Merit: The Pure Energy That Sustains Every Life

Phra Ajarn Suraphong opens by explaining that every life depends on pure energy — merit — to sustain its human form. Whether sitting, lying, standing, or walking, we can be at ease only because this pure energy drives our life, including prosperity in business, work, family and social relationships, and the wisdom to solve problems. All of it rests on merit behind the scenes. This pure energy arises only by abiding with wholesome nature; every other nature offers no benefit and, if unwholesome, brings a great deal of suffering.

The Principle of Noting: Pure Energy Versus Impurity

The Buddha taught: "Monks, you should clearly determine and know the body, feeling, mind, and mental objects, in order to remove craving and aversion toward the world." To determine is to mark, to specify. Once the mind is placed there and we go on to note it, the orb of mindfulness arises — we call this "intention." Once intention arises, pure energy — merit — is drawn in continuously. This energy and impurity, being unclean, stand as opposites: merit brings happiness, impurity brings suffering; they cannot coexist. Impurity is finite, but our capacity to note is continuous and unending. Drawing in energy continuously, like waves in the sea, will eventually wash all impurity away, leading to liberation from one dimension into a subtler one, again and again.

A Clear Signal: The Key to Noting

What matters most in noting is the signal — the clearer the signal, the easier the noting. He gives the example of the breath: knowing the in-breath, knowing the out-breath, the signal being the air striking the nostril passage. If this is not clear enough, switch to another signal — for instance, the pulse of the heartbeat. But if the gaps between beats are wide, more interference creeps in and the signal becomes unreliable; in that case, switch to full-body awareness, or the sensation where the index finger and thumb touch. All that's needed is for the orb of awareness to note continuously, moment after moment. If something becomes hard to note because of interference, simply switch to a new signal.

When Suffering Interferes With Sitting Meditation

Beyond the body, we can also note feeling, mind, and mental objects — but it's best to start with what's easiest. If, while noting a bodily signal, suffering intrudes — especially during a period of karmic retribution — it can arise constantly, gripping the body and mind and making it hard to note anything else. This is the main reason most people find sitting meditation difficult: restlessness sets in. His advice: notice where the suffering appears and note directly there, because the signal of suffering is stronger — the orb of awareness will gravitate there regardless. Don't force attention elsewhere; note right where the suffering shows itself. Mindfulness then draws pure energy in to gradually cleanse the impurity causing the suffering, the way sunlight slowly burns away a dark cloud.

The Hindrances: Restlessness and Drowsiness

Beyond suffering, other hindrances (nivarana) also interfere — restlessness (uddhacca), for instance, appearing as an inner directing voice or as images, always accompanied by feeling. When it arises, simply note that it is restlessness, staying continuously aware without forgetting. Sometimes we may get carried away by what's directing us — that's fine too; once the impurity fueling the restlessness is used up, the restlessness naturally subsides. Among all the hindrances, restlessness is the easiest to handle. Drowsiness is different: when a hindrance carries strong force, whether drowsy or restless, it comes with real suffering. If the impurity isn't too heavy, one dozes briefly, wakes, and continues. But when it is heavy, the drowsiness can seem endless.

Walking Meditation: The Specific Remedy for Overwhelming Drowsiness

This is today's central teaching. When drowsiness becomes so strong that sitting is impossible, walking meditation becomes necessary. When you cannot sit, you must walk. Walk while continuing to note — even if some people still fall asleep while walking, because the impurity is heavy, keep noting anyway; the hindrance will gradually diminish. Delight in sights, tastes, smells, and sounds can show up as restlessness; drowsiness and sleepiness show up their own way; irritation and displeasure may also simmer beneath the surface. Simply stay aware, without forgetting, noting pleasantly and continuously.

Reciting "Sammā Arahaṃ" to Steady the Mind

If bare awareness alone isn't enough, he recommends the aid of recitation. Our revered teacher taught the word "Sammā Arahaṃ," a designated name for "the one who has practiced well and rightly, whose practice leads far from all defilements." When we utter this name with deep, refined awareness, it connects with that same refined quality, and he appears exactly where our mind is placed — a radiant, clear crystal Buddha image seated on a flat disc of jhana within an orb of Dhamma that fills the width of the lap, alive, able to smile and speak.

