I am looking for a publisher for my book ‘Journey to Mêtta’ in the English language.

If you are interested and you want to know more, please, email me: sriannnatta@gmail.com

Below you’ll find both the introducton and the foreword of my book.

Introduction by:  Ven. (KRUBAA) Phra Phat Chantarang Sri Pikul Abbot of Wat Koo Tao, Chiang Mai

Since I have known Sri at about the end of 1983 I have known him to always have been, as we call it, “In Dhamma”. His mind and attitude established in Dhamma and therefore he gained an immense knowledge that, due to his many travels, might be unchallenged. In the many years –in this life cycle- that we have known each other he has had his ups and downs in his life. Something he speaks very frank about, both when he teaches as well as in this book. This makes this a book that helps people that lead a laymen’s life to associate with these situations and draw valuable lessons.

In spite of the fact that Sri Annatta has been a monk, he has always made it clear that in order to teach all over the globe he needed to lead a life of a Sanyasee. It helps in practicality in the sense that he can transport himself (monks from the Theravada religion cannot drive a vehicle) and in the sense that he knows what moves people in their “normal” lives. As well as the fact that he doesn’t have to adhere to traditions and customs. The latter makes it possible for him not only to relate to whatever might occur in your life but also makes it possible for him to discuss all and any subjects.

An interesting point is that Sri has the ability to speak many languages in this realm but the way he uses his language makes it possible for all to understand his teachings; he speaks on all levels both of education as well as levels of advancement.  From the first time I met him he had this strong urge to make all Dhamma (the way things are) comprehensible for all people in order to help them find salvation, forgiveness and redemption.

For as far as we both remember, but will not expand upon in this book, we have spent many life cycles together, always close to important Buddhist and Hindu learning centres. Our mutual attraction and relationship is explained by this. Clearly, most natural occurring circumstances are easily explained by Buddhism.  We both know that there were many, many lifetimes that preceded this one and that in one way or another they were entwined. It is extraordinary that, whilst living in the Western Hemisphere, he tore himself away from what was seemingly his path and retrieved his Buddhist inner self.

When he first came to me it was not only he who was so happy, it was I, myself who was so happy to retrieve an old Kalyanna Mitta (a friend on the path). I remembered and realized how well advanced he had always been (and still is) when it comes to Buddhist scriptures, he can still quote from hidden passages as if they are in front of him, so the name I gave him when he decided to become a monk was an easy choice: Dhammawaroo. Which can be roughly translated as “He who knows the Dhamma”.

From the moment we met up again, I knew he had to go out and teach. It is something that he just had to do. It would indeed make this world a better place, step by step. If you become a student with him you will find it a joy and he makes the difficult subjects sound easy, he has a down to earth kind of method that might sometimes make you forget that you are dealing with a special and well advanced person. He hides this fact so well.

It is also important to realize that in all his teachings he never asks people to give up their religious beliefs, his teaching can be a perfect addition to any and all other religions. In short we call it that Sri has something called Metta Parami and Boon Parami, a strong acquired inner sense of Loving Kindness with the bliss of acquired good deeds from past lifetimes which gives him the possibility to pass this on in various ways. Sometimes in the sense of his teachings, sometimes to help the sick with healing, sometimes to help those in distress or just the ones living in delusion. This book can be a manifest for those who want set out onto the path or further themselves towards enlightenment.

Meditation is the key in this practice, don’t let anybody fool you. Self enhancement in a spiritual sense can only come about by practice, you need to sit down.

But in order to sit down you need the Correct or Right view, The Right Resolve/ decide firmly, Adjust your speech to a Right and correct way, Have a Right conduct (from this moment onward), The correct and Right way of sustaining your livelihood, Make a Wholehearted and Right effort, apply the Right kind of Mindfulness and ultimately apply the Right kind of Samadhee (Calm concentration).

Sri helps you to see these before, during and after practice. Both in methods as well as in speech and actions. This makes his method of training quite unique in our period of time.

I wish everyone lots of joy and happiness, as well as insight, whilst reading this book. May all beings be happy, may all beings be secure and without fear, may all beings be happy minded and may their hearts be wholesome.

 

Foreword by: Sri Annatta

Never thought I’d write a book. Never intended. Never kept notes. I always felt that keeping notes kept you away from the real direct experience. Now, this may be a handicap. I don’t have notes and have to try to do everything from memory.

I know there are other people (some come to my teachings) that do keep notes and somehow it must help them, I am sure. But for me it would have been a hindrance, too much in mind, too much in the mental state, direct experience is what I was after.

This will risk either leaving some things out or even having forgotten certain things that have passed in life. I might even hurt people by leaving out certain events, which they thought it to be crucial. Or some might think I left them out on purpose. Can’t help that, it is what it is and I try to write down what I thought was important on my journey.

To be perfectly honest, I always thought it at least opportunistic, or even narcissistic, to write a book. Yes, I know this is a strong remark and probably isn’t fair. But I used to feel that way, because it seemed to eulogize the main character and remove it so far from reality. Maybe it was either shyness that made them leave out the things that weren’t that beautiful, or it was forgotten. For when you are transformed, the old you, that was, is not there anymore.  So many books on the spiritual life, so many stories, so much nonsense written, so much written to just fill pages. It had to be about a learning experience, genuinely sharing and being honest about your own failures. This is not about me, this is about everyone on the journey called life.

So when I was actually asked to do so, even 20 years ago, I never obliged. The main problem was that when I read those books, I felt like they were just holy man, from the moment they were born. This put it so far away from the reality that daily “ordinary” people have to deal with. It was, and is, therefore very hard for people to associate with the characters. 

It was therefore inevitable that I would have to face up to the reality of who I once was and what had happened. Thus making it possible for everyone to identify with this person that was once me. This book is thus about YOU. It is not about the main character, whomever that is, this is about you, the simple things that happen to all of us humans.  

Maybe our paths are not the same but we all endure the same worries, fears, insecurities and grief. I wouldn’t compare myself to the Buddha, but even he had many wives and lived a rich man’s life, before he repented. Realize this please. Yes, he realized there was something special from the start, but so are YOU.

Sure, I was teaching meditation and there were lots of stories, but due to the concept that I felt a lot of these books actually were a kind of sanctifying the main character, I just couldn’t put myself to doing so.

Now that I have decided to do so, so much has happened, life has given so many lessons and most importantly: there is a conclusion to all of this.

Maybe not so clear, but a conclusion never the less, as you will see me write: “Trying to describe the indescribable”.  It meant that with this series of three books I actually do believe that there are so many lessons to share with you, so many events, realizations and transformations  that is has become, not only easy to write, but also necessary.

Easy to write because all that I am writing about has sincerely happened to me. Maybe not exactly in the sequence and maybe mere words do not suffice, but they happened and it is all from experience. In my opinion, I have tried to not withhold anything. Sometimes I needed to give a colourful description to draw you into the story, but it was the way it occurred and the way I experienced it.

I haven’t held anything back (not on purpose anyway) and write about the downsides of the path I followed as well. But remaining firmly on that path and trying to experience every moment in a learning curve is what it is about.

This won’t be a full life story, that is impossible, it would take a life time to live it all and put it in words. This is the story, mainly, of my path, the road I have followed.

Not all advisable, but I am sure intelligent people can sift the good and proper parts out for themselves. Some parts I have omitted on purpose, they were not very useful and I would like to make this journey with you in all honesty.

I have added some parts that I am definitely not proud of, but they happened and were part of the learning curve. Such as the women in my life, the days when I still drank alcohol, some depressions and my emotions.

The most important chapters are those where I realized that I had to grow to be able to end the suffering for myself and eventually for others. Suffering always sounds quite “heavy” but suffering includes hurting, emotions, fear, discontent, dissatisfaction, thoughts or just plain dullness in your existence.

It is possible and there are many ways, not just one way to get there. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, be playful within your spirituality and the good things will appear, magically upon your path.

Remember this and realize this: Playfulness in your practice is very important. Do not try to become anything but be the best version of what you can be and then realize what it takes to let go of even that last shred of ego that is a part of that conception. For that is what it turns out to be: Your conception. All things are preceded by the mind, led by the mind, created by the mind and you are heir of your creation.

I will hand you more tools in the second part and even more insights in the third, but for now, this is, in all its purity, what actually happened to me from a young age and as a red thread kept going through my life, the spiritual path, parallel to all the usual chaos and humdrum of an ordinary life.

Part two will be about the methods and part three will be a book with deep insights, to be used to meditate on, on a daily basis.

You are your own GURU, you are the factor of your enlightenment. It is very special that you are born a human being. Believe it or not, we are the only species in this realm that actually think about our own existence. Why are we here, what does it lead to, where does it come from, what is the purpose?

I am quite well educated and could have therefore drowned (and probably drowsed) the reader with difficult jargon especially when it would pertain certain parts that reflect the metaphysics of what occurred. I have refrained from that. This had to be a readable book. Something that drags you along on the rollercoaster ride that is life itself. Nearly as exciting as a thriller about daily life. But all true and some probably recognizable.

I always have tried to use the most simple wording to describe these occurrences and I still do so when it comes to my translations of either Dhamma talk or the spontaneous Satsangs I give, or rather should I say: that are flowing through me.

I sincerely hope that sharing this book with you, will leave you with, not only a warm feeling of sharing in a total genuine situation, but will sometimes give you goose pickles of recognition and makes your hairs raise in your neck. It did so to me, even writing it and realizing certain aspects again.

It is a genuine and honest sharing of words that will eventually give you a vibe, a resonance, a vibration or pulsation in which your whole being will move along in the same process.

I am very grateful for being able to share and very humbled by the beautiful people I meet every day, teaching and sharing the path. I can never mention all of you in this book, but rest assured that you are always in my heart.  And so are you, the one that picks up this book. Everything is energy, everything is vibration, resonance, frequency and radiates.

I hope for you this book clears up some aspects of daily, simple life. And that it radiates the loving kindness I have been allowed to feel and share.

I dedicate this book to YOU, but also to my mother, my father, my grandma and grandfather, my teacher as well as everyone else that was there on my path, even if it didn’t seem like a happy situation, it taught me all the lessons I needed.

And a special thanks goes to the publisher who thought it a good idea to promote and print this book, who saw the importance and probably had the same feeling as you have when you read this. It is not about me, or who I was, it is about all of us.

I dedicate it to those who have made it difficult and those who’ve made it easy. Even if at that stage to either those sentient beings or myself it didn’t appear to either be of much importance or even caused frustration. I now see, in hindsight of course, that all and everything was necessary to bring me to where I am now. And I am grateful and I feel blessed for everyone on my path.

From the bottom of my heart and with loving kindness thank you for sharing this journey, our journey, for this is about YOU. Thank you.