Written by: Dr Jerome
Since ancient times, many people tried many ways to seek happiness. Ven. Phra Mana shared that happiness should be derived from within and not from external conditions. In fact, inner peace not happiness should be the goal of learning the Dhamma.
We should understand the source of our suffering and unhappiness. In the depths of the samsaric ocean, Ven. Phra Mana shared that we can find lots of unknown challenges, problems and uncertainties in life. And life after life, we had lived with ignorance of the truth that all conditioned things are impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha) and anatta (non-self). And through attachment and craving, we conditioned our next existence. We should see that our attachment to material and thoughts brings us suffering.
To be relieved from our unhappiness in life, we need to learn to let go of our craving and attachments to material and thoughts. We need to live in the present moment. For instance, we think about the past and the future and make plans on what to do next. We may be sitting alone at home or in solitude in the mountains but we still get upset over past events. We spend very little time living in the present moment. Moment after moment, we attach to the future and past events. This is a bad habit we have lived in for a long time, life after life.
So some people come to learn the Dhamma to seek happiness. They learn meditation (loving kindness, compassion, jhanas, etc) and do lots of good deeds. In doing so, we inevitably gain good merits and a possible rebirth in a good place (heaven, etc). But we should understand that even these merits and places of rebirth are temporary. When the merit runs out, our lives will no longer be smooth again. We may have problems, unhappiness, challenges once again. We may even have to leave these good places of rebirth (heaven)! Nothing in this world is permanent!
For a more permanent and lasting solution to unhappiness and suffering, we should have the right understanding that all material things and thoughts are impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha) and non-self (anatta). Our source of suffering is from our cravings to these material things and mental objects (thoughts, mental constructs, feelings, etc). To end these sufferings, we should let go of these attachments and cravings. We should not chase after pleasant feelings and things. (Beautiful flower, beautiful cup.) We see a flower and see only. We do not add in our attachment or aversion to it. We do not chase after pleasant meditative experiences (loving kindness, jhanas, etc). We use these meditation techniques for the sole purpose of building our mindfulness in the present moment. For instance, we have aversion to someone we cannot forgive. We can meditate on loving kindness (metta) as a solution to this anger. In this way, we find inner peace wherever we are. We are able to tolerate and fit into all places in society and nature. We can live in good and harsh conditions in the world without any suffering. We have no problem with all things. If we have a problem with something, we already have aversion or attachment to that thing. We should learn to have no problems with people, with things and with all material and mental objects.
Therefore, the purpose of learning the dhamma is to have “No problem” and not to seek happiness. In seeking happiness, we are already creating attachment which will inevitably lead us to suffering and disappointment. We have reached the end of our lesson today. Any problems? (Ven. Phra Mana laughs)
Teachings from Sam Roi Yot meditation retreat (17 to 25 November 2018)
I am blessed to attend a meditation retreat organised by Brother Richard Chia teaching the meditation techniques of concentration (Samadhi) and vipassana (insight) in the lineage of late Ven. Amatha Gavesi Thera. Participants of retreat were even more fortunate to have visiting forest monks led by Abbot Ven. Phra Mana from Sunnataram Forest Monastery during the last 3 days of the retreat.
- Dr Jerome
Buddhism and Meditation courses by Brother Richard Chia: http://www.basicbuddhism.org/
Sunnataram Forest Monastery: