Can you see over there?
move over to this side
I got my own, what about you? OK
But anyway just to let everybody know that this is a
translation of the Venerable Nyanatiloka's the Word of the Buddha
a compilation of Suttas
its built around the framework of
the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
and doing this was because the translation
which was over 100 years ago is well pass its use by date
So because of that it was nice to be able to do a new translation
and also the way that we do the translation
if you haven't heard this before
is to make sure that you don't translate word for word
because word for word translations just make very silly translations
such as it was raining heavily and you say 'it rained cats and dogs'
and if you translate that into a foreign language
they think it is really weird
in Australia the cats and dogs come falling from the sky.
And that's what we call an idiom
And even Pali has idioms in which that
these words which is said; ways in which words are used.
So I take my cue, my advice from Professor A.K. Warder
who would state
and I thought it was a very good insight
that we never translate words we translate sentences or phrases
which are the units of ideas.
So we never think words, we think sentences
indeed the words are defined, their meaning is defined by the context
So that gives much more clarity and also what people say 'punch'
to these translations.
And some of these translations are again pass their use by date
even by themselves
Such as things like right .... further down you would see the
right motivation, the second factor of the Eight-fold Path
instead of right thought.
So I call it Right Motivation.
Now we have Right Action, Right Livelihood
The sixth of the Eight-fold Path is
I translate it as Right Endeavour rather than Right Effort.
Because effort again in my life as a monk
the effort usually tends to get you tired, it tends to get you tensed
it seems the opposite of what we are trying to do
And instead by trying to look for some other
possible translations
so far, using the word endeavor
So we have like a type of goal but not which comes from effort
but as you will see in a few moments
comes from stopping, letting go, restraining, abandoning
those types of so called effort
really it is a non-effort.
And of course the big one later on number 8 is Right Stillness
instead of Right Concentration.
So it's good to take these translations even further
I am never going to say that this is going to be the
fixed and final translation for ever.
Translations are always work in progress
So anyway with that in mind
just to get back to what I said before about these translations
a new translation on the Word of the Buddha
So I usually start with paying homage to the Buddha with Namo tassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
So what now is Right Endeavour
this is the Sixth Factor of the Eight-fold Path
What, now, is right endeavour?
These are these quotes from the Suttas
There are these four right endeavours:
restraint, abandonment, development & preservation.
Four Right endeavours:
And what is the endeavour of restraint?
Straight away you can see that word restraint
means not doing something but stopping doing something.
restraining and abandoning and letting go.
You might call it the effort to let go
but really letting go is the opposite of trying to get somewhere, effort
So what is the endeavour of restraint?
When you see an object, you do not let yourself get sucked in
by any characteristics or features that generate defilements.
You get to see straightaway 'getting sucked in'
that is the word we'll use in English; it's a modern word
but it's not the word you see in the translation of 100 years ago.
What is the endeavour of restraint when you see an object you do not
let yourself get sucked in by any characteristics or features
that generate defilements.
Since, if you left the faculty of sight unrestrained,
unskillful states of wanting and aversion would afflict you.
Instead, you practice wisdom when seeing,
you guard the faculty of sight, and you undertake the restraint of sight.
So, if you are a monk and you see some unclad woman coming into the hall
and then you make sure you try and look at something which
does not arouse lust in you.
If you are a married woman and you see a hot guy coming in
you don't look at things which would again create lust or desire.
If you see something you don't like
you don't surround yourself, just because a person may
have some marks or scars or not be physically perfect
you don't let yourself get sucked in with aversion
If you see someone who resembles Donald Trump coming in
you don't look at those features which reminds you of Donald Trump
and allows you to get aversion.
So in other words you control the faculty of sight
so it doesn't get you upset.
And also even if you see something you really really like,
like a new iPod, or tablet or dress or car or something which you see..
wow I really like that: you actually just restrain
the features of sight.
So you don't allow yourself to get sucked in
by any characteristics or features that generate defilements.
Having heard a sound; notice the smell; sense the taste, felt a bodily feeling
even having cognized in the mind
you do not let yourself get sucked in
by any characteristics or features that generate defilements.
Since, if you left the mind faculty unrestrained,
unskillful states of wanting and aversion would afflict you.
Instead, you practice wisdom with the mind,
you guard the mind, and you undertake restraint of the mind.
So this is what we do with the mindfulness
but we also use the restraint.
So we make sure we do not get drawn in to features
which make us get lost in what we see, hear, taste, touch or know.
At the end of every section here I would give you the opportunity
to ask a question if you need to.
so you can always put your hand up.
So the second endeavour, the endeavour to abandon.
And what is the endeavour to abandon?
Here, you do not maintain an arisen motivation of wanting;
you abandon it. let it go, renounce it, bring it to cessation.
You do not indulge in arisen motivation of aversion
an arisen motivation of harming …
whenever bad motivations arise;
you abandon them, let them go, renounce them, and bring them to cessation.
This is called the endeavour to abandon.
So restraint-you don't allow states of mind
which will cause you grief, struggle and unpleasantness, affliction
so you make sure they don't come in the first place
and if they have come in you find ways to abandon
those unpleasant states.
And the most commonly known method of abandoning
is in the Vitakkasanthana Sutta the Majjhima 20
When you are mindful of some object,
and there arises in you afflicting unwholesome motivations
connected with desire, aversion and delusion, then:
First way is substitution:
You should give attention to some other object
that generates wholesome mind states.
Thus, unwholesome states are abandoned and subside.
With their disappearance, your mind becomes internally steady,
settled, unified and still.
So you are really upset about some..
a good way of substitution is the old simile of the two bad bricks on the wall
if you just watch the two bad bricks in the wall
then that gives you feelings of aversion, wanting to destroy
wanting to start all over again; feelings of not being competent or whatever.
So instead of just looking at the two bad bricks
you look at just the 998 good bricks
which means your mind does become internally steady
settled, unified and still.
or another object which you might go and look at
I am just relating this to some of the stories which you have heard on
Friday nights.
Is to go into the forest and look at crooked trees.
