:: Buddhapadipa Thai Temple

One of the problems which the meditation-practitioner has is how to gauge the progress of his practice of meditation. The easy way to know is for him to test his desires, greed, hatred, and delusion. If his desire is less, he has progress, but if his desire is more, he has not. This is an easy method.

In general, wholesomeness will be generated in unwholesomeness’ stead. This is the method to measure the progress.
1. The practitioner must have confidence in himself that he can do anything to develop himself (confidence).
2. The practitioner behaves better outside and inside (discipline).
3. The practitioner has open mind for the development (learning).
4. The practitioner can be generous and reduce his desire; more or less (generosity).
5. The practitioner has right understanding in learning and practice and sees things more clearly and as it really is (wisdom).

This is one of the tests which can conclude that when the practitioner does meditation, he has more confidence, more discipline, more knowledge, more generosity, and more wisdom. However, if he has more selfishness, more greed, more hatred, and more delusion, he doesn’t have progress. This means he has real progress of his practice. There is one method which proves the progress of meditation called the Function of Four Noble Truths as follows;
1. The first Noble Truth is suffering which is the problem of every living being. The function to do with it is to know it; what is suffering? What is the problem? “If we want to solve the suffering or problem in life, we have to know it first”, it is said. The function of the first one is to know it as it really is, not causing suffering or problems for oneself.
2. The second Noble Truth is the cause of suffering which must be found out, and then the solution will be clear. It is true that if the cause is obvious, the solution is also obvious or clear cause is clear solution.
3. The third Noble Truth is the cessation of suffering which is the aim of life.
4. The fourth Noble Truth is to act or follow the path. No one can do it for another. We all must do it for ourselves.

All things are related to the Four Noble Truths as follows:
-Basically mankind has suffering which he has to encounter - do not turn away from it, learn from it.
-All things which cause suffering are the cause. Mankind has to find out the cause.
-The cessation of suffering is the aim of life.
-All learning suffering, finding out the cause and aim-establishment must be put into action.
All function has to be done in the right way; knowing it, realizing its cause, eradicating its cause and having done for attaining the goal. The Four Noble Truths have to be done in the right arrangement, and then the practitioner will know his progress in practice - like he will have more loving kindness for living beings, more generosity towards all living beings, more compassion for living beings, more self-responsibility and esteem, more confidence, more will, more mindfulness, and more wisdom etc. All of these are the progress of the practitioner.

The state of mind will be higher than usual or before. The mental aspects of the mind of the practitioner, who practises in the right approach, will be in five states as follows: 1. Delight 2. Rapture 3. Tranquility 4. Happiness 5. Concentration. On the other hand, if the practitioner is depressed, this is surely the wrong approach. So this is how to know the progress of meditation practitioner, one can check one’s progress as is explained above.

*based on right practice, P. Payutto