Venerable Luangpu Pramote Pamojjo
16 March 2008
Translated by Shi Ne Ling｜Excerpt selected by Sati Home
The “state of awakening”—
this is the most difficult to describe in human language.
Everyone thinks they are already awake,
but in truth,
it is rare to find one who is truly awakened in this world.
There are only people who are dreaming.
Even while their eyes are open,
they are dreaming throughout the day,
dreaming through the night.
Asleep, they dream.
Awake, they still dream.
To dream while awake is this:
the mind wanders off into the world of thought,
thinking endlessly, thinking about this and that.
While thinking,
sometimes we know what we are thinking,
sometimes we do not.
We have no idea what we are thinking at all.
The mind drifts away for an entire hour,
and still not even know what it has been thinking about.
Such a thing also happens.
While the mind drifts away,
the mind runs off into thought—
sometimes knowing what is being thought,
sometimes not.
In those moments,
though there is a body,
it is as if there were none,
because we have forgotten it.
Though there is a mind,
it is as if there were none,
because we have forgotten it.
Whenever we forget the body,
whenever we forget the mind,
that is called “lacking mindfulness (sati)”.
Whenever we know the body,
whenever we know the mind—
that is called “having satipaṭṭhāna (establishing mindfulness)”.
Satipaṭṭhāna is mindfulness that knows body and mind.
Satipaṭṭhāna is the direct path,
the one and only path,
that leads to purity and liberation.
Therefore, we must be mindful—
do not forget the body,
do not forget the mind.
Keep being aware of the presence of the body,
keep being aware of the presence of the mind.
Do not merely let yourself get lost in thought.
You have been thinking plenty since childhood,
and that is already enough.
From now on,
practise awareness.
train yourself to be one who has awareness—
aware of the body, aware of the mind.
When we aware of the body and the mind,
this very awareness
is the starting point of practice. For all forms of vipassana practices,
awareness is the foundation.
When our mind is no longer lost in the world of thought,
we awaken.
We become aware.
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: