Vipassana Meditation Master
Acharavadee Wongsakon
Yesterday (21 June 2025), after completing theVipassana course, I delivered a Dhamma talk to warnpeople not to fall victim to wrong view, particularly those believing that one can attain Enlightenment simply bylistening to Dhamma teachings without meditation practice.
The reason online Enlightenment has become widespreadis due to “craving and laziness in meditation practice.” Asfor those who taught online, they seek the title of Masters togain attention and recognition. The price of laziness is severe.It leads to wrong view and disbelief in the Karma, believingeverything is merely non-self, without core or essence.
There are three major factors that lead to wrong views: 1.Not believing in Karma. 2. Not believing in the consequencesof good and evil. 3. Believing that death is the end (No need topurify the mind from greed, hatred, and delusion).
I explained about online Enlightenment in every point as follows:
1. When people say, “You can attain Enlightenment justby listening to Dhamma teachings,” the question is: listeningfrom whom?
During the Buddha’s time, the Blessed One taught directlyby himself with his full perfections. This made the ones whohad cultivated enough perfections and whose wisdom wasjust waiting to be opened can easily attain Enlightenment. Itis called Anusasanipatihariya (The miracle of teaching). Today,people listen to AI-read teachings or clips made by those whomerely state their own beliefs. These clips, numbering in thethousands, are played all day long like self-hypnosis.
People don’t realize that they are listening with only partialmindfulness or worse, with wrong mindfulness. It’s like beingscammed by a call center. Even though you’re aware, fearclouds your wisdom, and you fall into their trap. Constantly listening erodes one’s ability to think and reason. Eventually,that person gets spiritually robbed.
2. These people believe that mere intellectual knowledgeor listening is enough to attain Enlightenment. They lackguidance from genuine Masters.
I referred to the 37 factors of Enlightenment(Bodhipakkhiya Dhamma), such as the Four Foundations ofMindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Power,the Five Strengths, and the Seven Factors of Enlightenment.All of which require effort. Most teachings by these delusiveDhamma groups omit Viriya (effort). Without effort, there is nopatience to burn defilements.
3. The idea of transmitting teachings “From mind tomind” without bodily discipline is self-deception. Since themind resides in the body, the body must be trained to haveconcentration power, not just listening to Dhamma whilecooking noodles.
4. Claims of being a “New Enlightenment” or teachingsfrom Metteyya Buddha are only fabrications to gain followers.
5. Misinterpreting the phrase “Sabbe dhamma anatta”(All phenomena are non-self) to undermine all responsibility,including Karma and moral consequences.
I reminded listeners that even the Buddha himselfexperienced the fruits of past Karma, such as being slanderedby the woman Cinca Māṇavikā. So, how could ordinarypeople, filled with defilements, possibly escape them? Karmadoesn’t dissolve until one reaches final Nirvana. To rejectKarma is to fall deeply into wrong view. This is an extreme anddangerous delusion.
6. Suññatā (Emptiness) means the absence fromdefilements, not the deliberate suppression of the mind intoan empty state.
This is what’s happening in both worldly and spiritualcommunities. As long as people lack wisdom, seek shortcuts,and avoid true effort, they will fall prey to deception.
Simply watching the mind is only mindfulnes practice.If one suppresses the mind to remain in an empty state, it’sno different than having a false sense of Enlightenment. Thissuppression nurtures poison in the mind, gradually weakeningone’s willingness to meditate while deceiving oneself intothinking they haven’t abandoned Dhamma.
Being in a preferred emotional state disconnects onefrom reality. They refuse to acknowledge their own flawsinstead of having right mindfulness, effort, concentration, andequanimity. Defilements deeply hidden are still there, resultingin the increase of ego and laziness and eventually leading tototal abandonment of practice.
Training the mind to be mindful and fully aware isdifferent from training it to stay in a preferred emotional state.Emotional suppression is not reality. It’s like placing a rock ongrass. When imbedded impurities erupt, one can do anythingbad without knowing themselves because the inner beast hastaken over.
A clear sign of being spiritually consumed is the lackof effort and laziness in meditation. The moment one seeksshortcuts and avoids true spiritual practice, they fall intodeception.
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