Gathering the Mind at the Seventh Base

Let us gather the mind at the seventh base at the center of the body. This position is critically important — it is the gateway pointing directly toward the path to Nibbāna. Keep attending to this position, focusing so we remain aware without forgetting. The sphere of mindfulness, once arisen, draws in pure energy to drive the system of wholesomeness, refining the elements within us to be clean. Wherever we focus, the mind settles there.

The sphere of mindfulness is a bright, clear circle — a wholesome mental factor arising together with wholesome consciousness. When wholesome mind arises, mindfulness arises simultaneously; we become fully aware, knowing wherever we focus. Once mindfulness arises, it continuously draws pure energy — merit — to flow into the brightness of this sphere. In truth, all 84,000 sections of wholesome Dhamma can draw this pure energy in. The mind is a wish-fulfilling element: whatever we focus on — wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral — arises accordingly.

The Mind as the Instrument of Knowing

The mind belongs to the element of consciousness, composed of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness — seeing, remembering, thinking, knowing. Consciousness is the part that perceives mental objects, or perceives through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body — knowing forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch — perceiving all phenomena, both external and internal.

The mind also draws in energy — wholesome states draw in merit, unwholesome states draw in demerit. Merit takes the form of a bright, clear sphere, filled inside with happiness and purity. At its center sits a treasury of subtle, luminous assets — forms, wealth, virtues, retinue, fame, honor, praise, happiness, and even the path and fruit of Nibbāna — all complete within. When merit flows through us, these subtle treasures flow through us too, and it's these subtle treasures that draw tangible, worldly fortune to us.

The Triple Gem and Nibbāna

Merit arises when wholesome mind arises; mindfulness arises together with it as a wholesome mental factor. In that moment the Triple Gem shines radiantly at the center of our being; we appear radiant within him; and both of us appear radiant at the center of Nibbāna — the center of the Knowing One of boundless, incalculable power.

Nibbāna is every Sammāsambuddha, every Paccekabuddha, and all the Arahants — only these three abide in the Nibbāna-realm, freed from the cycle of rebirth. Even having attained liberation, they haven't truly "left"; they abide in the Nibbāna-realm, still caring for and helping all beings, holding them within. Having attained liberation, their task is complete — they need no conditioning factors, no food, no sleep, abiding in supreme bliss day and night, perfected in wisdom, purity, and boundless compassion. Free from concern over the physical body, they can benefit people and beings to the fullest, refining and protecting them so death cannot seize the body arbitrarily.

Whichever being abides in universal goodness, the stream of merit from the deep, subtle essence of Nibbāna flows continuously into the brightness of their mind. The Triple Gem shines radiantly within them, whether or not they know Buddhism, whether or not they hold any religion — as long as they stand in universal goodness.

The System of Wholesomeness and the Contest for the Mind

Just as with us now, the stream of merit from Nibbāna flows continuously through the center of our mind, driving the system of wholesomeness, refining the elements within us to be clear, clean, and pure — free from the defilements of the unwholesome side that create problems and hardship. No system can function without energy; it is thus our role to focus our attention so the sphere of mindfulness arises, drawing pure energy in. This is the essential role of the human body that we must know and recognize. The future is in our hands — we are our own refuge.

Every life is under the control of three natures, working through inner voice and feeling, using the law of kamma and the law of the three characteristics to govern us, driven by waves of energy — Dhamma or non-Dhamma. Wholesome states are waves, or mental factors, that draw in the energy of merit to drive life; unwholesome states draw energy through the wave of non-Dhamma. This mechanism operates through the mind, through a contest among the three natures — whichever is subtler and faster claims the "house" of the mind, bringing in its own agents — body, feeling, mind, and Dhamma of its own kind — to lift the human mind higher or drag it lower according to that nature.

When we draw pure merit-energy into the brightness of wholesome mind and mental factors, it drives the system of wholesomeness to refine our elements, purifying them from the defilements of unwholesome sin. Once defilements clear, whatever binds us to the coarse dimension disappears too, freeing us to move to a subtler dimension. Every dimension — right up until Arahantship — still carries some defilement, but the subtler the dimension, the subtler the defilement.

