Spring 2009•2552 Volume 14, Number 2

existence in samsāra. That is desire, or unwholesome desire. Wholesome desire is desire to be desireless. We have to keep these two differences in mind very clearly. Wholesome dhamma arises from unwholesome desire. Unwholesome dhamma arises from unwholesome desire. Then we have greed, hatred and delusion. From greed, hatred and delusion arise all unwholesome thoughts, words and deeds. When wholesome desire is there, we have thoughts of renunciation, thoughts of friendliness, and thoughts of compassion. When unwholesome desire arises, from that unwholesome desire jealousy, fear, anger, rivalry, competitive- ness and resentment—all these things Gunaratana visiting Abhayagiri in July 2008 arise from unwholesome desire. When wholesome desire arises, , investigation, joy, tranquility, concentra- The Essential Eights tion, wisdom and total liberation all arise A talk by Bhante Gunaratana from the wholesome desire. Therefore, Given at Abhayagiri Buddhist on July 10, 2008 desire is the root of the arising of all the dhammas, whether they are wholesome Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā-Sambuddhassa or unwholesome. Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā-Sambuddhassa What are these wholesome or Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā-Sambuddhassa unwholesome dhammas? They are various mental states. We know when Dear Venerable Monks, Friends, unwholesome dhamma arises, we express This evening I’d like to speak on other aspects of Dhamma, which are naturally this unwholesome dhamma through our supportive factors of Dhamma, and that when we mindfully reflect on them we can see thoughts, words and deeds. When whole- how they are related very clearly to each other. There are eight such Dhammas. Number some dhamma arises in our mind, we one is called “the root of all dhammas.” Buddha said that all dhammas have their root express it through wholesome thoughts, (Continued on page 6) in desire, “chandamūlakā, āvuso, sabbe dhammā.” is either will, or desire. Will is a very important aspect of Dhamma. When we develop effort—make effort—one of the factors in making effort is will. INSIDE: When we practice the four bases of accomplishment, one of them is will or desire. From the Monastery Pg 2 Buddha said that will is the root of all dhammas. Now, when we make effort, the Skillful Effort Pg 4 root of making effort is will, chanda. And when we practice the bases of accomplish- Calendar Pg 8 & 9 ment the root of them is dhamma. When I say this, you might certainly get confused: What is the root of accomplishment? What is the accomplishment? So let me make Being with Elders Pg 11 it as simple as possible by saying that all the Dhammas have their root in desire, and From Māra’s Desk Pg 14 desire itself has two sides—wholesome desire and unwholesome desire. Unwholesome Contributors: The , Bhante Gunaratana, desire is desire to perpetuate desire, to increase desire, to linger in samsāra, to continue Thanissaro, Mettika and Sondra Jewell From the Monastery

Longer days and blooming wildflowers overwhelmed us with food offerings this signal the arrival of spring at Abhayagiri winter. May they receive the blessings Monastery. Each spring, the resident that flow from meritorious action. community emerges from the stillness of The retreat teachings began with the three-month winter retreat to meet two weeks of meditation instruction the opportunities and challenges of a from Pasanno and Amaro. For new year. the remainder of the retreat, the abbots read selected suttas from the Samyutta Winter Retreat Nikaya. The readings spanned a wide During the months of January, February, range of topics, including dependent and March the Abhayagiri residents origination, the five aggregates, the six relinquish their work responsibilities to sense bases, the fruits of stream entry, a team of laypeople and undertake noble and the fundamentals of monastic life. silence in order to focus on meditation, The ajahns found so many sutta “gems” sutta study, and chanting practice. The in the that they decided formal work schedule ended December to continue these readings after tea in 24, giving the community nearly two April and May. weeks to finish tasks and repair requisites Sīladhārā (nuns) from Amaravati before the retreat began on January visited Abhayagiri Monastery twice Ajahn Anandabodhi and Ajahn Santacitta visiting 4. Robert, Jason, Jim, Brian, Tess, during the retreat season. Ajahns Abhayagiri during Christmas and New Year’s and Khamla formed this year’s retreat Anandabodhi and Santacitta spent help crew, and Jeet, Alex, Danny and Christmas at Abhayagiri, and Ajahns Julianne each spent one month assisting Metta, Anandabodhi, Santacitta, and them. The Abhayagiri community Sumedha joined us for Magha Puja. The Community extends its heartfelt thanks to both the winter retreat concluded with a picnic at Fourteen monastics participated in retreat crew and the donors who nearly Clear Lake State Park. the Abhayagiri winter retreat: the two abbots, eight other , one sāmanera, and three anagārikas. Ajahn Sudanto spent a silent and snowy winter at Sītavana (Birken Forest Monastery) and returned to Abhayagiri on April 15. Tan Ahimsako departed on April 19 with the intention to spend at least two years at Amaravati Monastery. We will miss both his cheerful spirit and his contribu- tions to the monastery as work monk and webmaster. Tan Gunavuddho arrives from and England to join the Abhayagiri community on May 5. Just before the retreat ended, Sāmanera Thitapañño requested ordination; his upasampada ceremony is scheduled for June 13. Anagārikas Ian, Carl and Louis have all requested to go forth as sāmaneras, and the ceremony has been scheduled for July 22. Community Photo from the picnic at the end of Winter Retreat 2009

2 • Fearless Mountain ’s visit of eminent Thai Forest monks. Ajahn Abhayagiri and be present for Sāmanera The last day of the retreat marked the Liam, an elder student of Thitapañño’s ordination and the Upasika beginning of a series of eight lectures at who has served as abbot of Pah Pong Renewal Day on June 21. the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas given for over 25 years, will arrive on May 12. by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi entitled “The He will be accompanied by Ajahn Kevali, Development Path to Liberation in Early .” the present abbot of , The major building project of 2009 is Each afternoon, most of the Abhayagiri Ajahn Anek and Ajahn Siripañño. While the construction of the Monk’s Utility community shuttled to the City of Ten the Ajahns will spend most of their time Building. Situated in a meadow near the Thousand Buddhas to hear Bhikkhu at Abhayagiri, they plan to visit Portland ordination platform, this building will Bodhi expound on three suttas from from May 18 to May 21 and spend May include showers, laundry and dyeing the Majjhima Nikaya (MN 27, MN 2, 30 to June 3 visiting Bay Area medita- facilities, a sewing room, an office, and and MN 7). Many of us have listened tion groups, including the June 2 First meeting rooms. On the evening of April to recordings of Bhikkhu Bodhi’s sutta Tuesday group. The Abhayagiri web 5 the Abhayagiri monastics chanted lectures, and we deeply appreciated the calendar contains a detailed schedule of at the building site for the living opportunity to hear his knowledge and their activities. The Ajahns will return to beings who would be killed or displaced insights in person. Thailand on June 8. by the construction, and the excavators After the lecture series concluded on Ajahn Jayasaro, former abbot of broke ground the next day. Construction April 9, Bhikkhu Bodhi spent the next Wat Pah Nanachat, will arrive shortly will continue through the summer… three days visiting Abhayagiri. Shortly after Ajahn Liem’s departure. Ajahn after arriving, he presided over the fort- Jayasaro will spend June 11 to June 22 at nightly recitation of the patimokkha (the monastic code of discipline). He stayed in the recently completed Elder’s Cabin and enjoyed the beautiful spring landscape while walking to and from his dwelling. Bhikkhu Bodhi hosted several question and answer sessions during afternoon tea and gave the April 11 Dhamma talk. His talk (available online) described the benefits of three forms of meditation that are often unfamiliar to Westerners: awareness of death, recollection of the Buddha, and reflection on the non-self nature of experience.

Travels spent most of December 2008 in Thailand, visiting Wat Pah Nanachat and giving numerous teach- ings, including two retreats. Ajahn Pasanno’s annual trip to Thailand helps to maintain Abhayagiri’s Thai roots. On April 5, Ajahn Amaro flew to England to visit Amaravati for five days. From there he traveled to Japan for an 18-day tour with Luang Por Sumedho, Ajahn Nyanarato, Edward and Ead Lewis and Richard Smith. He returned to England to visit family and arrived back at Abhayagiri on May 2.

Visiting teachers This spring, Abhayagiri Monastery has the privilege of hosting a number Luang Por Liam visiting Abhayagiri in May 2009

SPRING 2009 • 3 Skillful Effort Adapted from a talk given by Ajahn Thanissaro at Abhayagiri Monastery, September 2007

People have been relaxing since the 19th Century and they’re still miserable. Which suggests that there may actu- ally be four choices: You can relax and be happy; you can relax and be miserable; you can make an effort and be miserable; or you can make an effort and be happy. The fourth alternative—how to find joy in effort—is the one that really deserves to be explored. As the Buddha himself says, the causes of suffering come in two kinds: those that will go away if you simply watch them with equanimity, and those that go away only when you exert a fabrication, or a sankhāra, against them. We may prefer the first approach, but for our practice to be complete, we need to master both. That phrase “exerting a sankhāra” sounds strange, but it actually points to some very useful tools. In the Buddha’s analysis of the causes of suffering, sankhāra, or fabrication, comes right after ignorance. We tend to fabricate inten- tions out of ignorance, and that’s why we suffer. But if we learn how to fabricate those intentions with awareness, they can become tools in the path to the end of suffering. So what exactly are these fabrication Ajahn Thanissaro tools? Altogether there are three major types: bodily fabrication, verbal fabrica- One of the Thai terms for meditating— Now, if those were the only two choices, tion, and mental fabrication. Bodily tham khwaam phien—literally means relaxing would obviously be the wiser fabrication is the breath, verbal fabrica- “making an effort.” When I mention choice. It’s certainly the more inviting. tion is directed thought and evaluation, this to people here in the West, I often Everyone likes the idea of relaxing. It’s and mental fabrication is feeling and get some raised eyebrows. They’ve been built into American culture. I was reading perception. These fabrications can cause taught that “efforting” is an enemy of a biography of William James recently, suffering or they can be our tools for meditation. And that’s because they’ve and it mentioned a movement during overcoming the causes of suffering. The also been taught that there are only James’ time that he called the Gospel question is whether we use them igno- two ways of approaching the practice. of Relaxation. The central tenet of this rantly or with knowledge. The first way—the ignorant way—is movement was that American culture The knowledge here is not simply book to try very hard, exerting a strenuous is much too tense, and what everyone knowledge; it’s the kind of knowledge effort, miserable and neurotic, with all needs to do is to learn repose: the ability that comes from developing a skill. This your thoughts focused on a goal that to systematically relax all the muscles in is why it’s useful when you meditate to keeps receding into the future. The the body that you’re not using, and to reflect back on the skills you’ve mastered more enlightened way is to relax into maintain that sense of relaxation as you in the past: the things you’ve enjoyed the present, into the Dhamma that’s go throughout the day. That was the 19th mastering, that you’ve enjoyed learning already here. Century, and things haven’t changed. how to do well. Whether cooking or

4 • Fearless Mountain carpentry, or a sport, or music: If you’ve for success. The second is persis- body? Have you ever stopped to notice? learned how to do it well, you’ve mastered tence, the ability to stick with something If you pay attention here, you begin to many of the mental skills you’re going to over time. Then there’s intent, your ability notice aspects of the breath that are hard need as a meditator. to give total attention to what you’re doing to put into words, because the breath is One of these skills is how to deal with and the results of what you’re doing. And such an immediate, visceral experience. desire in a skillful way. We often hear that finally there’s a quality called vimamsa, But you’ll also begin to notice that when desire is the bad guy in the Buddha’s teach- which translates as analysis, discrimina- you breathe comfortably there can be ings. But when the Buddha talked about tion, the ability to notice what’s working a sense of ease in different parts of the the causes of suffering, he mentioned only and what’s not, and the ingenuity to come body. Well, take those patches of ease and three kinds of desire: craving for sensuality, up with new ideas about what might work allow them to connect up. There can be craving for becoming, and craving for non- when you find yourself banging your head a sense of fullness here or there. Allow becoming. Sensuality means your plans against a wall. that sense of fullness to connect up in the and obsessions about sensual pleasures. These are the qualities necessary for different parts of the body, so that when Craving for becoming means wanting to developing a skill, and you want to bring you breathe in, the whole body feels full, take on a particular identity. Craving for them to the practice—particularly the the whole body feels at ease. Experiment non-becoming means wanting to annihi- element of desire, as that’s what energizes to see what works. late the identity you’ve got. These are the the rest. And the best way to spark desire In this way you’re engaging all three types of desire that cause suffering. is to find a way of making the practice kinds of fabrication in full awareness. But there are other kinds of desire as enjoyable. Ajahn Fuang often said, “When You’re focusing on the breath, you’re well. In particular, the Buddha has you you meditate, play with it.” Now, by the directing your thought to the breath, focus on the desire to be skillful. Instead word “play” he didn’t mean fooling around you’re evaluating it, you’re maintaining of focusing on wanting to become an in a desultory way. He meant playing the that perception of breath, and you’re trying enlightened person or to become to induce a feeling of ease. You’re annihilated, he tells you to get working with whatever feel- yourself out of the picture for Ajahn Fuang often said, “When you meditate, ings of blockage or discomfort the time being and simply look there are, and then seeing what at where there’s stress, where play with it.” Now, by the word “play” different ways of breathing will there’s a cause of stress, and he didn’t mean fooling around in a help. As this begins to capture what can be done to put an end desultory way. He meant playing the way your imagination, it’s fun. to stress. The desires focused Michael Jordan would play basketball: When you’re fabricating in around these issues are skillful full awareness, you have some desires—especially when you You keep doing it, keep trying to figure very useful tools to deal with focus on understanding the out new ways of tackling problems… uncomfortable or unskillful causes for the ending of stress. mind states. Say, for instance, If you focus your desires that lust has arisen in the mind. exclusively on what you want to gain out way Michael Jordan would play basketball: The standard way of dealing with lust is to of the meditation, without paying atten- You keep doing it, keep trying to figure focus on the 32 parts of the body, but you tion to the causes, it’s like driving down out new ways of tackling problems, but at can use the breath to deal with it as well. a road toward a mountain. If you spend the same time enjoying what you’re doing. Ask yourself, “What do you lust for?” You all your time looking at the mountain on Make a game out of it. lust for pleasure. So can you create a sense the horizon and forget to look at the road, This issue of playing relates particularly of pleasure in the body right now? When you’re going to drive off the road. You’re to that first kind of fabrication, the breath. lust is filling the body, where do you feel going to run into people. You’ll never get You can use the breath in lots of ways to tension? Some people feel it in the back of to the mountain. But if you focus on the deal with the causes of suffering. If you the hands, and then spreading from the road, and every now and then check your know that breathing in ignorance leads back of the hands up the arms throughout rear mirror to make sure that the to suffering, try to breathe with some the body. So how about relaxing the back mountain isn’t receding away behind you, awareness, some knowledge. Notice what of the hands? Breathe in a way that feels the road will lead you to where you want you’re doing as you breathe. Where do you full and at ease in the back of the hands. to go. feel the sensation of the breath coming This can give rise to a sense of immediate, That’s how you use desire in the prac- in? Where do you feel it going out? What visceral pleasure that helps take away tice. You want the mountain, but you learn kind of breathing feels good? What kind some of your hunger, some of the charm to want the road as well. Without that of breathing maintains a sense of good, and appeal of that lust. You realize, “Why kind of desire, you’re never going to get gratifying energy in the body? What kind would I bother with lust when I’ve got anywhere. It’s the first iddhipada, or basis of breathing wastes away the energy in the (Continued on page 12)

