Journals

Section 4: Dhamma Principles and Buddhist Living Birth Itself is Suffering "Whenever one perceives in accordance with the truth that birth itself is suffering, not happiness—once one realizes that birth is suffering, at that moment, one becomes weary of suffering. Becoming weary and disenchanted with suffering, one no longer desires those Five Aggregates and relinquishes them. That is what is called the wondrous, pure path."

Source: Page 137, line 6

Personal Dhamma "People constantly obsess over foolish treasures, understanding only coarse things, blindly reaching out haphazardly. Confusion reigns everywhere because they lack these four Dhamma principles within themselves. If these four Dhamma qualities are firmly established within a person, they will experience no confusion or straying whatsoever; they will smile with inner contentment because they have discovered a great wellspring of treasure. Having these four principles within means:

Believing in the Tathāgata.

Possessing excellent Precepts.

Having faith in the Sangha.

Aligning one's view correctly to see the Dhamma. Sages extol such a person, declaring that they are not poor. If we wish to escape poverty and become wealthy, we must possess these four Dhamma principles without letting them waver."

Source: Page 290, line 27

The Wise Person "A wise person recognizes merit, demerit, blessings, harms, benefits, non-benefits, the high, the low, the good, the bad, the right, and the wrong. When we occupy the position of an elder or superior, we must possess a generous and compassionate heart toward our subordinates. We must hold such a heart. As subordinates, we must establish ourselves in reverence and respect toward our elders. We must not think only of ourselves; we must respect and honor one another. From the elders down to the juniors, respect one another according to duty, monastic seniority, age, and spiritual virtues. That is what defines a wise person."

Physical Suffering "Suffering truly exists. this entire body is a massive lump of suffering. If anyone claims it is happiness, let them present that happiness; they will inevitably grab hold of suffering to show you instead. From the very beginning, birth is suffering: Jātipi dukkhā — birth is suffering. Once born, there is aging, illness, and decay according to duty. It all stems from suffering, not from happiness. The root is entirely suffering. Birth itself is the embodiment of suffering; you must define and recognize it."

Source: Page 325, line 24

Vigilance Against Wrong View "Be vigilant against wrong view by giving rise to right view. Be vigilant against misconduct by giving rise to good conduct. This state of heedfulness encompasses the entire Tipitaka: the Vinaya Pitaka, the Suttanta Pitaka, and the Paramattha Pitaka. However much goodness exists, it is all contained within heedfulness. However much evil exists, it is all contained within heedlessness."

Source: Page 340

The Harms of Alcohol "Wherever alcohol emerges in a country, that nation faces ruin. Whomever alcohol clings to, that person faces ruin. Whether men or women, if they become addicted to alcohol and drink it, they face ruin and cannot survive. This is deeply vicious; it is called killing oneself alive, blindly destroying oneself. A perfectly good and pure person turns themselves into a broken soul, turning themselves insane. This is the consequence of drinking alcohol; its harms are too vast to count. Therefore, one must abstain from it completely in one's heart."

Source: Page 344, line 15

A Clear Mind Naturally Attracts Prosperity "If the mind can achieve absolute stillness, it attains Khema—complete security and absolute clarity, just like a polished mirror reflecting one's face. If the mind is radiant to that extent, you do not need to labor exhaustively; money will naturally flow in on its own. There will be no distress; money only enters, with barely any flowing out—only minor expenses while major wealth pours in. Keep your mind bright and clear in this single manner. Maintain the mind as a constant realm of security, observing your own clarity. The flowing in of prosperity and gold is a true blessing."

Source: Page 354, line 18

"We, the Tathāgata, are the Dhammakaya" "The Buddha spoke to Ven. Vakkali: 'Apehi Vakkali' — Step aside, Vakkali. 'Imaṃ pūtikāyaṃ dassanaṃ' — Why do you look upon this physical body of the Tathāgata, which is subject to decay? 'Yo kho Vakkali dhammaṃ passati so maṃ passati' — Behold, Vakkali, he who sees the Dhamma sees me, the Tathāgata. 'Dhammakāyo ahaṃ itipi' — For I, the Tathāgata, am the Dhammakaya. Right there, He declared explicitly that the Tathāgata is the Dhammakaya. The Dhammakaya itself is the true embodiment of the Buddha."

Do Not Be Heedless "Do not be careless, do not lose awareness, and do not be heedless. If you are heedless, careless, and lose awareness, you never know when death will strike. You must remain heedful to live rightly. Heedfulness is the vital key; it is the state of not forgetting, the state of deathlessness. Conversely, heedlessness is the key to forgetfulness and death. This is how things truly are..."

Source: Final Sermon, 15 October 1957, Page 902, line 23

The Ultimate Good is the Buddha; The Ultimate Evil is Mara "The ultimate good is the Buddha; the ultimate evil is Mara. Mara casts his lines to govern human beings. Mankind falls subservient as bondservants and slaves to greed, hatred, and delusion. The resulting consequence is damage, bringing aging, illness, and death. Things are this way because Master Greed, Master Hatred, and Master Delusion rule over us. They command us to act according to their whims, using worldly homes and nations as bait, while delivering illness and death in return. Conquering these Maras will allow humanity to finally dwell in cool peace and happiness."

Source: Birthday Sermon, 7 October 1955, Page 980

The Gift Buddha Amulet "Anchor your mind at the Gift Buddha Amulet. Make a reverent request: 'May Your Holiness grant your grace. I, your servant, am a merchant. May my trade expand vastly across Thailand, overflowing the nation. May buying be easy, selling be swift, and profits be magnificent, echoing all the way to Nirvana.' Recite this meditation before every business transaction, and your goods will sell easily, effortlessly, and conveniently, pouring out like flowing water..."

Source: Sermon on the Gift Buddha Amulet, Page 881, line 3

Using Wisdom to Contemplate "If you are to do anything physically, apply wisdom to scrutinize and ponder it first. If it causes distress to us, do not do it. If it causes distress to others, do not do it. If it causes distress to both us and others, do not do it. If it causes no distress, then proceed."

"When you think of anything or speak anything through words, you must apply wisdom to scrutinize and ponder it first. If it causes distress to us, do not speak it. If it causes distress to others, do not speak it. If it causes distress to both us and others, do not speak it. If it causes no distress, then speak."

"Whatever you think of in your mind, if it causes distress to us, do not think it. If it causes distress to others, do not think it. If it causes distress to both us and others, do not think it. If it causes no distress to either us or others, then think it."

Source: Ovādapāṭimokkha, 27 January 1956, Page 848, line 2

Repaying the Gratitude of Parents "This is truly called repaying gratitude:

If parents lack faith, establish them in faith.

If they lack precepts, establish them in precepts.

If they lack devotion, establish them in devotion.

If they do not recognize merit, demerit, blessings, and harms, guide them to recognize them. These four frameworks allow both women and men to perfectly repay the gratitude of their mothers and fathers."

Source: Ratana, 23 May 1954, Page 832, line 10

Prosperity and Belongings Come Automatically "Buddhism operates in this manner: you do not need to chase after money, gold, and belongings. When your practice achieves the perfect balance, money, gold, and belongings will seek you out on their own. Food and sustenance will come to find you. No matter if you reside in the deep forests, highlands, or wilderness, prosperity and provisions will find you. This is the way of Buddhism. However, one must walk deeply into the practice, assisting and supporting the public, guiding future generations to truly know the Dhammakaya."

Source: Ratana, 23 May 1954, Page 819, line 15

Pleasing Speech "When we, as individuals of merit, reside in any place, our descendants, companions, and relatives will gather in large numbers. We must rely on pleasing speech that is delightful to the ear. When uttering any words, let them be magnetic, capturing hearts, uniting one another, and causing no mutual friction. Speaking with such words defines a polite and well-mannered person, whose speech serves as a principled anchor that people wish to hear over and over again. This is called Piyavācā—pleasing speech, which is of vital importance among human beings and must be utilized."

Source: Dhamma Heritage, Volume 1, Pages 216 – 217

Behaving Usefully "How should we act to be deemed useful to our fellow human beings in this world? However many companions we have, behave usefully toward one another. Do not seek happiness for oneself alone; spread happiness equally to all. Begin by parents guiding their children to earn degrees and secure high-level professions, allowing them to care for their parents so they live happily like deities. This is called being useful to one's own children first. Treat relatives in the same manner, helping them become self-reliant without needing to depend on anyone. Be useful to neighbors; share knowledge and bring happiness to fellow human beings in the neighborhood. Help them prosper; acting in this way means being useful to our fellows."

Source: Dhamma Heritage, Volume 1, Pages 217 – 218

Assisting the World "Providing assistance to the world is like the linchpin of a chariot's axle. If the linchpin is missing, the wheel falls off the axle, and the chariot cannot move forward. If the linchpin is present, the chariot travels smoothly without any hitch. The world receives happiness by relying on these four practices: offering charity, speaking with pleasing words, behaving usefully toward one another, and maintaining consistency in Dhamma and personal conduct toward all, without any deficiency. Whichever group we enter, we blend in completely as one of them, appearing identical. No matter how many followers we have, we become unified as one, never breaking apart. Any wise sage who recognizes the value of mutual assistance will surely attain greatness and become highly praiseworthy."

Source: Dhamma Heritage, Volume 1, Pages 218 – 220

Cultivating Charity, Precepts, and Meditation "Once we have offered charity, observed precepts, and practiced meditation, we must be able to see the fruits of that charity, the fruits of those precepts, and the fruits of that meditation. Only then can it be said that we know how to use charity, precepts, and meditation effectively. Do not be lazy. Diligently cultivate charity, observe precepts, and practice meditation constantly, so that we may receive happiness both in this lifetime and in the lifetimes to come."

Source: Dhamma Heritage, Volume 4, Page 58