The Ratio of Wholesome to Unwholesome, and the Fruits of Purification

Every dimension we're freed from increases the proportion of wholesomeness and weakens the unwholesome and neutral states. As unwholesome power weakens, hardship and suffering decrease too, and as the neutral proportion decreases, life's meaninglessness decreases with it. Purification and liberation increase the proportion of wholesomeness, and wholesomeness's rights and authority increase accordingly, allowing it to guide, advise, and teach us more correct and good understanding. Life's substance increases, conducive to greater happiness, success, and fulfillment. We connect better with beings of greater knowledge and power, and our vitality increases.

The more we're liberated, the easier life becomes. If we reach 100% liberation — complete purity — the proportion of unwholesome and neutral states vanishes entirely, and we attain Arahantship. The greater the proportion of wholesomeness, the more our right view increases, and the greater the rights and power of the wholesome side become. We must therefore continuously learn, understand, and pursue purification and liberation.

Ceto-vimutti and Paññā-vimutti — Liberation of Mind and Liberation by Wisdom

We become liberated, purified, through two things: paññā-vimutti (liberation by wisdom) and ceto-vimutti (liberation of mind). Ceto-vimutti is liberation from the defilements through the power, strength, and purity of the mind, elevating the quality of mind to ever greater heights — from the coarse human body to the subtle human body, from the subtle body to the celestial body, from the celestial body to the subtle celestial body, from there to the form-Brahma body, the subtle form-Brahma body, the formless-Brahma body, the subtle formless-Brahma body, all the way to the Dhamma-body of the "gotrabhū" (both coarse and subtle), developing further into the Dhamma-body of the Stream-Enterer's path and fruit, the Once-Returner's path and fruit, the Non-Returner's path and fruit, until reaching the Arahant's path and fruit — each stage rising higher and more sublime, relying on both ceto-vimutti and paññā-vimutti together.

Ceto-vimutti is liberation from the defilements that create problems and obstacles causing difficulty. Paññā-vimutti is learning and understanding that frees us from ignorance and every wrong view, bringing clear understanding of what is wholesome. We must understand clearly to be free from ignorance or wrong understanding. Both paññā-vimutti and ceto-vimutti are the essential core of life we must recognize if we're to walk this path — both require both samatha (calm) and vipassanā (insight) meditation, developing knowledge, happiness, and purity together, until we are complete in wisdom, purity, and boundless compassion.

The Noble Eightfold Path

In the method of practice, the Buddha taught us to cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path: Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi); Right Intention (sammā-saṅkappa) — thinking free from greed, ill will, and harming others; Right Speech (sammā-vācā); Right Action (sammā-kammanta); Right Livelihood (sammā-ājīva) — an honest, upright occupation; Right Effort (sammā-vāyāma); as well as Right Mindfulness (sammā-sati) and Right Concentration (sammā-samādhi).

In cultivating Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration, we gather the mind, still it at the seventh base at the center of the body, relaxed and at ease. Once we've found this resting place for the mind, we abide in relaxation and comfort, keeping only ease and comfort in mind. The essential thing is having a resting place for the mind to draw energy in, focusing attention so the sphere of mindfulness arises, continuously drawing pure merit-energy to flow through.

Settling the Body, Calming the Mind

Settle the body, calm the mind. The first thing, above all else, is to be at ease — this is the essential foundation of life. Then check the mind: is it relaxed? If not, adjust it to relax. Is it open and clear? If not, adjust it to become so. Simply intend for it to be clear, and the mind gradually becomes clear. Whatever we focus on arises; once arisen, it reveals its own qualities.

The first thing we must do is for the mind's sake — make it comfortable, clear, relaxed, open, spacious, light, clear, cool, clean, pure, still and soft, at ease. Having done this cause, observe the effect: keep the mind relaxed and at ease, staying with that comfort, and observe whether the mind grows subtler, whether it's agitated. If agitated, focus on making it clear and cool, until we truly feel at ease. Then try bringing the mind to rest with the Triple Gem, letting it merge and abide with wholesomeness, which the Triple Gem oversees, with Nibbāna behind it all.

