A Heart Released (Muttodaya)The Teachings of Phra Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Thera

08 Unusual Questions, Enlightening Answers

Forest Dhamma Audiobooks
Jan 4, 2019
Ajaan Mun is a towering figure in contemporary Thai Buddhism. He was widely revered during his lifetime for the extraordinary courage and determination he displayed in practicing the ascetic way of life and for his uncompromising strictness in teaching his many disciples. The epitome of a wandering monk intent on renunciation and solitude, he assumed an exalted status in Buddhist circles, his life and teachings becoming synonymous with the Buddha’s noble quest for self-transcendence.

 

Ajahn Mun’s Teaching :
The goal that the disciple must keep constantly in mind is to escape the suffering associated with the ordinary human condition, which means that the kilesa must be uprooted, that is to say, the uncontrolled wandering of the citta (consciousness), carried away into harmful mental and emotional states, must be stopped.

To achieve this, one must begin by establishing a certain mental calm; constant repetition of a word like “Buddho” is a necessary support in the beginning, this word “Buddho” being a reminder of the possibility of awakening for the meditant.

The disciple must take as the basis of his/her practice the heart of the Buddha’s teaching, contained in the part of the Satipatthana Sutta consecrated to the body: ceaseless attention to the movements of the body when walking, eating, moving, etc., as well as investigation into what the body is in order to liberate oneself from all attachment to it. Attention to the body brings the disciple constantly back to him/herself in the present and prevents him/her from becoming dispersed towards the exterior.

The disciple must, as much as possible, eradicate possibilities for distraction through a solitary life and struggle against desires via an ascetic way of life and strict obedience to all the precepts of the monastic discipline to which Ajahn Mun attached great importance.

Ajahn Mun had used danger as a means in his practice; he would advise it constantly to his monks, both to keep in mind the thought of bodily death as well as to kindle a state of awakening in the present. He emphasized the necessity of practicing in places that awakened fear and avoiding places that were too tranquil. He assured his disciples that unless they lived in an environment that would force them to concentrate inwardly, it would be difficult for them to attain a stable state of calm and their meditation would suffer because of this. He taught them that danger forces one to be attentive and alert at every moment. No one, he said, could hope to transcend “dukkha” if that person succumbed to fear of death when faced with what might be thought a frightening place. In the face of danger, the attention should be focused on Dhamma and not sucked outwards. The meditant may then experience a feeling of safety and an unshakable strength of soul. He said that his inspiration for meditation had its basis almost exclusively in the fact of living in perilous surroundings, which was the reason why he taught his disciples to be determined to confront them. He also claimed that if someone possesses Dhamma in his/her heart, animals can sense it and that exerts a quieting influence on them. This mysterious power of the heart was something that everyone must experience individually. He, himself, had succeeded in possessing it to the supreme degree.

The disciple draws on an important support in the practice of samatha, a form of meditation that focuses on a single support with a view to producing states of absorption (samãdhi) bringing about a felicity that encourages the disciple in her/his practice, but she/he must be careful not to become attached to it.

Mindfulness is used intensively, alongside development of the meditative practice of calm and concentration. Practiced continually, it transforms into a superior consciousness that feeds the highest degrees of wisdom.

By the word wisdom is meant directed concentration that takes as its object an aspect of Dhamma to which the disciple must apply all his/her energy; it is not an intellectual reflection, but sustained concentration that brings up flashes of intuitive comprehension, making it possible to see things as they are: impermanent, unsatisfying, and devoid of self. The “penetrating vision” that results from this is the very means of the ultimate liberation from the “self.”

Self-transformation is not easy; Ajahn Mun would later repeat this often to his disciples; one has to act on different planes at the same time. To develop beneficial mental states, the disciple must cultivate the four eminent qualities (Brahma Viharas): loving kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity. These different means lead gradually to inner transformation.

As Ajahn Mun knew that the fact of being able to read their thoughts might trouble the monks, he tried to help them indirectly by giving teachings on themes such as the damage one does oneself when one becomes lost in harmful thoughts:

“The battlefield for conquering the kilesa exists within each individual who practices with wisdom, faith, and perseverance as weapons for fighting his way to freedom. It is very counterproductive to believe that you have plenty of time left since you’re still young and in good health. You should not focus your attention outside of yourself. Since they are constantly active, pay close attention to your actions, speech, and thoughts to determine the kind of results they produce. Are they producing Dhamma, which is an antidote to the poisons of apathy and self-indulgence; or are they producing delusions that cause dukkha, suffering? The heart and mind must be trained in order to obtain optimum results. Only after death are we beyond the need for training.”

