Welcome to Asoke.txt

ds. They also believe that merit can be transferred to the next life and

shared with someone who has passed away. But we believe that merit isn’t something that accumulates. Merit is

the act of purifying ourselves from mental defilements. We don’t pursue Dhamma practice to build up merit for our

next life. Our goal is to be liberated from defilements and suffering. The ultimate goal of our practice is to attain

Nirvana. Nirvana is a state with no sense of self, happiness or suffering. The Buddha taught that everything comes

into being then passes away. Sensations are like dew drops; they linger for just a moment then fade away.

Asoke monks observe the 43 precepts and nuns observe the 10. Ordination is taken very seriously here.

Most people ordain for a lifetime. A practising Buddhist must abstain from "the six base vices". The six base vices

are intoxicants, night life, entertainment, gambling, bad company and laziness. We abstain from killing, stealing,

sexual misconduct, lying, intoxicants. We don’t kill or abuse animals, steal or take things without asking, commit

adultery, have sex before marriage, lie or swear. Also, we don’t gossip or talk nonsense and don't use any

intoxicants.

Our daily routine is very simple. We greet each other by saying “Charoen Dhum”. Usually we wake up at 3.30 am.

in the morning and attend the morning sermon at 4.00 - 5.30 am. After the sermon the monks and nuns go for alms

giving. For us, will go for excercise about 40 minutes, then go to a work base and take up our duties for the day.

At 8.30 AM, everyone gathers together in the community hall to have their meal. We listen to a short sermon before our

daily meal and after eating we get some rest and return to work. Most people work 6 to 8 hours a day. We attend the

evening sermon at 6.00 - 8.00 PM given by Porkru, Samanas, or Sikkamats. We begin and end each day by listening

to Dhamma.

Asoke is a self-sufficient community. We have our own economic system called Boonniyom and have a

unique system of communal consumption. The Buddhist precepts are the core principles with which we all live by.

To become a member, everyone in the community at least observes the 5 precepts, abstains from the six base

vices, and eat vegetarian food. Everyone in the community is a volunteer and works for free. There are dozens

of types of work in every community. The purpose of work isn’t production or the financial gain. We use work as

a means of practising Dhamma. Everything we earn goes directly into the central fund for the benefit of the whole

community.

Our Boworn has a hall where we usually have our meal together and where we study Dhamma, watching TV

and enjoy various other activities. We have an artificial waterfall with pillars that imitate forest trees. The stupa

contains relics of Buddha and spiritual masters who’ve attained enlightenment. There are also ancient boats that

have been altered into house-boats. The monk and nuns living accommodations are built according to the Buddhist

scripture. The largest Buddha image has hand gestures represents three spiritual conditions: Lokuttara, Lokavitu and

Lokahnukampaya. "Lokuttara" is a transcendent state where one is above worldly things. "Lokavitu" means having

wisdom about the ways of the world and "Lokahnukampaya" means having compassion to help mankind. We have the

central kitchen where food is made for everyone in the community. The boworn has various stations to work such as

a mushroom farm, a rice mill, a shampoo factory, a tailor, a tofu factory, a recycling station, a store, TV station,

a recycling station, a garden, a farmland, etc.

The recycling station is where the natural waste from the whole community is collected and used to make

compost. We also accept donation of recyclables and second-hand goods. Twice a week we allow wholesalers to

come in and buy things from our recycling station. Second-hand goods in good condition are sold at Din Oom Dow

Store.

The money that we earn from the recyling station will spend on our TV station, called Boonniyom TV.

Most of our programs are Dhamma talks and shows related to agriculture and health. We don’t have any TV

commercials and have to rely on money earned from the recycling station. Our TV station run only by volunteers

such as students and lay people and a TV crew. You can watch our TV on the internet by FB, Youtube and

Boonniyom TV.

We also have our vegetarian restaurant. Almost every ingredient we use is chemical free. Apart from food,

we sell seasonal fruits, local vegetables and make smoothie from them. We also have a free lunch policy for those who

have one dish with rice. Everyone who works at our restaurant is a volunteer.

WHAT PORKRU PREACHE TO US

The Porkru preache 3 days a week. He teaches us to practise Buddhism with open eyes, serve others with

humility, become poor willingly and courageously, give up our wealth instead of build up our wealth, reduce our

greed, anger and illusions. The Porkru also trains us to be selfless, sacrificing, diligent, efficient and humble. We

live according to the Buddhist precepts. Asoke monks and nuns practise austerity. Most people believe Buddha

amulets and images have sacred powers. For Asoke, Buddha images serve as a reminder of the Buddha’s teachings.

We pay respect to Buddha images to show our gratefulness and not to ask for things. Samanas and Sikkhamats eat only

one meal a day and lay people eat one or two meals during the day. We don’t emphasise meditation like the mainstream

Buddhists. The Porkru teaches us to accept criticism and trains us to be tolerant of criticism. We learn how to stop

hoarding, to be creative and enterprising. He also shows us the direct path to Nirvana.

