พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์บรรยายธรรมก่อนนำนั่งสมาธิในงานบวชบูชาธรรมหลวงพ่อ อธิบายโสภณเจตสิกที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการทำสมาธิ ตั้งแต่ศรัทธา สติ หิริโอตัปปะ ไปจนถึงตัตรมัชฌัตตตาเจตสิกซึ่งท่านเปรียบเหมือนการยืนแช่น้ำระดับอกกลางทะเลที่มีคลื่นซัดเข้ามาซ้ายทีขวาที แต่ใจยังคงสมดุลนิ่งไม่หวั่นไหวBefore leading a sitting at an ordination in honor of Luang Pho's teaching, Phra Ajarn Suraphong explains the wholesome mental factors (sobhana cetasikas) involved in meditation — from faith and mindfulness through moral shame and moral dread — up to the factor of mental balance (tatramajjhattata), which he compares to standing chest-deep in the ocean, feeling the waves strike from left and right, yet remaining steady and unmoved.
Right Mindfulness Is the Foundation of Right Concentration
To develop , we must first develop , since right is its foundation. In meditation our role is to determine our attention so that mindfulness — the "knowing orb" — arises. We must therefore stay continuously aware without lapsing, because this orb of mindfulness draws in energy, and this pure, meritorious energy is what removes defilement and brings about refinement and liberation.
Our Role, the Knowing Orb, and Merit
We are the ones who determine, so that the knowing orb arises; the knowing orb's task is to draw in pure energy; and that pure energy's task is to drive the correction of defilement. Determining requires a base for the mind — , the nostrils, or wherever. Wherever we fix our attention, the mind settles there. If we fix on the feet, the mind goes to the feet, and we begin to notice the coolness, warmth, softness, or firmness of the floor — even though the nerve cells were never impaired, we only register such things once the mind itself goes there.
The Doctor Simile: Letting Wholesomeness Do the Healing
Phra Ajarn Suraphong compares practice to visiting a doctor. The doctor says simply to sit still and relax; after examining us, they give an injection, or if the condition is serious, take us into surgery, put us under anesthesia, operate, and then we recover — with nothing more required of us, because the doctor handles everything. Wholesomeness works the same way. We simply sit and determine our attention comfortably, and wholesomeness takes care of the rest. Once the knowing orb of mindfulness arises, it draws in pure energy, which drives system to cleanse defilement and carry us from one dimension to a subtler one, without our even being aware of it happening.
Defilement Has Its Own Job: Accepting Restlessness Without Anger
If defilement is still present, sitting will feel scattered, drowsy, or difficult. Defilement simply does its own job by nature, and we must understand and accept that this is how it is when defilement remains. It is like a phone battery that drains on its own if we don't recharge it with new unwholesome energy. But once we fix the mind on a clear base, pure energy is drawn in and held there — like a plug fixed firmly into its socket — making meditation grow steadily easier.
Cause and Effect: Like a Child Growing Little by Little
Luang Pu taught: "Perform the cause, observe the result — take up this practice, for it is excellent." If we observe closely, we see change happening constantly, bit by bit — like a child who eats every day and grows a little every hour, though we don't notice it because the change is too small; only after a month do we see how much they've grown. Our mind is the same. As long as we dwell with wholesomeness and keep performing the cause of goodness, change is always occurring. Only avoid craving for quick attainment, since that craving itself brings stress and knocks the mind out of balance.
The First Row of Sobhana Cetasikas: Faith, Mindfulness, Moral Shame, Moral Dread, Non-Greed, Non-Hatred
Phra Ajarn Suraphong explains the wholesome s (sobhana s) relevant to meditation. The first row consists of faith, mindfulness, moral shame (hiri), moral dread (ottappa), non-greed, and non-hatred. Moral shame and dread relate to — a sense of shame and fear regarding wrongdoing — while non-greed and non-hatred are the absence of greed and anger. Each person's faith in sitting meditation differs, so the strength of these mental factors in drawing in merit differs too. When we determine that we hold shame and fear of wrongdoing, and are free of greed and anger, these factors draw merit in.
The Factor of Mental Balance: Standing Chest-Deep in Ocean Waves
Next comes tatramajjhattata, the factor that produces equanimity — a neutral, balanced resting of the mind. He compares it to a pendulum swinging left and right, or to standing chest-deep in the ocean, waves striking us now from the left, now from the right, causing us to sway. But if we rest the mind evenly, neither pleased nor displeased, the mind does not ripple along with the waves. Even feeling joy, we needn't laugh too hard — just a gentle smile is enough to keep the mind from being tossed too far.
The Fruit of Balance: From Bodily Tranquility to the First Jhana
Once this factor of balance is steady, it allows the mental factors that follow to function well: bodily and mental (passaddhi); bodily and mental lightness (lahuta); bodily and mental softness (muduta); bodily and mental workableness (kammannata); bodily and mental proficiency (paguññata); and bodily and mental uprightness (ujukata). Once all of these are complete, the first jhana begins to take shape and can progress further into the second and third jhanas.
Reciting "Samma-arahang" and the Crystal Buddha Image
Entering the sitting itself, close the eyes gently, rest the mind at the center of the abdomen, and recite "Samma-arahang" word by word. This is the name describing the quality of the Arahant -body — one who practices well, rightly, in a way that leads far from defilement. When we utter this name, the crystal-clear, pure Buddha image appears, bringing with it a mission to refine the elements within us, dissolving every defilement.
Merging Body and Mind Into One With the Crystal Image
Take on the feeling that you are the crystal image, and it is you — radiant, clear, cool, clean, and pure through the whole body. Reaching the inner kaya can be easy or difficult; because the mind is a "ready-made element," whatever we determine, so it becomes. Luang Pho said that even one percent of realization is better than none at all — we develop it gradually from there. We then merge the mind with the image's mind by resting and stilling the mind together, exactly as the image does, heading straight along the middle path within toward Nibbana.
Radiating Loving-Kindness Across the Universe
Having done good for ourselves, we cultivate for others and all beings, sincerely and purely wishing that all beings be free from suffering and find . We expand this heart of loving-kindness to fill the Khao Kaeo Sadet study center, the village, the sub-district, the district, the province, the whole country, and neighboring countries, until it covers the entire world — then further still, across the countless stars of the boundless universe.
Dedicating Merit, Closing Resolve, and Paying Homage
We then dedicate this merit to the world and all beings, as well as to parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers, guardian devas, and every (khu-kam khu-wen) we may have wronged, asking that we forgive one another. We rest still within the stream of merit, within the Triple Gem, and within the refined dhamma-body of our teachers, resolving that the whole path of building perfections be filled with , happiness, and — closing with homage to the Triple Gem and a chant asking for its protection.