พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าการอธิษฐานเป็นบารมีที่ยิ่งทำยิ่งดี แต่ต้องพิจารณาให้รอบคอบว่าเอื้อต่อธรรมชาติฝ่ายใด ความปรารถนาจะเป็นคุณก็ต่อเมื่อเอื้อต่อกุศลและมุ่งต่อพระนิพพาน เทคนิคคืออธิษฐานบ่อย ๆ ในกลางพระรัตนตรัยและพระนิพพานด้วยสัจจะ ไม่รีบร้อน จนบุญไหลผ่านทำให้ผังเต็มส่วนPra Ajarn explains that aspiration is a perfection — the more the better — but we must consider carefully which nature it favors. A wish becomes beneficial only when it favors the wholesome and aims toward nibbana. The technique is to aspire often, at the center of the Triple Gem and nibbana, grounded in truthfulness, without haste, until merit flows through and completes the blueprint in full.
Someone wrote to ask: Pra Ajarn has spoken of setting a through aspiration alongside making merit — what technique makes the mind faithful and draws merit to support our blueprint as fully as possible?
Aspiration Is a Perfection — the More the Better — but Consider Carefully
Aspiration is one of the ten perfections; the more, the better. But aspiration can favor , , or the neutral, depending on which nature it serves — that nature will shape the aspiration and send energy to fulfill it. So we must consider carefully which our wish favors. Some ask to be handsome, rich, beautiful, to have every wish fulfilled — but without aiming toward nibbana. When it comes to pass, the unwholesome uses that beauty to harm oneself and others, and that wealth to cause trouble, and suffering arises.
A Wish Becomes Beneficial Only When It Favors the Wholesome
Luang Phor asked: rich for what? What benefit do you see in that wealth? The wholesome would have us use riches to create benefit — freeing oneself and others from suffering into . The neutral squanders it on overpriced things of no benefit; the unwholesome uses it to harm and destroy. Beauty, wealth, and cleverness become beneficial only when used to support the wholesome nature and to aim toward nibbana. Before coming down to be born, in the Tusita heaven, we all ask to come down and build the perfections fully, reach the , and study the Buddha's Dhammakaya . Even in other heavens like Tāvatiṃsa, those about to be reborn when their merit is spent bless one another to be born in a suitable land and to do good — because the devas recognize that every life is sustained by merit; merit is the cost of living in the round of rebirth.
The Technique: Aspire at the Center of the Triple Gem and Nibbana, Grounded in Truthfulness, Without Haste
The first technique is to know life's true goal, then aspire to study, understand, and create the causes of that goodness. For the mind to be faithful, one must see the value of what one aspires to. Aspiration requires merit to fulfill it; when it's full, the result comes about. To succeed sooner, aspire often — do small good deeds, like picking up litter one passes, and aspire; or even sitting quietly, recall pure love and goodwill, and aspire. Aspiration relies on truthfulness — hence 'truth-aspiration' (saccādhiṭṭhāna) — the sincerity and of heart that is a of the wholesome; and nibbana above all is the supreme truth. The technique is to be backed by the Triple Gem and nibbana in the mind: we have them in our heart, and they have us in theirs, and we aspire with them. Aspire at the center of the Triple Gem and nibbana, over and over, soaking in it, without haste or pressure — because the unwholesome keeps pressing us to hurry and finish fast, so it won't succeed easily. Gradually abide at their center and let merit flow through continuously, and when it's full, the blueprint comes about.