This document is a jumbled collection of letters, numbers, and symbols with no discernible meaning. It contains references to locations, organizations, and individuals, but provides no clear context or narrative. The document expresses no coherent ideas or information.
4. แสงธรรม 1 Saeng Dhamma
The Buddha’s Words
พุทธสุภาษิต
ยถา พุพฺพุฬกํ ปสฺเส ยถา ปสฺเส มรีจิกํ
เอวํ โลกํ อเวกฺขนฺตํ มจฺจุราชา น ปสฺสติ. (๑๗๐)
ผู้ที่มองเห็นโลก (ว่าไม่จีรังและหาสาระอะไรมิได้) เช่นเดียวกับคนมองเห็น
ฟองน้ำ�และพยับแดด คนเช่นนี้พระยามาร ย่อมตามหาไม่พบ
Whoso would look upon the world just as one would see a bubble
and as one would view a mirage-Him the King of Death finds not.
5. แสงธรรม 2 Saeng Dhamma
by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books/BhikkhuBuddhadasa
...Continued from last issue...
อย่า “ช่างหัวมัน” W hen the Buddhist Teachings spread
to China, the Chinese of those days
were intelligent and wise enough to accept it,
อย่าบิ่นบ้า มัวแต่ว่า “ช่างหัวมัน” and there arose teachings such as those of Hui Neng
ถ้าเรื่องนั้น เกี่ยวกับเพื่อน มนุษย์หนา and Huang¬-Po in which explanations of mind and
ต้องเอื้อเฟื้อ ปฏิบัติ เต็มอัตรา Dhamma, of Buddha, the Way and emptiness were
โดยถือว่า เพื่อนเกิด แก่ เจ็บ ตาย ฯ extremely terse. There emerged the key sentence
that mind, Buddha, Dhamma, the Way and emp-
การช่วยเพื่อน เหมือนช่วย ตัวเราเอง : tiness are all just one thing. This one sentence is
เมื่อจิตเพ่ง เล็งช่วย ทวยสหาย enough there is no need to say anything more. It is
ย่อมลดความ เห็นแก่ตัว ลงมากมาย equivalent to all the scriptures.
ทุกทุกราย อย่าเขวี้ยงขว้าง “ช่างหัวมัน” ฯ Now that is a statement that particularly
those of us studying and practising in the old
เห็นแก่ตัว บางเบา ลงเท่าไร style have no way at all of understanding. It might
ยิ่งเข้าใกล้ พระนิพพาน เห็นปานนั้น be beneficial for us to feel a little ashamed on
รอดตัวได้ เพราะไม่มัว “ช่างหัวมัน” this account. The Chinese went on to say that
จงพากัน ใคร่ครวญ ถ้วนทุกคน ฯ ‘emptiness is by nature always present, but we
don’t see it’. I may prove this by saying once
โดย... พุทธทาสภิกฺขุ again that at this moment everyone sitting here
6. แสงธรรม 3 Saeng Dhamma
has a mind that is by nature empty but not only them founder like waves on the shore. For in-
do you not see it but what’s more, you will not stance, when the eye sees a form, if there is
accept that this is emptiness. merely seeing, then that is called not admitting
Huang Po scolded that this is to be like visible forms into the mind and similarly with
someone having a diamond attached to their the other sense organs. If you can’t do that and
forehead without knowing it, who goes search- vedana, feeling of satisfaction and dissatisfaction
ing all around the world or perhaps outside the arise, let it stop just there, don’t allow desires
world in hell, heaven or the Brahma worlds, based on those feelings to develop. If it stops
making an offering of a penny and expecting to there it’s still possible to be still. But if we act
go to heaven and satisfy every desire. Not see- to extend a feeling of satisfaction then in a mo-
ing that which is stuck to our forehead, we seek ment the ‘I’ and ‘mine’ emerge. Or if we act
all around the world or if that’s not enough in in response to a feeling of dissatisfaction then
the other realms. So please, just for a while, there will be Dukkha. It is called not being still.
look very closely to see what is there at your So the ‘being still’ of Hui Neng refers to that
fore¬head, and how to go about putting your very practice that the Buddha taught, of see-
hands on it. ing that nothing whatsoever should be grasped
When speaking of the way to take hold at or clung to as being ‘I’ or ‘mine’. If there is
of the diamond the Chinese teachers spoke nothing whatsoever to be clung to, what possi-
even more profoundly, “There’s no need to ble purpose can there be in busying and confus-
do anything just be still and the mind will be- ing ourselves, rushing about after the things that
come empty by itself”. This phrase “Just be disturb, rather than just being still?
still. There’s no need to do anything” has many We must look for this emptiness that is tru-
meanings. Our minds are naughty and playful. ly worthy of our aspiration. To say that there is
The mind wanders out of the eyes, ears, nose, a kind of emptiness that gives rise to cessation,
tongue and body, gathering sense-objects, and purity, clarity, and peace is still to be speaking in
having accepted them within, is stupid enough the realm of convention. Truly speaking, there is
to allow the dhammas of ignorance to climb nothing other than emptiness, there is only this
into the driver’s seat’, so that there is nothing one thing. It is not the cause of anything else. It is
but grasping and clinging to “I” and ‘mine’. This Buddha, it is Dhamma, it is Sangha, it is the Way.
is called being naughty, refusing to be still. It is purity, clarity, and peace. All these things are
‘Being still’ means not admitting sense- present in emptiness. If we still say that empti-
objects into the mind but being content to let ness is the cause of this or that it shows that we
7. แสงธรรม 4 Saeng Dhamma
haven’t yet reached the supreme emptiness, one attains that thing that is supremely desir-
because if we have reached the supreme then able. There is nothing beyond emptiness. When
we don’t have to do anything. By being still the it is realized, all problems end. It is not above,
Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, purity, clarity, peace, it is not below, it is not anywhere-I don’t know
Nibbana - everything will be present in that very what to say about it, better to shut up! Suffice it
immutable state. to say that emptiness is the supreme happiness.
But you must be very careful regard-
ing the phrases ‘Nibbana is the su-
preme happiness’ and ‘Nibbana is
the ultimate emptiness’. You must
grasp their meaning correctly, don’t
take the word happiness to mean
the happiness that you’ve formerly
enjoyed, like the sect before the
Buddha’s time who took the height
of sensual pleasure as Nibbana or
others who took the happiness of
refined states of meditation as su-
preme., The Buddha wanted us to
An extremely simple method that Huang completely withdraw from those things, to use
Po used to teach dull people how to recognize nekkhamadhatu as the means to withdraw from
emptiness was to give them a riddle, ‘Look at the sensuality, to use arupadhatu as the means to
mind of a child before its conception’. I would withdraw from absorptions of the fine-material
like to present all of you with this riddle. Look plane, and finally to use nirodhadhatu as the
at the child’s mind. Before it is conceived in the means to withdraw from the conditioned, so that
womb where is it? If you can find it you will easily all the manifold types of confusion converge in
be able to find emptiness, just as if taking hold of emptiness.
that which is already there at your forehead. Whether or not you understand and wheth-
To sum up - this one subject of emptiness er or not you practise must be your own affair:
covers all of the Buddhist Teachings, for the it is my duty only to explain the way things are.
Buddha breathed with emptiness. Emptiness is The knowing, the understanding, and the prac-
the theoretical knowledge, it is the practice and tice are the duty of all of you.
it is the fruit of the practice. If one studies one I will end the talk at this point.
must study emptiness; if one practises it must
be for the fruit of emptiness, and if one receives THE END
the fruit it must be emptiness, so that finally
8. แสงธรรม 5 Saeng Dhamma
A Taste of Freedom
The Peace Beyond
A Dhammatalk By Ajahn Chah
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/chah/atasteof.html
...Continued from last issue...
of nature.
