IT was my first ever time to join meditation center to practice in my life. Following failed attempt to get CNY holiday destination, I joined 9 days meditation camp. My wife persuaded me and I not dare to reject her proposal as it is good purpose. In deed, it is easier to say go practice meditation than done. I got meditation experience lightly, only when I was turned to novice or monk. Hence, entering into intensive meditation camp make me feel uncomfortable with doubts in mind.
As a fresher, I tried my best during my practising time in center. The venerable sayadaw from Myanmar gave all participants his best of teaching. We need to attend his training class to understand the basis of Buddha teaching. In fact, I couldn't say basis in term of what he is teaching us. It is the most difficult chapter to understand unless we are devoted our time for good deeds in life. It may take us long years to understand it if we are enjoying with life's material convinces. At very beginning day, I really thought if I could be able to go through this week long meditation retreat successfully. I however find myself interesting when I understand the teaching of the monk. The more understanding, the more pleasure in meditation.
The pain remain while we are in the meditation. Our strayed minds are very chaos. The more we try to fix it, the more we understand that it keep going. Firstly, we are suppose to control our mind before we go to next step. It is what we call Thamahta building which is not easy for beginner like me. There are 4 kinds of taming mind and I sometime prompted myself to adapt the easiest way to catch my mind. It is nothing but counting numbers in mind. I have to use it when other methods failed. It really doesn't matter which method we adapt so long as it work.
In brief, we were taught how do we get current life and how will it be going in next life is up to our attitude. Being Buddhist, we have to believe in karma. If we do good deeds, the good karma will follow us. For that, we don't need to pray. Likewise, we have to suffer consequence if we do bad things in life. More importantly, we were shown the way how to go heaven where there will be no born & dead. I'm really impressed by the wisdom of Buddha & late venerable sayadaw who has created the char of life cycle to let ordinary people understand how the life goes on. Our life exist due to karma in past life. It is wrong to think our lives were created by God/ Lord. It is well proof by self practice during meditation section.
The universal truth is that getting body mean getting troubles. We keep maintain our body but it always goes to ruin and death at the end. It is inevitable for every human being. We got born mean we got to be die. No matter who you are. No matter where you come from. No matter you are poor or rich. No matter you are educated or layman. Then what's the value of life indeed? We are always pursuing for things that may last for only current life. We are enjoying our lives as if we will never die. We are fighting each other as if our win will long lasting. We become proud when we are successful in life. We are stingy to save more. The truth is that we have to leave everything when we are dead. My thinking of life might have changed completely at the end of the meditation which finished yesterday. Luckily I have a wife who never against to do good deeds. Otherwise my fulfilling to the understanding of dhamma may not go as much as possible.
Last time, I used to read newspaper or books on board train everyday. Now I prefer to listen dhamma teaching by venerable sayadaw through my mp-3 player. My wife and I start to go bed in listening dhamma teaching on our tablet. I sincerely hope that the foundation I have gained from this CNY meditation retreat will be kept and will nurse to live as eternal as possible in my life. It's the most valuable lesson ever I have gained from my life. I thanks my past karma for making me a Buddhist.
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