The Task the Crystal Buddha Image Carries When He Appears

When he appears at the center of our heart, he does not appear empty-handed but arrives with an essential task: helping refine our elements until clean and pure, taking our elements of seeing, remembering, thinking, and knowing, along with earth, water, wind, fire, space, and consciousness elements, and refining them through his knowledge of the Dhamma body. We must therefore continue noting without forgetting, staying with the recitation "Sammā Arahaṃ" continuously. He then appears at the center of body and mind and expands, merging into oneness with our human body, one image after another, wishing to become one with us so he can help us most effectively.

Merging Body and Mind Into the Crystal Dhamma Body

We merge by adopting the feeling that we are the Buddha image and the Buddha image is us, letting our whole body — head, face, neck, shoulders, both arms, chest, belly, back, hips, thighs, knees, shins, calves, and soles of the feet — become the radiant, clear, cool, clean, pure crystal Dhamma body. Once body merges with body as one, we merge mind with mind as well. He stays with us every fraction of a second, helping refine our elements by cultivating deep stillness (jhana-samabatti), settling into stopping and stillness; we then join him in that stillness. Whether we see him clearly or not doesn't matter — even without a clear image, simply feel his presence. Sit playfully at ease, relaxed, unhurried, because we are only ever with the present moment.

The Center of the Center and the Stream of Merit From Nibbana

Stopping within stopping, still within stillness, into the center of the center of the Buddha image — not left, right, forward, back, up, or down — entering the small, clear point that appears. Every moment of expansive openness marks liberation from one dimension into another, continuously. Send heart and mind directly toward the path of Nibbana, which is already waiting to receive us. When our mind reaches it, we find ourselves at the center of Nibbana, among every Sammasambuddha, every Paccekabuddha, and all the Arahants — those liberated from the cycle of rebirth yet still abiding within the realm of Nibbana, helping humans and all beings regardless of their faith, so long as they stand on universal goodness. The Triple Gem shines forth, and the stream of merit from the depths of Nibbana continues to flow through us as well.

Radiating Loving-Kindness

Having done good for ourselves, he has us cultivate loving-kindness (mettā) next, to benefit people and all beings. Mettā is a tool the wholesome uses for those with abundant merit to help those with less. Because mettā comes in many qualities, our revered teacher recommends drawing on the heart of a mother brimming with love and goodwill toward her young child. This causes a bright, clear orb of mettā to appear at the center of the heart, first purifying our own mind, then expanding to cover our home, dissolving resentment and irritation as impurities, then spreading further to neighbors, the village, district, province, country, other nations, and finally the whole world and universe, covering countless stars. May the people of the world and all beings — celestial beings of every realm, brahmas, formless brahmas, and beings in hell, asuras, and animals — be free from suffering and find happiness. May those with much suffering have less; may those with little happiness have more.

Dedicating Merit and Making an Aspiration

After cultivating loving-kindness, bring the mind to rest still within the continuously flowing stream of merit, dedicating it to the people of the world and all beings, to our departed ancestors and relatives, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, our benefactor teachers, helpful devas, and to those we may have wronged — our karmic counterparts (khu-kam khu-wen) — asking for mutual forgiveness. We then rest in stillness within the Triple Gem and the most refined Dhamma body of our revered teachers, whose boundless kindness assists us every moment whether we are asleep, awake, standing, walking, sitting, or lying down. Finally, make an aspiration, setting the pattern of success within this bright orb of merit, asking that life be transformed by wisdom, happiness, and purity; that we be freed from calamity, sin, defilements, craving, and ignorance; that we gain the eye of Dhamma; that we enjoy good health and strength and unending resolve to build perfections; and that upon leaving this world we be reborn in the Dusita heaven or in a family of right view — closing with the traditional chant invoking the power of all the Buddhas.