In Buddhist Philosophy, the Middle Way and the Dhammakaya are absolutely united. The Middle Way is the way that acts like a certain thread sewing earth, heaven and nibbana (the place of Supreme Truth) altogether. The Middle Way is actually the only route leading through the existence of Relative and Absolute Truths. It begins from the centre of the body and so on. All are in the process of practical meditation. As the theory says that centre is upon centre, wisdom is upon wisdom. All are through the very centre of each state. Then, the Middle Way earns “The Majjim-magga” as its formal name. (In Sanskrit, Majjim means middle; and Magga means the way.)

The Dhammakaya is as the crossing bridge between the bank of Relative Truth and Absolute Truth. As it is said that he who is in the first state of Dhammakaya is he who stands on both banks of the river of life. Then he must learn to balance himself well (by always being with his centre).

The Theory of Middle Way or The Majjim-magga was very famous in the time of Nagarjuna, the first abbot of Nalanda, the greatest Buddhist University in the time of Gupta Dynasty of ancient India , around c.150-250. It is the latest and the most famous Buddhist Theory concerning “The Dhammakaya” and “The Middle Way”. But, please be noted that the Middle Way is not the theory of the great Nagarjuna. For it is the very principal of Buddhism of Lord Buddha. The words “majjima-pati-pata” that is the main principal of Buddhism and known to the world of philosophy means to go directly, firmly with strong determination through the Middle Way. And it must be only by meditation practice. So, “meditation in action” is the meditation concerning the Middle Way. It is because meditation will lead the practitioner to the effective and practical peace inside. For he who practices meditation can gain peace, earn peace, can survive his life in the petals of peace and can put his peace on every step he walks.

 

TO TOUCH THE CENTRE AND TO BE AT THE GATEWAY OF THE MIDDLE WAY

A Revision of Meditation in Action

Firstly, please remind of the route of the mind. It is the seven bases of mind. Or do as the theory of the two white threads crossing inside. After briefly reminding of the seven bases or the two white threads crossing inside, then take a deep breath to confirm the point of the centre. That is at the far end of the breath inside. Do it as gently as you close your eyes, or while your eyes are already closed. And from that moment all to do is to keep on reminding of the point. The eyes are still gently closed as if you are going to sleep or rest. You should sit still with the feeling of relaxation that thoroughly floods and soaks the whole physical body. And, as often as possible, please do remind of the centre. It is only to touch or feel the point, again and again in gentle manner. But, normally, the mind loves to wander. Let it be. We shall not force it to be still at the centre because it may plant the seed of frustration. The technique is to relax both body and mind. We shall not sit too smartly but with tense. It will cause physical tension. And we shall not try to control the mind since it causes frustration. It should be only with relaxation and comfort. So, sit or do as long as you are happy. The must is to remind of the centre as often as possible. And “the reminding of” is to feel, to imagine or to visualize a tiny star, as if it is sparkling at the centre of your body. And please do not be serious with the certain place of the point. It is possibly somewhere inside, in the area of your own abdomen. And you should keep on confirming yourself that your real existence of life is inside at the point of the centre of your body.  

THE TWO TRUTHS & THE DHAMMAKAYA

Concerning the truth of the Middle Way that consists of the two Truths : Relative Truth and Absolute Truth. By the great Buddhist master Nagarjuna of Nalanda, the Relative Truth is the truth concerning heavenly life and the Absolute Truth is the truth concerning nibbana or the place of Supreme Truth. The lowest is human being. The highest is Arhat, the highest state of Dhammakaya that will never come back again. The Arhat is the one who can stay away from re-incarnation or samsara. It means that he, the Arhat, will never again come back to be as a human being on earth. “Luang Pu” (Phramonkolthepmuni, Sod Chandasaro) or better known as Luang Phor Wat Paknam Pasi Charoen gave life to these Truths by his meditation achievement. With his achievement he turned these Truths to be a living knowledge on the day he found the Dhammakaya of Lord Buddha. Along the Middle Way from the lowest to the highest, Luang Pu said there are eighteen states or eighteen bodies of truth. All are connected by the centre point of each body. Each centre is sewed through by the thread of the Middle Way, each by each, one to another accordingly. And the body of transition from relative to absolute is “go-tra-bhuu” Dhammakaya. The very first state of the Dhammakaya. It is the ninth and tenth altogether to be as one. (More details later on.) And with the body of transition the gotrabhuu Dhammakaya (will be named from now on “The Dhammakaya”) you can walk further into the track of Absolute Truth. It’s quite difficult. It is hard to reach the state of Dhammakaya. But it should literally be informed for further understanding. For it is said that Dhammakaya is the whole Philosophy of Buddhism. Because Lord Buddha said that, “Thatagata is The Dhammakaya, and, The Dhammakaya is Thatagata.” (Thatagata is the name Lord Buddha called himself.)  

