คำสอน · พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์Teaching · Pra Ajarn Suraphong
เมื่อสติกลายเป็นสัมปชัญญะในมิติภายใน: กำหนดรู้จนเข้าถึงองค์พระและพระนิพพานWhen Mindfulness Turns Into Clear Comprehension in the Inner Dimension: Determining and Knowing Until Reaching the Buddha Image and Nibbāna
พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์อธิบายว่าเมื่อผู้ปฏิบัติกำหนดรู้จนเข้าสู่มิติภายในได้ สติจะเปลี่ยนเป็นสัมปชัญญะ และบุญจะไหลผ่านเข้ามาในกลางความสว่างของสัมปชัญญะนั้นแทน พร้อมนำเข้าสู่การนึกถึงสัมมาอะระหังและวางองค์พระเป็นตัวเราอย่างละเอียด ก่อนแผ่เมตตาและอธิษฐานจิตปิดท้ายPhra Ajarn Suraphong explains that once a practitioner determines and knows deeply enough to enter an inner dimension, mindfulness (sati) transforms into clear comprehension (sampajañña), and merit begins flowing through the brightness of that comprehension instead. The talk guides listeners into reciting Samma-Araham and visualizing themselves as the crystal Buddha image, before radiating loving-kindness and closing with a dedication of merit.
Practicing Dhamma and Dwelling in the Wholesome System
Practicing is deeply necessary for every life, because we live under the influence of three kinds of natural forces. Apart from system, every other system gives no benefit at all — and brings us much suffering and harm besides. So we must learn, understand, and dwell with the wholesome nature, which the Buddha taught in this way: "Monks, you should clearly know body, feeling, mind, and mental objects, in order to remove craving-attachment and aversion toward the world."
Wherever You Determine and Know, Mindfulness Arises There
To dwell within the wholesome system requires determining. The Buddha therefore taught us to determine — wherever we determine, the heart is placed there; we determine in order to know. When the heart goes in, and we come to know, arises at the center of the heart. We see, then, that we need to find a base for the heart and place our attention there, and go in to know — mindfulness arises at that very location. Once mindfulness arises, the drawing-in of pure energy, which is merit, flows continuously within the brightness of that orb of knowing. This pure energy purifies the defilement that is the obscuring element of , thinning it out. Wherever we determine and know, the obscuring element there is dissolved and cleared away.
Mindfulness Turns Into Clear Comprehension Upon Entering the Inner Dimension
We enter the dimension of brightness precisely at the location we have determined and known. When we enter this inner dimension, even though it may still feel dim and unclear, it feels as though we have entered a room — a dimension within a room. At that very moment, mindfulness () transforms into (), which perceives the state within that dimension, and merit now flows through the brightness of that clear comprehension instead. Even while the dimension remains dim, the merit flowing through the orb of clear comprehension purifies the defilement within that dimension, thinning it out more and more. As the defilement particular to that dimension thins, and liberation arise continuously, until brightness within the dimension appears. But if brightness has not yet arisen, we simply continue determining, knowing, and purifying — staying continuously aware, without forgetting.
The Human Body's Only Role Is to Determine and Know
The role of the human body is simply to determine and know, staying continuously aware without forgetting — that is all. The orb of knowing, the orb of mindfulness, has the function of drawing pure energy in; that pure energy then has the function of purifying defilement. Each part has its own distinct role. We need only fulfill our own role: to determine and know, staying aware continuously without forgetting. That is enough.
Determining and Knowing in Four Domains, and the Forty Meditation Methods
The Buddha taught us to determine and know in four domains — body, feeling, mind, and mental objects — just these four. But within the forty methods of meditation practice taught by the teachers, all of them belong to the domain of mind, meaning thought and reflection, which draws on data from the past. So all forty recollection methods fall under the sphere of thinking, of mind itself. We can determine and know whichever meditation method is familiar to us, which needs a clear and continuous signal for mindfulness to hold onto and perceive. The teachers have recommended that we determine and know at .
Reciting "Samma-Araham" and the Meaning of a Descriptive Name
Once we have placed our heart at the center of the body, in the middle of our torso, we recite "Samma-Araham." This phrase is a descriptive name (nemittaka-nama) — a name given according to a quality. Samma-Araham means "the one who has practiced rightly and well, practice that leads far from the defilements that cloud the heart" — that is its meaning. When we determine and utter this name, he appears at the center of our heart. Form and name always come as a pair; when we utter his name, the form appears — the Buddha image, the Dhammakaya, appearing at the center of our body and heart.
The Dhammakaya Appears to Purify Our Elements
Once the Dhammakaya appears, he takes our seeing, remembering, thinking, and knowing — our earth, water, wind, fire, space, and consciousness elements — and purifies them completely, dissolving every strand of defilement. Not only that, he expands and overlays himself as one with our human body, arising again and again, overlaying continuously, bright and clear — because he is our true self. What he desires is unity between the human body and the Dhammakaya, because that unity allows him to help and correct us with full effectiveness.
Visualizing Ourselves as the Crystal Buddha Image, Part by Part
Let us adopt the feeling that we are the Buddha image, and the Buddha image is us — that our entire body merges as one with him: from the crown of the head, the face, cheeks, shoulders, arms, and torso, all of it becoming the crystal Dhammakaya, bright, cool, clean, and pure. Our head is the clear crystal of the Dhammakaya, with a bud-shaped crown, clear, sparkling, and radiant. Our face is the countenance of the crystal Dhammakaya, eyes gently closed, with a serene, softly smiling expression. Forehead, nose, cheeks, and mouth are all the crystal Dhammakaya, bright, cool, clean, and pure. Shoulders, arms, and torso, down to the very fingertips, are all the crystal Dhammakaya, clear, sparkling, and radiant. Chest, abdomen, lower belly, and back are all the crystal Dhammakaya, refined, soft, and gentle, cool, clean, and pure. Let our whole body become the crystal Dhammakaya, bright, cool, clean, and pure. Determine part by part, gradually — wherever you can perceive most clearly, start there. If you cannot see it, that's fine — simply feeling that it is there is enough.
Merging the Heart With the Buddha Image, Still Within Stillness
Let us merge ourselves with him into a single unity — our body with his body — and merge our heart with his heart into one, by determining the heart to stop, to be still, soft and light. Gather the heart to stop, gather the heart to be still, at the center of the Buddha image, the center of the Dhammakaya — still within stillness, soft, relaxed, comfortable, clear, cool, clean, and pure. Send the heart directly toward the path of Nibbāna, resting at the center of the center, still within the center of the center of the center. As we send our heart directly toward the path of Nibbāna, we appear bright within the center of Nibbāna — the center of every Buddha, every Solitary Buddha, and every Arahant.
Nibbāna Continues to Watch Over All Beings
The heart is a substance of accomplishment — determine it however you wish, and it becomes so. Nibbāna is every Buddha, every Solitary Buddha, and every Arahant. Once they extinguished defilement and were liberated from the cycle of rebirth, they did not simply depart — they still abide in the Nibbāna-sphere, and continue to watch over and help all beings at all times, holding all beings within themselves, caring for and protecting them every single moment without ever pausing. Each day, we need only practice so that our heart is directed toward the path of Nibbāna, resting within the boundless, countless wise and powerful beings. We then gather the heart to stop, gather the heart to be still, soft, relaxed, and comfortable — still within stillness, at the center of the Buddha image, the center of the Triple Gem, the center of Nibbāna.
The Mechanism of the Orb of Mindfulness in Purifying and Liberating
In cultivating meditation, what we want is the orb of knowing — the orb of mindfulness, recollection and awareness. We need only this orb to arise. This orb of mindfulness is a of wholesome ; whenever a wholesome mind arises, the light of mindfulness and determined knowing appears at the center of our heart, and draws in the pure energy called merit to purify the defilement that is darkness, dissolving it entirely — the defilement that causes problems and obstacles, bringing difficulty to our life and our way of living. As defilement thins, problems thin; and when defilement is fully gone, problems are fully gone too — and we are liberated, continuously, from one dimension into the next.
Benefiting Ourselves, Then Benefiting the World Through Loving-Kindness
Having brought about good for our own life, by cultivating — determining and knowing so the orb of knowing arises, drawing in the pure energy called merit to refine the elements within us clean and pure — purity and liberation arise continuously, bringing us access to resources of greater value: streams of merit and possessions of higher quality, and wise, capable beings from newer, subtler dimensions we have reached. Having benefited ourselves, we go on to benefit the people of the world and all beings, by cultivating . Simply by wishing sincerely: may all beings be free from suffering and share in . Those who suffer much, may their suffering lessen; those who suffer little, may they be free of suffering and find happiness; those with little happiness, may they have more; and those already happy, may their happiness increase further.
Radiating Loving-Kindness and Dedicating Merit to Karmic Counterparts
Having made this sincere wish, we expand this heart, filled with loving-kindness, outward in every direction. May the people of the world and all beings be free from suffering and share in happiness. May the people of the world and all beings share in the merit we have sincerely accumulated — our ancestors, parents, siblings, grandparents, our benefactor teachers, the devas who help and support us, and those who tend and protect all beings. May we forgive one another with all the karmic counterparts (khu kam khu wen) we have ever wronged, and may they too receive this merit in full.
Closing Aspiration and Dedication
Having dedicated this merit to our relatives and ancestors, we now seal a completed for our own life, letting our aspiration adhere within this bright orb of merit and blessing, so that our whole path of building perfections is complete with , happiness, and purity, and the fulfillment of every good and correct wish. We ask for the blessing, radiance, strength, and sacred power of Nibbāna throughout all elements and Dhamma, together with the merit of the revered Grand Teacher, Father Teacher, and Lady Teacher, combined with all merit accumulated since our first life, so that body, speech, mind, and every element become bright, cool, clean, and pure; that we be released from calamity, sin, karmic retribution, and every obstacle; that greed, hatred, delusion, lust, ignorance, wrong view, craving, and clinging be extinguished without remainder; that we attain the Dhamma-eye and fully penetrate the Dhammakaya knowledge, complete with the Three Knowledges, the Eight Knowledges, the Six Higher Powers, the Four Analytical Insights, the Eight Liberations, and the Fifteen Conducts; with strong health and long life; born into a right-view family, a crystal family, a Dhammakaya family — closing with the chant that all these good and sincere wishes be fulfilled for us all.