• Namo Amitābha Buddha - May obeisance be unto the Amitābha Tathāgata in the Sukhāvatī world. •

Ananda, in this way, the Tathāgata is called “Amitābha” because he has an innumerable and incalculable radiance, an unparalleled radiance, an radiance that no one can gather, an radiance that is the peak of light, a divine light, a light mixed with radiance that no one can eliminate, a light like the moonlight, a light that is pleasing, delightful, inviting to associate with, inviting to dwell in, inviting to relate, a light that is so bright that no one can compare, a light that is brighter than other kings and leaders, a light that makes the moon and sun sad and hide and peacefully reside together, a light that makes the guardian deities, Sakka, the Brahmās of the Suddhāvāsa, Mahesvara, and most of the deities become sluggish as has been said.

Source: Sukhāvatī-Vyūha Sutta
Published by :: Chinese Saṅgha

A magicians ghost shrine. With the deity’s Phra Ngang who transforms sexual desire into Metta Mahā-Niyoṁ. Which is great Metta onto oneself for success in all matters of life.

However, the Kuman Thong shown here typically does not go in accordance with the rules of keeping Phra Ngang. Which the owner has stated that he removes them every time offerings of pork blood, and alcohol is offered to Phra Ngang.

(Technically, he doesn’t know that it’s really the two Kuman Thong that keeps the Phra Ngang powers in check. Which are consecrated separately and in a different way to how an occult Kuman thong would be consecrated.)

Another Major Translation has been done, this time, it is the translation of the Dhammakāyānussati Gāthā (Recollection of the Dhamma Body Verse); Please feel free to read this translation, however, this does not mean the text is for open practice, this is only to appease the academics here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10rjYRtYDX-ohVR5MfBr9gZTXsxqgT4Gdb4uuRrPIPE8/edit?usp=sharing

The Audio Transmission, if you are interested, can be found here:

https://youtu.be/VEFUOGOscAk?si=A6f8SOBbrt9dHSKT

Breath Meditation: Seven StepsThere are seven basic steps:

1. Start out with three or seven long in-&-out breaths, thinking bud- with the in-breath, and dho with the out. Keep the meditation syllable as long as the breath.

2. Be clearly aware of each in-&-out breath.

3. Observe the breath as it goes in & out, noticing whether it’s comfortable or uncomfortable, broad or narrow, obstructed or free-flowing, fast or slow, short or long, warm or cool. If the breath doesn’t feel comfortable, change it until it does. For instance, if breathing in long & out long is uncomfortable, try breathing in short & out short. As soon as you find that your breathing feels comfortable, let this comfortable breath sensation spread to the different parts of the body.

To begin with, inhale the breath sensation at the base of the skull and let it flow all the way down the spine.

Then, if you are male, let it spread down your right leg to the sole of your foot, to the ends of your toes, and out into the air. Inhale the breath sensation at the base of the skull again and let it spread down your spine, down your left leg to the ends of your toes, and out into the air. (If you are female, begin with the left side first, because the male & female nervous systems are different.)

Then let the breath from the base of the skull spread down over both shoulders, past your elbows & wrists, to the tips of your fingers, and out into the air.

Let the breath at the base of the throat spread down the central nerve at the front of the body, past the lungs & liver, all the way down to the bladder & colon.

Inhale the breath right at the middle of the chest and let it go all the way down to your intestines.

Let all these breath sensations spread so that they connect & flow together, and you’ll feel a greatly improved sense of well-being.

1. Learn four ways of adjusting the breath:
   a. in long & out long,
   b. in long & out short,
   c. in short & out long,
   d. in short & out short.
   Breathe whichever way is most comfortable for you. Or, better yet, learn to breathe comfortably all four ways, because your physical condition & your breath are always changing.

2. Become acquainted with the bases or focal points for the mind—the resting spots of the breath—and center your awareness on whichever one seems most comfortable. A few of these bases are:

a. the tip of the nose,

b. the middle of the head,

c. the palate,

d. the base of the throat,

e. the breastbone (the tip of the sternum),

f. the navel (or a point just above it).
If you suffer from frequent headaches or nervous problems, don’t focus on any spot above the base of the throat. And don’t try to force the breath or put yourself into a trance. Breathe freely & naturally. Let the mind be at ease with the breath—but not to the point where it slips away.

1. Spread your awareness—your sense of conscious feeling—throughout the entire body.

2. Unite the breath sensations throughout the body, letting them flow together comfortably, keeping your awareness as broad as possible. Once you are fully aware of the aspects of the breath you already know in your body, you’ll come to know all sorts of other aspects as well. The breath, by its nature, has many facets: breath sensations flowing in the nerves, those flowing around & about the nerves, those spreading from the nerves to every pore. Beneficial breath sensations & harmful ones are mixed together by their very nature.

To summarize: (a) for the sake of improving the energy already existing in every part of your body, so that you can contend with such things as disease & pain; and (b) for the sake of clarifying the knowledge already within you, so that it can become a basis for the skills leading to release & purity of heart—you should always bear these seven steps in mind, because they are absolutely basic to every aspect of breath meditation.

— Phra Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo

Kaccānagottasutta (English at Top, Pali on Bottom)

At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Then Venerable Kaccānagotta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
Atha kho āyasmā kaccānagotto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā kaccānagotto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘right view’.
“‘sammādiṭṭhi sammādiṭṭhī’ti, bhante, vuccati.

How is right view defined?”
Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sammādiṭṭhi hotī”ti?

“Kaccāna, this world mostly relies on the dual notions of existence and non-existence.
“Dvayanissito khvāyaṁ, kaccāna, loko yebhuyyena—atthitañceva natthitañca.

But when you truly see the origin of the world with right understanding, the concept of non-existence regarding the world does not occur.
Lokasamudayaṁ kho, kaccāna, yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passato yā loke natthitā sā na hoti.

And when you truly see the cessation of the world with right understanding, the concept of existence regarding the world does not occur.
Lokanirodhaṁ kho, kaccāna, yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passato yā loke atthitā sā na hoti.

The world is for the most part shackled by attraction, grasping, and insisting.
Upayupādānābhinivesavinibandho khvāyaṁ, kaccāna, loko yebhuyyena.

But if—when it comes to this attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendency—you don’t get attracted, grasp, and commit to the thought, ‘my self’,
Tañcāyaṁ upayupādānaṁ cetaso adhiṭṭhānaṁ abhinivesānusayaṁ na upeti na upādiyati nādhiṭṭhāti: ‘attā me’ti.

you’ll have no doubt or uncertainty that what arises is just suffering arising, and what ceases is just suffering ceasing. Your knowledge about this is independent of others.
‘Dukkhameva uppajjamānaṁ uppajjati, dukkhaṁ nirujjhamānaṁ nirujjhatī’ti na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati aparapaccayā ñāṇamevassa ettha hoti.

This is how right view is defined.
Ettāvatā kho, kaccāna, sammādiṭṭhi hoti.

‘All exists’: this is one extreme.
‘Sabbamatthī’ti kho, kaccāna, ayameko anto.

‘All does not exist’: this is the second extreme.
‘Sabbaṁ natthī’ti ayaṁ dutiyo anto.

Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way:
Ete te, kaccāna, ubho ante anupagamma majjhena tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti:

‘Ignorance is a condition for choices.
‘avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā;

Choices are a condition for consciousness. …
saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe…

That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease.
Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho;

When choices cease, consciousness ceases. …
saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe…

That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’”
evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī’”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Sarvaṃ ca yujyate tasya śūnyatā yasya yujyate |
Sarvaṃ na yujyate tasya śūnyaṃ yasya na yujyate ||

All is possible when emptiness is possible.

Nothing is possible when emptiness is impossible.

-Chapter 24, verse 14, of the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (Nāgārjuna).

Sorry for the delay in post recently, I have been working on something big, the very first English translation of a Paritta text that is quite popular but has not reached the ears of western scholars yet. I will post my translation sometime this upcoming week. It has many usage of Bījaṁ, and some chapters have Dhāraṇī like text. Thanks for being patient with me these past few months, I wish everyone well, and feel free to ask questions! Also, H K, I will find the time to answer your Agni questions you asked, soon, I promise.