พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์อธิบายความแตกต่างระหว่างสติและสัมปชัญญะ - สติคือการรู้แบบเจาะจงเฉพาะจุด ส่วนสัมปชัญญะคือการรู้แบบภาพรวมทั้งหมด เปรียบเหมือนการถ่ายภาพพาโนราม่า พร้อมอธิบายตัตรมัชฌัตตตาเจตสิกที่ทำให้ใจสมดุลไม่กระเจิดกระเจิงไปกับความยินดียินร้าย แล้วนำเข้าสู่การนั่งสมาธิ แผ่เมตตา และอุทิศส่วนกุศลPhra Ajarn Suraphong distinguishes sati (mindfulness) from sampajañña (clear comprehension) — sati knows one specific point, while sampajañña takes in the whole picture at once, like a panoramic photograph. He also explains tatramajjhattatā, the equanimity factor that keeps the mind balanced instead of being swept up by liking and disliking, before leading into the full sit: settling the mind, radiating loving-kindness, and dedicating the merit.
The first thing we need to reinforce is the core truth of life: we live under the control of three natures. Only system gives us any real benefit; nothing else does — and one can actively bring suffering and harm. Life therefore absolutely requires us to abide within the wholesome system, with the Triple Gem overseeing it and Nibbana standing behind it all.
The Buddha's Teaching and the Meaning of "Anchoring"
The Buddha taught, over 2,000 years ago, "Monks, you should clearly know body, feeling, mind, and mental objects, in order to remove covetousness and grief from the world." This means we need to anchor our attention deliberately in order to know — anchoring at the body or at the mind, one or the other, and specifying exactly where: at the breath, at , at the sense of the whole body, or at the mind — starting with feeling (pleasant, painful, or neutral), or at mind itself (recollecting one's meditation object), or abiding in s, the states that arise moment by moment.
The Stream of Merit Flows Through Wherever We Anchor
Once we anchor our attention and come to know it, the mind settles right there. Knowing is — recollection arises exactly at the center of the mind. At that very point, pure energy called merit begins flowing in, and the refining process begins there too. The stream of merit, together with refined wealth and completed outcomes, appears exactly where we've placed our attention. This energy drives the wholesome system, refining our elements toward cleanliness and . As purity increases, we move continuously from one dimension to the next, and each new dimension we reach holds better resources waiting for us — a clearer, purer stream of merit, wealth of greater value, and more exquisite outcomes.
The Ten Bases of Merit-Making and Rising in Status
Living within the wholesome system, the wholesome nature guides us toward wholesome deeds — giving, keeping precepts, meditating, showing humility, actively helping others, sharing merit, rejoicing in others' merit, listening to and discussing the , and correcting our views to match reality. These -making help us shift our standing toward something higher and better. Every life wishes to improve its own standing, and all of this depends on abiding within the wholesome system.
Tatramajjhattatā: The Balance That Steadies Concentration
The key to concentration developing and becoming steady is letting go of liking and disliking — of joy and sorrow — which is exactly the aim of developing . Mindfulness itself is a mental factor that arises together with wholesome states, but for the mind to become steady, it needs the absence of liking and disliking — keeping the mind from becoming excited and scattered. We need to abide with a mental factor called "tatramajjhattatā" — the equanimity factor, the state of neither liking nor disliking. Resting with this factor is what lets the mind become balanced and steady.
Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension: One Point versus the Whole Panorama
To know and manage the overall picture of the system, we need () — a broad, all-around knowing. Mindfulness () brings the mind back to the body; once it's back, we then abide in clear comprehension — taking in the whole picture at once, like a panoramic photograph. He puts it directly: "will we know it as one specific point, or as the whole picture? Sati is knowing one specific point; sampajañña is knowing the whole picture" — the panoramic view. Whatever arises, we know it: if something unwholesome slips in, we know it; if a state of suffering that must be endured arises, we know it. We simply stay continuously aware, without ever losing that awareness.
The Sphere of Knowing versus the Sphere of Ignorance: The Human Body's Role
The sphere of knowing — whether it's mindfulness or clear comprehension — is always a bright, clear sphere, entirely wholesome in nature. It can only arise at the mind, nowhere else, because all states — wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral — can only arise at the mind. Once established, it can hold only one thing at a time; the mind can register only one matter at a time. Once established, it continuously draws in pure energy called merit into the brightness at its center. All we need to do is keep on knowing, without ever losing that awareness — this is the essential role of the human body. When the sphere of knowing — mindfulness — is established, the sphere of not-knowing — — falls away. This pure energy then drives the wholesome system, refining our elements toward cleanliness and purity, even while we may still feel dim, hazy, or unclear.
A Life Abiding in the Wholesome System Is Continuous Liberation
A life abiding within the wholesome system is a life of continuous anchored awareness, continuously receiving the stream of merit, refined wealth, and completed outcomes that arise — all moving us toward purification and liberation from one dimension to the next. Each dimension we're liberated into and reach raises our standing higher and finer, connecting us with wiser, more capable guides who can help us further still. Our standing keeps rising, and we come to know a truly excellent life — a wondrous life, and then a truly extraordinary one.
Beginning the Sit: "Sammā Arahaṃ" and the Buddha-Image
We use silent repetition to help reinforce the sphere of knowing — mindfulness — establishing itself continuously, with the words "Sammā Arahaṃ." We stay continuously aware without losing that awareness in each moment; whatever nature slips in and interferes, we remain continuously aware of it. As the sphere of knowing is established, it draws in pure energy together with refined wealth and completed outcomes, leading toward purification and liberation, opening access to better resources and raising our own standing.
Radiating Loving-Kindness from Ourselves to the Universe
Once we've benefited ourselves, we turn to benefiting others — people, all beings, and the environment — through the quality called (). This quality appears as a clear, bright sphere, filled inside with love and good will. Simply by deliberately calling forth the state of loving-kindness, that bright sphere appears at the center of our mind. We form the sincere wish, "May all beings be free from suffering and find ," drawing on the image of a mother's heart, brimming with love and good will toward her small child. We then let this expand outward — to our home, our neighborhood, district, province, the whole country, and the whole world, embracing earthbound and sky-dwelling spirits, heavenly beings at every celestial level, Brahmas and formless Brahmas, hell-beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. May those with great suffering suffer less; those with little suffering be entirely free of it; those with little happiness find more; and those already happy find even greater happiness. We extend this further still, out across the cosmos, embracing countless stars and reaching to the boundless multitude of world-systems. This loving-kindness dissolves resentment and irritation from the hearts of beings, giving wholesome nature the chance to settle in and drawing merit in to refine their elements toward purity and liberation. Its benefit extends even to the earth, water, air, sky, mountains, rivers, seas, oceans, plants, and our belongings. Whoever benefits the world and the cosmos in this way earns the right to draw on the world and cosmos's own resources, just as the Bodhisatta did in ages past.
Merging with the Triple Gem and Our Teachers
We still and settle the mind within this radiant loving-kindness, as the stream of merit continues flowing through us, and we dedicate the merit that has arisen to all people and beings. We then still and settle the mind within the Triple Gem, the guardian of the wholesome system within each of us — everyone's own Triple Gem belongs to them alone. We need to merge ourselves with the Triple Gem into a single unity, and recognize with deep gratitude the boundless kindness that supports us continuously, never pausing even for an instant. We likewise still and settle the mind within the subtlest Dhamma-body of our senior teachers, who continuously refine our elements toward purity, connect our stream of merit and wealth, and adjust the path ahead for us.
Dedicating the Merit and the Closing Aspiration
While our teachers are refining and purifying our elements, we form our aspiration, setting a completed intention into the bright sphere of merit, that our life — now and in the future — be filled with , happiness, and purity, along with success in everything right and good. The talk closes with a dedication asking for the blessings of the Triple Gem and our teachers — that calamity, demerit, and the defilements of greed, hatred, delusion, and ignorance be extinguished without remainder; that we come to realize the teachings fully; that we enjoy good health and the strength of heart to keep building perfections toward Nibbana; and that any past unwholesome deeds be forgiven and released, through the boundless power of every Buddha.