Questions from India about vipassana

19 August 2004

Dear Ajarn Supawan,

          We are Thai student studying in Varanasi, India we are searching the proper way to nirvana following the Buddha's teachings after we read your book "Userguide of life moral part" we've got so many inspirations and encouragements but we have no chance to read other of your books
 so we are seeking your further instruction about how to practise in our daily life and we really want you to be a spiritual guide to our life Please teach and lead laymen like us to the way of nirvana.  Thank you very much indeed for your mercy to our soul.

         Sincerely Yours,

         Tassanee 

         Banaras Hindu University

         Varanasi UP.

         India

 

19 August 2004

Sawadee ka Khun Tassanee,

         I happen to be working on the computer when your email arrives. So glad to hear that you are searching for the way to Nirvana. Of course, I can help you and your friends too. Nearly all of my books and the latest articles both in Thai and English are in my website at http://www.supawangreen.in.th/ You can either read them on line, download, or print them out to share with our fellow human-beings. Please do it by all means, my knowledge is there for humanity to help themselves. However, I would like you to have a Thai copy of Bai mai kam meu deow and koo meu sheewit pak god hand gam. Please do arrange for your friend in Thailand to send you a copy. A handful of leaves in Thai is a bit difficult to get but not the koo meu sheewit.

         Now, please also read all my latest article in Thai, they should give you a clear idea of how to practise vipassana properly. Aoud-u-ta-ri is also another book, which will give you clear idea of how to walk the Buddha's path to the ultimate enlightenment. If you have other questions regarding the practice, please write to me again, ok? I am sure my website will be able to put you on the right track to Nirvana.

         Khun Thongchai, my website master can also help you to obtain my books in Thailand if you don't have anyone to help you. Please don't hesitate to ask.

         With metta,

         Supawan

 

         Dear Ajarn Supawan ka,

          I and my friend would like to thank you very much indeed for your kindness and mercy, we are going to learn your article in your website to practice by ourselves, we are like tadpole in narrow swamp and need to get out of it, I feel lucky as Varanasi where I live and study is quite near to Sarnath where the Lord Buddha delivered his first sermons and environment here is rather suitable and inspire me to tighten my spiritual practise yet I always lost my way, I am still being possessed by ignorance , I want to live so simply and peacefully  but a lot of contradiction always occurs in my  mind  it happens when I have to contact with worldly person around me and part of myself 

         So this is big problem for me and I can't understand myself properly sometimes

         due to I am in young age (26 yrs) I want to be loved and want to loved other in worldly way so I am confused between practising and natural need, please give me advice.

         Thank you indeed in advance,

         With sincerely respect,

         Tassanee

 

28 August 2004

Dear Tassanee,

         I am in the middle of writing an introduction for my book. Please wait for a while and I will try to answer your question. If fact, if you read through my books, you will find answer to your questions.

         metta,

         supawan

 

3 September 04

Dear Ajarn Supawan ka,

         I have found the answers to my questions in your books laew ka.

         Thank you very much ka.

         With sincerely respect,

         Tassanee
 

 

10 September 2004

Dear Ajarn Supawan ka,

         Thank you very much for your attention

         I do follow your instruction as every moment as I can

         It's really hard to catch up 'present moment'.

         I do it since I wake up until I fell to sleep  everyday and every moments is always new moment for practising.

         But I always lost in thinking and dreaming.

         What I am really worried about is "Vippasanu kilate"

         After stop thinking nothing else to do, is it correct?

         With sincerely respect

         Tassanee
 

 

10 September 04

Tassanee,

         After you stop thinking or when your head is void from thought, you then should have the innocent perception, that moment is the 4th foundation, the dhamma. Can you get it? You still have perceptions but without thoughts. Those perceptions are therefore innocent, that is nirvana already. You just have to balance your mind well, right in the middle, keep your thoughts away and boom...innocent perception, you entered nirvana this way. But of course, you will lose that innocent state when you think. But it's ok...as long as you know that that very moment when your mind is void from thoughts is the crucial answer you've been looking for. That is the main thing. Very simple, the answer is right in front of your nose. Just try to understand this and put into practice, ok? You are doing very well, keep it up.

         Metta,

         Supawan

 

September 12, 2004 3:42 PM

Dear Ajarn Supawan ka,

         Thank you very much again for your instruction I do follow till the end of my life, I will continuously report you my progress, please do not mind to contact and answer me.

         By the way, right now  there are small group of people who are interested in your books and instruction here ( both Thai monks &  laymen students ) after I distributed them some of your story and instruction (which I copy some  from your website and print  )

         But it will be much more better for them to read the entire of each books
therefore I contact Mr. Thongchai and ask him to send any of your books to them and because there are a lot of Thai students here more than 60 people, monks are majority, they will be the future and the main support for Buddhism in Thailand. It will be good and useful for them to have a chance to learn from your books. Anyway, my friend named J. (he is who recommended your book to me )

         He would like to ask you some question through my e-mail
         1.By your instruction, if we know only mind, how can we get rid of our bad habit such as laziness, too much worry about appearance?
         2.When we have to express our feelings in some occasion such as when we have to express Metta to others but at that moment we exactly know that in our mind is void so we have to make or create our feeling, isn't it?

