The Power of Austerity in Buddhism : หน้า 178/207

"In order to differentiate between need and want, our ancestors trained themselves by practicing austerity on every Buddhist Holy Day. Many teaching monks say that if a person wants to experience such a practice, you can go to a temple and dwell under a long-handed umbrella for a few nights. Then you will clearly understand what you really need or want in your life. With little space under the long-handed umbrella (with the cloth-net), you bring only what you really need rather than what you want. In addition, if you put more things in it, this little space will be overloaded, and you will not be able to sleep well under the umbrella." "Next, the requirement of wearing only white clothes while practicing austerity is to bring about consciousness and heedfulness. Dressed in white, you have to be careful when walking, eating, or even sleeping because it spots easily; and in the meantime, your consciousness develops. Eventually, you will be able to restrain yourself from the habit of a want." "To bring about carefulness in one’s life, it must begin with the three major principles in Buddhism: to avoid bad deeds, to do good deeds, and to purify the mind. If one can completely pursue them, passage to Nibbana is open to him." "Even if he has practiced them to his fullest in this life but is still unable to achieve it, he must still go on. Finally, there will be a day, a year, or some future lifetime when he embodies all Ten Perfections and attain Arahan­taship (the perfected one), following the Lord Buddha to Nibbana." Based on the teachings of the respected senior monk, it can be concluded that when one practices austerity for at least three to seven days, one can train oneself to be heedful and to immerse the mind in merit. In addition to an escape from chaos, such a practice can provide a peaceful environment both physically and mentally. And in doing so, one can accrue merits in the religious world. Even when returning to the secular world, one will work with a refreshed, joyful, and virtuous mind. A person will perform his job with conscientiousness and carefulness. Problems that arise can be handled thoroughly. He will see the difference and the benefit from each time he practices austerity. Finally, problems that he had in his life will end and be replaced with more prosperity because of his clear and powerful mind that is immersed in merit." "Let's imagine that if the 60 million people of the Buddhist population in Thailand were to train themselves to be heedful by practicing austerity at the same time, problems in our country would diminish in just one night. Consequently, everyone’s state of mind would become clearer. If every temple across the country were to regularly offer programs for austerity practice to the people, Thailand’s problems would come to an end. When people practice austerity at the temple, we can be sure that they will also take this practice home. Then it will become a habit to meditate at home every day. In the end, there will be no more problems in their lives."