พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าการตั้งใจกำหนดจำนวนครั้งหรือระยะเวลาในการนั่งสมาธิเป็นเสมือนพันธสัญญากับฝ่ายกุศลที่จะกลั่นแก้ไขให้สำเร็จภายในเวลานั้น อกุศลจึงมักหาทางชวนให้เลิกก่อนกำหนดเพื่อทำลายพันธสัญญานี้ การอดทนฝืนทำต่อจนสำเร็จจะทำให้บุญจากพระนิพพานไหลเข้ามาช่วยสลายมลทินและเกิดความสุขใจPra Ajarn explains that setting a target — a number of repetitions or a length of time for meditation — creates a kind of contract with the wholesome forces behind us, who then work to bring it to completion within that window; unwholesome forces try to break this contract by urging us to quit near the end, but persisting through it lets merit from nibbana flow in to purify the mind and produce genuine joy.
A student shared an experience: she had set out to sit in meditation for fifty rounds of "samma arahang," but as soon as she began, an inner voice kept telling her to stop. Though part of her still wanted to continue, she pushed through to complete all fifty rounds — and felt a deep, unexpected joy rising from within. She wondered why that voice had urged her to quit, and why such a short sitting could bring such strong .
Setting a Target Is a Contract with the Wholesome Side
When we set a target for meditation — say, fifty rounds of samma arahang, or thirty minutes, or an hour — this becomes, in effect, a contract with forces working behind the scenes. A commitment needs sincerity to be a real contract. Once we make that commitment, the wholesome side sets up a "program" scaled to that exact time frame or number of rounds, working to bring about its intended correction within that window — however much or little time we give, as long as we follow through. It's like visiting a doctor who has only thirty minutes: the doctor must move quickly, preparing everything needed to complete the treatment within that time.
Unwholesome Forces Try to Break the Contract
Once unwholesome forces sense this contract has been made, they try to break it. Typically they don't object at the start — they wait until we're close to finishing, then urge us to stop, because they know that quitting early means the program won't complete successfully. It's like a doctor who has everything ready for a full treatment, but the patient leaves halfway through — the treatment can't reach its intended result. The merit from sitting is still received, but the deeper inner repair doesn't fully take hold. When this happens repeatedly, it builds up as a pattern of failure.
The Inner System Responds Automatically, Even Without a Formal Vow
The natural system within us is aware of our intentions at all times, even without a formally stated commitment. Whatever we set our mind to do, and to what extent, both the wholesome and unwholesome sides immediately begin shaping the inner spheres and to match. Even without consciously perceiving the eighteen bodies within, the spheres of — morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and -and-vision of liberation — are already being shaped to track along with whatever we've set our mind to. This is because each side depends on drawing in energy to sustain itself: the wholesome side needs merit to drive its system, and side needs unwholesome energy to drive its own.
Perseverance Is a Victory That Lets Merit Flow In
Persisting through that inner voice telling us to quit is itself an act of resistance and victory. Merit flows in to help us in two situations: when we do good, and when we resist wrongdoing. These are, in essence, the only two matters that truly matter in a human life — doing good and resisting evil. If unwholesome forces pressure us and nibbana doesn't send merit to help, we would have no way to win. But when we persevere, nibbana sends merit to refine and correct us, driving the wholesome system forward. The ( ) that arises in the mind becomes a channel through which the stream of merit from nibbana flows in to purify defilements — and it also builds a new, stronger inner resilience, like armor that protects us as we face even harder challenges ahead. The joy and the sense of coolness and ease that arise are the direct result of that stream of merit flowing in, carrying us from a coarser dimension into a subtler one.
Patience in the Way of the Buddha
Pra Ajarn referred back to an earlier explanation of the Buddha's own patience — that we should set our resolve the way he taught: to endure and be patient, which is what gives rise to inner fortitude (tapa).