Four keys to the dharma

Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn has a checklist for ensuring that you wake up every day with a smile: live in the present moment, don't cling to your worries, forgive others, and be mindful.

 Her modest "dharma talk" - and a meditation session she led, too - were part of last week's launch of her book "Khwam Nai Jai Kong Kapachao" at Siam Paragon.

The book - a fund-raiser for her Chulabhorn Foundation - stemmed from the three episodes of "Woody Kerd Ma Khui" on Modernine TV that the Princess taped several months ago.

It covers a range of topics, but her studies with the late Venerable Luangta Maha Bua at Wat Pa Ban Tad in Udon Thani are a compelling focal point. She calls him her "foster father".

Princess Chulabhorn has sought to master the dharma for the past 15 years while meditating and visiting Pa Ban Tad Temple as often as possible. More recently she's spent more time at Wat Pa Na Kham Noi, also in Udon Thani.

She stresses the Buddha's teaching that we are all born into suffering due to social inequality.

"We have a system that promises equality, but I don't think that's possible," she writes. "Some people are rich, some poor, some strong, some weak, some beautiful and some ugly. All of these conditions result from karma.

"By doing many good deeds you can be very happy, but not 100 per cent happy - unless you can really purify your mind, like Luangta Maha Bua, and consequently escape the cycle of endless birth and death. Our suffering stems from birth, ageing, sickness and death."

Being in the present moment - her first dharma tip for daily life - means doing your best all of the time.

"Luangta Maha Bua taught me that no one can change the past, so we shouldn't hang onto it, only learn from it so that we don't make the same mistakes. And the future cannot be anticipated - attempting to do so only leads to an unfocused mind.

"That's why doing the best you can in every present moment helps bring about a better life," the Princess said last week.

"For example, if today on August 24 I do my best in talking to you, when August 25 arrives I don't need to look back. Once you have a good past, I guarantee you'll have a good future. Everyone will have a good night's sleep because they're not obsessed with the past and not worried about the future. When it's time to sleep, just sleep, and you'll wake up with a smile every day."

Princess Chulabhorn pointed out that there are always people who criticise or disagree with you. In dharma, you ignore that fact and stay focused on flaws in your own condition. "We should try to fix our own mistakes, and those who can do this I consider a noble. If a situation is not our fault or if a claim is made about us that is not true, then leave it alone."

Relinquishing worries thus leads to forgiveness, the Princess said. "If we hear about people seeking to hurt us and we forgive them - whether we know them personally or not - we accumulate much merit and at the same time free our minds."

Being mindful all of the time ensures you make fewer mistakes, she said. Meditation helps calm the mind and brings with it panya - wisdom.

Princess Chulabhorn said meditation also gives her body rest. She has long suffered with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, which "attacks my bones - a sort of suffering and obstacle that I have to overcome".

The Princess said her primary inspiration and energy come from three people - her parents Their Majesties the King and Queen and "foster father" Luangta Maha Bua. They've taught her that the authentic virtue in life stems from helping and being compassionate toward others.

"Their Majesties teach me to always be mindful about my duty to the beloved Thai people, that I must do everything for them. Luangta Maha Bua has shown me that I should propagate the dharma teachings.

"Ultimately, in return, the love and caring of the people I meet along the path of my life boost my spirits. It's their love that gives me strength."

GET THE BOOK

"Khwam Nai Jai Kong Kapachao" is available from DMG Publishing for Bt299 and in a boxed edition for Bt399.

Call (02) 685 2255 or order through www.DMGBooks.com.

The Princess invites people to make merit by donating to the establishment of a Luangta Maha Bua museum at Wat Pa Ban Tad. Details of a planned bank account for that purpose will be announced soon.