TARA - Thamkrabok Assistance and Recovery Advice
Sajja

“SAJJA (TRUTH) IS THE TRUE RELIGION:

TO SPEAK TRULY,

TO ACT TRULY,

TO BELIEVE TRULY,

AND TO SEE TRULY.”

(Luang Por Charoen - Abbot of Thamkrabok Monastery)

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The Thamkrabok treatment program is based on taking a vow called Sajja.  The primary vow or Sajja that is taken is to not use intoxicating substances.  Sajja is not only a vow but also a commitment to the truth.  Sajja is a sacred act that, if you believe in it, will connect you with your will power and with something "beyond".  Sajja is there for everybody; it is not limited to any specific religion or belief system.

According to Luangpor Charoen (the Abbot of Thamkrabok Monastery) the physical detoxification is only 5% of the treatment.

“You must do the remaining 95% of the work in your mind and through your actions.”

As addicts, it is never a good time to “stop” because we always find excuses not to. Hopefully, during your treatment at Thamkrabok you will get to see things as they really are…

      there is nothing you can be…

      there is nothing you can experience…

      there is nothing you can have…

      …that will bring you lasting happiness. 

      Everything is transitory, impermanent, temporary.  

The vows (Sajja) that you will take at the Thamkrabok Monastery must change your life and your view of the world.  If you keep the Sajja’s (narcotics & alcohol) good things will start to happen in your life and you will be better able to deal with the bad things.  If you break your Sajja’s only bad things will come into your life.  But remember, good or bad, all things and experiences are temporary, transient, and impermanent.

Thai addicts are particularly superstitious and consider it very bad luck to break your Sajja.   Much is made of the "accidents" that happen to addicts that don't stay clean. But this is not purely superstition or Thai Buddhist spiritualism, just simple logic or common sense.   Staying clean will allow you get on with your (new) life, things will only get better.  If you break the vow and go back to a life of drugs you will be on the fast track to misery and suffering.

As one of Thamkrabok’s slogans says:

CLEAN BODY WITH HERBS, CLEAN MIND WITH SAJJA

 


 

Here are some articles, quotes and references about Sajja ( or Sacca ) that may give you an insight into why you might need to take these vows.  Hopefully they make sense… or maybe just give you a feeling for the significance of Sajja.


 

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SAJJA: The way of the Vow

© Phra Hans Piyathammo Ulrich Kampfer

The Pali word "sacca" [usually spelt sajja and pronounced sat-cha] means a solemn declaration about the active fulfillment of a truth. According to Luangpor Charoen the physical detox is only 5% of the treatment. You must do the remaining 95% of the work in your mind and through your action.

If you want to enter the drug-detox area and start with the purification of your body, you will have to go through the ceremony of SAJJA. The Sajja is a very essential element here in Thamkrabok. It might be the most serious and the most important thing you have done so far in your life.

The Sajja looks like a vow. But it is far more that just a promise "to be a good guy" or "a good girl" from now on, having nothing to do anymore with consuming or promoting alcohol or other drugs.

Sajja is a sacred act that, if you believe in it, will connect you with your will power and with something "beyond". Something that is far more existential than the fight against the drugs! It connects you with a teaching. This teaching is not given in the form of intellectual lectures. But it will be there for you in any moment you really want it strongly enough and when you are ready for it.

So, what you will get here depends entirely on yourself. Nobody says that it will be easy. You will get tested!

But by trying to keep the Sajja, your will power and endurance will be challenged and will gradually build up. And during the process of working on your will, Sajja can become in a mysterious way your 'leader', possibly leading you to yet unknown aims of innermost longings.

The Sajja is a very powerful tool if you decide to use it. It is like a car that will lead you to your ultimate goal. And that is all you need. The rest, once you are on your way, will be a combination of belief, trust, will power, endurance, patience and initiative.

If you don't use Sajja, it will be like a car in your garage, leading you nowhere. If you break your Sajja, you might have to bare quite unpleasant consequences in your life. It is not harmless to live with a broken Sajja.

So think well, before you decide to take Sajja!

The ceremony is simple: You light 3 incense sticks, put them into the bowl, then you fold your hands and repeat the formula the high monk speaks. If you can't repeat it perfectly, it doesn't matter. After this you bow 3 times, and that's it. The rest is up to you.

If you want, you can get a little paper with a 'sacred word' after the first phase of your treatment. It is called 'Gathaa'. Its syllables have no intellectual meaning, their function is purely energetic. You may learn them by heart, then eat the paper after 7 days. You can use it as a 'snow-plough' to keep your 'road' clean. Repeat it constantly when you meditate or when you need endurance or strength in moments of craving and temptation. Repeat it in moments of danger. You can also bless your food saying it silently. If you use this very powerful tool well, it will grow and become an invaluably effective help in your life.

The Sajja is there for everybody. It is not limited to any specific religion. You may give the vow to anything that is sacred and holy for you. Luangpor Charoen has called Sajja "the whisper of God". Seriously developing your will power through the Sajja and the Gathaa can, after some time of hard practice, lead you to the insight of what you really have to do in life.

 

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Thamkrabok Vow for Buddhists

Presentation of the Buddhist Vow

“I cordially render my worship - physically, verbally and spiritually - towards Our Lord Buddha, His Teachings and towards all His Disciples. May the Teachings of Our Lord Buddha bring these sacred vows towards the true Nirvana.

I hereby solemnly promise to commit my vows to Our Lord Buddha and pledge, for the rest of my life, commencing from today, that;

I will never again allow myself to become addicted,

I will not enter the trade or be in the possession of dangerous drugs,

I will never again use or add any addictive substance or solvents - namely;

Opium, heroin, morphine, cocaine, crack-cocaine, marijuana, hallucinogenic drugs (such as LSD - lysergernic acid), amphetamines (such as "Speed" or "Ecstasy") - to any non-toxic substances, solvents, food or drinks.

I will not urge other people to use addictive drugs.

I call upon the earth, the sky, and the air to be my witnesses.

May Our Lord Buddha, all of those present and all those who can hear our vows be my witness.

May the Teachings of Our Lord Buddha grant the merits gained to the Beings in the universe, living or dead, and to the father, the mother, the benefactors, the patrons and "Chao kam nai wane".

Please help me to acquire the four Noble Truths of Buddhism, the four Perceptions of Buddhism, the four Orders of Merit of Buddhism, and to attempt the demanding route towards Nirvana"

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Thamkrabok Vow for non-Buddhists

Presentation of the non-Buddhist vow

  • For Muslims - the vow can be given to ALLAH
  • For Christians - the vow can be given to CHRIST
  • For Non-believers - the vow can be given to all those present and to all the other inhabitants of the world in which they live.

"I hereby solemnly promise to commit my vows to ALLAH/CHRIST/ALL THOSE PRESENT and pledge, for the rest of my life, commencing from today, that;

I will never again allow myself to become addicted, I will not enter the trade or be in the possession of dangerous drugs, I will never again use or add any addictive substance or solvents - namely;

Opium, heroin, morphine, cocaine, crack-cocaine, marijuana, hallucinogenic drugs (such as LSD - lysergernic acid), amphetamines (such as "Speed" or "Ecstasy") - to any non-toxic substances, solvents, food or drinks. I will not urge other people to use addictive drugs.

May the noblest teachings of the world bring all these merits to be devoted to the world in which we live, to all living souls or persons, to parents and families, to benefactors and patrons, and even to the truly penitent ex-agents of the deadly drug or drugs who deal or who have dealt in these substances.

Please, please, please help me to obtain and to learn the way to true self-knowledge and to real happiness."

  http://www.thamkrabok.net/html/the_vows.html

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sacca true; truth (Pali);

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What is Sacca (Truth)? 
Explanation by Phra Bhavanaviriyakhun 

The word Sacca, or truth, means all earthly events such as birth, aging, illness, and death, which are unavoidable by all human beings. 

Sacca can also mean sincerity, a characteristic of the body, speech, and mind that reflect honesty, certainty, and strength with no intention of concealment. It allows a person to become dedicated and truthful. Such person will always try his best for the best outcome. When he brushes his teeth, he makes them cleanest. When he sits, he sits in the healthiest posture; when he stands, he stands in the straightest position; when he sleeps, he lies down in the most comfortable pose. Every movement is done with careful and delicate control and is as natural as the sun and the moon, rising each day and night. 

The third meaning of Sacca is the truth in speech, which is called “Sacca Vaca”. A person with “Sacca Vaca” commits himself to words that he has given and conversely commits his words to what he has done. Whatever comes to him, he has a sincere mind to do his best. Whether or not a target outcome is met, a person who has Sacca Vaca reports such outcome with directness. He is ready to tell the world if it is good or bad and to improve the result for the better. With Sacca Vaca (speaking of only truths and keeping words and promises) comes the habit of reasoning to search for solutions and obtain the best result for the situation. 

Since a person with Sacca Vaca always does his best, by his nature, he searches for truth to find out what is genuinely best for him, where it is and how to get it. For instance, if a person with Sacca Vaca wants to use certain tool for his work, he will try to find out which is the best, then obtain and use it with delicate care for the most excellent result of his work. 

With each step of discovering the truth in nature, a person with Sacca Vaca will come to understand the nature of human beings, the nature of the world, and will ask the ultimate question: "What is the truth of life? How can one take the most out of this life?" The habit of searching for truth leads one to search for Ariyasacca, the Four Noble Truths, as all the Buddhas did. 

And as stated in the biography of the Buddha, Prince Siddhattha set his mind to search for the truth of life when he left his palace. He was confident that he would find such truth since he already recognized that all things in nature always appear in duality such as darkness and brightness, dusk and dawn, dark and full moon, high and low tide, and thus, suffering and happiness. He knew that there exists a permanent happiness, opposite of the recurring suffering (birth, age, illness, and death). The habit of searching for truth that Prince Siddhattha cultivated within himself during his past lives enabled him to elevate the common searching of truth to the advanced searching of Ariyasacca. This is why Luang Pu Wat Paknam said that the Buddhahood could be achieved through truth, that is, through the ultimate truth. 

When does Sacca begin?

The habit of Sacca generally begins with parents who ought to nurture such habit in their children, starting with activities in their daily lives. When parents assign chores to children, they should teach the children to do their best in every task: how to make their beds and fold clothes as neatly as possible; how to brush their teeth and wash dishes cleanly; how to write the neatest handwriting; how to read well and recognize the main concepts. With such habit developed from the young age, he will not become careless in doing a task and only try to do his best. He is always reliable and entrusted with important work, as everyone knows that the work of such person will be the greatest. Hence, he is welcome everywhere while he gains the trust of everyone and succeeds miraculously in any task at hand. 

When a habit of having Sacca in the body, speech, and mind is within a person, it translates into the Sacca Virtue, One of the Ten Perfections (Parami (Pali) or Paramita in Sanskrit). 

The Benefit of Sacca

As a person maintains Sacca at higher and higher level, sincerity, or Sacca to others, will emerge. Hence, he becomes well liked by everyone. People will eagerly share their good deeds and knowledge with him, and in turn, he will be ready to transfer these deeds and knowledge to others. Such is the power of Sacca. 

Every Buddha cultivates the habit of having Sacca from the time of his past lives as Bodhisattava. Sacca is the gateway to other good deeds. It is like an ocean where all the rivers in the world meet. Such habit, however, can only be built up through many lives. It has to be fostered in the mind that it becomes integrated as a part of him like sweetness that is a part of honey. The worth of a person with Sacca is greater than any jewel in the world because his mind is stronger, clearer, and brighter. 

A person with Sacca is not careless. On the contrary, he is perceptive and visionary, a profound thinker. Yet he is decisive. His action is fast and the outcome magnificent. A person with Sacca always has a growing will power because he feels encouraged when looking back at his past good deeds with such commitment in his duty, his work, his speech, his search for truth of life, and his sincerity to others. Images of such deeds will glow in his mind.

When a person with Sacca looks at the world, he does not see an individual but rather a collection of people. He sees things thoroughly and methodically with clarity in his truthful mind. 

http://www.dhammakaya.or.th/teachings/lpwatparknam-8.htm

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the only way to reach the honesty and the truth ( sajja, sacca )

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  1. Dukkha sacca    the Truth of Suffering
  2. Samudaya sacca    the Truth of the Origin of Suffering
  3. Nirodha sacca    the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
  4. Magga sacca    the Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of suffering

http://www.triplegem.plus.com/dhamack6.htm

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sacca : 'knowledge of the truth' (s. prec.), may be of 2 kinds: (1) knowledge consisting in understanding(anubodha) and (2) knowledge consisting in penetration (pativedha), i.e. realization. Cf. pariyatti.

http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_s.htm

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“Every member of sajja sasaomsab is required to make and keep a pledge of truthfulness that the same amount of money will be deposited in the group bank every month. This promise of truthfulness helps to maintain their commitment to the group.”

http://www.bpf.org/tsangha/tsm03report/Karma%20Book/skphaisan.html


 

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SACCA  'Truth'.

1. On the 'two truths', conventional and ultimate, see paramattha.

2. 'The Four Noble Truths' (ariya-sacca) are the briefest synthesis of the entire teachings of Buddhism, since all those manifold doctrines of the threefold canon are, without any exception, included therein.

They are:

    1.   the truth of suffering,

    2.   of the origin of suffering,

    3.   of the extinction of suffering,

    4.   and of the Eightfold Path leading to the extinction of suffering.

  • The 1st truth, briefly stated, teaches that all forms of existence whatsoever are unsatisfactory and subject to suffering (dukkha).
  • The 2nd truth teaches that all suffering, and all rebirth, is produced by craving (tanhá).
  • The 3rd truth teaches that extinction of craving necessarily results in extinction (nirodha) of rebirth and suffering, i.e. nibbána.
  • The 4th truth of the Eightfold Path (magga) indicates the means by which this extinction is attained.