W hen people are born into the world
they are without names - once
born, we name them. This is convention. We
A simple comparison is this: suppose you
go and sit in the middle of a freeway with the
cars and trucks charging down at you. You can’t
give people names for the sake of convenience, get angry at the cars, shouting, “Don’t drive over
to call each other by. The scriptures are the here! Don’t drive over here!” It’s a freeway, you
same. We separate everything up with labels can’t tell them that! So what can you do? You
to make studying the reality convenient. In the get off the road! The road is the place where
same way, all things are simply sankharas. Their cars run, if you don’t want the cars to be there,
original nature is merely that of things born of you suffer.
conditions. The Buddha said that they are im- It’s the same with sankharas. We say they
permanent, unsatisfactory and not-self. They are disturb us, like when we sit in meditation and
unstable. We don’t understand this firmly, our hear a sound. We think, “Oh, that sound’s both-
understanding is not straight, and so we have ering me.” If we understand that the sound
wrong view. This wrong view is that the sankhar- bothers us then we suffer accordingly. If we in-
as are ourselves, we are the sankharas, or that vestigate a little deeper, we will see that it’s we
happiness and unhappiness are ourselves, we who go out and disturb the sound! The sound
are happiness and unhappiness. Seeing like this is simply sound. If we understand like this then
is not full, clear knowledge of the true nature of there’s nothing more to it, we leave it be. We
things. The truth is that we can’t force all these see that the sound is one thing, we are another.
things to follow our desires, they follow the way One who understands that the sound comes
9. แสงธรรม 6 Saeng Dhamma
to disturb him is one who doesn’t see himself. depends on straightening out your understand-
He really doesn’t! Once you see yourself, then ing. If our understanding is correct, we arrive at
you’re at ease. The sound is just sound, why peace. Whether you are ordained or not it’s the
should you go and grab it? You see that actu- same, every person has the chance to practice
ally it was you who went out and disturbed the Dhamma, to contemplate it. We all contem-
sound. This is real knowledge of the truth. You plate the same thing. If you attain peace, it’s
see both sides, so you have peace. If you see all the same peace; it’s the same Path, with the
only one side, there is suffering. Once you see same methods.
both sides, then you follow the Middle Way. Therefore the Buddha didn’t discriminate
This is the right practice of the mind. This is what between laymen and monks, he taught all peo-
we call “straightening out our understanding.” ple to practice to know the truth of the sankhar-
In the same way, the nature of all sankharas is as. When we know this truth, we let them go.
impermanence and death, but we want to grab If we know the truth there will be no more be-
them, we carry them about and covet them. coming or birth. How is there no more birth?
We want them to be true. We want to find There is no way for birth to take place because
truth within the things that aren’t true! When- we fully know the truth of sankharas. If we fully
ever someone sees like this and clings to the know the truth, then there is peace. Having or
sankharas as being himself, he suffers. The Bud- not having, it’s all the same. Gain and loss are
dha wanted us to consider this. one. The Buddha taught us to know this. This
The practice of Dhamma is not depend- is peace; peace from happiness, unhappiness,
ent on being a monk, a novice, or a layman; it gladness and sorrow.
กลุ่มพลังบุญ โดยคุณธนิดา-คุณชัยกร พงษ์กิจการุณ ท�าบุญร้าน Thai Tavern และท�าบุญอุทิศให้คุณแม่
10. แสงธรรม 7 Saeng Dhamma
We must see that there is no reason to mind, unhappiness is just unpleasant feeling.
be born. Born in what way? Born into gladness: The Buddha taught to separate this happiness
When we get something we like we are glad and unhappiness from the mind...”
over it. If there is no clinging to that gladness
there is no birth; if there is clinging, this is called The Peace Beyond
“birth.” So if we get something, we aren’t born It’s of great importance that we practice
(into gladness). If we lose, then we aren’t born the Dhamma. If we don’t practice, then all our
(into sorrow). This is the birthless and the death- knowledge is only superficial knowledge, just
less. Birth and death are both founded in cling- the outer shell of it. It’s as if we have some sort
ing to and cherishing the sankharas. of fruit but we haven’t eaten it yet. Even though
So the Buddha said. “There is no more be- we have that fruit in our hand we get no benefit
coming for me, finished is the holy life, this is my from it. Only through the actual eating of the
last birth.” There! He knew the birthless and the fruit we really know its taste.
deathless! This is what the Buddha constantly ex- The Buddha didn’t praise those who mere-
horted his disciples to know. This is the right prac- ly believe others, he praised the person who
tice. If you don’t reach it, if you don’t reach the knows within himself. Just as with that fruit, if
Middle Way, then you won’t transcend suffering. we have tasted it already, we don’t have to ask
“...Meditation means to make the mind anyone else if it’s sweet or sour. Our problems
peaceful in order to let wisdom arise... To put it are over. Why are they over? Because we see
shortly, it’s just a matter of happiness and un- according to the truth. One who has realized
happiness. Happiness is pleasant feeling in the the Dhamma is like one who has realized the
คุณ WANI (ต้อย) ADAMS และคณะญาติพี่น้อง ท�าบุญอุทิศส่วนกุศลให้คุณอรัญ ชัยแสนสุข ๓๐ ต.ค. ๒๕๕๔
11. แสงธรรม 8 Saeng Dhamma
sweetness or sourness of the fruit. All doubts are good or bad, we know clearly for ourselves
are ended right here. their true nature. It was thus that the Buddha
When we talk about Dhamma, although we discarded worldly opinions, he discarded praise
may say a lot, it can usually be brought down to and criticism. When people praised or criticized
four things. They are simply to know suffering, him he just accepted it for what it was. These two
to know the cause of suffering, to know the end things are simply worldly conditions so he wasn’t
of suffering and to know the path of practice shaken by them. Why not? Because he knew suf-
leading to the end of suffering. This is all there fering. He knew that if he believed in that praise
is. All that we have experienced on the path of or criticism they would cause him to suffer.
practice so far comes down to these four things.
When we know these things, our problems are over.
Where are these four things born? They
are born just within the body and the mind, no-
where else. So why is the Dhamma of the Bud-
dha so broad and expansive? This is so in order
to explain these things in a more refined way, to
help us to see them.
When Siddhattha Gotama was born into
the world, before he saw the Dhamma, he was
an ordinary person just like us. When he knew
what he had to know, that is the truth of suffer- When suffering arises it agitates us, we feel
ing, the cause, the end and the way leading to ill at ease. What is the cause of that suffering?
the end of suffering, he realized the Dhamma It’s because we don’t know the Truth, this is
and became a perfectly Enlightened Buddha. the cause. When the cause is present, then suf-
When we realize the Dhamma, wherever we sit fering arises. Once arisen we don’t know how
we know Dhamma, wherever we are we hear to stop it. The more we try to stop it, the more
the Buddha’s teaching. When we understand it comes on. We say, “Don’t criticize me,” or
Dhamma, the Buddha is within our mind, the “Don’t blame me”. Trying to stop it like this,
Dhamma is within our mind, and the practice suffering really comes on, it won’t stop.
leading to wisdom is within our own mind. Hav-
ing the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha To be continued
within our mind means that whether our actions
12. แสงธรรม 9 Saeng Dhamma
The LADY WHO
LOVES DHAMMA
Essays On The Dhamma
By Luang Ta Chi
Edited by Du Wayne Engelhart
...Continued from last issue... away their lives. The helper not only protects
friends from danger, but he also tries to help
T he counselor is a guide who leads his
friends in the right direction, always
adding benefit to their lives. When he sees his
them develop themselves and prosper. He can
be depended upon in any personal or business
situation, in trouble, or in sickness. In financial
friends acting unwisely, he advises them to stop matters, he is always ready to give support—
and shows the proper behavior. This gives his even beyond what is expected. The helper is a
friends the opportunity to find and follow more good friend. You should associate with him.
fruitful and meaningful paths of life. The coun- The true friend is usually called the friend
selor advises his friends to read and listen to the indeed. Unlike ordinary associates, the true
Dhamma and to practice meditation in order to friend is very rare. True friends are blessed until
help them obtain peace of mind. These are death. They know everything about each oth-
the characteristics of the counselor. Value such er to a high degree, and share all their secrets.
friends. They will make your life happy, peace- They are good people—wholesome and of reli-
ful, and safe. able character, both internally and externally.
The helper is a friend who loves others A true friend must be very trustworthy, faith-
wholeheartedly as he loves himself, not with lip fully keeping all secrets—never even thinking of
service but with sincerity. Because of his love, disclosing them. He protects the privacy of his
he tries to protect them from difficulties and friend as his own. True friends stick together
save them from obstacles. When he sees that and help each other throughout any disaster.
his friends are not mindful, he tries to think of Each is always willing to give up something for
ways to lead them back onto the right path. He the other. The true friend is the friend who is
does not just leave them in ignorance to waste always there in good times or bad. True friends
13. แสงธรรม 10 Saeng Dhamma
always stick together through suffering or happi- satisfied by these things however often we hap-
ness. If you are lucky enough to meet with such pen to change our minds about what we want.
a friend, the Buddha advises you to take good But looking at the Dhamma in this way seems
care of this friendship. True friends will support rather unfair and hopeless. In reality, the parts
and help each other throughout their lives. that build up a satisfactory life are not material
things but the Dhamma. The Dhamma is the
X. The Lady Who Loves Dhamma most important part that feeds and supports life
(Selections) most fully and permanently.
What is the Dhamma? The Dhamma has
a central meaning and definition broad enough
Dhamma Kamo Pavang Hoti
for easy understanding and for very convenient
Dahmma Desi Para Pavo practice. So we can conclude without any trou-
ble that the Dhamma is the good, the right, and
Those who love the Dhamma are enlightened. the true. We may have heard parents teach-
Those who despise or hate the Dhamma are ing their children and Buddhist masters teaching
ignorant. their followers to do only good things, and that
those who do such things will not be harmed.
When we mention the word Dhamma, For example, they will not drown if they fall into
some people may think of something no longer water and will not burn if they are surrounded
in use, old-fashioned, or not up-to-date with the by fire. This shows that an important part of
changes and developments of modern society. what makes up life is the good. Without the
In their eyes the interest in and the practice of good, life is just the bones of a skeleton and has
the Dhamma are more relevant to the previous no use. Because people of all nations prefer
generations dating back two thousand to three to do the good, the good relates to all human
thousand years. beings. So the good is, therefore, the Dhamma,
Today is a time of science. People are and the Dhamma is, therefore, the good. Those
able to create an existence without a need for who love the Dhamma are those who love the
the Dhamma. Those who are interested in the good. They are interested in doing good things
Dhamma, those who teach the Dhamma, and and in searching for good things to do, and this
those who practice the Dhamma are “dino- means they love the Dhamma. In loving the
saurs” living in an ignorant, uncivilized manner. Dhamma, people lead their lives according to
There is no way they will make progress in their the good, the right, and the true. They try to
lives. Well, this is the view of those who have maintain this practice of the good regularly. As
a strong feeling about the material world. They a result these people will receive happiness
think that a complete life must be one filled and enlightenment throughout their lives. Thus
with wishes for material things, where needs are there is the saying, “Those who love the Dham-
14. แสงธรรม 11 Saeng Dhamma
ma are enlightened.” To lessen some concerns daughter, to receive the Master. At the time
about whether there is any truth to saying that Visakha was only seven years old. Having Visa-
those who love the Dhamma are enlightened, kha meet the Master was a way to attract the
the author would like to point out the exam- child to the teachings at a young age. If such a
ple of Visakha, the lady who loved the Dham- method were applied to children today, better
ma during the time when the Buddha was still results would be obtained. As the saying goes,
preaching. “As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined,” or,
Visakha was the daughter of Dhananjaya “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” It may
and Sumanadevi. She was born in the city not be fair to say that children today have low
of Bhaddiya in the Sindhu region about two morals and are lacking in the Dhamma, for chil-
thousand five hundred years ago. Visakha was dren may answer that adults are the ones who
blessed, having been born into a family of mil- make them so. If this is the case, these adults
lionaires (sedhi [settī]) on both her father’s side are the ones who are ignorant. So, thinking of
and mother’s side. At the time she was born, having his granddaughter receive the Master, the
the Buddha was out preaching the Dhamma millionaire Mendaka called upon Visakha and
to get rid of the suffering of all human beings. told her, “The protector of the world is coming
The families of her father and mother believed to town, and I would like you to welcome the
strongly in the Dhamma. One time the Bud- Lord.” Visakha was excited at hearing such a re-
dha and his many disciples went to preach at quest. The millionaire had all the preparations
Bhaddiya, the city of Visakha’s mother’s birth. made for her, such as a procession of coaches
Mendaka, the millionaire who was her grand- and other servants.
father on her father’s side of the family, hav- When the time arrived, Visakha went out
ing heard that the Lord Buddha was coming to with a heart filled with devotion to meet the
Bhaddiya, intended to send Visakha, his grand- Master. In those days the roads were not in
ดร.ลัดดาวรรณ Miko และครอบครัว ท�าบุญอุทิศให้คุณพ่อจวน แซ่ติ๊ง ถวายปัจจัยเข้าวัดจ�านวน $ 565
15. แสงธรรม 12 Saeng Dhamma
good condition, and getting anywhere required holy water. They were rid of their sadness and
time and serious effort. Upon reaching a certain illnesses. Visakha was as if caught in a spell, and
area where it was no longer possible to travel by wisdom came to her after that sermon. Even
coach, Visakha stopped her coach and contin- at such a young age, Visahkha understood the
ued the rest of the way on foot to meet the Mas- Dhamma and was firm in making an effort to do
ter. After paying respect to him, she remained good things. She could understand right from
quietly nearby. Besides her there were slaves wrong. A child who loved the Dhamma, she
and other citizens of Bhaddiya who joined her had compassion for her friends, for her serv-
in welcoming the Lord. Everyone’s heart was ants, for everybody. Even though she had been
filled with happiness. They all thought, “Oh, born into wealth, Visakha never looked down
how lucky we are to be born at the same time on those who were below her. She was kind to
as His Holiness and to receive his teaching. He all. For this reason, everyone loved her. It was
has compassion for all beings. Should there be known throughout society that she was a good
other re-incarnations, may we share these lives child, a lovely child. She was blessed because
with him again and forever.” These were the of loving the Dhamma and loving the good. She
words said by all who were there at that time to was only seven years old, yet her understand-
receive the Lord. ing of the Dhamma went far beyond her age.
The Master gave a Dhamma talk for all who Adults, on the other hand, some of whom had
had gathered there. His sermon was forceful reached old age, did not have a vision such as
and held everyone’s attention. It was a sermon Visakha had. Hence comes the saying about
that had never been heard anywhere before. It being old for nothing.
was a sermon that inspired people to love the
good and to want to do good things. People To be continued
felt that their thirsty hearts were satisfied with
ดร.พระมหาถนัด อตฺถจารี และทีมงาน : Meditation Workshop at Penn State University เมื่อวันที่ ๑๗ ต.ค. ๕๔
16. แสงธรรม 13 Saeng Dhamma
MY (VERY BRIEF) LIFE
AS A BUDDHIST MONK
PART V : Down from the Mountains
By Matthew R.G. Regan
A fter our morning of walking medita-
tion along the rocky trails of Shenan-
doah National Park, the five of us—Ajahn Ampor,
through the open windows of Steve’s van and
the soothing words of the Buddha’s Dhamma
coming from the mouths of my fellow monks,
Luang Pi Piya, Luang Pi Joe, myself, and Steve— I found myself reflecting on how much I had
returned to the parking area, sore but happy. It grown over the past few short days, and how
was a beautiful day in the mountains, and our much I would cherish such moments once my
early start had enabled us to already enjoy much time in robes had ended.
practice before lunch time. Now that the mid-day After several hours of driving—punctuated
mealtime required by our monastic rules (vinaya) by the occasional stop for enjoying the view—
was growing close, Steve drove us a few miles up we reached the end of Skyline Drive and pro-
Skyline Drive to the nearest rest area, where we ceeded to our final stop before returning to Wat
unpacked the lunch our wonderful host from the Thai DC: the Bhavana Society, a forest monas-
previous night had packed for us before we left. tery which was not very far from the outlet of
The site of four Buddhist monks and their white- Skyline Drive. As I guided Steve down the wind-
clad lay friend eating lunch at a picnic table was ing mountain roads, I was slightly worried—after
not exactly a common site for the campers and all, I had been trying to contact the monastery
hikers who shared the rest area with us, but as about our visit for the past two days, but had
always, we were met with many more friendly been unable to reach them—but I knew, even
greetings than astonished stares. if we were only able to briefly tour the grounds,
Once our mid-day meal was finished, we our detour would be worth it.
began our journey home to Wat Thai DC, trav- When we arrived, I was surprised to see the
elling up the entire length of Skyline Drive. As number of cars in the parking lot. As an isolated
we travelled, we spent the time sharing Dham- forest monastery, the Bhavana Society was not
ma topics and enjoying the majestic mountain exactly the place you would expect to see many
views. With the cool mountain air streaming in visitors—especially on a weekday. And yet, de-
17. แสงธรรม 14 Saeng Dhamma
spite the crowded parking lot, no one was to journey home.
be found. Our knocks on the door of the small As we left Bhavana, the sun began to set on
office building went unanswered, and the paths our long day. It was hard to believe that just 24
between the parking lot and the main build- short hours ago we had pulled up to our host-
ing were quiet and still. For a few moments, ess’s house in Charlottesville, before we had
we stood in the afternoon breeze and tried to chanted for her family and slept under the stars.
decide what to do with the requisites we had It amazed me to think that even our walk along
brought to donate to the community of monks the rocky mountain paths had been mere hours
that lived there, but suddenly, a white-clothed ago—during our long day of travel and practice,
layperson walked by. He gave us a silent gesture time had become something trivial. In my lay
of respect, and as soon as I saw his demeanor, life, I was constantly checking the clock, trying
I knew what was going on: we had visited in the to figure out how much time I had left in the
middle of a re- day, how long
treat! Suddenly, before my next
all the pieces appointment,
of evidence fell how much time
into place: my I could spend
difficulty in on any task.
contacting the But as a monk,
office, the park- time had a very
ing lot full of different mean-
cars, the peace- ing. Of course,
ful silence. there were still
Luckily, the lay schedules to
person informed that we had arrived during the keep: morning and evening chanting, meal times
retreat’s afternoon break, and brought us to the and ceremonies, but time had a very different
monastic quarters where we presented our do- quality in my monastic life. Instead of being an
nations to Bhante Dhammaratana, a long-time enemy to compete with, time had become a
resident who had I met on several occasions. friend. Each free moment became an opportu-
Although we were unable to meet with the ab- nity to practice, reflect, or rest. Despite the fact
bot, Bhante Gunaratana, who after a long day of that I was, indeed, very busy during my time
teaching was taking a much-needed rest before in robes, I found myself less exhausted at the
the evening sessions began, Bhante Dhamma end of the day. Surely, I was doing just as much
was kind enough to show us around the Buddha as I did in my lay life—indeed in many ways, I
Hall and the surrounding grounds, where we re- was actually doing more things in the day—but
laxed and meditated before continuing on our the oppression of time seemed absent. Even
18. แสงธรรม 15 Saeng Dhamma
my chores, like cleaning the temple and set- share our chanting with him as we traveled back
ting up the table for the morning and mid-day to the familiarity of Washington, Wat Thai, and
meals, seemed like fulfilling use of my time. At home. For nearly an hour, we chanted, and
no point during my monkhood can I recall think- through the resonance of our voices, it seemed
ing that anything I did was a “waste of time.” as if the van had been transformed from a sim-
Since I have returned to lay life, I have tried very ple utilitarian vehicle to a majestic Buddha Hall.
hard to bring this lesson with me—time is some- After we finished, we each took some time to
thing to be worked with like a friend than raced personally thank Steve for all the help he had
against like an enemy. given us and express our deep gratitude for him.
As we drove towards home, I could tell As I spoke, I realized once again how important
we were all tired, and especially Steve. Unlike the help of the lay people was to the lives of
the rest of us, who had been able to relax in monks, and in my own mind, I resolved to take
the van’s passenger seats, Steve had been driv- Steve as my example of service and dedication
ing for hours, up and down mountains roads, when I returned to the lay life.
along busy highways and isolated gravel roads. It was very dark when we finally returned
As monks, there was little we could offer him to Wat Thai, our long day of practice and travel
in return—a least in material terms. And yet, I finally over. We thank Steve one last time, and
knew we all felt a great gratitude towards him then retired to our rooms. After all, tomorrow
for his help and companionship over the past was going to be another busy day.
few days. Without him, none of our wonderful
experiences could have come to be. And so, in The End
gratitude, Ajahn Ampor decided that we should
ครูเมธินี น�าลูกศิษย์วัดไทยฯ ดี.ซี. ไปแสดงโชว์งาน Open House ของสถานทูตไทย วันที่ ๑ ต.ค. ๒๕๕๔