Luang Pu Boonma Suchiwo

"...All living beings suffer.

Suffering begins at birth—birth itself is suffering.

Old age is suffering (ทุกขัง), growing old is suffering.

Death is suffering (ทุกขัง), dying is suffering.

This is contained in the Four Noble Truths (อริยสัจ 4):

Dukkha (ทุกข์) – Suffering (to be understood)

Samudaya (สมุทัย) – The cause of suffering (to be abandoned)

Nirodha (นิโรธ) – The cessation of suffering (to be realized)

Magga (มรรค) – The path leading to the end of suffering (to be cultivated)

This is the Buddha’s teaching—we must recognize suffering.

We cannot ignore suffering.

Suffering is to be understood.

The cause (Samudaya) is to be abandoned.

Samudaya (the cause) refers to craving (ตัณหา):

Kāmataṇhā (กามตัณหา) – Craving for sensual pleasures.

Bhavataṇhā (ภวตัณหา) – Craving for existence, wanting things to stay the same.

Vibhavataṇhā (วิภวตัณหา) – Craving for non-existence, dissatisfaction with what arises.

These cravings are the root of suffering.

The cause (Samudaya) must be gradually abandoned.

Nirodha (cessation) is to be realized—the end of suffering.

But we must follow the Noble Eightfold Path (องค์มรรค).

Without walking the path, suffering cannot be extinguished..."

「...眾生皆苦。

苦從出生開始——生即是苦。

老是苦（ทุกขัง），衰老是苦。

死是苦（ทุกขัง），死亡是苦。

這包含在四聖諦（อริยสัจ 4）中：

苦諦（ทุกข์）——苦（應知）

集諦（สมุทัย）——苦因（應斷）

滅諦（นิโรธ）——苦滅（應證）

道諦（มรรค）——滅苦之道（應修）

這是佛陀的教導——我們必須認識苦。

不能逃避苦。

苦是應知的。

苦因（集諦）是應斷的。

集諦（苦因）即渴愛（ตัณหา）：

欲愛（กามตัณหา）——對感官享受的貪求。

有愛（ภวตัณหา）——對存在的執取，希望事物恆常不變。

無有愛（วิภวตัณหา）——對滅無的渴求，不滿現狀而生抗拒。

這些渴愛是苦的根源。

苦因（集諦）必須逐步斷除。

滅諦（苦滅）應親證——苦的止息。

但必須依八正道（องค์มรรค）而行。

不循正道，苦終不得滅...」

Luang Pu Boonma Suchivo

cred. to Ajahn Golf 阿贊高爾夫 อาจารย์กอล์ฟ

苦，在尚未生起之前，是從“集”而來的。

“集”是造成苦的原因，也就是欲愛、有愛、無有愛，這三種稱為“集”——是苦的原因。

但我們眾生一直都在積累這些“集”。

因此，就會不停地生起“苦”。

如果不修“道”，也就無法達到“滅苦”的彼岸。

所以，要去修“道”。

修道之初，佛陀教導我們：

正見（Sammā-diṭṭhi）——就是正確的智慧。

所謂的“智慧”也分成多種：

有一種智慧叫世俗智慧（โลกิยปัญญา），是世間的智慧，

如：如何賺更多錢、如何獲得名利等等，這些都是“世俗智慧”。

但佛陀教導我們要有出世間智慧（โลกุตรปัญญา），

也就是能超越世間的智慧，是能離苦、超脫世間的智慧。

如果我們希望出離世間（出離苦），就不能依靠“世俗智慧”。

我們要有正見，見於四聖諦：

見於“苦”、見於“集”、見於“滅”、見於“道”——這四項就是正見。

Before suffering arises, it originates from *"samudaya"* (the origin of suffering).  

*"Samudaya"* is the cause of suffering—namely, *taṇhā* (craving) in three forms:  

1. *Kāma-taṇhā* (craving for sensual pleasures),  

2. *Bhava-taṇhā* (craving for existence),  

3. *Vibhava-taṇhā* (craving for non-existence).  

These three are called *"samudaya"*—the root of suffering.  

Yet, we beings constantly accumulate these very causes.  

Thus, suffering arises endlessly.  

If we do not cultivate the *"path"*, we cannot reach the shore of *"the cessation of suffering"* (nirodha).  

Therefore, we must practice the *"path"*.  

At the beginning of the path, the Buddha taught us:  

**Right View (Sammā-diṭṭhi)**—this is correct wisdom.  

Now, wisdom itself can be divided into different kinds:  

- There is **mundane wisdom (lokiya-paññā)**, worldly knowledge—  

  Such as how to earn more money, gain fame, etc. These are all forms of *"mundane wisdom."*  

But the Buddha taught us to develop **supramundane wisdom (lokuttara-paññā)**,  

The wisdom that transcends the world—the wisdom that liberates us from suffering and rises above worldly concerns.  

If we wish to escape the world (to escape suffering), we cannot rely on *"mundane wisdom."*  

We must have **Right View**, seeing the Four Noble Truths:  

1. Seeing *"suffering" (dukkha)*,  

2. Seeing *"the origin of suffering" (samudaya)*,  

3. Seeing *"the cessation of suffering" (nirodha)*,  

4. Seeing *"the path leading to cessation" (magga)*.  

These four constitute **Right View**.  

--- *Luang Pu Boonma*  

「……我們應當行善，持戒，有道德，

遵行佛陀的教誨，

修習持念『佛號』——“佛陀、佛陀”以令心專注，

讓心達到定境，讓心具有智慧，以對治煩惱與貪欲。

一般人本就有煩惱，煩惱即是“集”，

佛陀教導我們：苦、集、滅、道——

這是佛陀所說的滅苦之道。

苦，是應該要認識的；我們從出生開始便有苦。

集（生起苦的因），是應當捨棄的；

滅，是應當證悟的；

道，是應當實踐的；

而這條“道”正是走向解脫苦的道路。

總括來說，即是：戒、定、慧。

八正道的內容歸納起來，就是要持戒、修定、修慧。

智慧，正是能斷煩惱而達到涅槃的力量。

智慧就是明辨的能力，是能認識煩惱的慧，

能認識粗的煩惱、中等的煩惱、細微的煩惱。

戒也是一樣，有粗、中、細三種層次；

定也是一樣，有「剎那定」、「近行定」、「安止定」這三種。

因此，我們應當隨著自己的能力去實踐佛陀的教導。

也就是說，要持戒，要修定，要修慧，

要有信心與精進，來斷除煩惱。

因為煩惱深重，而我們的智慧尚且粗淺，

所以，我們要培養多點智慧，

來對治與消除煩惱……」

**"…We should perform good deeds, uphold moral precepts, and live virtuously, 

Following the Buddha’s teachings, 

Practice mindfulness by reciting the Buddha’s name—'Buddho, Buddho'—to focus the mind, 

Cultivating stillness and wisdom to overcome defilements and craving. 

Ordinary people are inherently burdened with defilements (kilesa), and these defilements are *‘samudaya’* (the origin of suffering). 

The Buddha taught us: **Dukkha (suffering), Samudaya (its cause), Nirodha (its cessation), Magga (the path)**— 

This is the path to the end of suffering, as proclaimed by the Buddha. 

- **Dukkha** must be understood—from birth, suffering is already present. 

- **Samudaya** (the cause of suffering) must be abandoned. 

- **Nirodha** (cessation) must be realized. 

- **Magga** (the path) must be practiced. 

And this *‘path’* is the very way leading to liberation from suffering. 

In summary, it is **Sīla (precepts), Samādhi (stillness), and Paññā (wisdom)**. 

The essence of the Noble Eightfold Path boils down to upholding virtue, cultivating stillness, and developing wisdom. 

**Wisdom** is the power that cuts off defilements and leads to Nibbāna. 

Wisdom is the ability to discern—to recognize defilements: 

- Coarse defilements, 

- Intermediate defilements, 

- Subtle defilements. 

The same applies to **precepts (Sīla)**, which has three levels—coarse, intermediate, and subtle. 

Likewise, **stillness (Samādhi)** has three stages: 

- Momentary stillness (*khaṇika-samādhi*), 

- Access stillness (*upacāra-samādhi*), 

- Absorption stillness (*appanā-samādhi*). 

Thus, we should practice the Buddha’s teachings according to our capacity. 

In other words: 

- Uphold precepts, 

- Cultivate stillness, 

- Develop wisdom, 

- Strengthen faith and diligence to eradicate defilements. 

Because defilements run deep, and our wisdom is still immature, 

We must nurture greater wisdom 

To confront and eliminate these defilements…"** 

— **Luang Pu Boonma**