The precepts are the basis for our Buddhist practice. The Porkru always mention "The five precepts".

The first precept is to abstain from killing and harming living things. The second precept is to abstain from taking

taking that is not given to each of us. The third precept is to abstain from indulging in sensual pleasures. The

fourth precept is to abstain from lying, speaking profanities, rambling speech and saying things that cause discord.

The fifth precept is to abstain from intoxicants and things that make us less mindful. You will notice that the first

three precepts relate to bodily conduct. The fourth precept relates to verbal conduct. The fifth precept relates to

mental conduct.

Do you know "Pañca-sila" and "Pañca-dhamma"? For every precept the Buddha stipulated that there is also a

counterpart. The counterpart to not killing (the first precept) is having compassion. The counterpart to not stealing

(the second precept) is practising the right livelihood. Right livelihood means abstaining from occupations that

involve cheating, lying, deceiving, working for a wrong cause, or working for money. The counterpart to not committing

sexual misconduct (the third precept) is exercising restraint in sensual pleasures. The counterpart to not making wrong

speech (the forth precept) is making right speech. Right speech means speaking truthfully, politely, positively and

speaking words that bring about unity. The counterpart to not taking intoxicants (the fifth precept) is consuming only

healthy things with right mindfulness. The precepts aren’t just rules of good conduct but moral discipline that leads to

liberation from suffering. If you take the precepts to heart, they will lead to Nirvana.

There’re 10 benefits to observing the precepts:

1. Moral purity makes us free from remorse.

2. Moral purity makes us feel glad.

3. Moral purity makes us feel fulfilled.

4. Moral purity makes us tranquil and free of defilements.

5. Moral purity makes us happy.

6. Moral purity leads to concentration or firmness in the Dhamma.

7. Moral purity leads to knowledge of things as they really are.

8. Moral purity makes us weary of defilements.

9. Moral purity makes us dispassionate.

10.Moral purity leads to liberation from physical and mental defilements.

When our eyes, ears or any of the sense doors contact mental or physical objects, our sensation arise.

That’s why present moment sense contacts are so powerful. They cause your true feelings to arise. You have

to gain thorough knowledge about how to get rid of defilements. You have to identify your defilements as they

arise and eliminate them from your mind right away. You have to be keenly aware of what you achieve whatever

the outcome. You have to know whether you’re partially or completely liberated from defilement. All of this is

perceiving reality as it is; it is the attainment of Pañña. The Porkru emphasises that observing and understanding

your sensation is the grounds for practising Dhamma. In other words, sensations arise from sense contact in the

present moment. When sensations arise, this is the perfect time to analyse defilements as the root cause of suffering,

and then eradicate them from the mind. Without sense contacts in the present moment, you can’t really practise

Dhamma because there’s no sensation. Without sensation you can’t check your defilements and discipline your mind.

Sensations that arise during sitting meditation are limited because you’ve shut yourself off from all sense contacts.

All you have is sensation that’s based on reasoning and reflection which isn’t real. The present moment is where you

find reality. That’s why sense contact in the present moment is powerful and can cause your true feelings to emerge.

You may reflect on the ill effects of anger and believe that you’ve truly forgiven someone. But when you come face

to face with that person, your true feelings may be different. You can’t eradicate mental defilements simply through

reasoning or reflection.

You must have sense contact in the present moment to stir up defilements of your mind that may be dormant.

Therefore, you must ovserve and investigate the feelings and sensations associated with you defilements without

becoming attached to the pleasure or aversions that come with your difilements and notice how they rise and

eventually pass away. The Buddha taught that there are three characteristics of Existence that are present at all

times; impermanence, suffering and non-self. An enlightened person observes reality as it is. In other words,

you have to observe the Three Characteristics of Existence as they occur in your daily life and not by contemplating

or practising insight meditation. The Porkru teaches us observe the impermanent nature of happiness and suffering.

He teaches us that happiness and suffering are one and the same thing. Happiness is just an illusion. It lingers for

a few moments and then fades away. When we cling to impermanent happiness, that causes suffering. Impermanence

is the cause of suffering. The happiness we seek is the cause of suffering.

When we perceive something as being real and form an attachment to it, we give it meaning, existence and self.

To realise this, you have to abstain from the object of desire. After practising self-denial for a while, you will start to

have a craving for the gratification of the senses. But if you’re strong-willed and refuse to give in to such craving,

you will notice that your desire will eventually diminish. That’s because your desire is impermanent and unreal.

It only exists because of our illusions. When you keep repeating this practice over time until you become keenly

aware of the impermanent nature of happiness and suffering. You will obtain Pañña or true wisdom to know

that the happiness you once perceived as real actually has no essence or self. Ultimately, you will become

dispassionate and detached from existence because Pañña has the power to eliminate defilements.

The Porkru teaches that happiness and suffering are two sides of the same coin. When we are able to

satisfy our desires, we’re happy. When our happiness passes away or fades, we become unhappy and begin to

crave happiness again. Such craving and anxiety are suffering. That’s why our life is an endless cycle of desire

and suffering. To end suffering, we have to let go of our attachment to happiness and aversions. What are"Kilesa"?

