Understanding the Mind and Success in Buddhist Practice : หน้า 118/263

and the four different functions of the mind are scattered in their separate directions like a group of people unable to work as a team — they cannot pool their abilities efficiently. By 'all success' Luang Phaw Wat Paknam meant all the sorts of success you can think of, but he emphasized success at the level of transcendental [lokuttara] attainment. If one is able to bring the mind to a standstill to the point where one can attain the Paṭhama Magga sphere, one will overcome all reluctance further to cultivate the path towards Nirvana. Thus the real meaning of 'all success' is the certainty of attaining Nirvana. It is for this reason that Luang Phaw Wat Paknam often explained the word 'nirodha' as 'stopping' when he gave sermons — bringing the mind to a standstill at the seventh base of the mind which will eventually lead to liberation. However, in some of his sermons, Luang Phaw Wat Paknam referred to 'nirodha' as 'extinguishing' — and in such a case he taught that you can attain extinction by cultivating self-discipline [sīla], concentration [samādhi] and wisdom [paññā] — and that there is no other way of attaining extinction. However, all of these things only become manifest if one can attain the eye of the Dhammakāya and use the wisdom of the Dhammakāya. Thus the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering means the extinguishing of craving or the bringing of the mind to a standstill because both these things are the beacons which light the pathway to Nirvana.