Duenjit P.1-161

Duenjit Path  to  Amata  Dhamma Leading  to  Freedom from  Suffering Phra  Maha  Worapot  Kittivaro

Published  by  Amarin  Dhamma A  division  of  Amarin  Printing  and  Publishing  Public  Co.,  Ltd. Duenjit  Path  to  Amata  Dhamma  Leading  to  Freedom  from  Suffering Phra  Maha  Worapot  Kittivaro  Translated  by  Arvoranee  Pinit,  MD  and  Piriya  Pinit,  MD Proprietor  and  Published  by Amarin  Printing  and  Publishing  Public  Co.,  Ltd. 378  Chaiyaphruk  Road,  Taling  Chan,  Bangkok  10170 Tel.  +66-2422-9999,  +66-2882-1010  Fax  +66-2434-3555,  +66-2434-3777 Homepage:  www.amarinpocketbook.com E-mail:  HYPERLINK  “mailto:[email protected]”  [email protected] This  digital  media  is  available  for  downloading  service for  customers  under  the  specified  conditions  only. Reproduction,  adaptation,  publishing,  without  any  means  other  than  the  conditions  set  forth. considered  a  criminal  offense  under  Copyright  Act  and  the  Computer  Crime  Act  ISBN  (e-book)  978-616-18-5186-6 Senior  Editorial  Advisor  Metta  Utakapan Editor  Patharaporn  Nilsetee Graphic  Designer  Chinnawat  Yossiriphan Proofreader  Suntaree  Sangthang Computer  Typesetter  Sunida  Pawasub 2

Words  of  Admiration Did  you  notice  that  presently,  in  the  middle  of  Buddha’s  period,  people  had  more  interest  in  meditation? Not  only  the  seniors  are  interested,  but  many  young  adults  also  start  practicing.  It  also  happened  that  the  meditation  teachers  did  not  only  stay  in  the  forest  but  they  are  more  available,  both  monks  and  lay  teachers.  There  are  also  more  meditation  centers  available  which  is  more  convenient  for  the  meditators.  Modern  technology  also  allows  people  to  reach  the  dhamma  anywhere,  at  any  time.  It  is  also  more  convenient  and  quicker  to  search  and  obtain  information.  I  am  one  of  the  people  who  started  to  be  interested in  meditation  in  2546  BE.  I  found  that  the  majority  of  meditators  did  not  learn  from  only  one  teacher  but  they  will  seek  and  experiment  methods  with  several  meditation  teachers.  It  depends  on  the  connection  that  they  might  have  had  but  it  also  is  the  way  to  f ind  new  techniques  to  help  with  the  practice. 3

I  did  the  same  as  others,  by  searching  and  practicing  with  many  meditation  teachers.  I  also  followed  many  teachings  by  reading  or  listening  from  many  venues  in  order  to  learn  ways  to  improve  my  practice.  It  was  not  until  October  2561  that  I  had  a  chance  to  attend  a  meditation  retreat  with  Phra  Ajahn  Maha  Worapot  Kittivaro  for  the  f irst  time.  The  course  was  four  days  and  three  nights.  It  proved  to  be  very  valuable  for  my  life.  It  turned  around  my  knowledge  and  understanding  about  the  dhamma  path  that  I  have  had  in  the  past  15  years.  I  felt  an  immense  understanding  of  the  meaning,  “turning  upright  what  had  been  turned  upside  down”.  The  light  at  the  end  of  the  tunnel  shines  through  again  one  more  time  after  it  started  and  vanished  a  couple  rounds  before.  This  was  after  I  thought  I  had  found  the  right  path  but  after  practicing  for  four  to  f ive  years,  I  found  out  that  it  was  not.  It  kept  repeating  the  cycles  and  I  started  to  be  disappointed.  I  thought  about  giving  up  the  practice  altogether,  but  luckily,  I  had  enough  patience  to  keep  on.  I  faced  a  lot  of  suffering  throughout  my  life,  that  was  why  I  sought  the  way  out  in  the  past  15  years.  One  day  the  dhamma  arranged  for  me  to  f ind  a 4

method  of  “Duenjit”,  the  practice  that  is  suitable  for  me.  It  allows  me  to  develop  my  practice  so  I  can  make  progress  and  see  clearly  the  light  at  the  end  of  the  tunnel.  Phra  Ajahn  Maha  Worapot  called  this  practice, “Duenjit”,  which  is  done  by  following  the  well  known  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness  practice.  The  other  meditation  teachers  that  I  have  learned  from  also  taught  the  same  topic.  The  difference  is  the  techniques  of  the  practice.  Phra  Ajahn  Maha  Worapot  taught  the  method  in  detail,  it  was  clear  and  step  by  step.  He  also  included  the  main  dhamma  topics  that  I  have  never  learned  before.  The  result  is  the  practice  to  reach  the  nibbana  state,  even  though  it  is  temporary.  But  it  is  easier  than  what  we  have  thought  about.  It  is  as  if  he  literally  holds  our  hands  to  walk  along  from  the  f irst  step  of  the  staircase,  step  by  step,  until  reaching  the  last  one.  The  destination  of  each  guiding  meditation  is  reaching  the  Amata  Dhamma  or  nibbana.  He  starts  guiding  meditation  to  practice  mindfulness  by  using  the  body  foundation,  then  progresses  to  the  feeling  foundation  until  we  develop  total  awareness.  5

Mindfulness  will  be  steady,  the  mind  also  will  be  steady  and  concentration  (samadhi)  occurs.  After  that  we  can  lift  the  mind  or  lead  the  mind  into  the  dhamma  foundation.  The  knowing,  awakening  and  blooming  mind  will  happen,  this  leads  to  vipassana  yana  (insight  knowledge).  We  will be  able  to  see  the  world  according  to  reality.  We  can  see the  breaking  and  disappearing  of  form  and  mentality  (or  the  f ive  aggregates),  which  are  merely  elements  of  nature.  There  is  no  self  that  you  can  hold  on  to.  The  mind  will  become  bored,  it  can  be  released  from  craving  and  be  removed  from  everything.  We  then  will  be  able  to  return  to  pure  nature  which  is  Amata  Dhamma,  or  nibbana.  This  is  the  highlight  of  the  practice  which  is  a  new  experience  for  me.  When  reaching  that  state,  the  meditators  will  also have  a  chance  to  accumulate  their  dhamma  virtue.  It  is  the  noble  wealth  that  can  follow  us  into  the  next  life  while  we  are  still  in  the  cycle  of  birth  and  death.  The  chance  for  our  minds  to  f loat  upward  to  the  upper  realms will  be  more  than  the  ones  who  did  not  practice,  or  were not  able  to  reach  the  pure  nature.  It  also  is  a  chance  for  meditators  to  clear  their  sin  and  unwholesomeness,  which  were  the  results  of  their  actions.  They  were  accumulated  from  the  previous  lifetimes  and  also  in  this  life.  It  can  be  6

compared  to  adding  pure  water  to  dilute  the  concentration  of  the  salt  water,  so  the  saltiness  will  be  lessened.  If  you  keep  on  practicing  continuously  until  you  can  clear  all  on  the  f irst  round,  then  you  will  reach  the  f irst  level  of  enlightenment  or  the  stream  entry  (sota  panna).  The  Buddha  stated  that  you  will  be  guaranteed  not  to  be  born  in  the  lower  realms,  and  will  only  be  born  again  7  lifetimes  at  the  maximum.  During  the  highlight  of  the  guide,  Phra  Ajahn  will  let  us  soak  in  the  pure  nature  for  a  longer  period  of  time,  so  we  can  absorb  and  savor  the  purity  of  nature.  It  will  continue  to  be  more  ref ined  and  get  deeper.  The  highest level  of  purity  is  the  Amata  Dhamma.  Phra  Ajahn  said  that  this  teaching  technique  is  unique  for  Buddhism,  it  is done  by  transferring  the  dhamma  from  one’s  mind  to  another’s.  Buddhism  is  a  religion  of  wisdom,  not  faith.  The  one  who  practices  can  experience  it  by  himself.  He  will  discover  the  gradual  deepening,  profound  and  prudentness  of  the  dhamma  that  Phra  Ajahn  ingeniously  relayed  to  us. 7

The  benef it  of  the  guidance  that  is  done  in  a  detailed,  step  by  step  way,  is  that  it  can  be  followed  easily.  And  if  you  cannot  follow  the  higher  level  of  teaching,  you  can  stay  at  your  level.  On  the  other  hand,  the  one  who  is  more  skillful  can  switch  to  vipassana  yana  (insight  knowledge)  starting  from  the  f irst  jhana  and not  having  to  wait  until  the  fourth  or  eighth  jhana.  This  is  practicing  tranquility  and  insight  meditation  using  the  body  foundation.  He  can  then  practice  it  with  Pra  Ajahn’s  guidance  when  he  leads  the  vipassana  yana,  the  mind  is  awakened,  knowing  and  blooming.  The  number  of  meditators  who  attended  Phra  Ajahn’s  teaching  has  grown  to  thousands  at  each  session.  They  are  old  and  new,  both  beginners  or  advanced.  So  he  always  starts  guiding  meditation  from  the  f irst  step  and  goes  all  the  way  to  the  end.  He  stressed  that  everyone  should  be  aware  of  the  present  moment  and  be  aware  of  the  dhamma  condition  that  appears  in  front  of  us.  Know  whatever  is  happening.  This  will  help  us  to  stay  with  the present  dhamma  at  our  own  levels.  If  you  have  any  doubt,  it  will  be  an  obstacle  to  your  practice. 8

The  new  knowledge  that  I  have  gained  was  about  the  Amata  Dhamma,  which  is  the  pure  knowing  element. It  is  the  Buddha’s  seed  that  all  of  us  already  have  and  do not  need  to  create.  We  will  carry  it  forever  no  matter  where  we  will  be  reborn,  either  the  higher  or  lower  realms.  But  because  we  did  not  have  clear  knowledge  of  the  dhamma  we  were  obstructed  by  ignorance  and  bound  by  craving.  This  led  us  to  be  reborn  in  an  uncountable  cycle  of  birth  and  death.  It  became  clear  to  me  that  Amata  Dhamma  (pure  knowing  element)  is  the  condition  that  is  beyond  the  f ive  aggregates,  beyond  good  or  bad,  merit  or  sin,  right  or  wrong,  and  beyond  cause  or  effect.  In  summary,  the  pure  knowing  element  is  on  the  supramundane  side,  and  is  in  a  different  dimension  from  the  knowing  (consciousness  that  is  covered  by  ignorance),  which  is  on  the  worldly  side.  So  our  job  is  to  cultivate  the  Buddha’s  seed  so  it  can  grow.  The  awakening,  knowing  and  blooming  (expansive  joy)  mind  will  arise  and  lead  us  out  of  suffering.  It  can  happen  by  practicing  the  Eightfold  Path  or  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness  continuously.  Two  thousand  six  hundred  years  ago  the  Buddha  sat  under  the  bodhi  tree  and  became  enlightened.  There  9

may  be  a  question  about  what  he  became  enlightened  with? The  answer  is  that  he  found  the  Amata  Dhamma  by  practicing  the  Eightfold  Path.  So  he  taught  us  to  follow  the  same  steps  so  we  can  reach  the  same  goal.  As  previously  mentioned,  Phra  Ajahn  did  not  end  at the  eightfold  Path  but  he  also  led  us  to  cross  over  to  the  other  side,  which  is  samma  yana  or  the  right  insight.  This  is  seeing  the  world  as  it  really  is  until  reaching  the  right  liberation  (samma  vimutti)  or  right  freedom.  Even  though  it  may  happen  temporarily,  the  meditators  will  gain  enormous  benef its  as  mentioned  previously.  You  cannot  buy  it  with  trillions  of  money.  You  cannot  reach  by  thinking  either.  The  only  way  is  practicing  yourself  until  you  experience  the  Amata  Dhamma  or  the  pure  nature  on  your  own.  This  is  the  way  to  be  free  from  suffering  that  the  Buddha  discovered  and  taught  us.  We  should  consider  ourselves  to  be  very  lucky  and  meritorious  to  be  born  as  human  beings,  to  discover  Buddhism  while the  teachings  are  still  available,  and  to  f ind  the  teacher  who  can  point  to  the  direct  way  to  reach  nibbana.  10

The  f inal  benef it  and  a  very  important  point  for  meditators,  is  the  last  part  of  the  guiding  meditation.  The teacher  will  lead  us  to  the  landing,  where  we  can  see  both  sides.  One  side  is  the  conditioned  nature  which  is  the  f ive  aggregates  or  the  worldly  side.  The  other  side  is  the  unconditioned  nature  which  is  Amata  Dhamma  (sunyatta,  or  nibbana).  This  is  the  supramundane  side.  The  meditators  can  see  and  stay  on  both  sides.  This  is  called  having  sunyatta  (pure  emptiness)  as  a  dhamma  abiding.  The  meditators  can  use  this  state  as  a  foundation  of  daily  life  as  Ajahn  Buddhadassa  said,  “Doing  all  kinds  of  works  with  an  empty  mind”.  In  the  past,  I  did  not  understand  what  an  empty  mind  was  and  how  we  could  work  with  an  empty  mind.  I  only  gained  understanding  and  seeing  when  following  this  method  of Duenjit  guiding  that  Phra  Ajahn  used.  So  the  meditators  can  bring  what  they  have  learned from  the  formal  practice  session  and  then  adapt  it  in  daily  activities.  Mindfulness  practice  can  be  practiced  by being  aware  regularly,  no  matter  what  you  are  doing.  It  can  be  done  in  any  postures;  standing,  walking,  sitting  or  lying  down.  It  can  also  be  done  in  any  activity  like  11

taking  a  shower,  brushing  teeth,  washing  your  face  or  doing  other  things.  Formal  practice  can  be  followed  by  attending  Phra  Ajahn’s  live  stream  guiding  meditation  sessions  every  morning  and  evening.  This  method  of  guiding  not  only  allows  us  to  reach  the  awareness  of  the  outer  body  and  mind  which  are  the  dimension  of  suffering.  He  also  can  guide  us  to  the  dimension  of  inner  awareness  which  is  sunyatta  (emptiness  or  Amata  Dhamma).  This  gave  us  a  chance  to be  familiar  with  this  condition.  In  our  daily  lives  we  can  also  practice  to  abide  by  the  sunyatta.  Every  action  will  become  our  meditation.  It  is  compared  to  living  like  a  drop  of  water  on  the  lotus  pad.  There  are  two  conditions  of  nature,  sankhata  (conditioned  world)  and  asankhata  (Amata  Dhamma).  These  two  can  stay  together  but  they  do  not  mix.  On  the  outside,  we  can  work  normally  as  lay  people  who  still  have  responsibilities  for  our  jobs  and  household  chores.  But  inside  we  can  stay  with  the  pure  nature  or  sunyatta  (empty  mind  or  Amata  Dhamma).  This way  will  not  interfere  with  either  the  worldly  life  or  the  spiritual  life.  12

Some  meditators  may  feel  that  they  have  been  practicing  for  a  long  time  but  still  did  not  make  any  progress.  They  still  have  the  same  suffering.  One  reason  can  be  because  of  a  lack  of  continuity.  They  don’t  know  how  to  apply  the  practice  in  daily  lives.  After  attending  the  meditation  course  they  would  continue  to  live  the  same  way.  They  did  not  apply  what  they  have  learned  in the  course  to  their  daily  lives.  So  the  progress  did  not  continue.  The  other  reason  is  having  good  intentions  but practicing  the  wrong  way,  such  as  developing  the  wrong concentration.  Some  may  practice  the  correct  way  but  did  not  have  a  clear  road  map  or  the  right  technique  to  reach  the  Amata  Dhamma,  or  the  method  was  not  compatible  with  them.  So  they  could  not  crossover  from  the  worldly  side  to  the  supramundane  side.  In  conclusion,  the  dhamma  practice  which  will  lead to  the  goal  or  be  liberated  from  all  sufferings,  or  reaching  nibbana  (Amata  Dhamma)  will  have  to  be  composed  of  three  main  things:    The  method  of  practice  has  to  be  direct,  straight  to  reaching  nibbana.  13

The  method  of  practice  has  to  be  compatible  with lay  people’s  lifestyles. We  can  apply  the  formal  practice  to  our  daily  lives,  so  we  can  clear  ourselves  by  reaching  the  purity  of  nature  on  a  regular  basis.  The  guiding  method  called  duenjit  that  Phra  Ajahn used  really  has  the  answers  to  all  of  these.  It  is  clear  to  me  and  other  meditators  that  I  knew.  For  myself,  this  method  of  practice  both  formally  and  in  daily  life  allowed  me  to  have  a  steady  mindfulness.  My  mind  became  steady  and  I  was  able  to  be  with  the  inner  awareness  (or  the  emptiness)  which  is  our  real  being  (luminous  mind)  on  a  regular  basis.  Sunyatta  became  the  abiding.  Nama/rupa  (mentality  and  materiality)  or  the  f ive  aggregates  appeared  to  be  merely  natural  elements  that  arise  and  vanish.  They  changed  all  the  time.  They  are  our  conditioned  self  that  caused  suffering  for  us.  When  seeing  clearly  that  the  real  self  is  the  emptiness,  separation  will  start  to  occur  and  it  allows us  to  let  go  of  the  attachment  to  our  f ive  aggregates  14

(oneself)  easier.  It  starts  by  being  empty  of  thought  and  crude  emotions  f irst.  When  the  state  of  emptiness  and  knowing  grows  stronger  and  becomes  more  ref ined  from  our  practice,  we will  be  able  to  let  go  of  the  more  ref ined  emotions.  The  result  is  the  gradual  letting  go  of  attachment  to  ourselves and  what  is  ours.  We  will  gain  more  understanding  and  will  be  able  to  have  clear  insight  into  the  Four  Noble  Truths  on  a  regular  basis.  Suffering  will  be  signif icantly  reduced  because  we  can  let  go  of  thoughts  and  unwanted  emotions  that  are  the  causes  of  suffering  easier  and  faster.  This  is  the  result  of  my  Duenjit  way  of  practice  in  the  past  two  years  that  I  have  been  guided  by  Phra  Ajahn.  He  often  stressed  the  relaxation  and  feeling  comfortable  during  the  practice.  This  is  because  the  main  goal  of  the  practice  is  letting  go  and  not  to  gain  anything.  So  relaxation  is  the  path  to  letting  go.  The  meditators  who  have  gained  mindfulness  and  clear  comprehension  until  they  can  reach  the  knowing  condition  regularly,  will  start  to  notice  the  arising  of  thoughts  and  emotions.  They  will  see  thoughts  instead  of 15

seeing  themselves  thinking.  They  will  see  feeling  but  not  see  that  they  are  feeling.  This  is  seeing  things  on  the basis  of  freedom  from  self.  When  this  state  of  knowing  and  emptiness  is  stronger,  we  will  be  able  to  see  thought or  emotion  vanishing  right  in  front  of  us.  This  is  the  progress  or  the  strength  of  mindfulness  and  clear  comprehension.  It  is  the  door  of  liberation  from  suffering.  We  can  prove  it  by  ourselves.  It  is  called,  “sandhidiko”  in pali,  which  means  that  the  meditators  will  know  it  by  themselves.  This  book,  “Duenjit.  Path  to  Amata  Dhamma.  Leading  to  Freedom  from  Suffering”  is  the  collection  of  Phra  Ajahn’s  dhamma  talks  and  guided  meditation  sessions.  The  intention  is  for  it  to  be  used  as  a  handbook for  people  who  are  interested  in  practicing  the  Duenjit  way  and  would  like  to  have  a  book  as  a  reference  for  their  practices.  I  noticed  that  during  the  past  two  years  that  I  have practiced  with  Phra  Ajahn,  he  has  put  more  details  in  his talks  both  in  theory  and  practice.  The  guiding  meditation also  was  adjusted  to  be  easier  for  people  to  reach  the  16

vipassana  state,  which  is  crucial  to  turn  the  mind  from  the  worldly  side  to  the  supramundane  side.  This  book  may  lack  some  contents  and  is  not  really  completed.  I  would  recommend  for  you  to  get  more  information  by  following  the  duenjit  foundation  website.  You  can  listen  to  the  dhamma  talks  and  follow  meditation  guiding  on  a  daily  basis  at  7  AM  and  7  PM  (Thailand  time)  by  watching  livestream  on  Duenjit  page  of  Facebook  or  YouTube. F inally,  I  would  like  to  pay  grateful  respect  and  anumodana  to  Phra  Ajahn  Maha  Worapot  for  his  kindness  in  spending  time  teaching  all  of  us.  He  guided  us  everyday  so  we  can  reach  and  stay  with  the  pure  nature.  It  is  the  way  to  clear  ourselves  and  also  to  accumulate  the  dhamma  virtue  which  is  benef icial  in  this  life.  It  leads  to  peace  and  happiness  which  fulf ills  our  lives,  gives  us  joy  and  courage  in  the  dhamma.  Our  lives  will  be  more  stable  and  free  from  bondage  and  ties,  and  we  do  not  have  to  wait  for  the  next  life.  17

If  I  gain  any  merit  from  publishing  this  book,  I  would  like  to  offer  as  veneration  to  the  Buddha,  Dhamma and  Sangha,  and  to  all  teachers  that  I  had  a  chance  to  meditate  and  study  the  dhamma  from.  It  has  been  a  good  foundation  for  my  progress  in  the  dhamma  practice. Phra  Ajahn  Maha  Worapot  Kittivaro  has  been  giving  dhamma  talks  and  guidings  to  all  of  us  so  we  can  gain  knowledge  and  understanding  in  details  of  every  step  both  in  theory  and  practice,  all  the  way  to  liberation.  Phra  Ajahn  has  kindly  spent  his  time  teaching  us  tirelessly  every  morning  and  evening.  His  sole  intention  is  to  help  us  free  from  suffering  in  this  cycle  of  birth  and  death.  I  wish  that  this  book  will  be  a  handbook  in  your  dhamma  practice  “Duenjit,  Path  to  Amata  Dhamma”,  in  order  for  us  all  to  reach  the  end  of  sufferings. I  wish  you  all  who  benef it  from  this  book,  a  progress  in  your  dhamma  practice  that  is  worth  being  born  as  a  human  being  who  has  found  Buddhism  and  has  enough  merit  to  practice  the  dhamma,  which  is  direct  to  reaching  the  Amata  Dhamma.  18

I  wish  all  meditators  the  highest  benef it  from  this  book  by  being  awakened  and  starting  your  walk  on  the  right  path  to  reach  the  Amata  Dhamma,  our  real  home.  It is  the  freedom  from  all  dangers  and  sufferings  in  this  cycles  of  birth  and  death.  Metta  Utakapan President Amarin  Printing  &  Publishing  Co.,  Ltd. 19

Preface This  book  “Duenjit,  Path  to  Amata  Dhamma”  is  the  collection  of  Phra  Ajahn  Maha  Worapot  Kittivaro’s  dhamma  talks  which  were  transcribed  and  edited. It  started  from  the  teaching  about  the  danger  of  rebirth  in  the  cycle  of  birth  and  death.  Being  born  as  a  human  being  and  coming  across  Buddhist  teaching  gives  us  a  chance  to  practice  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness.  It  is  the  only  way  to  free  us  from  that  cycle. The  steps  of  walking  along  the  mind  path  (Duenjit)  in  order  to  reach  each  dhamma  condition  requires  practice  in  each  foundation.  It  starts  from  the  body  foundation  (mindfulness  of  the  body),  the  feeling  foundation  (mindfulness  of  the  feelings),  the  mind  foundation  (mindfulness  of  the  mind)  and  the  dhamma  foundation  (mindfulness  of  the  dhamma). 20

T h e  ri g ht  m i n d f u l n e ss  w i l l  o c c u r  a n d  w i l l  subsequently  be  followed  by  the  right  concentration,  the  right  insight,  and  right  liberation.  Beginners  can  follow  the  instruction  that  was  explained  in  detail  in  chapter  seven  (Steps  of  formal  meditation  practice).  The  chapter  eight  is  the  collection  of  dhamma  questions  and  answers  which  may  answer  the  question  you  may  have.  Glossary  at  the  end  also  will  help  explain  some  meanings  of  words  used  in  the  teaching. I  hope  this  book  can  be  used  as  practice  guidelines so  you  may  gain  understanding  at  the  beginning  level.  It  is  for  anyone  who  is  interested  in  the  practice  “Duenjit  way”  until  reaching  the  Amata  Dhamma  or  pure  emptiness,  and  f ind  the  end  of  all  sufferings. Patharaporn  Nilsetee Editor 21

Acknowledgment Everyone  who  was  born  wished  to  have  a  good  and happy  life.  No  one  wanted  to  face  pain  and  suffering.  But  nowadays  we  are  bombarded  by  so  many  things,  from  the  covid-19,  natural  disasters,  economic  problems,  hunger,  etc.  People  whose  minds  are  fragile  will  be  shaken  by  situations  that  are  bombarding  them.  This  ends  up  in  stress,  confusion,  painful  feelings  and  sufferings.  Whatever  emotion  arises,  we  will  get  stuck  with  it.  If  there  is  a  loss  of  a  loved  one,  we  will  be  sad  and  depressed.  If  things  didn’t  go  as  we  wanted,  we  would  be  angry  and  frustrated.  Many  may  suffer  from  the  previous  mistakes.  They  would  like  to  go  back  and  correct  them  but  they  couldn’t. Even  though  time  has  passed,  the  painful  feelings  still  are  in  their  minds.  They  could  not  free  themselves  from  those  painful  emotions  that  drowned  them.  22

Some  may  try  to  escape  by  taking  vacations  which  may  be  helpful  temporarily.  The  Buddha  gave  us  the  tools  that  can  free  us  which  is  called  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness.  It  is  the  most  powerful  tool  that  can  free  us  all  from  pain  and  suffering,  so  we  can  reach  real  peace  and  happiness  in  life.  I  would  like  to  rejoice  in  the  merit  of  Khun  Metta  Utakapan  who  led  the  effort  in  gathering  and  editing  the  dhamma  talks  and  published  this  book.  It  will  allow  anyone  who  is  interested  in  the  dhamma  to  study  and  practice  the  valuable  heritage  that  the  Buddha  left  for  the  world.  I  also  would  like  to  appreciate  other  people  who  helped  to  make  this  book  possible,  since  it  will  benef it  the  spreading  of  dhamma. I  hope  this  book  will  help  you  to  experience  the  Buddha’s  dhamma.  You  will  be  able  to  practice  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness,  and  follow  the  Eightfold  Path  until  you  can  return  back  to  pure  nature.  You  will  eventually  f ind  the  real  peace  and  happiness  which  is  nibbana.  Phra  Maha  Worapot  Kittivaro  23

Translators’  Note We  are  grateful  to  our  teacher,  Phra  Ajahn  Maha  Worapot  Kittivaro  and  Khun  Metta  Utakapun  from  Amarin  Printing  who  suggested  and  gave  us  permission  to  translate  this  book.  We  would  like  to  ask  for  forgiveness  from  Ajahn  if  we  unknowingly  made  any  mistake  in  translation.  We  hope  that  the  English  version  of  this  book  will  be  useful  for  anyone  who  cannot  read  Thai,  and  can  use  it  as  a  guide  to  practice  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness.  Translators  Arvoranee  Pinit,  MD Piriya  Pinit,  MD  24

Index Chapter  1 Danger  of  the  Samsara  (Cycle  of  Birth  and  Death)  Nothing  Happened  by  Chance 36 Free  Oneself  from  Attraction 38 Letting  Go  Can  End  Suffering 40 Escape  from  the  Lower  Realms  42 Permanent  Freedom  43 Living  Beings  are  Dictated  by  Their     Kamma  45 Clearing  the  Sin  and  Unwholesomeness  47 The  Difference  between  the  Luminous     Original  Mind  and  the  One  Which  Gained     Insight  into  the  Four  Noble  Truths  49 The  Danger  of  Samsara 53 Paying  Debt  to  the  Past  Kamma  (Actions)  55 The  Chance  to  be  Born  As  a  Human  Being  58 The  Highest  Benef it 60 25

Chapter  2 66 68 Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness  69 the  Way  to  Be  Free  from  Suffering  71 Discover  the  Dhamma  Every  Birth  Ends  with  Death  73 The  Amount  of  Tears  that  We  Shed  was 75    More  Than  the  Water  in  the  Oceans 78 Don’t  Lose  this  Opportunity 80 Anyone  can  Learn  and  Know  the 82    Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness 85 Mindfulness  of  the  Body  (Kayakhata  Sati)  87 Building  Protection  (Immunity) 89 Planting  the  Seed  of  Buddha  Nature 91 Practice  More,  Develop  More 93 Better  Refuge  Than  Merit 94 Survival  Methods  for  Everyone 96 Body  Foundation 98 Feeling  Foundation 100 Mind  Foundation Dhamma  Foundation The  Four  Foundations Waking  up  the  Knowing  Potential Prime  Dhamma  will  Emerge 26

Knowing,  Awakening  and  Blooming 103    Feeling 105 Anapanasati  (Breathing  Sutta)  107 Looking  Is  Not  Equal  to  Knowing 109 Mind  Path  (Duenjit)  112 Noble  Eightfold  Path 115 Path  to  End  the  Kamma Chapter  3 122 124 Right  Mindfulness  (Samma  Sati)  126 Right  Mindfulness Total  Awareness 127 Benef its  of  Total  Awareness 129 Methods  for  Waking  up 131 Our  Awareness 133 Steady  Mind 136 Formal  Meditation 138 Walking  and  Sitting  Meditation Lying  Down  &  Daily  Life  Meditation Sitting  Meditation  Is  Not  the  Only  Practice 27

Chapter  4 144 Right  Concentration  (Samma  Samadhi)  146 Tranquility  (Samatha)  and  148    Insight  (Vipassana)  Being  Free  from  Conditioning 150 The  Difference  of  Jhana  153    (Right  Concentration)  156 Right  Concentration  (Samma  Samadhi)  158    and  Wrong  Concentration     (Miccha  Samadhi)  164 Method  of  Obtaining  Jhana  in 166    Buddhism 168 Beginning  Practice 170 Initial  Level  of  Jhana  (Concentration)  Chapter  5  Right  Insight  (Samma  Yana)  Lead  the  Mind  to  Amata  Element    from  Concentration  to  Insight Seeing  Just  for  the  Sake  of  Seeing Switching  to  Vipassana  Yana     (Insight  Knowledge)  Cultivating  the  Buddha  Seed 28

Beginning  Part  and  Ending  Part  of  the 172    Four  Noble  Truths 174 What  is  the  Benef it  of  a  Well  Developed     Vipassana  Yana? Chapter  6 180 182 Right  Liberation  (Samma  Vimutti)  184 We  Only  Need  to  Create  Right  Causes 186 Real  Happiness 188 See  Both  Banks 190 The  Real  Thing Knowing  Element The  Gate  Leading  to  Nibbana Chapter  7 Steps  of  Formal  Meditation  F irst  Part:  Preparation  for  Readiness 196 Second  Part:  Following  the  Mind  Part  According     to  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness 199 Third  Part:  Accumulation  of  Noble  Wealth,    Clearing  Sin  and  Unwholesomeness 201 Pulling  the  Mind  Upward 203 Standing  Meditation 205 29

Move  Our  Legs  and  Be  Aware 207 Move  Our  Neck  and  Shoulders,     Be  Aware  209 Move  Our  Hands  and  Be  Aware 211 Perception  of  the  Whole  Body 213 Walking  Meditation 215 The  Body  Moves,  The  Mind  Knows    Contemplate  Both  Knowing  and  Moving 218 Happiness  from  Inside 220 Sitting  Meditation 222 Reaching  the  Amata  (Immortal)  Dhamma 223 Practice  Dying  before  Death 226 Necessary  Things  in  Daily  Life 229 All  Kinds  of  Dhamma 232 Chapter  8  238 Dhamma  Q  &  A 239 What  Is  Duenjit? 241 How  Can  Mindfulness  Practice    Reduce  Stress? 243 How  Can  We  Stop  the  Incessant  Thoughts? Why  Is  Mindfulness  Practice  Necessary  in    Old  People? 30

How  to  Begin  Mindfulness  Practice  As  We    Get  Old? 244 Is  It  True  That  the  Body  Belongs  to  Us? 245 Is  It  Necessary  to  Practice  Formal     Meditation? 248 How  Can  I  Know  That  I  Am  Watching  My     Mind  Correctly? 250 Is  It  Necessary  to  See  All  Foundations  (Body,    Feeling,  Mind  and  Dhamma)? 251 What  Is  the  Process  of  Elements  and     Aggregates  Separation? 252 Why  Seeing  Suffering  Is  Seeing  Dhamma?  254 How  Is  Worldly  Wisdom  Different  from     Dhamma  Insight? 255 What  Is  Awareness?  Why  Do  We  Need     to  Be  Aware? 257 Knowing  the  Present  Condition  Is     the  Heart  of  the  Four  Foundations  of     Mindfulness  Practice 259 How  Is  Looking  Different  from  Knowing? 261  What  Is  the  Steady  Mind? 262  The  Difference  between  Right  and  Wrong    Concentration 264 31

When  the  Mind  Is  Steady  and  Concentration     Develops,  We  Don’t  Depend  on  Our  Eyes,  Ears,     Nose  or  Body.  So  How  Can  We  See  Without     Eyes  or  Hear  Without  Ears,  etc? 266 How  Did  Total  Awareness  Happen? 270 What  Is  the  Process  of  Releasing  the  Mind? 272 What  Is  Seeing  According  to  Reality? 275 How  Tranquility  (Samatha)  and     Insight  (Vipassana)  Are  Related? 276 What  Is  the  Meaning  of,  “When  You  F ind    the  Knower’s  Mind,  Destroy  It.”? 278 How  Did  Mindfulness  Stop  the  Dependent     Origination? 282 What  Is  Knowing  Just  for  the  Sake     of  Knowing? 282 What  Is  Nibbana? 284 The  Condition  That  Is  Not  Affected  by     the  Result  of  Kamma  286 The  Condition  Beyond  Merit  and  Sin 288 The  Difference  between  Sankhata  and     Asankhata  Dhamma  289  How  to  Stay  with  Asankhata  Dhamma?    291  What  Is  Sunyatta  Vihara?  293  32

What  Is  Entering  the  Stream  of  Dhamma?  294  The  Mind  Becomes  One  with  Nature  295  What  Is  the  Buddha’s  Mind?  297  Can  Lay  People  Become  Enlightened? 299 What  Is  the  Condition  of  Seeing  Both  Sides?  300 Does  the  Mind  Have  Nibbana     As  a  Mental  Object? 302 How  Did  All  Things  Arise? 305 Why  Was  the  Pure  Original  Mind  Covered    by  Avijja  (Ignorance)? 308 Autobiography    Ajhan  Maha  Worapot  Kittivaro 311 Glossary 315 33

All  living  beings  are  affected  by  kamma  (action). Whatever  actions  you  have  done,  good  or  bad,  will  continue  to  affect  you  for  a  very  long  time.

Chapter  1 Danger  of  the Samsara  (Cycle  of Birth  and  Death)

Nothing  Happened  by  Chance We  have  a  chance  to  wake  up,  breathe,  be  alive,  so  we  should  have  the  effort  to  do  things  that  are  really  useful  in  this  lifetime.  Every  issue,  feeling,  thought  that  happened  in  our  lives  did  not  happen  by  chance.  They  happened  according  to  the  factors  that  we  have  accumulated.  There  were  so  many  times  that  we  got  stuck,  being  tied  up  with  things  that  we  knew  were  bad  and  caused  us  irritation,  pain  and  suffering.  But  we  could not  stop  ourselves,  could  not  free  ourselves  or  let  go  of  them. The  Buddha  said  that  all  living  beings  are  affected  by  kamma  (action).  Whatever  actions  you  have  done,  good  or  bad,  will  continue  to  affect  you  for  a  very  long  time.  When  we  were  born  in  the  samsara  (cycle  of  birth  and  death),  we  created  lots  of  kamma  due  to  our  delusion.  Most  of  our  actions  had  exploited  ourselves  or  others.  These  resulted  in  negative  kamma  which  is  the  dark  energy  that  surrounds  us.  It  is  the  source  of  power  36

that  creates  the  cycle  of  samsara.  That  is  why  everything  that  happens  in  our  lives  does  not  happen  by  accident.  If  we  were  mistreated,  cheated,  deluded,  verbally  abused,  etc,  be  certain  that  we  have  done  the  same  thing  to  others  in  the  past.  It  could  be  either  in  this  lifetime  or  in  our  previous  lives.  Everything  goes  according  to  the  causes  and  factors  that we  have  accumulated.  When  the  negative  kamma  shows the  result  our  mind  will  be  irritated,  and  we  may  make  a  wrong  choice.  37 Phra Maha Worapot Kittivaro

Free  Oneself  from  Attraction In  order  to  overcome  the  turmoil  from  our  negative  kamma,  we  need  to  develop  a  steady  mind  in  order  to  clear  all  the  sin  and  unwholesomeness.  We  have  to  pay  back  all  the  debts  that  we  have  created.  The  time  we  got stuck  in  samsara  can  be  compared  to  our  debt.  We  need  to  clear  it  f irst  before  we  can  end  it.  There  is  nothing  that  happened  which  we  don’t  have  to  pay  back.  These  will  be  leftovers  and  become  the  power  that  leads  us  in  different  directions. The  Buddha  said  that  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness  can  clear  all  the  sin  and  unwholesomeness.  How  does  it  work?  When  we  practice  and  develop  mindfulness  until  it  is  steady  and  expansive,  we  will  be able  to  free  ourselves  from  the  attachment  and  the  pull  of whirling  force  around  us.  We  will  then  reach  the  state  of  nature  which  is  pure.  It  is  the  energy  source  from  pure  emptiness  that  can  clear  the  dark  energy  or  the  sin  and  unwholesomeness.  It  is  like  using  the  clean  water  to  38

wash  off  the  dirty  one,  or  the  interaction  between  positive  and  negative  poles  resulting  in  neutrality.  This  clearing  by  purity  will  end  every  problem. 39 Phra Maha Worapot Kittivaro

Letting  Go  Can  End  Suffering Happiness  occurs  when  we  know  how  to  let  go.  We  will  be  happy  no  matter  where  we  are.  The  one  who  can  let  go  is  not  the  one  who  does  nothing,  leaves  the  world,  or  ignores  it.  He  can  still  live  a  normal  life  and  be  responsible  for  his  duty,  but  he  only  lets  go  of  his  mind.  One  who  can  let  go  will  have  more  power  to  solve  problems  in  life.  It  is  because  he  can  do  things  without  having  any  attachment.  He  will  not  feel  tired  or  discouraged.  He  will  do  whatever  is  appropriate  as  long  as  he  still  has  the  duty  and  his  body.  His  mind  will  be  empty  of  self.  No  matter  how  chaotic  the  outside  is,  the  inside  will  not  be  the  same.  It  is  called,  “being  empty  in  the  middle  of  things”.  This  is  self lessness,  the  mind  is  awakening  and  knowing  but  not  reacting  to  anything.  It  is  the  result  of  meditation  practice.  We  can  live  a  normal  life  and  do  normal  things  without  attachment,  or  doing  things  with  the  mind  that  can  let  go.  40

On  the  opposite  side,  one  who  carries  everything  inside  and  does  not  know  how  to  let  go  will  not  be  able  to  solve  all  problems.  He  will  suffer  more  because  he  will  carry  everything  from  the  past,  the  future  and  at  present  in  his  mind.  He  will  be  thinking  nonstop  without  any  ending.  Sometimes  things  happened  a  long  time  ago,  he  still  keeps  thinking  about  it  or  he  gets  worried  about  things  that  have  not  even  happened  yet.  So  if  you  don’t  know  how  to  let  go,  you  will  suffer  no  matter  where  you  are.  Suffering  because  you  carry  it  with  you.  41 Phra Maha Worapot Kittivaro

Escape  from  the  Lower  Realms We  don’t  know  when  we  will  die.  But  as  long  as  we are  mindful,  at  least  we  can  be  sure  that  we  will  escape  from  being  born  in  the  lower  realms.  To  be  able  to  close  the  door  to  the  lower  realms  can  happen  because  of  the  condition  of  the  mind.  When  the  knowing  condition  is  awakened,  our  mind  will  become  a  wholesome  mind.  When  the  mind  is  wholesome  the  rebirth  will  be  in  the  upper  realms.  This  is  the  least  of  the  benef its  that  we  gain  from  the  mindfulness  practice.  It  will  be  a  benef it  in  the  future.  But  the  benef it  that  we  can  receive  at  present  is  happiness  and  less  suffering  in  this  life.  The  mind  will  become  normal  and  natural,  happiness  will  be  more  ref ined.  So  this  is  the  only  thing  that  allows  us  to  experience  the  highest  benef it  in  life.  42

Permanent  Freedom In  order  to  be  free  from  samsara  permanently,  we  have  to  accumulate  our  dhamma  virtues  or  the  noble  wealth  until  it  is  full.  We  will  then  have  a  chance  to  gain permanent  freedom  by  eradicating  all  def ilements.  The  Buddha  said  that  the  original  mind  was  luminous  but  it  was  tainted  by  the  passing  def ilements.  Because  of  not  having  a  clear  understanding  of  the  dhamma,  we  are  barricaded  by  ignorance  and  tied  up  by  craving.  That  was  the  reason  why  we  have  to  travel  in  the  cycle  of  samsara  for  a  very  long  time.  Our  real  original  nature  is  luminous  and  pure.  Because  we  didn’t  have  the  thorough  knowledge  of  the  dhamma,  so  we  were  covered  up  by  ignorance.  From there,  we  were  lost  in  the  cycles  of  birth  and  death  over  and  over  again.  Throughout  these  lifetimes  we  created  all kinds  of  kamma,  mainly  by  exploiting  others. 43

