Three Natural Forces and the Need to Dwell with the Wholesome

Practicing meditation is essential and important for every life, because we live under the influence of three natural forces. Whichever of these forces manages to seize control of our mind draws in its own energy to drive its own system. If sin manages to seize control, it draws in sinful, defiling energy to drive the unwholesome system, pressing our inner elements down and causing us trouble. This is why we must learn to dwell with the wholesome nature, because only the wholesome nature can draw in the energy of merit that brings happiness, prosperity, success, integrity, and goodness into our lives.

Determining in Every Posture: The Starting Point of Wholesomeness

The Buddha taught: "Monks, you should clearly determine the body, feelings, mind, and mental phenomena, in order to remove covetousness and grief regarding the world." To dwell with the wholesome nature requires determining. When we go to study a meditation technique, we might determine at the feet — right foot stepping, left foot stepping, in every posture — or determine at the rising and falling of the abdomen, or at the in-breath and out-breath, or with a repeated word or a visualized sign. All of these require determining.

Wherever we determine, the mind is placed there. The sphere of awareness, the sphere of mindfulness, arises at that spot, because Dhamma can arise nowhere else but the mind. Pure energy is then drawn continuously into the brightness of that sphere, purifying that location to cleanliness and purity, clearing away the covering elements. We can then enter the dimension at that very spot. Once inside, mindfulness automatically transforms into clear comprehension, continuously perceiving the inner state of that dimension.

From a Bright Sphere to a Clear Sphere: The Controllable Acquired Sign

As we keep determining, the merit that flows in refines the defilements, making them thinner. From brightness, a bright sphere appears, because the covering elements of the defilement obscuring it have been cleared. Yet the bright sphere is still not clear, because subtler covering elements still veil its clarity. We continue determining so that mindfulness and clear comprehension keep working; merit flows continuously into the brightness of the sphere of clear comprehension, clearing away the subtler defilements, and the bright sphere becomes a clear sphere.

Once the clear bright sphere appears, we still cannot do anything with it — we cannot yet control or command it. Whatever method of determining is working, we keep doing it; the merit that flows in clears away the subtler defilements that lock the sphere in place. Once those defilements are gone, we gain control — we can shrink it, expand it, make it bigger or smaller, move it forward or back, left or right, up or down, all at will. Once we can control it this way, we call this controllable bright sphere the **acquired sign** (dawng ukkhanimit).

Guiding the Acquired Sign to the Seventh Base Until It Falls to the Center

Once we can control the acquired sign, we guide it into position at the body's center, the seventh base — located at the middle of the abdomen, two finger-widths above the navel, not at the surface of the abdominal wall. For those unfamiliar with the seventh base: imagine two lines, one stretched taut from the navel through to the spine, the other stretched taut from the right side of the waist to the left, crossing at the same level like a crosshair — this crossing point is the sixth base. The seventh base is two finger-widths above that.

Following the full sequence, we move from base one at the tip of the nostril, to base two at the inner corner of the eye, to base three at the center of the head, down to base four at the roof of the mouth, down to base five above the throat opening, down to base six at the crosshair at the body's center, then back up two finger-widths to the seventh base. For those who already rest their mind at the body's center, that is fine too — simply keep determining continuously until the sphere of purity, the Dhamma sphere, rises up on its own at this position, and draws us to **fall to the center**, entering an automatic inner process within the Dhamma sphere — an entirely wholesome system where everything then proceeds automatically. But before reaching the Dhamma sphere, everything remains "manual" — we must determine and guide each sphere to its intended position ourselves.

The Story of Prince Siddhartha and the Eighth Jhāna Under Ālāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta

While we have not yet reached the inner Dhamma sphere, our teachers instruct us simply to rest the mind directly at the seventh base — nowhere else — which is entirely consistent with what the Buddha taught, because the seventh base is the very gateway of the path leading straight to nibbāna. It is a position of the utmost importance, because the world does not know where this gateway to nibbāna actually lies. Not knowing, people find it difficult, and end up cultivating jhāna instead — the first jhāna, second, third, fourth — continuing on to the eighth jhāna, and then not knowing what to do next.

This mirrors the story of **Ālāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta** — the two ascetics under whom Prince Siddhartha studied before his enlightenment as the Buddha. He studied with both teachers up to the eighth jhāna, and still did not know what to do beyond that. He therefore had to search on his own, until at last he was able to reach the inner Dhamma sphere at the seventh base.

