The Main Points of the Practice

In 1978, one of Ajaan Fuang’s students had to move to Hong Kong, and so he set up a small meditation center there.

In one of his letters he asked Ajaan Fuang to write out a short outline of the main points of the practice, and this was the answer he received:

“Focus on all six of the elements: earth, water, wind, fire, space, and consciousness.

When you’re acquainted with each of them, meld them into one, and focus on them until they grow stable and strong. Your energy will gather together until both the body and the mind feel full.

When the physical elements are balanced and in harmony, they’ll grow full, and the mind will let go of them on its own and turn to oneness. The elements will be one, the mind will be one.

So now you turn your attention to the mind. Focus on the mind until you become fully aware of it.

Then let go of that awareness, together with whatever knowledge you’ve gained, and there won’t be anything left.

Let go even of the events in the present that you’re aware of.

That’s when intuitive discernment will arise, and meditation comes to an end.”

This reflection by Ajaan Fuang Jotiko (introduced by Ajaan Geoff) is from the Thai Forest Ajaans book, Awareness Itself, “Right at Awareness,” compiled and translated from the Thai by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff).