พระอาจารย์นำนั่งสมาธิภาคค่ำในโครงการธรรมรส ชลบุรี รุ่น#7 แนะการวางกรรมฐานประจำตัวและภาวนา “สัมมาอะระหัง” พร้อมนับ 1–20 เพื่อวัดความต่อเนื่องของสมาธิ จากนั้นนำเจริญเมตตาธรรมแผ่ไปทั่วโลกและจักรวาล ปิดท้ายด้วยการอุทิศส่วนบุญ อโหสิกรรมแก่คู่กรรมคู่เวร และคำอธิษฐานจิตรวมใจกับพระรัตนตรัยและมหาปูชนียาจารย์In this evening sitting from the Dhammaros Charburi retreat #7, Phra Ajarn guides practitioners to settle on their own meditation anchor and recite “Samma Arahang” while counting from one to twenty to track the continuity of their concentration. He then leads a radiating of loving-kindness across the world and universe, closing with a dedication of merit, forgiveness toward one's karmic counterparties, and an aspiration uniting the mind with the Triple Gem and the great masters.
Before beginning the sitting, Phra Ajarn explained that practicing meditation means bringing body and mind to rest within the system of wholesome . When we do this, the Triple Gem shines brightly within us, we appear luminous within it, and both we and it appear luminous within Nibbana — the center of the One Who Knows, whose power is beyond measure, counted in incalculable numbers of Buddhas. A stream of from Nibbana pours continuously into the center of our being, refining the elements within us until they become pure. He asked everyone to recognize the value of practice as dwelling together with the Triple Gem and Nibbana.
So when we are with him, he said, let us stay with a mind that is clear, clean, and at ease — with nothing but ease, again and again. Close the eyelids gently, comfortably; relax, feel open, spacious, empty, and light. He noted that everyone had already begun practicing the day before, so each person should by now have their own .
Your Own Meditation Anchor — the Foundation of Continuous Awareness
We each need our own meditation anchor, Phra Ajarn explained, to serve as the channel for the stream of merit and to keep arising continuously. Once mindfulness arises, it draws in pure energy — merit — which flows in and refines the elements within us until they become clean and pure.
Whichever anchor suits you, use that one, he said; train until you are skilled in your own anchor — everyone needs a steady, personal anchor. A teacher's guided sitting exists only to show the method; once we know the method, we must put it to use for real benefit. Those skilled in may use that; those skilled in the “rising, falling” noting method may use that instead.
Reciting “Samma Arahang” While Counting
For those not yet skilled, Phra Ajarn suggested resting the mind at any comfortable point within , then reciting while counting: one, Samma Arahang two, Samma Arahang three, and onward at ease, noting pleasantly and counting gradually up through Samma Arahang twenty. The pace, whether slow or fast, is up to each person — try it and use whichever suits you. The key is to know continuously, always aware, never distracted.
Why Count — Quality Over Quantity
Phra Ajarn explained the purpose of counting: doing it this way lets us know how long and how continuous our concentration actually is. Without counting, the mind drifts and forgets, and we have no way to know — so we can't improve anything. Some people recite a great quantity, he said, but what we actually need is quality: the quality of clear awareness, of knowing what we are aware of. The knowing itself is the sphere of mindfulness arising, which draws in pure energy continuously. Practiced this way, concentration becomes stable — even someone who finds meditation difficult can sustain it continuously, until brightness arises. Some experience a point of light, some a clear sphere, some the inner Buddha image — simply by holding the recitation and counting gently, at ease, again and again.
Let each person practice in their own way, he said, staying continuously aware, never distracted, always knowing what one is aware of. Whatever we know, that appears in the mind; wherever we place our attention, the mind settles there. As we come to know it, the sphere of knowing and the sphere of mindfulness arise right there, drawing merit in to purify that spot first — and from there we pass into a subtler dimension at that very point. Know it at ease, and rest pleasantly, again and again. All we truly need is for the sphere of knowing and mindfulness to arise; the meditation anchor or any accompanying sign is only there to give mindfulness something to hold onto.
From the Coarse Dimension to the Subtle
Sustaining this awareness is itself a wholesome cause: as the sphere of knowing arises, it draws in pure energy — merit — through many channels, driving the system of wholesome dhamma that refines the elements within us until they are clear, clean, and pure. Once purified, we are released from the coarser dimension into ever subtler ones, shining within the Triple Gem. The Triple Gem appears luminous within us, and both we and it appear luminous within Nibbana. A stream of merit from the subtle depths of Nibbana pours continuously into the center of our being and mind, so that the merit arising here can refine our elements further, establishing wholesome success in our lives.
Radiating Loving-Kindness Across the World and Universe
While Nibbana works this sanctifying refinement in our lives, Phra Ajarn said, we in turn create a wholesome cause by cultivating (metta) to benefit people and all beings. Metta is the instrument of the virtuous — a means by which those with abundant merit support those with less. Life within the cycle of rebirth depends on mutual support; none of us, not even the devas, can live in true isolation. Parents and siblings need companionship, family, and society — but a good society is one that mutually benefits its members and lets everyone dwell safely. For this to happen, everyone must hold genuine, pure-hearted love and goodwill toward one another.
He led practitioners to cultivate metta — to hold sincere, pure-hearted love and goodwill until a clear, luminous sphere of loving-kindness arises at . Once it appears, it draws in pure energy — merit — continuously. Metta's special quality is its power to dissolve resentment and irritation in the hearts of people, beings, and even the surrounding atmosphere. It shines through our body, speech, and mind, then radiates outward to fill the meditation grounds, making every particle of the atmosphere — people and all things alike — bright, cool, clean, and pure. Even sunlight, though bright, still casts shadows, because it cannot reach the inner nature of beings; but the light of loving-kindness shines both within and without.
Let this mind of loving-kindness expand further still, covering the whole retreat center — metta arises from the mind, so wherever the mind extends, metta shines there too. Let it purify every particle of the atmosphere — trees, grass, earth, water, air, sky, mountains, seas, oceans — clean, pure, and radiant, so the environment becomes fit for people and all beings to dwell in. Let it expand to cover the whole village, then the district, province, country, and other nations, until it covers the entire world, making this world a shining crystal sphere — clear, cool, clean, pure. May earthbound devas, tree spirits, sky devas, celestial beings, Brahma and formless Brahma beings, and also hell-beings, hungry ghosts, asuras, and animals — may all beings be free from suffering and find happiness. May those with much suffering have less; may those with little suffering be free of it entirely; may those with little happiness have more; and may those already happy grow happier still.
Having made this aspiration, expand the mind of loving-kindness further into the atmosphere of the cosmos, covering stars beyond counting — tens, hundreds, thousands, hundreds of millions — and onward through countless world-systems and infinite universes. Let this metta shine through every particle of the atmosphere, making all beings and things luminous, reaching every heart of every being, dissolving the resentment that stains the mind, and giving qualities within each being the opportunity to enter their heart. It draws in pure energy — merit — continuously, driving the system of wholesome dhamma that refines the elements of each being, releasing them from the coarse dimension into ever subtler ones. Beyond that, metta extends through the whole environment — earth, water, air, sky, mountains, seas, oceans, trees, grass, buildings, homes, and belongings — all made luminous, so the environment is fit for every being's welfare. Whoever benefits the world and the cosmos may in turn draw on the resources of the world and the cosmos — which is why we must cultivate loving-kindness continually.
The Bodhisatta's Example
Phra Ajarn told how, in the past, whenever the Bodhisatta was born into the world, he too cultivated this same loving-kindness, sustaining it his whole life. This let him attain jhana; when he passed from that life, he arose as a Great Brahma, dwelling in the Brahma realm and enjoying a vast span of bliss. When his life there ended, he returned once more to the human world and attained the position of a Universal Monarch, able to draw on the resources of the world and cosmos, ruling all four continents and giving the world happiness like that of the heavens. The people of that age lived by and dhamma; there was no war at all, only mutual generosity and support, and happiness like the heavens — all as the fruit of cultivating loving-kindness.
Let us keep the mind gathered, still, resting at the center of this sphere of loving-kindness, he said. Metta continues shining across the world-systems, while the stream of merit still pours continuously into the center of our being and mind — and from this we dedicate the resulting merit to all people and beings.
Dedication of Merit and Forgiveness
May the people of the world and all beings share in the merit we have intended and done well, he prayed — may they be free from suffering and find happiness everywhere. As for our parents, siblings, grandparents, and teachers who have shown us kindness, along with the devas who help and support us, and any beings we may have wronged — our karmic counterparties — may we forgive one another, and may they too share in the merit we have intended and done well.
Uniting the Mind with the Triple Gem and the Great Masters
Once the dedication is complete, Phra Ajarn led practitioners to merge their minds with the Triple Gem and the great masters into a single unity — for we cannot remain apart from them. Their kindness toward our lives is beyond measure; every instant, every second, they never cease helping and correcting us. Whether we sleep, wake, stand, walk, sit, lie down, or travel anywhere, they continue watching over, correcting, and helping us every second — bringing and into being for us, watching over and caring for us always.
Let us merge our minds, resting still at the center of the Buddha-jewel, resting still at the center of the -jewel, and resting still at the center of the Sangha-jewel — and also resting still at the center of the great masters: the subtle Dhamma body of the revered Luang Pu, the subtle Dhamma body of the revered Luang Phor, and the subtle Dhamma body of Khun Yai. The mind is the element of accomplishment — as we determine, so it becomes. As we make the aspiration to merge ourselves with the Triple Gem and the great masters into a single unity, we appear luminous within them — luminous within the human body, the celestial body, the form-Brahma body, and the formless-Brahma body, throughout every level of our being — luminous within the Triple Gem, and both we and it luminous within Nibbana, the center of the One Who Knows, whose power is beyond measure, counted in incalculable numbers of Buddhas.
The Closing Aspiration
Phra Ajarn then led a formal aspiration: taking this auspicious moment, we pay respect and ask his blessing, resolving our aspiration to succeed — to remain within this bright sphere of merit throughout our entire path of building perfections, endowed with , happiness, and purity, and with success in every rightful wish.
May the merit, radiance, power, and might of Nibbana in every direction, together with of the revered Luang Pu, Luang Phor, and Khun Yai, combine with the merit we ourselves have intentionally accumulated across countless lifetimes up to the present — may all this merit gather into a sacred, powerful, and immeasurably potent force, refining our body, speech, mind, elements, seeing, memory, thought, and the elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness until they shine bright, clear, cool, clean, and pure. May we be freed from misfortune, past bad karma, obstruction, and every kind of hindrance in life, all dissolving completely — , hatred, delusion, lust, , wrong view, craving, and clinging, all extinguished without remainder — may we gain the eye of dhamma, fully penetrating the knowledge of , achieving the Three Knowledges, the Eight Knowledges, the Six Higher Powers, the Four Analytical Insights, the Eight Liberations, and the Fifteen Conducts, complete in every respect.
May we also have strong and complete health, a long life, and the ability to keep building merit and perfections throughout our lives, with unceasing high spirits in that pursuit, heading straight toward the path to Nibbana, the ultimate end of Dhamma. Wherever we travel, may we meet only good fortune and safety, be loved by humans and devas alike, possess a bright and wise mind that fully penetrates the teaching of the Lord Buddha and the knowledge of the Dhamma body. Whatever business or work we undertake, may it flourish and prosper with results beyond imagining, gaining vast wealth like that of a Universal Monarch that never runs short — enough to build great generosity endlessly, without , using it fully to build great perfections of giving.
When the time comes to leave this life, may we be born in Tusita heaven, in the realm of the great Bodhisattas, and when we return to build perfections in the human world again, may we be born into a family of right view — a crystal family, a Dhammakaya family, a model family for the world, a warm family, complete with the finest form, wealth, virtue, honor, praise, and the path and fruit of Nibbana. May we possess sacred and vast merit, able to recall past lives from birth, born together with a bright inner Dhamma body, and able to study the knowledge of the Dhamma body correctly and in accordance with truth, alongside Luang Pu, Luang Phor, and Khun Yai, from our earliest years onward.
As for any unwholesome deeds committed carelessly in the past, may they never catch up with us or have the chance to bear fruit — may they be forgiven forever, and may we never repeat them in body, speech, or mind. As for whatever merit we have intentionally and well accumulated, may it all combine and bear sacred, powerful, wondrous fruit, continuing from this moment onward until the ultimate end of Dhamma. May all these good aspirations be fulfilled — fulfilled, fulfilled — for all of us, from this moment onward, in every life and every existence, until the ultimate end of Dhamma, through the immeasurable power of every Lord Buddha. May it be so, according to every wish.
Phra Ajarn then led a closing recitation in Pali, invoking s, the Solitary Buddhas, and the Arahants to bring safety and well-being to all.