พระอาจารย์สุรพงค์สอนหลักธรรมวิจยะ คือการประกอบเหตุแล้วสังเกตผลซ้ำๆ จนรู้ว่าอะไรได้ผลจริง พร้อมเล่าประสบการณ์ส่วนตัวสมัยฝึกกับหลวงพ่อตั้งแต่ตีห้าถึงสามทุ่มต่อเนื่องนานหนึ่งเดือน ก่อนนำเจริญเมตตาธรรมและอุทิศส่วนบุญPhra Ajarn Suraphong teaches the principle of dhammavicaya, investigating the Dhamma by repeatedly acting and observing the result until one knows what genuinely works, illustrated with his own memory of training with Luang Phor continuously from five in the morning until nine at night for a full month. The sit closes with loving-kindness practice and merit dedication.
Phra Ajarn opens by teaching that we should think of this as just sitting comfortably — cultivating a good attitude toward practice comes first. If practice feels like a burden or an obligation, that is the hardest possible approach. But if we think of it as easy, as something beneficial, nothing is easier than sitting at ease. Simply know: whatever arises, just know it — discomfort, suffering, or goodness — just know it, without grasping. Then let it go.
Training Ease of Mind Until It Becomes Automatic
He cites Luang Phor's saying: "with paired with ease, one dies at ease" — that is all there is to it. Mindfulness can know anything, but if it knows ease itself, we no longer need to search for comfort outside ourselves, since it can arise in every moment. No need for the seaside, the mountains, or a garden. Train until ease becomes familiar — sitting at ease, walking at ease, speaking at ease, eating and drinking at ease, doing anything at ease. Once the mind is at ease, it becomes fit for work, and chanting practice becomes easier from there.
Establishing a Clear Base for the Mind
Phra Ajarn teaches not to let the mind drift; it needs a clear base, a definite point of reference. We may start by placing attention on the breath — knowing the in-breath, knowing the out-breath — or simply letting whatever arises be known. Just know it, without tensing around whatever appears. All that is needed is for the sphere of knowing — mindfulness — to arise on its own.
Dhammavicaya — Act, Then Observe the Result
He teaches that every moment is the establishing of mindfulness — recollecting continuously, without forgetting, knowing what we are knowing, noticing any change that occurs. As we act and observe the result, we gradually perceive the mind settling more and more; weariness and fatigue ease. We come to know: this cause gives this result, that cause gives that result. This is a process of proving to ourselves what produces what — which is good, which is not, which works, which does not — then repeating and practicing what works. All of this is called "vicaya," investigation of the , so that we may take up what proves genuinely beneficial and put it to use.
A Personal Story — Training with Luang Phor from 5 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Phra Ajarn recalls his own experience training under Luang Phor: sitting continuously from five in the morning until nine at night, learning and coming to understand, testing what seemed beneficial and putting it to use, observing what actually worked. The entire first month was devoted to this dhammavicaya, this investigation of the Dhamma — each person studying and learning for themselves. Those who found something that worked could move forward; those who had not yet found it kept searching until they did, trying out what suited them. Act, then observe the result — repeating this again and again, testing and testing again until it truly worked, sustained by the effort of doing this one thing continuously, day and night.
The Sphere of Knowing and Pure Energy
When we remain aware without ever forgetting — knowing wherever we place attention — the sphere of knowing, mindfulness, arises, and the sphere of falls away. Mindfulness draws in pure energy, merit, continuously into the brightness of the sphere of knowing. The Triple Gem appears radiant at our center; we appear radiant within it; both we and it appear radiant within Nirvana. The stream of merit from the subtlest depths of Nirvana flows continuously into the brightness of this sphere of knowing, driving system and dissolving defilement, freeing us from coarser dimensions into subtler ones — whether we are aware of it happening or not. The wholesome system does this refining work for us; all we need do is keep determining and knowing without forgetting.
Reading the Signal of Your Meditation Object
Phra Ajarn teaches us to observe the signal of whatever meditation object we use: is it clear, or does it flicker in and out? Is it easy to hold in awareness? Whichever proves effective, we continue using consistently. He recommends the chant "Sammā Arahaṃ," which can also be counted — "Sammā Arahaṃ, one; Sammā Arahaṃ, two; Sammā Arahaṃ, three" — continuing pleasantly.
Loving-Kindness — Wholesome, Unwholesome, and Neutral Love
Having done good for ourselves, Phra Ajarn leads practice to benefit all beings, since we are all companions in birth, aging, sickness, and death, coming from the same place and returning to the same place — and as long as we have not attained arahantship, we must support one another. He teaches that love in this world comes in several kinds: wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral. Wholesome love is love full of sincere, pure goodwill, like a mother's love for her young child. As we determine sincere, pure love and goodwill, a bright round sphere of loving-kindness arises at the center of the heart. If it is wholesome love, merit flows through and dissolves problems; but if we choose the wrong kind of love — unwholesome love — only problems follow.
Radiating Loving-Kindness Across the World and the Universe
Phra Ajarn leads the radiance of loving-kindness to spread over the place of practice, the village, district, province, country, and other nations, until it covers the whole world like a crystal globe of light — wishing all beings, earth spirits, sky spirits, heavenly beings of every realm, brahmas, formless brahmas, and beings in hell, asuras, and animals, to be free from suffering and full of . The radiance then continues outward to cover countless stars and the boundless world-systems.
Dedicating the Merit to Karmic Counterparties
He dedicates this merit to all beings, our ancestors, parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers of great kindness, the devas who help and support us, and the karmic counterparties we may have wronged — asking that we forgive one another and that they too receive a share of this merit.
Stilling the Mind Within the Triple Gem and Making the Aspiration
Phra Ajarn then leads the mind to still within the Triple Gem — the Buddha Jewel, the Dhamma Jewel, the Sangha Jewel — and within the finest body of Dhamma of the Grand Master, the Great Teacher, and Khun Yai, on the principle that the mind is a servant that succeeds however it is determined. He then leads the aspiration, asking that the merit, power, and radiance of Nirvana and the teachers combine with all the merit accumulated since our first life, refining body, speech, and mind until they shine clear and pure, freeing us from downfall, sin, karmic obstruction, and every hardship down to the last trace; granting attainment of the threefold and eightfold , the six higher powers, the four analytical s, the eight liberations, and the fifteen conducts; granting good health and long life; and upon passing from this world, to be reborn in the Tusita heaven and in a family of right view.
Closing Chant and Blessing
The sit closes with a chant invoking well-being through , the Dhamma, and the Sangha, a chant of refuge in the Triple Gem, and a blessing asking Nirvana and the teachers to protect all present from suffering, grief, illness, and danger, before everyone bows together to the Great Teacher and dedicates the merit in unison.