การอยู่กับปัจจุบันอย่างแท้จริงต้องอยู่ด้วยสติ ไม่ใช่ปล่อยชีวิตไหลไปตามอารมณ์ อดีตมีไว้เรียนรู้ไม่ใช่จมอยู่กับมัน อนาคตที่ยังไม่มาถึงมีไว้เตรียมเหตุไม่ใช่ฟุ้งซ่าน เพราะสัจธรรมและพลังงานบริสุทธิ์ปรากฏได้เฉพาะในแต่ละปัจจุบันเท่านั้นTruly living in the present must be done with mindfulness, not by drifting along with emotion. The past is for learning from, not for dwelling in; the future that hasn't arrived yet is for preparing causes, not for daydreaming -- because truth and pure energy can only appear in each present moment.
Someone brought an article titled "Not Dwelling on the Past, Not Fantasizing About the Future" and asked the teacher to expand on it.
Why We Must Live in the Present
Most human suffering comes from tying the mind to things we cannot fix -- the past -- or to things that haven't arrived yet -- the future -- until we forget the present, the only place where we can actually create causes. A past mistake is there to be learned from, not dwelled in. A future that hasn't come yet is there for preparing causes, not for daydreaming. Our real duty is simply to do the present moment well.
Truly living in the present must be done with , not by letting life drift along with emotion. Heedfulness means knowing that life is uncertain, and so using the time we have to create value, without procrastinating on doing good.
Other natural forces tend to pull us toward the past or the future, away from the present, because it's only in the present that truth can be seen. Being aware in the present moment lets pure energy flow through continuously. Mindfulness -- the act of recollecting and being aware -- is what draws in this pure energy.
The Ten Perfections -- What Drives Life Forward
To create real value in life we need to stay grounded in , never procrastinating on doing good when the opportunity arises: giving, keeping precepts, meditating, being humble, helping with others' tasks, dedicating merit, rejoicing in others' merit, listening to , teaching Dhamma, and holding right view -- these are the orious action, connected to the ten perfections: generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, effort, , truthfulness, resolution, , and equanimity.
The ten perfections are like the engine that drives us through the cycle of birth and death, and they must be cultivated consistently. If we neglect them, opposing forces will pull us the other way -- morality gets pulled toward breaking precepts, generosity toward , wisdom toward failing to see the value of good and the danger of evil -- causing the "engine" to spin backward: being diligent about the wrong things, being patient with the wrong things, like patiently sitting through movies, music, or games but having no patience for giving up bad habits. Repairing the perfections means returning to the right causes so the engine spins forward again.
Truthfulness, Resolution, and Living in the Present
The perfection of truthfulness is living mindfully in each present moment, without drifting to the past or future. When we can truly dwell in the present, the state of truth reveals itself, and the Triple Gem shines brightly within us. When the mind becomes an "element of accomplishment," whatever we resolve tends to succeed easily -- which is why truthfulness and resolution are linked. When the mind rests calmly within the system that brings and success, our resolutions succeed easily, and acts of loving-kindness toward others also bear fruit easily, resting on the foundation of equanimity, which keeps the mind unshaken by outside stimuli. Developing all ten perfections makes reaching the path and fruit of Nibbana no longer difficult.
Is Staying Aware in the Present a Way of Building the Perfection of Truthfulness?
Someone asked: if we try to stay mindfully aware of whatever is in front of us all day, are we unknowingly building the perfection of truthfulness? The teacher confirmed this is exactly right. In whatever posture or movement, being aware of what arises in each present moment is the essence of every form of meditation. When we focus and contemplate -- through the four bases of success (aspiration, effort, mind, and investigation) -- on the feeling that arises in each moment, pure energy flows in to drive the system of wholesomeness, refining that feeling into a meditative mood that anchors the mind in wholesomeness.
If we don't pay attention to the feeling arising in each moment, it never develops into a mood strong enough to anchor the mind -- much like an actor, musician, or writer who needs to be "in the mood" to perform well. Being aware in each present moment is how a feeling develops into a rich, refined mood -- and this is the path into the Dhamma. At first we may meet resistance from unwholesome forces unwilling to let us reach this feeling easily, so we must patiently keep observing until the obscuring layers are cleared away, and the richness and calm of the mind gradually appear.