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| The entrance to cave 1 |
Caves are unusual places and have a historic fascination possibly bordering on a genetic appeal. Caves that have a long history of meditational practices associated with them are quite rare. The Ancient Caves at Wat SubChaOm are a living example of such a cave complex. Though, neglected for the last fifty years or so, meditational caves have a way of being rediscovered and reconditioned for the next generation of mendicant Yogis, Mystics, Psychics, Healers and many others sorts of contemplative people. In Buddhism, although enlightenment is the objective, there are many levels of awareness and insights for which caves mediations can provide useful even unique benefits.
The Buddhist experience with caves began 2553 years ago five kilometers upriver from Bodhi Gaya, India in the cave Siddhartha Gautama sat in for several years while exploring the Mystery Practices. These practices were known to the Sadues and Mystics at the time. At enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha and encouraged the middle way which became the teachings of the Dharma. It is regrettable that these Mystery Practices are mostly ignored by Buddhist traditions today. Fortunately, through some of the Buddhist traditions, the Mystery Practices have been preserved and are the same today as they were during the Buddha’s time.
The Buddha did not condemn the Mystery Practices themselves but he criticized the application of those practices. What the Buddha did do, effectively, was to use the Mystery Practices to help the spiritual pilgrims better understand the middle way.
What the Buddha Cave had, and other caves have, are conditions that are unique and found in no other place; they are both dark and very quiet. Two essential components is any Mystery Practice. The Mystery Practices can be understood as fundamental practices. They take you from where you are to where you are supposed to be. Sometimes you have to be quite different to be where you are supposed to be. Actually, anyone on a spiritual pilgrimage is always dramatically changed through the process. These changes do not happen in bright, noisy, busy or even academic places. Imaging other growing things and how they change. If you put any seeds in the sunlight they will not grow. You have to put them in the ground, where it is dark and it is possible for any changes to take place. It is in the darkness where these mysterious transformations turn a seed into a plants, or a trees, or something else quite unexpected. It is helpful to remember that Siddhartha Gautama figured out enlightenment at night, in the dark, quiet, and alone, to become the current Buddha.
The Mystery Practices
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| Ancient Buddhas in cave 8 |
All Buddhist traditions have established that Enlightenment is the objective, then described this objective as impossible to attain without lifetimes of skillfully practicing the Dharma. If this is true then there is plenty of time to learn, experience and appreciate the Mystery Practices (one or two lifetimes should be enough!!!). The Buddha did not say that it would take lifetimes to achieve enlightenment. He said that any reasonable person should become enlightened in a few months of reasonable teachings. It is helpful to remember that the Buddha became enlightened first and then learned the Dharma on his fourth meditation at Bodhi Gaya.
The first Mystery Practice should be Balance and Centering because all the other Mystery Practices include this practice. The Buddha did not invent balance and centering. The Sadues and Mystics used balance and centering to develop Siddha powers. What the Buddha notices was that balance and centering were the objective of the meditation itself and an excellent window into the middle way. The Buddha did not condemning the practice but used the practice to augment a better understanding of the middle path Dharma.
The Buddha did not invent candle meditation but used the candle to light the way for Buddhist pilgrims who were lost. The best way to appreciate the candle meditation is in a cave for various reasons. First is that a cave is dark like the dark room most people live their life in but this personal room is also inhabited by their very busy and noisy mind. The cave is quiet, unlike your noisy, busy mind, and quite soon you notice that it is the quiet that only caves have that is helpful. This quiet can easily become oppressive but a better condition than your oppressive mind. It is as if the quiet pushes out everything but the quiet in your own mind. The candle meditation will also take you to a very stable place within your mind. It is very helpful to discover stable, unchanging conditions while you’re journeying through your spiritual choices.
Reading people’s minds is a popular meditational misconception but a useful tool in deciding the questions people are actually asking, or more precisely their intentions. The Buddha used this technique to help him better advise them in pursuing a more wholesome lifestyle or encouraging them to choose a spiritual path. The Lamas called this insight practice upstairs telephone. It is easy to do, though once you figure it out; it is difficult not to do. First you figure out what is you then notice that anything else is someone else’s busy, noisy mind.