Reciting Samma-Arahang and Merging with the Buddha-Image

By reciting his name — "Samma-Arahang, Samma-Arahang, Samma-Arahang" — a descriptive name for the Arahant Dhamma-body, the One who has practiced well and rightly, far from all defilements, complete in wisdom, purity, and boundless compassion, perfected in higher virtue, higher mind, higher wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge of liberation.

When we recite his name, he appears at the center of our mind — a crystal-clear, pure Buddha-image, seated in meditation within a sphere of Dhamma filling his lap, radiant and bright, with a lotus-bud crest on his crown. He never appears for nothing, being boundless in compassion — his appearance brings us great benefit. He refines the elements of our being — sight, memory, thought, earth, water, wind, fire, space, consciousness — to be clear, clean, pure, clearing away defilements, karmic obstruction, sacred sin, and disaster, turning heavy into light, light into gone, bad into good, and clearing the way ahead so our lives can reap success without hardship. He also expands to merge as one with our human body, enveloping and protecting it.

He desires that we and he become a single unity, because this allows him to help us with maximum effectiveness. He must do this because he is our true self — everyone has the Triple Gem within, belonging individually to each person. Let us merge ourselves with him into one unity by putting on the feeling: "I am the Buddha-image, the Buddha-image is me." Let our entire being merge as one with the Buddha-image, from the crown, face, cheeks, shoulders, arms, torso — all becoming the crystal Dhamma-body, clear, clean, pure. The crown becomes clear crystal with a radiant lotus-bud crest; the face becomes his gently-closed, softly-smiling countenance; the chest, abdomen, back, hips, thighs, knees, shins, calves, and feet all become the radiant, clear, cool, clean, pure crystal Dhamma-body.

The revered Luang Phor once said that reaching the Dhamma-body can be both easy and hard: easy, because the mind is a wish-fulfilling element — whatever we focus on, that arises. What makes it hard is simply not knowing or understanding. The Dhamma-body already exists within each of us, individually, and he too wishes to merge as one with us, constantly helping and refining us — we need only gradually merge with him. Wherever in the body we can merge with him, begin from there; if we still can't perceive it, that's fine too — simply recite Samma-Arahang, counting onward without rushing, forcing, or pressuring ourselves. Whatever we achieve is enough — practice contentment, staying still and soft, balanced, without craving or aversion.

Doing the Cause, Observing the Result, with Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension

All we need is for the sphere of mindfulness to arise — because once it arises, it draws pure merit-energy in to drive the system of wholesomeness. Let mindfulness rest on a clear, continuous signal, staying aware at ease, as though we're simply resting, receiving the stream of merit and treasure that continuously flows through the center of our body and mind, abiding with the Triple Gem, with Nibbāna.

Once we've mastered the recitation, we bring to mind the Buddha-image — form and name are paired; wherever there is a name, form is there too. When we recite "Samma-Arahang," the form arises, merging us with him into a single unity. The Buddha-image continuously streams through the center of our being, one after another. Stay aware, without forgetting — wherever we focus, that's where we know; whatever we focus on arises in the mind.

Having done the cause, we observe the result — the result gradually appears; the mind gradually stills, growing subtler on its own. Observe the state of Dhamma in each present moment, as the revered Luang Pu repeated three times: "Do the cause, observe the result — attend to this, for it is truly excellent." Having done the cause, observing the result lets us see the changes taking place, reaching subtler states of Dhamma, which requires focusing with a subtle mind and clear comprehension to perceive detail. Mindfulness is simply knowing; clear comprehension makes our knowing sharper. We need both mindfulness and clear comprehension to develop toward ceto-vimutti. This true state of reality appears at every moment — we need only pay attention.

Cultivating Loving-Kindness for the Benefit of Others

Once we've done good for our own benefit, we move on to doing good for the benefit of others and all beings, by cultivating mettā. Mettā is a tool that wholesomeness uses for those with abundant merit to help those with little. Life in the cycle of rebirth depends on mutual support — we cannot live alone, in isolation. All beings come from the same place and must all return to Nibbāna. While still cycling through birth and death, every life must support and benefit one another, since we've all at some point been each other's parents, siblings — we've loved each other, given our whole hearts to one another.

Love comes in wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral forms. Selfish, self-serving love, guided by unwholesomeness, brings suffering to both self and others. We must instead cultivate sincere, pure love and goodwill for every life. Simply set the sincere, pure intention: "May all beings be free from suffering and find happiness everywhere." Mettā — a bright, clear sphere — arises at the center of our mind, and the stream of merit continuously draws into its brightness.

Radiating Mettā Throughout the Atmosphere

Mettā's special quality is its ability to dissolve resentment and irritation — a defilement present in the atmosphere, in people, beings, and things — entirely. Once mettā arises, it refines our mind, body, speech to be clear, clean, pure, and radiant, then expands to cover our home and surroundings. Since mettā depends on the mind as its birthplace, wherever the mind extends, mettā's light reaches there too, shining into every particle of the atmosphere, making people, beings, and things clear, cool, clean, and pure — both externally and internally.

Moonlight, sunlight, and lamplight still cast shadows, unable to penetrate through to the inner being of beings and things. But the light of mettā can shine through both inside and outside, covering every particle of the atmosphere, expanding broadly across the village, the sub-district, the district, the province, the country, other nations, until it covers the whole world — making the world a crystal world, radiant, cool, clean, pure. May the people of the world and all beings be free from suffering and find happiness everywhere; may those with much suffering have less; those with little suffering be freed entirely; those with little happiness have more; and those with much happiness have ever more.

Having set this wish, we expand the mind filled with mettā further into the atmosphere of the cosmos, covering countless stars — tens, hundreds, thousands, millions — letting our sincere love and goodwill shine, benefiting people and all beings without limit. Our minds expand joyfully, open, spacious, light, clear, cool, clean, pure, moist and refreshed with joy. The stream of merit continues pouring through the brightness of mettā without pause.

Dedicating Merit and Uniting the Mind Within the Triple Gem

We then dedicate this merit to arise for all people and beings. May all beings share in this merit we've sincerely made, freed from suffering and finding happiness everywhere — including our ancestors, parents, siblings, grandparents, our benefactor-teachers, and the devas who help and support us, as well as those who care for and protect all beings. To any **karmic counterparts** we may have wronged, we ask forgiveness from one another, and may they too receive a share of this merit equally.

We then gather, still, and settle the mind at the center of the Triple Gem — the center of the Buddha jewel, the Dhamma jewel, the Sangha jewel — and rest the mind within the great teachers: the finest Dhamma-body of the revered Luang Pu, and of Luang Phor and Khun Yay Ajahn. The mind is a wish-fulfilling element; whatever we focus on becomes so. We must merge ourselves with the Triple Gem and the great masters into one unity every single day, because our lives depend on them every moment — they never cease refining and helping us, whether we're asleep, awake, standing, walking, sitting, lying down, wholly unaware of ourselves; every single moment, without pause, they refine and help us toward purity and liberation, that goodness may arise in our lives. Their kindness toward us is truly immeasurable.

Closing Aspiration

As the wise have said, the Triple Gem is the highest refuge and object of recollection there is — nothing else can serve as a greater refuge. When we merge ourselves with him into one unity, we appear radiant within him, he appears radiant within us, and together we appear radiant at the center of Nibbāna, at the center of the Knowing One of boundless, incalculable power. We use this auspicious moment to pay respect and set our aspiration deep within this radiant sphere of merit, that our entire path of accumulating perfections be filled with wisdom, happiness, purity, and success in everything right and good.

May all the merit and perfections we've sincerely accumulated since our very first existence gather into sacred, powerful merit, purifying our body, speech, mind, and every element within us to be radiant, cool, clean, pure — freeing us from misfortune, sacred sin, karmic obstruction, and every kind of hardship in life, dissolving greed, hatred, delusion, lust, ignorance, wrong view, craving, and clinging without remainder — granting us the Dhamma-eye to fully penetrate the knowledge of the Dhamma-body, complete in every respect, along with good health, long life, and the strength to build perfections throughout our lives, all the way to the ultimate end of Dhamma.

He closes with the traditional Pali verse: "Sabbe Buddhā papetā... Arahantānañca tejena rakkhaṃ vandāmi sabbaso. Sabba-Buddhānubhāvena, sabba-Dhammānubhāvena, sabba-Saṅghānubhāvena, saddhā-sotthī bhavantu te" — Sādhu.