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Today is Vap Pasalosvaka Poya

A condensation of the discourses of Achaan Chaah : 

Just Let It Be

by Kingsley Heendeniya

Maya Devi temple in Lumbini

Let us talk about the difference between studying Dhamma and applying them in practice. True Dhamma study has only one purpose - to find a way out of the unsatisfactoriness of our lives. Our suffering has causes for its arising and a place to abide. Therefore the Buddha taught us to contemplate the movements of the mind.

Watching the mind move, we can see its basic characteristics: endless change, unsatisfactoriness, and emptiness.

The Buddha did not want us to become attached to words. He just wanted us to see that all is impermanent, unsatisfactory, empty of self. He taught only to let go. Just let them be, the good as well as the bad. The Buddha said simply, "Give them up". But for us, it is necessary to study our own minds to know how it is possible to give them up. We can discover this through meditation.

Meditation is like a single log of wood. Insight and investigation are at one end of the log; calm and concentration are at the other end. If you lift up the whole log, both sides come up at once. Which is concentration and which is insight? Just this mind. Such terms are only conventions for teaching.

The only source of true knowledge is to see what is within us. Develop samadhi and vipassana, calm and insight; learn to make them arise in your mind and really use them. Otherwise, you will know only the words of Buddhism. But repeated practice is crucial.

If someone curses us and we have no feelings of self, the incident ends with the spoken words, and we do not suffer. If we do not stand in the line of fire, we do not get shot.

Move gracefully through the world not caught in evaluating each event, not discriminating, not thinking what it should be. Be aware of things just as they are. Do not put a mental construction on them. You will be a different person. Why not try it? Many people who have studied on a university level and attained graduate degrees and worldly success find their lives are still lacking. The vulture flies high, but what does it feed on?

Dhamma is understanding that goes beyond the conditioned, compounded, limited understanding of worldly science. It is necessary to teach the basics first - basic morality, seeing the transitoriness of life, the facts of aging and death. Of course, the Dhamma books are correct, but they are not right. They cannot give you right understanding. To see the word hatred in print is not the same as experiencing anger. Only experiencing yourself can give you true faith.

There are two kinds of faith. One is a kind of blind trust in the Buddha, in the teachings, in the master, which often leads one to begin practice or to ordain. The second is true faith - certain, unshakable - which arises from knowing oneself. To attain this certainty in one's practice, you must go beyond all words, all symbols, all plans for your practice.

If you do not turn inward, you will never know reality. Just observe things as they are. You need not study much. You will see the Dhamma for yourself. If you cut off this verbal, thinking mind, you will have a true standard for judging. Practice in this way and the rest will follow.

The true Eightfold Path is within us - two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, a tongue, and a body. These eight doors are our entire Path and the mind is the one that walks on the Path. Know these doors, examine them, and all the dhammas will be revealed. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate. Just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not be a meditator.

Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. There are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to just let it all be.

You will see that when the heart/mind is unattached, it is abiding in its normal state. When it stirs from the normal because of various thoughts and feelings, the process of thought construction takes place, in which illusions are created. Learn to see through this process. Good or bad only arises in your mind. If you keep a watch on your mind, studying this one topic your whole life, I guarantee you will never be bored.

For the most part, our thinking follows sense objects, and wherever our thoughts lead us, we follow. Thinking and wisdom are different. In wisdom, the mind becomes still, unmoving, and we are simply aware, simply acknowledging. Normally, when sense objects come, we think about, dwell and worry. Yet none of those sense objects is substantial. All are impermanent, unsatisfactory. When you make contact with sense objects, contemplate: impermanent, unsatisfactory, not self. File everything under these three categories, and keep contemplating.

There is nothing in the world that is not Dhamma. Happiness and unhappiness, pleasure and pain are always with us. If you don't relate to phenomena as being you or see yourself as their owner, the mind comes into balance. This balance is the correct path, the correct teaching that leads to liberation, non-grasping or vimukti. When you understand this balance, then the path becomes clear. Everything is like an old banana peel or a coconut husk - you have no use for it, no fascination with it. When you see that things in the world are like banana peels, then you are free to walk in the world without being bothered or hurt in any way. This is the path that brings you to freedom.

The very desire to be free or to be enlightened will be the desire that prevents your freedom. You can try hard as you wish, practice ardently night and day, but if you still have the desire to achieve, you will never find the peace. The energy from this desire will cause doubt and restlessness. No matter how long and hard you practice, wisdom will not arise from desire. Simply let go.

The practice is to sit and let your heart become still and concentrated and then to use that concentration to examine the nature of the mind and body. Otherwise, if you simply make the heart/mind quiet, it will be peaceful and free of defilement only as long as you sit. This is like using a stone to cover a garbage pit; when you take away the stone, the pit is still infested and full of garbage.

Examining the mind and body most directly does not involve the use of thought. There are two levels of examination. One is thoughtful and discursive. The other is a silent, concentrated, inner listening. Only when the heart is concentrated and still can real wisdom naturally arise. It is this seeing that leads you to learn about change, about emptiness, and about the selflessness of body and mind.

The Buddha talked about two styles of practice: liberation through wisdom and liberation through concentration. People whose style is liberation through wisdom hear the Dhamma and immediately begin to understand it. Since the entire teaching is simply to let go of things, to let things be, they begin the practice of letting go in a very natural way, without a great deal of effort or concentration.

The Dhamma of the Buddha is not found in books. Just be mindful of whatever there is to see. This is the way to the truths of the Buddha. Everything you do in your life is a chance to practice. It is all Dhamma. The Dhamma belongs to no one; it has no owner. It arises in the world when the world manifests, yet stands alone as the truth. It is always here, unmoving, limitless, for all who seek it.

It is like water underground - whoever digs a well finds it. Yet whether or not you dig, it is always there, underlying all things. Truth is hidden in untruth, permanence in impermanence. To understand 'not self', you have to meditate. If you only intellectualize, your head will explode. When you see beyond self, you no longer cling to happiness, and when you no longer cling to happiness, you can begin to be truly happy.

Our discrimination colors everything. This is the world we create. Two persons are watching a flag: one says it is the wind that moves the other say it is the flag. They can argue forever. For it is the mind that moves. Why is sugar sweet and water tasteless? It is just their nature. Ultimately, things are just as they are - only comparisons cause us to suffer. It is like a monkey jumping senselessly. Its behavior is driven not by dispassion but by different forms of aversions and fears. We can see the mind as a lotus. Some lotuses are still stuck in the mud, some have climbed above the mud but are still under water, some have reached the surface, while others are open in the sun, stain-free. Which lotus do you choose to be?

Whether the fruit of wisdom comes quickly or slowly, you cannot force it, just as you cannot force the growth of a tree you have planted. Just practice in the right direction and leave the rest to your karma. Proper effort is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake in each moment, the effort to overcome laziness and defilement, the effort to make each activity of our day meditation. Right effort and virtue are not a question of what you do outwardly but to constant inner awareness and restraint.

Do not be attached to big and small, important and unimportant. Constantly watch over your mind as a parent watches over a child. You must constantly make the effort to know yourself.

It is necessary as your breathing. Rely on yourself. Do not find fault with others. If they behave wrongly, there is no need to make yourself suffer. Real love is wisdom. What most people think of as love is just an impermanent feeling.

If you have a nice taste every day, you will soon get tired of it. We cannot suppress nor forbid such feelings. We just should not cling or identify with them but should know them for what they are. Boredom is a real problem. If we look closely we can see that the mind is always active. Conceptual thinking creates illusion and embellishment beyond the simple truth here in front of you. Do everything with a mind that lets go.

Doubting is natural. Everyone starts with doubts. You can learn a great deal from them. What is important is that you don't identify with your doubts. That is, don't get caught up in them, letting your mind spin in endless circles. Instead, watch the whole process of doubting, of wondering. See who it is that doubts. See how doubts come and go. Just let go of what you are attached to. Let go of your doubts and simply watch. This is how to end doubting.