Why Teachings on the Seventh Base Faded From the Pali Canon

Given that the seventh base is such an important position, why does it not appear clearly in the Pali Canon? It is because the Canon dates back over 2,000 years, and a great deal of the teaching has eroded away over that span of time — only small fragments remain, and most of it, especially the teaching on the seventh base, has been lost. It was only when our revered Grand Teacher staked his very life on the search that he was able to rediscover this inner middle path through the seventh base once more. This position is therefore of the utmost importance — known and accepted only by those within a special circle of merit.

Softly Parting the Eyelids, Relying on Outer Light

Our teachers instruct us to part the eyelids softly in order to see inwardly — closing the eyes gently, just enough for the eyelashes to touch, letting a little light through. Because seeing the inner world requires light, just as the outer world requires light for our eyes to see by — without light, even with eyes open, we see nothing. The same is true of the inner world: as long as we have not yet reached the Dhamma-eye, a little light may help us perceive something. While it is still dark within, we rely a little on outer light for assistance. If we part the eyelids softly, visualizing the seventh base — the two crossed lines forming a crosshair — becomes easier, and we can set a tiny clear point like a crystal sphere at that spot. Parting the eyelids helps us stay at the gateway between the inner and outer worlds, without slipping into the inner darkness where the unwholesome lies in wait with the hindrance of drowsiness and grogginess.

Chanting "Samma Arahang" From Deep Awareness

In the chanting itself, our teachers instruct us to recite "Samma Arahang" from a deep, subtle level of awareness. The mind is a substance of accomplishment: setting the mind to be subtle brings us to subtlety; setting a deep awareness connects us with what is deep and subtle within. "Samma Arahang" is a nemittaka-nāma, a name called according to its qualities. The inner world, like the outer world, is entirely composed of form and name. Form is a package containing qualities; wholesome form is uniformly a clear bright sphere, while unwholesome form is uniformly a black sphere — yet the inner quality within each differs, and so the sphere is named for the quality it contains, much as bottles of juice look alike yet hold liquids of different colors, each named for what is inside. The sphere of loving-kindness is one thing, the sphere of compassion another, the sphere of sympathetic joy and the sphere of equanimity yet others.

Merging as One With the Crystal Dhammakaya

"Samma Arahang" names the state present within the Dhamma, meaning the one who practices well and rightly, far from all defilements. When we utter this name, the one bearing exactly these qualities appears at the mind — it cannot be otherwise; it must be this particular one, matching the qualities we called upon. When he appears, he does not appear empty-handed; he appears bringing the elements of seeing, remembering, thinking, and knowing — earth, water, wind, fire, space, and consciousness — refining them to clarity, cleanliness, and purity, clearing away defilements to whatever degree is possible, liberating us from one dimension into the next continuously, entirely without our conscious awareness.

He also expands and merges as one with our human body, to protect and support us, because he is our true self, and so must protect, care for, and help this human vessel — dwelling within it, driving the ongoing refinement with every chant, as Buddha images arise continuously one after another. His wish is for us and him to become one, so he may help us with the fullest efficiency. We use the actor's technique: adopting the feeling that we are the Buddha image, the Buddha image is us. Our whole body becomes the radiant crystal Dhammakaya — clear, cool, clean, and pure — from the crown of the head, face, eyes, forehead, nose, mouth, chin, throat, shoulders, arms to the fingertips, chest, abdomen, back, hips, thighs, knees, shins, calves, and soles of the feet, all of it the crystal Dhammakaya.

Cessation-Attainment: Stopping Within Stopping, Stilling Within Stillness, at the Center of the Buddha Image

Having merged our body with his as one, we now merge our mind with his mind as one too. We need to know what he — the pure crystal Dhammakaya, the knower of great power — is doing within us: he is dwelling in cessation-attainment, gathering the mind to stop, gathering it to be still, refining our inner elements to clarity and purity. We do as he does: gathering the mind to stop, gathering it to be still, soft, relaxed, at ease — stopping within stopping, stilling within stillness, clear, cool, clean, pure — at the center of the Buddha image, the center of our body, the center of our mind — not left, not right, not forward, not back, not up, not down, but into the very center of the center. Buddha images arise continuously, one after another, merging our body with his as one, and we send our heart and mind straight along the path to nibbāna.

The Triple Gem Present in Everyone, Regardless of Race or Religion

Every Buddha, every Independently-Enlightened One, and every Arahant practiced well and rightly, far from all defilements, and thereby became liberated from the cycle of rebirth, entering nibbāna, dwelling within its realm. Yet even having become liberated from the cycle, having gone, they have not truly gone to sleep — they continue to benefit the world and all beings by holding all beings within their own center. Whenever a being abides in universal goodness, the stream of merit from nibbāna flows into the center of their body and mind, refining their inner elements to clarity and purity, and the Triple Gem shines bright within them — regardless of whether they follow Buddhism. All beings receive care from the Triple Gem and from nibbāna without any distinction of race or religion; his loving-kindness and compassion are constant and equal to all. As the stream of merit flows through us, nibbāna compounds that merit further still, continuing to refine and liberate us from one dimension into the next; the proportion of our wholesomeness increases while unwholesomeness steadily decreases, easing the difficulties that would otherwise confront us in the days ahead — from heavy to light, and from light to gone.

Radiating Loving-Kindness Across the Universe

Having brought good causes into being for ourselves, we now bring good causes into being for people and all beings, by cultivating loving-kindness — a tool of the wholesome nature for those with merit to use in benefiting others, requiring only the setting of love and genuine goodwill. Our revered teacher advised us to draw on the heart of a mother, full of love and goodwill for her small child, and set it as our own. Once set, the radiant sphere of loving-kindness shines, and a continuous stream of merit flows into that brightness, refining our mind to clarity and purity.

We then expand this loving mind to cover our home, refining every particle of the surrounding people, beings, and things to brightness, coolness, cleanliness, and purity. May the people of the world and all beings be free from suffering and find happiness everywhere. We expand further, covering countless stars and the whole world and universe. May the people of the world and all beings — earthbound devas, tree devas, sky devas, celestial beings of every heaven, form-realm and formless-realm brahmas, as well as beings in hell, asuras, and animals — be free from suffering and find happiness. Loving-kindness also refines every particle of the environment — earth, water, air, sky, clouds, mountains, seas, forests, crops, buildings, homes, and belongings — making them bright, clear, clean, and pure, suited to the well-being of all beings and people. Whoever brings benefit into being for the world and the universe may in turn draw upon the treasures of the world and the universe.

Dedicating Merit to Benefactors and Karmic Counterparts

Gathering the mind to stop, to be still, within the radiant sphere of loving-kindness — the stream of merit still pours continuously into its brightness. We dedicate this merit to our ancestors, to people and all beings, and to our relatives. May the people of the world and all beings share in the merit we have intended and accomplished — including our ancestors, relatives, parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles and aunts, our retinue, our revered teachers who have shown us kindness, the devas who help and support us, our caretakers and guardians, and all beings we may ever have wronged, our **karmic counterparts** (khu-kam khu-wen). May we forgive one another and may all receive a share of this merit equally.

Merging with the Triple Gem and the Great Teachers, and the Closing Aspiration

Stilling within the stream of merit, within happiness, purity, and the radiance of merit's substance, we soak in the brightness of this sphere of merit. We then gather the mind to stop, to be still, within the Triple Gem — the Buddha Jewel, the Dhamma Jewel, the Sangha Jewel — and stilling within the Great Teachers, the utterly refined Dhamma-body of our revered Grand Teacher, our Teacher, and both Khun Yay Acharn, for they are of immeasurable benefit to us, caring for us every single instant without pause, whether we are asleep, standing, walking, sitting, or lying down. The Great Teachers likewise watch over and support us every time we practice.

Having appeared bright within nibbāna, we take this most auspicious moment to make an aspiration, to pay respect and seal every good and rightful wish into this radiant sphere of merit along the entire path of building perfections — that our lives be filled with knowledge, happiness, and purity, and every rightful, good wish be fulfilled. May all the merit and perfections accumulated since our very first life, through countless lifetimes, combine into a sacred, powerful merit that refines our body, speech, mind, and elements to brightness, coolness, cleanliness, and purity, freeing us from calamity, sin, karmic results, and every obstacle in life, until greed, hatred, delusion, lust, ignorance, wrong view, craving, and clinging are extinguished without remainder. May we gain the Dhamma-eye, penetrating fully into the knowledge of the Dhammakaya, attaining the Threefold Knowledge, the Eightfold Knowledge, the Six Higher Powers, the Four Analytical Insights, the Eight Liberations, and the Fifteen Conducts, complete in every respect. May we enjoy good health and long life to build merit and perfections throughout our lives, and when the time comes to leave this world, may we be born in the Tusita heaven among the assembly of future Buddhas, returning to be born into a family of right view in the human world, studying the knowledge of the Dhammakaya correctly and in accordance with the truth, always.