The stereotype text frequently recurring in the SuttaPitaka, runs as follows:

1.   "But what, o monks, is the noble truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, decay is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; in short, the 5 groups of existence connected with clinging are suffering (cf. dukkha,dukkhata).

2.   ''But what, o monks, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering? It is that craving which gives rise to fresh rebirth and, bound up with lust and greed, now here, now there, finds ever fresh delight. It is the sensual craving (káma-tanhá), the craving for existence (bhava-tanhá), the craving for non-existence or self-annihilation (vibhava-tanhá).

3.   "But what, o monks, is the noble truth of the extinction of suffering? It is the complete fading away and extinction of this craving, its forsaking and giving up, liberation and detachment from it.

4.   "But what, o monks, is the noble truth of the path leading to the extinction of suffering? It is the Noble Eightfold Path(ariya-atthangika-magga) that leads to the extinction of suffering, namely:

 

1. Right view (sammá-ditthi)

2. Right thought (sammá-sankappa)

III. Wisdom (paññá)

3. Right speech (sammá-vácá)

4. Right action (sammá-kammanta)

5. Right livelihood (sammd-djiva)

I. Morality (sĂ­la)

6. Right effort (sammá-váyáma)

7. Right mindfulness (sammá-sati)

8. Right concentration (sammá-samádhi)

II. Concentration (samádhi)

 

1. "What now, o monks, is right view (or right understanding)? It is the understanding of suffering, of the origin of suffering, of the extinction of suffering, and of the path leading to the extinction of suffering.

2. "What now, o monks, is right thought? It is a mind free from sensual lust, ill-will and cruelty.

3. "What now, o monks, is right speech? Abstaining from lying, tale-bearing, harsh words, and foolish babble (cf.tiracchánakathá).

4. "What now, o monks, is right action? Abstaining from injuring living beings, from stealing and from unlawful sexual intercourse (s. kámesumicchácára).

5. "What now, o monks, is right livelihood? If the noble disciple rejects a wrong living, and gains his living by means of right livelihood (s. magga, 5).

6. "What now, o monks, is right effort? If the disciple rouses his will to avoid the arising of evil, demeritorious things that have not yet arisen; ... if he rouses his will to overcome the evil, demeritorious things that have already arisen; ... if he rouses his will to produce meritorious things that have not yet arisen; ... if he rouses his will to maintain the meritorious things that have already arisen and not to let them disappear, but to bring them to growth, to maturity and to the full perfection of development; he thus makes effort, stirs up his energy, exerts his mind and strives (s. padhána).

7. "What now, o monks is right mindfulness? If the disciple dwells in contemplation of corporeality ... of feeling ... of mind ... of the mind-objects, ardent, clearly conscious, and mindful after putting away worldly greed and grief (s. satipatthána).

8. "What now, o monks, is right concentration? If the disciple is detached from sensual objects, detached from unwholesome things, and enters into the first absorption ... the second absorption ... the third absorption ... the fourth absorption" (s. jhána).

In the Buddha's first sermon, the DhammacakkappavattanaSutta, it is said that

  • the first truth (suffering) is to be fully understood;
  • the second truth (craving) to be abandoned;
  • the third truth (Nibbána) to be realized;
  • the fourth truth (the path) to be cultivated.

"The truth of suffering is to be compared with a disease, the truth of the origin of suffering with the cause of the disease, the truth of extinction of suffering with the cure of the disease, the truth of the path with the medicine" (Vis.M. XVI).

In the ultimate sense, all these 4 truths are to be considered as empty of a self, since there is no feeling agent, no doer, no liberated one. no one who follows along the path. Therefore it is said:

        'Mere suffering exists, no sufferer is found.

        The deed is, but no doer of the deed is there.

        Nibbána is, but not the man that enters it.

        The path is, but no traveller on it is seen.

         

        'The first truth and the second truth are empty

        Of permanency, joy, of self and beauty;

        The Deathless Realm is empty of an ego,

        And free from permanency, joy and self, the path.'

        (Vis.M. XVI)

It must be pointed out that the first truth does not merely refer to actual suffering, i.e. to suffering as feeling, but that it shows that, in consequence of the universal law of impermanency, all the phenomena of existence whatsoever, even the sublimest states of existence, are subject to change and dissolution, and hence are miserable and unsatisfactory; and that thus, without exception, they all contain in themselves the germ of suffering. Cf. Guide, p. 101f.

Regarding the true nature of the path, s. magga.

http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/s_t/sacca.htm

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Clean Body With Herbs... Clean Mind With Sajja

Clean Body With Herbs... Clean Mind With Sajja