There is one essential point that all good practice must come eventually come to - not clinging. In the end, you must let go of all meditation systems. Let go of your opinions and watch yourself. If you are annoyed, watch the annoyance in your own mind. Just be mindful of your own actions; simply examine yourself and your feelings. Then you will understand.

This is the way to practice. Just try to keep your mind in the present. Whatever arises in the mind, just watch it and let go of it. Don't' even wish to be rid of thoughts. No discrimination between good and bad, hot and cold, fast and slow. It is very simple. Hold on to nothing.

It is as though you are walking down a road. Periodically you will run into obstacles. When you meet defilements, just see them and overcome them by letting them go. Don't think about the obstacles you've already passed; don't worry about those you have not yet seen.

Stick to the present. Everything is changing. Whatever you pass, don't cling to it. Eventually the mind will reach its natural balance where practice is automatic. All things will come and go of themselves.

You must get rid of your cleverness. A cup filled with dirty, stale water is useless. Only after the old water is thrown out can the cup become useful. You must empty your mind of opinions; then you will see. If you think, "I am clever, I am wealthy, I am important, I understand all about Buddhism," you cover up the truth of anatta, or non-self. All you see is self, I, and mine. But Buddhism is letting go of self - voidness, emptiness, Nirvana. If you think yourself better than others, you will only suffer. Body, speech, and mind all make karma when we cling. We create habits that can make us suffer in future. All things are conditioned by cause. But you need not bother to think about past, present, or future; merely watch the body and mind now.

Don't watch others. If I take poison, I suffer. No need for you to share it with me.

When you have seen the truth you are freed from views and opinions. Everything becomes peaceful but peace too must be seen as impermanent. If you are attached to peaceful states of mind, you will suffer when you do not have them. Give up everything, even peace. To teach other people is a beautiful and important responsibility that one should accept with a full heart. The way to do it properly is to understand that in teaching others you must always be teaching yourself.

You have to take care of your own practice and your own purity. It's not enough to simply tell others what's correct. Acknowledge what is pure and what is not. The essence of the Buddha's teaching is to learn to see things truthfully, fully and clearly. Seeing the truth in itself brings freedom.

You must examine yourself. Know who you are. Know your body and mind by simply watching.

In sitting, in sleeping, in eating, know your limits. The practice is not to achieve anything. Just be mindful of what is. Don't practice too strictly. Don't get caught up with outward form. Simply be natural and watch. Watching others is bad practice. Don't discriminate. Would you be upset at a small tree in the forest for not being tall and straight like some others? Don't judge people. No need to carry the burden of wishing to change them all.

Learn the value of giving and of devotion. Practice morality; live simply and naturally; watch the mind. There is no one here, just this. No owner, no one to be old, to be young, to be good or bad, weak or strong. Just this, that's all. Various elements of nature playing them out, all empty. No one born and no one to die. What we have spoken is what I feel is helpful to you. Only you can do that. From now on it's up to you.

[ italic ] The late venerable Achaan Chaah was a world renowned teacher of Insight Meditation [Vipassana} in Thailand widely regarded as having attained arahatta. The government of Thailand preserved his body for six days before cremation for veneration by thousands of people.

Venerable Sumedho, the American monk, chief incumbent of Amaravati Monastery in London is his chief pupil and the first to be trained and sent to the West by Achaan Chaah. Venerable Sumedho visited Sri Lanka early this year.

The collected discourses of Achaan Chah are now published by Wisdom Books.

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Katina - the greatest merit giving act

by Jayatissa Pathirana

Buddhist temples throughout Sri Lanka will hold their Katina ceremonies in the month of October referred to as 'Vap' in the Buddhist calendar. This rare Pinkama tops the list of eight greatest merit giving acts mentioned in Buddha Dhamma. Since the significance attached to this event is so great, as it could only be held once in a year in a temple, lay devotees willingly register themselves for the offering of "Katina Chivara" (special robe) at nearby temples. Most of the temples I know of, in Colombo and in the suburbs have name lists running up to almost for the next ten years.

The special feature of this event is that both the giver (lay devotee) and the receiver (Bhikkhu) gain merit which is not the same with any other "pinkama" performed by Buddhists.

The Katina literally means 'hard' is the stock of cotton cloth provided by the faithful to be made up into robes for the use of the Sangha during the ensuing year. The whole of this cotton cloth must be dyed, sewn together, and made into robes, and then formally declared to be available for immediate distribution - all on one and the same day.

According to Vinaya rule, the object of this was that the bhikkhus, or at least a quorum of the bhikkhus, being able to be present throughout, there would be less chance of any mistake by which what was intended equally for all might come to be unequally divided among a few. All the Bhikkhus who have observed 'Vas' or the rains retreat, within the limits of the 'awasa' (dwelling place) where the Bhikkhus live, and who have taken part in the Pavarana, are entitled to share in the distribution.

Another significant feature is that all bhikkhus living within the boundary have to be present, to take part in the work of making the cotton cloth up into robes.It is said, in Mahavagga, that about thirty Patheyyaka Bhikkhus, (Buddhagosa says, Patheyyaka is the name of a kingdom situated to the west of the Kosala country and it refers to the bhikkhus who live there) who were all dwellers in the forest, all living on alms, all dressed in rags from the dust heap, all having only three robes each, when they were on the way to Savatthi in time to spend the Vassa was at hand, were unable to reach Savatthi in time to spend the Vassa there, stayed at Saketa.

(The vassana period begins on the day after Esala Poya day (July) and goes up to the full moon day of Vap (October)). After completing the specified period and having held their Pavarana, these Bhikkhus went to the place where the Blessed One was, at Savatthi, in jetavana, Anathapindika's Grove.

On their way they got caught to the rain and their robes were all drenched and they were weary. Having seen the sorry plight of these bhikkhus, the Blessed One prescribed the use of a special robe in addition to the three robes they were already entitled to wear. That special robe is known as the "Katina Cheevara".

For full three months devotees in an around the temple visit the temple to see to the needs of the resident Bhikkhus and observe religious rites.

Thereby they work in close co-operation with the bhikkhus. Bhikkhus in turn arrange dhamma discussions, meditation programmes, dhamma sermons for laymen and the Bhikkhus who attend to their ecclesiastical matters.

The month of October is also known as the "Chivara Masa". On a specified day of this month, agreed upon by both laity and the Sangha the "Katina Pinkama" will be held at the temple premises. It begins with the carrying of the special robe from the residence of a Buddhist devotee in the early hours of the morning in a colourful procession and reaches the temple as the streaks of light appears in the sky.

Thereafter the religious ceremony is held at the temple by the most senior monk (seniority is determined from the day the bhikkhu attains the Higher Ordination) and only monks who have attained Higher Ordination participate in these ceremonies. This will be followed by the offering of the special robe to the Sangha community.

The uniqueness in this religious ceremony is that the special robe is being offered twice-first by the devotee and next by the Sangha on a unanimous decision to one of their brethren.

These facts connected with Katina are an ample testimony to prove that this pinkama surpasses all other religious ceremonies the Buddhists perform to gain merit.

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The glory of Lumbini restored

by Nemsiri Mutukumara

Two thousand six hundred and twenty-seven years ago (2627) Bodhisattva Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born in the Royal Park of King Suddhodana in Lumbini Grama in the Kingdom of Kapilavastu - on the Pasalosvaka (Full Moon) Day of Vaisakha-Vesak.

The Lumbini Garden full of green shady groves and tranquil environs - was situated on the way from Kapilavastu to Devadaha, the maternal home of Queen Mahamaya. The Royal Park continued its flourishing majestic splendour of the Royalty and the important visitors who enjoyed the salubrious nature of the garden.

