Pra Ajarn stands in as the one receiving our request for forgiveness — for all the times we have, knowingly or unknowingly, done wrong toward the Triple Gem.

Asking Forgiveness of the Triple Gem Who Watches Over Us at Every Moment

We might wonder where we ever wronged the Triple Gem, since we revere them always. But while we are alive, the Triple Gem resides within our very body, watching over us, correcting and helping us at every moment — resolving karmic results from the past and correcting what arises in the present from the unwholesome or the neutral. They care for us whether we're aware of it or not, whether asleep or awake. Yet many times we go along with the unwholesome instead, piling greed, hatred, delusion, and lust onto them as a burden. Sometimes we go out eating, dancing, wandering carelessly, letting the mind scatter without mindfulness, refusing to cooperate with the wholesome side in drawing in pure energy to correct ourselves — burdening them all the while. So we must ask their forgiveness, because throughout our long, beginningless wandering in samsara we have done nothing but burden them. Today we take this chance to ask forgiveness of the one who has done us immeasurable good every single moment, never once pausing in helping us. No one loves us more than the Triple Gem. We now bow to ask their forgiveness so that we may walk the right path from here on — though they have always understood; it isn't that they don't understand. They know humans know nothing, veiled by ignorance, and driven by ignorance's conditioning into wrong views. They have never once held a grudge or felt anger — only loving-kindness and compassion, caring for us continuously.

From Bodhisatta Ship-Merchant to the Storm at Sea

Over these three days of studying and practicing dhamma, we've been given a foundation in many things, coming to understand the truths of life more deeply, and to see just how great the merit of Buddhism truly is — for the Buddha, before reaching his profound knowledge and understanding, had to build the perfections across twenty incalculable aeons plus another four hundred thousand great aeons, an unimaginably long span. Going back to the very first occasion the Great Being made a firm resolution (sacca-adhiṭṭhāna) to become a fully enlightened Buddha: in that life he was a sea-merchant captain, sailing to trade in far-off lands, bringing along his aged mother on the ship. He traded that way until, one day, the ship met a great storm and sank. He had to carry his struggling mother, and the two floated in the sea for seven days and seven nights, with no shore in sight, facing extreme hunger, extreme cold, scorching heat by day, exhaustion, and extreme thirst. The others who traveled with him — the whole crew adrift together in the sea — suffered greatly as well. Day after day passed with still no shore in sight.

The Unwholesome Voice Urging Surrender to Despair

One by one they let themselves sink into the depths of the sea out of despair and hopelessness, dying in that despair — releasing their driftwood to sink, since they had endured seven days and seven nights with no shore appearing. But in that very crisis, the Great Being, filled with the perfections, would not do the same, because the wholesome within held him steady. Those who died in despair, by contrast, had been possessed by the unwholesome, guided by it, hearing it repeat again and again that it was better to die than to keep enduring. Night after night, day after day passed with still no shore in sight, so — the reasoning went — better to let go of the driftwood and sink. Guided by the unwholesome, day after day, night after night, unable to fight any longer, they surrendered and let themselves sink into the sea.

Resolving to Become a Fully Enlightened Buddha

But for the Great Being, the wholesome within kept guiding and sustaining him, showing him that every life carries suffering — that he was not the only one facing suffering like this; all beings of the world suffer in the same way, living amid hardship and want, facing extreme hunger, exhaustion, cold, and heat. So who, then, would help and support them? Even for himself — who could help him but himself? And so, if no one else could bring benefit to all beings, why should he not become the one who is a shade of the bodhi tree, a banyan's shelter, for all people and all beings? Let him resolve, right then, to become a fully enlightened Buddha who would bring great benefit to all beings in the ages to come. In that very moment of exhaustion, despair, and near hopelessness, he found new strength and resolved on the spot: 'I hereby resolve to bring about great benefit for all people and all beings, and to lead all people and all beings out of this cycle of samsara.' At that instant, an immeasurable, vast stream of merit arose, filling the Great Being's heart with fullness and radiant joy.

Sakka Descends to Rescue the Great Being

At that very moment, Sakka, ruler of the Tāvatiṃsa heaven, felt his once-soft seat turn hard. Sensing something amiss, he exclaimed that something serious must have happened — that some being of great merit must be facing a great peril. Looking down with his divine eye, he saw the Great Being adrift at sea for seven days and seven nights, and at once ordered the deity of the ocean to hasten and rescue the Great Being from that suffering. This is the very first chapter of our present Buddha — the one whose teaching we now rely on to purify and perfect ourselves, made possible by his diligence and effort from that very first resolve.

A Lesson for Us: When Suffering Arises, Remember Him

Whenever we face suffering, let us remember him adrift at sea, facing extreme hunger, exhaustion, cold, and heat. Even in our own suffering, we still have air-conditioned rooms, a bed to sleep in, a warm home, rice to eat, and water so we need not flee from thirst, and people around us we can still talk to. So whenever we face hardship and our spirits flag, let us look to him: he faced far worse, yet still found the heart to resolve to help all people and all beings, setting a wholesome wish for their benefit. That very wholesome wish, that resolve of his mind, is what drew in the stream of merit to support and help him. We must follow his example: when we face great suffering, let us find strength by remembering him as our model — resolving with a wholesome wish, with sincerity, with truthfulness toward ourselves and others, to bring good into the world in the future. Even if, in this very moment, we can do nothing, let us resolve that in the future we will accomplish that good and difficult thing.

The First Cohort of the Dhamma-Flavor Program, and Its Guiding Principles

Pra Ajarn once again offers his rejoicing in the merit of everyone present. This retreat site is hosting its very first cohort — the first group ever to come practice dhamma together at this location. It came about because the organizers wanted everyone to know the real truth of life, to understand the results and correct methods of practice, aimed toward inner happiness and purity. Volunteer staff have been on hand to help and care for participants from the very start, seeing that the knowledge and understanding gained from studying with Pra Ajarn Suraphong would benefit many people, and so wished to organize this program and invite everyone to join. Rules were set so that everyone could stay grounded in wholesome practice and train to the fullest. Participants need not worry about or take responsibility for costs — but anyone who sees the benefit and wishes to support is welcome to contribute toward funding future cohorts, since the next cohort will be just like this one: people coming with sincere intention and a pure heart. Simply being present at the site and staying to the end of the program is enough. Because the program is short — just three days — some have asked to attend only one or two days, but the organizers have found this insufficient; if someone isn't ready for the full duration, it's better to wait for a cohort when they are, so they can gain the fullest understanding. Finally, Pra Ajarn extends his rejoicing to all and asks everyone to keep applying what they've learned from this training and practice continuously in daily life — to build mindfulness and clear comprehension within themselves, to understand the states that arise with insight, to study deeply, aiming toward better inner dhamma, and to continue living with steady growth from here on.