Def ilements  create  kamma.  Kamma  creates  the  consequence  of  past  actions  (vipaka  kamma).  It  moves  around  in  a  circle  and  creates  the  whirl  of  samsara  cycles.  When  the  Buddha  became  enlightened  he  realized  the  reality  of  nature  and  this  law  of  kamma.  44 Duenjit Path to Amata Dhamma Leading to Freedom from Suffering

Living  Beings  are  Dictated by  Their  Kamma Throughout  the  cycles  of  samsara  we  have  created  many  actions  (kamma).  No  one  would  like  to  have  pain  and  suffering,  none  of  us  wanted  to  be  bad.  Everyone  wants  to  be  happy  and  have  a  good  life.  We  all  struggled in  order  to  have  happiness  and  to  live  good  lives.  But  if  we  still  seek  happiness  from  outside  we  will  not  be  able  to  f ind  true  happiness.  The  negative  consequence  of  past  action  (vipaka  kamma)  caused  delusion  which  trapped  us  in  the  samsara.  Each  of  us  was  surrounded  by  the  consequences  of  our  actions  which  moved  us  along  the  whirlwind  in  life.  W h e n   p r a c t i c i n g   t h e   F o u r   F o u n d a t i o n s   o f  Mindfulness  until  you  have  gained  a  more  ref ined  level  of  knowing  ability,  you  will  understand  more  about  these consequences  of  our  actions.  Our  intention  creates  kamma.  Mind  arises  and  ceases.  45

Each  kamma  arises  and  ends.  What  is  left  is  the  consequence  of  it.  Wholesome  or  unwholesome  mind  may  occur  only  once,  but  the  result  can  last  a  very  long  time.  As  long  as  we  have  the  f ive  aggregates  and  still  live  in  the  samsara,  the  consequence  will  continue  to  bear  fruits  of  that  negative  action. 46 Duenjit Path to Amata Dhamma Leading to Freedom from Suffering

Clearing  the  Sin  and Unwholesomeness This  body  is  the  result  of  our  old  action  (kamma)  that  we  have  done.  It  was  not  created  by  anyone  else.  That  is  why  we  have  to  endure  the  consequences  of  our  actions.  Have  you  ever  felt  that  something  you  did  was  wrong,  but  you  could  not  stop  yourself?  You  did  it  even  though  you  did  not  want  to.  You  were  led  by  that  consequence  of  the  past  action. The  power  of  kamma  is  the  result  of  our  actions  in  each  life.  It  is  the  delicate  energy  that  f loats  in  the  space around  us.  We  cannot  escape  from  it.  Only  in  the  pure  nature  that  it  does  not  exist.  When  practicing  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness  until  mindfulness  is  at  the  extreme  ref inement,  you  will  understand  the  mechanism  of  “the  law  of  kamma”.  It  can  be  the  law  of  kamma  that  is  only  specif ic  for  us  or  for  a  group  of  people.  We  will  understand  that  nothing  is  happening  by  chance.  Everything  happens  as  a  result  of  causes  and  supporting  factors.  47

When  we  are  born,  instead  of  paying  off  the  old  kammas  we  usually  create  more  new  ones.  So  they  added  up  to  the  point  that  we  could  not  escape  from  the  whirlwind  cycle.  To  free  ourselves,  we  have  to  accumulate  our  own  virtue  until  it  is  full.  This  will  depend  on  the  amount  of  consequences  of  our  actions.  We  have  to  pay  off  all  of  them  before  we  can  escape  from  the  cycle  of  samsara. T h e   p r a c t i c e   o f   T h e   F o u r   F o u n d a t i o n s   o f  Mindfulness  is  the  only  way  to  free  ourselves.  We  will  be  able  to  reach  a  state  of  purity  that  can  clear  off  the  sins  and  unwholesomeness.  That  is  pure  nature  which  cannot be  affected  by  the  result  of  kamma.  The  f ive  aggregates  do  not  appear  in  that  state.  It  is  purely  immortal  which  is called  the  nibbana  element.  48 Duenjit Path to Amata Dhamma Leading to Freedom from Suffering

The  Difference  between  the Luminous  Original  Mind  and  the One  Which  Gained  Insight  into  the Four  Noble  Truths The  luminous  mind  begins  from  the  dripping  of  the  pure  energy  level.  The  layer  of  pure  energy  originates  from  the  energy that  spills  over  from  the  Amata  Dhamma  (immortal  dhamma).  Amata  Dhamma  is  the  extreme  level  of  pure  energy  that  overf lows  and  becomes  pure  energy.  When  this  pure  energy  drips  into  space,  it  will  be  covered  by  avijja  (ignorance)  which  is  part  of  the  space.  The  luminous  mind  that  dripped  from  the  pure  energy  layer  was  untrained  by  practicing  the  Four  Foundations  of  Mindfulness,  so  it  will  be  covered  by  ignorance  (avijja).  After  that,  attachment  was  formed  and became  a  living  being.  The  process  of  Dependent  Origination  started  here,  followed  by  the  arising  of  49

samsara  (cycle  of  birth  and  death),  def ilements  and  conditioning.  This  resulted  in  delusion  and  actions  (kamma).  Kamma  will  have  the  consequences  (vipaka  of  actions)  which  will  trap  us  in  uncountable  life  cycles.  But  until  after  we  have  a  chance  to  accumulate  enough  virtue,  we  will  encounter  Buddhism  and  have  a  chance  to  practice  the  Eightfold  Path.  After  gaining  an  insight  into  the  Four  Noble  Truths,  we  then  can  clear  ourselves  completely.  We  will  be  free  and  can  return  to  pure  nature. When  following  guided  meditation  until  reaching  the  pure  nature,  you  will  be  guided  backward  so  you  will see  the  difference.  If  you  already  have  the  insight  into  the  Four  Noble  Truths  and  understand  the  Dependent  Origination,  you  will  be  able  to  remove  the  ignorance  and  see  the  whole  process  of  Dependent  Origination.  You  can  zoom  in  and  out,  make  it  faster  or  slow  it  down, or  even  stop  it  at  any  step.  How  can  it  work  that  way?  It  is  because  time  does  not  exist.  The  Dependent  Origination  cycle  arises  and  ceases  very  quickly.  But  time  is  a  worldly  condition.  50 Duenjit Path to Amata Dhamma Leading to Freedom from Suffering