Buddha Sakyamuni never visited any of those most important places He sanctified with His birth (Lumbini); with His attainment of Supreme Enlightenment (Buddha Gaya); the Holy Place where He set the wheel of righteousness in motion - the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Savatthi) and the fourth place He made holy with His first and the last visit for final passing away into Parinibbana in Kusinara.

The Buddha in the Parinibbana Sutta - the lengthy discourse to His disciples spoke on many subjects in Kusinara. Seeing the Sala trees in full blossom in the season and other external demonstrations of piety and devotion, spoke of the four places made sacred by His association which faithful followers should visit with reverence and awe.

They are:

* Lumbini - the birthplace of the Buddha;

* Buddha Gaya - the place where Buddha attained Supreme Enlightenment;

* Saranath - the place where the Buddha established the Incomparable wheel of Truth - the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta; and

* Kusinara - the place where the Buddha attained Parinibbana.

"And they who shall pass away with a believing heart during their pilgrimage will be reborn, on the dissolution of their body after demise, in a heavenly abode."

Emperor Asoka who ascended the Throne of Jambudvipa carried out the exhortation with extreme devotion and absolute piety. Accompanied by Arhat Upagupta the Emperor visited the Sacred Lumbini in 249 B.C.E. (Before the Common Era).

To commemorate his visit he erected a stone monolith and engraved an inscription on the pillar. The inscription consists of five (5) lines and was written in 93 Asokan (Brahmi) characters - among other description the central message was "Hida Budhe Jate Ti Sakyamuni...." Here was born the Buddha, the Saga of the Sakyans.

The inscription also explained: "When King Devanam Priya Priyadarshini (Asoka) had been anointed twenty years he himself came and worshipped this spot because Buddha Sakyamuni was born here."

For quite sometime during the foreign occupation of the subcontinent of India almost all the sacred places of Buddhists went into isolation with the Bhikkhu and Bhiukkhuni Sangha and the Upasaka, Upasikas leaving the places in fear of their life against the tyranny of the foreign enemies who began destroying the sacred places. However, enlightened British scholars who worked in the British administration were deeply interested in the cultural, archaeological and historical monuments.

General Cunnigham, a renowned archaeologist combing the jungles in the sub-continent identified the Lumbini Park in 1896 from the stone pillar which is popularly called the Asoka Pillar.

This historic event set the ball rolling for the archaeological survey and later the Indian government after the regaining of independence from Britain in 1947 to organise the excavation and restoration of many Buddhist monuments.

The Royal Government of Nepal took an abiding interest in resorting Lumbini to its pristine form and developing the Lumbini Zone.

A large territory was set apart for Buddhists. During King Birendra Bir Biharam Shal Deva established the Lumbini Vikas - with wide powers to plan, lay-out, construct, reconstruct and the immediate vicinity of the Asoka Pillar area and to locate the exact sacred spot of the birth of the Buddha.

In the Lumbini Vikas, Mr. Loke Darsan, a key-figure, played an important role in creating world opinion. As an active member of the Bangkok-based World Fellowship of Buddhists, WFB-Loke Darsan paved the way to get the WFB to finance the Lumbini Development program.

In 1956, on the occasion of the fourth (4th) General Conference of the WFB held in Nepal, the then monarch King Mahendra donated over one million Nepali Rupees for the development program.

King Mahendra visited Sacred Lumbini and celebrated the Democracy Day on 7th of Falgun 2021 (Nepali Calendar) in 1956 and gave Abayadana to mute animals by forbidding slaughter of animals in the whole kingdom of Nepal on every Vaisakha (Vesak) Pasalosvaska Day.

King Mahendra erected a pillar to commemorate the occasion of his visit.

The inauguration of the development of Lumbini really goes back to king Mahendra's visit. "A fair weather access road and a guest house was built and garden development commenced." (Kuladharma Ratna Talahar in "Buddhism and Nepal" published by Dharmaodaya Sabha. Pg. 26).

The first Buddhist Secretary-General of the United Nations, New York, U. Thant, visited the sacred Lumibini and discussed with King Mahendra and made a suggestion that Nepal government to develop Lumbini as an international pilgrimage and centre of tourism, with necessary accommodation and other facilities.

U. Thant made a personal donation. With the money, a pilgrims rest house was built near the Maya Devi temple in Lumbini.

With Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative at the UN, Dr. Gunapala Malalasekera's presence was a beneficial situation to the Lumbini program. He teamed up with U. Thant and gave his support as well as the assistance from the WFB where he was founder-president and Sri Lanka as well.

The UN helped Nepal to prepare the master plan for the Lumbini Development - awarding the contract to eminent Japanese Kenzo Tange and URTEC Japan, in 1970.

In 1972 an international committee consisting of ancient and modern Buddhist countries and others interested in the Lumbini Development was formed to support and advise in the preparation of the master plan in New York with Nepal's Permanent Representative in the UN as chairman. After six years - in 1978 the master plan was finalised by the Tripartite Review Meeting (India - Thailand - Nepal) held in Tokyo.

The master plan was submitted to the United Nations and the Nepal Government approved in 1979.

In the UN International Year of Peace, Nepal formed the Lumbini Development Trust with King Birendra as patron and his brother His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah (the present king) as chairman of the Trust.

In this laudable and sacred venture the magnificent support three Secretaries-General of the United Nations, U. Thant, Kurt Waldheim and Javier Perez de Cuellar gave is reflected from the following message:

"Buddha's message of compassion and devotion to the service of humanity is more relevant today than to any other time in history. Peace, understanding and a vision that transcends purely national boundaries are imperatives of our insecure nuclear age. Since early 1968 the international community has been deeply involved in the development of Lumbini..."

The master plan envisages linking Lumbini with the national highway. Already the Bahirawa airport - near Lumbini is developed as an International Airport to enable all aircraft to land there.

The International Airport is named the Siddhartha Nagar International Airport.

Two hundred and fifty thousand mango saplings have been planted in the surrounding areas. Many Sri Lankans were among those who planted mango saplings.

Starting with President J. R. Jayewardene, President Ranasinghe Premadasa, Dr. Jotiya Dhirasekera (1979) now the Venerable Professor Dhammavihara and this writer himself as an invitee participant at the 1979 Lumbini Conference and Seminar. All those saplings are identifiable.

On the advice of the Lumbini Development Trust, the Japanese archaeological excavations to locate the identicle sacred spot of birth of the Buddha has borne fruit. The photo shown here gives a vivid portrait of the new Maya Devi Temple - constructed near the Asoka Pillar. The inset show the Nativity Sculpture and the Marker Stone.

The pond in the Royal Garden dating back even before the birth of the Buddha is still filled with crystal clear water.

The new-born Bodhisatta Prince Siddhartha was washed and bathed with the water from the pond blended with all manner of fragrances and scents. Mr. Loke Darsan referring to the pond, said, the Government had covered the pond for a long time to prevent all and sundry using the pond and polluting the water.

Now that the security and protection of all the monuments in Lumbini is organised in the top gear, nobody is allowed to use the water in the pond for personal use.

The trust in collaboration with the Government has provided land to all Buddhist countries and others interested in Lumbini to build their own viharas and meditation centres in the sacred area so that religious and spiritual activities without any difficulty.Land is also set apart for pilgrims rest houses a little beyond the sacred area. All viharas are to reflect the traditional architecture of the particular country.

Already, Myanmar, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan and Korea have constructed their Viharas and Bhikkhu Sangha and Bhikkhuni Sangha reside in the Viharas and perform cultural, religious and spiritual activities every morning and evening.

During the time of Mr. E. L. B. Hurulle, Minister of Cultural Affairs, Sri Lanka, with a donation from the President's Fund by President J. R. Jayewardene, a pilgrims rest was built. But the rest seems to be a little far away.The new monarch King Gayanendra ceremonially held the offering on last Vesak Poya day at the new Maya Devi Temple and inaugurated the worship for the rest of the world.

Already, Lumbini is to be recognised as a Zone of Peace - World Peace.

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