Past retreats

Trisikkha Meditation Center, Plant City, Florida USA

“Student 20: Should I practice watching the body or the mind? Which do you think is appropriate for me?

LP: Actually, once our practice really takes off, there ceases to be such a consider- ation. This is just a starting point so that mindfulness can arise. When it does, mindfulness will automatically switch back and forth between watching the body and the mind. In your case, you are prone to over-thinking. Such people I usually suggest watching the mind move around. Then when the mind is restless, know it. When the mind is happy, un- happy, virtuous or not, just know the state that has arisen, again and again. If we practice this repetitively, the mind will remember these states vividly. And when one of the states it remembers comes up, mindfulness will then quickly arise on its own. This automatic mindfulness will sometimes know the body, sometimes know sensations, sometimes know mental phenomena. However, in order for this automatic mindfulness to arise, we have to set our intentions correctly. Just practice watching the mind and know what arises when it does. Don’t force it or watch too intensely as that creates stress. Just set the mind to watching frequently.”

“Student 21: I have been trying to practice watching the mind, but within even one minute there are so many things going on that I can’t keep track of what to watch. There is worry, there is wanting, there is a me – there are so many defilements!

LP: Just know you are confused in that mo- ment. But seeing all these defilements means you are welcome to be one of my students! Those that say they’ve been meditating for three days and haven’t seen any defilements have no idea how to practice correctly. Can you see that these defilements were not invited, and come of their own accord? They are fabrications that come up on their own. Don’t de- sire them to go away. Just know what arises. The wanting to get rid of them causes aversion (perhaps anger, frustration, fear, stress or hatred).

Student 22: I can see I’m wanting to ask a question now.

LP: Oh good. When we want to ask, and mindfulness sees it, the wanting will drop off. Then we will ask if it is appropriate and won’t ask if it isn’t.

Student 22: Sometimes I’m angry and I lash out at others.
LP: It is important to stay moral, to keep the moral precepts (not killing, stealing, cheating, lying or intoxicating). Those who practice a lot of Samatha don’t need to be as concerned about this because they are usually well mannered already. But if we are interested only in Vipassana, we let defilements arise, so we need to keep these precepts as a measure of control so that we don’t hurt anyone.
Once they understand how to practice correctly, many people get lazy. They think that they’ll practice later on when they have more time, or when they are older. This is a mistake. It is harder for older folks to practice; we should start at as young an age as possible. Keep watch- ing and knowing the body and mind. "

To See the Truth (Page150)
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The Teachings of Venerable Pramote Pamojjo
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Trisikkha Meditation Center, Plant City, Florida USA

Mindfulness development is mindfulness of Suffering or Matter and Mind/body and mind in order to eliminate the wrong view that Matter and Mind/body and mind constitute a self or belong to a self. Eventually, the mind will give up clinging to Matter and Mind/body and mind, which constitute a mass of suffering. Therefore, to develop the Right Mindfulness, one must be mindful of a condition of Matter and Mind. Mindfulness practice is not contemplation of Nibbāna or contemplation of a conventional (paññatti) object, which exists only in one’s own thoughts or imagination. Even reflection on Matter and Mind that they are subject to the Three Characteristics of Existence is still contemplation of a conventional object because it is neither mindfulness of a condition of Matter and Mind nor comprehension of the characteristics of Matter and Mind.

Knowing consciousness is associated with clear comprehension (sampajañña), insight (paññā), the faculty of wisdom (paññaindriya) and non-delusion (amoha). It can develop insight with clear comprehension of what it is doing (mindfulness practice), what for (recollection of an object of consciousness as it really is) and how (to be mindful of the present object as it really is). It will develop mindfulness with awareness, without abstraction or without being carried away by any object because of delusion (moha). In addition, it has wisdom to know and comprehend the characteristics of the present condition that is an object of consciousness in insight practice--that it is impermanent, subject to suffering or not self. If consciousness is simply mindful of a condition, but lacks wisdom to comprehend the nature of the condition, then it is not the right knowing consciousness for insight practice.
This Matter and Mind/body and mind are the conditions that mindfulness must recollect; and wisdom must comprehend the characteristics of the condition. Other than mindfulness and wisdom, the instruments used for mindfulness of Matter and Mind are simply the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Matter is perceived through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body; whereas Mind is perceived through the mind.

The Path to Enlightment II (Page 27)
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Trisikkha Meditation Center, Plant City, Florida USA

Mindfulness development is mindfulness of Suffering or Matter and Mind/body and mind in order to eliminate the wrong view that Matter and Mind/body and mind constitute a self or belong to a self. Eventually, the mind will give up clinging to Matter and Mind/body and mind, which constitute a mass of suffering. Therefore, to develop the Right Mindfulness, one must be mindful of a condition of Matter and Mind. Mindfulness practice is not contemplation of Nibbāna or contemplation of a conventional (paññatti) object, which exists only in one’s own thoughts or imagination. Even reflection on Matter and Mind that they are subject to the Three Characteristics of Existence is still contemplation of a conventional object because it is neither mindfulness of a condition of Matter and Mind nor comprehension of the characteristics of Matter and Mind.

Knowing consciousness is associated with clear comprehension (sampajañña), insight (paññā), the faculty of wisdom (paññaindriya) and non-delusion (amoha). It can develop insight with clear comprehension of what it is doing (mindfulness practice), what for (recollection of an object of consciousness as it really is) and how (to be mindful of the present object as it really is). It will develop mindfulness with awareness, without abstraction or without being carried away by any object because of delusion (moha). In addition, it has wisdom to know and comprehend the characteristics of the present condition that is an object of consciousness in insight practice--that it is impermanent, subject to suffering or not self. If consciousness is simply mindful of a condition, but lacks wisdom to comprehend the nature of the condition, then it is not the right knowing consciousness for insight practice.
This Matter and Mind/body and mind are the conditions that mindfulness must recollect; and wisdom must comprehend the characteristics of the condition. Other than mindfulness and wisdom, the instruments used for mindfulness of Matter and Mind are simply the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Matter is perceived through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body; whereas Mind is perceived through the mind.

The Path to Enlightment II (Page 27)
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Trisikkha Meditation Center, Plant City, Florida USA

“Student 17: Am I practicing correctly?

LP: Make sure you are seeing that you are thinking, and not just knowing the con- tent of your thoughts. Your mind just went off to think, do you know that?

Student 17: Yes I know.

LP: Good! That’s how we practice. Let the mind go and know what it has done. It is inadvisable to just hold the mind still. If we do, we are involved in fixation instead of meditation! Let the mind get lost, and then know it. When we know what just happened, we will see that the mind is bright and fresh for a moment. Now you are curious. Can you see that?

Student 18:: I’m not sure if I’m doing it right.

LP: Just know that now you are feeling doubt. We practice watching all these phenomena to just see one thing: to see that whatever arises, also falls of its own accord. When we see this clearly, we reach the first stage of enlightenment (stream-entry). It’s that simple. But usually when a mental state like doubt arises, we just keep thinking, entertaining our curiosity. We don’t acknowledge it has arisen and so we run around look- ing for a solution. If a teacher gives us an answer, we remember what he or she said and think that we now have knowl- edge. However, all we really have done is memorize something. It is not real knowledge. We don’t really know. Real knowing happens when we see phenomena clearly in the present, that what arises also falls.

When anger arises, usually we just look out at the person with whom we are an- gry instead of acknowledging that we are angry. Our interest goes out to the one we are angry at. The angrier at someone we are, the more we think of that per- son! Have you noticed? We love anger and other defilements, like that of crav- ing. Whatever we are angry at or crave is what we think about most. We are under the influence of the defilements instead of simply knowing that the mind has craving at that moment.
LP: Sometimes when we are meditating bore- dom arises; we get lazy and stop practic- ing. We don’t notice that boredom has arisen. Because of a lapse in awareness, the defilement we call boredom took over, and therefore we become subject to its rule. Also when confusion arises and we don’t see it has arisen, the mind becomes blurred and we can drop out of our prac- tice. Each defilement has the same function. Each makes us stop knowing or watching the body and mind. If we keep noticing what arises as much as possible, one day the defilements will not take us over anymore, and we will be free from their power. We must be determined in order to accomplish this.

So when we see doubt or a curiosity has arisen in the mind, no need to be clever and find a solution. Just know the mind is curious. Then we will see that curiosity arises from its cause, and falls away when the cause is gone. Don’t just sit there thinking, looking for answers.
Anger also arises out of thinking. Crav- ing does as well. All these things bring on more thinking, and then the defile- ments can fully do their job – to deceive us! When there is mindfulness, the defilements don’t have place in which to work. When there is mindfulness, there is no defilement in that moment. When there is a defilement, there is no mindfulness”

To See the Truth Page 143
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The Teachings of Venerable Pramote Pamojjo
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Trisikkha Meditation Center, Plant City, Florida USA

6.5.1 Knowing consciousness is firm, independent, and not dominated by any biased feeling about an object. It has the Right Concentration (sammāsamādhi).

6.5.2 Knowing consciousness is proficient and adaptable. When an object contacts any sense-door (dvāra), the Right Mindfulness (sammā sati) will immediately be mindful of the present condition as it really is.

6.5.3 Knowing consciousness that is firm and rightly concentrated is aware. Awareness is the Right View (sammādiṭṭhi) or clear comprehension (sampajañña) (of a type called, “asammohasampajañña’”). If consciousness is not firm, it will slip away with an object, be dominated by an object and unaware. As it is unaware, it will not be able to perceive a condition truly and clearly. It cannot discern the arising and vanishing of Matter and Mind nor the Noble Truths (ariya-sacca). Thus, it can be said that the Right Concentration (sammāsamādhi) is a proximate cause of wisdom (paññā).

6.5.4 Consciousness with mindfulness (sati), concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (paññā) certainly has the Right Thought or sammā sankappa, resulting in perfection of the Right Speech (sammā vācā), the Right Action (sammā kammanta) and the Right Livelihood (sammā ājīva).

6.5.5 Perseverance in mindfulness (sati) practice certainly protects the faculties (indriya). It hinders all sins and immoral states (akusala), and develops morals. This is the Right Effort (sammā vāyāma).

The Path to Enlightenments II (Page 21)

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