I can't sleep well when I know I have to get up early. As last night, I slept on and off because today I must get up at 4.30 AM to leave at 5 AM to pay respect to Phra Ajran Pramote at Sriracha.
Though I'm sleepy, being in his presence is delightful. There were many newcomers so he talked about basic principles of Vipassana (seeing things as they are), such as the importance of keeping the 5 Precepts: thou shall not kill, not steal, not having affairs, not lie and not indulge in alcohol/drugs (listed in the increasing order of importance). He said that หลวงตามหาบัว particularly emphasizes on the 3rd one as having affairs is a serious problem in Thai society now.
Everything LP Pramote said, I've heard before. Still, it's nice to be reminded. He said that the first time one is awake from his thoughts, it's like a match is lit in a pitch dark room; so it's very bright. But the subsequent snapping out is not so striking as it's just light in an already lit room. I still remember what it was like to be "awake" the first time; it happened there at his temple. Hard to explain in words, but I just knew that this must be it...
I once was asked what my goal in life is. I want to become enlightened, to reach nirvana, so that I shall not be born again, ever! It's not that I can choose; more like if I don't get it done, I'll come back, and I'm not sure I'll be so lucky as I am in this life. It's easy to slip...
Saying that I want doesn't mean that I'll get it. The tricky part is that one cannot reach nirvana if one wants it. Just like yoga, my job is to keep practicing...
At least I'm sure I'm on the right path, and it's not pure belief. I've proven to myself that, I do, in fact, live a happier life with just being conscious about what I do and how I feel, and not try to manipulate it. If I get mad, then I know that I'm mad. If I want myself to NOT mad, I just need to realize that I have such desire. LP said, just watch like someone else is looking. The goal of the practice is to see that everything changes, and so too does anger. But of course, I am not supposed to vent it out facially, verbally or physically. Well, that being said, I don't succeed all the time though...
Though I'm sleepy, being in his presence is delightful. There were many newcomers so he talked about basic principles of Vipassana (seeing things as they are), such as the importance of keeping the 5 Precepts: thou shall not kill, not steal, not having affairs, not lie and not indulge in alcohol/drugs (listed in the increasing order of importance). He said that หลวงตามหาบัว particularly emphasizes on the 3rd one as having affairs is a serious problem in Thai society now.
Everything LP Pramote said, I've heard before. Still, it's nice to be reminded. He said that the first time one is awake from his thoughts, it's like a match is lit in a pitch dark room; so it's very bright. But the subsequent snapping out is not so striking as it's just light in an already lit room. I still remember what it was like to be "awake" the first time; it happened there at his temple. Hard to explain in words, but I just knew that this must be it...
I once was asked what my goal in life is. I want to become enlightened, to reach nirvana, so that I shall not be born again, ever! It's not that I can choose; more like if I don't get it done, I'll come back, and I'm not sure I'll be so lucky as I am in this life. It's easy to slip...
Saying that I want doesn't mean that I'll get it. The tricky part is that one cannot reach nirvana if one wants it. Just like yoga, my job is to keep practicing...
At least I'm sure I'm on the right path, and it's not pure belief. I've proven to myself that, I do, in fact, live a happier life with just being conscious about what I do and how I feel, and not try to manipulate it. If I get mad, then I know that I'm mad. If I want myself to NOT mad, I just need to realize that I have such desire. LP said, just watch like someone else is looking. The goal of the practice is to see that everything changes, and so too does anger. But of course, I am not supposed to vent it out facially, verbally or physically. Well, that being said, I don't succeed all the time though...
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