Everyday Dhamma: Finding a Spiritual Mentor at Wat Bhaddanta

A few months ago, shortly after returning from India, I stumbled across a Dhamma book at my yoga studio in Bangkok. The book was thin and had a nice cartoon image of a boy doing walking meditation on the front, and so I was immediately drawn to it. I picked it up, and saw that it was written by a monk at Wat Bhaddanta, in a province not far from Bangkok, and so I took out a piece of paper to jot down the website and contact email.

As I was doing so, the lady behind the counter told me to keep the book, that someone had left it there and it was up-for-grabs. It's not everyday that you stumble across Dhamma books when you are out-and-about on the town, so I gratefully accepted. When I got home, I checked out the website and was immediately impressed by the English version and all the information available. There were many pictures, and I also noticed that the facilities were fairly new and looked clean.

Going on Pindabat with the
monks at sunrise.

When I decided to visit the monastery instead of going to the beach, I started to look into places to go. With there being so many options close to Bangkok, it was a difficult decision to make. I guess I had to narrow it down. What was I looking for? Did I want to go hang out with monks or did I want to follow a strict schedule of meditation? Did I want a place that had daily chanting, or interviews with an English speaking teacher? These are all important questions to ask when looking for a place to practice in Thailand, as the answers to these questions will direct you to different places. Not only that, but there are also a few main techniques that are practiced, so you can also decide what lineage or style you'd like to practice.

I've come across a few really good teachers while practicing in Asia, but I was particularly impressed by Ajahn Somsak Sorado. Right away, I knew he was someone important for my practice and for my life.

So what makes a good spiritual mentor?

Theres probably no fair way to answer that, I guess it depends on the person. People with different temperaments need different types of teachers. For example, one lacking discipline and the ability to be self-critical might need a strict and direct teacher, someone to push them and also keep them in line. Another person, who is disciplined and overly self-critical, which is probably what I am, might need a softer teacher, one who is more compassionate and understanding.

Spiritual teachers aren't one size fits all.

Being a Buddhist, I don't really believe in the whole guru-disciple model, so I don't have this romantic impression that I've found "the one" or anything, although when I first saw him, I guess I did sort of have that feeling. What I look for in a teacher in someone who I want to be like. Not only that, but someone who I believe I can be like, if I keep practicing. He or she has to be sort of accessible in that way, not some mystical man from the mountains who is going to change my life.

While I was chanting with about 20 monks, 15 nuns, and 60 lay practitioners dressed in white on Tuesday, Phra Somsak came in to the Dhamma hall and bowed three times before joining us. As he is the Abbott of Wat Bhaddanta, he has a special place in each evening's service and a special place to sit up in the front. As soon as I saw him walk up out of the corner of my eye, I knew there was something about him. I could tell by his presence, by the way that he moved, even within the first few seconds of seeing him.

He's not a very big guy, but his presence was enormous. Not in a egotistical way, of expressing his own importance, but in a humble and dignified way. His movements were ever so slow and graceful, and watching him bow three times to the Buddha statue was truly inspiring. I knew he was the real deal. No, I don't know if he's fully enlightened, how could I? But I can tell that he is one thing, and that is very mindful. You can tell if someone is mindful when they are doing even the most mundane activities. Actually, that is an especially good time to watch them. As this practice that he teaches, known as the Mahasi Method, stresses the role of mindfulness in spiritual awakening, it is the first thing I look at when I meet a meditation teacher from this lineage. Maybe it's fault-finding, but to me, if the teacher looks like he or she is haphazardly doing something, I can't accept them as being someone who has realized what they are teaching.

Inside the Dhamma hall.

While watching the Abbott, I was blown away by how precise and smooth each and every motion was. There was no erroneous movements, not with the hand or the eye. He was 100% focused on everything he was doing. We all know what this is like because we've all been there. Maybe it has been while playing music, sports, or in a near-car accident, but we've all had those experiences that our attention was completely fixed in the present moment. We can call it being in the "zone."

Street signs at a monastery!

A local woman offers rice to the monks.

While giving his Dhamma talks, Phra Ajahn (the title of "Teacher Monk") would stop now and then to have a drink of his tea. The cup of tea had a lid on it, probably to keep it hot, and so this activity would include removing the lid, picking up the tea, bringing it to his mouth to drink it, and then putting the cup back down before replacing the lid. A simple, everyday activity. Nothing special about it. But when you have 100 pairs of eyes on you, it could be a bit of an awkward moment, and I've definitely seen meditation teachers handle those moments less-gracefully. What amazed me was how collected he was. He didn't move extremely slowly, but with such precision that even while replacing the lid, I never once heard even the slightest clinking sound in the 4 days I was there. Every time, his movements were perfect.

Never underestimate the power of a peaceful community.

Having spent a few years in the US, he could also speak English pretty well which is not really common for monks in Thailand. When I had my daily interviews with him, he spoke softly and gave me gentle encouragement. He always smiled when I told him about my practice, not in a judgmental way, but in a fatherly kind of way, so as to tell me that I should keep going. "Just observe, it's not serious," he assured me. It's not serious? Woah, that's news to me. Has he never been to most of the monasteries that teach the Mahasi Method before? Of course he has, but he was playing to my temperament, I reminded myself. He knew what kind of assistance I need, and his advice couldn't have been any better.

Happy to practice together!

I suppose it's quite difficult to explain exactly what I liked about Ajahn Somsak. I just had a feeling about him that he was a very pure and honorable man who had sincerely devoted his life to the Buddha's teachings. To meet such a man was truly and honor, and I look forward to continuing my practice under his guidance in the future.

To learn more about Wat Bhaddanta and Phra Somsak Sorado,
visit: http://bhaddanta-eng-version.blogspot.com/

You can also download a free copy of his E-Book here:
Vipassana Meditation Handbook for Beginners