Santi Asoke rev3.docx

ring to the dharma verses: Liberty, Fraternity, Peace, Efficiency and Integrity. At present, there are 8 main Asoke communities that have a complete Borwon character, among many other smaller communities with just the villages and/or the church, as follows: 1.Santi Asoke: Central Province, Bangkok 2. Pathom Asoke: Central Province, Nakhon Pathom 3. Sisa Asoke: Northeastern Province, Sisakate 4. Sali Asoke: Central Province, Nakhon Sawan 5. Sima Asoke: Northeastern Province, Nakhon Ratchasima 6. Rajadhani Asoke: Northeastern Province, Ubon Ratchathani 7. Phupha Fah Nam: Northern Province, Chiang Mai 8. Hinpha Fah Nam: Northeastern Province, Chaiyabhoom (9. Thalay Dham: Southern Province, Trung with only the Home and Church part) The usual scene you will encounter when visiting any Asoke communities is people busy working in an energetic atmosphere. This is such a contrast from other mainstream Buddhist temples where silence and visible peace is highly adopted. What explain the differences between the two scenes? These reflects the dissimilarity in the foundation of beliefs between the Asoke and the mainstream Theravada in Thailand. The mainstream Theravada believe they must attain “Samadhi” (concentration of mind) through meditation. They value sitting with closed eyes or slowly walking in silence while contemplating on something as a means to block the outside temptation from entering their mind. They trust that the mental peace and inner happiness can be obtained through the lack of outside contact in what they believe to be how to Vipassana Samadha. On a contrary, the Asoke Buddhists follow Buddha’s way of supra-concentration in a so-called “Samma Samadhi” (the Right Concentration) by adhering to the Noble Eightfold Path called “the Eight Magga.” The Asoke do not rule out but merely utilize the normal meditation or “Ceto Samadha” to supplement their Magga undertaking. By following the Noble Eightfold Path within the framework of the Sila precepts, Samma Samadhi can be progressively attained. Beside practicing the Eight Magga within the context of the Right View, the Right Mindfulness, and the Right Effort, there are four main deeds towards practicing Samma Samadhi or the Right Concentration. These are the Right Thought, the Right Speech, the Right Action and the Right Profession. The Asoke value the Right Profession as an essential function since it serves as one of the useful external contacts (Phassa) to both ones’ Dharma practicing self and to the society as a whole. Human interactions, stories, and conflicts serve as the present input or Phassa to your dharma practice whether you can understand the wonder of your mind when there is an outside nuisance or attraction. Phassa through working is a real phenomenon at the presence, not the past memory or the future imagination. Phassa can create various “Kilesas” (desires): greed (Lobha), attraction (Raga), anger (Dosa), ignorance and vanity (Moha), arrogance (Mana), laziness, and being extremely attached to one’s work (Kammaramata). Whenever any kind of these desires arises, a person will practice by being aware of the mental state at the present moment, see when your mind wanders at the influence of these desires. Instead of immediately shutting down or stopping your mind from recognizing the outside contact that affects your inner peace (Samadha way), you scrutinize the incurrence with your full awareness and trace the cause of this imbalance to its roots. This method is what Buddha called “Vipassana” or scrutinization with wisdom. When you know the face of the culprit, realize its harmfulness and understand the impermanent nature of its existence, you can witness these desires come, alleviate, and go from your mind. The differences between “Samadha” and “Vipassana” in this manner also mark the complete diversion between the Asoke and the mainstream Buddhism in Thailand. Through working, ones can practice dharma at all time, not only when ones have time to get away on the meditation retreat a few days a year. Through working, ones can practice dharma for self- advantage and at the same time, helping other people and be a worthwhile asset to the society, not only sitting and doing nothing. Through working and interacting with other fellow human beings, ones can be tested for kilesas while practicing the mental awareness and the power of lessening and eliminating those desires. Repeatedly through time, success or failure, these desires will be lessened and hopefully one day, will come to an end. Therefore, working is a dharma practice in itself as long as ones are aware of the movement within the mind and realize when desires come and go. On a contrary, working without mental awareness is just useless in practicing dharma. Despite much effort, sometimes people lose the battle, fail in their attempt to fight with their desires and let the evilness in the mind materialize into an inappropriate act and/or speech. This is not to mention those people who are sucked into the world of the capitalism these days. They are unaware of their own mind and most of the time, let these desires dominate their very actions. It is not an easy path to walk on but Buddha confirmed that Magga path is the most direct route towards a mental independence. By working for others, ones will not only become more helpful but will also grow into a less self-focus and eventually develop into a less selfish person. Ones will find happiness in doing things for other people, learn to feel sufficient and share the excess. The Asoke group of Buddhism may be comparatively small but with the continued determination, they will gradually and firmly spread their selfless devotion, in a so-called “Boonniyom” to the society. To this present, the Boonniyom activities for the society include: retailed commerce, small manufacturing, education, media, organic agriculture, waste management, organic fertilizer, alternative health and medical care, virtue politics, moderate consumption, as well as the religious art and culture. The Asoke believe that with the world’s limited resources, “Capitalism,” where everyone fights to maximize themselves, is path towards disruption and destruction. Alternatively, the Asoke have introduced Boonniyom or Merit-ism concept, to give and to devote, as a way out to the more sustainable development for the society, country and the global community. Through the voluntarily processes of relinquishing the desires, ones will find a certain level of sufficiency with a willingness to give more. A society with less self-desire and more sharing is the goal of dharma practice. Buddhism is, therefore, not only to benefit oneself but also to the whole community. .............. You are more than welcome to visit us, ask for more information, and exchange your ideas with us.