Chapter 16: Truthfulness

Phra Rajsuddhinanamangala

Truthfulness alone manifests the miracle of da-na (charity), si-la (morality) and bha-vana- (meditation). From truthfulness alone a lot of miracles can arise. They are miracles to perform super-natural acts and miracles in invulnerable aspects, enabling one to be successful in both secular and religious activities. Do you have any truthfulness or any truth in life? If not, establish it now. Do not come and start sitting with closed eyes straight away.

Make a resolution like this. “I will perform walking meditation and sitting meditation for one hour. If it is not one hour, I will not stop.” “Today I intend to carry two yokes of water.” You have to carry two yokes of water to be called truthful.

Most Buddhists are not successful in what they do because they lack of truthfulness. It is truthfulness only. Do not take giving alms or donations into consideration. Moreover, many patrons do not understand what merit making means. Some keep donating what they have. But they do not understand the teaching of the Buddha. The Buddha taught us to share, did he not? Sharing. Rationing. How do you infer the word rationing? Probably old patrons may say, “If you have rice field, give it to me. I will donate it all.” Is this called rationing? No! The Buddha usually gives not takes. Do you know which point he doesn’t take? Listen a bit further. What does the Buddha not take? Although he accepts other points, he does not accept one. See what it is.

I have seen so many people who intend to do walking meditation for one hour and sitting meditation for one hour. After forty minutes of sitting, they think they will continue later. Some people think they would go to sleep first and would resume the meditation later. Some people say they would wait until after their children are asleep. You get nothing for such conducts, really. You have lost your truthfulness. Truthfulness is deleted. Do not do anything else. And do not work for the attainment of pa-rami- (perfections) any more. There is no merit from donation or observing the precepts either. When there is no dhamma how can the Wisdom Perfection arise? This is because lacking of truthfulness. At present you lack of this virtue. Do not try to achieve anything else when you do not have truthfulness. Even the gun misfired and bomb does not explode at a truthful person. This is truthfulness. It is very important.

If you have a heartful of truthfulness, it is your major asset. Do you have this major asset quality of success? If you do, there will be those who come to join and support you. The only major asset is truthfulness. If you are truthful, not lying to yourself, let alone telling a lie to others. Lying to others is as good as telling yourself a lie. You have been untrue for a long time. All patrons please know that the core of things is truthfulness. Maggasacca is the truthfulness in the Noble Path. If we do not have truthfulness, the Noble Path cannot arise, no matter how much meditation you practise.

I went on dhutanga (austere practices) with Luang Poh Dum in the jungle. That requires truthfulness again, Luang Poh Dum was, I don’t know how many hundred years old. I went walking for a dhutanga practice with him in the jungle. I did not believe it very much then. But I was made to believe. He asked, “Are you a true person?” I did not understand the meaning of it. So, I said I did not know. He said, “Remember! If you have truthfulness, you are a true person. If you do not have truthfulness you are useless. Everything has gone bad. Do not make a wish. It will not come true.”

You may have heard the name of Luang Poh Dum. His name is not Dum actually. I don’t know what his name is. But I call him so. Not sure how many hundred years old he is. And he is still alive too! You can see him if you have truthfulness. If not, you cannot reach him. I will not talk about him any further.

Shortly inferred, accomplishing truthfulness causes the true Noble Path. Theory is not the same as practice. Theory and practice are different. The word maggasacca can be directly translated as the Noble Path arisen from truthfulness. Any one lacking of truthfulness cannot attain the Noble Path or the way leading to the Path. Theoretically, there is the Eightfold Path. But in the person who lacks of truthfulness, there is the twofold path – sloppiness and covetousness.

It is certain that the person who has no maggasacca is full of both said qualities. Try to notice this. Anyone who does things sloppily is usually grasping. They would take without give. On the contrary, anyone who can sacrifice will gain merit and benefit. It means this much. Being grasping person ends up in both sloppiness and covetousness. Remember!

Maggasacca means truthfulness is the path. Anyone who has no truthfulness or truth cannot attain the Path or Nibba-na. Do not look for them. You will see for yourself. How is your meditation practice? Easy! Can you sit for one hour? “Oh! I make a resolution every hour, but I always end up less.” This is lack of truthfulness. If you feel you are about to die, let it be. Follow the Buddha’s resolution. “Even my blood and flesh dry up, I am willing to die. (But will not move until enlightened.)”

All patrons please realize the elementary of meditation practice. Have you realized how many times you inhale in one minute? Eighteen times. When you are asleep, it reduces to fifteen times. Those sleepyheads inhale thirteen times. While practising meditation it reduces to ten times. Then it gradually reduces to eight, four, two and one time until entering the mental one-pointedness and the meditative attainment of cessation accordingly.

Some monks say this and that. Ask him if he can do it. I talk about the lower level that I can do. I cannot do the upper level. The upper practice level that I ever mentioned, like Nibbana, I have not attained. If I have, I will inform you. At present, I have not attained and I am still and ‘Ara-hey’. Hey! I will help on that side. Hey! I will help on this side.

Now people incline to look for the Arahant. Some build temples as large as palaces. A lot of a kind of monks resides in the forest. If any patron would like to meet them, I will guide you. There are those monks who reside quietly in the forest. When they utter a word, it makes a real impression in your mind. This kind of monk is shrewd and sharp. They speak briefly but wittily. Each of their word is worth thinking about. This kind of monk really resides in the forest. They speak shortly and sharply. Do not forget the monk like Luang Poh Dum. I call him so myself. He may or may not be the same one as the one published in the magazine. But why does he live so long? It is a strange story. Some time you meet him in Bangkok. Some time in the north or Burma. Some time you can meet him if your mind reaches him.

So, I have accomplished the knowledge about counting of breaths in China. After accomplishing, I have tested by sending telepathy in written form. It can appear on the other side. This is the breath. You can teach your children. There’ s no need to say Buddho, Samma- araham. or ‘rising…falling’ at all. They are a-na- pa-nasati (mindfulness on breathing) all the same. It depends on which object of consciousness we insert, be it samatha (tranquility) or vipassana- (insight). It also depends on how the Five Aggregates, form and name are. I can prove it scholastically. It’s like being a doctor, I learn from my patients and gain a lot experience from them.

Now, there was a primary school child who was not quite good at learning. This is the way you can use to teach your children. You should be able to remember the method. It is the same thing, that is, the in-breath and out-breath. Can you notice that when you have greed, it causes the abnormally long breath? Anger causes abnormally short breath with tics. If the tic increases to more that 50 or 60%, you are bound to go for a fight. This is anger. Some are under the power of ignorance. They cannot breathe properly. They are short of breathe and sigh. They do not want to look at anybody’s face or listen to anybody. They do not want to take advice from any one. This is clearly ignorance. When you are affected by greed, anger or ignorance, do not practise any form of meditation. Take a deep breath. Do not talk to anyone. Do not let your consciousness go outside. Concentrate alone while taking a deep breath. You will find the key in a few moments. You will know where the money has gone. Sometimes misplacing can cause panic, resulting in not being able to find things. Try to sit still in a room. That is why there is a private office for Minister or Department Director in the government office.

Once I went to China with a group of people from Hong Kong. I met a certain Doctor in Beijing. He was very smart. One man in our group tried to lie to him. The Doctor felt this man’s pulse and ask if he had married. He said he was still single. But the Doctor said that he had told a lie. In fact, he had three wives and five children, two boys and three girls. He asked if that was true. The man was shocked. Whatever he said, the man told him through his mind. The Doctor just felt his pulse. So, there is no secret in the world. You cannot tell a lie.

So, if our breath is refined, our concentration is refined, it reveals itself through our faces. Poise and stance also tell. This is beneficial. All relatives and patrons can aim to attain this much. When you practise meditation, there’s no need to aim for Nibba-na. Nibba-na means dying outside of the noose, without having to be concerned for anyone. It ceases wholly. There will be no more ignition. Before attaining that, is there any proof what have you done with your breath. Rising and falling are the breaths. Bud…with the in-breath and dho…with the out-breath are also the breaths. It is called a-na-pa-nasati.

Credit: eBooks. Wat Amphawan.