Categories: Other Meditation Teachings
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Today, we will explore a profound and deeply practical teaching that addresses a question many spiritual seekers face: What do you do when your meditation practice feels stuck? If you’ve been practicing diligently but feel you aren’t making progress, this reflection may offer the key. This teaching isn’t just a new technique; it addresses a common but often misunderstood obstacle. a kind of spiritual blockage that can hinder our development. This wisdom is offered for anyone, whether you practice with a teacher or on your own, who has encountered this wall on their journey.
The Three Jewels That Guide Our Path
The title of this teaching is, “If you can’t develop your mind through meditation, let’s ask for forgiveness from the Triple Gem.” To understand this, we must first understand what the Triple Gem is. In the Pali language, it is called the Tiratana, and in Sinhala, Tunu-ruwan. It refers to the three most precious jewels of our path:
- The Buddha: The fully awakened teacher who rediscovered and shared the path to liberation.
- The Dhamma: The universal truth and the teachings of the Buddha. It is the path itself.
- The Sangha: The community of monastics who have dedicated their lives to practicing, preserving, and sharing the Dhamma.
Think about it: out of the billions of people on this Earth, how many are truly dedicated to a spiritual path? How many follow the way pointed out by the Buddha? It is an incredibly small number. To even have the inclination to walk this path is exceedingly rare and precious. Recognizing this rarity helps us approach our practice with the respect it deserves.
A Humble Practice to Clear the Way: Asking for Forgiveness
A foundational practice, especially before meditation, is to formally ask for forgiveness. There is a traditional Pali verse many of us know:
“Kāyena vācā cittena, pamādena mayā kataṃ, accayaṃ khama me bhante, bhūripañña tathāgata.”
“Kāyena vācā cittena, pamādena mayā kataṃ, accayaṃ khama me dhamma, sandiṭṭhika akālika.”
“Kāyena vācā cittena, pamādena mayā kataṃ, accayaṃ khama me saṅgha, supaṭipanna anuttara.”
The simple meaning of this is a heartfelt request: “For any fault I have committed through body, speech, or mind knowingly or unknowingly towards the Buddha, the Dhamma, or the Sangha, may I be forgiven.” You can recite this in Pali while reflecting on the meaning, or simply say it in your own language. This isn’t just a ritual; it is a powerful act of mental purification that clears the way for our spiritual work.
What Causes a Spiritual Blockage? The Karmic Weight of Disrespect
But why is this forgiveness so crucial? Because disrespecting the Triple Gem creates a powerful karmic impediment, a kind of spiritual blockage. In Pali, this is sometimes referred to as an āvaraṇayak, a ‘covering’ or ‘veil’ that obscures our wisdom and prevents spiritual progress. This unwholesome action, or akusala kamma, can be generated in three ways:
- By Mind: Harboring cynical, critical, or hateful thoughts toward the Buddha, his teachings, or the monastic community.
- By Speech: Verbally abusing monks, slandering the Dhamma, or spreading false information and mockery. We see this often in today’s society.
- By Body: Physically harming a monastic, attempting to kill an enlightened being (as Devadatta did to the Buddha), burning sacred texts, or preventing monks from receiving alms and support. This can apply to any monastic, whether they live in a forest monastery or a village temple.
Those who understand the law of kamma know that these actions create a definite and heavy result, a spiritual blockage that closes the door to higher attainments.
The Signs of an Inner Obstacle in Your Meditation
Now, let’s connect this to our practice. Imagine a person who has, perhaps in this life or a past one, committed such acts. They might not even be aware of it. This person begins to meditate. They try to practice concentration, perhaps focusing on the point between the eyebrows as taught in some methods. Days, weeks, months, even a year might pass, yet they feel nothing. The subtle sign of concentration, a feeling of pressure or energy in the forehead never arises. They might practice loving-kindness meditation (Mettā Bhāvanā) but feel no sense of peace or ease in their heart. This is the primary sign of this specific spiritual blockage: a complete inability to develop even a moment of deep concentration (samādhi).
The cause is the karmic consequence of having insulted, harmed, or disrespected those who are on the spiritual path be they Buddhas, Arahants, or any monastic striving to follow the Dhamma. The mind simply cannot be developed. If you feel this describes your situation, it is vital to understand this principle.
How to Remove the Blockage and Reopen the Path
The solution to this spiritual blockage lies in sincere and humble forgiveness. Because we have journeyed through an unimaginable number of past lives in samsāra (the beginningless cycle of birth and death), it is very possible we have committed such acts without realizing it. The first step is to accept this possibility.
Then, with a truly sincere heart, you must ask for forgiveness. The act must be genuine, in alignment with your conscience. You can make a formal request, saying, “To all the Buddhas, the Dhamma, and the Sangha of the past, present, and future, across this infinite samsāra, if I have done any wrong through body, speech, or mind, knowingly or unknowingly, please grant me forgiveness.”
If you are aware of having wronged a specific monk in this life, the Buddha taught that you must make amends directly. If they are far away, you should face their direction and bow down in forgiveness. If they have passed away, you should go to their tomb or stupa and ask for forgiveness there. This sincere act can lift the karmic covering, dissolving the spiritual blockage and allowing your mind to finally settle and grow in meditation.
A Crucial Warning: Judge Not, Lest You Block Your Own Way
Here is a crucial warning for your spiritual journey: never judge a monastic by their external behavior. You cannot see into their heart or measure their spiritual life. From the ancient Anuradhapura period to today, there are countless stories of hidden saints and deceptive appearances. Therefore, do not allow yourself to criticize a monk, not even in your mind. Do not speak ill of them, and certainly do not do anything to cause them physical hardship.
This is a piece of advice for everyone, regardless of your religion or where you live in the world. Whether you are on land or under the sea, this principle applies. Today, we see people making cartoons that mock monks or holding up signs in protest. If these people knew the heavy karmic result, the profound spiritual blockage they are creating for themselves, they would never do it. Do not get involved. If you see such things, it is best to act as if you did not see them. You will only destroy yourself and your own spiritual potential.
The Skillful Path: Responding with Compassion Instead of Criticism
So, what is the skillful response when you see a monk who appears to be behaving badly? Instead of reacting with anger and creating a spiritual blockage for yourself, see the situation through the lens of compassion. Recognize it as a form of suffering (Dukkha). Then, generate a thought of loving-kindness (Mettā): “May this person overcome their difficulties. May they find the true path.” This protects your own mind and uses your powerful spiritual energy for good.
This is why, when giving offerings, we are encouraged not to investigate whether a monk is virtuous (sīlavanta) or unvirtuous (dussīla). When you make an offering to the Sangha as a collective entity, the merit is vast. Do not let external factors become a problem for you. Do not insult the Sangha, not even with a comment, a voice message, or by sharing a negative post. Simply be silent. It is the best way to protect your path.
A Note on Different Paths and a Final Encouragement
There is a special case worth mentioning briefly. Some beings have received a vivarana, a prophecy from a past Buddha that they will become a Buddha in the future. For such individuals, their path is different. They can develop deep states of calm and concentration (samatha), but they cannot attain full insight (vipassanā) until their final life. This is a separate topic, but it is mentioned so that such practitioners who may be listening do not become confused about why their insight practice may not be advancing while their concentration is strong.
For everyone else, the message is clear. If you find your mind is not developing after months or years of practice, this spiritual blockage from disrespecting the Triple Gem is a likely cause. By understanding this, by ceasing all such actions, and by sincerely asking for forgiveness, you can clear the path. You can develop your mind through calm (samatha), mindfulness, and insight (vipassanā).
I trust that after reading this from beginning to end, you now understand this important principle. With that trust, I offer a blessing: By the power of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, may you develop your spiritual life. May you progress on this path and achieve its practical results with the protection and blessing of the Triple Gem.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
