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more free from suffering. To this extent it was effective but I was not really interested in the sitting meditation as something which was enjoyable in itself. Also since I have come to Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the great oppor- tunities available to make merit. I feel I have a fuller understanding of how Puñña is linked to the succesful practice of meditation. This was not apparent to me so clearly in England. Whenever I see the centre of the body and go through it, I feel light, clean and illuminated. Really, it makes me very happy." A NEW SIMPLE LIFE IS ENJOY- ABLE During his stay at Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Nicholas has to observe eight precepts as other upāsakas (lay- men) or upasikäs (laywomen). In other words, he is not allowed to have dinner, to lie on the soft mattress to sing or listen to love songs, and to play music or ธันวาคม ๒๔๓๑ to pay attention to any kind of enter- tainment. He lives with a group of upāsakas in a very simple shelter which is walled and roofed over with palm-leaves. During the night he has to lie on a wooden bed covered with a mat or in a klod (an umbrella covered with a mosquito net). His simple life at the monastery may sound unpleasant to somebody but Nicholas really enjoys this simplicity. He confirmed, "I have been very happy and peace- ful during my stay at Wat Phra Dham- makaya. There has been nothing more which the temple could have done to make me feel welcome. I think any Westerner who is willing to visit Wat Phra Dhammakaya will enjoy welcoming surroundings in which to practise Dhamma. Every effort has been made, to make it easy for Thai people to come to meditate." กัลยาณมิตร ๔๗ Kalyanamitra.org