พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าพระรัตนตรัยภายในคือกายธรรมทุกระดับที่มีอยู่ในตัวเราทุกคน พร้อมตอบคำถามต่อเนื่องเรื่องความต่างระหว่างมลทินกับบาป และหลักการอธิษฐานจากจิตสำนึกอันละเอียดThe teacher explains that the Triple Gem within refers to the Dhamma bodies present in everyone at every level, then answers two follow-up questions — the difference between impurity and demerit, and the principle behind making a wish from deep, refined consciousness.
A lay follower asked: the teacher has taught that we all have the Triple Gem within us. But ordinarily we understand the Buddha as the historical Buddha, the as his teachings, and the Sangha as those ordained as monks. Does the "Triple Gem within" carry a different meaning from this?
The Triple Gem Within: The Dhamma Bodies Present in Everyone
The teacher explained that it isn't different, but represents another dimension of the same thing. The coarse and refined Dhamma body at the threshold of attainment, the Dhamma bodies of stream-entry path and fruit, once-returning path and fruit, non-returning path and fruit, and arahantship path and fruit — all of these are the Buddha-jewel, with the Dhamma-jewel appearing filling the lap, abiding at the center of , with the Sangha-jewel as the bright light at the very center. Everyone alike has these Dhamma bodies appearing clear and bright within them — together they are called the Triple Gem, which watches over us continuously, at level upon level, too numerous to count.
The Difference Between Impurity and Demerit
Continuing from an earlier talk, the questioner asked what the difference is between im (malathin) and demerit (bap). The teacher explained that impurity is a general term covering all forms of defilement, which exist in three states: as matter, as waves, and as energy. In its material state, impurity is the "dark element," both coarse and refined, that infiltrates the pure elements. In its wave state, impurity consists of unwholesome qualities — greed, aversion, delusion, desire, envy, and of every kind — which are the tools uses to control the minds of people and beings, driving them into wrongdoing. Demerit, meanwhile, is the energy drawn in to press the elements downward; once it fully forms, it consolidates into a "sphere of demerit," composed of energy and karmic result, which is used to destroy one's assets — physical possessions, virtuous qualities, and one's circle of dependents. All of this together is called impurity, simply divided according to which state it takes.
Within us there exists a mixture of beneficial elements and dark elements together, much like a country that has terrorists, good people, and neutral people all living within it at once — not yet acting out, because the supporting conditions haven't yet arrived. But once karmic results ripen, energy flows in to activate the dark element in a given area, causing trouble to break out there. If we remain firmly established in system, then when karmic results must open up on our life's timeline, the wholesome system helps reduce the impact. But if we don't abide in the wholesome system and instead abide in the neutral-karma system, it won't help us; and if we abide in the unwholesome system, matters only get worse. This is because when our mind is ruled by wholesomeness as its master, wholesomeness gains the power to draw in pure energy that purifies impurity — from heavy to light, and from light until it vanishes — much like a government sending in support forces and supplies to comfort and assist a district in distress.
The Principle Behind Making a Wish from Deep, Refined Consciousness
One practitioner shared an experience: he tried reciting "samma-arahang" while counting numbers, then tried letting the sound of "samma-arahang" arise from the center of his belly, and felt his mind become very light — though he wasn't sure whether he had actually drifted into sleep. He recalled having heard that when making a wish (adhitthana), the sound should likewise come from the center of the belly, and wondered whether this was the same principle.
The teacher confirmed that yes, it is the same principle — relying on the deep, refined layer of consciousness. When we hold a refined state of mind, we connect with the refined mind and s on the wholesome side, which exist at many levels — from the human body, the refined human body, the divine body, the refined divine body, the Brahma body, the refined Brahma body, the formless-Brahma body, the refined formless-Brahma body, up through . Depending on how refined a level we reach, we connect with the corresponding refined state of mind and mental factors at that level. Once connected, the mind and mental factors at that level overlay our own, becoming, so to speak, our manager — advising, guiding, and helping us succeed in whatever we set out to do. While making a wish, merit flows in, purifying and liberating according to the level of refinement of the mind and mental factors at that moment. How fully the wish is fulfilled depends chiefly on the strength of that refinement and purity.