No.436 _The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart Sphichato
Mon, 21 April 2025
"Practitioners must seek a place of sufficiency for meditation."
A place where we are alone will facilitate meditation. It is free from form, sound, smell, taste, and touch that will stimulate the mind to think and fabricate. If we are at home and see various things, we will not be able to stop thinking, worrying, and worrying, making meditation difficult. Therefore, he taught us to find a quiet and secluded place. This is to restrain the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body, not allowing form, sound, smell, taste, and touch to disturb the mind.
The word "sufficiency" means comfortable. Practitioners must seek a place of sufficiency for meditation. The mind will be easily calmed. A quiet and secluded place, free from hustle and bustle, people, and noise, and the people you are with must be sufficiency.
Do not quarrel. Everyone lives separately, does not interfere or disturb each other.
Food and air also affect meditation. It can be convenient or difficult. If the food does not suit the body, it will make you sick. This is not sufficiency. It does not mean food that is not to your taste or taste, but food that is a problem for the body. The air also plays a part. Too hot or too cold can be a problem.
The most important thing that cannot be missed is mindfulness. We must have mindfulness to control the mind at all times. Do not let your mind wander. It is like a dog that must be tied to a pole so that it does not go anywhere. But if it is not tied, it will wander around. It is tiring to find it. If the mind thinks carelessly and does not control itself, it will be distracted and various emotions will arise. If you have mindfulness and tie it to the Buddha or to what you are doing, whatever you do, stay with that action.
When walking, be aware that you are walking. When eating, be aware of eating. If you are still thinking about this and that, you must also recite the Buddha. Do not let it think about anything else. Just think about the Buddha. If you do this, you will draw the mind close to you, close to peace.
When you meditate, focus on the Buddha or your breath. The mind will not go anywhere else. It will not be long before it can be brought together. There are many factors, both external and internal, that practitioners must know. They must know how to create factors that are conducive to meditation.
Externally, they must have supplies. Internally, they must have mindfulness. They must restrain their senses. They must be isolated. They must know the amount of food they eat. Eating too much will make them lazy and sleepy. Sitting will make them fall asleep.
They must observe the Eight Precepts and reduce their food intake. If they are still sleepy, they must eat only one meal a day. At first, I observed the 8 precepts and did not eat after noon, but I was still sleepy, so I had to reduce it to only one meal. If I was still sleepy after one meal, I forced myself to eat only 5 or 10 bites and then stop. If I was still sleepy, I would abstain. These are the factors that support the practice. There are quiet and secluded places, mindfulness, knowing the limits of eating, not mingling, not being in a secluded place, and talking for hours when meeting other people. This is not right. If you are in a secluded place, you must not mingle with others. Find a suitable place, restrain your eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body. If you can do this, your meditation will definitely progress.
Phra Ajahn Suchart Aphichato
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