06. Train to Unify
By Luang Pu Thate Desaraṅsī
Date: 1983
We have now been in the Rains Retreat for one month. This shows that we are truly observing the Rains Retreat earnestly. Of the three-month Rains Retreat, one month has passed, and two remain. While we are together in harmony, we should therefore begin to exert sufficient effort. Study is still study; there's no conflict. Don't misunderstand that learning and practicing are separate paths, thinking that learning hinders practice, so when it's time to actually practice, it's not like that. Learning is practice itself. For instance, listening to a Dhamma talk is a form of learning in itself. What would we use to practice if we hadn't studied? The various matters that surround us and circulate are simply meant for us to study until we understand them. If we don't understand, we won't know where to make corrections. But study and practice should be unified.
In the beginning, the mind is distracted during practice, sending thoughts to various places. We strive to unify it. Investigate to find the causes and reasons, the story behind it. No matter which aspect or angle the mind tends toward, establish mindfulness to supervise it continuously. Over a long time, as it goes back and forth, it will just revisit old things; there's nothing new. When it sees these as old things, it grows weary and releases them, then unifies into one. That is what is called preliminary unification.
This practice that achieves preliminary unification is called 'practicing to unify'. Now, regarding those various practices, we cleanse, rectify, let go, and abandon them, retaining only what we intend. We know that thing. Whatever we want, whatever we aim for – what is not in line with precepts or Dhamma, we know it. Investigating again and again, seeing aniccaṃ, dukkhaṃ, anattā (impermanence, suffering, not-self) in everything, it unifies once more. That is secondary unification.
The first unification is unclear; the second unification is clear. This means seeing the causes and results sufficiently. The initial unification involves merely abandoning and letting go passively. The second unification involves seeing the causes and results, the story behind things: good, evil, coarse, refined, what benefits oneself and others, and unifying it. That is secondary unification. The final unification is when wisdom sees clearly and knows truly; the mind is expansive and joyful. When it unifies like this, the mind becomes bright, clear, and discerning in all matters – not just in a theoretical or inferential way (anuloma), but truly clear and genuinely penetrating. This is tertiary unification.
Train to unify in this way continuously. At first, train to achieve unification. If you don't succeed, just keep practicing this way. Train to unify frequently. As for the mind straying out, it strays out on its own. We want it to unify, so we must train. When the mind goes out, it becomes chaotic; we don't want that. We want this. The mind going out happens on its own. If we let go of mindfulness, it can go anywhere, everywhere. We don't want that. We practice to unify. This Buddhist practice is for unifying, for making it into a single point. As described, once it unifies, then keep training constantly. Train in investigation to see clearly, to penetrate more and more. If it hasn't unified, even through inference, seeing those things as impermanent, seeing that thing as not lasting, seeing that thing exists in that way, you can let go and it unifies again. This is secondary unification.
For tertiary unification, there is clear penetration. Everything becomes clear. It's the same investigation as before. However you used to investigate, you investigate that same way. But the seeing is different. There is no other investigation; it's the same investigation as before. When clear penetration arises, the old becomes new. When you see clearly and truly, the old becomes new. The reason for seeing clearly and truly is because the condition has changed. The condition changes because unification has occurred. When you unify frequently, then investigation gradually leads to the Dhamma.
Even the Buddhist scriptures (Suttas) unify in the same way. The Tipiṭaka (Three Baskets) – which is the collection of the 84,000 Dhamma aggregates – unifies into the Three Baskets. That is unification, too. The Three Baskets unify into Sīla (morality), Samādhi (concentration), and Paññā (wisdom). That is unification as well. Sīla, Samādhi, Paññā unify into the single Path (Magga). That is unification, too. This is the principle. The principle of practice must be like this. It is not about practicing haphazardly or without foundation or standard. That doesn't work. Even if it seems to progress, it won't last without a proper foundation. Therefore, it is said: Set your mind on practice. No matter how much progress is made, let it be about knowing your own self, seeing with your own mind. This is called practice. Practicing in line with the principles of Buddhism unifies in this way.