Venerable Luangpu Pramote Pamojjo
18 May 2025
Baan Jitsabuy, Thailand
Translated by Shi Ne Ling
Many people suddenly try to watch the mind—
but they can’t really do it.
Luangpu dares to say this plainly:
when people talk about “watching the mind”,
in most cases, they are not truly seeing the mind at all.
They can’t, because their mindfulness (sati) and concentration
aren’t yet strong enough.
Therefore,
before we can see the defilements,
cleanse them from the mind,
before the path and fruit arise in our own mind,
we must have put in persistent effort.
This path is not a short one.
It is long and demands endurance.
It’s not something that happens instantly—
not like making instant noodles:
just pour in hot water
and in a few minutes it’s ready to eat.
To study the Dhamma,
we dedicate our entire life.
And if we could recall our past lives,
we would see that one lifetime is not enough.
But we need not be alarmed—
those of us who are drawn to listening to the Dhamma,
surely this is not our first life of taking an interest in it.
In earlier lifetimes, we may have known nothing.
It took time to grow interested,
to begin studying,
to accumulate merit and perfections (pāramī)—
until finally, we were born in a time
when the Buddha’s teachings still exist.
This is by no means an easy feat.
The Buddha said that being born as a human is rare.
To hear the Dhamma is even rarer.
To practice the Dhamma in a way that is truly aligned with the Dhamma is rarer still.
And to realize the Dhamma—most rare of all.
But do not lose heart.
If you give in to discouragement,
it means you’ve already been defeated
before the battle has even begun.
We are children of the Buddha.
Our Buddha was a warrior—
born into the Khattiya caste, the warrior class.
Therefore, we must be strong.
Don’t come half-heartedly,
whining or seeking sympathy.
Luangpu has no fondness for those who plead with their teachers—
everyone who tries ends up being scolded.
Don’t come to whine.
Come to fight.
The Dhamma is not for the faint of heart.
Statement from Shi Ne Ling:
While we try our best, this translation may not fully convey the message of Luangpu’s teachings. Any mistakes or shortcomings are solely our responsibility.
Chinese Translation:
Indonesian Translation: