Awakening Person

Master Acharavadee Wongsakon

Have you ever wondered on the day of the Lord Buddha’s enlightenment as the Buddha 2564 years ago, who were you at that time? You might be a caveman, a firewood man, a merchant, a wealthy man, a hated beast being hunted as food, a cow or a buffalo being used for hard work, a soul paying his karma in hell or a warrior with a bloodstained sword, killing others for fortune and praise. Whoever you had been in the past countless lives, it’s a great fortune that you become a human in this mid Buddhist era, being able to overcome mental obstacles and invisible resistance so you can lead a life wandering in the ocean of suffering until you stand near the Nirvana gate. You are prepared physically and mentally to have a free mind; you don’t have to come back to be anyone else, ending the cycle of samsara.

Today, is that great fortune increased or reduced to a negative level? In the long past, if the hermit Sumedha did not set a strong desire to succeed as a Buddha in the future, we probably won’t be able to see even with the little lamp of life. The hermit Sumedha had to go through countless rebirth to cultivate perfections as a Bodhisattva for incalculable period of time. Some of his lives ended in painful death in order to lead teachable humans to find the way out of suffering, out of the dark cycle filled with delusion and determined by karma. We are very fortunate to be in the circle of Buddhism while many people in other parts of the world have died in the fire of war, some become immigrants. We are the ones who have the opportunity to walk along the path to survival. How do we sustain ourselves and shape our life map to match with our lives at this point? We should take a moment to pause and reflect on our lives. How far do we walk away from the Buddha? Where is our life headed? And what is being done gives anything to us. We should become a knowing person, awakening person, who awakens to his deeds and returns to the right direction as quickly as possible.

Quote Whoever you had been in the past countless lives, it’s a great fortune that you become a human in this mid Buddhist era. You should contemplate in life, become a knowing man, awakening man, who awakens to his deeds.

Source

Excerpted from the post, Words from Master – “The Long Journey” 5000s with Techo Vipassana 26 May 2021 Translation: Pornpimol Kongtip

The Way of Dhamma Practitioner

Master Acharavadee Wongsakon

Crying is a sentimental dimension that represents humanity. Even so, those who cannot cry are not wrong. But they should observe themselves whether there is something that blocks their hearts from the feeling of tenderness and makes them think that they have a strong mind. Rapture, gentleness and sympathy do not have to happen every time, but they happen naturally. . In the Dhamma aspect, it is sometimes difficult to explain the difference of dimensions. Saying “let go” could be misunderstood and turned into “neglect”. Or saying “be equanimous” could have a misconception as “having to be so steady that you cannot show feelings or having to suppress the feeling of joy”. So, when you practice Dhamma, do not be shy to cry. If someone asks you “When you practice Dhamma, why are you so sensitive and cry?”, tell this explanation to them. “Practice Dhamma” is a magical phrase that comes with suspicion. There are people watching out for your faults such as “You have practiced Dhamma, then why aren’t you being like that? Why are you still doing this?”. You should tell them “I practice Dhamma to become a better human being because I am not perfect right now. If I am all good for everything, then I don’t have to practice Dhamma. So, if there’s anything I don’t do well or doesn’t meet your expectations, please know that I’m practicing.” . One thing we can obviously see is, when practicing Dhamma, our old friends often disappear. Because their minds begin to distinguish the difference and it makes them feel uncomfortable and not compatible. It is normal for anyone to feel that way and it takes time for adaptation to each other. Do not cut yourself off from your friends. You should keep your friendship so that they can have you as a good friend. You may show the difference step by step, but do not blame their way of life as bad, it is only not suitable for yourself. Anything that you and your friends can do together, just go on doing. If you practice Dhamma and then all your friends are gone, it shows that you have not yet understood the path of Dhamma. . The path of Dhamma is the path of the torchbearers in the dark, not carrying torches to shine the light among themselves in the bright place. Get along and embed them with your understanding to them and to yourself. When practicing Dhamma, finally, the moral spectrum will attract us to want to be together. This is because it is the feeling of being surrounded by pure love, with the current of the Buddha emitting at the beginning of the journey, making us feel safe and warm. We speak the same language, and have the same master. However, while you are among good friends in the same Dhamma approach, do not expect too much. Remember that everyone who comes to practice meditation inevitably have impurities along with themselves. There will always be some things that you dislike or may not be right. A good friend is to admonish each other. Speak the truth in order to correct, not to condemn. If someone does something bad and you condemn them, it means you are worse than them. This is because it shows that you are not a good friend and you do not accept other people’s shortcomings and cannot forgive others. .

We practice Dhamma for living, not for escaping from the truth.

Quote

We practice Dhamma for living, not for escaping from the truth. If you practice Dhamma and then all your friends are gone, it shows that you have not yet understood the path of Dhamma. The path of Dhamma is the path of the torchbearers in the dark, not carrying torches to shine the light among themselves in the bright place.

Source: Selected from Master’s teachings entitled “In the Circle of Love” May 1, 2022

Translated by Mathuros Saengvijit

Value of Time

Master Acharavadee Wongsakon

Today, I would like to bring up the happening during work from home (WFH) period as a little reminder for you.Workers as well as students either in school or university had to work and study online recently. Group activities and workshop were online. It is kind of tragic that many learning activities were limited to virtual world instead of direct experience. Making the timeline is a must for meeting and activities. Allowing time to run on is not an appropriate approach. One should have time management in mind and make exact schedule, from starting time, meeting time and finishing time. Extension of meeting is unappropriate. Everyone has his own plans but if he fails to control time schedule, it can imply possible struggle in other aspects in his life. Thus, time management must be in concern. Instead of having more time during either work from home or study from home period, time disappeared along with the crucial elements: punctuality and balance. Virtual world might make us forget that time is precious. Time passes in the way of no return. With no travel, people tend to be attracted to the monitors most of the time. Once they plan for good deed or other aspects in life, they would realize their time had been robbed. This unfortunately keeps recurring.

To become qualified people, time management is one of primary concerns. Time is divided into periods: morning, late morning, noon, evening, and night. It should be spent according to the plan. For instance, one should rest during break time, play during play time, and travel in free time. When being with family, one should have quality time. Since death is unpredictable, one can unexpectedly die from slipping inside his own house. Neglecting the value of time is kind of recklessness. Therefore, do not let time pass by without making any plan. Having a lazy day is acceptable as long as it is under defined timeline in the plan, probably 5 hours or a day. However, if this lazy day goes on too long, for instance, it extends to 3 days, it is considered as a waste and unacceptable.

Time is opportunity and valuable treasure.Having a breath is like obtaining an opportunity. We have time to make happiness, prestige, and a dream come true as well as to support others and spend time with people who are meaningful in our life. Without time, there is no chance to acquire opportunity and desired treasure.

Quote : Time is valuable since the success of things takes time.One with no breath is the one with no time left. Until time is up, you must continue fighting regardless of number of rounds you are on. Whether wealth or the end of misery that fight may lead you to, you should fight with balance in your mind and appreciation of time.

Source: An excerpt from Words from Master: “Value of Time”, 15th August, 2021. Translator: Chada Ruengruglikit

Destructive Karma

Master Acharavadee Wongsakon

Buddhists usually practice meditation to get away from karmic retribution and to cultivate merit. Although no one can escape from karma, the cultivation of good deeds can lessen karmic retribution but cannot make it gone.

Karma reflects its result in two aspects. One is the result according to the karmic act; one reaps what one sows. Another is the result with a karmic creditor. It means when you do bad deeds to anyone and he feels upset, it will lead to a repayment. Bad karma that has no creditor such as karmic act toward Buddha, Arahants and the virtuous ones who are full of benevolence since their liberated minds have no intention for revenge, the doer still has to receive severe karmic consequence. This is the way of karma.

For some heavy karma, if one has some merit supporting him, he often has a vision or dream as a warning in order for him to have a chance to alleviate that karmic consequence. Nonetheless, destructive karma is not usually like that. Its duty is to end other karmic results by ending one’s life or depriving him of the chance to receive worldly progress such as a fortune or success in work. It happens suddenly and unexpectedly.

Most people are often heedless of karmic retribution. That’s why they indulge themselves in pleasures in their life and try to achieve their goals without cultivating merit to make it worth being born human. They make merit but do not stop committing sin, not even observe the Five Precepts. So, they will accumulate bad karma endlessly. Even for a merit with great benefits, if they make it out of greed, not faith and sacrificing heart, the result will never be that great.

If we were to die, who would suffer from our death? Would it be our father, mother, family, husband, wife, son or daughter? Will we bring trouble to them or will we prepare to die at any time having everything planned ahead?

Quote: We cannot escape from any karma or destructive karma. If for the rest of our life, we only do good deeds, think good, stop committing sin and practice meditation, when destructive karma hits us, our life will not be a waste. After suffering from karmic consequence, we will benefit from our cultivated merit.

Source: FB 5000s Magazine, 19 February 2018

Standard (Be careful of this Word)

Master Acharavadee Wongsakon

Most people live their lives basically on this word “Standard”.

This word has a meaning that includes the quality of everything in the world both living and non-living things according to the general principle.

For living things in terms of ethics, the standard is the Five Precepts. For non-living things, the standard means the basic quality that causes no harm such as water, medicine and food for living. Moreover, doing any business also has its standard which is being faithful, diligent and responsible to one’s own duty.

The word “Standard” has a meaning in a way that if it has the quality lower than this, it will give negative results. But it does not mean to adhere to this “Standard” and then stop improving oneself. Humans are deceived by the word “Standard.” Those who stop themselves at this word will not prosper and make any change to themselves and to the world because they only think that “Well, it’s the standard, so we don’t have to do anything more.

The word “Standard,” thus becomes a restriction of an ability to act and think.

In Dhamma, if adhering to the standard of being humans, people will stop themselves only at preserving the Precepts but will not proceed to the practice of vipassana meditation to liberate their mind. They will feel satisfied with the cycle of Samsara, accept birth and death, work to get money and get married. When the right time comes, they will go for a weekly or yearly vacation with their family to relax for sometimes, then come back to find wealth and success for themselves and their family. It will go on like this over again and again. When they see what others say is good, they will do and follow the trend. It’s like they can’t resist the current, can’t carefully consider about subsequent negative results and can’t break themselves from the rule of standard.

On the level of relationship, people are trapped together with the word “My,” my children, my wife, my husband and have to live within this frame with no condition. It then becomes oppression and the loss of freedom when people are controlled with the word “My” as it is the standard.

Living upon respect is different than expressing opinion righteously and legitimately.

Do your duty to take care of each other. Have respect, gratitude and compassion as the tools to lead the mind