The Five Spiritual Powers

　　Dhamma Talk

　　July 1997

　　By Ajahn Suchart (Abhijato Bhikkhu)

　　Translated by Chantaporn Gomutputra

　　Edited by June Gibb

　　Listening to a Dhamma talk can be a very profitable experience because there are five benefits to be gained namely:

　　1. The listener will hear of things not heard before.

　　2. Have better understanding of what have been heard before.

　　3. Have correct views.

　　4. Dispel doubts and skepticism.

　　5. Have peace of mind.

　　This is because the Dhamma teaching of the Buddha is cool like cool water, refreshing and cool. When we read or listen to the Dhamma teaching, we will feel cool, calm, and peaceful.

　　While listening to a Dhamma talk, it is essential for us to be attentive and receptive. Do not try to memorize everything the speaker says. Just concentrate on listening. Be attentive to the sound of his voice that flows into our ears. Think of what he is saying. What we understand, we will remember. What we do not understand, we will not remember. But that doesn”t matter. It is impossible to remember everything each time we listen because the speaker covers a wide range of topics. We should just listen. What we understand will be useful for us. When we understand something profoundly we will say “I see!” By listening repeatedly, again and again, we can gain better understanding of things previously not understood by us, and consequently eliminate doubts in our mind, and help us gain a correct view of the world.

　　Practicing meditation at a temple is like going from one place to another place. When we travel from home to this temple, we need transport to get us here. Likewise when we wish to move from this point of our lives to a better one, because we are not satisfied with our present conditions and status, we need the Dhamma teaching of the Buddha to get us there. If we think we deserve something better than what we have now; or wish to be a better person, because right now we are not morally upright; or want to make more merits or punna, to be happier; then we must practice bhavana or mental development as practiced and taught by the Buddha.

　　In order for our mind to develop to a higher level, it needs fuel to get there, just like a car, which needs fuel to move around. It needs gasoline to drive the engine, oil for lubrication, water for cooling, distilled water for the battery, and many other kinds of oil. If any of these things is missing, it will not run smoothly or deliver us to our destination. While driving, if there is not enough water to cool the engine, it will overheat and stop running. Without gasoline, it will not run. Without lubricating oil, the engine will stop running.

　　Likewise, for us to go from our present status to a higher and better one, namely, to be morally upright and wise, we need the fuel of Dhamma or the five spiritual powers to get us there. They are as follows:

　　Conviction or saddha.

　　Exertion or viriya.

　　Mindfulness or sati.

　　Concentration or samadhi.

　　Wisdom or panna

　　We need these five spiritual powers to lead our mind to a better place, to heaven, to nibbana, just like the Buddha and his noble disciples did. They all used these spiritual powers to propel their mind to achieve their goals.

　　Conviction or faith is belief in the Buddha, the Dhamma or teaching, and the Sangha or noble disciples. We believe that the Buddha was an enlightened being, an arahant or pure one, whose mind was free of defilement or kilesa, as opposed to a puthujjana or ordinary worldling like all of us, who have not yet realized any of the four stages of enlightenment. We still have greed, hatred and delusion, which subject us to dukkha or suffering. An arahant, on the other hand, no longer has any kilesa or spiritual defil…

《The Five Spiritual Powers》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…