Ce livre décrit un ensemble d’outils et de techniques de méditation pour débutants. Ces enseignements proviennent d’une série de six semaines de cours donnés en 2002 à Mendocino en Californie.

Ces leçons décrivent des techniques de méditation bouddhistes. Les idées et principes de la pratique de la méditation qui y sont expliqués sont bien sûr d’origine bouddhiste, mais ces instructions ne s’adressent pas uniquement aux bouddhistes. Les leçons fournissent des outils et des techniques simples qui peuvent aider tout un chacun à rendre sa vie plus paisible, à améliorer un peu sa compréhension de soi et des autres et à vivre plus harmonieusement dans le monde.

Il y a un certain nombre de thèmes qui sont très familiers à ceux qui pratiquent la méditation bouddhiste : « l’attention à la respiration » où l’on porte l’attention sur le rythme de la respiration ; la « méditation en marchant » qui se base sur la sensation des pas lorsqu’on va et vient sur un sentier de méditation ; la répétition intérieure d’un mantra tel que « Bud-dho » — ce sont tous des moyens qui aident à retenir l’attention dans le moment présent, à l’ancrer dans la réalité de l’instant.

En plus de ces méthodes bien connues, il y en a beaucoup d’autres qui ont une fonction similaire. L’une de cellesci est connue sous le nom de « l’écoute intérieure » ou « méditation sur le son intérieur » ou, en sanskrit, « nada yoga ». Ces termes se réfèrent tous au fait de prêter attention à ce que l’on appelle « le son du silence » ou « le son du nada ». « Nada » est le mot sanscrit qui veut dire « son », et 10 aussi le mot espagnol qui signifie « rien » — une coïncidence intéressante et cependant très significative.

Au cours des dernières années, j'ai dirigé des retraites résidentielles spécifiquement sur le thème de la coproduction conditionnée à au moins cinq reprises – à Amaravati au Royaume- Uni, à Mae Rim, en Thaïlande, et avec Le Refuge, au Monastère de Ségriès, dans le sud de la France. Divers aspects de ce thème riche et essentiel de l'enseignement bouddhique ont été abordés en ces différentes occasions, selon les intérêts et les besoins des différentes communautés.

Le livret intitulé « Just One More… » – Appreciative Joy: Jealousy, Selfish Desire and the Buddha’s Teaching on the Cycles of Addiction était basé sur le contenu de l'un de ces événements, une retraite de dix jours tenue à Amaravati en juillet 2013. La majeure partie de la matière rassemblée dans le présent ouvrage a été présentée lors d'une retraite en Provence, en avril 2018 ; le reste provient des retraites de Mae Rim de 2016-18.

Le sujet de la coproduction conditionnée est intrinsèquement riche et varié, subtil et multidimensionnel [...].

Il y a déjà eu de nombreuses études érudites et pertinentes sur le sujet publiées en anglais, telles que Dependent Origination – The Buddha’s Law of Conditionality par le Ven. P.A. Payutto; la collection de cinq chapitres sur le thème du livre d'Ajahn Sumedho The Way It Is ; le livre d'Ajahn Buddhadāsa Under the Bodhi Tree: Buddha's Original Vision of Dependent Co-arising, ainsi que bien d'autres. L'intention de ce présent volume, tout en reconnaissant le réservoir déjà conséquent de perspectives disponibles, est de se concentrer sur les moyens pratiques de comprendre et d'appliquer les principes de la coproduction conditionnée afin de favoriser la libération du cœur, des cycles d'attitude et de comportement addictifs et destructeurs. L'accent sera mis en particulier, sur les points de sortie de cette « Roue du Devenir » (bhavacakka), ce processus cyclique où l'esprit se sent emprisonné dans le cycle habituel de promesse, de gratification et de déception.

"While I was studying at Budapest in 2005, I remember looking for books which could help me get a useful perspective on my confused experiences. There was no lack of explanation and advice, but they were missing a concrete direction: ‘Interesting ideas, but what do I do and how?’ I believe that good instruction should enable one to do more than before, shed light on the ‘what’ and ‘how’, and even on the ‘why’. The first book which gave me a tangible foothold was Ajahn Sumedho’s short book, The Four Noble Truths. It provided an introduction to a practical method of investigation with examples of Ajahn Sumedho’s own struggles. Later, when I was staying at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England, I read his other book Mindfulness: the Path to the Deathless and found it illuminating as well. I mention these books here because certain topics are covered in more detail there, and if you are reading this book, they might also be helpful. Here, I collect advice and teachings that I wish I had read, or someone had told me sooner, during the years since those early books. The right answer remains obscured until we learn how to ask the right question." (excerpt from the introduction)

While researching the Pali Canon for my previous book, Working with the Five Hindrances, I occasionally came across an intriguingly cryptic phrase: ‘I-making, mine-making and the underlying disposition to conceit’ (ahaṅkāra-mamaṅkāra-mānānusaya). This phrase was intriguing because it suggests a completely new perspective to the universal inquiry into self and selflessness, and provides a glimpse into the unique realization which the Buddha was awakened. He designated this realization with the Pali term ‘anattā’, which is usually translated as ‘non-self’, ‘not-self’ or ‘no-self’. While the translation is literally correct, it unfortunately fails to convey the correct meaning of what the Buddha is saying. The Buddha did not deny self. What he denied was that self has any permanent, imperishable essence. The Buddha realized that self is essentially a constantly changing process, artificially created through the interaction of craving and ignorance. And, since it is ‘made-up’ by activities which we have some influence over, craving and ignorance can also be ‘unmade’ so that the deleterious effects of grasping self as permanent can come to cessation.

This book is a substantially revised and expanded version of the 2009 original. It explores the link between external action and mind cultivation – both of which are forms of the kamma that leads to liberation. The book teaches formal meditation practices, the role of devotion, aspects of dependent origination, and the need to establish skilful relationships – kalyānamitta – and the cessation of suffering and stress.

The theme for this Dhamma talk is ‘My way or the Middle Way?’ As people might recognize, the title was borrowed from the famous Frank Sinatra song, written by Paul Anka, ‘My Way’, which is the supreme anthem of self-confidence:

Through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall, And did it my way!’

Confidence is definitely a part of the Buddhist path; having faith, having confidence and resolution, these are all aspects of it. But any of us who have spent much time in life trying to follow that voice of self-assurance, of, ‘Even though there is resistance and it is difficult, I’m just going to keep pushing. I will do it my way.’ Or when we are living in a community, or we are in a role of leadership, if we adopt the attitude of, ‘My way or the highway. Either you do it the way I want or you’re on your bike, you are kicked out’ – that leads to stress and difficulty and conflict. Reflecting on this theme, ‘My way or the Middle Way’, there are certainly beneficial aspects to the quality of self-confidence, self-assurance and resolution, but if that is out of balance, if that is wrapped up in self-view and selfcentred thinking, then necessarily the results are going to be painful. You might get what you want but then there might be a lot of wreckage as well, considerable damage created along the way. Probably most of us have had some situations in life where we have come to the conclusion, ‘Well, I got what I wanted, but was it really worth it?’ or ‘I didn’t realize it was going to be like this.’ Or ‘I thought this was going to make me happier. I got what I wanted but ugh!’

In terms of this theme and what would be useful for us to look at, I feel that it is good to consider the way that we work in life – how we relate to doing, to acting, to choosing, how intentions and actions work together. When we use the kind of confidence expressed by Frank Sinatra, ‘I am going to do it my way!’ if we take that approach in life and we act from a place of self-assertion and we just keep pushing – whether this is with our occupation, or working with our family, or working with the rest of the traffic on the road – if we have that kind of contentious attitude, ‘I am going to make this happen,’ since that is wrapped up with self-view, then any kind of work becomes exhausting. Even when we are working with our minds in the meditation hall, thinking, ‘I am going to get jhāna. I am going to make the Breakthrough, it’s Stream Entry or bust!’ This is a guaranteed way to create suffering. Even the work of training our mind to be peaceful can be stressful and exhausting if that work is based on self-view.

The idea for the topic and title, ‘The Secret of Happiness’, came about after reflecting on my first meeting with Ajahn Sumedho in 1977, just a few weeks after his arrival in the UK. I had been very impressed by the sense of ease and joy that he seemed to carry with him. That, in itself, it was remarkable. What made it even more remarkable was what I had been told about the monks: that they followed an extremely exacting way of life and a discipline that required them to rise at 4.00 a.m. for meditation, and to eat only one meal a day before noon. They had no money, no entertainment, no sexual contact of any kind. The list of things they had given up was long – and yet… and yet… they seemed deeply happy and at ease.

This photo-journal records a pilgrimage made in Sri Lanka in November of 2019. I had been invited numerous times to visit this ancient seedbed of Theravāda Buddhism but, prior to this present occasion, had always declined the offers. Thee reason for this was not a disinterest in the country, with its ancient Buddhist traditions and numerous holy places, rather it was that, if I was going to go, I wanted to go quietly as a pilgrim and not on a teaching tour or part of a bustling group of devotees. Sometimes I wondered if I was being too fussy or narrow on this score but, in retrospect, I am very glad to have waited for forty years to make the journey.

To honour the auspicious occasion of the 80th birthday of Luang Por Liem Ṭhitadhammo (Phra Thepvajiranyan), a faithful group of disciples has arranged to print his biography. Luang Por Liem is a senior Buddhist monk presently ordained for 60 years in the Thai Forest Tradition of the late Ven. Ajahn Chah (or “Luang Pu Chah”) of Wat Nong Pah Pong in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. This book covers the prominent chapters of Luang Por Liem’s life, beginning from his roots as a simple farmer in Northeast Thailand, to his quest for deeper knowledge and understanding of the Buddha’s teachings as a monk, his life in accordance with the monastic discipline, his meditation practice, the search for the guidance of a teacher, and finally his joining Wat Nong Pah Pong as a disciple of Luang Pu Chah. Presently Luang Por Liem serves as the abbot of Wat Nong Pah Pong himself, and teaches Dhamma all over the world. He has become a living example for countless people.

The content of this book is based on Luang Por Liem’s own accounts and the memories of his disciples — monks and laypeople — who have had the opportunity to meet him in all kinds of situations and circumstances in various places and countries.

Since 2018, a group of monks and laypeople have taken on the task of collecting the material, compiling and editing it, and from time to time going to see Luang Por directly for confirmation of some of the unclear details. If there are any inaccuracies remaining, we would like to apologise, and hope that they won’t prevent the reader from getting a good picture of Luang Por’s ways of training as a Buddhist monk, his meditation practice, and his approach in teaching. For the main passages, we have been able to provide an English version of the respective texts. Some of it is more of a summary than a direct translation, and not all chapters have been included in the English material.

May this compilation of episodes from the life of a great Buddhist monk and teacher be of great benefit to all. May we all take his quiet example to heart and practice diligently within the situations of our own lives.

Over the last few years I have led residential retreats specifically on the theme of dependent origination on at least five occasions – at Amaravati in the U.K., in Mae Rim, Thailand, and with Le Refuge, at Monastère de Ségriès, in the south of France. Various aspects of this rich, essential theme of Buddhist teaching have been focused upon in these different situations, according to the interests and needs of the various communities. The booklet entitled ‘Just One More…’ – Appreciative Joy: Jealousy, Selfish Desire and the Buddha’s Teaching on the Cycles of Addiction was based on the material from one of these events, a ten-day retreat held at Amaravati in July 2013. Most of the material gathered in this present book was presented at a retreat in Provence, in April 2018; the remainder is from the Mae Rim retreats of 2016-18.

The subject of dependent origination is intrinsically rich and varied, subtle and multi-dimensional, as the Buddha expressed in this notable exchange with his disciple and attendant Ven. Ānanda:

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living among the Kurus, near a town of theirs named Kammāsadhamma. There Ven. Ānanda approached the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: ‘It’s wonderful, venerable sir, it’s marvellous, how profound this dependent origination is, and how profound its appearance, and yet to me it appears as clear as clear can be.’ ‘Do not say that, Ānanda! Do not say that! This dependent origination is profound and it appears profound. It is through not understanding and not penetrating this Dhamma that this generation has become like a tangled ball of string, matted like a bird’s nest, tangled like coarse grass and is unable to pass beyond the cycles of rebirth, beyond the planes of deprivation, woe and bad destinations.’ (D 15.1)

There have already been many erudite and wise explorations of the subject published in English, such as Dependent Origination – The Buddha’s Law of Conditionality by Ven. P.A. Payutto; the collection of five chapters on the theme in Ajahn Sumedho’s book The Way It Is; Ajahn Buddhadāsa’s book Under the Bodhi Tree: Buddha’s Original Vision of Dependent Co-arising, as well as many others. The intention of this present volume, whilst acknowledging the already great storehouse of perspectives available, is to focus upon practical means of understanding and applying the principles of dependent origination in order to support the freeing of the heart from addictive and destructive cycles of attitude and behaviour. In particular the emphasis will be on the exit points from this ‘Wheel of Becoming’ (bhavacakka) this cyclical process where the mind feels itself to be imprisoned in a habitual round of promise, gratification and disappointment.