SPRING 2009 • 5 The Essential Eights (continued from page 1) words and deeds. For example, when we pay attention to them, pay attention our body. Even when paying attention, unwholesome dhamma—unwholesome to our experiences, we don’t know that when we look at our body, we don’t see desire—arises we want to say something they are impermanent. We simply take this . If we look at our body to hurt somebody. That carries from that for granted that they are always perpetual, in the mirror, we don’t see the imperma- desire. Or we want to say something continual, permanent, eternal, and so nence. A mirror itself is not reflecting the unpleasant, or sometimes we might even forth. Our body is impermanent. Our correct image. For example, if you write tell a lie because underneath that we have feelings are impermanent—perceptions, ‘MAY,’ and hold it in front of the mirror, unwholesome desire. volitional formations, consciousness are we will see ‘YAM.’ If you write ‘KEY,’ and Why do we want to tell a lie? Either all impermanent. hold it in front of the mirror, you will see to please others, get something from Many a time when we talk about ‘YEK.’ Even the mirror will not show us others, make ourselves impressive, or to impermanence, people ask us, “But how the real true understanding of the nature cover something. Underneath all of them, can we know impermanence? Things of our body, of anything, of any form. But there is desire, and it is called chanda. seem to us to be permanent. How do we we have to pay mindful attention. There’s The word chanda is used therefore for understand impermanence?” They say this a big difference between mindful attention wholesome things as well as unwholesome because they do not pay attention to what and unmindful attention. things. Wholesome chanda is generating they experience every single moment of There’s a very famous simile that wholesome thoughts, words, and deeds. every day. Body is impermanent. How can the Buddha has given to show the Unwholesome chanda is called biases. the body be impermanent? Only when we difference between mindful attention There are four types of biases. One of pay attention to the body do we experience and unmindful attention. The simile is them is chanda, dosa (aversion) is the impermanence. When we pay attention of the Dog and the Lion. Have you heard second, lobha (greed) the third, and to the body, we look at our hands—turn of it? When you throw a rock or a stick (delusion) is the fourth. But the beginning them—doesn’t seem to be anything or a Frisbee to a dog, the dog will run of all of them is chanda. impermanent with them. We touch our after it, pick it up, bite it or bring it back. The Buddha said that all the body—it seems to be always there, doesn’t If you throw a rock or a stick to a lion, dhammas, wholesome or unwholesome seem to have anything impermanent. the lion will not run after the rock or arise from desire. This means unwhole- Touch our head—the same head that we stick, the lion will run after you! This is some dhammas arise from unwholesome had this morning is still there. Doesn’t because lions always want to go to the root, desire and the wholesome arises from seem to be impermanent. But how can the source. wholesome desire. Then, the second we understand this impermanence of the Mindful attention is the attention is “manasikārasambhavā sabbe dhammā,” body? By paying attention. Attention also that always goes to the root. So, when that is, all the dhammas arise from reflec- has two aspects: mindful attention and we pay attention to the body, feeling, tion, from paying attention. Many things unmindful attention, or qualitative atten- perceptions, volitional formations, are happening to us but we don’t know tion and unqualitative attention. and consciousness, we can see the true them. Why? We don’t pay attention to All living beings have unqualitative Dhamma arising; impermanence arising them. When we pay attention to them, we attention. Even animals have attention. from them. know that they are there. Although they Predators, for example when they want For example, when we meditate and are there all the time, until we pay atten- to catch their prey, they must pay total pay attention to the breath; breath is the tion to them, we don’t know them. We are attention to the movement of their prey so body, and that is why Buddha mentioned totally unaware of them, totally ignorant that at the right moment they can catch it. very clearly in the of them. Only when we pay attention to These are very normal things. If you ring (MN 118) and Venerable Dhammadinna them do we become aware of them. Their a bell at a certain time, you train a dog in the Cula-vedalla Sutta (MN 44), true manifestation becomes clear to us. For to listen to the sound, and then the dog explaining or defining the body. They example, there are certain dhammas that comes and you feed him. And then he goes say that Assasa or Passasa (inhaling or Buddha mentioned, not certain dhammas out. Sometimes when you ring the bell, exhaling) is a body, one of the bodies. but true real Dhamma exists whether the the dog will salivate. Why, because he pays We can see impermanence in this body Buddha comes into existence or not. The attention. He knows that when he hears when we pay attention to the breath. true Dhamma always exists. What is that the bell, food will be there. So he keeps his Nothing is so clear as this, where you can true Dhamma that always exists whether attention on the sound of the bell, to the see impermanence as in the breath. When the Buddhas come into existence or not? sounds, and so forth. we pay attention to the breath then we That all conditioned things are imperma- We human beings also pay attention see impermanence in the breath, we see nent. Buddhas don’t come into this world to various things. But with that kind of this breath-body is impermanent. It is to make things impermanent. low quality of attention we don’t under- always changing. When we look at this As I mentioned the other day, they stand impermanence. We pay attention superficially, we understand that since are permanently impermanent. But until to external things, various things outside the breath is impermanent—we breathe

6 • Fearless Mountain The Essential Eights (continued from page 6) so many thousands of times everyday—if dependent upon feeling, clinging arises. in our mind. If the object happens to be it is permanent we would have to breath Isn’t it interesting? In Dependent unpleasant, unpleasant thoughts arise only once. Only when we pay total, Origination, dependent upon feeling, in our mind. Similarly, when we hear a undivided, mindful attention to the clinging arises. When you look at sound the same thing happens. So when breath, can we see this true Dhamma it, when you expand this compact pleasantness or unpleasantness arises, very clearly in that breath. If we do not message of Dhamma and decompress along with that all the others arise: pay mindful attention, we take it for it, then you can see the other side of the greed, hatred, delusion can arise, or granted and we never know the imper- Dhamma itself. When feeling arises, non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion and manence of breath. if the feeling happens to be pleasant, so forth can arise. The entire doors for So Buddha said, “manasikārasambhavā there naturally arises clinging, craving. dhammas to enter the mind will be open sabbe dhammā.” All the dhammas—even through contact. Then vedanā arises, all in these other subtle aspects of Dhamma, the feelings, all the dhammas converge in not only impermanence, unsatisfactori- We can see impermanence the feelings. ness and selflessness, they are not the in this body when we pay And the next thing is “samādhi only dhammas, there are many other attention to the breath. pamukhā sabbe dhammā.” Samādhi is dhammas; feelings, perceptions, volitional Nothing is so clear as this... concentration. Concentration is the formations, consciousness—all these are When we pay attention leader of all dhammas. I say that concen- the materials that we have within us to tration is the crown of our meditation see the true Dhamma arising from them. to the breath then we see practice. Concentration also has two Greed can arise, hatred can arise, delu- impermanence in the breath, sides: one is wholesome concentration, sion can arise; or non-greed, non-hatred, we see this breath-body the other is unwholesome concentration. non-delusion can arise from all these is impermanent. Wholesome concentration is the concen- experiences in our body. These are very It is always changing. tration supported by seven of the Noble big subjects. I just want to touch on all Eightfold Path, the seven previous steps: the eight aspects of this very beautiful right understanding, right thinking, right Dhamma discourse that Buddha deliv- If the feeling happens to be unpleasant, speech, right action, right livelihood, ered in the Anguttara Nikāya for us to then also desire, or craving, arises. right effort, right mindfulness, and reflect and think. When the unpleasant feeling arises, we right concentration. Right concentration Then he said, “vedanāsamosaranā sabbe always very impatiently look forward arises depending on these seven factors, dhammā,” all the dhammas converge, to getting rid of unpleasant feeling and that is the crown of our meditation. meet in feelings. We have all kinds of because we want to cling to wholesome, So Buddha said all the dhammas, the feeling; pleasant, unpleasant, neutral pleasant feeling. leader or chief of all the dhammas, is feeling associated with greed, hatred So Buddha put them all together and concentration. Why did he say that? and delusion; feeling not associated simply said in a few words, “Dependent Because a concentrated mind can see with greed, hatred and delusion; feeling upon feeling, craving arises.” When things as they really are. And therefore related to sensual pleasure, feeling not unpleasant feeling arises, on the one concentration is the head or chief of all related to sensual pleasure, and so forth. hand we want to reject it for gaining the dhammas. There are all kinds of feelings that a pleasant feeling, so that we can cling Then, he said, “satādhipateyyā sabbe Buddha listed in the Bahuvedaniya Sutta to it. So you can see, the Buddha said, dhammā.” Mindfulness is the head of all (MN 59), 108 kinds of feelings. And the “All the dhammas converge in feelings.” the dhammas. You know, when we entire Dhamma is based on, or converged Pleasant dhammas, unpleasant say mindfulness is the head of all the in feeling. The entire Four Noble Truth dhammas, and neutral dhammas, all dhammas, then one might wonder, ‘how begins with feeling, dukkha (unsatisfac- converge in feelings. about unwholesome dhamma?’ Is mind- toriness). So when we look at feeling, The next thing he mentioned is fulness the head of even unwholesome beginning with feeling arises clinging, “phassasamudayā sabbe dhammā.” All dhamma? What it means is that only or greed. If the feeling happens to be dhammas arise from contact: contact when we are mindful can we make the pleasant, greed arises. If the feeling through eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, distinction between wholesome dhamma happens to be unpleasant, rejection, anger and mind. All the dhammas, the whole and unwholesome dhamma. When we or resentment can arise. Because of the world open to us, is exposed through these are not mindful we don’t know the differ- feeling, clinging can arise. six doors; eyes, ears, nose and so forth. ence between wholesome dhammas and It is interesting. Even in Dependent And from there, wholesome or unwhole- unwholesome dhammas. So when we Origination the Buddha did not say very some dhammas arise. For example, when are mindful, we can make the distinc- specifically that dependent on feeling, we see an object, if the object happens tion, make effort to cultivate wholesome hatred arises, or rejection arises. He said, to be pleasant, pleasant thoughts arise (Continued on page 10)

SPRING 2009 • 7 Abhayagiri Sangha Calendar & Information 2009 2552

Also visit our online calendar at www.abhayagiri.org/index.php/main/days LUNAR OBSERVANCE DAYS for the most up-to-date information. 2552 May June July Aug Sept Oct June 1-7 6-Day at Great Vow Monastery. FRI Led by Ajahn Amaro and Chozen Bays, Roshi. 1 2 Monthly gathering at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. FRI SUN TUE THU FRI SUN 10 Monthly gathering at Yoga Mendocino, Ukiah, CA. 1 2 3 8 7 7 6 4 4 11 Ajahn Jayasaro to visit Abhayagiri until June 22. SAT MON WED FRI SAT MON 14 Community Work Day at Abhayagiri. 16 15 15 14 12 12 17 Ajahn Chah’s Birthday. SAT MON WED THU SAT SUN 20 Daylong at Spirit Rock—“High Summer” with Ajahn Amaro. 23 22 22 20 19 18 21 Upāsikā Renewal Day at Abhayagiri. SUN TUE THU FRI SUN MON July 7 Monthly gathering at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery 31 30 30 28 27 26 7 Āsālhā Pūja. 1. Visākhā Pūjā 2. Āsālhā Pūjā. 3. Pavāranā Day 8 (traditional ‘rains retreat’) begins. 8 Monthly gathering at Yoga Mendocino, Ukiah, CA. Directions to Abhayagiri 12 Community Work Day at Abhayagiri. 18 Meditation and yoga daylong with Ajahn Pasanno and Cator Shachoy— To Willits Turnout with (11 miles) 20 mail boxes “Mindfulness of the Body.” Bija Yoga Studio, San Francisco, CA. 1. Take WEST ROAD exit from HWY 101. www.youthyogadharma.org. y 2. Go straight over NORTH STATE ST. Abhayagiri Monastery 25 Daylong at Yoga Mendocino, Ukiah, CA—“Upekkha (Equanimity)” and SCHOOL WAY. 16201 Tomki Road with Ajahn Amaro.

3. Follow WEST ROAD 3 miles until ki Rd m you reach a T-Junction. To 4 Monthly gathering at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. 4. Turn left at the T-Junction onto Aug TOMKI ROAD. Continue for 4 miles st Rd 5-9 Spirit Rock Family Retreat with Ajahn Amaro, , Betsy Rose, until you reach a turn-out with We and Heather Sundberg. For information visit www.spiritrock.org. 20 mailboxes. The monastery entrance is on the right. School East Rd 8 Upāsikā Day at Abhayagiri.

N Wy o rth S REDWOOD VALLEY

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te 9 Community Work Day at Abhayagiri.

iles) OREGON CALPELLA 12 Monthly gathering at Yoga Mendocino, Ukiah, CA.

Orr Sp te ta 5 S r rth D o lla 21-23 Spirit Rock Teen Weekend. For information visit www.spiritrock.org. Eureka ri N e East Side ngs Rd st Rd. exit- 6 m lp lley Rd a Potter Va Redding C We endocino 25-28 Ajahn Amaro offers teachings at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Redwood Valley Lo Carmel Valley, CA. w G (Ukiah to Lake Lake M 101 a p R Mendocino d Dr 1 Sacramento UKIAH Sept 1 Monthly gathering at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. Oakland To San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO (120 miles) NEVADA 9 Monthly gathering at Yoga Mendocino, Ukiah, CA. San Jose 13 Community Work Day at Abhayagiri. 5 26-27 Buddhist Bicycle Pilgrimage from Spirit Rock to Abhayagiri— www.dharmawheels.org. 1 CALIFORNIA 27 Daylong at Spirit Rock—“Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness” Bakersfield with Ajahn Amaro. Santa Barbara LOS ANGELES 101 N 10

5 Every Saturday evening at Abhayagiri Catalina Island Chanting, meditation & Dhamma talk, beginning at 7:30 pm. SAN 8 DIEGO MEXICO Every Lunar Quarter at Abhayagiri (see calendar on this page) Chanting, meditation, precepts, Dhamma talk, and late night vigil, beginning at 7:30 pm.

Second Sunday of each month at Abhayagiri (April through December) Community work day, 8:00 am–4:00 pm. Contact Information for events First Tuesday of the month in Berkeley, CA 5:00-6:00 pm, Informal tea gathering. 7:30-9:30 pm, Meditation, Precepts & NORTH AMERICA NEW ZEALAND Dhamma talk by monastic at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, 2304 McKinley. Sītavana Birken Forest Monastery Amaravati Buddhist Monastery Bodhinyanarama PO Box 5, Knutsford, B.C. Great Gaddesden, Monastery Second Wednesday of each month at Yoga Mendocino Canada V0E 2A0 Hemel Hempstead, 17 Rakau Grove 7:30 pm–9:00 pm: Meditation and Dhamma talk by Theraváda monastic. +1 (778) 785-6059 Hertfordshire HP1 3BZ. Stokes Valley, During the months of Jan, Feb, Mar, the evening will be led by an Upásiká.

email: [email protected] Tel. +44 (0) 144 284 2455 Lower Hutt 5019 (preferred method of contact) Tel. +64 (0) 4 5637 193 Every Tuesday and Friday at Portland Friends of the Dhamma Fax: +44 (0) 144 284 3721 7:00 pm–9:00 pm: Meditation and Dhamma discussion with lay practitioners. www.amaravati.org www.bodhinyanarama.net.nz Tisarana Buddhist Monastery 1356 Powers Road, RR #3 Cittaviveka Vimutti Monastery , Ontario K7H 3C5 Chithurst Buddhist Monastery PO Box 7 Tel: +1 (613) 264 8208 Chithurst, Petersfield, Bombay, 2343 www.tisarana.ca Hampshire GU31 5EU. Tel. +64 (0) 9 236 6816 Stewards: Tisarana Buddhist Monastery Tel. +44 (0) 1730 814 986 www.vimutti.org.nz Fax. +44 (0) 1730 817 334 Berkeley Buddhist Monastery www.cittaviveka.org Institute for World Religions 2304 McKinley Ave. AUSTRALIA Berkeley, CA 94703 Harnham Buddhist Monastery Tel. (510) 848 3440 Harnham, Belsay, 216 Kingsbury Drive, Fax. (510) 548 4551 Northumberland NE20 0HF. Serpentine, WA 6125. www.drba.org Tel. +44 (0) 1661 881 612 Tel. +61 (0) 8 9525 2420 Fax. +44 (0) 1661 881 019 Fax. +61 (0) 8 9525 3420 Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery Community List Portland Friends of the Dhamma www.ratanagiri.org www.bswa.org 1422 SE Tacoma St., 2nd Floor Vassa (Rains Retreats/years as a monk) Updated April 8, 2009 Portland, OR 97202 Bodhivana Monastery [email protected] THAILAND 780 Woods Point Road, Thitābho Bhikkhu 2 Spirit Rock Meditation Center East Warburton, Pasanno Bhikkhu 35 Kassapo Bhikkhu 2 5000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Wat Pah Nanachat Victoria 3799. Amaro Bhikkhu 30 Woodacre, CA Bahn Bung Wai, Tel. +61 (0) 3 5966 5999 Cunda Bhikkhu 1 Tel. (415) 488 0164 Amper Warin, Fax. +61 (0) 3 5966 5998 Yatiko Bhikkhu 16 Kaccāna Bhikkhu 0 Ubon 34310 Fax. (415) 488 1025 Sudanto Bhikkhu 14 Sāmanera Thitapañño 1 www.spiritrock.org Karunadhammo Bhikkhu 11 Anagārika Ian Hillard 1 Yoga Mendocino Gunavuddho Bhikkhu 9 206 Mason St. Anagārika Louis Gegenhuber 1 For a comprehensive directory of branch Cāgānando Bhikkhu 4 Ukiah, CA 95482Tel. please visit www.forestsangha.org Anagārika Carl Braun 1 (707) 462 2580 www.yogamendocino.org

Fearless Mountain is the periodic newsletter of Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery, a Buddhist community in the of Ajahn Chah and . It is composed 16201 Tomki Road, Redwood Valley, CA 95470 of materials submitted to or written at Abhayagiri and distributed free of charge to friends of the Abhayagiri community. Comment within is personal reflection only. Your input is (707) 485-1630 www.abhayagiri.org welcome and appreciated. If you have comments, suggestions, or wish to reprint any of the material contained in this newsletter, please send an email to [email protected] Please keep us informed of your current address. © 2009 Abhayagiri Monastery. All rights reserved. The Essential Eights (continued from page 7) dhamma, and reject unwholesome dāna as an investment of your so Anything they think, no matter how dhamma. Therefore, for this reason, for you can have more things in the future. beneficial or useful it is, is produced, the sake of discernment, for the sake of I have heard people say, when giving generated, or invented by intelligence. If understanding, for the sake of liberation, things to me, “Bhante, please pray for that is harmful to us, harmful to others, mindfulness is the head. And also the me to become more prosperous, so that or harmful to both, then the one who Buddha said that all wholesome things I can give more.” The person’s motive is produced it is not wise. But it may be begin from mindfulness. Therefore, to get more, to give more. But when we very intelligent. Wisdom is something mindfulness is also the thing that makes very mindfully, skillfully look at that very special. What is wisdom? Wisdom wholesome things of a high quality. very motive, you can see the underlying should be able to bring peace, happiness, In our religious activities we use two tendency of desire. That kind of motive and total, complete liberation from greed, words: one is called puñña; the other is can be removed when we do it with skill, hatred, and delusion. Buddha compared called kusala. People sometimes don’t with kusala. So when we pay mindful wisdom to the embryo in an egg. When understand the difference between these attention to our motive of intention, the egg is properly hatched, the embryo two. Even to be able to see the differ- inside the egg slowly grows and becomes ence between these two, we should have hardened. Then the chick inside, using quality attention and we should have Wisdom is something very its tiny little beak and very tender claws, mindfulness. Puñña is that which makes special. What is wisdom? breaks the egg and comes out. Similarly, us happy. Buddha said it in several places, Wisdom should be able we all have wisdom as one of the whole- “Puññassetam. bhikkhave sukhassa adhiva- some roots. There are six roots: three are canam. ”. Puñña or wholesome thoughts, to bring peace, happiness unwholesome, three are wholesome. One words and deeds are used synonymously and total, complete of the three wholesome roots is wisdom, with happiness; that is, wholesome amoha. This root of wisdom slowly grows, thoughts, words, and deeds are equated liberation from greed, becomes strong and mature, and breaks with happiness. But this happiness can hatred, and delusion. through the shell of ignorance. In this be either of low or high quality. And metaphor the wisdom is inside this egg. this quality of happiness is controlled by then we can see whether our wholesome Wisdom is like the embryo in the egg. kusala. Kusala is the quality controller thoughts, words, and deeds are going And just like the chick, the embryo grows of happiness or puñña. Giving dāna is to be weak wholesome thoughts, words gradually, and becomes strong to break the puñña. Practicing meditation is puñña. and deeds, strong wholesome thoughts, egg and come out. Wisdom also slowly, Observing sīla is puñña. Helping others words and deeds, or pure wholesome gradually grows and becomes strong and is puñña. But all these puñña, all these thoughts, words and deeds. The whole- powerful, and then shatters our ignorance. wholesome thoughts words and deeds, some thoughts, words and deeds can be And, we come out of the jail, prison. We can have certain underlying unwholesome purified, cleansed by using skill. Skill is are in the prison of ignorance. And there- tendencies. When we are mindful, we called kusala. fore, “paññuttarā sabbe dhammā.” Buddha can see that these unwholesome tenden- And to see this difference we have said that wisdom is the greatest of all the cies are those which weaken our puñña, to use mindfulness. That is why the dhammas. Wisdom is the greatest. When which weaken our wholesome thoughts, Buddha said, “satādhipateyyā sabbe we have wisdom, we don’t become proud, words and deeds. When the kusala or skill dhammā.” Mindfulness is the head of all don’t become arrogant, don’t become intervenes, then this kusala can remove dhammas, whether they are wholesome egotistic. When we have wisdom, the the underlying tendency of wholesome or unwholesome. When mindfulness is more wise we are, the more humbled we thoughts, words, or deeds we commit. For the head, it can see very clearly what is are, more soft we are, more gentle we are. example, when you give dāna, offer dāna, wholesome or what is unwholesome, and No arrogance is there. When we are wise, give something with a generous thought. then they won’t do the unwholesome and the ego-notion will not affect our mind, When you are giving something, if you they will do the wholesome. the very notion of ego will not arise in have a certain unwholesome tendency Next thing, Buddha said, “paññuttarā our mind. which you may not be quite aware of, for sabbe dhammā”—the highest of all So wisdom is something very special, example if you give dāna thinking that Dhammas is wisdom (pañña). This is which not every intelligent person has. this person, this venerable monk or difficult to understand. What is wisdom? The difference between intelligence and this nun or this so and so is my friend. Is it intelligence? If intelligence is wisdom, wisdom is that an intelligent person or He appears to be noble, holy, observing then all intelligent animals can be wise. being can do many, many things which precepts... Therefore, if I give dāna to this The animals are intelligent. And many may be materially helpful, materially person, I will get more merit. And my merit intelligent people discover many, many profitable, but what it eventually does is bank will be very big. I can actually earn things to promote greed, hatred, and increase their greed, hatred and delusion. a lot of merit for future use. So you give delusion because they are very intelligent. Intelligent people created television.

10 • Fearless Mountain The Essential Eights (continued from page 10) What does it do? Promote greed, hatred here, but we must take each of them sepa- and delusion, and give us examples of rately. Each of these on this list is a topic greed, hatred and delusion. Watch TV. for a one-hour Dhamma talk. But I have What do you see? Examples of greed, no time to give an eight-hour Dhamma hatred and delusion create many machines talk on these eight topics, so I put all of in science and technology, like the atomic them together! When we try to put many bomb. Somebody had to be very power- things together, nothing is clear. But fully intelligent to make the atomic bomb. when we take one and focus the mind on What does it do? What has it done? that, then we can make at least that clear. Bombs, guns, chemicals… intelligent Unfortunately I am not ready for that, nor people. But, a wise person? are you. Therefore, I conclude this little That is why Buddha said, “Yo sahassam Dhamma talk this evening. Thank you sahassena sangāme mānuse jine ekañca very much for your patient listening. jeyyamattānam. sa ve sangāmajuttamo”. One wins, defeats thousands upon thousands in the battlefield, but the one who conquers themselves—gets rid of their own defile- Being with Elders ments—is the real victor. The other is not Bhante G’s Influence on My Life Sondra Jewell with Bhante Gunaratana the victor. He is defeated. Why? He may and Bhante Rahula have intelligence, but no wisdom. One by Sondra Jewell who has wisdom will conquer themselves. For me 1997 held an important event: he graciously interacted with different One with wisdom will be able to get rid I saw Bhante Gunaratana for the first types of people. I noticed that he always of greed, hatred and delusion, which are time when he visited my home town of displayed calm compassion and equa- the causes of our suffering, of existing Sacramento and gave a Dhamma talk. nimity, traits that were wonderful to watch in samsāra. If we are wise, our wisdom Seeing someone who was soft-spoken in action. should be able to liberate ourselves from with a quiet, serene demeanor was unusual During those six months at Bhāvanā suffering. That is the difference between for me. At that point in my life, I was Society, other activities that left indelible wisdom and intelligence. Intelligence can very unhappy and hardly knew what the marks in my memory were Bhante G’s push you into samsāra; increasing greed, word Dhamma meant. This positive first inspiring Dhamma talks and classes on hatred and delusion. Wisdom gets you out impression, as well as my subsequent “Sutta Studies” and the , of samsāra, liberates yourself from samsāra. listening to Bhante G’s Dhamma talks on as well as several ten-day retreats led This is the difference between these two. tape, prompted me two years later to attend by him. All these and many other experi- And the last thing Buddha mentioned my first-ever ten-day retreat, which was ences made it easy for me to conclude in this category is that all these are a led solely by him and which had the theme that his knowledge of the Dhamma graduated teaching, beginning with of Mettā, or as he translates it, loving- was inexhaustible and his confidence in one thing and ending with the highest. friendliness. That endeavor made an Buddha-Dhamma-Sangha, unshakeable. Ending is “vimutti rasā sabbe dhammā.” enormous impact on me, and afterwards, The Buddha instructs us to evaluate The tastiest of all dhammas is liberation. I lengthened my daily meditation sessions a teacher by observing him over a long Vimutti rasā; rasā means taste. Liberation and began including daily Mettā practice. period of time. After 11 years of watching is the taste of all the dhammas. That As the years passed, I watched my Bhante G’s unchanging and composed means that even when we are liberated life slowly improve from depression to attitude, unhurried and gentle speech, from wholesome dhamma, that is the enthusiasm for the Dhamma. My life had unflagging energy and hard work to share time when we experience the greatest, become focused on Theravādan Buddhism and preserve the Dhamma, and his deep highest taste: the taste of liberation and included weekly interaction with, and devotion to the Buddha’s teaching, I have (vimutti rasā). And that is the taste of training by, monastics. During that period, developed boundless respect and gratitude Dhamma. That means our wisdom takes several personal encounters with Bhante G for his spiritual guidance. us even beyond wholesome dhammas— at Abhayagiri Monastery also left lasting, All in all, the personal example of the puñña-papa (merits and demerits), the favorable impressions on me. way Bhante G has lived his own life has mind liberated from both. And that is the Then it was my good fortune to be able been a great inspiration to me of how I time when we attain full enlightenment, to spend the three-month rains retreat in should try to live a simple, contented, and attain Nibbāna. That is the greatest, both 2006 and 2007 at Bhāvanā Society in happy life. highest taste of all the dhammas that we West Virginia, which gave me an un- Sondra Jewell moved to Redwood Valley in learn and practice. equalled opportunity to observe Bhante G late 2007, in order to be closer to the This is merely a list that I mention during many and varied situations as Abhayagiri community.

SPRING 2009 • 11 Skillful Effort (continued from page 5) pleasure right now?” And sometimes the Now, I know a number of people who body, it’s because lots of interesting things lust goes away. This doesn’t uproot the say that the analysis of the body in this gather around the pain. lust but it gives you some ammunition to way creates a negative body image, but It’s like that image in A Still Forest Pool. weaken it. there are unhealthy negative body images As Ajahn Chah says, when you get the The same with anger: When anger and there are healthy ones. Unhealthy mind very still it’s like a still pool of water, arises in the mind, you’ll feel it in the body ones say, “My body is ugly and everyone where all sorts of rare and wonderful as well. If you feel tension in the middle of else’s body is beautiful.” Healthy ones say, animals come gathering around the pool. the chest, breathe around that. Develop a “Everybody’s body is ugly.” Even with Miss Well, actually, those rare and wonderful sense of fullness and ease. And then ask America: If you asked her to take out her animals are all your crazy neuroses that yourself, “Do I really want to indulge in liver, what would it look like? We’re all have gathered around your pain. The pain the anger? What kinds of pleasure do I get pretty much equal in that regard. If you is the watering hole where all your strange out of the anger? Maybe it’s better just to lined people’s livers up on the stage to see and weird ideas about pain and suffering have a sense of ease right now.” This helps who’s got the best looking liver, nobody come gathering. When you can stay with to take the edge off the anger, the part of would come to see. Nobody would even the pain, you get to watch them—and the anger that says, “I’ve got this horrible turn on the T.V. except for a few sickos. really to see them for the first time. feeling in my body and I have to get it out When you’ve been thinking in this way, After all, when was your first experi- of my system right now.” Usually we get you can ask yourself, “Is that what I really ence of pain? It was right after you were it out of our system by giving vent in our want?” Well, no. You’ve used the power of born. Actually when you were still in words or deeds, but that’s not very skillful. perception to help fight off the causes of the womb it was bad enough to begin A more skillful way is to get the tension out suffering. with. And then suddenly you got pushed of your system by breathing through the Or you can focus on how you perceive out through that narrow canal and found chest, out the hands, out the feet. When feelings of pain. Have you ever stopped yourself surrounded by air, which attacked you’ve weakened the power of the anger in to analyze the relation between feeling your skin. Someone pulled you out and this way, you can look at it with a lot more and perception? To start out, it’s good to spanked you. You had to deal with all that equanimity. You can ask yourself, “What develop as much ease in your concentra- pain, with nobody to explain what was is actually wrong in the situation right tion as you can around the pain, so that going on. For your first couple of years, now? What would be the skillful thing to when you look into the pain you’re not before you could even learn how to speak do? What would be the skillful thing to looking with a sense of desperation or intelligently, you had to deal with pain say?” You’re in a much better position to with the desire to make it go away right with no one to explain it. So you came up decide whether you need to act right now away. You’re looking from a position of with a lot of preverbal attitudes toward or if it would be better to act later. strength. You’ve got most of the body at pain, many of which are still hanging So what you’re doing is using this ease with the breath, but there’s still this around in your mind. process of fabrication as an aid in over- section where there’s pain. When you’re So if you learn how to focus steadily on coming the causes of suffering. These not feeling threatened by the pain, you can the pain and look at what’s coming around three things—breath, directed thought look at it with the right purpose, which is the watering hole, you see lots of strange and evaluation, feeling and perception— to try to understand it. As the Buddha said, perceptions and ideas. You can ask yourself, are tools you can use in almost any your duty with regard to suffering or stress “Do you still believe in those ideas?” If you situation, not only in creating a state is to try to comprehend it, not to make it see that those ideas are adding unneces- of concentration in the mind, but also go away. sary suffering on top of the pain, you learn in counteracting anger, counteracting So you might ask yourself, “What how to drop them. lust, whatever the unskillful mind state perceptions do you have around the pain?” Take for instance the perception that may be. This is an excellent way of seeing what’s you’re on the receiving end of the pain. For instance, if you’re feeling lust you going on in the mind. Some people object You can switch that perception around. can ask yourself, “What perception are that the Buddha’s focus on suffering and How about perceiving the pain as receding you holding in mind about that body that pain shows an unduly negative outlook on away from you? As soon as you perceive makes it attractive?” Learn to analyze life. Well, he’s not trying to give a total the pain, you’re seeing it going away, that perception and you’ll see that it’s outlook on life. He’s trying to give you going away. You’re not on the receiving focusing on only certain details of the skills for overcoming the big problem in end. It’s like sitting in the back end of an body. There are huge blank spots—in life, which is suffering. He’s like a doctor. old station wagon in a seat facing back, particular, everything inside the skin. When you go to the doctor and the doctor watching things go away, go away, go away So you might ask yourself, “What if I says, “Where does it hurt?” you don’t behind you. What if you were to have that were to allow myself to hold on to some accuse the doctor of being negative. The attitude toward the pain? You’d find that perceptions of what’s inside the body doctor’s doing his or her job. In the same the mind would immediately feel a lot less as well?” way, when you learn to look at pain in the stress around the pain, because you’re not

