The Three Trainings

526 Pages·2016·8.63 MB·English

by  The National Coordination Center of Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand

A Study GUIDE FOR RIGHT PRACTICE OF THE THREE TRAININGS
The National Coordination Center of Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand
Sīle patitthāya naro sapañño A STUDY GUIDE
Citta paññañca bhāvaya
FOR RIGHT PRACTICE OF
Ātāpī nipako bhikkhu
So ima vijataye jata.
THE THREE TRAININGS
A competent monk with the diligence and wisdom to cultivate
himself who is fi rmly established in morality and development of mind
(citta) and insight (paññā) meditation is able to slash through this thick
The National Coordination Center of Provincial
underbrush [of passion].
Meditation Institutes of Thailand
www.dhammacenter.org
A STUDY GUIDE
FOR RIGHT PRACTICE OF
THE THREE TRAININGS
Published by
The National Coordination Center of
Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand
ISBN: 978-974-401-378-1
First Edition: March 2010 (2,000 copies).
Second Edition: May 2011 (4,500 copies).
Third Edition: May 2012 (4,000 copies).
Copyright © 2010
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without
the prior permission of the publisher.
Mailing Address: Wat Luang Phor Sodh Dhammakayaram
Dammnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi Province,
Thailand 70130.
Tel (Eng): ([phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.dhammacenter.org |
HIS HOLINESS
SOMDEJ PHRA NYANASANGVARA
Sangharaja Sakalamahasanghaparinayaka
The Supreme Patriarch
II
HIS HOLINESS
SOMDEJ PHRA BUDDHAJARN
President of Sangha Body Conference,
Acting Sangharaja Committee, Chief of East Sangha
Region, and Abbot, Wat Saket Rajamahavihara,
Bangkok, Thailand
III
HIS HOLINESS SOMDEJ
PHRA MAHARAJAMANGKALAJARN
Acting Sangharaja Committee Member of Sangha
Body, Chief of North Sangha Region, and
Abbot, Wat Paknam Basijareaon, Bangkok, Thailand
IV
HIS HOLINESS SOMDEJ
PHRA MAHABUDDHACHINNAWONG
Committee Member of Sangha Body,
Chief of Central Sangha Region, and
Abbot,Wat Pichaiyat, Bangkok, Thailand
V
FOREWORD
SOMDEJ PHRA MAHARAJAMANGKALAJARN
The committee members of the National Coordination Center of
Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand decided to publish “A Study
Guide for Right Practice of the Three Trainings” (Morality, Concentra-
tion and Wisdom) based on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as
presented in the Visuddhimagga.
The main purpose of this publication is as a study guide for
Meditation Centers across the country to teach meditators with the same
standard text. Each Meditation Center can choose its own preference of
meditation teaching method independently.
The committee members have appointed an editorial committee to
review the book, and it has been carefully reviewed by every committee
member before bringing it to the conference for a resolution. The commit-
tee has done its review well and the book should be published for use in
Meditation Centers across the country as the study guide for standardized
meditation training in accordance with the goal of Buddhism.
I would like to congratulate everyone for this success, especially,
Dr. Phra Rajyanvisith (Hon. D.), the President of the National Coordina-
tion Center of Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand, who supported
the publication.
Finally, with the Power of the Triple Gem, I would like to wish
everyone to prosper in long life, good looks, Happiness, Health, Wisdom
and good fortune. Whatever you wish, may it be yours.
Somdej Phra Mahrajamangkalajarn
Acting Sangharaja Committee Member of the Sangha Body,
Chief of the North Sangha Region, Chief of Pali Studies,
Chairman of the Advisory Board of the National Coordination Center
of Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand, and
Abbot of Wat Paknam Basicareon, Bangkok
VI
FOREWORD
PHRA DHAMMAPARIYATVETE
The core teaching of Lord Buddha is the Ovādapaimokkha. The
heart of this teaching is Ideas, Principles and Methods. When Lord Bud-
dha taught the Three Trainings, sīla, samādhi and paññā, the ideas were
patience (khanti), Nibbāna, loving-kindness (mattā) and compassion
(karuā). The Principles were “Avoid all Evil, Do only good and Purify
the mind.” The Methods were not assigning blame, not doing any harm,
restraining the sense faculties, being content and calm, and training the
mind. After Lord Buddha taught these three, He taught the Threefold
Training which consisted of sīla [Morality], samādhi [Concentration]
and paññā [Wisdom]. Everyone needs to study and practice these three.
Restraining the body in action and speech is called sīla, training the
mind is called samādhi and understanding the Five Aggregates is called
paññā.
Now there are Meditation Centers everywhere in Thailand. They
are members of the National Buddhism Organization, under the ad-
ministration of the Sangha Body. When the directors of the Meditation
Centers met, they agreed to establish the National Coordination Center
of Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand to encourage Three Right
Practices: pariyatti (scriptures), pa t. ipatti (practice) and pat .ivedha (at-
tainment).
The National Coordination Center of Provincial Meditation Insti-
tutes of Thailand has a clear mandate to help Meditation Centers teach
to the same high standard. This Study Guide for Right Practice of the
Three Trainings has been successfully published for this purpose, follow-
ing the insightful advice of Somdej Phra Maha Rajamangkalajarn and
Phra Thepyanmongkol who set up the editorial committee to produce
this book. The result is this publication systematizing right content and
practice for all Meditation Centers throughout Thailand.
VII
I would like to congratulate everyone who was part of this suc-
cess and wish them all to thrive in the shade of Buddhism and reach the
Ultimate Refuge of Nirvana in the near future.
Sadhā Sotthī Bhavantu Te
Phra Dhammapariyatvete
Chief of the Fifteenth Sangha Region,
Abbot of Wat Phra Pathom Cetiya Rajamahavihara,
Director of the Meditation Center of Nakorn Pathom Province, and
The Advisory Committee of the National Coordination Center of
Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand
VIII
VENERABLE PHRA THEPYANMONGKOL
President, the National Coordination Center of
Provincial Meditation Institutes of Thailand,
Abbot, Wat Luang Phor Sodh Dhammakayaram,
Rajchaburi, Thailand
IX