From Journeys in Lands of Awakening and Sainthood
:- https://www.testimoniesawakening.com/the-final-awakening-of-acarya-mun/teachings-of-ajahn-mun/

 

09 The Final Years 3 Hrs.

Forest Dhamma Audiobooks
Jan 4, 2019

 

Precepts in the Heart Dhamma from Venerable Luang Pu Mun Bhuridatta
Suffering is in the heart, happiness is also in the heart. Everything in this world is born of the heart. A heart full of virtue and a heart full of sin are from the thoughts in the heart. So, which direction will we walk to? A wise man will choose the way of the good which is the path to the light. Precepts are in the heart. So, if you have a good heart, it means you are holding the precepts. Today, we will share with you a conversation between a man and the great Dhamma Master, Luang Pu Mun Bhuridatta. It is very valuable as it clarifies the precepts holding to everyone.

The man: “Venerable sir, I heard that you hold only one precept, not all 227 precepts like other monks. Is that right?”
Luang Pu: “Yes, I hold only one precept”
The man: “What is that precept you are holding?”
Luang Pu: “It’s the mind”
The man: “So you don’t hold 227 precepts, do you?”

Luang Pu: “As I keep my mind from thinking and doing wrong things that violate any rules set by the Buddha, I can be confident that I don’t do anything against the Buddhist principles. Anyone can say that he observes the 227 precepts, but it’s all up to his thoughts and his words. For me, I have strictly kept my mind as the principal of the body and speech since I’ve been ordained.”

The man: “So, holding the precepts means we have to take care of our mind. Is that right?

Luang Pu: “If you don’t take care of your mind, what will you do to have a good moral conduct?” Only dead people don’t need to take care of their mind, body or speech as they have no intention to hold the precepts. That’s why the wise don’t call the dead the moral ones. I’m not a dead person so I don’t keep the precepts like the dead. I have to perfectly keep morality in my mind.”

The man: “I learned from the book that if we are well-behaved, bodily and verbally, that means we are holding the precepts.Then I understand that keeping the precepts doesn’t require to maintain the mind so I asked this question.”

Luang Pu: “It’s correct to say that having proper manner, bodily and verbally means holding the precepts. But the body and speech can be moral only from the mind. It depends on how the mind commands yourself to control your body and speech so that you will be a respectable person. Even other businesses need the mind to take control to avoid mistakes and ensure the perfect quality of work. In medical treatment, they have to find the cause of the disease so they know how to cure it. If a person maintains morality without the mind as the chief, he will have tainted morality. He will be a pathetic person because his Dhamma will lead him to a useless life and take him to nowhere. This will not morally benefit the person and also look unworthy for others. And it will badly affect Buddhism.”
The man: “What is the condition of the word ‘precepts’ and what are the true precepts?”

Luang Pu: “A man who holds the precepts has consciousness in his thinking. He knows what he should or should not think of. He is careful with the three doors. He controls his body, speech and mind to act under the precepts. Holding the precepts is a normal condition – that is not acting through body, speech and mind with ugly manner. The good conduct of a moral person means the true precepts. It’s difficult to separate the precepts from the person who holds them. It’s not like a house and the owner that are different and can be separated. It’s difficult to separate the precepts and people. And for me, they cannot be separated. Even the result that is the kind heart coming from observing the precepts is inseparable. If the precepts can be separated, they could become a long-standing commodity or there might be thieves steal all morals from people. As such, morality would bring trouble to the owner, just like any other treasure. Also, it could make Buddhists tired of morality because it would not be safe for them to have it.

Therefore, not knowing what true precepts are can be dangerous to the precepts and also the person holding them. That’s why I don’t want to separate the precepts from myself. Even if they could be separated, it would be dangerous. But as they cannot be separated from me like this, I feel warm in my heart. When I go or stay anywhere, I don’t need to worry that the precepts will disappear or I will die and leave the precepts behind. Otherwise, after I die, I would become a ghost guarding my precepts like people who care about their treasure, then would be reborn as ghosts to watch over their property and could never be born in higher realm.”

5000s Magazine
Master Acharavadee Wongsakon
Translation: Krittiya Teerachaichayut
:- https://thebuddhist.news/headline-n...hamma-from-venerable-luang-pu-mun-bhuridatta/

 

10 The Legacy

12 Appendix 2 - Citta: The Mind's Essential Knowing Nature

Forest Dhamma Audiobooks
Jan 4, 2019
Ajaan Mun is a towering figure in contemporary Thai Buddhism. He was widely revered during his lifetime for the extraordinary courage and determination he displayed in practicing the ascetic way of life and for his uncompromising strictness in teaching his many disciples. The epitome of a wandering monk intent on renunciation and solitude, he assumed an exalted status in Buddhist circles, his life and teachings becoming synonymous with the Buddha’s noble quest for self-transcendence.

 

The day of Ajahn Mun's enlightenment | A Witness to an Extraordinary Event

The Freedom in You
11,014 views May 21, 2023
Luang Por Chob Ṭhānasamo: »A Witness to an Extraordinary Event« [From the biography of Luang Por Chop Thanasamo "Ṭhānasamopūjā" , Chapter "Ācariya Mun Bhūridatto attains to the Dhamma-element" LP Tui Edition) pp. 93-95]

 

Ajahn Mun. Thai forest tradition.

Varapañño Bhikkhu. Buddhism.
Oct 9, 2022