12 • Fearless Mountain on the receiving end. of suffering you feel. This gives you an experience very discouraging. She would Or you can ask yourself, “Where is the excellent tool to use against the causes of throw her pots, put on the glaze, get them sharpest point of the pain right now?” As suffering. into the kiln. The next morning she’d come you watch it move around, you begin to So remember: As you’re working with back and they’d all be broken, or burnt, or realize that some of the variations in the the breath, you’ve got all these forms of destroyed in one way or another. Whereas pain are caused by physical causes, but fabrication working together. You’ve got the living national treasure would put some are caused by variations in the mind. the breath, you’ve got directed thought, his pots in, and the next morning they’d You see that the sense of being oppressed evaluation, perception, and feeling. come out perfect every time. This had her by the pain will go away for a second, And as you develop concentration based discouraged, until one day they opened up and then it’ll come back. Well, what else on the breath, you’re learning how to the kiln and found that his pots were all happened when it went away? What was use these things in a knowledgeable and burnt and destroyed. She noticed, though, the change in the perception, what was helpful way rather than as part of the cause that he didn’t get upset. He just went in the change in the thought accompanying of suffering. and tried to figure out what had happened. the pain? Sit there and watch. It’ll come And she realized: That’s how you become back again, so you can watch it come and a living national treasure. You don’t beat go, come and go. When you change a yourself up over your failures. You use After a while you begin to realize that them as an opportunity to learn. there was a certain perception you held for perception, you learn So you have to realize, as you’re a moment that made the physical pain a how it changes approaching this problem of suffering in burden on the mind. When the percep- the mind, that some of the causes go away tion stopped, the sense of burdensomeness the amount of simply by watching them. Those are the stopped as well. What was that percep- suffering you feel. ones where you can just relax and watch. tion? The next time it comes up, can you They’ve been allowed to fester simply drop it immediately? This gives you an because you haven’t really looked at them. Or say that there’s a sense of pain in excellent tool to use With others, though, you need to exert a your knee. How do you perceive that? Do fabrication—which doesn’t mean simply you have a sense that the pain is eating up against the causes exerting brute strength. It means gaining the knee, or has occupied your knee? That of suffering. finesse in learning how to master the tools the whole knee is pain? There are actually you’ve got. As you master them through lots of different sensations going on there. concentration, you begin to see their power. There are the body sensations, such as the This is one of the reasons why there’s Ultimately, of course, you’ll run into the breath and the other physical elements of no clear distinction between concentration limits of concentration. After all, what warmth, coolness, and solidity. And then and discernment, or concentration and are you doing as you get the mind concen- there’s the pain, which is a different type wisdom, in the teachings of the forest trated? You’re pushing against the three of sensation entirely. Can you separate masters—or in the Buddha’s teachings, characteristics. You’re taking things that them out? for that matter. The skills you develop in are inconstant and trying to make them What often happens is that the sense the course of concentration practice are constant. You want the mind to stay still. of solidity and the sense of pain get precisely the skills you’re going to need to You take things that are stressful—this glommed together, which makes the pain turn around and look at pain. Prior to your body here has lots of stress—but you’re seem a lot more permanent and lasting practice, these processes of fabrication learning how to make it pleasant by the than it actually is. If you learn to apply the were done in ignorance, which is why they way you breathe, by the way you relate perception of earth to the solid sensations, contributed to pain. But when you learn to the energy flows in the body. You take and the perception of pain to the sense of how to use them with knowledge, and try things that are ultimately out of your sharp sensations around the earth, you see to develop that attitude of finding joy in control and you try to exert some control that that sense of sharpness flits around. working on a skill and learning how to over them. And you find that you can do It’s not nearly as solid and lasting as you master it, they become part of the path. this to a certain extent. might have thought. And it’s much more The important point is that you learn And you have to do it. If you simply say, manageable that way. how not to get discouraged by setbacks, “Well, this concentration is inconstant, So this is how you play with your that you learn to use your setbacks as an stressful, not self, so I’ll just give up my perceptions. You’re playing like Michael opportunity to gain new knowledge. I had attachment to it,” you’ll never get anywhere Jordan, and Michael Jordan plays to a friend once who was learning to be a on the path. The path is something you win. You begin to see the power of your potter, and she had the opportunity to go develop, not something you simply watch perceptions. When you change a percep- to Japan and study with one of their living arising and passing away. You’ve got to tion, you learn how it changes the amount national treasures. At first she found the (Continued on page 15)

SPRING 2009 • 13 From ’s Desk By Cindy Mettika Hoffman I have been busy, lately, selling my prod- Pleasure and Pain, Fame and Disrepute. or a win in the lottery. Just listening in ucts to the aging population who want to Everyone grabs the bait—hook, line, and was exhausting. look young and vibrant. Now I am back sinker—each time they get the tiniest My favorite pastime is to slip into home —up here with all these so-called whiff. My job is so easy—I have plenty meditation halls and lure meditators. great beings who think they are the cat’s of time to do some eavesdropping on the Now that can be a challenge because meow, especially that Lord Brahma latest bargaining with the Buddha Realm I cannot usually get into the mind/ Sahampati, who acts like Mr. Goody gods and goddesses. thought/heart process of those that are Two Shoes himself. Then there’s Lord concentrated or practicing mettā, karunā, Yāmā, the King of Death; Kwan Yin, the muditā and upekkhā. However, there feminine goddess darling of Asia; Lord Praise and Blame, are plenty of practitioners in the room Buddha and moi, Lord Māra, Master of Gain and Loss, fidgeting on their cushions or in their Suffering, King of Deceit, Deception, minds—so easy to set the bait for them. Fear, Pride, Ego, Vanity, Shame and Pleasure and Pain, and Some of them are grasping and striving Delusion. Oh, and I forgot to mention the Fame and Disrepute— after a concentrated mind. They forget one known as The Laughing Buddha who about me altogether. FYI—these folks appreciates me because my traps give him humans spin endlessly are my favorite victims. Before they know a good chuckle as he holds his arms aloft on the wheel of life it they are onto some old resentment, watching humanity’s foibles. wounded pride, jealousy or something that I have decided to keep busy for the next and death. gave them pleasure; or they’re scripting the endless eons, watching the untrained and scenario for their next sexual encounter or half-trained minds of worldlings caught writing the great novel or planning how up in the snare of the worldly winds. I These gods and goddesses that people to get more money to get the new iPod have watched and interfered in human believe they talk to have lofty names like to listen to more distractions. Another lives in every age of the past 33 Buddhas. Buddha, Sāriputta, Mahā Mogallāna, meditation session down the tubes. Then Everyone suffers, except for a few in Brahma, Vishnu, Kwan Yin and Indra, they feel bad that their resolve for perfect each age. Even the greatest kings and to name a few. I sneak peeks at their text concentration failed again. Heh-heh-heh! queens throughout history have suffered. messages, emails, cell phone message Sometimes I lurk around and listen Worldlings crave this and don’t want that. boxes and cosmic telephone conversations. into the hearts of the plea bargainers Because of these four pairs—Praise and Everybody wants something from them, at the famous Buddha Rupa statues in Blame, Gain and Loss, Pleasure and Pain, mostly to cut some kind of deal. This Asia. I heard a woman who had become and Fame and Disrepute—humans spin past —which equals four billion extremely religious and meditated at endlessly on the wheel of life and death. years—I listened day in and day out to the local wat (monastery) every day as Sometimes it is so fast it is like watching people begging for this and that. The her illegal business was failing. She a Ferris wheel spinning out of control at wealthy wanted more money and were promised the Reclining Buddha 2,000 1,000 miles per hour as people are hurled afraid to lose what they had; those who hard-boiled eggs and a hog’s head for the off into space. It doesn’t matter how felt neglected wanted more fame; the monks and abbot if he would save her old, young, rich, poor, famous, wealthy, pleasure-seekers wanted more pleasure; business. She lit incense and prayed and spiritually inclined or materialistic people the “oh-so-special” people wanted to be meditated every day. With some mystic are—they could be kings, queens, beggars, recognized over and over again. I heard mojo working there was bound to be a hawks, doves, Republicans, Democrats, people beg to live longer or to be cured miracle and sure enough, the business judges, communists, socialists, dictators, of their incapacitating disease or illness. must have turned around because there brain surgeons, scholars, thieves, lawyers, Sometimes they wanted to get a girlfriend she was boiled eggs, fruit, students, factory workers, beauty queens, or boyfriend. Maybe they could get that flowers, incense and hogs’ heads to the morticians, gardeners, teachers, musicians, divorce. Maybe they could marry the man monastery for the next month. Now that dentists, farmers, psychologists, bankers, or woman of their dreams. Maybe they was a tricky piece of karmic banking for secretaries, presidents, monks, nuns, could become a stream-enterer. Maybe the gods to work out. writers, poets, artists, plumbers, brokers, they could win the math/beauty/drama/ To have to manage all those deals, and jewelers, rocket scientists, yoga teachers, swimming contest. Maybe they could pass to keep accurate karmic accounts must be idolaters, free thinkers, vegetarians or their oral exam. Then there were others at hell for these great gods. All I have to do omnivores—I lure them all with tasty the gaming tables who wanted just one big is whisper sweet nothings in humanity’s bits of Praise and Blame, Gain and Loss, winning hand or the slot machine jackpot ear such as: she is prettier, he is smarter,

14 • Fearless Mountain From Mara's Desk (continued from page 14) Skillful Effort (continued from page 13) push against the three characteristics. salt water, but if you simply take the When they push back, notice where salt water and let it sit there, you can you are getting fat, they have more money, they push back. That’s where the skill come back a hundred years later and it’s she is more famous, you are going to lose comes in the practice. You don’t have to still salt water. It doesn’t separate out everything, who do you think you are, make fabrications absolutely constant, on its own. You have to distil it. The they are having a nicer vacation, you are absolutely pleasant, absolutely, totally effort we put into the practice is the going to get found out, your clothes are a under your control. You want just enough distilling. Sometimes it’s simply the little shabby, you are so good, you deserve control to give you the strength you need effort of watching with equanimity, and it, what if you don’t get the job or house to let go. sometimes it’s the effort of exerting a of your dreams, what if you can no longer True letting go is when you let go fabrication: the breath, directed thought, afford the place where you live, what if out of strength, not out of weakness. If evaluation, feelings, and perceptions. you join the great hordes of the homeless you let go out of weakness, it’s because But if you learn how to take joy in the and shop at food banks, what if the austere of desperation. There’s a sense of sour process of learning how to be skillful monastic life is not what you want now, grapes around the whole thing. “I could with these fabrications, you finally do and on and on it goes. They bite. They never get my mind to settle down,” you realize there is something unfabricated suffer. They spin. I smile. say. “Well, that’s simply because the here as well. Māra’s advice to wheel spinners: If you mind is totally out of control. So I let go.” That’s where the practice gets really think you don’t suffer, then you don’t. Letting go like that, as Ajaan Lee said, is good. So when you think about the Resent and blame the person who blames letting go like a pauper. A pauper doesn’t issue of effort, don’t think of that poor you. Take no responsibility for your part have anything to let go of to begin with, neurotic fool who’s trying, trying, trying whatsoever. Get puffed up with pride when so his letting-go is all in his imagination. and never going to get there because he’s you are praised. Worry yourself sick chasing But if you learn how to develop a sense so miserable and deluded in his effort. gain and running from loss. Connive to of ease, a sense of well-being through Think more of the person who has taken be famous by associating exclusively with your concentration, it may not be abso- joy in learning how to master a skill. The well-known special people at your job or lute, but it’s relatively strong enough skill takes effort, it takes time, but in this in your social network. Shun the plain and and pleasant enough that when you begin particular case there are results all along boring folks. Seek endless pleasures and do to see the things that are totally out of the way—and the ultimate results more not think of the consequences. Be sure to your control, you let go not out of frustra- than repay all the effort put in. With run as far as you can from pain—yours and tion, but out of a sense of contentment, this thought in mind, you can make your others. If you run fast enough or deny it, a sense of balance. effort with a sense of good-heartedness, you are free. So you try to use the processes a sense of good humor, and you’ll find My favorite advice for the pleasure- of fabrication, even though they are that this path of fabrication really does seekers is: How much is enough? Always stressful, inconstant, and not-self, to lead to the unfabricated. That’s the answer: One more. Most importantly, do gain this sense of ease that can come Buddha’s promise, and he wasn’t the type not seek any of the Buddha’s teachings, as from the concentration. And from of person to make promises in vain. it will only confuse your mind/heart. that vantage point you can use your Well, it’s back to lurking, sneaking, and tools to uncover something that lies eavesdropping. Ta-ta for now. deeper still. This relates to another common Fearless Mountain Production Team Your Good Friend, Māra misconception around the issue of effort We would like to express our heartfelt and relaxation. A book I once read said gratitude to Jebbie Lavoie for design and that there are two ways of approaching layout, along with editorial assistance by Awakening. One is trying to create the Kristy Arbon and Elizabeth Matovinovic. unconditioned through your practice, Special thanks to and the other is realizing that the uncon- Patriya Tansuhaj for ditioned can’t be brought into being; it’s transcribing Bhante already there and all you need to do is Gunaratana’s talk. relax. Well, this interpretation ignores the third possibility, which is that the unconditioned is already there, but it’s not attained simply by relaxing. The image Ajaan Lee gives is of salt water. As he says, there’s fresh water in

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