And look at crooked trees and they become beautiful
So by changing the object from say your husband, your wife
or your scores in the exam or other things which happen in your life
and you think; 'oh life is terrible'
Change to some other object usually in the nature and you think
this is the nature of the world
and you don't have to be perfect.
So by giving attention to some other object that generate
wholesome mind states
the unwholesome states become abandoned and subside.
And you become internally steady and settle, unified and still.
Or you should examine the danger in those unwholesome motives…
So you might think you want something or you are trying to get rid of something
what does that do to your mind
that is an example of Ajahn Chah's
It's not the sound disturb you it's you who disturb the sound
because if you have what you think is a loud sound
and you start to worry about who did that, why did they do that
it may just be that somebody slammed the door
and the danger in that
thinking about those unwholesome states is long after the sound
from the slamming door has subsided
you are still thinking about it.
So the danger is that sounds stop pretty quickly
but the echo in your head goes on for ever and ever.
So that's the danger in those unwholesome motives.
You can't sort of go back in time and stop that banging door
but you can cease is the thinking about it, dwelling upon it
is very very dangerous takes you away from happiness.
You should try to ignore those unwholesome motives
and do not give attention to them
That is you will find a simile which I developed
if there is a sound or there is when you meditating
you are thinking you haven't had dinner tonight yet
and somebody's going to take you out to your favourite restaurant tonight
you start thinking about the dinner
when any distracting thought comes up
you can use a simile of the TV screen.
I travel a lot on air crafts
and when you look at the safety demonstration which
comes in front of the screen
there is something I noticed a long time ago
doesn't matter how big or small that screen is
after a little while your mind actually fits into the screen
you may be looking at that in that big piece of canvass there
and your mind just fits right into the canvass
so much so you can't see what's above, below, left or right of it
until I point that out.
When I look at the same teachings on the screen of this little tablet
again my mind fits into it and I don't see
I can now see the bell to my right, see the clock to my left
but after awhile you go right into it and you can't see the edges.
Now understanding the what is in the centre of your field of attention remains,
what's in the edges eventually falls away
just like zooming in on Google Earth
It's the same with by putting attention
ignore the unwholesome motives do not give attention to them
Do not put them in the centre of your screen of attention
So put something more wholesome in the centre
like you are watching your breath and somebody makes a noise
or there is the sound of the siren or somebody revving up a motorbike
for goodness sake don't put that in the centre
in other words take the attention, the primary attention away
from that disturbing, distracting sound or thought
and put the centre on the main object
so that's called like ignoring it not giving it attention
not giving it primacy in the mind.
it literary is background noise, but you don't pay attention to it.
and after a small while the background noise fades away.
Or you should give attention to stilling the causes of those motives
why do you want something why we got ill-will
why is that happening
and there is one reason which I have noticed
that people are afraid of stillness and peace.
I have seen that Years and years and years ago
whenever we would go to very quiet place
just like Bodhinyana monastery
And some visitors as soon as they go there
so quite they would raise their voices
they would shout louder than was necessary
I couldn't figure that out psychologically until I realized that the silence
threatened them.
They had to raise their voices to destroy something
they weren't familiar with--
the peace and quiet of an Australian forest.
So what are the causes,
When you are in meditation and a thought disappear
why is that thoughts come up again?
I always considered that thoughts just came into my mind from nowhere
and they were stray thoughts
until when my meditation got much stronger, my mindfulness more sharp
I realized no no no I went out to look for those thoughts
something to disturb myself.
And of course that was the same as when you are at home, you have nothing to do
so you flip through the TV channels
you flip through the TV channels you don't really want to watch something
you just want to distract yourself
because people today is
people do not know how to deal with resting, silence, doing nothing
or you look in the refrigerator; you had enough to eat
you want to get something to eat.
and in the refrigerator, things are falling out of the refrigerator
but ah! there is nothing to eat in the refrigerator.
It's just distraction; wanting something to do,
because doing nothing challenges us.
literally challenges our very idea of who we are
So stilling the causes of those things.
And of course the last thing is causes of some of these unwholesome thoughts;
anything to do because
again we are uncomfortable with silence. It's mostly fear.
and exactly the same fear,
the best example which you can relate to; sort of
is a prisoner who has been in jail for many years.
now he or she is being released from jail
and they are very very uncomfortable in freedom,
they've got used to being enclosed, being told what to do
being in prison.
And the idea of being free is a challenge to them.
So many of the causes of unskillful acts and thoughts
and the motives behind them often comes from the fears;
so look at what the fear is
find the causes for these things
and then the unwholesome things, the irritating things can disappear.
And the last is, the very last resort is you should, for example
if you get so fed-up with Ajahn Brahm's jokes; you think
Ah I am going to get a chain-saw and cut off his head.
If it's a very very bad thought a very bad motive
the last resort
clench your teeth with your tongue pressed against the roof of your mouth,
and beat down, constrain and crush any such afflicting unwholesome motives.
So use a little bit of force but only if it's going to be the last resort.
But anyway with the disappearance of these unwholesome motives of
greed, hate and delusion; wanting, aversion, delution
then your mind become internally steady, settled unified and still.
So this is how one can overcome unwholesome things
This is restrain first of all and then abandoning, the second one
yes, the one next to you John
Question--Ajahn you said that we invite the thoughts in
but I don't think that's always the case sometimes thoughts come when we
really wouldn't like them to be there.
Ajahn: Ahh...is that the case? that's what I also thought
but why would they come in?
if you could; where you live if people just come into your house
you got to open the door for them first of all
it's a weird thing but it is the case
that these thoughts only come in when you are a little bit bored
not content, and they come in and basically before you even see it
you go out there to grab a thought
otherwise just why is it that we go off into future plans
which we know will never happen.
or what you're going to do when you win the lottery
how you are going to spend it
it's not going to happen.
why do we actually do stuff like that
or thinking in the past which we can never ever change
fantasizing, dreaming why do we do such things?
you know that sometimes we look for good thoughts first of all
but when we have gone through our inventory of good thoughts
then any thought would do.
Anything to distract us
It's a weird thing but people like being distracted
why?
because it's a discomfort, a fear of being still
and where that comes from, the underlying reason
is because it challenges our very existence.
we define ourselves by not who we are, but by what we do
I am a monk, I am a meditator,
I am a doctor, I am a ... whatever else I am retired
it's what you do; your acts define you.
and if did absolutely nothing; your very sense of being
will actually start to vanish away.
to do, sorry to be
even actually as a doctor or a medic;
if somebody is lying on the floor
to find out if they are alive or dead; you see if they do anything.
If their heart is doing anything
you shout at them to see whether there is any response.
you shine a light in their eyes if that does anything
If they don't do anything, then we assume
they are not there, they are dead, they are gone.
So this is just an example of the very essential connection
between doing something and existing.
You look at a stone outside or you look at a log, you might kick it
if it bites back, you know it wasn't a log, it was a snake.
But if it just sites there does nothing, if it does nothing
it doesn't exist. No sense of a being.
So when you do nothing when you are getting still
sometimes the mind is not happy with that
old habits, you have to do something.
Does that make sense? yeah
Question-yes it does but I still refer back to myself that
somethings that come in you don't never ever let them in
but they still come.
Ajahn-they come in.
basically you do let them in otherwise they wouldn't come in at all
and they won't... sometimes stupid things come in
and you see afterwards it's because if you really really content
very very peaceful, then there is no way they can come in
It is a fact that, you see that; you are leaving openings up
hoping something would come into distract you.
It's not that these things come in by themselves;
we go looking for them, searching for them,
pulling from anywhere, anything just to distract us.
It's the same with like dramas as well
why do people always have dramas in their lives,
in their monasteries, in their homes
because people actually love dramas.
If they don't get enough dramas in their real life
they go on the TV and get dramas from TV somewhere
something to worry about
because to worry is another form of existing, being
worrying about the football match
why are you doing that for? something to do.
Anyway yes, young lady
Question-I was just thinking about what good point,
it challenges your existence because people say
you might as well be dead if you got to just sit there
doing nothing, not interested in anything, you might as well be dead
or why you are putting your head in the sand what for.
so really that answers it; doesn't it
You are challenging your existence.
Ajahn: Exactly
So it's a tough one but that's the core of all this.
who you think you are.
That's also why sometimes these people
who have been there done that, so wealthy;
they can't just disappear.
Old Prime Ministers had to say something to get on the news
stir things up.
They can't just disappear gracefully because if they disappear gracefully
you know their....
Tony Abbot should disappear his whole identity is gone.
That's why he just can't go quietly. impossible.
Anyway; that's one of the second of the endeavours.
Going somewhere
The next is the endeavour to develop
So restrain things which haven't come up yet.
abandon things which are already in the mind
and actually develop good qualities.
Now these aren't separate because one of the best ways
to develop, to overcome what they call like unwholesome qualities
is to develop good ones.
One of the best ways to stop buglers coming into your house
is to have all your friends in your house
When you have lots and lots of good people in your house
Then buglers don't; good people are there so they won't come in
So developing and maintaining good states is also fulfills the
first two endeavours as well restraining and abandoning
so what is the endeavour to develop
they don't actually say much what the endeavour actually is
except the sort of things you should develop
develop mindfulness exploring the Dhamma
These are the Seven Enlightenment Factors
instead of investigating the Dhamma or contemplating the Dhamma
have you got the same translation here because this is a newer one
than that one. there may be a few little changes.
Exploring the Dhamma instead of investigating the Dhamma
this is that old little simile I usually use a bottle of water
I have done it many times hear I think even recently
What is this I am holding up?
and people say bottle of water,
what else do you see? It's plastic
What else do you see? What else do you see?
That is actually exploring going into it until
you have already used up all the words and the labels
you have been taught before,
so you can actually go beyond what you've been taught
and really getting into it exploration.
Contemplating is always thinking about it this way and that way
It's going beyond the thought process, beyond the naming
into something which is much deeper you explore it
you allow the mind to go to places it hasn't been before
Or like I said in England recently remembering the time I used to
watch Star Trek as a young man
That was when Mr. Spock did have pointy years
Apparently it still goes on these days Star Trek, different people
but anyway; They used to say boldly go where no man has been before.
And I adapted that to
(Ajahn touching his bald head) baldly go where no monk has gone before
And this is what exploration is
you know not going to old places you looked up before but
going deeper, exploring the Dhamma
And the Enlightenment Factor of Energy
Now both those two I think I mentioned before
they actually work, no all those three
they all work together when you are aware, really aware
takes a lot of mindfulness to be able to see things you have
never seen in this before (Ajahn looking closely at the bottle)
You explore it and it gives you energy, that's actually really interesting
And also because of the stillness your mental energy increases
So whenever you develop these things
they develop all together
starting with mindfulness, exploration, energy comes up
more powerful your mindfulness is
Rapture, the pleasure and this is an important thing which
in Buddhism as it was in the very beginning
we actually develop joy we develop happiness
we don't try and get rid of it
as if like being happy is a big sin
you are not supposed to be happy when other people are suffering
you are supposed to suffer in this world
And of course that is just so even against Buddhism
Some people even say if you are happy be careful you get attached to it.
And oh my goodness that's what you are supposed to do
So here you develop the Rapture, the pīti, the joy, the happiness.
The Enlightenment Factor of Tranquility
you don't think that being still or being tranquil is you are dead
like you were saying Barbara
It's not being dead, it's being actually more alive than you've ever been before.
And of course stillness; the Samadhi and Equanimity
Every one which is based upon seclusion (physical and mental),
in other words to develop these Seven Enlightenment Factors
we are basing this on being by oneself reasonably physically
If you can't do that in your rooms, in monasteries or in Retreat Centres
you can at least build a bubble around yourself which I often do because
I travel around a lot with many many people
Just my cave which I carry around with me
this imaginary bubble around you,
and you are sitting inside and people and noise and things are outside
when I want to disengage that's what I really develop over the years.
physical, mental seclusion
things fading away; past and future thoughts all fading away and ceasing
maturing in the mind's release.
Those are Seven Enlightenment Factors
And if you want to know Buddhism in brief or meditation in brief
it is to develop these seven and to overcome their antithesis
their opposite which is the five hindrances.
