The Power of Reality | Bhante Mangala | TEDxUoNMalaysia

12 Dec 2024 (6 days ago)

A Life-Changing Experience and the Beginning of a Journey

A life-changing experience occurred on December 4th, 1993, in the Matang forest of East Malaysia, where a near-death experience led to a profound shift in perspective (16s).
During this experience, the thought "let me die mindfully" appeared, allowing for a miraculous recovery and the ability to feel legs again, ultimately leading to survival (1m20s).
This experience prompted an exploration of life and death through meditation, leading to a journey of discovery and experimentation (2m3s).
The beginning of this journey was not easy due to a skeptical nature, but it was discovered that this quality was recognized by the Buddha as helpful in developing wisdom (2m24s).

The freedom to question everything is supported in the discourse Kalama Sutta, also known as the Charter of Free Inquiry of the Buddha, allowing for experimentation and acceptance of knowledge (2m52s).
The tools used for this journey were samatha and vipassana, introduced by the teacher, the most venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw, which are used to check beliefs and bring direct insight and knowledge (3m36s).
Samatha meditation empowers the mind with enhanced mindfulness and concentration, producing an inner light of wisdom used to see the realities of life (4m4s).
Vipassana meditation uses the power developed in samatha to analyze and see the true nature of life and realities (4m29s).

Meditators use the light of wisdom to see the true nature of their body and mind, and can also shine this light towards their past, including past lives, to understand the causes and effects of their actions (5m2s).
This understanding allows meditators to see how past causes produce present results and how present causes will produce future results, which can be changed by present effort (5m51s).

Karma is the energy left over in the mind when thinking, speaking, and acting, and is the energy source that can produce results, which can be changed by present effort (6m7s).
The practice of understanding life and its realities is helpful as it allows us to see into the past and future, enabling us to comprehend why things happen and how they occur in our lives (6m45s).

This practice is considered a scientific experiment of the mind because it doesn't require any belief, and the results are verifiable and can be repeated and proven by anyone, regardless of faith or values (7m55s).
Through this practice, meditators can see further realities, appreciate the true nature of morality, and understand the natural law of cause and effect, which determines what is moral and immoral (8m26s).
Meditators will see how moral acts produce desirable and pleasant results, while immoral acts produce undesirable and painful results, which is not easy to see but can be understood through the practice (9m7s).

The law of cause and effect operates through many lifetimes, making it difficult to see in just one lifetime, but the practice allows us to see past lives records and future life projections (10m23s).
By understanding the law of cause and effect, we can cultivate causes of happiness, such as kindness, forgiveness, and gratitude, and avoid causes of suffering, like hatred, anger, and ingratitude (11m4s).
The greatest flaw of humans is misunderstanding the relationship between causes and effects, as seen in examples like robbers who think stealing will make them rich, but it actually leads to poverty (11m53s).
If individuals like Adolf Hitler had understood the reality of rebirth and the consequences of their actions, they would have given up their evil ways, and there would be no room for racism in the knowledge of the reality of rebirth (12m15s).

Learning from one's own life history is crucial as it helps understand and learn from past experiences, allowing individuals to avoid repeating actions that cause suffering (13m14s).
The concept of "good begets good, bad begets bad" is just a belief, but when understood as the law of cause and effect, it becomes a powerful foundation for character and morality (13m36s).
When individuals see the law of cause and effect operating directly, their belief turns into knowledge, and they naturally avoid doing harm and causing suffering out of love for themselves (14m25s).
Altruism is rare, and self-love is a universal trait among living beings, but having knowledge of the law of cause and effect leads to embracing morality (15m21s).

Developing confidence based on success, good performance, or approval from others is not always reliable, but having knowledge of the law of cause and effect provides unshakeable confidence (16m15s).
This reality-based confidence is founded upon life realities and is always present, even in difficult times, allowing individuals to make a difference and effect change (17m11s).
Knowing that the law of cause and effect is operating in one's life provides confidence that every new action can make a difference, and now is the only relevant time to effect change (17m21s).
Reality-based confidence can lift individuals out of hardship and despair, as seen in the example of a near-death experience in Matang Forest, where the power of mindfulness and belief in the law of cause and effect helped save a life (18m19s).

The story of being asked about reincarnation by an Indian man on the beach in Tanjong Pang highlights the importance of understanding the law of cause and effect and its relevance to one's life (19m26s).
The existence of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky is acknowledged because they can be seen, rather than just being a matter of belief (19m59s).
Rebirth and the law of cause and effect are not just believed in, but rather accepted as reality (20m8s).
The message is to not just believe, but to come and see for oneself, encouraging personal experience and understanding (20m12s).