First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Luang Por Thongpoon, and my monastic title is Kanchano. I have traveled here from Wat Pa Phu Kra Tae, located in Nong Bua Lamphu Province, Thailand—the very same province where Venerable Luang Pu Boonjan resides.
This marks my second visit to your country, and I would like to take this opportunity to get to know all of you, my dear Malaysian lay disciples. Today is a highly auspicious occasion for us to gather together here at this society—a gathering place for those who seek knowledge, study the Dhamma, and desire to accumulate wholesome merit (puñña) and virtue in their own hearts.
We are all familiar with the word 'merit.' But what does it truly mean? Merit is goodness; merit is happiness. This is something we already understand deep down. The very fact that we have obtained this precious human birth, complete with all our faculties, is due to the merit we performed in our past. Having already acquired this foundation of merit, we must now build upon it to cultivate even greater virtue, continuing to accumulate new merit for ourselves.
The natural law of Kamma shapes our lives perfectly, tailoring them to fit each and every individual, each and every form and name. The Buddha, who fully awakened to the realities of merit and demerit, heaven and hell, has graciously revealed these truths to us, guiding us toward what is right, beautiful, and noble.
To be born as a human being is a rare and precious fortune. The Buddha taught that a human birth is a supreme gain—a vessel capable of realizing the highest Dhamma. Since we have been blessed with this supreme fortune, we must guard our virtue and goodness diligently. And how do we protect our merit? We do so by practicing the Dhamma according to the teachings of the Supreme Teacher.
Just moments ago, we chanted the daily devotions and undertook the Five Precepts (Sīla). This undertaking is another beautiful path of merit. The primary purpose of taking these precepts is to cultivate virtue within our human existence, ensuring that we live with equal dignity and grace. For when we are equal in virtue, it leads to an equal measure of peace and happiness. This is a path of merit that every single one of us can practice.
Sīla means restraint; it means training rules. If we can successfully maintain these five training rules that we undertook just now, we can be said to have protected our human dignity in its most perfect form. Once our virtue is solid and complete, we must then direct our efforts toward mental cultivation, which is the practice of meditation (bhāvanā). This elevates our study of Dhamma to a deeper, more profound level.
To practice Dhamma is, ultimately, to take care of our own minds. Dhamma acts as a mirror reflecting our inner selves. Just as a physical mirror shows us our physical appearance, our shape, and our features, the practice of Dhamma reveals the true state of our hearts.
In the same way, practicing Dhamma allows us to witness the subtle movements of our minds—how our thoughts fabricate various moods and emotions. Emotions are merely thoughts, and they can manifest in countless ways throughout a single day. Yet, when traced to their roots, they fall into only three categories: Greed (Lobha), Anger (Dosa), and Delusion (Moha). These are the mental hindrances (nīvaraṇa) that have dominated our minds for aeons through the stream of our thoughts.
We practice Dhamma to train and observe our own minds, to see whether our thoughts are right or wrong, wholesome or unwholesome. If we think wholesome thoughts, it means we are thinking in alignment with the ultimate truths taught by the Buddha, and our minds will experience genuine happiness as a result. If we think unwholesome thoughts, our minds will be filled with agitation and distress—such as when we harbor thoughts of violating the Five Precepts we just undertook.
Therefore, right thoughts bring happiness, while wrong thoughts bring suffering. The Dhamma is the perfect mirror for the mind, revealing whether our efforts align with truth. The word 'Dhamma' refers to the state of reality as it is—a neutral, objective reality that is independent of our personal desires or defilements. A mind clouded by defilements, however, will always perceive things erroneously.
We must therefore compare our thoughts with the Dhamma. If our thoughts align with the truths declared by the Buddha, it means we are thinking correctly. When our thoughts align with reality, our minds become relaxed and at ease. When we sit in meditation, the mind easily enters a state of deep tranquility. And once the mind is calm and concentrated, the innate wisdom of the mind grows sharper and clearer. This is how we overcome the defilements (kilesa) and mental out-flows (āsava) within our own hearts.
This is the true practice of Dhamma for all of us who wish to worship the Buddha through our practice. The Dhamma taught by the Buddha guides us to the ultimate, unbiased truth of reality.
Thus, having been born as complete human beings blessed with intelligence and capability, the one thing we must continuously cultivate is spiritual virtue within our hearts. As long as we must still wander through the endless rounds of rebirth (saṃsāra), we must rely on merit (puñña) as our spiritual provisions to guide our way.
The Buddha taught that Kamma—which simply means intentional action—can be classified into twelve distinct types.
The first is Diṭṭhadhammavedanīya-kamma, which is Kamma that bears fruit in the present life. For example, if we violate the Five Precepts, that unwholesome action will bring immediate suffering and consequences in this very lifetime. Conversely, if we perform wholesome deeds, the fruit of that goodness will bring us peace and happiness right here in the present.
The second is Upapajjavedanīya-kamma, which is Kamma that bears fruit in the next life. This means that while we may not experience its results immediately in this lifetime, these wholesome or unwholesome actions will surely ripen and shape our circumstances in the very next rebirth.
The next is Aparāparavedanīya-kamma, which is Kamma that bears fruit in subsequent lives. This refers to actions whose consequences continue to ripen and follow us across many future lifetimes, whether they are wholesome or unwholesome, bearing fruit with equal, unerring precision.
Then we have Ahosi-kamma, which is Kamma that has been neutralized. This occurs through forgiveness and reconciliation. When one person commits a wrong, sincerely seeks forgiveness, and the other person forgives them wholeheartedly, the karmic tie is severed, and that Kamma ceases to bear fruit.
Next is Janaka-kamma, the Kamma that conditions our birth. The fact that we are born into this world with different appearances, features, and circumstances is due to this Kamma from our past. Certain types of heavy unwholesome Kamma can drag a person down into the realms of deprivation (apāya-bhūmi). In the Buddha’s time, we saw how Venerable Devadatta, having committed grave offenses against the Buddha and the Sangha, and causing a schism in the monastic order, was drawn directly down into the Avici Hell. This is the power of Janaka-kamma—it determines our rebirth immediately.
Next is Uppīḷaka-kamma, or obstructing Kamma. This refers to Kamma that frustrates, obstructs, or oppresses. For instance, if we commit unwholesome deeds like violating the precepts, that Kamma will oppress us, leading to misfortune, loss of freedom, or imprisonment. Another form of this obstructing Kamma is experienced mentally; for example, when our children fall ill, our hearts are oppressed with worry and we must rush them to seek medical care. This emotional distress is also a form of obstructing Kamma.
Another type is Upaghātaka-kamma, or destructive Kamma. This is Kamma that suddenly cuts off the life-force. Even though a person’s natural life span has not yet ended, a sudden accident or disaster cuts their life short. In the Buddha’s time, there was a young man named Maṭṭakuṇḍalī who was only twenty years old when his life-force was cut short by this destructive Kamma. However, just before he passed away, the Buddha radiated His glorious light toward him, inspiring deep faith in his heart. With his mind filled with joy and faith in the Buddha, Maṭṭakuṇḍalī passed away and was immediately reborn in the heavenly realm. This shows how even when life is cut short by destructive Kamma, a wholesome state of mind at the last moment can lead to a fortunate rebirth.
Next is Garu-kamma, or heavy Kamma. This consists of five heaviest actions, known as Anantariya-kamma: killing one's father, killing one's mother, killing an Arahant, wounding a Buddha, and causing a schism in the Sangha. These are the heaviest deeds a human can commit. When someone commits such an act, its gravity immediately overrides all other Kamma, leading them directly to hell, just as Devadatta was drawn down to Avici.
Next is Bahula-kamma, or habitual Kamma. This is the Kamma of our daily habits. It refers to the actions we perform day in and day out as a matter of routine. It is like the career or business we have run habitually since our youth. What we do repeatedly and consistently becomes our habitual Kamma, which exerts a powerful influence over our minds.
Then there is Āsanna-kamma, or death-proximate Kamma. This is the Kamma performed or recalled at the very moment of death. When our physical body is breaking down and the mind is about to leave this physical vessel, the thoughts and actions we performed during our lifetime will appear before us as a mental vision. If the mind latches onto a wholesome vision, it will lead us to a happy rebirth. But if the mind latches onto an unwholesome vision, reflecting our past wrongdoings, it will drag us down to a lower realm.
In the Buddha's time, there was a devout lay disciple named Dhammika, who had performed countless meritorious deeds throughout his life. When his time to depart drew near, he wished to hear the Dhamma one last time. He invited the monks from Jetavana Monastery to recite the teachings, just as we did this evening. As Dhammika lay listening to the Dhamma with a joyful and tranquil mind, celestial beings from the heavens arrived with their divine chariots, waiting to welcome his departing consciousness. This is the fruit of the wholesome Kamma he had accumulated while he was still healthy. Upon letting go of his human body, his mind immediately took rebirth in the heavens.
Conversely, those who have committed unwholesome deeds will experience a dark and terrifying mental vision at the moment of death, dragging them directly to the lower realms, as was the case with Chincha Manavika, who slandered the Buddha and, at the moment of her death, was swallowed by the earth into the fires of Avici. This is how our merits and demerits shape our experience through Āsanna-kamma.
Therefore, if we practice the Dhamma consistently—whether through generosity (Dāna), virtue (Sīla), or meditation (Bhāvanā)—it becomes a powerful source of goodness. When we dedicate ourselves to wholesome actions, that goodness will naturally guide us toward a fortunate destination. Our practice of concentration (Samādhi) and wisdom (Paññā) serves to cleanse the residual defilements from our hearts, making them pure and spotless.
If our hearts are still dominated by defilements, we must rely on the practice of Dhamma as the tool to wash and purify our minds. When the mind is nurtured by concentration, it experiences sublime happiness, and wholesome Kamma arises within it instantaneously. When we eventually let go of this human body, our minds will be directed toward a heavenly rebirth at the very least. If our practice is higher, we can reach the Brahma realms, or even realize the ultimate purity of Nibbana.
Therefore, the Dhamma declared by the Buddha over two thousand five hundred years ago is meant solely for this purpose: to cleanse and purify our hearts, bringing them to a state of absolute purity and peace.
We have been born in the midst of a modern and prosperous world, and this is because of the good merits we performed in our past. The merits we have already accumulated will surely guide us to a happy destination, supported by the power of our virtue. For this reason, our practice must be infused with moral integrity and virtue at all times. It does not matter which country we live in or which community we are born into; as long as we practice Dhamma consistently, the truth will reveal itself within us, beginning with a peaceful, concentrated mind.
Therefore, I sincerely hope that all of you will take these teachings and put them into practice, so that you may experience inner peace and coolness in your hearts. May you all find happiness and prosperity through the hearing and practicing of this Dhamma. May you be blessed with long life, beauty, happiness, strength, wisdom, and spiritual wealth always.
Sādhu, Sādhu, Sādhu.