         Thank your very much for your answer

         With sincerely respect,

         Tassanee & J

 

12 September 04

Tassanee,

         When you do vipassana all the time, all the bad habits will gradually disappear. At first, it seems you have to deal with many things at the same time and can be quite confusing. So, just follow the guideline in the Koo meu sheewit, morality and law of kamma. Do all those practice well. Then, keep on watching your mind. It is a skill, an art to balance your mind well. Make your mind void from thoughts and keep on practising the innocent perception until you have your own wisdom. While you do that, all the bad habit such as laziness and worrying will fade away slowly.  Regarding laziness, you cannot afford to be lazy with the practice if you are still being subjected to suffering.  Only those who have accomplished their goal of life can afford to be lazy. Indeed, even Arahats can be lazy but it isn’t a problem for them anymore. They can be as lazy as they want to i.e. sleeping all day long, it isn’t a problem for them. But not until then, ok?  So, be diligent.

         We are social animal, we need to interact and co-exist so, even though your mind don't have the thoughts, you still need to say the right thing, moral words, good words which can help people to go beyond the meaning of words in the end. This is also an art of living in the conventional world ( Lok som-mut). As long as your words are moral and righteous, it's ok to say it even though your mind is void from those words. Now you can understand why I didn't want to meet and talk to many people unnecessarily as I talked about in aoud-u-ta-ri. I used to feel so painful to talk to people but I also learn that this world belongs to others too so, I must compromise and learn the art of living with others. It is much harder for a lay person to live with others in this conventional world than it is for a monk. At least, laypeople know the monks' disciplines but people around me don't know the real me so I have to learn the art of living with them. Not easy at first but just like everything else, I learn to get used to it. Now, I just feel extremely normal. So you will learn the art of co-existing in good time. Do your best, ok?

         Yes, please co-ordinate with Khun Thongchai about the books. Aoud-u-tari will be released next month. This book can guide you and all your friends here in India along the vipassana path rather well. I may return to Thailand next year to teach, if you can join in, it will be good. Your questions will be easily answered face to face. I will try to set a date soon so that people can make arrangement.

         Please keep up with your practice.

         Metta,

         supawan

 

14 Sep. 04

Dear  AjarnSupawan ka

         Thank you very much indeed for your answer it is very clearly and useful to me and my friend in order to live in this conventional world more properly with real unconditioned mind.

         last Sunday, I had a good chance to go to Krishnamurati Foundation which is situated on the bank of Ganga River this place is created on the area which Krishnaji believed that The Lord Buddha once passed by , when I first arrived here I feel so peaceful and special force came through me. I was sitting under the Poh tree and I watched my mind quietly, it was unbelievable I have never understood  Krishnaji 's teaching before until I learn your instruction I just found out that Krishnaji 's teaching is very similar to your instruction !  This is such a wonderful experience to me , I read  book of Luang Pu Dune he said same things as yours either  so I have no more ambition to find out how to deal with the rest of my life anymore , I happen to receive the real answer why I have been sending here in Varanasi .

         Anyway please tell me of which month you will be in Thailand as next year I will be graduated and back to Thailand as well, it should be on May -July for me (this is changeable) still I really hope I can meet you in Thailand ka.

         Thank you very much again ka

         With sincere respect

         Tassanee

 

14 Sep. 04

Dear Tassanee,

         There is only ONE ultimate truth. Therefore, all enlightened people see the same truth although they may have different approach in telling people about the truth. 

         I am glad you have found your answer in life. At least your searching among the different doctrines have come to an end, from now on, it is a matter of practice, the actual walking so that you can complete your life journey.  Please make the most of your time in India as you are very fortunate to be able to trace the footsteps of our great teacher, the Buddha.

         I hope I would be able to come to India one day.

         Metta,

         Supawan

 

14 September 2004

Dear Tassanee,

         I have compiled all your emails and my replies in one file. I think they are very good questions and I want to share them with others. so, I hope you don't mind if I ask Khun Thongchai to put in the website both on the Thai and the English page. I also answer to this email too. Please open the attachment and read.

         I take away your last name to keep your privacy. I hope you don't mind.

         Please keep up your practice.

         Metta,

         supawan

 

September 17, 2004 2:40 PM

Dear Ajarn Supawan ka,

         It's my pleasure to share our correspondence to others; I really hope that it would be so beneficial for those who are finding the answer for their life as we do. It is most welcome.

         There are many questions to ask because on the way of practising there are complicated situation always happen to us, and we want to share it with Ajarn for more proper practise.

          This time J. wants to ask Ajarn ka      "When J saw women and he watched his mind at that moment, there was no thought in it, still he feels something like "heat" occurred inside his own body.

         What is it? And how to get rid of it?" 

         Thank you in advance for your answer ka.  We really hope that you can come to India ka.

         Thank you again ka & krab

         With sincere respect,

         Tassanee & J

 

17 September 2004

Tassanee and J,

         If you round thoughts, memories and feelings into just one thing that I call Jerry, the mouse, that heat is still "Jerry" Jerry is the carrier of all defilements (gilate), a lot of things that come into our minds, not in the form of thoughts, we cannot see thoughts but somehow our minds are still not clear and void enough and even feel troubled. This is the very subtle and refined type of gilate. So, keep on watching your mind and whenever "thing" come into your mind or your heart, even though it isn't thought, it doesn't matter, just watch, keep on watching until that thing or in J's case... heat...keep on watching that heat until it disappear and you will become wiser. When you are truly free from defilement, your perception will be innocent, when you see a woman, you will feel the same as seeing a tree, a flower, coin, box, book, food, etc... because everything is reduced to Rupa, when you view Rupa innocently, it become the dhamma, it become the truth, it become nirvana in this manner.

         So, keep up with your practice, just watch everything that goes through your heart, your mind and let go of them. You will progress nicely. Be patient.

         Metta,

         Supawan

 

September 20, 2004 1:32 PM

Dear Ajarn Supawan ka,

         Thank you very much for your answer to our questions ka, it clarify us regarding many form of defilements. What we think and what it is are two natures, totally different. So how to deal with defilement is only by "watching" it right from beginning till the end. Is that correct?

         Ajarn ka, I have noticed many changes in my daily life after practising "Vipassana" such as when I experienced things surrounding me, I always feel nothing or void towards them.  Even though thoughts had arisen, they still existed just a short while and disappeared faster than before. And when bad thoughts happened, I sometimes said something to stop it, automatically like " go away, leave me alone " or I called out name of my beloved one. In fact, this mental event had happen to me many times before when I was a teenager. So this is what you described as "Tom & Jerry", isn’t it?

         Now, I feel I want to be more isolated, I don't feel like talking or taking part in social activities with others. I can't watch TV or listen to music very long like I used to do it before. I feel that it is difficult for me to "watch the mind" naturally while talking and working with people.

         I can't help taking on the train of thought and go with it so many miles away before I realise it.  Therefore I want to live peacefully and quietly and have less to do with people. I think that by doing so, our practice will be more advanced and in order to prevent us to commit bad gamma, especially verbally. 

         Am I on the right track? Please give me advice.
Thank you very much ka

         With sincere respect,

         Tassanee

 

25 September 2004

Noo Tassanee,

         The experiences you described in your emails were similar to some of my experiences I talked about in my latest book Aoud-u-ta-ri. So yes, you are on the right track already. Just do all the things that you have been doing. Watching the thoughts (the 3rd foundation of mindfulness) is the art that is very difficult to teach. Just like many other skill, one has to perfect their artistic skill through regular practice only. However I can teach you to practise the skill of talking and running meditation when you are in the rush because human have to co-exist, we cannot always run away from people all the time.  How can we do our talking as well as meditating is yet another skill we can learn to do? But I have to teach this face to face as it involves the actual practice. Too many words to write and people cannot even get it right. I will teach you myself when we meet, ok? In the mean time, you are doing fine, very good, just be very patient. Someday you feel good but someday you feel such a failure. It is quite normal. Just concentrate on keeping up with "here and now", which can be some awful feelings too. Here and now is nirvana and innocent perception. Learn to watch them as if they are something else in the distance and let them go. That's all you can do.

         I think I will be back to Thailand in July 2005 and will hold both Thai and English teaching. I will give more details soon in the website. You don't have to call me ajarn, call me "na" is fine. I am a very simple and down to earth person, The word "arjarn" doesn't suit me.

         I hope this email helps. Do your very best, ok?

         Metta,

         Na supawan

 

28 September 2004

Dear Na Supawan,

         Thank you very much for your answers, it really helps me.

         At this moment of typing this mail I have no questions to ask ka.

         I feel void in my head, I really don't know how to ask you right now
 

         "someday you feel good but someday you feel such a failure"

Yes, this often happens to me, it really hurts me sometimes but I will go on practise ka. It has become automatic practise as you described in your books.

         I have been applying Yoga to Vipassana ka and it works out very well to me. I will ask Na Supawan again na ka when I have any problems.

         We already received your books from Khun Thongchai laew ka. They are very good and we distributed them to others. I quietly hope that other people would realize what Na Supawan wants them to learn. I will help you from here in India too. I also strongly hope to see you next year in July ka so that I can learn more from you.

         Thank you very much again ka

         With sincere respect,

         Tassanee