THE DHAMMAKAYA

Dhammakaya are both the proper name and the proper state of mind that’s well polished by practicing meditation. It is not the new theory or new theory of Buddhism and it is neither new Buddhist sect nor school. For the fact, it is the oldest word, one word that means the whole. Dhammakaya is one word that could wrap both process and the essence of truth mentioned in Buddhism. Dhammakaya is known by famous Buddhist scholars as it is the state of enlightenment, the Body of Enlightenment, the Body of Dhamma or the Truth Body. And also is known as the immortal body enriched by the Ultimate Truth of The Lord Buddha. It is the body of non-defile. It is invisible by normal eyes but touchable and undeniable. The word Dhammakaya is always in the oldest suttas. And also it is reported in the history or legendary as the main principal of the earliest school of Buddhism such as Theravada and Sarvastivada. Dhammakaya was also called “The Body of Wisdom” in some suttas. Why is Dhammakaya treasured as the whole meaning of Buddhism? The answer is, with this state of enlightenment it stimulated Prince Sidhatta to enter the higher truth. Because it is the body of transition, the only body that could knock the door of Absolute Truth to widely open and welcome his entering. Then, step by step, through the centre upon centre, worked out by the crystal mind, Prince Sidhatta had turned himself Lord Buddha by entering the Supreme Truth that is higher than Arhat.(Arhat is the highest state of Dhammakaya.) Then, for the rest of his life until forever, he is at that topmost state. And Nibbana is his final place after his passing away. Nibbana is the place only for the immortal body of Lord Buddhas and Arhats. As known by scholars, Dhammakaya is the body in condition of being Lord Buddha. It is the body that changed Prince Sidhatta to The Lord Buddha. All are in two conditions, first that man or Prince Sidhatta should wear the physical body of Maha-Purisa ( the 32 signs of being great man) and second is to enter and be forever with the highest state of Dhammakaya. But the physical body of being a great man (with 32 marks of a Great Man) was with him before his entering the Middle Way. So it was only The Dhammakaya that made him change and turned him to be The Lord Buddha. Then we can say that The Dhammakaya is the whole process and the essence of truth mentioned in Buddhism. Like Laung Pu said, to survive life in petals of peace and happiness is to be with in the state of Dhammakaya, even with the very basic one. “Dhammakaya” -- the Body of Wisdom -- that Laung Pu brought back to life again in the world of living Buddhism.

 

WHERE IS THE EXISTENCE OF DHAMMAKAYA ?

According to the old suttas, they always say that the origin of life is pure and clean. And every life in any physical form has a seed of Buddha planted inside. Every seed of Buddha is waiting to spring out. The Tathagata Garbha is the name of the seed of Buddha existing inside every life of any form. (Tathagata Garbha means ‘Buddha in the Womb’ or the ‘Seed of Buddha’ inside the abdomen.) And don’t forget that Lord Buddha called himself Tathagata. And the Tathagata Garbha is The Dhammakaya or the Body of Enlightenment waiting inside for the time of awakening. Then the existence of Dhammakaya is inside our body. It is certainly at the centre of the body. So The Dhammakaya is always with us. It is the real nature of any life. We can say that Dhammakaya is framed by our physical body and the body of relative truth (the body of heavenly life). This truth was said in the philosophy of Borobudur, one of the most famous Buddhist stupa of ancient Indonesia in the period of Sri-vijaya while Buddhist civilization was on the highest there. And it emphasizes that Dhammakaya exists inside our physical body. All are confirmed again and again in Thailand by Luang Pu and his disciples.