Legacy 1:
Everyone can be a Buddhadasa (Servant of the Buddha), if one wants to with a pure heart; just serve in the propagation of Buddhism by setting an example in practice and happy living that others may see and follow.
Legacy 2:
Three Vows suitable for all Servants of the Buddha to take as their standard in performing their duty for the world's benefit:
- Strive to realize the heart of one’s own religion;
- Strive to help each other pull ourselves out from under the power of materialism;
- Strive to create mutual understanding among all religions.
Legacy 3:
The first vow , helping everyone to realize the heart of Buddhism , is to bring about practice that is good, direct, just, and fit for liberation, in order to directly and genuinely fulfill the Buddha's purpose.
Legacy 4:
The second vow , freeing the world from the power of materialism, from the flavors that arise from sensuous matter , should be a cooperative endeavor of all people and all religions in the world, so that the world will be cleansed, cleared, and calmed of its current state.
Legacy 5:
The third vow , creating mutual understanding among religions , is necessary because the world must have many religions, as many as the types of people in the world, in order for all to be able to live together in peace. Every religion teaches unselfishness, the differences are merely in methodologies.
Legacy 6:
Gardens of Liberation (Suan Mokkh) , places that make intimacy with nature mentally and physically convenient , should be set up everywhere for the direct study of nature, for understanding the law of nature, and for sampling the taste of nature, until everyone knows how to love nature, which will help us to understand Dhamma easily.
Legacy 7:
The Suan Mokkh of the Theater of Spiritual Entertainments is necessary for these beings which instinctually need entertainment, which is a spiritual support, a fifth support in addition to the four physical supports.1 Please help to manage them for the use and above mentioned benefit of everyone.
Legacy 8:
Suan Mokkh International, especially for the spiritual light of our fellow human beings from other countries and languages, is an idea that arose when we saw them struggling and searching in order to find themselves. Please help to establish it, then maintain and continue it.
Legacy 9:
Spiritual Theaters for spiritual entertainment with the flavor of Dhamma are needed in place of the sensual theaters which always turn human beings into some sort of demon. Humans need entertainment as the fifth requisite of life, but it must be arranged carefully.
Legacy 10:
The five pillars on our roofs are symbolic of the five hindrances (nivarana), the five groups of clinging (upadanakkhandha), the five powers (bala), the five sovereigns (indriya), the five Dhamma essentials (dhammasara), the five paths & fruits & nibbana (magga-phala-nibbna). Even the five fingers on your own hand are just reminders of the matter of eliminating dukkha for us all.
Legacy 11:
The slogan of Suan Mokkh is "eat from a cat's plate, bathe in a stream, sleep in a pen, and listen to the mosquitoes sing." This is a practical standard for eliminating the problems of material life and supports mental development because it follows that natural principle which says, "simple living, high thinking."
Legacy 12:
The Diploma from Suan Mokkh is "die before dying." In other words, the mind is finished with feelings of "I" and "mine" before the physical body dies. There remains only pure sati-pañña (mindfulness and wisdom) regarding life. This is something that can happen even now. So, the sooner one "dies," the more profitable life is.
Legacy 13:
We use the principle of people language & Dhamma language to distinguish between material and spiritual matters so that we will speak about them correctly, because we will understand them correctly, deeply, and advantageously. Don't mix them up, or reverse them, that will just lead to dizziness.
Legacy 14:
The system of using people language & Dhamma language is most certainly needed in the study and teaching of Buddhism, because the Lord Buddha taught the Dhamma both in the Dhamma language of ordinary people (personal, individual terms) and in the Dhamma Language of those who have seen the Dhamma for themselves (in terms of natural truth). Thus, we must observe this distinction carefully in our study, teaching, and conversation; otherwise dizziness will ensue.
Legacy 15:
"Age Teasing" and giving the Age Teasing gift, as we do at Suan Mokkh, results in a heedfulness and self-knowledge that improves each year. May I leave this to be maintained and continued for the sake of everyone's spiritual development.
Legacy 16:
True Buddhists shouldn't be bothered even by headaches, let alone nervous disorders and mental illness. This is possible through reliance upon the Dhamma principle at the heart of Buddhism that says "tathatä" or "just like that." This is the natural fact that all things must happen according to their causes and conditions, and must be dealt with right there, without there being anything strange or surprising about it. Thus, may we leave it behind as a legacy.
Legacy 17:
The Three Cs of Cleanness, Clarity, & Calmness are qualities of the Noble Ones and are in the position of being the essence of Buddhism's Triple Gem. May we leave them as a legacy for everyone to use as a daily mantra.
Legacy 18:
The Buddhist Charter that we develop together remains correct and in line with the principles of Buddhism. Buddhists may take it as a standard for right practice, for good results, and for convenience in being ones who know, are awakened, & have blossomed, and who will never again fall into the swamps of superstition and materialism. May we leave it as a long lasting legacy.
Legacy 19:
The Literary Works making up The Dhamma Proclamation Series, From His Own Lips Series, Floating Lotus Series, and Turning of the Dhamma Wheel Series: may we leave them as a memorial of a poetic mind that has released them with the greatest care into the Dhamma Sea , that is the hearts of all True People throughout the land , for them to thrive in the reservoir of that Dhamma Sea for unending time.
Legacy 20:
The Suan Mokkh style of chanting uses chants that we have translated into our own language, trying to make them graceful and melodious. The passages chosen are concise and powerful, suitable for use as the objects of samädhi and vipassanä, also. May we leave these to be chanted for a long, long time.
Legacy 21:
The Demonstration Alms Offering practiced in Suan Mokkh is a practical study in how to feed one-hundred monks, in how to do it smoothly while keeping the defilements under control. Please maintain this kind of ceremony in order to support and preserve Buddhism in an economical way, free of difficulties, and maintaining the ancient form of the Buddha's time.
Legacy 22:
The "Nalike" coconut pond is a lesson modeled after a children's lullaby of the southern people that shows how much they had realized the highest Dhamma in times past, to the extent that they could take nibbäna as the theme of a children's lullaby. Please protect the honor of our ancestors on this point and make ourselves fit to be their descendants, every one of us.
Legacy 23:
Preaching Dhamma in lecture form, which sometimes must be done while standing, does not go against the Dhamma-Vinaya in any way. Convenient and appropriate for the times, it causes the propagation of Buddhism to proceed smoothly and successfully. It is not necessary to stick to the strict literal interpretation of Vinaya when they are customs and manners of a different era and time.
Legacy 24:
The standard followed at Suan Mokkh of not welcoming people who can't wash their own plates, who must have someone else clean up after they eat, is a standard which doesn't conflict with Buddhist principles. We use it to select which people are fit to stay in the monastery for the sake of practicing Dhamma because their hearts are in harmony with the principles of unselfishness and not taking advantage of others. Please help to maintain this as a continuing legacy.
Legacy 25:
Sleeping with a wooden pillow is something the Buddha himself recommended as a way to train ourselves in not oversleeping. Mära has no chance to take over the person who doesn't indulge in sleep, who is strong and active both physically and mentally. In those days, both wanderers2 and warriors slept with wooden pillows, especially, the Licchavi noblemen.
Legacy 26:
Please allow me to object to the words "work is money, money is work." They are out of line with Buddhism, which teaches us to work as a duty that is proper for all forms of life, rather than to work seeking money to fatten up life so that it delights in the roads to ruin (apayamukha) or in the pleasures that are nothing but "flashes of insanity." I leave this legacy of protest with you, also.
Legacy 27:
The secret trick of Zen is merely the original way of Buddhism that adds tranquility to insight (vipassana) so that they work together in the instant that there is both concentration (samadhi) and a penetrating investigation that seeks the mind's original state — freedom from defilement. Zen doesn't separate them in order to practice just the particular one we are attached to. The relevant Sutta teaching is: Contemplation (jhana) doesn't occur for one lacking wisdom; wisdom doesn't occur for one lacking contemplation (jhana).
Legacy 28:
The principle of vaccination using bacteria to cure disease can be applied in Buddhist Dhamma practice by applying greed's power to coveting goodness and merits, by applying anger's power to hating defilements and dukkha as enemies in order to destroy them, and by applying delusion's power to infatuation with doing basic kinds of good rather than falling into evil. This is possible because these three "powers" are already fully present in our minds as our opening stakes in the "gamble" of life.
Legacy 29:
Having Dhamma all night and all day is not so hard to do. When about to do any of the duties of daily life, become aware of the fact that "Duty itself is Dhamma." Because duty is able to eliminate every type of problem and brings only good, desirable results, its meaning is exactly that of the word "Dhamma," that which helps the practitioner avoid falling into dukkha. So when duties are done all day long, there is Dhamma all day long. Even resting is a duty that must be performed as much as any other, that is, in order to have the necessary strength for doing one's Duty.
Legacy 30:
The Great Standards of the Discipline (Vinaya Mahapadesa) in the style of the Vinaya (Discipline) must be passed on and taken as necessary in these modern times that are materially developed to the point of filling the world with problems of morality and discipline, both for wanderers and householders. Please study this Mahapadesa thoroughly in order to prevent foolish innocence.
Legacy 31:
The Mahapadesa (Great Standards) concerning Dhamma from the Mahaparinibbana-Sutta must be used together with the principles for judging Dhamma-Vinaya from the Gotami Sutta in order to discern what is right with the most accuracy and completeness. Such clarification is badly needed by modern Buddhists, whose lives are full of troubles that increase day by day. This approach has already been used with excellent results, so we ask to leave it as a legacy to be applied further.
Legacy 32:
The "Humming version of Dependent Co-origination" is taught in a way much easier to understand and practice than the usual formula. You ought to understand this form first, before investigating the standard formula. In either case, the practice is the same: be mindful at phassa (contact). (You can find the details in Dependent Co-origination From His Own Lips.)
Legacy 33:
Using the principles of idappaccayata, paticca-samuppada, tathata, & suññata as ambrosia that put us beyond death, or above the cycles of death and birth, because they finish off "I" and "mine," is the genuine daily activity of Buddhists, is the most direct path, and has the best results, so I leave it with you as something I've used to good result already.
Legacy 34:
The Vimuttayatana Sutta is a Dhamma principle worthy of special interest. It tells us that we are able to realize Dhamma on five occasions: when listening to Dhamma, when explaining the Dhamma for others to hear, when reciting Dhamma, when contemplating Dhamma, and when investigating and analyzing Dhamma. Obviously, there are many opportunities to realize Dhamma, but we have been so careless as to not take advantage of even a single one.
Legacy 35:
Using the 10 points of the Kalama Sutta thoroughly and correctly is a sure principle and method for maintaining and protecting Buddhism in ways that it is truly a refuge and carries on the teaching as the Buddha wished. I've used this method continuously and successfully in line with its fullest meaning, and leave this "tradition" with you as part of our legacy.
Legacy 36:
It is better to study the four foundations of mindfulness from the Anapanasati Sutta than from the Mahasatipatthana Sutta, which is overly long, has a vague and muddled appearance, and lacks a clear sequence or progression. Just to read it takes hours. On the other hand, the Anapanasati Sutta is a continuous progression of 16 steps that encompass everything from the beginning of practice up to and including the final realization of the fruits of practice. The Buddha himself declared that he relied upon this practice in his own Awakening. Please consider this well. May we leave this fact as a legacy, also.
Legacy 37:
Voidness (suññata) for householders, including women and children, is to be mindful and clearly aware in not feeling attachment towards anything such that love, anger, hatred, fear, worry, longing, envy, and jealousy occur through the power of feeling "I" and "mine." We insist that everyone has the awareness and strength needed to practice this and ought to practice it, so I leave it as a special legacy for householders.
Legacy 38:
The principle of following the footsteps of the Arahants can be used both by householders and homeless monastics. This is the principle of living life in a way that constantly scrapes away the kilesa (defilements) and lessens the familiarity with and tendency (anusaya) that causes more kilesa, by having sati-sampajañña in the moment that sense objects impact, and so not letting anything concoct greed, hatred, and delusion, or if they are concocted, have sati stop that mess.
Legacy 39:
"Beauty is in the corpse, goodness is in giving up, the monk is in truth, nibbana is in dying before death." We have knocked the dust off of and recycled this antique saying in order to preserve the intelligence of our ancestors, to show how sharp, direct, and profound their understanding was. Further, so that their children and grandchildren will have no less intelligence than our ancestors, and will fully live up to the meaning of being "Buddhist," by not locking away nibbana so that they must die over and over for thousands and millions of lives before getting any results. Please help to preserve this legacy of our ancestors.
Legacy 40:
May we all cherish one special aim, that whether sooner or later, there will be an era in which the world is perfect in Dhamma through everyone performing their duties, through everyone being clearly mindful in their hearts that the correct duty is itself the Dhamma that will help keep us above all problems. This is possible because the world is always changing. You ought to support the conditions for such change in this world.
Legacy 41:
If all people in the world object to bringing Dhamma into the world, because they think it's impossible, that's up to them. We alone, if need be, ought to make ourselves quench all dukkha with Dhamma that's up to the mark. Never be disappointed that so few people are interested in Dhamma.
Legacy 42:
"Buddha — The Knowing, Awakened, Fully Blossomed One — is the opposite of "Saiya," which means being asleep, uncertain, startled, and upset all the time. Whether we are "Buddha" or "Saiya" differ absolutely in just this respect.
Legacy 43:
These days, having a Buddha image to bow to or hang around the neck can be either superstition (saiyasastra, believing it to be a protective holy object or magically powerful) or Buddhism (Buddhasastra, a reminder or, at most, an object for paying respect). Buddhists must be on our guard not to lose the honor of Buddhists by becoming "Animists."
Legacy 44:
Having the Buddha as a "good, noble friend" (kalyanamitta) is something we must regard with great interest, as befits his words: "through relying upon me as a good noble friend, beings subject to birth, aging, illness, and death will escape from birth, aging, illness, and death." We turn around and claim only that we have birth, aging, illness, and death as our nature and cannot go beyond birth, aging, illness, and death. This repudiation of the Buddha is most pitiful.
Legacy 45:
The Buddha as understood by most people usually becomes a Himalayan mountain range that obstructs the Dhamma for them because theirs is the Buddha of clinging (upadana) and according to their own particular attachments and biases. Instead, one ought to understand the Buddha in line with reality.
Legacy 46:
The Lord Buddha spoke in both people language & Dhamma language. We must listen carefully. For instance, he spoke in people language saying "self is the refuge of self," but elsewhere, speaking in Dhamma language, he said, "one's self doesn't really exist." If we don't listen carefully, we won't understand a word and will think he is contradicting himself. If we know how to listen in Dhamma language, there won’t be any contradiction or conflict. This is merely one example.
Legacy 47:
The Lord Buddha said, "Whether in the past or now, we teach only the matters of dukkha and the remainderless quenching of dukkha." Thus, we had better not waste any more time in studying, questioning, and debating matters other than these two essentials.
Legacy 48:
The Lord Buddha didn't waste time fighting against or trying to get rid of old beliefs and teachings from before his time, he simply proclaimed his own perspectives that were better, more true, and more beneficial, so that his listeners could reasonably choose for themselves. Consequently, no tragedies occurred as happened to certain other Teachers and Prophets.
Legacy 49:
That people concoct Buddhas, Dhammas, and Sanghas according to their personal views creates many problems and misses the real Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. The Heart of the genuine Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha is cleanliness, clarity, and calm through being free and void of any odor or meaning of "I" and "mine."
Legacy 50:
Saiyasastra is the "Creed of Sleeping" (through avijja, ignorance), while Buddhasastra is the "Creed of Awakening from Sleep" (through vijja, wisdom). So be careful of activities concerning Buddha images and amulets, for there are those that are Buddhasastra and those that are Saiyasastra, depending on whether a person regards them with vijja or with avijja and upadana.
Legacy 51:
The true principles of practice need not extend over the kind of lifetimes that end in coffins. They are exclusively sanditthiko and akaliko, that is, immediately apparent to the mind that acts and receives the results of the actions. The later aspects are just material by-products experienced by ordinary Thicksters.
Legacy 52:
The thing which is called "Self" is merely an illusion (maya), that is, merely a sensation that arises in the mind when concocted by tanha (desire influenced by avijja, ignorance), through which it appears in the mind naturally and automatically. It is merely a misperception caused by the thing called "upadana" (clinging) which comes from tanha. It is not a real or true self, but is only a sensation blowing hot and cold, yet with an intensity such that the experiencer takes it to be "self."
Legacy 53:
Distinguishing four understandings of Dhamma makes a comprehensive study of Dhamma convenient: understand Nature itself, the Law of Nature, Duty according to the Natural Law, and the Fruits which come from practicing that Duty, until able to live life in harmony with Nature and without any problems.
Legacy 54:
"Dhamma" has many meanings. If we focus on only one, let it be the Duty which is performed correctly regarding the practitioner's situation, according to the Law of Nature, leading to peace for everyone, no matter the time or place.
Legacy 55:
All Practical Dhammas (Dhammas to be practiced) fall into two categories: Dhamma tools and Dhamma fruits. Sila, samadhi, and pañña (moral responsibility, mental integration, and wisdom) are Dhamma tools; magga, phala, and nibbana (paths, fruitions, and Nibbana) are Dhamma fruits. The Dhamma tools can be further divided into two kinds: primary Dhammas such as the four satipatthana (foundations of mindfulness) and the supplementary Dhammas such as the four iddhipada (paths to success) and the four sammappadhana (right strivings). You ought to know these Dhammas so they can be applied correctly according to the circumstances of practice.
Legacy 56:
You ought to turn every piece and particle of your work into Dhamma through the mindful clarity and awareness (sati-sampajañña) that Duty itself is Dhamma, fulfilling Duty alone is practicing Dhamma. Then you will have Dhamma with you in all movements, at all times, in all places. All your work will be as enjoyable as playing sports. Already happy in the moments you work, you need not indulge in pleasure houses, night life, and addictions.
Legacy 57:
Dhamma is the thing called " the Duty of all living things," that which they must do to survive both physically and mentally, both for their own sake and for that of society. Even when translating this word as "teaching," "learning," or "practice," the important understanding is still in its being the duty of salvation. Whenever duty is done, that is Dhamma practice.
Legacy 58:
The Dhamma in the temple and the Dhamma in the rice field is the very same Dhamma when they are carried out as rightful duties for genuine survival-salvation.
Legacy 59:
Three things that are Nirananda (Eternal), Amitabha (Endless Light), Amitayu (Endless Life), Akata (Unmade), Amata (Deathless), and Asankhata (Unconditioned): the Law of Nature, Voidness, and Nibbana. These three have no creator. Even God can’t create them because they themselves have the same status as God.
Legacy 60:
Genuine Buddhist Art is not material art as is generally understood, but is the system of mindful and wise action that marvelously quenches dukkha within the hearts of beings, as the Buddha said, with beauty and splendor in the beginning, middle, and end.
Legacy 61:
Dhamma is the Correct System of Practice for One’s Humanity, every step and stage of one’s evolution, from birth until death, both for one’s own benefit and the benefit of others. In short, Dhamma is Duty, the True God that helps save us all.
Legacy 62:
Dhamma exists to help us live in the world victoriously above the world. It’s not for us to flee from the world, but to be above any influence of the world, so that we no longer drown in the world. Being "above the world" is usually taught in such a way that everyone misunderstands and thinks we must flee the world, abandon the world, and throw away the world, in a way that has no value for anyone.
Legacy 63:
Dhamma is difficult to explain because human languages are insufficient. We don’t have words to express the things that people have never known before. Thus, we must strive to speak and try to listen until we understand the Dhamma expressed in both people language and Dhamma Language simultaneously.
Legacy 64:
Dhamma is neither the letters in books nor the voices preaching; rather, Dhamma is the correct fulfillment of Duty, of each practitioner, in every movement, every moment, and every place, appropriate to the humanity of both oneself and all others involved. This is the only way for it to be the Dhamma that is correct regarding Buddhist standards and able to bring genuinely peaceful bliss.
Legacy 65:
Siladhamma (moral behavior) must return for a peaceful world; Paramathadhamma (Supreme Dhamma) must return for an enlightened world. If virtue and moral behavior don’t return, the world will go to hell. If Supreme Dhamma doesn’t return, the world will go blind. Thus, everyone must help bring them back, as they are absolutely necessary for the world.
Legacy 66:
Don’t long after the past and don’t worry about the future, just do your own duty correctly in the present. That’s enough to avoid dukkha and won’t be the basis for sassataditthi, a lasting self that spins around within the vattas (cycles of birth and death).
Legacy 67:
The ABCs of Buddhism don’t start off with the Triple Gem, but begin with studying the stimulation of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind and how this causes the arising of consciousness, sense-contact, and feeling in such a way that craving, clinging, and then dukkha occur. Control these births and you can quench dukkha. Then Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha will appear by themselves.
Legacy 68:
The world is accomplished through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Because we have eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, there is a world. Various troublesome situations happen just because of misunderstanding the truth of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, in other words, the world.
Legacy 69:
The dukkha concocting aspect of dependent origination happens every time the mind craves, that is, when it is stupid at sense-contact; and when there is stupid contact, feeling is foolish. Then, due to the influence of ignorance, craving is born and defilement takes over. So be careful. Don’t be stupid at any contact and let the dukkha side of dependent origination happen.
Legacy 70:
A spin of paticca-samuppada occurs every time a sense object is contacted through ignorance, or, we may say, every time the mind is defiled by the concocting of ignorance (avijja). This doesn’t happen over lifetimes, in the sense that one cycle of paticca-samuppada covers three lives, as is generally taught in a way amounting to eternalism (sassataditthi, belief in a lasting self).
Legacy 71:
The practice that looks like not practicing anything is the inner practice of being content in one's own lack of self, doing every duty in harmony with the Law of Nature, and working for duty’s sake rather than for the benefit of "me" and "mine."
Legacy 72:
The higher Dhamma language is made up solely of words borrowed from the language of ordinary people, so try to stick to that ordinary meaning of these terms as far as possible in order that an understanding of each word can be found correctly and easily. For example: Nibbana is coolness, magga is path, phala is fruit, kilesa are dirty things, sanyojana is to bind up, asava is what squeezes out from fermentation, Buddha is awakening from sleep, Dhamma is duty, and Sangha is the community of worthy things.
Legacy 73:
The “Human Zero” is one whose mind is free of any attachment, that is, doesn’t feel any clinging toward the meaning of being “self” or “of self” through the upadana powered by ignorance. So be Human Zeroes; you will be light, at ease, intelligent, free of prejudice, and will have a mind automatically ready for every kind of work.
From: http://www.suanmokkh.org/archive/asiti/leg1.htm
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