พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์สอนการผ่อนคลายกายใจก่อนนั่งสมาธิ อธิบายว่าดวงสติเมื่อรู้อยู่เสมอไม่เผลอจะเหนี่ยวนำพลังงานบริสุทธิ์คือบุญให้ไหลผ่านเข้ามาต่อเนื่องดุจบ่อน้ำมันที่มีเครื่องสูบอัตโนมัติในกลางตัว พร้อมแนะเทคนิคฝึกภาวนาสัมมาอะระหังทั้งวันทั้งคืน 3 วันหรือ 7 วันจนกลายเป็นอัตโนมัติPhra Ajarn Suraphong guides the relaxation of body and mind before sitting, explaining how mindfulness that stays constantly aware draws in the pure energy of merit continuously — like an automatic pump drawing from an oil well within. He then teaches a technique of reciting Sammā Arahaṃ day and night for 3 or 7 days until it becomes automatic.
Let the body rest comfortably and the mind settle — relaxed, open, spacious, light, clear and cool. If reciting Sammā Arahaṃ feels heavy, don't force it; there may still be some im present. Settle instead into whatever feels comfortable — wherever is easier, start there. If sitting to practice feels heavy, think of it instead as sitting to rest and relax. Loosen every part of the body and mind — still, soft, light, clear, cool.
"Always Aware, Never Forgetful" — Luang Pu's Teaching
Luang Pu would always emphasize this whenever he taught practice: stay always aware, never forgetful. Awareness is (). Once mindfulness arises, (avijjā) — not-knowing — falls away. If we are not aware, that means ignorance has taken over, and when ignorance takes over, merit cannot flow through.
Merit: The Most Precious Pure Energy
We live in a world of energy, and the purest energy — merit — is the most valuable of all. Both the inner world and the outer world depend entirely on merit. When we have merit, it can transform into wealth, , success, fulfilled wishes, and correct understanding of what is good and right. Without merit, it is hard to know, to understand, or to reach happiness and success.
The Sphere of Knowing Draws in Merit
Simply by determining awareness so that the sphere of knowing — the sphere of mindfulness — arises, it will continuously draw the pure energy of merit to flow in, within the brightness of that sphere. Know as much as you can for now, and stay pleasantly, comfortably aware. This sphere of knowing needs something to rest on, so find whichever meditation object is easy and suitable for you — whatever is easiest, use that.
From Mindfulness to Clear Comprehension
Going deeper into detail, mindfulness (sati) turns into (), taking in each detail fully — a thorough awareness arises, perceiving every particle of the atmosphere. Simply stay aware of what you are aware of, without forgetting. Wherever you focus, that is what you know; whatever you determine, that appears in the mind — because the mind is a element that accomplishes whatever it is directed toward.
The Nature of the Sphere of Merit
Merit takes the form of a bright, clear sphere, filled within with a state of happiness and purity — imbued with pure, sacred -elements possessing power and potency, able to dispel the stain of demerit until it vanishes completely. Only the purity of merit can remove the impurity of demerit, and the happiness of merit can dispel the suffering of demerit as well. Within the sphere of merit lie also the finer attainments — physical assets, material wealth, virtuous qualities, honor, praise, happiness, and the path, fruit, and nibbāna. When merit flows through us, through our heart, these finer attainments flow through too, and they draw the world's shared treasures into our lives.
The Technique: Settle, Recite, Count
To be able to simply stay aware without forgetting, we need training — training to be fully present in body and mind, resting at , or resting with the breath. Rest at the center of the body and recite Sammā Arahaṃ with a relaxed mind — open, spacious, light, clear, cool. You may count slowly: Sammā Arahaṃ 1, Sammā Arahaṃ 2, and so on up to 10, continuing pleasantly until it becomes automatic.
Train for 3 or 7 Days Until It Becomes Second Nature
Try just 3 days: recite Sammā Arahaṃ day and night. If 3 days is not enough, try 7 — reciting day and night for 7 days should be enough for it to become automatic. Once reciting Sammā Arahaṃ has become automatic — meaning it recites itself inside without effort — move on to visualizing the crystal Buddha image, reciting Sammā Arahaṃ while watching one crystal image after another arise, until this too becomes automatic.
The Third Element: The Relaxed Heavenly Mood
Once two elements are established, the third is to abide in a relaxed, heavenly mood — open, light, still, soft, comfortable. Stay with this feeling until it becomes familiar, and when all three become automatic together, everything falls into place and develops toward becoming fully automatic.
The Oil Well with the Automatic Pump
Once this drawing-in of energy becomes automatic, it is like having an oil well within the center of the body, with an automatic pump drawing it up continuously — the stream of merit and treasure can be used without interruption. Once this is achieved, life becomes easy in every respect.
Closing Chant
At the end of the sitting, we join together to pay homage to the Buddha with the chant beginning "Sabbe Buddhā..." and pay respect to the Triple Gem: the Buddha is our refuge, the is our refuge, the Sangha is our refuge. We then ask for the blessing and power of nibbāna, along with the merit of Luang Pu, Luang Phor, and Khun Yai Ajarn, to protect and care for us — free from suffering, sorrow, and danger — granting the Eye of Dhamma and thorough penetration into , together with wondrous treasures accompanying us through every life, until the end of the Dhamma.