Remote viewing is something we are quite good at but ignore for cultural and social reasons. It is not polite to look into your neighbor’s or friends environment to see what they are doing. Culturally you are encouraged to ignore almost everything you actually know. The Buddha used remote viewing to appreciate the conditions that were influencing people’s choices.
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| Buddhas in cave 1 |
The Buddha advised not making temples, statues, images or any other kind of artificial meditational structure. Fortunately, many of these symbols were made and copied or we would have never preserved the symbolism of hundreds or even thousands of years of meditational experiences. Looking at these meditational postures is not enough, of course, but doing them is meditationally advised. The Buddha did them during his six years of Siddha yoga practices. Most traditions sadly do not encourage these postures as practices. Cave meditations lend themselves to consider these ancient postures as valuable tools in the transformation from ordinary consciousness to insightful awareness. Health and fitness are essential in any spiritual journey; Hatha Yoga being one alternative. The Buddha walked hundreds and possibly thousands of miles in his effort to help others with their spiritual questions. Oddly, traditional Buddhist seem to think sitting and chanting is enough! I have no idea how these traditions manage to justify this behavior but the results are, by the time they figure anything out, their health is so poor they are unable to share their enlightenment. Physical fitness is essential in practicing the mysteries. There are many other Mystery Practices including;
• The Four Element visualizations• Remote Healing of Symptoms
• Past life visualizations
• Movement and Posturing
• The Siddha Powers
• Mystical Insight meditations
• The River of Life practices
• Common Ground practices
• The Silent Hand
• And some others.
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| The 3 meter Buddha in cave 1 |
A Proposed Institution for Applied Metaphysics
The Ancient Caves at Wat SubChaOm lend themselves to the cultivation and understanding of the Mystery Practices. It is a directive of Wat SubChaOm to provide the conditions that support these practices. The preliminary objectives are to support a hermitage retreat for long term permanent residence for experienced practitioners in spiritual, metaphysical, mystical and traditional meditational practices. As part of the Wat SubChaOm temple complex that include limestone caves for isolated retreats the experienced practitioner will be able to explore the more subtle influences of the contemplative life. We are also committed to the Buddhas teaching of non discrimination, especially concerning, woman. The objective is to figure out the Mystery Practices regardless of any other external condition. If you discover the existence of the Wat Subchaom Caves, and the idea of the Mystical Practices is appealing, you are qualified to do the practices. What we ask you to do is to write us about yourself and what you want to do for a meditational practice. If we can be of assistance we will tell you.
Some Expectations
Because this information is directed to the western pilgrim it is incumbent upon us to inform you that the conditions in Thailand are much different than you are accustom to, especially if you are a first time visitor to Thailand and particularly if you have never been to a foreign country. The cultural shock can be daunting starting with the weather. There are two seasons here – hot and wet and hot and dry. These seasons mingle around one and other in a vaguely recognizable way but not in a reliably dependable way. During this rainy season it flooded in the local area but not here. Also westerners are much taller than Asians. If you are over 65 inches (1.65m) tall you are going to bump your head on almost everything. There are definitely places to bump you head in the caves and you will notice those places right away. There are hazards everywhere you step so you have to pay attention both up and down for a distance of one meter in all directions just to be safe. It is a good meditation in mindfulness. There is a story in Buddhist Humor that sums up the problem;
The Hole
“Master, I have fallen into the hole and injured myself, rather badly,” whined the student.
“That hole has been there for ten years or so; why did you decided to fall into it now?” the Master asked.
“I don’t know. I just did. What are you going to do about my leg?” The student whimpered.
“Well,” said the Master. “If you had fallen into the hole a month ago you would be all better by now.”
Local food will be available through the monks, if you want to eat with them. It is very hot pepper spicy. I don’t like my food hot and spicy so we will have a western style kitchen with western style food, the Thai’s simply cannot cook an egg without turning it into something else. Generally, when a western monk is asked what he had for a meal it is described as – ‘rice with something.’ The water here seem fine, I have been drinking it for almost two years and have had no trouble but bottled water is still recommended.
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This Buddha is in cave 8
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Reconditioning
The plans for reconditioning the Ancient Caves of Wat Subchaom are figured out all we have to do is to implement them. To do this we need money, we don’t have any. If you have any suggestions we would certainly consider them.
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| A diagram of the caves |
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Note - click on the picture to expand