"Kilesa" are things that are not necessary for life such as attachments to pleasures and aversions. Our goal is to

get rid of mental defilements. We try to let go of worldly attachments. We try to renounce sensual pleasures.

Buddhism is a dynamic religion that involves human interaction and society. If you practise the Dhamma correctly,

you will not become a hermit living in solitude. You will instead become more diligent and productive in serving others.

So, not only would you benefit from practising the Dhamma, but society would also benefit. When practise correctly,

you will experience less suffering.

When the Buddha became enlightened he realised the Four Noble Truths: He realised that there is nothing

but suffering, which arises, lingers then passes away that the root cause of suffering is desire; that by uprooting the

cause of suffering, suffering ends; and that the path to end all suffering is the "Noble Eightfold Path:"

1) Right view

2) Right thought

3) Right speech

4) Right action

5) Right livelihood

6) Right effort

7) Right mindfulness

8) Right concentration.

Understanding these Four Noble Truths is the rightview. The Porkru teaches that anyone who practises the Noble Eightfold

Path correctly will be able to end all suffering by eradicating the defilement of greed, anger and illusion.

This "Right view" is the heart of the Noble Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold Path is:

1. "Right view" means having correct understanding of the Four Noble Truths.

2. "Right thought" means having thoughts free from hatred and abuse.

3. "Right speech" means speaking truthfully, politely, positively and speaking words that bring unity.

4. "Right action" means abstaining from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.

5. "Right livelihood" means abstaining from occupations that involve cheating, lying, deceiving, working

for an illegitimate cause, or working for money.

6. "Right effort" means making the effort to eradicate defilements and unwholesome actions.

7. "Right mindfulness" means being mindful of feelings and sensations associated with defilements as

they arise.

8. "Right concentration" means a mind that is equanimous and free of defilements.

You must have the right view to begin your practise the Noble Eightfold Path. You must also observe

the precepts with vigilant mindfulness. By constantly reflecting on the precepts, you will eliminate unwholesome

action, speech and thought. Right livelihood is about having a proper occupation. The Porkru teaches that we

should practise Dhamma at all times, even while working. A practising Buddhist should not only practice

sitting meditation. If you practise only sitting meditation, you don’t get to practise right thought, right speech,

right action or right livelihood. You also have to practise right effort and right mindfulness at all times. First, you

have to be mindful of sensations as they arise and distinguish them as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Then

analyse if there are any mental defilement that are the root cause of suffering. Then make the right effort to

uproot the cause. By practising these seven path factors, you’ll gain right concentration. Right concentration or

Samma Samadhi is not just meditation, but the eight path factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. It’s the result

of practising the seven other path factors.

PORKRU ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The highest form of merit is purifying ourselves from mental defilements. "Boonniyom" is a new term

introduced by the Porkru. It can be broadly translated as “meritism”. We use "Boonniyom" to describe many

things such that values merit over wealth and worldly pleasures. Meritism is a non-capitalistic economic system,

which take less and gives more. It builds strong characters and families and makes the community stronger.

Boonniyom economics really does work. That’s why we believe that Boonniyom is a viable alternative to capitalism.

The Porkru emphasises that competency and diligence are a person's most valuable assets. Anyone who has

these qualities will be able to lead a sufficient life without the need to accumulate wealth.

The commercial policies of the Porkru are: 1) Sell at low prices. 2) Refrain from exploitation.

3) Work diligently. 4) Be scrupulous and frugal. 5) Be honest and sacrificing. Also, the marketing policies are:

1) Sell quality products 2) Sell at low prices 3) Be honest 4) Be generous 5) Sell with cash only.

Therefore, Boonniyom commerce occurs at 4 levels: 1) Selling below market price. 2) Selling at break-even

cost. 3) Selling below cost. 4) Giving things away for free. We have two types of market: 1) Boonniyom market

where sellers engage in one or more levels of Boonniyom commerce 2) Areeya Market where sellers engage in

the third level of Boonniyom commerce, which is selling below cost.

Asoke is fully committed to our social responsibility. Every Asoke community has a recycling station.

We don’t use chemicals for growing crops. We have a price tag to show the actual cost and selling price.

Everything we do is about giving and sharing according to the Buddha’s teachings. All of our stores operate according

to Boonniyom principles. This means that every store sells below market price. The Buddha said that food is the most

crucial thing in the world. That’s why Porkru emphasises the importance of agriculture, compost production and waste

management. We believe that these occupations can help mankind.

Asoke has a unique approach to communal consumption called "Sataranapoki," which is a system of sharing

wealth and work responsibility. Everything we earn goes directly into the central fund for the benefit of the whole

community. Sataranapoki operates on the basis that everyone is willing to work for free. Everyone sacrifices for the

common good of the community. This creates a sense of ownership and belonging in the community. The communal

property is managed by various foundations. We have a central kitchen that makes food for every