Khun Yai’s teachings
- Angeles Bugnon
- Oct 30
- 33 min read
Updated: Nov 3
wisdom and story from an enlightened mind
With two bare hands and a mere savings of 3,200 Baht (equivalent to US$160 at that time), Khun Yai managed to build the Dhammakaya Temple of Thailand, the biggest Buddhist temple in the world, where thousands of Buddhist monks live a virtuous life and preach goodness to all of mankind.
There are numerous stories about Khun Yai's extraordinary mental powers and her abilities to recall her own past lives as well as the past lives of others. Despite her lack of education and her inability to read or write, Khun Yai’s insights and wisdom have inspired millions of people around the world.
This article is a collection of Khun Yai's teachings packed with practical and inspiring life lessons from one of her books which captivated my heart and expanded my consciousness. Follow these teachings and you will be certain to have a better life, in both the material sense and the spiritual sense.
September 31, 1976
1. EXAMINE YOURSELF
Before bedtime each night, take a few minutes to meditate upon your day. Reflect on everything you have done throughout the day, from the time you wake up, to the time you go to bed (i.e., waking, eating, working, meditating, keeping the precepts, giving alms).
Reflect on how much merit you have accumulated and how many bad deeds you have committed today. Resolve to relinquish all the negative actions that lead to bad Kamma. Don't even let one particle of your desmerit linger with you overnight.
Contemplate on giving up wrongdoings. Give up bad actions. Give up everything evil. Give up the slackness in your meditation.
Contemplate on improving. Improve on doing more good deeds. Make the effort to improve yourself and build up good kamma every day. Think of this life as your final existence and your last opportunity to capture all the merits.
Precepts are the guiding principles that form the framework of Buddhist ethics and the baseline of one’s virtue.
2. CONTEMPLATE WITH DHAMMA
When facing a difficult situation, look at it from the viewpoint of Dhamma. Don't be victimized by the influence of defilements.
Reflect on Dhamma at all times. Wisdom gained from meditation will lead you to the right knowledge and awareness.
Time flies by quickly. Days, weeks and months go by, and all of a sudden a year is gone. Ask what you have done for yourself. Are you conducting your life in a way that fulfills your goals? What should you strive for? What should you refrain from? Are you doing the things appropriate for who you are? Always be mindful. Don't become deluded in yourself.
Damma: the truth, the natural condition of things or beings; the law of their existence, the ethical code of righteousness; whole body of religious doctrines as a System; the Teachings of Buddha; the eternal truth that Buddha realized, his verbal expression of that truth, and the phenomena of elements that comprise reality.
3. SAVE YOURSELF FIRST
We are like a small, helpless baby bird vulnerable to dangers. Save yourself from danger before thinking and worrying about saving others.
After I left home, I never looked back. I only returned once to attend my mother's funeral. When I got home, I gave all my property and possessions away. I gave my 15-rai (approx. 6 acres) rice field to my younger Sister because she took care of our mother, and my 20-rai (approx. 8 acres) rice field to my younger brother, a monk, for his future welfare.
4. RELY ON YOURSELF
I said to myself: "In all of the world, material or spiritual, you cannot depend on others. You need to depend on yoursetf. Never on others."
5. HOW TO RELIEVE SUFFERING
When you feel despair, chant a lot, and meditate a lot. No one can help you as well as you can help yourself.
8. DO IT FOR YOURSELF
When Luang Por Wat Paknam was guiding the super-advanced meditation group, he asked every meditator, one by one, what his/her purpose was for performing this super-advanced meditation. Some Said they did it for Buddhism; others Said they did it for Luang Por. Everyone gave the same types of answers.
When it was my turn to answer, I said, "l am doing it for myself”. This was the answer that pleased Luang Por the most. He said. "This is the way to go! You guys are here to do it for yourselves, not for anyone else. No one can do it for others. You do it because you want to free yourself from suffering... to free yourself from the enslavement of the 'Maras.
Mara refers to evil, both as a concept and as a personification. In Buddhism, Mara is a supra natural being respnsible for hindering people from performing meritotious deeds.
We don't know when our final moment may arrive. If we die unexpectedly, do we want to find ourselves in a hell realm? Doesn't it bother you to think that your time in this life may be for naught? Don't you feel sorry for the wasted time, and the wasted life?
The purpose of our life is to pursue 'Perfections' (parami). Preserve and protect our merit. Only merit will carry us through in the end. Transcendental merit (merit gained from meditation) is very important. How much do you expect of life when you have accumulated so little transcendental merit?
If we are born into this world and allow our life to be wasted, why bother to be born at all? Chattering, fooling around, frivolous pursuits, what do we gain from such activities? Are we winning or losing in our quest for Perfections?
You must protect your merit. If you don't protect it, pay no attention to it, or don't reflect on it regularly, your merit will become weak and stop flowing. But if you constantly reflect on it, your merit will keep flowing.
Ask yourself what you want for your future. Do you wish to become lost amidst the deceptions of pleasurable sight, sound, smell, taste and touch? Reflect upon this carefully.
A wrong path, once chosen, is hard to deviate from.
'Perfections (parami): 'Perfect Virtues'; transcendental virtues. In Buddhism, Perfections are transcendental virtues cultivated as a way of purification, purifying karma and helping the aspirant to live an unobstructed life, while reaching the goal of enlightenment.
17. STRIVE TO BUILD MAXIMUM MERIT
Dhamma is something deep and profound. It is not easy for ordinary people to attain or even comprehend in a short amount of time.
You know that it is dificult to be born as a human. One has to overcome innumerable odds before one gets to become a human. Now that you are a human and have found Buddhism, you should make your life worthwhile.
Build as much parami (Perfections) as possible until your virtue is whole enough to help you find your way out of suffering.
Being born human is a great blessing indeed. It doesn't matter whether you are born into a rich or poor family, a fortunate or unfortunate condition, you should accept it and carry on. There is nothing anyone can do to change this.
You have become the way you are because of what you have done in the past. It is your kamma. If you want to improve your conditions, you have to commit to doing more good deeds.
Under the Law of Kamma, by which all creatures must live, a person bears the consequences of his own actions. Bad actions cause bad consequences and good actions bear good consequences.
Everyone who is born will eventually die. We all have to die, but no one knows when his/her time will come. Because of this, we must do all we can to accumulate as much merit as possible. Merit is the only possession we can take with us after we die.
We are the way we are because of what we have done. Learn to endure it. Do the best you can for yourself. Do the best you can in everything. Good things will eventually come to you. You will die regardless of whether you do it or not. It is better to do it and to do it well.
Don't be lazy with your meditation. Meditate as much as you can to cultivate good mindfulness. If your mindfulness is weak, you will be vulnerable to evil thoughts that give rise to bad kamma. But if you maintain good mindfulness, virtue will be with you instead, leaving no room for negative kamma to enter.
21. HURRY ON
You are Young. You are strong. Row your boat as hard as you can. Hurry and continue to row on. Don’t be bothered if others slow down. For us, we must make the best of our own life.
This is our last life. Our last existence. When we depart, we must take only the good things with us. Grab the victory flag. Never go backwards. Keep rowing forward.
I say this is our last life because before this life we may have been deficient and inconsistent in our practice of good deeds. But in this life we must try harder and be more determined. We can no longer give in.
We must also make resolutions that encompass everything that is good. We will wish that we encounter only good things, maintain celibacy in every lifetime until we reach Nibbana, and never cross paths with bad people -people who lack morality and truthfulness.
In the end, what is left of this world is only merit and demerit. Humans are "puppets" played by merit and demerit (Law of Karma).
"Nibbana: is the state of ultimate happiness, the happy condition of enlighrenment, 'the highest spiritual attainment. This is not the sense-based happiness of life; nor is the concept of happiness as interprered by Western culture. It is enduring, transcendental happiness integral to the calmness attained through enlighenment. Once a person attains Nibbana, he has reached the end of the cycle of rebirths, the final and total release from cycle existence, never again to be subject to rebirth. Nibbana is a supramundane state that cannot be expressed by words and is beyond space and time. This is the state of perfect enlightenment realized by Buddhas and Arhants. Those who have gained this realization no longer accumulate karmic consequences and will no longer be reborn into samsara when they die.”
26. DON'T WAIT
We don't know when our final day will come. Start going to the temple now while you still can. Don't wait until someone has to carry you into the temple (for your own funeral).
Days and nights pass by quickly. With each sunset our life becomes one day shorter. Capitalize on each day that you are still alive by accumulating as much merit as you can. In times of trouble, reflect on your merit. Know how to build up merit and know how to maintain merit. Use your merit wisely as you would use your money.
Buddha: an 'awakened one' who is fully enlightened and who has realized Nibbana without the benefit of a Buddha's teaching in the lifetime in which he attains it. Those who attained enlightenment by following the Buddha’s teachings are called Arahants or Arahats. The name Buddha is a generic term, not a proper name, meaning 'awakened', thus 'enlightened'. Buddhas appear at vast intervals of time. There are countless numbers of past, present and future Buddhas.
29. BE CONTENT
Let us be neither blindly ambitious nor greedy. Instead, let us learn modesty and contentment. Greed can turn an honest man into a fraudulent one. I dislike a dishonest person.
When you are greedy for unwholesome things, in the end you will possess only misery. Strive to keep your minds pure and clean. If you have accumulated enough merit, then your desires will be met without the need for ruthlessness. And if you desire only to possess more virtue, that would be excellent indeed! Learn to live a simple life and make use of your possessions prudently.
31. BUILD MORE VIRTUES
We are born to pursue virtue. I have been doing good deeds and building up my virtue little by little, regularly and consistently, quietly and humbly, without the need for recognition. After a while, the efforts of these good deeds pay off, and their results are evident to everyone.
When you have built up enough virtue nothing can stop it from manifesting itself. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to see these accomplishments.
Some people expect their good deeds to pay off right away. They complain when they fail to see the results of their good deeds, even when they have only just begun to practice.
When I reflect upon the good deeds I have performed, and all of the time and effort I spent pursuing Perfections, I feel proud of my accomplishments. I don't have any inferior feelings in my mind.
34. ASSOCIATING WITH PEOPLE
We should know what type of person to associate with. There are some people we can welcome into our homes, while others should be kept at a distance, it is important to recognize which is which.
If we know certain people display bad behavior, then it’s best to avoid them entirery, lest we begin to emulate them. Even if we recognize and disagree with their bad behavior at first, if we continue to associate with them, in time, we begin to think they are not so bad after all and end up losing our own morals.
A heroin addict started out as drug free, but through peer pressure, gradually, became addicted to the drug. Think of bad behavior as contagious germs.
We don’t know when we caught them. Slowly they invade us without our awareness. Before we know it, it is already too late.
35. SEEING THROUGH PEOPLE
There is a parable about a fox that was raised as a lion. It is the fox's nature to eat excrement. But one fox was taken and raised like a lion. He was fed the finest meat and he behaved as regularly as a lion would. But when he came across excrement, his true nature came to the fore, and he ate it. A fox is still a fox.
We need to look into the true nature of a person to know who he really is.
36. BE A TEAM PLAYER
I care for my community. We should learn how to be a good team player and get along with everyone. Arrogance only leads to isolation. If we have the attitude that we are better than others, at our time of distress, no one will be around to offer help.
38. HATE NO ONE
I have hatred for no one. I am afraid if I do, I too will be hated in my next life.
My mind always considers the consequences in the far future rather than merely the immediate present. Besides, I would rather have love than hatred for people.
39. SILENCE IS GOLDEN
I seem to possess a special intuition. Although I never went to school, I have a good sense of people. I see through them, but I prefer to keep it to myself. If I'm not adept with people, I would not have been able to build this Temple. Talk is cheap; silence is golden.
40. RECEIVING GUESTS
Receiving guests who inquire for your help is not easy. We must learn the proper way to do it. Although we must cater to them, we must also maintain our moral nature, especially our Dhamma.
Some guests visit us to recount their tales of what their family troubles are, but these stories only distract our own minds from Dhamma, or from the center of our bodies. As practitioners of Dhamma, we should try to guide our guests to the wisdom of Dhamma as well.
Like a tug of war, we may allow ourselves to be drawn into our guests' misery, and away from Dhamma, or we can draw them to Dhamma and away from their problems. It takes skills in good speech and great awareness to move a person towards Dhamma.
There are many types of guests. Before we can host any of them properly, we must first understand ourselves thoroughly. Understanding ourselves first will help us understand others, and this in turn will help us understand their problems. The most essential thing, however, is to maintain our minds in Dhamma and to be filled with compassion.
Look inside ourselves. Look back to our past lives (through meditation) and recall all the merit we have made; recall how we have pursued Perfections.
Then look at ourselves in the present life to see how much purity we have cultivated inside ourselves. Realize whether we are in the position to save this person. If not, we must let it go. Don't let yourself become a casualty while trying to help others. Look to the future, and think where you want to be. What is your goal? When hosting guests who ask for help, we should look back into the past, look intensely at the present, and look forward into the future. Most importantly, we must meditate constantly, to strengthen our minds and resist distractions.
There is an old saying, "Chanting is a balm; meditation is a pill." Suffering is like a disease; if we use both kinds of cures, the disease will heal faster. If we can convince the person with serious problems to begin chanting and meditating, then he can acquire merit to help himself.
41. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SECRET
Luang Por Wat Paknam's meditative attainment was utterly complete and profound. I have witnessed it. A secret as tiny as a strand of hair could not be hidden from him. He could see evevthing clearly. So, whatever you do, do it virtuously. Nothing can be concealed, because there are no secrets in this world.
I experienced this phenomenon after meditating for two straight weeks following Luang Por Wat Paknam's directions. After the meditation, my expanded consciousness allowed me to answer all questions about all subjects. This is due to the profound knowledge taught by Luang Por.
42. SUPER-ADVANCED MEDITATION
Because I have the purity of body, mind and speech, I have adhered to morality and truthfulness, and I have an utmost love for meditation.
I was allowed straight into the super-advanced meditation program with Luang Por Wat Paknam. Normally, one has to go through several intensive assessments before being allowed into this elite program. But as for me, I was admitted to the elite program immediately upon my arrival.
43. I TRULY LOVE MEDITATION
I meditate all the time. During World War II, I meditated Six hours during the day, and six more hours during the night. The method must be extremely refined and exact.
Athough the first advanced meditation group already began before I arrived, I arrived in time for the super-advanced meditation program that Luang Por later initiated. Because of this, and because of my extreme love and devotion for meditation, my meditation skill became very profound. For one to be good at something, one must first have love for that particular thing. If you love what you do, you will do it well. For me, I love meditation more than anything. That's why my meditation skills are so precise and so profound.
45. THERE IS NO SECRET IN THIS WORLD
My meditation skills are so precise and so profound that they have allowed my consciousness to expand beyond the ordinary. I am aware of everything; no secret is kept from me. It befits the saying, "there is no secret in this world."
For those who possess the super-advanced meditation skills, nothing is hidden from their view. It is hidden only from those whose minds are defiled. I know everything that takes place with people. It only depends on whether I want to talk about it or not.
52. MEDITATIVE POWER
When it comes to meditation, I have practiced thoroughly and became so proficient that I can comprehend everything, knowing what and where everything is.
When it comes time to meditate, I drop everything and during that time there is only meditation on my mind and absolutely nothing else. However, when duty calls me back to deal with the mundane part of life, I must retreat from the transcendental, step by step, body by body, from the Arahat body to the physical human body.
Once that is accomplished, I can then deal with mundane issues. When my worldly affairs are dealt with, I then return once again to my meditation and leave all earthly problems behind. Unfortunately, we all have to tend to our worldly needs. We have to "battle" with the mundane as well as the supramundane.
Between these two worlds, I know how to divide my time. When I meditate I focus my mind to the center of my body, from the physical human body to the transcendental human body all the way through to the Arahat body. Once I attained the Arahat body, the mind encompassed all knowledge. It is a state called "knowing and seeing in all directions".
Meditation is like setting sail in the ocean. When you are deep into the sea with no shoreline in sight, you can look at your compass and steer yourself in the right direction. Likewise, when you meditate, set your direction by telling yourself what you want to accomplish during the meditation session.
Organize your time by clearly separating meditation time from your other tasks. That way you will not be distracted during meditation by thinking of home or work, or this or that. The purpose of meditation is to bring your racing mind to a standstill state.
Arahat Dhammakaya body is the purest body of enlightenment and is attained when one achives the highest level of Dhammakaya meditation.
53. RELINQUISH ALL ELSE
Merely meditating and reciting the mantra "samma arahang" will create merit. It's not easy to attain Dharnmakaya when the mind wants to dart here and there around the entire world. We have to rein the mind back to the center of our body, two fingers' breadth above the navel. Then relinquish everything else. When the mind comes to a standstill, it will glow radiantly. Keep the mind steady and think of the bright Buddha image at the center of the body.
54. "STOP" SO YOU WILL SUCCEED
To "stop": all success springs from this one action. I mean success both in the spiritual and in the earthly sense.
In the material world, if we want to go somewhere quickly we have to travel in a fast vehicle such as a car or a plane. But in the world of Dhamma it is the opposite; we have to "stop". If we don't stop, we won't get there. The more we stop, the faster we go, "Stop" in the sense of stopping the mind from wandering, or stop doing bad deeds.
Recall the story of Angulimala which Luang Por recounted. Angulimala believed that if he collected the fingers of I ,000 people, he would become the ruler of the world. He saw the Lord Buddha and ran after him with the intent to cut off his finger —the last finger to complete his I000. He called out, "Stop, Monk, stop!" The Lord Buddha answered him, "I have stopped already. It is you who has not stopped."
"Stop" is the key to success. "Stop" here means stopping your mind from wandering, bringing it to a peaceful stillness. If you cannot, you will not be able to reach the Dharnmakaya within you. All Dhamma (Truth) resides within us. You have to stop your mind to reach it. This is why meditation is so important.
The Tipitaka has 84,000 sections. They can be summed up into three practices: purifying the body, purifying the mind, and purifiying the speech. These three can be further summed up in just one word: "Stop". Once the mind is still, it, along with the body and speech, will become purified. And this in turn will bring us much merit. Follow my advice and learn to divide your time. When you meditate, think of nothing else but meditation. Focus only on advancing on your journey.
55. ONLY SPIRITUAL ATTAINMENT CAN HELP US
In the entire universe, there is only one refuge from suffering for us, and that is meditative attainment. Hold on to it. Even if you see only a brief flash of it, that is sufficient to bring about enough merit to cover the sky.
When I meditate, my mind penetrates deep to the center of the body, all the way through to Nibanna, the perfect state of bliss, and there it rests.
Released from all impurities, my mind is able to see whatever I wish to see. However, I am drawn back to the physical world by people and things which occupy me here. Then the mind regains its impurities and clings to sensations.
Those who are married must feel this pull; even wanting to be married means that you have worldly attachments, which are a kind of defiement, and you lose a desire for spiritual attainment.
If you truly seek spiritual attainment you need not think of others. Think of yourself, because no one else can save you but you.
Buddhism encompasses these three things: the Teachings, the Practice, and the Attainment, nothing more, nothing less.
59. MEDITATION IS ESSENTIAL
The practice of meditation is the most important thing in life, and attaining Dhamma is the ultimate life goal. Even as you walk, drive, or perform other everyday tasks, you need to contemplate on Dhamma at all times. Before I attained Dhamma, I meditated diligently until my mind could leave the physical body, sinking deeper and deeper into meditation until it finally disengaged from my physical surroundings completely and became purified and powerful with knowledge. I was able to progress because I was determined to do so. Meditation is the most important thing in life. If we do not seek true happiness in this lifetime, then we will not find it even in the next life. Resolve to find true happiness in this life!
When I was younger I meditated six hours during the day and six more hours in the evening. Now that I am 84 years old, I cannot sit for long periods of time anymore, so I meditate while lying down. As young people, you don't know what it is like to be sore and to have backaches. When you are my age you will understand.
62. SEEING THROUGH
I came up with the idea to build this temple and it has been a constant from the beginning. Nonetheless, I finished whatever I started and I never gave up. I resolved every challenge that came my way through meditation, even if at times it seemed almost insurmountable. I see through everything; it's up to me whether or not I want to talk about it. That is the reason I say there is no secret on earth. The fact is that we have not paid any attention to it, but once we do, we will find out the truth.
63. SILENCE MAY SEEM LIKE DEFEAT, BUT IN FACT IT IS VICTORY
Addressing a disciple: When someone has a conflict with me, whether he is a disciple or a senior person, and he loses his temper, I will keep my composure and stay silent.
I let the person speak until he eventually wears himself out and has nothing more to say. The entire time he is expressing his anger; I will contemplate my inner Dhamma and remain silent. My silence ultimately turns into victory.
64. MEDITATION HELPS
Addressing an engineer: If you run into a mental block in regards to your work, find a tranquil place to sit down and meditate. Put your mind along with thoughts about your work at the center of the body. Clarity will eventually come to you and you will know how to arrange and organize your work. Meditation will give rise to wisdom.
I use this approach to solve problems. Whenever I encounter a problem with the temple’s refectory, I would go back to my quarters, meditate a while, and a solution would come to me.
65. BE CAUTIOUS BEFORE SPEAKING
Addressing a businessman: Whenever you have problems dealing with other people, go find a peaceful place to close your eyes and calm your rnind. Then the solutions will come.
It’s important that you compose yourself before speaking out. If you think you may say something that will jeopardize yourself, then it is best not to say anything at that moment; meditate first to appease yourself, and then return to the issue later.
Don't say anything that may come back to bite you. Speak only what is beneficial. Life is too short. While you are still alive, capitalize on your opportunity to do good deeds and accumulate merits.
66. POWER THROUGH MERIT
Whatever we set out to accomplish in life, we must examine our personal condition as well as the condition of our merit: the "spiritual capital" that we have built. We should attempt things that are within our current ability and we will accomplish them.
Don't exceed your limit. If you desire greatness, achieve your greatness through merit, not through unwholesome actions or defilements. Achievements of greatness through the power of merit are genuine achievements, but greatness achieved through defilements will eventually collapse.
Defilements: mental impurities consisting of greed, anger, and delusion; hindrances or poisons that cause beings to perform undesirable deeds.
Look at Devadatta as an example. He achieved only a little success but became disillusioned with himself and wanted to be famous. He did so without looking at whether he had built up enough foundation of goodness to deserve it. This resulted in his demise.
It is like building a house on a flimsy foundation. If you build the house bigger than the foundation can support, the result is predictable, the house will collapse.
If you wonder how I have accomplished all that I have, I will tell you that it is due to the great amount of merits I have accumulated and is also due to my insurmountable patience. The reason I became famous with so many followers is due to the virtues that I have made and built up in the past.
"Devadatta was a cousin and disciple of the Buddha who created a schism in the monastic order. Due to jealousy and thirst for power, he attempted to murder the Buddha. Devadatta became a symbol of a bad monk.”
68. WITH MERIT, YOU WILL SUCCEED IN EVERYTHING
My biggest fear in life is that I will not make enough merit. With great merit behind you, anything you wish can be obtained and all you touch will become successful. No one can obstruct you if you have enough merit to support yourself. Having a good base of merit is a great blessing indeed.
69. BORN TO PURSUE PERFECTIONS
I don't wish to be in heaven for too long. I prefer to be reborn into the human realm quickly, so I can continue to pursue Perfections.
70. FRUIT OF MERIT
Merit from our past lives, whether large or small, will bear fruit in the present life and will express itself in full. If you made 10 units of merit in the past, you will receive all the 10 units in the present. If you made 100 units, you will also receive all of the 100 units. The merit made in this present lifetime will yield results only 10-20% now. But it will fully bear fruits in the future. Our future lifetime will be wonderful with the merit we made in the present.
Thus, we should learn to be content. If we have 100 units of merit, but we use 1,000, we will collapse in due time. On the contrary, if we have I ,000 units of merit, and we use only 100, the merit will bear more fruits sooner.
Once you earn more, keep your heart humble and calm. Don't expect more than what you have earned.
71. ONLY THOSE WITH A PURE HEART WILL BE WITH ME
A person with a pure and clear mind, one whose focus is on gaining merit, is the only kind of person I want to have in my company. Those with defiled minds are like oil to my water, we repel each other.
72. RECALLING MERIT
If you think that being in my company will somehow bring you merit, you are mistaken. Only those who actively build merit, who can recall their own merit, will gain it. Merit is your only refuge.
73. BUILDING MERIT ALL THE WAY TO VICTORY
As you walk more and more along a virtuous path, you will develop the ability to recognize other people who share the same path with you. Moreover, you will be able to distinguish those who walk a less virtuous path because they are in a realm that is less pure.
If you have not achieved that enlightened state of mind in this lifetime even though you have given your best, do not give up. Look for your victory in the next life. Keep building more and more merit than before. Continue to improve yourself. Strengthen the purity of your mind, your body, and your speech. Eventually, victory will become yours.
When I set about my task, I thought of my merits. When I meditated, I called upon my merits to come help me. And I finally succeeded through the support of my merits.
Every success in life is the result of the merits we possess. One who possesses greater merits will rule over one who possesses less. Everything relies on merit. So we should set about making more and more of it as we possibly can. I think about my merits and how it governs my life, and without it I cannot be happy.
Everything around me is complete because I reflect on my merits, and when I meditate I reach out for good resources and good people to come help me complete the mission. When you meditate, you too, should reflect on your merits.
81. MERIT SPHERE
Reap as much merit as you can. If you fail to do so, in the next life when we meet again, I will recall who did not want to make merit when given the opportunity and now he ends up having very little of it to help him keep up with others.
Merit sphere: each person possesses a sphere of merit within; the more merit accumulated the larger the merit sphere.
82. IN THE FRONT ROW
Make merit now, even if you are "in the back row" when doing so. In the next life, your merit will bring you to the front row. It's up to you where you want to be. Do you want to be in the front or in the back?
80. SUCCEED THROUGH MERIT
Whatever you set out to accomplish, keep your merits in mind. If you possess merit, merit will help you succeed in the things that you do. Merit is your refuge. Center your mind in it and everything will fall in place.
83. MAKE MERIT AND USE MERIT IN THE RIGHT WAY
In order to establish the Buddhajak Center, I had to fight all of the time. Initially it was with the boat thieves. Even now, there is always something to resolve. But through it all, I kept my heart pure by thinking of the merits I have made in the past, the merits I am making in the present, and the merits I plan to make in the future. It gives me the strength to fight for my goals.
This is "using" my merit wisely. In the entire world, no one can help me but me. How do I help myself? By creating virtue and eliminating evil within me.
85. PURIFIED MIND
As I converse with various people, I keep my mind always in its purified state, always centered in merit and in Dhamma. No greed, anger, nor delusions are allowed to defile me.
In the purified state, I can see through to the heart of a person's suffering and its causes. With compassion, I offer them insight into their suffering and in doing so, I gain merit. What they do with that knowledge is now up to them. Their kamma is no one else's but their own.
87. STAY IN MERIT
When I find myself confronted with a serious situation, I keep my mind concentrated on Dhamma, concentrated in the virtue and in the merit that I have accumulated in my past lives to help me overcome my troubles.
With merit, all obstacles can be conquered. No matter what happens, I am never frightened or nervous because I trust that my merit will help me. For instance, when the temple kitchen lacked supplies, I would center my mind on merit and reach out for my "spiritual treasure" to fulfill my need.
The word "lack" should not be in your vocabulary as long as you have merit to help. If I ever complain, it is to remind people when things need to get done, but my mind always remains firmly in merit.
88. MERIT POWER
Everything is determined by merit power. If we had nothing else but merit to our name, we would still achieve success.
In this life, any mind is fixed on the quest for virtue and merit. The one thing which concerns me is that my merit will be less than other people´s. This is the reason why I am so focused. I do not want to be the one to get left behind. I want to be in the forefront of virtue building.
91. DON'T NEGLECT MERIT-MAKING
It is dificult to be born as a human being. Now that you are born a human being, do not waste your opportunity to make merit. If you have a little, then donate a little. If you have a lot, then donate more. Make a donation according to your ability, but don't allow yourself to get into trouble for overdoing it. Whatever your financial situation is, don't neglect the act of charity.
For me, I perform merits regardless of what happens. I may be illiterate, yet I managed to build this temple, and I was able to preside at a major Kathina Ceremony. The merit I have accumulated has allowed me to do extraordinary things that are beyond an ordinary person's ability. But with as much merit as I have already made, I still want to do more. I want to participate in the Kathina Ceremonies and all other meritorious activities. I want to acquire all forms of merit, mundane and transcendental.
Merit is something that can be accumulated as well as used up. When someone is enjoying his fortune, he is using up his "Old" merit. A Wise person should not let his merit run out by acquiring more new "merit" whenever he can.
92. ACQUIRE BOTH MUNDANE & TRANSCENDENTAL MERITS
Addressing someone who wanted only to meditate and not participate in any mundane chores: I acquire all forms of merit, mundane and transcendental. Mundane merit helps me in self-development, while transcendental merit gives me the ability to teach myself. But once we attain the Dhammakaya (reaching a clear-seeing state), we will have the wisdom to accomplish our mundane tasks more easily.
Mundane merit: is gained through performance of good deeds, such as sweeping the temple, helping the poor, and making charitable contributions. Transcendental merit is acquired through mental cultivation and the practice of meditation.
94. CARRYING MERIT AND DEMERIT
Whatever action/karma we commit, we carry the results of that action with us, good or bad. If our action is good, we carry merit. If our action is bad, we carry demerit. You alone carry the burden you create for yourself. If others speak or act unkindly towards you, don’t get angry and retaliate back. Forgive them and put an end to the cycle of hostility between you now.
96. ONE WHO ATTRACTS
Build up your merit as much as you can. Build a mountain of merit! It doesn’t matter what other people do, for us, we just keep on doing good deeds even if no one finds out about it. One who is virtuous will eventually be noticed and will attract the company of others.
99. ONE WITH GREATER MERIT RULES
Those who possess greater merit have influence over those who possess less (Law of Correspondence). People with little merit can hardly take care of themselves. They need to rely on the virtue of those who possess greater merit for support spiritually. With little merit, they are incapable of rising to a heavenly realm on their own. People with greater merit can help them by showing them how to do good and acquire more merits.
There are only a few people whose merit power is so great that they are able to help those who have already fallen into an unfortunate realm. Through the power of my merit, I was able to save my deceased father from hell. But before I was in the position to do so, I had to meditate and purify my mind until all of my inner transcendental bodies became crystal clear.
Achieving this state of purity, I was able to enter the lower world. I even searched for my deceased farm animals to spread merit to them.
100. OLD MERIT, NEW MERIT
I have pity for both, the rich and the porr. Rich people are well off because they have old merit from their past lives to support them. However, if they don’t produce new merit in their present life, the old merit can be used up. With no new merit to sustain them in subsequent lives, they will be reborn poor and will face much adversity in their future existence.
The reason poor people are the way they are is because they have not built up enough old merit. If we don’t encourage them to accumulate new merit, then they will be even more unfortunate in the next life.
I feel compassion for both types of people. We must invite people we know, both rich and poor, to make merit so that they will have spiritual wealth to take with them to future lives.
103. WISHES COME THROUGH
I made the following resolution: bring your mind to the center of the body and ask every being to acknowledge and rejoice in the merit that I am making. Let everyone share in my merit.
May everyone receive merit with an open heart, and the more open your heart, the more merit you will receive. Those who fully open their heart to receive this merit will receive it in full, those whose heart is only partially open will receive it partially, like water spilling always from a container.
105. DUE TO MERIT
I invite others to perform charitable acts because I love merit. Merit is the virtue that will free me from suffering. I need merit beacuse I know I have to be reborn again, and merit will benefit me in the future. People are born poor because they fail to practice charity in their past lives. By inviting them to practice charitable acts, they will earn merit and we, too, will also benefit from their merit.
We make merit as a team. Nobody will be left out. And when we are reborn, all of us will come together again as a virtuous community. We will be free from bad people. Surrounding ourselves with virtuous people ensures that we will not get into trouble.
106. HELP FROM MERIT
A layperson asked if she ran into obstacles and was far away from me, what she should do to get help from me (through my power of virtue). I advised her to recall the virtues from the good deeds she has done and the charitable acts she has made, and ask the merits from these acts of good deeds to help her overcome these obstacles.
Your merits can help you. If you keep company with immoral people, these people can't help you. Merit will guide us towards kind people who will come to our assistance.
108. SHORT LIFE, LONG LIFE
A guest asked me to tell her why her husband had died young.
I replied that he died early because of his kamma. In his past life, he committed numerous acts of killing and cruelty to animals. He had to face his karmic retribution which caused him to die young. Someone who lives long, such as in my case, is due to abstention from killing or causing suffering to other beings in the past life. But remember, everyone must die sooner or later. There are no exceptions to this rule.
If you don’t want a heavy burden, then do not have any children. But if you have them, then you must take full responsibility. You can’t desert them. You must do all you can to increase merit.
When you are asked to help someone, first take a good look at yourself and determine if you are really capable of helping this person. If his problems are beyond your abilities to solve, then accept that and practice equanimity. You can not help someone who will not listen, it is up to his own kamma. As for ourselves, we have to make the best with what is given to us.
111. PURSUING PERFECTIONS UNTIL YOU PREVAIL
Addressing a group of Upasaka (male temple attendants) getting ready to be ordained: When you have decided to enter the temple in order to pursue Perfections to the fullest, you must never waver from this goal. I wish all of you will prevail. Whether you will or not, depends on you. What you need to take precautions from is the opposite sex. This is very important. Do not give way to sympathy. Let wisdom and equanimity be your guide. Giving way to sympathy can lead to your defeat.
I have seen many examples of this, so I caution you to watch out for your inclinations. Don't allow a situation that may lead to intimacy. Once intimacy happens it is difficult to undo. The best thing to do is to not allow any chance for intimacy. If you close the bridge, then the person cannot encroach.
This is the biggest weakness that plagues virtue seekers. It is an obstacle that inhibits the path to Perfections. For such little gain, one can lose so much. This is one of the major reasons that cause virtue seekers to get sidetracked from their path to Perfections. It is better to prevent it now rather than having to cure it later.
Not getting involved with love affairs is the best policy. This will allow you to succeed in your pursuit of Perfections smoothly. You will possess great virtue and purity, have clear-seeing ability for knowledge, and be able to overcome everything.
114. ELEVATE YOUR MIND
Elevate your mind and you will see that sensual desires will cause suffering and may even vulgarize you. When you are fully occupied with the worldly life, it's dificult to recognize this. Make the resolution to release all sensual desires so that you become ever more purified.
I have looked into my past lives, into the mundane and into the sublime, and I see that I have been this way for a long time. Throughout my childhood in this lifetime, I never had those kinds of thoughts in my mind, and I never desired to fall in love with anyone. I had some suitors, but I brushed them off. Then I entered the temple. I saw that I had been pure in this way, and I made the resolution that I wanted to remain this way for all my future lifetimes as well.
Make a resolution every day to elevate your mind above sensual desires. Resolve also for other worthy things. The more centered your mind is, the more efective your resolutions will become. The more resolutions you make, the more merit you gain, and the more of your wishes will come true.
116. OBVIOUSLY NO GOOD
It is obvious to me that if we allow ourselves to become attached to sensual desires we have allowed ourselves to be enslaved by Mara. Then we have subjected ourselves to undue punishments. I won't allow that to happen to me. If we give up along the way, we might as well have given up from the very beginning.
Those consumed with sensual desires will not succeed in their pursuit of Perfections.
117. NO NONSENSE SPOKEN
Nonsensical subjects such as matters dealing with sensual desires will never pass my lips. I would be embarrassed to talk about them. When I was young, I was even more embarrassed, but now as an old woman, I feel more liberty to talk about it.
118. EFFECTIVE WAY TO MAKE RESOLUTIONS
Luang Por Wat Paknam taught me that the most efective way to make fruitful resolutions was to make them while monks were bestowing their blessings. When they begin a blessing chant, from the first word, "Yadha..” focus your mind to the center of the body and visualize a clear Buddha image. Then begin making your resolutions.
Luang Por explained that this will make our resolutions become a part of their blessings, which will be heard all the way to Nibbana. So make your resolutions with care. Each time you do it, it will get easier and easier until it becomes second nature to you.
119. REJECT SLOVENLINESS
We know that the most important aspect of life is the practice of meditation. But that doesn't mean we can neglect our other duties.
Cleanliness is important, and whoever makes a mess should take care of it. I will scold anyone who neglects their responsibility for tidiness. I make the resolution that actions which bring discomfort to others or to me will never be a part of me, mentally, verbally or physically.
123. VIRTUE OF RESOLUTIONS
As we make merit, we must also make resolutions. Make a resolution to not commit any bad actions.
Making resolutions is part of the Ten Perfections. The Ten Perfections consist of Generosity, Morality, Renunciation, Wisdom, Patience, Perseverance, Truthfulness, Resolution, Loving-kindness, and Equanimity. Each time we make a resolution we gain merit. I already made a "profit" spiritually for being born in this life.
124. GRAB THE FLAG OF VICTORY
We are extremely fortunate to be born a human being. We are born to pursue virtue, to build spiritual benefits. So take this opportunity to accumulate only good things for yourselves, and cast away all evil things. In this way, we can build up spiritual assets to take care of our future existences, to enable us to move forward towards higher states, and to never fall into hardships.
I have observed the Five Precepts since I was 26 years old and continue to do so until now, at age 71. Prior to that time, I practiced every precept except one (killing), because I had a weakness of swatting mosquitoes.
At age 26, I was able to teach myself that mosquitoes were much smaller than me and yet I took advantage of them by killing them. I had been killing mosquitoes for 26 years but I have not reduced its population at all. Having this realization, I decided to adopt the Five Precepts in full from then on.
By age 28, I was able to adhere to the Eight Precepts in full to this day. I have already profited in this lifetime, and I have only good things to take with me. My life will continue to be better. I will not fall behind. I have already grabbed the flag of victory. I will only carry with me all that is good.
So make the following resolution: "Let me find only virtuosity and success in every lifetime until I reach Nirbbana."
November 12, 1979
Khun Yai
May this collection elevate your soul. Namaste
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