Notes from Prah Ajahn Sukito

 November 25

I arrived on 11/25 and attended Dhamma talks given by Prah Ajahn Sukito.  This was my choice to attend not as an old student but a new student in order to hear his talks along with the new students.

11/26

Prah Ajahn Sukto’s first talk was on the precepts of Buddhism.  He gave us a handout this day.

11/27

Prah Ajahn Sukito shares his belief that positive energy is in the space of Wat Rampoeng because of the generations of meditators.

As meditators, we can share this energy like water being poured.  This reminds me of the love water I have been doing in my teaching career as part of the Green Circle to teach altruism to children.  There is the same ritual in Buddhism, water is poured from one container into the other during chanting and as one pours the water, one expresses good will to others in their mind.  Body and mind can be used to share energy.  When one is “awake” one can choose happy or sad.  If the mind is awake, one can choose the feeling.  This feeling lives only in the present moment, the rest of the time past and future are only thoughts.  

We have the ability to change our habits.  What ever we are now is from our memory of our past.  We live only by habit.  If we gain a new direction from our meditation experience, we learn how our body and mind can be free.  This comes with less attachment, our new knowledge becomes wisdom and stays with us forever.  Otherwise when our mind is unclear, we have doubt. 

11/28 Buddha Day

There is no reporting on this day to our assigned monks, my monk being my beloved Bhikuni Agga Nani.  Buddha day occurs every full, half and new moons as a reminder of Buddha’s teachings and the precepts, the rules of Buddhism. The main Buddha Day occurs once a year.  He speaks of the different rules for women and men, for instance women cannot step on the stupa as in the foot of the pagoda.  On the other hand there are extra rules which show more respect to women because of motherhood.  As meditators, we only follow the first four precepts, no stealing, lying, sex and killing including small insects.  There are 270 precepts for monks, the main ones cannot be broken and if so, the monk is asked to disrobe.  But if others are broken, the monk can make a confession to a fellow monk and be forgiven.  If a monk chooses to disrobe and choose to enter normal life, he or she may choose to return to being a monk up to seven times.  Rules are there to give the monk direction.  For example, one rule is to not touch a woman but if a monk is helping a woman from a fall, compassion presides over rules.  A monk must practice being non self.  For example, if a monk says “I” want to be enlightened, one cannot be enlightened with this self centered expression.  

Whenever one is unhappy, it means there is some kind of attachment.  Only a clear consciousness can be attentive to a healthy mind and body.  

On Buddha Day, it is a time to give blessings to others.  

First, to our parents regardless of whether they have passed away or not

Second, to all others 

Third, to self, family and friends

Forth, to all divas and mothers 

The blessing wish is for all to have a healthy body, mind and life style.

As we make these blessings, we hold a candle, flowers, and incense and walk three times around the pagoda. 

As Prah Ajahn Sukito is explaining our blessings given first to our parents, I think how not a coincidence that I had this special dream about my mother this morning.  

11/29

Prah Ajahn Sukito explains the value of breathing. He talks about first before beginning to breathe into the points, scan the whole body. Scan the body as you breathe into the whole body.  Breathe with the awareness not to feel any anger, trying not to distinguish thoughts, not to like or dislike.  Anger causes fear.  First love your self and then love others.  It is important that one must be healthy first before one can love another.  Happiness comes from unconditional love.  If one complains and does not hold positive energy, this causes unhappiness.  Clarity comes from meditation and is the route to less suffering.  It is easier for a monk to gain less suffering because of the rules he follows for direction.  It is difficult to end suffering but we can work toward less suffering.  Less suffering comes through loving and less desire and less attachment.  There must be the right kind of desire which includes love. There must be this right kind of desire without hurting others, the right kind of desire includes love and compassion. 

11/30

Meditation helps you keep a positive consciousness.  There is an awakening when you come to the temple without the temptations of the outside world.  This is why it is so very important to continue meditation after you leave the temple.  It is important to make time for meditation in your daily life.  To continue a daily meditation practice, it allows us to keep this clarity, this consciousness and awareness to live our best life.