbana, uncountable as the sands. Our lives are bound to prosper — as the noble ones themselves have proven, showing just how wondrously the wholesome system benefits those who abide within it.
Everything Requires Determining
Phra Ajarn stresses that we must determine everything. First comes , to become self-aware. Then, once self-aware, we determine the meditation object — whether recitation or a mental image — determining "Samma Arahang, Samma Arahang." We must determine further still: to pay attention, focus, and contemplate; to recite with a relaxed heart on a good foundation. It is like growing a crop: planting requires soil rich in minerals and proper moisture. Cultivating meditation in the heart likewise requires a foundation that is relaxed, open, at ease, free of pressure, without rushing or hurrying.
Different Engines Need Different Fuel: The Diesel-and-Gasoline Simile
He explains what mechanism is at work while we determine our awareness. The sphere of knowing — mindfulness — continuously draws pure energy, called merit, to flow through the center of its brightness. This pure energy powers the mechanism of the wholesome system, because no system can run on its own without energy. The wholesome, , and the neutral are all different systems, yet each still requires energy to run — only each requires a different kind. Consider a car: a diesel engine needs diesel fuel, a gasoline engine needs gasoline — different fuels entirely. The unwholesome uses an energy called demerit to drive its system, while the wholesome system needs the pure energy called merit to drive it.
The Sphere of Knowing and the Sphere of Not-Knowing: Ignorance Falls Away When Knowing Arises
When the unwholesome current is absent from the heart, the heart draws in unwholesome energy instead. We must therefore set up the wholesome instrument of knowing, determining the sphere of knowing, which stands opposite the sphere of — the sphere of not-knowing. The sphere of knowing is the sphere of mindfulness, a wholesome sphere; the sphere of not-knowing is the sphere of ignorance, belonging to the unwholesome side. When the sphere of knowing arises, the sphere of not-knowing must fall away, because the heart can hold only one at a time. We must therefore determine to know continuously, without lapsing — the moment we lapse, the unwholesome can intrude and arise, and the sphere of knowing falls away, so pure energy can no longer be drawn in.
Merit Is Happiness and Purity, Skillfulness Is Wisdom
Phra Ajarn explains that merit and skillfulness can arise not only through giving, but also through keeping and cultivating meditation, as well as through clarifying wisdom — precepts, concentration, and wisdom can all draw in the pure energy called merit. Even while sitting quietly at rest, merit and skillfulness can arise. He gives a precise definition: merit (boon) is the name of happiness and , while skillfulness () is wisdom, thorough knowledge, understanding, and clear — the name for cleverness. Determining our awareness is itself an act of cleverness — doing what is right and good in order to continuously draw in the pure energy, together with the subtle treasure carried within the radiant sphere of merit.
Bubbles from a Coffee Straw: An Unbroken Stream of Merit
He compares the merit-energy surging into the center of our heart, sphere after sphere, to dipping a coffee straw into water and blowing through it — bubbles rising continuously. But the merit surging into the center of our heart is far greater, faster, and more abundant than any bubbles from a straw, beyond counting. Within the center of this radiant sphere of merit lies a sacred, pure element, possessed of power and potency, able to dissolve suffering, sorrow, sickness, misfortune, karmic results, demonic obstruction, and sacred wrongdoing entirely. Nothing else can dissolve this defilement except the pure merit element itself.
The Merit Element Dissolves Suffering and Draws In Coarse Wealth
Within the sphere of merit also lie every kind of treasure — physical beauty, material wealth, virtuous qualities, retinue, honor, praise, happiness, the path and fruit of Nibbana, and the knowledge of — all complete and abundant within the sphere of merit. When merit flows through us, subtle treasure flows through us as well. This subtle treasure draws coarse, worldly wealth toward us, making our livelihood easy rather than hard. The merit element dissolves problems and obstacles, while subtle treasure draws coarse treasure our way.
Knowing, Powerful Beings Guide and Refine Our Work
He explains that knowing, powerful beings guide us — appearing like thoughts arising on their own, telling us to do this, look there, notice this, then explaining the reason clearly and truly so we understand cause and effect. When we act on this guidance, these powerful beings overlay their help, letting us do better and better. At first we may succeed only sometimes, making mistakes along the way — but as we repeat the effort, these beings continue refining and correcting the defilement that prevents us from doing things properly, until our work gains quality, value, and worth. All of this is the fruit of the wholesome system.
The Result of Remaining in the Right System: A Balanced, Unshaken Heart
He concludes that once we clearly distinguish self-awareness from its absence, we understand that remaining in the right system gives us mastery over ourselves and inner balance. The heart becomes steady and firm, unshaken by circumstance or provocation, free of delight and distress, resting in equanimity. This balance steadies the heart more and more, unshaken by any obstacle, because we remain under the care of the wholesome system, under the care of the Triple Gem, with Nibbana continuously correcting and helping us.
Closing Chant
This recording closes with the traditional chant "Sabbe Buddha…" The full merging with the Buddha image, the , and the radiating of do not appear in this particular recording, which captures the early portion of that afternoon's sitting.