Practicing the Dhamma Under the Rule of Three Natures

Phra Ajarn Suraphong opened by paying homage to the Triple Gem, then taught that practicing the Dhamma is of tremendous importance and necessity for every life, because we live under the control of three natures. Apart from the wholesome, no other nature produces any benefit for us at all -- worse, it brings suffering and harm if we dwell in the wrong system. But if we dwell in the correct system, life brings only progress; mistakes become very difficult to make, because an inner knower -- as though it were our own idea -- constantly directs us, warns us, and tells us what is and isn't permissible.

The Inner Voice That Has Directed Us Since Childhood

He pointed out that these systems already exist; the only thing missing is that no one ever told us they exist. So we think we can be however we want, think whatever we want, feel however we want, believing that's freedom -- but the results are rarely impressive. This is exactly what we need to learn and correctly understand.

Meditation practice is the same. We practice meditation to learn and understand -- don't think of it yet as "doing" something; understand first, then try it. We used to think we understood, so why didn't it work? Because our understanding wasn't sufficient. When understanding is insufficient, the unwholesome intrudes during our practice. Everything seems just like our own idea. When it intrudes, it feels exactly like our own thinking -- this has been happening since childhood, all seeming like our own thoughts, some good, some not, but we don't know and can't distinguish which thought belongs to the wholesome, which to the unwholesome, and which to the neutral.

The Key Principle: The Wholesome Soothes, the Unwholesome Rushes

He gave an example from practice: while we're intent on visualizing the crystal sphere for a while, an inner voice says, "This isn't working at all, better switch." Even though we've only been at it for two or three minutes, it insists we've been at it a long time, telling us to switch to breath awareness instead. After a while at that, it says the same thing again -- not working. But in truth it wasn't failing; we were getting results, but we wanted them fast, and the unwholesome pushes for quick results. The moment we're dissatisfied, it says "switch," and we switch back and forth endlessly -- because this inner voice has been directing us this way since childhood, the whole time.

The basic principle for distinguishing which voice to accept or reject lies in the quality of each nature. The wholesome side aims to soothe us, encourage us, comfort us, direct us toward what is correct, without pressuring us, without rushing or hurrying us -- letting things unfold gradually, encouraging us to be attentive, contemplative, and reasonable. The unwholesome is the opposite: it wants quick results, lets emotion rule, and looks for something to turn into an issue precisely so the practice fails -- because its true goal is sabotage. But to stay convincing, it has to wait for the right moment.

When Defilement Intrudes, Just Know It and Stay Still

While practicing, we need to understand both the principle of the wholesome side and the mechanism of the defilement that resides permanently in this dimension. It has to cause problems and obstacles, generating all sorts of confusion and disturbance. We must accept that once we go inward, we will certainly encounter these things -- so what do we do when we meet them? We simply know it, that's enough. When it comes in, we stay still and neutral, reminding ourselves: stay still, stay neutral, just know it, and let the heart settle into stillness. If it's still there, we know it's still there; if it slips in some thought, we know "ah, this thought was slipped in," and we stay still and neutral.

He pointed out that this is a tug-of-war between the wholesome and the unwholesome. Each moment one side seizes, it shows itself as turbulence; when the wholesome seizes it back, it tells us: stay still, it's fine, no need for confusion, stay still, it will pass soon. It seems to happen at the same instant, but really they are separate moments -- the heart can only hold one thing at a time; it simply happens so fast it looks simultaneous. This tug-of-war keeps occurring until the wholesome side can draw in enough energy to cleanse the defilement, so that each moment the other side seizes grows smaller and smaller, until it can no longer slip in any thought at all -- that thought gradually fades and disappears on its own.

One Bite Over "Just Right": The Root Cause of Sloth-and-Torpor

Phra Ajarn pointed to a crucial fact that many people never notice: if we observe carefully, the drowsiness that arises during sitting comes from eating even one bite beyond the "just right" portion. The hindrance of sloth-and-torpor (thina-middha) arises the instant we go even one bite over, and once it arises, it holds us captive from that very second onward. This is why the unwholesome finds ways to get us to eat beyond the "just right" amount -- so it can overpower us. Once we then sit down comfortably, it's the perfect match for that drowsy hindrance, and we simply drift off to sleep. Drawing in pure energy to cleanse defilement cannot happen under these conditions. It's only once the energy of sloth-and-torpor is spent that we become aware of ourselves again and wake up.

Drowsiness and Restlessness: Different Turns, Different Roles

Once we wake and only a little time remains, restlessness (uddhacca) takes its turn to disturb us. He explained this is entirely normal -- restlessness must disturb us precisely to prevent us from settling into applied and sustained thought, that is, raising up the meditation subject and holding it steady. Reflection and contemplation must be disturbed by the hindrance of restlessness; this is simply the tool used against us -- not only in meditation practice, but in every kind of work. The hindrances are tools for obstructing progress.

He had us try gently closing our eyelids and observing whether there's a haziness, a dullness, a drowsy blur, or a daze present. If so, know that this is sleepiness -- a type of hindrance that obstructs the induction of wholesome consciousness, that is, the mindfulness that would otherwise establish itself to draw in pure energy. It doesn't want us to succeed in drawing in that pure energy, so it uses the hindrance to block us, bringing in this dullness, drowsiness, and haze to obstruct us, making it difficult for recollective mindfulness to establish itself. But if none of this is present, that shows this unwholesome mood is clear and hasn't arisen, and we can determine to know continuously.

Testing the Strength of Concentration by Counting "Samma Arahang"

Phra Ajarn taught that once we're aware of body-and-mind, the next step is recollecting which meditation subject we want mindfulness to anchor upon -- whether the recitation, the visualized image, mindfulness of breathing, or resting the heart still at the centre of the body. Whichever it is, determine directly on it. Determination is the foundation of every life; it is the single most important role we have.

He taught that the recitation itself is an act of determination. The moment we determine on something, that thing appears; wholesome dhamma appears easily -- simply by determining, the dhamma has already appeared. But that dhamma lasts only a moment. If we're not accustomed to it, it may last only about five, ten, or fifteen seconds. We can test this by reciting "Samma Arahang 1, Samma Arahang 2, Samma Arahang 3," counting on like this. Ordinarily, most practitioners can count no more than about twenty, or a little over twenty -- rarely past thirty. Most people falter around 14 or 15. This is exactly how we can test how long our concentration can sustain itself continuously.

Whenever You Lose the Count, You Can Always Begin Again

He taught us to try it ourselves -- start with just the recitation of "Samma Arahang," not yet the visualized image, just the recitation alone. Count gradually: Samma Arahang 1, Samma Arahang 2, Samma Arahang 3, working up slowly. If we forget and lose track, that's fine -- simply begin again. When we reach the point where we previously lost track, and lose it again there, that's fine too -- begin again. Because by the second or third attempt, we start being more careful there, and we manage to get past it. Once past it, we'll likely snag again at the next point, forget, and start over yet again. When we reach that same spot again, we'll be careful, and gradually get past it too. Take it slowly, without rushing or hurrying -- do it comfortably and pleasantly, on and on.

He emphasized: know continuously without lapsing, know what we are aware of, and know what we are determining on. While determining, we should also have a way to gauge how well we're doing.

Closing Chant

Phra Ajarn Suraphong closed the sitting by leading the chant of homage to the Triple Gem: Sabbe Buddha balappatta, paccekana nca yam balam, arahantananca tejena, rakkham bandhami sabbaso. Sabba-Buddhanubhavena, sabba-Dhammanubhavena, sabba-Sanghanubhavena, sadda-sotthi bhavantu te.