That's basically Buddhism is all about.
Do you want to get the microphone?
Question: Could you please define the factor of energy a little bit more
Ajahn--Energy oh yeah
There is the energy you get from a cup of coffee
There is energy which you get when you got a goal
you are trying to reach.
And you are really striving and you go for it
But those are all energies which actually are boring energy
you pay for that afterwards with oh..(Ajahn showing a tired face)
you are really tired and lacking energy
The other energy which this is talking about here
is the energy which does come from developing mindfulness and stillness
It is what happens when people meditate and just becomes still
it is the observation, the understanding that when you do become still
you don't do very much
You are sitting still, you are not thinking about the past and the future.
you are not fantasizing, you are actually... you are not wasting energy
and just like the metabolism in your bodies, always creating energy
your mind creates energy all the time, its wasted very very quickly
by thinking, worrying, planning
But imagine you stop all of that energy being wasted
you aren't thinking about anything
totally in this moment. Silent, preserving that energy
it's like getting your weakly payments from the government or from your job
you don't pay a cent, the money accumulates and accumulates and accumulates
that's what happens with the energy when you are still,
when you are not wasting it, you are not spending energy.
It accumulates and get stronger and stronger
it feeds into mindfulness
then your mindfulness really starts energizing
waking up and a sign of that that energy which comes up
is that after good meditation
it's like you can run a 100 meters faster than Usain Bolt
Everything you see is brilliant and beautiful
Your mindfulness is empowered
That's why even people like Eckhart Tolle - the Power of Now
what it was is the power of mindfulness and being in this moment
not wasting any energy.
And as you really wake up you are energized, you are happy Wow
energy and happiness go together
Question: Can I then ask when it builds up and becomes
a lot stronger, what if you needs to release or some kind.
Ajahn: why release if you got millions and millions of dollars
just keep it there
you will find some natural ways of using it later on
but if it's in the body; if it stays in the body
then actually you might need to release of it
because it's uncomfortable there.
But if it stays in the mind it can be as powerful as you want.
you get incredible powerful mind-states.
So that energy which I am talking about comes from stillness
yeah it can be a physical energy but really it doesn't belong in the body
it belongs in the mind.
That's when people get what we call the Kundalini stuff
powerful forces in the body but it's not pleasant
powerful but it's much better to use that energy in the mind
where it really is much more useful and where it belongs.
Question: So you can use it perhaps to either heal yourself or heal
Ajahn: it's much better,
much greater healings come when you are not aware of your body
If you just go into the realm of the mind deep meditations
and amazing things happen
It's just well-known that if you have any fevers or sicknesses
and you go and try and sap them with loving kindness or with energy
while you are still aware of the body yes, it does have an effect
But nothing like when the body totally vanishes and disappears
and you are in that sixth sense, very powerful mindful
enjoying yourself,
totally unaware of the body.
and when you come out afterwards body is just incredible
You know it's like I am getting old now
sometimes while I am meditate for an hour or two just the knees ache
the back aches or something doesn't feel good
I am getting old
but I should not getting old I am old
but if you get into deep meditations you sit there and can sit there for hours
when you come out afterwards nothing is wrong
really feel like you have just had a massage or bath or something
No aches or pains anywhere.
First it didn't make sense to me
why is it you sit for three or four hours;
this is going to hurt when I come out.
But then nothing hurts at all. you feel just so relaxed
So that's one of the things with the stillness;
and with the body and the mind....
if you let the body go and just go into the mind
For the body, that's the best you can possibly do for your body.
Question: So then the energy of the mind how would you discern?
Discern it? Ah you are really bliss-ed out you are happy
Really great, great happiness
One way.. because the energy and the happiness often go together
That's why people actually take a cup of coffee in the morning or something
then they are not only energized they are pleasant to speak to
they are not so grumpy
As I say most of the anger and grumpiness comes from the
tiredness of the people have in life. They are exhausted.
That's why if you got a Partner please don't talk to them
when they come home late.
just give them a cup of tea or coffee whatever it is
and when that's gone through their system
If they are really sort of tired give them an intravenous
and when they come out afterwards,
then they are human beings again instead of some monster
just tiredness that's all. Exhausted
When you have really had a big great meditation
then ah! nothing will make you upset at all.
That's a sign of energy.
Question: And you can use it in not only for yourself for
other beings, solving problems ; as an example a ball of energy
and you may like to focus that on something
Ajahn: It's a ball of energy but not frantic energy like in sort of coffee high
not like stupid energy, like when people take drugs
natural, beautiful, pure.
OK John had a question first John was next before you Eddy
Question: The Enlightenment Factors Do they get developed after
someone has developed Jhānas or do they start before.
Ajahn: OK this is the same as the Eight-fold Path
the Severn Enlightenment Factors this is what you actually develop
with the Eight-fold Path.
It's just like a parallel way of describing this development.
So you know even for Right View
you got to know what is Right View
you develop some mindfulness, you explore the Dhamma
exploring the Dhamma you get a huge amount of Right View there
and the other factors of the Eight-fold Path
to be actually mindful, the Seventh Factor
mindfulness is not just something which 'I am going to be mindful now'
you develop it, you find its causes and how it gets stronger and stronger and stronger
One of the problems with the mindfulness movement is their definition
is not according to Buddhism.
Because they don't even take any account of just the powerful
mindfulness which you get after some deep meditation
which is really cool.
And of course the stillness there is the Jhānas
and equanimity is just what happens when you get
real right view in the Jhānas nothing bothers you anymore.
So it is a parallel development.
Yes Eddy.
Question: Ajahn Brahm, the way I interpret
this Seven Factors of Enlightenment
is you know like, for me OK like you have the Dhamma
you are reading a book, you feel like a Dhamma book
you feel happy you know,
It's just like when you meet your partner
there is an energy comes in good energy, you become mindful
and all these rapture, tranquility stillness, equanimity
these are all peaceful, happy states that arise.
Because the Buddha breaks down in this .. it happens all in us.
The third to the seventh one it's the happiness and peace
when you are reading a book that come with the Dhamma
You see what I mean?
Ajahn: I see; but it doesn't take to account that every one of these ..
is based upon seclusion, physical and mental
your eyes are shut, you are not reading a book or anything.
and things fading away cessation maturing in release.
So the full meaning of that is when you are meditating
nothing in front of you.
That's when you get really full Seven Factors of Enlightenment.
But anyway;
because that's why
these ones if you actually have it in the Suttas as is usually translated
they have this last phrase;
every one of which is based upon seclusion (physical and mental), fading away,
and cessation, maturing in release.
They have that after every one, just to make the point that even if it is
exploring the Dhamma; it's exploring the Dhamma based on seclusion, fading away
and cessation, maturing in release.
It is actually reading, if you like the Book of the Heart
and not books like written by monks like Ajahn Brahm
I was always warned of that; writing a book
this was one thing which I heard from a Zen Monk
when I was a lay Buddhist
Never write a book; because anyone who writes a book has to get the
next seven life times as a donkey.
And I have written so many books now; I think I have about .. how many books now 6 or 7
I got about 50 life times as a donkey to get through
(Ajahn Laughs) that's only joking but it was a powerful saying
the books are there actually to show a direction
Anyway let's get on to the next endeavour
This is to develop something; once you've developed it, you got to maintain it
And what is the endeavour to maintain?
Here, you keep in mind an arisen meditation object that generates stillness:
such as recollecting the Buddha, the Dhamma or the Sangha;
or a skeleton; or loving kindness; or the breath; or a nimitta.
This is called the endeavour to maintain.
So this is where you have something good, of course
not everybody has the Buddha, the Dhamma or the Sangha
you choose which one really mean something for you
because it's not just the Buddha statue, it's just what it signifies for you
The Dhamma, what you understand as the Dhamma, whatever creates stillness
the Sangha. Even if it's a skeleton which is quite weird
Why is a skeleton developing stillness
But there are many monks, not just monks; other people do this as well.
which is really quite strange.
They must have been monks in their previous lives
or nuns in the previous lives
Sometimes when they are meditating they can visualize the skeleton of mercy
usually a skull
And people say that's really weird you Buddhists, what do you visualize a skull for
But what actually happens; and this happens to so many people
that a skull comes up in their meditation
it's so easy to focus on
And it becomes just... real skulls are not pure white
they are just a bit off colour.
But they come really beautiful whites whiter than white
and it comes like a Nimitta
Something which they must have been developing in previous times
and it's just a natural remembrance for them
and the skull becomes into a nimitta
and becomes a beautiful thing to do.
The breath or loving kindness or the breath;
the breath is the most common of the meditation objects
I've often said because it is something which you
you knew from the time you were in your mother's womb
or when you were on her chest breast feeding.
It's a rhythm which you can remember as calming, secure, safe
in various earliest times.
And as such it has sort of a remembrance which you
maybe you can't recall consciously
but from deep in your memory bank safety and security a very nice rhythm
to be able to observe.
And also it's what happens when other things disappear
So the breath is a very common thing to maintain in the mind
or a nimitta which is the beautiful light which come up in the mind
and of course to maintain those
the endeavour to maintain those how do you...
you have something like the breath and keep it in mind
and if you try to focus on the breath and hold it
it is always, I told that simile even yesterday afternoon
just holding a glass, you can never maintain that because you get tired
you put it down.
and then it actually stays there; it's very easy to keep things still
like growing a tree
you don't make the tree grow, your job is to push aside or make sure
that there is nothing which damages or destroys that tree.
So really what we are doing here the endeavour to maintain
is letting go of all the obstacles, dangers and stuff which would
destroy the natural growth of your meditation object.
It's not making it develop, it's avoiding everything else
For example, developing the present moment
is not focusing hard on the present moment;
I got to be on the present moment
It's actually avoiding the past and avoiding the future
when those other thing are let go of are warded off
so the present moment is protected from the past and the future
then of course the present moment will develop
That is the endeavour to maintain.
Now restraining and abandoning, developing and maintaining,
These four endeavours were taught by the Buddha.
By these means a diligent meditator in this very life,
can attain the destruction of suffering.
I put that down there because you see by that
Oh!! that's all we need just the six factors of the Eight-fold path
Restraining and abandoning, developing and maintaining,
These four endeavours were taught by the Buddha.
By these means an diligent meditator in this very life,
Can attain the destruction of suffering.
I say this because in the next one they say just by mindfulness you can destroy suffering
Every time I give the precepts when I offer the precepts
We usually chant
Imaani pañca sikkhaa-padaani Siilena sugating yanti
Siilena bhoga-sampadaa. Siilena nibbuting yanti.
That this seela leads to Nibhana Nibbuta--things stopping
Tasmaa siilang visodhaye. So even the seela it is said leads to Enlightenment
but to do the seela, the precepts properly you have to have all the factors
of the Eight-fold path
Even this one over here means all the other factors have to come in.
So it is as if every one of the Eight-fold Path
needs the other ones to be purified to be able to do these things.
So you can't just say one factor is enough, you have to do all the Eight
But just to go back on these ones
you see the big thing which I have done here
which defers from what you had before
instead of Right Effort Right Endeavour, restraining
I even like calling it Right Stopping or Right non-doing
that's very hard
Endeavour to restraint, the endeavour to abandon
endeavour to develop, endeavour to maintain
all based on the letting go stopping and non-doing
Because if you try to do these things you'll find you just get more tensed
and you won't get anywhere
And I'll just go now with this one last little thing
which I was mentioning in England few days ago
That Prof Libet did some marvelous research to show that there is no such thing as
what you consider to be free will.
He did this little experiment (Ajahn bring his hand to shoulder level)
which you were..... he had so many victims or subjects whatever you wish to call them
And they would flex their hands whenever they wanted to
when they decided to flex their hand they pressed a bottom (Ajahn demonstrating)
And he could actually reflex time by pressing the bottom to flexing your hand
so he could actually see
when the person became aware that they decided, they chose to
flex their wrist; to the millisecond
At the same time at a gizmo on the brain
which was recording the readiness potential
parts of the brain lights up
and what he found which is very confronting
was the brain lights up first then the thing which you recognize as 'will'
comes next and then the action follows afterwards
So that which you recognize assume to be 'will'
is not what starts the process
it's not the origin of the event
by the time that you think you willed something
it's already in motion.
The will does not start
something else has made you will..
but he said after the process (is stopped) is started,
you can interfere and stop it.
He said that can be done.
So in a very wonderful use of the English language
He wrote, with good proof;
"there is no such thing as free will but there is free won't"
restraining, stopping 'No I am not going to do that'
No I am not going to say that No I am not going to act in that way
Question: not audible
Ajahn: It is conditioning
what creates the brain lighting up it's called conditioning, brain washing
brain washing by hypnosis, brain washing by advertising
brain washing by peer pressure
a trigger happens and automatically something comes up and then you will
you think it is your choice
the best example which I ever saw it was really.. I can never forget this
because it really shook me
When I was a student we had Psychic Research Society
Every year we have really cool people coming up
one of them was a witch
Every year a witch will come up I still remember his name
Trevor Ravenscroft he must be dead by now.
What a great name for a witch Trevor Ravenscroft
and he would come up and I remember his lecture
First time I've seen a witch
and he said there are two types of witches in the world
white witches and black witches
black witches; they are the dangerous ones, don't go near those
those are really got to be scary
he said don't worry I am a white witch, so you are safe
And then he would say; you know even black witches say they are white.
and he paused and laughed (Ajahn laughs)
So he is a bit of an entertainer he has obviously done that
a quite a few times
So he hypnotized (no another one was a hypnotist).
The hypnotists asked many people to be hypnotized
it is in the old days
hypnosis has got much better since then;
more people can be hypnotized
in those days only a few
but there was always one student in about 100 people in the audience
there is always one; who get totally hypnotized
and made this stupid things
but the most important part was when the hypnotist said
Later on when I touched my right earlobe
you will stand up and sing the British National Anthem
in full in a loud voice.
What a ridiculous thing to do.
Then of course he took him out of hypnosis sat down in his seat
Did a few other little demonstrations then he touched his right earlobe
And this student in the middle of hauling, I was laughing, wetting my pants almost
because it was so funny
and this fellow he didn't stop he sang the whole British National Anthem
from beginning to end in a loud voice
what a ridiculous thing to do.
But then when we stopped laughing
he asked him why did you do that;
when all these people were laughing at you
And he gave a good reason for it; a logical reason
and that was scary
because it was clear to all of us
for him, even the most ridiculous thing he had done
it was his.. just to say
he could not distinguish that from a freely chosen action.
It appeared same to him although we all knew he was made to do that
by hypnotic suggestion
but he could not distinguish what he was made to do
through hypnosis conditioning to what he assumed to be free will
So how much of your free will is actually yours
how much have you been conditioned
but what you can do is free won't
you can say "no I am not going to do that"
Question; So then let's as a hypothetical look at the fact that
maybe someone who hasn't been conditioned by ... has lived
(I don't know..whatever) and demand is basically claimed
How that affect...
Ajahn: I think that cannot exist because we are all
conditioned by different societies but what it does show you
when you are in a totally society indigenous societies,
without TV, without sort of ... you are conditioned by your own peer pressure.
different conditioning but literary different ways of looking at the world.
I better move on now because that's the right endeavour
So it's all about stopping..
the free won't, the no, the stop, restraint, letting go
That's why I call it endeavour Effort is doing,
this one of the Eight-fold Path is not doing.
stopping, restraining say no to stuff.
Anyway we'll get on to the first part of Right Mindfulness
which is a big one
Obviously there is no way we can finish it today
but we will get the introduction to it
What, now, is right mindfulness?
First of all that translation is absolutely brilliant
As Professor Rhys Davids did this over 100 years ago
He did also 'concentration' for the Eighth Factor which was a big mistake
but this one absolutely brilliant.
This is where mindfulness came from he invented, coined the word.
The Four Focuses of Mindfulness lead in one direction only,
to the purification of beings, to going beyond sadness and crying,
to the disappearance of physical and mental suffering,
for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of Nibbāna.
What four?
Now there are, and I don't mind saying this, mischievous monks
who say. the four facts of mindfulness are the only path
for the purification of beings.
There is no way for anyone who knows Pali
Anyone who has read the Suttas even the commentaries
it never means that way.
that is a really mischievous interpretation
It's not just mindfulness; you need all the other factors of the
Eight-fold Path as well
Leading in one direction only, that was only Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation
which is; can't really get better than that; I think in this context
leading one direction only to Enlightenment.
So what are these four focuses of mindfulness?
Having restrained the five hindrances, you can see how this is following on
from what went before the Right Endeavour is restraining these things.
Restraining first of all and then we can actually practice the next factor
the Mindfulness
Having restrained the five hindrances, you abide aware of the body,
energized, knowing the purpose of what you are doing,
and mindful.
Having restrained the five hindrances, you abide aware of experience
this is what I call vedanā.
There are few little translations new ones which I'll explain afterwards
energized, knowing the purpose of what you are doing and mindful
Having restrained the five hindrances, you are aware of the mind, the citta,
energized, knowing the purpose of what you are doing,
and mindful.
Having restrained the five hindrances, you abide aware of mind-objects, ,
energized knowing the purpose of what you are doing, and mindful.
First of all having restrained the five hindrances
in the Pali it is lōke abhijjhā vineyya lōke abhijjhā dōmanassam
the usual translation is having abandoned grief and covetousness for the world
which even as a lay Buddhist What's the heck does that mean
grief and covetousness for the world
And if you actually look in the Pali it's a synonym for the first two
of the five hindrances.
lōke abhijjhā is used as an alternative for kammachanda
first of the five hindrances.
and dōmanassam is used in two Suttas as an alternative
for the second hindrance.
And if you look for the commentaries to both Satipaṭṭhāna Suttas
the Maha Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta in the dīgha Nikāya
the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta in the Majjhima Nikāya
For both of those the commentaries say these words means
having abandoned covetousness lōke abhijjhā dōmanassam vineyya
that means having abandoned the first two hindrances
the commentators are consistent
and there is ground for that interpretation
very solid, convincing ground from the Suttas.
So that's what we have to do.
Restraining the five hindrances and they also say
this is the idioms of Pali
If you have the first two of a group all the others in the group
are assumed to be present as well.
When you say the BSWA and these monasteries (that's not very good)
you have.. like the .. who is in the Australian Cricket Team any more.
you have the Captain, the Vice Captain etc. the et cetera is always included
as the other people playing in the Cricket Team.
So here when you have five things and the first two are mentioned
the commentaries always say the the other things are also included
so this is an accurate description restraining the five hindrances
you haven't abandoned the five hindrances yet
you restrain them, lessen them,
especially by what you have done so far;
the previous factor the Right Effort previous to that (sorry Right Endeavour)
previous to that was your precepts which helped also restrain the
hindrances, just by Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood
before that the Right Motivation
motivation you may have heard me say this before, make peace, be kind, be gentle
that actually restrains hindrances and obviously coming from Right View.
These all linked together here.
Restrain the five hindrances first otherwise you are not mindful
you abide aware of four things; the body, experience, sometimes it's called feelings.
feelings is not a very good word, it can be emotional, it can be body sensations
but what it really means is, this thing which we notice as experience
The Buddha defines experience as pleasant and unpleasant or in-between
but that is just a way of pointing to sort of what we are actually looking at
the experience
just as well, you might say; heat, cold windy that points to weather, the climate
so it's not really feelings, it's not pleasure, pain and in-between
it's pointing at this thing which we know as experience
and the mind, the citta
this is when the five senses disappear you know what that is.
and the mind objects you will find later on
this was really good work by people like Ajahn Sujato, Analiyo and Ajahn Brahmali
who actually looked at versions of the Satipaṭṭhāna and discovered that
in the earliest versions, the mind object only had two mind objects to focus on
and that was the five hindrances and the Seven Enlightenment Factors,
just those two
It seems the other ones were added later on
it's not wrong to add those but it takes away the focus of these are
being aware of the hindrances which actually block you from developing the
path and becoming enlightened
or focusing on their opposites, that which actually develops Enlightenment.
And that's actually a very powerful understanding of why those two were there;
other ones added later,
they are not wrong; but they take the focus away from the meaning
of why the Buddha actually chose those things as part of Satipaṭṭhāna
energized-so you can't do like (Ajahn makes a tired noise) with sloth and torpor
you do this when you develop some restrain,
develop the restraint to the hindrances
as I was saying in the question ...... afterwards
you get energized when you have restraint
knowing the purpose of what you are doing and mindful.
so knowing the purpose of what you are doing
so often I have told people yeah mindfulness is great
as long as you must remember the purpose of what you are doing.
So, if you are driving a car in the busy traffic, you are not
focusing on your breath
Breathing in.....
you get a crash
You focus on the traffic; what's the purpose of driving
or when you are late for an aircraft
then you don't do slow walking lifting lifting..... you run
so sometimes it's actually crazy when you don't follow the Satipaṭṭhāna
What's the purpose of what you are doing?
And of course the other one which you heard me saying many times
people say ah! Buddhists you always let go, let go, let go, let go
Excepting from the back of a motorbike through heavy traffic
Attach, do not let go
otherwise you will fall off and injure yourself
So why you are doing this why you are watching the body
why you are watching the experience why you are aware of the mind
why you are aware of mind objects why?
and that becomes very clear in a few moments
and mindful
that is in brief the Satipaṭṭhāna
so how you are mindful of the body
there is many objects in body awareness breathing, there's the four postures
Comprehension of the Purpose, The Bodily Parts, Elements
the Charnel Ground meditations
But anyway we will start with just the breath
You go to a quite secluded place, sit down comfortably
and give priority to establishing mindfulness
This is standard Ānāpānasati
Quiet secluded place, if you can there are secluded places around
it's amazing that even in cities
some of the quietest places can be an apartment buildings
where you don't hear stuff
here I heard something a few moments ago I think it was an ice-cream van
you don't hear the ice-cream van when you are in the 26th story of an apartment block
So sometimes... you wonder like hermits hermits living in the city
you know, you can actually disappear in a city
because in the forest you get all these people just coming to see you ..
and fire officers and other people making sure you are safe
for the fire season
Sometimes I wonder whether we should be forest monks in the city
secluded, peaceful
Anyway I always have these ideas
just always think outside the box
So you go to secluded place sit down comfortably
now that was a translation just that you don't have to
sit down in full-lotus, with your back straight
but pain all over the place
sit down comfortably and give priority to establishing mindfulness
the word is parimukha which means..
some people say in front of you
and that word in front of you
in front of what? where am I
it doesn't say in front of the nose it doesn't say in front of the belly
It's Parimukha
and it does not mean literally, physically, spatially in front
it means like the same word as giving priority, giving it first place
in front, the first thing you need to do
So that's why give priority to establishing mindfulness
that's actually what we do.
So before you even watch the breath you establish mindfulness first of all
it's from that where you get me monks like me teaching
sit down and just relax the body be mindful of the body
make sure the body is nice and comfortable and then present moment awareness
just subdue your thinking just so that you can
be in this moment.
If you are skill thinking of the past and the future
or thinking about anything you are not really being mindful.
So when you are silent in this moment you have established mindfulness
You know that's one of the reasons why people who do breath meditation
they think they can't do it.
Or they do it just for a short period of time and it runs away
because they haven't done the preparation,
they haven't made the foundation
Do the foundation first, and then it's so easy afterwards
So anyway that is just giving the beginning of the mindfulness
which will come the next time I am sitting here.
But today we just focused on the Right Endeavour
Any questions from here before we get the ones from overseas
Yes
Question: I heard it said that the hindrances can't be restraint unless
one develops the Eight-fold Path Is that correct?
Ajahn: no what that actually says
it's the Naḷakapāna Sutta 68 I think I got that number right
is that without having experienced the Jhānas
the five hindrances invade the mind and remain
together with weariness and discontent
So that saying of the Buddha in Naḷakapāna Sutta Majjhima Nikaya
So what we are saying here is that;
to really get those five hindrances abandoned
it is the Jhānas.
Then they are gone for hours or even days sometimes
and no discontent, just happy no matter what happens
no weariness, full of energy
So often you can't sleep at night which is fine you don't need to
So but to restrain the hindrances is different than overcoming them
and restraining the hindrances is done by the other ways of the path
things like stopping, letting go
for example you know lust or something if you start a fantasy
if you start it, and you don't stop it quickly, it's got you.
You start anger a train of thoughts
it's a very beautiful English metaphor a train of thought
If you can stop the train when it is just leaving the station
it stops pretty quickly, within a few feet
but if it is running along the track at 120 km an hour
it is very hard to stop, takes a long time
So that is why just the restraining of the hindrances;
it's enough to be mindful to actually go deeper and to stop them for hours.
OK let's get some from overseas
here we go
Oh someone living in Thailand
Part 1: Dear Ajahn Brahm; right now I am confused with terminology especially
with some come from other schools too these might cover each other
completely or partially. My question at the moment is would you please
clarify the difference or similarity between mindfulness, consciousness
awakening and awareness.
Ajahn. OK mindfulness and awareness are pretty much identical.
so to be aware is like being mindful.
But also sometimes the mindfulness means something a little bit more than
being aware. It is always usually accompanied by
knowing what you should be doing with this.
It's Mindfulness and Wisdom
or Sati Saṃprajanya or Sati Paññā
and the example of that is a story of a very wealthy woman;
because you are saying you are in Thailand here,
in Thailand who goes to the temple one evening
and she tells the guard of her mansion at the little gate house in the front
please be mindful this evening there's many burglars around and
many houses in the district have been robbed.
And so the guard said 'Yes Madam I would be mindful'
And when she comes back from the temple she finds that her
mansion has been ransacked.
The robbers have been in there and taken everything
So she is very upset at her gate keeper, her guard, her security
"I told you security guard to be mindful"
"But we were madam" "How come we got robbed"
"Well madam I was very mindful, very aware, burglars were going into the house
and I noted, burglars going in, burglar going in, burglar going in
and I saw them coming out of your mansion carrying all your jewelry and I was noting
jewelry going out, jewelry going out jewelry going out
I saw them go back in again with their big truck, their lorry
and I noted; lorry going in, lorry going in
And I saw them the safe, the big safe I saw the safe being put on to the truck
and gong out. Safe going out, safe going out; I was mindful all the time madam
I was totally aware.
That's why that's mindfulness without wisdom.
Awareness without knowing the consequences of what you are doing.
So in Dhamma it's not just being mindful; it's actually being aware as well.
And the consciousness being conscious is;
everyone is conscious unless they are dead.
But the connection between mindfulness and consciousness is
mindfulness is usually focused on really important areas of life.
Things like; you are aware of the body yes, you are conscious of the body
but you are aware in it in the sense that certain practices which can underline or
uncover the nature of this body. The nature of experience; the mind.
So that's why these four focuses of mindfulness are like the
four little mines as they have in Western Australia
wells we can find really sweet water, places where you can find treasure
so places to look which are really important.
So mindfulness focus on places where you really find something
and awakening that actually has a very good connection with
mindfulness and awareness.
As mindfulness becomes empowered, in other words
you are really mindful as I was saying earlier
because of stillness,
developing mindfulness becomes more and more energized,
as it becomes more and more energized you see more,
what you see becomes more enjoyable, beautiful
so hard to get negative
your awareness get empowered
and it is like you are awakening
You may think you are fully awake now ha ha ha compared to when you get into
really deep meditations that come on afterwards
wow; now I am really am awake
you can see so much more, you can feel more
there is a small breeze coming in through the door this afternoon here
you can really feel it fully, you are really awake to it.
multiply that multiply that that's what being really awake.
And that's actually the meaning of the word Buddha
it comes from the Pali word buddhajji which means to wake up
It's not wake up to some idea
Just 'come on stupid, wake up" (Ajahn knocking on his head)
It's actually naturally
being able to see, being able to know
being able to feel so fully.
That's what awakening is.
Anyway hopefully that's helpful for you in Thailand
And from the USA-Non self at times has caused me to do too little
believing there is no free will anyway so why even try? How to avoid this danger?
You are willing yourself to be lazy. So it's not free will, it's free won't
so I won't be lazy, I would do whatever is necessary because you are being
conditioned not from your own ideas not from lazy ideas, but from the idea also
of compassion, kindness which leads to service.
You can take the message from someone like the Buddha
Someone who is so compassionate just work your butt-off for other people.
this is when I've ever gone to see Ajahn Gunha, which many of you know him
great monk, that he was the monk I don't know last time I told you this story
here we go; the rumour was going around the monks that he was Fully Enlightened
So that was the rumour, the gossip going around
So he was there under Ajahn Chah's hut with all the senior monks
you know many many more senior than him
So Ajahn Chah started a conversation
and he asked the most senior monk there I think it was Ajahn Jhan at the time
"Ajahn Jhan are you Enlightened yet?" he said "No"
Asked the next monk "how about you" "No"
All the monks.. "Are you" "No"
He got to Ajahn Gunha he said "yes"
and that made everyone "wow" in front of the great teacher
he said he got no more defilements
What happened next Ajahn Chah said "come upstairs"
And you'll always wish you were the fly on the wall
What did Ajahn Chah say? What did he do? to this monk
And so we didn't know at the time but we found out afterwards
he said "your job is to do lots of loving kindness, metta, compassion
develop that"
So that's why he became, many of you have gone to see him
you can see he's compassionate, kind monk
that drives you.
So believing there is no free-will you don't believe it
It's nothing about belief; it's realization, knowing it
and if you really is, sort of letting go of the sense of self
then it's the sense of others me, them all the same
connection between the two of us
and then what gets replaced is desire and craving
it's kindness and service
So the sign that you have understood non self, it's not that you become lazy
you'll be working harder than before
compassion drives you not what I want
but what is needed for service
So hopefully that makes sense
Anyway any comments or questions about that
Going.. going... gone!
Ok Very good. So we usually now pay respects to Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha
Thank you again for those questions from overseas and the questions here
Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu......